While Leaving the Mall One Evening. . .

On a recent evening, my wife and I were exiting the mall with a Classic CinnaBon® (she talked me into it).  Out of nowhere came a loud and repetitive expression of an expletive that begins with the letter “F”.  She kept saying it over and over and over.  The volume and passion of her voice caught our attention.  “Who was she talking at?”  We looked her direction and behind her was a man repeatedly shouting just as loud, “You are not allowed back in the mall.”  Yes it was the security guard.  And she was walking into the mall.  His security measures were not working.  I am not sure it was an issue, but the woman was somewhat larger than he was. 

As we drove away from the incident (I did not volunteer my martial arts talents and experience for either side), I wondered, “What caused her to act like that?  Something exploded from her.  Why was such anger seething inside of her?”  Had she been abused as a child?  Or had she been spoiled?  Was her family incredibly rich?  Or were they impoverished? 
Call me psychic if you like, but I don’t think this encounter was an isolated event for her.  I imagine she uses that word and many other similar words regularly.  My words may sound judgmental, but that is not my intention.  She is a reminder of the broken world in which we live.  We all are broken.  Her display of brokenness was on display that evening whereas mine is not always in public view. 

When the Bible talks about salvation, it is more than rescuing people from hell.  Salvation is the offer of GOD to heal our inner wounds here and now.  He desires to radically change the thoughts and desires of our own hearts so that we can live free from the constraints of humanity – the constraints of pride, rebellion, fear, bitterness, lust and greed among others.  Those are the things that imprison us.  Those inner shackles hold us in bondage to a life that is much less than what GOD desires for us.  Our Creator desires immeasurably more for us and in us. 
And He can do immeasurably more even when all we can offer Him are lives that are imprisoned and broken.  His grace is not only sufficient to forgive, but to heal and liberate. 

Jesus Not Work For You?

Ever try Jesus to only find that He did not work for you? 

The question sounds strange, but that is exactly what happens for many people.  They gave Him a try and it just did not stick.  Attended church, prayed, was baptized, read the Bible and did all the things everyone told them, but after about 3 weeks, nothing. 
What happened?  Not exactly sure about every situation but it causes me to ask a question:  Are you pouring new wine into old wineskins?  Let me explain. 
Matthew, an early follower of Jesus, records a parable that Jesus told.  It is about what would happen when they would pour new wine into old wineskins.  They did not have glass bottles in Jesus’ day so they had to figure out a way to contain wine besides clay jars.  Some guy looked at a small goat one day grazing in the meadow and thought, “Hey.  That may work.”  So in a few days, Voila!  A wineskin.  I imagine the village named a street after him.  It must have worked though I am not sure how. 
One problem with wineskins was that they had a shelf life.  After a while, they began to get brittle and would crack.  The gases of new wine required the skin to be flexible so it could stretch.  If it did not, then be prepared to wipe up the wine off of the floor.  Old skins and new wine was a mess. 

Jesus was teaching us that when He pours His new life into a person’s life, then that person needs a new structure to hold it.  A person cannot keep going and doing as he was prior to Christ if he wants life change.  Following Christ is not an emotional moment.  It is the beginning of a new life that requires new patterns and new relationships.  It means creating a new structure of everyday life.  It means that an alcoholic cannot keep going to the bars.  A pornographer cannot keep going to R rated movies.  A gossip cannot continue talking on the phone.  An adulterer cannot hold onto that relationship.   

So if you tried Jesus and you think He did not work, then here’s an invitation to go further with it and give Him a new structure into which He can pour His life.  Make the choices that will put you in new places and relationships.  And as you do, His new life will flourish.     

Immeasurably More

So you are reading a blog talking about life change at the beginning of a new year.  And the guy claims to not put much stock in resolutions.  OK, well maybe this once.  Perhaps the start of a new year is a great time to do a life check and ask, “Are you being all that GOD made you to be?”  It is a question I raise about myself frequently. 
This thought was motivated from a talk I watched from Northpointe Church (Alpharetta, GA) recently.  The basis of the message was Ephesians 3:20.  The speaker encouraged us to pray for more because GOD wants to do more – immeasurably more – for us.  Many would take that as a kind of prosperity gospel message.  But it was not.  It was more. 
Our hearts long for more.  Somehow we all know that this experience on earth is much less than what GOD intended.  That is one reason that we are such consumers.  Our hearts yearn for more.  Mine does.  Your heart does too. 

And the more I desire is not things or finances or success or even health.  The immeasurably more that my heart wants is for GOD to make me more of who He wants me to be.  It is about being more on the inside.  I want GOD to do immeasurably more in my life. 
GOD, grant me the grace to be immeasurably more in 2012. 

The Word became flesh and blood,
             and moved into the neighborhood.

The New Testament was written by followers of Jesus.  One of them, John, was among the 12 men that Jesus discipled.  The above title comes from His writing – John 1:14, the message. 

As I read that verse recently, my prayer was that those words would be true of me this year.  I am not one for resolutions.  But as I think about the potential to live another 366 days, this is something I would like to see become more of a reality in me.  I want my life to be an expression of GOD’S word like Jesus was.  What GOD said (the Word) was lived out in Jesus (became flesh and blood). 
So the question I need to ask throughout my daily routines is:  GOD, what would You say in this situation?  When I am at home, what is GOD wanting to say through me?  When I am in at work, what is GOD wanting to say through me?  When I interact with neighbors, what is GOD wanting to say through me? 
And it is not just the words that I use.  No, Jesus expressed GOD’S word by His flesh and blood.  His actions and attitudes powerfully declared what GOD was saying to people.  And it was a life changing moment for many.  GOD spoke, they listened and were never the same again. 

GOD, grant me the grace for Your Word to become flesh and blood . . . in me. 

The following is from Toddrrhoades.com. 
Seems appropriate to begin a new year. 

Finishing Well

It’s always our hope to finish well.

Finishing is the best part of the race.

But races are not a walk in the park. They are a race.

Races are grueling, exhausting, and stretch you beyond what you think you’re capable of doing.

And many people stop... midway.

As the year begins, many who are reading this are thinking “I just can’t do another year like 2011″.

The temptation is there for you to stop... mid-race.

Don’t do it.

Maybe 2012 will bring some different circumstances. A breakthrough. A job change. A victory on something you’ve been working on for years.

Or maybe it will suck, just like 2011.

Who knows.

But don’t quit.

Don’t end the race poorly.

End the race like Paul did. With his head held high, knowing he did his level best.

But don’t just quit ’cause it’s hard. You were warned it would be hard when you started.

Persevere. Press on. Finish the race.