The Go To's

Everybody has them. The "them" I am referring to are those "go to items" when you are in needing to get back to a good place. Here's what I mean....

- Verse of the Bible you go to when you are in need of Strength, wisdom, counsel, hope.

- Friend you go to in crisis.

- Move you go to in basketball that no one could stop.

- Place you go to be alone with God.

- Song mix you go to for contemplation, joy or exercise, etc..

- Vacation spot you go to for rest or creating memories.

 You get the idea. 

I have this stack of 3x5 index cards with various scriptures that I have copied down that really meant something at a specific time, or that bring me strength, guidance, comfort or a promise I can trust God for. God's word stands the test of time, and these have helped me out so much that I cannot count them.

Familiar verses like;

 "Trust in The Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:4-6

"The Lord roams about the earth seeking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully His."  I Chronicles 16:9

"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

"Delight yourself in The Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength." Philippians 4:13

"Apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

"May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"Above everything guard your heart for out of it flows everything." Proverbs 4:23

What are some of your go to Bible verses?

One at a Time and the Great Commission

I remember hearing the story of a little boy who was at the ocean with his family and at the time a huge number of Starfish had been washed ashore covering the beach they were at.  The boy was picking up the Starfish one at time and throwing them back into the sea, his Father watched him for some time and came up to him and said, "Son, you can't rescue all of these Starfish, there are just too many."  The son looked at his Dad and said, "You're right Dad, I may not be able to save them all, but I can save this one".  He bent over and picked up the one closest to him and threw it into the water, "and I can save this one".  And over and over he repeated himself.

  Many, many people say yes to salvation through Jesus Christ, but most don't stay with it.  Jesus even talked about this in the Parable of the Seeds found in Matthew 13, only 1 out of 4 seeds actually produces what it was created for!  In the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 we read that every Christ Follower is to do;

1. Go.
2. Make Disciples everywhere.
3. Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
4. Teach them to obey everything I commanded you.

  I want to focus on #4 - "Teach them to obey everything I commanded you."  I believe with all my heart that every Christ follower should have a mentor/discipler who does what Jesus commanded us.  These were His last words, and last words are usually quite important.  If we discipled everyone who asked Christ to forgive them I think the failure/fall out rate would be drastically lower, Christ followers would be so much more effective and more people would come to Christ as Savior.  Most Christ followers do not even know everything Jesus commanded.  Do you?  Take the time to do a Harmony of the Gospels Study, I recommend Thomas/Gundry's by Moody Press.  Spiritual Reproduction (discipleship) has to occur for Christianity to continue, and learning to apply Jesus' commands and taking the time to teach others what they are and how to apply them is fulfilling the Great Commission.

  My advice to you is first find someone who is young in the faith, go through Jesus' commands in the New Testament together.  Study them and figure out how to obey/apply them and then when you are both done, both of you go find someone else to do this with on your own.  

The True Key to Change

  Resolutions are a good idea gone bad, most of the time. Why? Because they are most often born out of disappointment for things we didn't do, haven't become or wanted for ourselves. So we over react and have these strong desires to turn it around. But...the plan fails most of the time. Why? Accountabilty and adequate support or a lack of it to be precise.

  I know this from experience, from the positive and negative side of things. I will make this short. If it just came down to how badly we wanted to - lose weight, exercise, read the Bible, drop a bad habit we would all succeed. But what you really need is not more want to, instead you need others, you need to form a support/accountability team. 

  Lone Rangers are lonely! Spiritually speaking get into a Life Group, or have an accountability partner. With exercise, don't just join a gym, meet someone (of the same gender) consistently at a specific time that you pre-arrange  and you will succeed. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." If you want to succeed in 2014 where you failed in 2013 don't keep doing the same things the same way and expect different results. Ask someone for encouragement, accountability and or partnership.  Most really good people want to see others succeed.

