Join in on "The Blessed Life"

Jesus said "It's better to give than to receive." Many of us wish we could be more financially generous than we are, there are a couple reasons I believe we are not.

1. We are trapped by debt. We owe we owe so off to work we go. We are a society of impulse and selfish spending. There used to be a huge difference between what we need and what we want, today that gap is too close. Most Americans have more than they need. How many TV's, pairs of shoes, items of clothing, computers do you own?

2. There is too little room between what we make and what we owe. When emergencies/un-expected expenses happen most people living paycheck to paycheck have to use credit cards to pay for it. I have heard that around 70% of Americans live week to week.

3. We are selfish creatures when it all comes right down to it. A simple test is what you do when you get an un-expected bonus or refund. Most people think about what they can buy instead of how they can be generous toward others in need.

Generosity is NOT limited to money, we have talents and abilities, we have time and we have spiritual gifts that have been given supernaturally from God to be used to expand His Kingdom and bring glory to Him. I want to challenge you to come out on Wednesday nights during the month of February from 6:30-8:00 at Southbrook Church for our 4 week Blessed Life Study. If you are in a Life Group you will be going through this study with your group and we are providing a study/discussion guide for you to use. "The Blessed Life" written by Pastor Robert Morris is all about the blessing of being generous. It's NOT a prosperity gospel book or philosophy, it's about being radically and obediently generous, the life impacting kind.

Do you have a SIMPLE List?

Okay so I am no spring chicken, (whatever that saying means). I grew up with 4 channels on TV, no dishwasher and something like 4 choices at McDonalds. Smart phones and personal computers didn't exist yet and we said the Pledge of Allegiance (a pledge that says what matters) in elementary school everyday. We had a home phone only, and our dictionary and encyclopedia were in real book form and expensive.

Today we are barraged with non-stop information and choices. We receive continual texts and e-mails that we glance through to decide if we will keep reading on or save for later. All of this makes life complicated with warp speed choices facing us all of the time.

I was talking to my 80 year Mother yesterday (she just got out of the hospital), and so we talked about the fact that as we get older life should get more simple, and I think it does. The things that don't matter get ignored or become bothersome compared to the things that really matter. You have to decide what really matters. Do you know what really matters? I decided to take advantage of her recent hospital stay and talk about her own mortality. "Mom, what do you hope is said about you at your funeral?" We discussed what doesn't matter and what does. Under the "What Does" category it was her relationship with God and hearing Him say, "well done good and faithful servant"; her family/friends and how our family truly does love each other, and is there for each other no matter what. This helped her get over her life long regret about whether she was/is a good Mom or not because we all do love each other so well. It's about creating lasting memories. That was about it. What was in her "Does Not Matter" category? Bank accounts, possessions she will pass on, and what jobs or awards she may have achieved.

Here's my challenge to you. Decide what really matters and stick to it, leave as much of the other stuff aside as you can. Make your "What Really Matters List" and "What Doesn't" and do your best to live by it.

My Key Words for 2013

JOY and DISCIPLINE. This past year I lost parts of both of these, and they have always been my strength. As I've reflected on 2012, I am convicted about this and know they need specific attention. I know it because a few people actually came up to me and spoke about my joy being lost (thank you btw). The Joy of the Lord has ALWAYS been my strength.

It will take some intentional thinking and doing on my part but I must lean on the Lord for help, I cannot simply will myself to do it. In regards to discipline, well let's just say in a couple areas I lacked it, (think 10 lbs. of more of me to love). I broke rules I have lived out, and even advised others on. Take the 10 minute exercise rule. Simply stated, "no one wants to exercise, but if you will at least start for 10 minutes, most likely you will finish." But getting started is the hardest part of any workout, there are justifications all over our lives as to why we will do it later. So, for 2013 I will submit my will to God's when it comes to JOY being my strength and not circumstances being just right, and being more DISCIPLINED. The cool thing is, when I am more disciplined I will also experience more joy! What are your keys for 2013?

Do You have one of these?

Perspective - it's a key tool that helps us know where we've been, where we are, as well has who we've been and who we are. Left to ourselves we may not have the most accurate of views.

Do you have people in your life who;
- Love you most?
- Know you best?
- Are willing to speak the truth in love to you?

Isolation is NEVER a good thing, but having a group of trusted people who will speak into your life is invaluable. If you don't have a "Life Counsel" I encourage you to begin assembling a team of about 3-5 people who fit the criteria listed above. When you are facing a major decision, need prayer and perspective then you have these people ready to pray and speak. Give them advance notice when you are needing their wisdom, this will give them time to ask you detailed questions and pray, so when the time comes for making a decision you are now equipped to make the best choice. Their perspectives take a lot of pressure off of you, it's just wise!

