Riding The Line

by Candace Cortez

I have declared myself to be a crazy mom. Not because I get angry or lash out, but because my husband and I have decided to raise our kids how we choose, even if it puts us in a place where we are different than everyone else. Some of these crazy mom things include no screens during the school week unless they have spare time before school after getting themselves totally ready. We also do not use our phones or screens during meals. I don’t let them watch YouTube when I’m not in the room. Headphones are a hard no. And they can’t go to friends houses until I meet their friend’s parents. My son has never played Fortnight, and my daughter isn’t watching certain doll-oriented shows on Netflix. I force them to clean their own rooms and bathroom, as well as help me in the kitchen with both cooking and cleaning. They put away their own laundry, and are solely responsible for all cat duties.

This is just a snapshot of the long list of ways I have become a crazy mom. Sometimes, my kids love it. They experience the uniqueness of a family dynamics as a novelty and special. Sometimes, they can get trapped in comparisons and would prefer more freedoms that look like the rest of their peers.

These standards help our household run smoothly and help fight against the pull of potential obsessions. I want the important things to be given more time and space than things that don’t matter. There are reasons behind most standards, even if the kids don’t understand all of them. However, because everyone else is doing it, and they are getting older, they will often ask the question, how come I have to do is this way? After hearing our hearts as parents who passionately love them and care about not only their current situation but their future, they understand. Sometimes. Sometimes, they would prefer to negotiate with a more lenient line. For those particular issues, they tend to go as far as they can without breaking the line, and after riding the line for so long, they feel confident enough with my love and grace, that crossing the line is not a big deal. Big mistake.

I often feel this same tension in my own spirit. I see everyone doing a thing. Like speeding for example. I know speeding is against the law. But when every person on the 198 is doing 75mph, it absolutely feels natural to also drive 75mph. Does this make it ok? Does the quantity of offenders make the standard lower? Nope. But it gives me the feeling of justification.

As Christians, we have justified lying, ignoring the lost and hurting, and allowing our words (verbal or in print) to tear down other people or groups. We can easily justify this when everyone else is doing it. It just becomes a part of the noise. I have recently been convicted of how closely I have decided to ride the line to appear more like other people, instead of staying close to the standard set by my Jesus. This is partially out of convenience. Following Jesus’ way is expensive both in time and money. It’s inconvenient because it will not require my lazy attitude. And it is self-sacrificing because it will mean the needs of others are just as valuable as my own needs. 

Do you sometimes feel like we serve a crazy God? As if His way and standard are too high? Me too! And it’s true! We cannot live according to His will and way alone. We have to have His help. I am grateful for the covenant relationship, which means there is a mutual partnership in the process. He both sets a standard, and helps us reach it, and loves us when we fail. As a Father, I am looking for His heart in the standard not just His rule. As I understand why and where He is leading, I am more inclined to get off the line, and further into obedience.

Believing is Not Enough

by Andrew Cromwell

There is a whole class of products on the market that we buy because we know they work, but we don’t actually use them. These products end up in the corner of the room with clothes hanging on them or in the garage covered in boxes. There’s always a few at every garage sale. For the most part they are “lightly used” or “like new” but they are priced to sell!

You know what I’m talking about: exercise equipment.

We love exercise equipment! Treadmills, weight benches, pull up bars, thigh masters, shake weights, rowing machines, and bikes—almost every one of us has bought either a piece of equipment, a DVD, a program, or an app to help us lose weight and get healthy.

And we know that if we used them regularly, they would work. Sure, we may never look quite like the chiseled models that star in the commercial that originally sold us, but with regular use we would lose weight and get stronger.

The problem is not with our beliefs about exercise equipment. The problem is we don’t use it.

Even more frustrating is that it doesn’t even matter how bad our attitude is about the whole thing. As a matter of fact, even if we don’t believe that working out does any good, it doesn’t matter—because it just works.

Doing trumps believing.

Don’t get me wrong, believing is important. Having the right beliefs is critical in life. But we can have all of our beliefs right and still be out of shape, overweight, and weak. Some have even studied the science of eating right and working out, but they are no healthier than the rest. Because head knowledge doesn’t make the difference. Doing does.

This isn’t only true about working out. It’s true about spiritual things too.