The Lord Gives and the Lord Takes Away - Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

  The title of this post is a quote from from Job 1:21 and it describes my life this past year. Life is full of change. Some changes are more dramatic than others but change is one of the few constants in our lives isn't it? As the church I serve in has been in transition I have seen many people and staff leave the church.  It's been hard to say the least, I treat church like family and I hate it when people leave for whatever the reasons. If you love others, than you hurt when they are no longer a part of your life on a consistent basis. But the Lord has brought more new people in and is bringing a new Lead Pastor. I am excited for the people and staff of Southbrook as this new era of Godly Leadership begins.

  Tears of joy and tears of sorrow.  Just in the past month I saw my dear Mom pass from this life into the hope she had in Jesus for a life in Heaven. My brother, sisters, my Dad and my wife Karyn were surrounding her when she breathed her last breathe.  It was so very peaceful and I am so glad she is no longer suffering. I miss her and so do the many who knew her.  But tears of sorrow were replaced with tears of JOY as I was literally flying home from my Mom's Memorial Service in Illinois. While I was in the air my oldest daughter Brittany delivered Noah Thomas Rivera into the world as her husband Thomas coached and encouraged her through the birth of their son, which makes me a Grandpa! Talk about the circle of life. As we landed I couldn't hold the tears back, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

  It's the season of family and friends gathering together to sing and celebrate, to participate in passed on traditions or create new ones.  It's also a time to reflect as we look back on one year and head into the next.  I am an optimist to be sure, but honestly I am not sure where anyone can place their hope other than God.  I get it that religion and church politics have turned many away, the holier than thou smugness, the fact that all Christians are hypocrites and that many a Pastor has become a captive to the same form of pride called entitlement that many celebrities, sports figures and politicians get sucked into.

   But....and this is the point to this blog - it is the Lord who gave you life, gave you much to make a great life. And it is the sin of this world that also damages and destroys. Put your hope in God, He is faithful, people are not.  People come and go but the Lord is full of love, compassion, mercy and grace.  Whatever your experience with church or God has been in the past, please know this He is waiting with His arms wide open for you because He is crazy about you. Next year I may not be around to write this blog, you may not be around to read it. Make the most of the days you have!!!  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away - blessed be the name of the Lord!

A Tribute to my Mom

  This past Tuesday morning I watched my Mom take her last breathe, my wife, brother, my three sisters and my Dad were surrounding her in the hospital room when it happened.  She wasn't alone but it was a very surreal experience to say the least.  Just a couple days before, after visiting with her all day it was time to say goodnight, as I bent over to kiss her on her forehead she reached up and gently grabbed my face with both hands and made sure she kissed me on my lips.  I will never forget that. I could easily write volumes about her, I will just use some descriptive words (in no specific order).

Loving
Sacrificial
Fun loving
Funny
Humble
Godly
Caring
Friendly
Family Oriented
A True Servant
Jesus like

  I loved that woman, every Friday I've called my parents for the last 30 years or so, and when we talked her first words were either "Hi Kev" or "How's my buddy?".  She cared so much for me, shed tears and told me nearly every time we spoke how proud she was of me.  I was a late bloomer growing up, and she believed in me.  She told me of Jesus many times and prayed for my salvation. In fact, it was her and my Dad who led me to the Lord just before graduating from high school.  I will miss her terribly, she was the one who brought so much life and laughter to our family of 7, and to everyone around us.  She was the Kool-Aid Mom before there was one. She struggled with comparing herself to others because she had a pretty tough up-bringing.  Those wounds may have never fully healed, she just never felt worthy!  But today, I KNOW she is new, with Jesus and healed!  She is back to dancing and feeling equal with her sister and hopefully re-united with many from her family.  For sure she now experiences the love of God and she is truly happy and at peace.  Thank you God for my Mom, thanks for making sure she was my Mom! I can't wait to see her again and we will have a long embrace and it will be so special!
Love Kev

Press into God when You are being pressed into.