Proverbs 15:22 "Plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisers they succeed." This is where the saying "two heads are better than one" originated from. Another benefit of having a Life Counsel is that you all get a glimpse of what has happened over your lifetime and that gives everyone a reason to thank God and celebrate together!

Wonder

At Christmastime my sense of wonder heightens, I love watching children get excited about Santa, toys, decorations and parties. I love how one moment the Christmas Spirit seems bigger than life and people are generous and kind, but then we get stuck in traffic or Black Friday sales and cause riots and get mean and selfish. How are these things possible? This makes me wonder.

In the Book of Corinthians "God made Him who knew no sin to become sin so that we might become the righteousness of God." Wonderful! Amazing! It didn't start with the birth of Christ and it didn't end with the death/sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Christianity is the only religion where God works His way towards us since it's impossible to work our way to Him. That causes me to be in wonder and realize how wonderful God is toward me and all of us.

As I close I leave you with an illustration; if I went out a bought you a Christmas gift, wrapped it, tied a bow around it and placed your name on a card on it, is it yours? You have the knowledge of the gift, I could describe the gift even, but the reality is that is not your gift entirely until you receive it. Many people know about God, Jesus and His offer to completely forgive us of all of our sins. But knowing about it will not change a thing, it's only when you personally receive that gift by asking for it, believing it and trust in what He says He has done. Knowledge is never enough, it's about the experience! I hope you will wonder a lot about why the world has celebrated the birth of God's gift for 2000 years!

The greatest gift you can ever receive is complete forgiveness, unconditional love, and a place with God for eternity. Jesus is the reason for this season and it makes me be in wonder and awe.

What Being Connected to Jesus Can Do

I have been meditating on a couple verses for quite awhile, and this morning in my devotional reading one of them came up. If you are a Christ follower you really need to pay close attention.

In John 15:2 Jesus says that "God the gardener cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit. While every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes it so that it will be even more fruitful."

Do you see this? Cut off or pruned, it all comes down to continually making eternal differences in the lives of others. But where does this come from since we are not saved by our works? It is stated in verses 4 and 5. Read below.

"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Being in an intimate relationship with Jesus will cause us to want to bear fruit, and then actually bear fruit. I think too many try to bear fruit but not put the time in when it comes to connectedness to the vine. Many people do good works in Jesus name but because they are not in intimate relationship with Him, their works will not last or make eternal difference.

Lastly, turn to Ephesians 2:9-10 "we are not saved by works so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do." The pressure is off, we just need to ask "what do you want me to do today Lord." He has already prepared it!

Let's review -
1. You and I must be connected to God in every way in order to remain spiritually alive.
2. If we are not, we are cut off.
3. We will be pruned in order to bear more fruit. (that may seem painful but it's all about more of Christ in us, and less of us).
4. We cannot do anything of true spiritual significance unless we are connected to God.
5. Belief in God plus the power of the Holy Spirit working through us will produce great things.
6. He has already prepared works for us to do, we just need to be obedient and sensitive in the Spirit to do them.

Want to Keep Your Relationship with God fresh?

I am one of the fortunate ones, I am so glad that my relationship with God has been amazingly fresh and alive since 1976 when it started. I know this is NOT true for most followers of God, and unfortunately far too many followers fall away because no one showed them how. Our human relationships need nurturing and intentionality in order be alive, and so it is with our relationship with God.

If this helps here are some things I practice to keep my relationship with God alive.

1. Shake things up. By that I mean don't always read the same version of the Bible, I schedule reading plans that are not the same, eg. character of the Bible study, word study, Book study,or I read and meditate on a verse a day etc.

2. Remember who you are and whose you are! Every once in awhile it's so good to do an inventory of your Identity in Christ.

3. Consistently have times of remembering all that God has done for you. Keep a separate journal just for this, and when you are feeling distant from God or your faith is faltering this will be a great tool to use to look back and remember how God has showed His Faithfulness to you.

4. Listen to a lot of praise/worship music. Change the words and make them personal. For instance "we exalt you, we exalt you" to "I exalt you, I exalt you..."

5. Write God love letters, and let Him write you love letters. Now the first one makes sense and is pretty easy to do. The second one is a little more difficult. When I do this, I really take time to listen, be still and quiet. Then I grab a pen and paper and from God's perspective, I write down what I think He would be saying to me right at that moment. It's hardly ever condemnation, especially in light of Romans 8:1, but it's almost always very tender and grace filled. Sometimes He will communicate an area or weakness to pay attention to but mostly it's just tender.

6. A Daily Gratitude List - I bought a book years ago called "10,000 Things to Thank God For". It has served me well to remind me of all the reasons I can thank Him. Create your own, seriously, we have so much to be grateful for.

Well this is a start but I hope it helps keep your relationship with God alive and fresh. You and I must be strategic and intentional in all of our human relationships or they become predictable and stale, the same is true with God.