We know it is better to forgive than to hold onto bitterness and resentment. We know unforgiveness poisons our soul and limits our ability to enjoy life to its fullest. But we don’t forgive. We know speaking the truth is better, and lies, even the white ones, create a false reality that results in us living a facade. But we keep on lying. And we know we need to get serious about our spiritual life (because in our hearts we know there is life after death), but we just keep ignoring it.

James, Jesus’ brother, writes that if we know what we should be doing but we don’t do it, we are just deceiving ourselves. In other words, we are living a lie.

The solution is simple. It may not be easy, but it is simple. We must start doing, not just believing. We have to start making changes, even small ones if we want to live honestly and wholeheartedly. 

So where in your life do you need to start doing rather than just believing? What is one thing you can do today, to start living fully?

If You Could Change The World

by Sylvia Gaston

If you could do one thing to change the world for the better, what would it be?

It’s very easy to get frustrated with the way things are today. There are many things that need to be fixed. Here are some of the things that I consider…

War

Crime

Political division

Substance abuse

Disease

Homelessness

Environmental problems

Hunger / Lack of clean water

Absence of parental guidance

There is a tendency to look at a problem, see the magnitude of it, and simply back away and do nothing because it seems overwhelming or futile. Yet, many amazing, world-changing things occur because a single person takes that first small step.

The world seems too large to influence yet some of you are destined to influence communities, states, nations. But most of us will live our entire lives on a much smaller scale. So what one thing could you change on a smaller scale to make the world a better place? Many have turned the tide because they stepped out, did or said something, and influenced others toward change.

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War 2, is best remembered for his inspiring speeches and for his refusal to give in, even when things were going badly. He successfully led Britain through World War 2. He changed his world.

Rosa Parks was not the first African-American to boycott racial segregation but she was the first one to see her act of “civil disobedience” through the lengthy court process. She, and the year-long bus boycott that followed, became important symbols for others to rally against racial segregation. She changed her world.

One man…one woman…making a significant change to their world by taking that first small step.

You are one man, one woman. What first small step could you take to influence your world – on a large or small scale?

For me, it comes down to looking for opportunities to come alongside a person who is struggling or in a personal crisis. It might be a pending divorce, a health issue, errant children, or depression. Sometimes their crisis seems much too large for me to influence. But I can pray with them and for them, I can tell them what God says about their situation, I can point them to a Creator who will never abandon them  - even in the darkest days. A first small step.

There’s a huge difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is defined as “confidence about the future or a successful outcome of something”.

Hope is the “expectation of something desired; desire combined with expectation”.

We can be optimistic about our circumstances or we can have the expectation that our outcome will be positive.

My hopes and expectations originate with Jesus. Once I chose to put my trust in Him, I no longer had to worry about my future. Despite what life throws at me, I have an expectation that God will see me through it. He will stay by my side, His Holy Spirit will guide me through it, and eventually, I will live forever worry- and pain-free with Jesus in Heaven. My hope! My expectation!

The first thing you can do to change your world is to choose to follow Jesus. You can begin to lead a life that is not perfect, but a life that is hopeful. 

If you already are a Jesus-follower, take that first small step – whatever it may be – to change the world around you. That step will look different for each of us. Don’t be afraid. You have nothing to lose. Be hopeful! Be expectant! Change your world.

God Moments and Faith Talks

by Sylvia Gaston

It can be tough to share with family and friends why I am a Christian. Why did this former wild child one day choose to listen to God and follow after this man, Jesus? How to explain the seemingly coincidental people God placed in my path? How do I tell others about the strong pursuit I felt from my Creator over a span of several years? The opportunities to share these oh-so-important details and deep thoughts don’t come up casually or often. But they can come up in little windows of time that allow you to share precious nuggets of your faith with others.

We used these nuggets as we raised our kids. Little ones can’t comprehend your entire conversion story – the entire belief system you’ve adopted for an unseen God. But they can pick up on little discussions that take place through the course of everyday life. Slowly and consistently, you can explain why God is the center of your existence.

Welcome to “Faith Talks” and “God Moments”!

Faith Talks:
These are intentional times set aside for conversations with your family about the Bible. Spiritual training takes place one step at a time in the context of everyday life.

