Enduring Hardness

Oh how we wish we could all live a life of complete peace, tranquility and personal perfection. My weeks are rather filled with interacting with people dealing with marriages, monies, ministries and even health issues that constantly require our patience and God’s sufficient grace. In 21 years of ministry and training, I have watched as life takes us down roads that we never expected nor did we plan on encountering……it is on this journey of un-answered questions and fighting for your faith that you and I will be faced with enduring hardness in our christianity.

I am convinced that life is full of unique family situations, financial fluctuations and even the daily circumstances that tend to bring stress and worry to people of all ages and backgrounds. In our quest to love God, live peaceably with those around us and have success for our families we all have a constant necessity in our lives; the struggle to keep a pure heart and right spirit.

Proverbs 4:23 states -Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

The writer obviously thought it was extremely important for us to guard our heart when he started this passage with the words ABOVE ALL ELSE. Simply stated, this must be our top priority! Many times in life, we allow hurt, pain, and disappointment to “consume” us. We immediately begin to build walls around our hearts so that no one or
nothing can ever hurt us again. We develop a wounded spirit that ultimately infiltrates our entire life. Suddenly, we realize that we have compartmentalized our hearts and we are now operating on half hearted emotions. Bitterness and resentment often times set into our spirit and soon dominate our actions and choices. These internal wounds will ultimately shut down our ability to receive the blessings and gifts from God and those around us.

Proverbs 14:10 says that each heart knows its own bitterness. You need to search your heart, take an internal inventory, find what types of things that cause your heart to be become hard. Webster’s Dictionary defines hardness as not easily punctured or having strong resistance.

The last place that you ever want to get to with God or the things of God is a heart condition that is not easily penetrated or a spirit that has built up strong resistance.

Psalm 51:10- says Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

God wants to renew some things in your life! God can only renew, restore and refresh something that is already there. Be encouraged, the broken pieces of your life can be put back together again and renewed! Renew according to Webster’s dictionary means to make new spiritually, to restore to freshness or restore to existence.

God wants to give you your life back! My hope for you is that you will experience restoration, reconciliation, refreshing and renewal from Jesus Christ in every area of your life. Don’t let life’s difficulties and dilemma’s wound your spirit. Your key to surviving and flourishing in life is a series of softened seasons in God’s grace and love.

Join me in asking God to help us endure hardness and embrace healing and wholeness!

Holding Dad’s Hands

I love to skate and play hockey!  Being born in NB Canada, it’s been a part of my blood-stream to love the feel of lacing up ice skates, the gliding of blades on the ice, a hockey stick and a puck and the joys of a frozen pond or an outdoor rink. 

I was probably 4 or 5 years old when I can recollect of memories playing on ponds with cousins and neighborhood kids and getting my first hockey net for Christmas.  Memories. 

It was so cool for me to take my girls (Eliana’s first time – she’s not quite 3) to an outdoor rink this past week and watch them timidly step on the ice and try to take their first few strides……we have now gone 2 times in a week and I can already see their excitement and improvement. 

Brooklyn, Jalyn and Eliana all want to take turns holding my hand while we skate and their bold-ness is so evident when they grasp my hand and feel the confidence that they are less likely to fall than when they are skating alone. 

Elly would laugh and squeel and say “Daddy wet’s gwide” (let’s glide) as I would hold her arms/hands as her wobbly legs would shake as she would spin and coast around the corners of the small iced over rink  

How I was reminded during these moments that I’m definitely safer and more protected when He has my hand and guards my foot-steps than when I try to do everything on my own.

Use your “pressing” energy for productive progress!

Philippians 3

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

“Jesus Christ has a hold of you and your situation – embrace your spiritual journey in return!”

 

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

“A key to taking hold of it is putting more efforts into your future than what you do into your past!”

 

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

“Press on today regardless of the pressures you may face in your life”

 “Make sure your pressing energy is directed towards goals and prizes not fear and failures”

 ***Remember vs 12 and 14 reminds you that it’s Christ’s hold on you and God’s calling! – Don’t face it without Him!”

My Top 10 Books

The Bible – The Message Remix is great devotional reading.

William P. Young – The Shack

Craig Groeschel – Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God

John Piper – 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die

Joseph Prince – Destined to Reign

John Ortberg – The Life You’ve Always Wanted

Craig Groeschel – The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist

Max Lucado – On the Anvil

John Fischer – 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (like me)

Wayne Cordeiro – Leading on Empty

Andy Stanley – It came from within

Gene Edwards – Tale of Three Kings

Distractions

Life is full of Distractions! These moments of fear, stress, worry and concern can show up at any given time and can mask themselves in many arenas of our lives. It is vital for us to be aware of the people or things that try to deter or discourage us in our destiny and purpose of life.

