What Are You A Slave To?

OH, so you’re thinking “This one’s not about me” are you? Guess what…we are ALL slaves to something. Still doubt? What factors in when you make a decision? Do you ever answer?

• I can’t go; there is no cell or internet service there…SLAVE to technology?
• I can’t afford to change jobs, I won’t make enough…SLAVE to debt?
• I won’t, I can’t, I will not…whatever = SLAVE to self…number one…numero uno…ME!

Just saying…we are ALL slaves to something. We are slaves to what we choose to obey. It may even be an addiction, or a situation. It doesn’t really matter, we are enslaved. So the only question then is what are you going to choose to obey?

This dilemma…this crisis…this problem has a solution. Paul knew all about this, and he spoke directly to it to the church in Rome:

“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? “

As a slave to sin – operating just for “self” – righteous does not factor in. How something felt or what we could get out of the situation does. And so Paul simply asks the obvious hundred-dollar question: “So how is this working out for you?”

Before they have time to answer, Paul jumps back with one…

”Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:20-23 (NIV)

So if we are going to be a slave to something or someone, and we can choose who we will be a slave to, wouldn’t it be better to be a slave to someone who has our best interest as His priority? In other words, we have a choice to be a slave to one who would benefit us. Not kidding here…

So who or what are you gonna choose?

Serving our Savior,

Pastor Pat

Cash or Credit when it comes to faith…

What does it mean to “live out” your faith? Is it T-shirts, bumper stickers, or the ever-popular verse tattoo if you are really serious…well?

My default definition of what I think it means to live out one’s faith is this: I hope I never have to prove that I have it…Please, just take my word for it God, you know my heart…PLEASE! Am I alone with this? Hello…can you hear me? Anyone out there?

OK, so you agree…but then something happens, as things always seem to, and our faith is put to the test. Don’t get me wrong – I DO NOT want my faith tested. I do not pray for more faith, and I hope that and pray that if God was to ask I would “want to” answer whatever the question may be this way: “Yes, Lord…”.

But what if God asked a really tough question? What if the question pertained to all your stuff? Or your career? Or your family? Or one of your children…..SCREEEEEECHH…STOP right there…where am I going with this?

Honestly, I pray that I “Never” have to prove it. Is this wrong? I don’t think so, but I do know that in order for people to know you have faith they need to “see” it in action. I may believe a lot I don’t see, but I believe all that I do…That said, read this:

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17 (NIV)

Otherwise how does anyone know you have it? I mean it would be nice to carry around my “Faith” card in my wallet like a Super Platinum Amex knowing I could use it anytime or anywhere I wanted to without question. Even so, no one would know I have it unless I used it once in a while. Oh yea, there is that.

Problem with this is that if I hold onto it, I run the risk that when I do need it, what if it is not accepted, or I forget where I left it…or heaven forbid didn’t realize I had lost it somewhere along the way…well?

So what to do about it? We learn the Word and gain confidence with what it says about everything, then act accordingly. Then our actions become “faith-based”. Sounds easy enough, right? Not so fast, but know this: sometimes there is faith in standing up to or for something, other times there is faith in the waiting…pray to recognize the difference.

In His Grip,

Pastor Pat

Time For Change?

When things are great we want to freeze time…when things are bad we want things to change as quickly as possible, right?

Seems that those great times never last as long as we want…but think about it: Could you really float down a river in a tube all the time? Or stand at the altar watching your bride walk towards you or as a bride walking towards your husband on your wedding day all the time? We would soon start to ask the question: “Is this as good as it gets?” or “So what is next…?” or “Now what…?” Right?

And in an opposite way, bad times seem to hang around like an unwelcome relative at a family party who just won’t leave. We want them to end, and we talk about the light at the end of the tunnel, but it sometimes feels like someone keeps moving the light…and we feel like it just will never end.

Getting what I am saying here? If left to our own feelings we just are never “exactly” where we want to be and are always looking for some new flavor or other kind of change. We want to go from bad to good, and then from good to better. WTH!!

Fact: Everything changes. There are actual scientific words and equations to explain this, but let’s not go there. Everything is in a state of decay (dispersing its stored energy). Simply put: change happens whether we want it to or not.

That being said, if we expected, anticipated, and accepted change, we could move along with much less stress, right? We need change, we want change, and we need to get along side of it…or we will be changed without input…"Light Bulb!?"