While having Faith Talks, relationship is your priority, the Bible is your handbook, and life is your classroom. Teach your children or grandchildren about God, the Bible, salvation, and how to live life God’s way – which is better than our way. Keep it simple. Select a Bible verse and discuss it. What does the verse mean? Who was it written to? What can this help me do today? Does it teach us how to live or how to pray?

Proverbs 22:6 tells us that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it. This goes for grownups too.

God Moments:

God Moments are my favorite. They’re not structured like Faith Talks and they’re not just for our children. God moments are great anytime and with anyone you talk to – family, friends, co-workers, strangers.

God moments go something like this: Something happens in your life. You tell someone about it. Then you tell them how God helped you or got you through it. Or the reverse scenario might take place. Someone tells you about something they’re going through. Then you tell them how you handled or got through something similar with God’s help. (bonus points if you then ask if you can pray for or with them about the thing they’re going through.).

Those God Moment opportunities come up all the time! But, you’ve got to be looking and listening for them and be prepared to take advantage of them.

These are the times when you get to really brag about God. These are the times when you can explain the supernatural ways you’ve seen Him rescue you, give you wisdom, heal you, help you. Simple life – but better because of God.

A God Moment can also be the simple opportunity that may arise when you explain to someone how your life was before and how it’s different today now that you try to live life God’s way. Not perfect; just different and better…waaay better.

The goal of Faith Talks and God Moments is not to coerce or manipulate conversations nor is it to shove your faith down someone’s throat. The goal is to share your real life story with others because you love and care about them. You want others to have a more abundant life of love, and an eternal hope, that is found by following Jesus.

Paul said it well, “Follow my example just as I follow Christ’s”. (1 Corinthians 11:1 CEB)

Jesus said it best, “I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Now get out there and start discovering your own faith talk and God moments! You’ll love it! 

On Point

by Andrew Cromwell

When you are setting a course for a long journey, a few degrees off-course can be the difference between Hawaii and Taiwan. It is critical to stay on course and on point if you want to get somewhere specific. The farther you have to go, the more important it is to stay “on point”. Pilots know that one degree off between Los Angeles and New York means you’re as likely to end up in Scranton or Philadelphia instead.

Similarly, in the course of life, a few degrees can be the difference between success and failure. One degree off — one little white lie, one careless financial decision, or one flirtatious glance — may not be a big deal today, but uncorrected, those small errors in judgment can result in lost jobs, mountains of debt, and ugly divorces.

By definition “on point” means “relevant and appropriate to what is happening or being discussed”. When I think of staying on point, I think of how easy it is to get off point! At our staff meetings, we frequently find ourselves off-topic and wonder how it is that we arrived at this severely “off-point” location. We then have to course-correct and get back on topic.

Isn’t life like that? We head out in one direction — we determine to do it right, stay on track, make good decisions, and not make the same mistakes we made last year — but before you know it, we find ourselves far from where we meant to be.

The Apostle Paul reminds us to “give attention to your spiritual life.” In other words, stay on point! It is so easy to drift off course and get distracted. We quickly forget that there is a spiritual world underneath the things we can see with our eyes. And before you know it we ignore the very part of us that is eternal (our spirit).

Paul goes on to say that if we stay close to the truth, we will experience a kind of life that is transformative and powerful both for us and for the people around us. That’s the kind of life I want! And I’m guessing it’s the kind you want too. But in order to experience it, we’re going to have to pay attention and make sure we stay on point.

Do you need to get back on point? Maybe you’ve been meaning to get things right with God for a while but just haven’t seemed to get around to it. Or maybe, you’ve never even tried. I want to see you find real success in life — the kind that echoes into eternity.

Need Some Reassurance?

by Sylvia Gaston

2019. It’s a new year and a great time to reflect on last year and plot a course moving forward. Without setting goals, the likelihood of forward progress is slim. As I set goals for myself, I reflect on the following pieces and parts:

·     Spiritual – Is my relationship with Jesus getting deeper? Do I know Him better? Am       I on the path that He has set for my life?

·     Physical – What do I need to do to be healthier this year?

·     Professional – What can I do to improve my effectiveness at work? How can I help my company/organization reach its goals?

·     Financial – Am I spending and saving my money as I should?

·     Emotional – Are there relationships that I need to work on? Are there things I need to focus on to be more emotionally mature?

·     Intellectual – As a lifelong learner, what can I do to keep my mind sharp? Are there new skills I need or want to acquire?