Feeling haggard? Attacked? Pressed in? Oppressed? Suppressed? Me too. well at least some of those anyway. I don't have cable TV, so I have to rely on the internet for what's happening locally and around the world, and frankly I am really glad I don't watch TV news. What a mess our world is in. What a mess! What is going on? Well, the Bible is pretty clear about our last days.

"But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient of parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, opposed to what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power." II Timothy 3:1-5.

  The times have changed so quickly just in our lifetimes, and it is NOT going to get better is it?  Seriously, what or whom do we have any kind of hope in?  Personally, I have been under more attack in the last month than I can ever remember.  Standing for God, and for what is right is just hard.  It's like there is a target on my life.  But listen to these words of encouragement.

"What shall we say about such things?  If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

"Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword." Romans 8:35

 At the church I serve in Southbrook Church, we started "40 Days of Prayer", which includes praying on our knees at 7:14 (a.m./p.m.) reading Mark Batterson's book; "Draw the Circle", along with a study booklet. We are doing this from September 18-October 27, culminating with a Prayer Walk around our campus, and then challenging our people to circle their neighborhoods, schools, businesses and wherever they believe God's grace and love should penetrate.

   This has cost me much!!!  Doing God's will nearly always does.  If you are a Christ follower and your faith is boring, it may be because you are not doing anything about it. It's going to cost you something. God ultimately is the victor but you and I must press into Him for His power and presence.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, discouraged and pretty hopeless, press into God.  Make time in your schedule to be with Him. I sensed Him calling me to spend an hour in prayer everyday during these 40 days, and even that has been quite difficult for me. Press in, He is there waiting and ready to meet you,  to pour into you and give you what you need to thrive not just survive.  How? Not by your strength or power but by His Spirit. Zechariah 4:6.

The Right Kind of Authority Brings Freedom

Inverted T-Bar readings on an EKG apparently are not a good thing, and I had them. A few weeks ago I went into for my physical and when my EKG report came back my Dr. sent me to a Cardiologist. Uh oh! I don't like this and I certainly don't want my wife and family to worry. I admit, I was anxious about this. Partly because my heart hurt last year when I was in the midst of a very stressful situation and partly because there is a history of heart disease in my family. At times last year my heart physically hurt and I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to freak anyone out, (stupid I know). Now that my Dr. found something, what would my Cardiologist say?

What he said was that he needed to run a series of tests. Specifically a Stress Test and an Echo-cardiogram. I went in a week later, sat in a waiting room with some really old people and finally it was my turn. I got all wired up, shot up with radium dye and the Diagnostic Team hit the go button on the treadmill. Long story short, I passed with flying colors, according to the Test givers, the only ones who score higher than I did were Pro Athletes and Marathon Runners. They said I couldn't have done what I did with a bad heart, but they still needed to do the Echo Test and I would still need to me with my Cardiologist.

I did the Echo-cardiogram the next day and again, everything looked fine. I felt relieved after both tests, but I still needed to hear it from the Cardiologist myself. A few days later I met with him and got the news that my heart was healthy and there were no worries. Ahhh! Relief, freedom, peace and celebration! In fact I celebrated by going to Baskin-Robbins and having a double scoop Hot Fudge Sundae!

Most followers of Jesus know deep down inside that there are times when their heart is not fine. They know that some habits they have formed have done damage, but they hope it won't lead to long term damage. WRONG! Psalm 32 talks about the consequences of keeping silent about sin. It says it's like our bones and body waste away. Listen, let God the ultimate Dr. of your heart do an inspection - in Psalm 139 David asks God to search his heart and see if there is any wickedness. In the Book of James, we are instructed to confess our sins one to another so that we might be healed/whole.

God is the ultimate authority and nothing is going to escape Him when it comes to our hearts, the hidden things that we hope will never show up. We might fool others, even ourselves, but God knows and it will effect you eventually. I urge you to confess and repent of anything in your heart that does not please God. God will set you free, you will celebrate and you will experience both peace in your life and effectiveness in reaching others for Christ. Go get your heart checked, you'll be glad you did!