Get this – we will either embrace change, move with it, or we will be forced into change and be moved by it, period. Doubters out there you say? One word – AGE. That’s correct…try to fight that change. Death is coming - the mortality rate for a human being is 100% - 1 out of every 1 person will die. We are burying very well preserved people, but all the anti-aging cosmetic work in the world can’t prevent death.

So what are we supposed to do? Just hang on till we die? I think not:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)

Abundant life sound appealing to anyone? Change…it is all about who you are living for. A life lived for Jesus allows change to be part of the process, part of the journey, and not some road block to some destination known as the land we want to get to, known as “Better”.

So…time for a change or what?

Share Much?

Are you a good sharer? Do you think you are you generous? Is there a test for this? When put to the test our tendency is to fall back on our human nature. Example: put a toy in between a couple of two-year-olds and see human nature in their responses, right?

What’s mine is mine…and what I want is mine too.

If you are like me, I find myself wanting to share from my excess. I am willing to give or share some of my stuff as long as I have enough for myself. And what happens if I get more? Do I give or share more? Nope…I would just raise our standard of living. That’s fair isn’t it? I mean if I do not look after myself then who will?

As a believer or better, as a follower of Christ, we have the very words of God on how He will meet our needs – both spiritual as well as physical. Do you believe this? Do you believe that God can or will provide enough for you?

I pray for God’s provision, and so should you. But I have to admit that often times I find myself telling God how and what I need Him to provide for me. My prayers start sounding more like a shopping list than a conversation with my Creator. Like if I don’t tell God what I need then He won’t know. Like the God of the universe and author of life is so busy, I need to make sure He knows I am here and knows what I need…c’mon, really?

Want to try something crazy? Well do ya? Stop praying that God will provide for you…and start praying that what He has provided, you can and will, recognize as enough. Think about this…consider you already have enough.

Now listen to these words from the Book of Proverbs:

"Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV)

The author asked for TWO things from God:

First, to have lies kept away, and second to give him neither poverty nor riches, but only his daily bread. He is asking for truth and just enough to live on. That is CRAZY! It sounds like he is asking to live paycheck to paycheck…no savings or 401K…because he says otherwise he might forget about God.

So hold on…this guy is an Old Testament Jew who would have been supporting himself and his family, the church (tithing), and giving to those he knew were in need, and he prayed that prayer? I KNOW IT’S CRAZY!! Who would do this…and why?

I believe the author is suggesting that if he were to recognize he had enough, he could live rejoicing each moment for what it is, and not be in a constant state of worry about what is to come…

So I dare you to try it…read Proverbs 30:7-9 and make that your prayer…

Just saying…

Serving our Savior,

Pastor Pat

Timing is Everything

Timing Is Everything!

How true this is, and I find myself always questioning the timing of things:

I need the food I ordered now…

My car repair should be done by now…

Why hasn’t he/she called me back?...

How long is this going to take to read?...

Why does this have to happen now?...

Why can’t you kids listen to me the first time I ask something?...

Why so much practice, I am ready to (play/do whatever) now?...

You wanna talk? How long is this gonna take?

Waiting bother you too, huh? I am glad to know I am not alone here. Why is it so hard to wait? We live at a time in history where we have access to almost any information at the click of a button. We have come to expect that if we want something, then we should be able to get it now…why not? A more honest question would be “Why?” Why do you need it right this minute?

Unless we are talking medical emergency what is going to happen if we had to wait more? Remember the Library? It is the place we used to go to when we wanted to get more information about a subject or topic before there was the internet. And when you had to invest time and energy in getting this information it seemed more valuable. Now we are but a click away from almost any information we want.

Do we REALLY need it this fast? I think that we have elevated our wants to the level of needs, and our time is so important we demand immediate attention when a “need” arises. This false urgency has bread a climate of entitlement. I heard a story of a business executive who while at his annual physical had to wait a slightly extended period of time in the Dr.’s waiting room. The executive was so put off by this that he sent the Dr. a bill for his time in the waiting room…REALLY!?

What would happen if we waited more? Maybe we could spend more time seeking conversation instead of seeking how to get it or get there faster. More time serving and less time waiting to be served? God is the author of life, and as one of His qualities is that He is perfect – so then by default so is His timing!

Maybe if we allowed a little more of His timing in our schedules we could and would be able to slow down…sound nice? Slowing down? It is an option these days, believe it or not.

With all of technology screaming faster…why not try to “OPT-IN” to God’s timing…it is only perfect…

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalms 27:14 (NIV)

He is there for us…waiting for us to recognize His hand is there for us to grab onto...to slow down and walk with...to experience ALL He has planned for us if we are willing to wait...

So what are you waiting for...