Remember to not set too many goals. Success is more likely if you just choose one or two things and remain focused on them throughout the year.

As I was exploring what the Bible says about moving forward, I was drawn to the story of Joshua. Most of us have seen some version of the movie - The Ten Commandments - the story of how Moses led the freed nation of Israel from slavery to the land God has promised them. Moses has died and Joshua must fill some very large shoes as his successor. God, in His infinite compassion, assures Joshua that He is still with them.

God tells Joshua, “’Moses my servant, is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.  I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you…No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.’”

And as the Israelites moved toward the promised land, they followed the Ark of the Covenant – a brilliant and beautiful chest that contained the stone tablets of God’s ten commandments and other sacred items.

The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” –Joshua 3:7-8

God gives Joshua specific instructions so that the people can easily and safely cross over into the land that He has promised them.

So, “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’” –Joshua 3:5.  Consecrate means: to make or declare sacred; to devote or dedicate to some purpose. Joshua tells his countrymen to prepare themselves and that they are going to see the amazing things God is going to do.

What I love about this narrative is the reassurance God gives to this newly appointed leader, Joshua. Can you imagine the uneasiness Joshua must have felt moving forward? He was being entrusted to lead the nation that had followed Moses for decades and had witnessed the miracles God previously performed through him. God reassures Joshua that He is still with him and that He will demonstrate that fact to the Israelites and to the other nations watching.

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. –Joshua 3:17

God performed a miracle similar to the one that had previously brought about their freedom (remember the parting of the Red Sea?) by halting the Jordan, a river at high flow, to giving them dry passage. Amazing!

Are you in a place where you need reassurance to move forward? Do you need to know that God is still with you in 2019? You need only ask Him. The God Who created the universe is just waiting to hear from you! 

Take another look at those different areas of your life! Pick one or two goals you’d really benefit from. Then move forward with the reassurance that God loves you, He has a plan for you, and He is ready to lead you just as He led Moses and Joshua – showing you AMAZING things that He will do!

Are You Listening?

by Tim Howard

My wife and I were out to breakfast not too long ago and the waitress who came to our table was bubbly, vibrant and very friendly. After a few moments of exchanging pleasantries, she asked us if we wanted some coffee and what we would like to order. Since I was hungry, I began to rattle of a list of several things. Midway through my request she interrupted me and said: “ I’m sorry, could you start again, I wasn’t practicing active listening.”

I can’t begin to tell you how hard the three of us laughed. I had never heard anyone say that out loud! A person may not be listening but he or she doesn’t outright say it to you!

At times we all have moments when we drift off. We may hear what someone says but aren’t necessarily paying attention. We don’t practice active listening – we consciously or unconsciously choose to turn our proverbial hearing aid off.

Francis A Schaeffer wrote a book titled “He Is There And He Is Not Silent” 

God isn’t silent and He really wants to talk with you! His preference is to talk ‘with’ you and not ‘at’ you because He’s genuinely interested in your feelings, your thoughts, your concerns and your words.

When you speak – He listens! When He speaks, He wants you to listen!

Jesus said: Matt. 4:4 … “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Having ears that actually hear and listen to God’s voice is crucial – if we want to experience true life.

God has given you His written ‘Word’ as an aid to help you learn how to hear His voice. When you read it and study it – your ears become attuned to His voice like antenna that locks into the right frequency.

He has also invited you to join with a church family of your choice each week to help assist you in hearing. When you set aside some time to meet with others – you practice active listening.

My mother use to say: “ I’m not talking to hear myself talk!” And neither is God. He want’s you Practice active listening. 

He has some great things to share with you. He wants to tell you how to face the challenges confronting your life. He wants to tell you how to dispel the confusion you are currently experiencing. He wants to tell you where to find life and purpose and He’s wanting to tell you why things keep falling apart and how you can make things last. He is speaking good news!

On one occasion a young boy named Samuel was learning to hear God speak to him and a wise priest told him this: The next time you sense the Lords presence say “Speak, your servant is listening.” Too often we are guilty of wanting Him to hears us and we say: “Listen my Lord, I am speaking.” It’s important to remember that it’s impossible to listen when you are talking!

When you speak to God – He listens!

When He speaks to you – do you listen?

Are you positioned to hear His voice?

Do you have a strategy to discover what He is saying, to you, right now?