As I Pastor a Church, parent 4 children, work on being a better husband, take care of home chores and juggle my girls sports and school schedules I am often reminded of how easy it is to become distracted. In the past few months we have endured family health scares, car troubles, higher utility bills than expected, young babies, several personal situations and numerous work related scenarios that have caused me to explore this subject of distractions and the damage that they can cause in our health, lives and even our relationship with Christ.

Regardless of age, position, responsibility or status there are countless distractions waiting to somehow get us off track and throw us into chaos, confusion and mental turmoil. God’s desire for us in John 10:10 states “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” but the opposite in the verse was “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy”. God wants us to enjoy peace, joy, grace, love and abundant life but the distractions of life would love to steal those God gifts from us.

The definition of the word “distract” means to disturb in mind or purpose, to cause mental confusion or to throw off. How many times do bills, monies, stress, arguments, traffic, parenting, un-answered prayers, a doctor’s report, miss-communication, long days or lack of sleep throw us off of the intended plans and purposes of God?
Luke 10:39-42 tells us the story of Mary and Martha when Jesus Christ visited their home. The passage tells us
“39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41″Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Sometimes we are so guilty of being distracted from “what’s needed” in life and drawn into being pre-occupied with “so many things”.
2 Corinthians 7:1 in the Message Bible gives us this advice: With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.

Whether it’s your health, education, marriage, job, parenting, friendships, your relationship with Christ or any other area of your life it is pertinent for you to choose “what’s needed” and to make a clean break from what “defiles and distracts” you.

Distance yourself from distractions! They may show up as guilt, shame, depression, money problems, past failures, criticism, accusations, un-due pressure, anxiety, stress, worry, family, fear, job situations or life’s cares and concerns but keep your focus on God and His plan for your life!

Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 2:10 gives us confidence that there is always hope and victory for us in His presence and His plans.

The Power to Overcome

If you are facing crisis, tough decisions, personal battles or the pressures of life in general I believe I have some simple advice and prayers that can help you overcome your dilemmas. We definitely could all use some insight in our culture, society, economy and our families when it comes to overcoming through these tough times. I believe God’s Word holds these timeless keys.

Romans 12:21 says “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”. I realize that in our lives we often feel overwhelmed with obstacles, choices and situations that seem to diminish our hopes and dreams but below I will share with you 3 keys to help you overcome.

The word “overcome” simply means to surmount, surpass or prevail over and I believe that is exactly what God can help you do! There is victory and the ability to overcome in spite of the storms you may be facing in your life. Whether you are going through family turmoil, financial devastation, parenting issues or a season of spiritual renewing I encourage you to consider Christ’s plan to help you overcome.

1 John 4 verses 3 and 4 says “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”. Here we see the 1st key to overcoming, the realization that the spirit of Christ inside you is greater than the crisis surrounding you! This principle is still true in 2009, the gift inside us is still greater than the situations surrounding us.

My 2nd prayer encouragement for you to overcome is found in Revelation 12 and verse 11. The Bible says “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death”. I believe it is so vital for us to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ death in our lives! The power to overcome will bring us not only forgiveness of sins but will empower us to overcome in every area of our personal lives. My parents used to “plead the blood” of Jesus Christ on my sister and I as young children, some have transitioned from these types prayers but I believe His blood will still aid us in overcoming in our lives.

My final scriptural key to overcoming is found in 1 John 5:4. The Bible says “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith”. Faith is simply a firm belief in something for which there is no proof or complete trust. If we are to overcome in our lives there will be a strong element of believing and trust that will be present even when life doesn’t always make sense.

You can overcome, prevail over and survive your situations! Jesus said “in this life you will have trouble but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world”. Jesus Christ can help you do the same.

Faith Lists

I had breakfast with a local Doctor a few weeks ago and during our time together he asked me “Micah, when is the last time you truly used your faith?”.  I left our meeting very stirred in my spirit…..of course I thought of my tithing or giving as well as my Pastoral duties BUT I had to answer the question truthfully….I don’t use my faith enough.

I’m not sure if it’s fear of failure or God not answering my prayers as I would like BUT I’ve had a renewed passion the past few weeks to start exercising my faith!  I started a “Faith List” on Monday and I’ve already had 2 things on the list see drastic change.

We truly live by faith and not by sight!  Make your list……maybe we don’t have it because we don’t ask (James 5) or because we need less unbelief and more confidence (Matthew) but regardless let’s try to use our faith a little more in our lives!