(Don't) Be Naive!

From Google "definition of naive"

Don't be naive.
2 Timothy 2:1-5
1-5 Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

But at the same time - be naive!
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you won't know what's bad for you unless you try it.  That's a lie that the devil loves to whisper in our ears all the time.
Because he knows that if "we try it, we'll buy it".

It's so subtle - in the things we watch, listen to, catch a glimpse of, eavesdrop on, gossip about...

So - be naive! 
That kind of naive is a good thing.

2 Timothy 2:14-17
Don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

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Prayer
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Left behind...

What do you think this is?

Look at the picture.  What do you think that is?

• The surface of the moon?
• Rocks randomly arranged in the snow?
• Little footprints...in the snow?

Let me give you a clue.
I'm in Houston, TX in August.
It's 85 degrees at 5:30 AM.
It's not snow.

It is little footprints.
In the cement of the road itself.
Crossing from the center of the road to the side getting deeper and more pronounced as they reach the end.

Something stepped in the wet cement and boldly walked across.
They must have seen something really special - because their path was straight.
Even as they sank in deeper as they reached the curb - they didn't turn around or veer off.

Kind of like our Christian trek through this world.
We've got our eyes on something really special - Jesus, salvation, heaven!
And it's a messy world that we sink deep into on our journey.
The devil would love us to turn around or veer off.
But with God's help - we won't.

Psalm 86:11-17 (Message)
Train me, God, to walk straight;
    then I’ll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
    then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
    I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to.
You’ve always been great toward me—what love!
    You snatched me from the brink of disaster!

And how many years ago did these footprints happen?
This street and neighboorhood is not new - it's been many years ago, no doubt.

The footprints are still visible (even to a bleary-eyed runner at 5:30 AM in the dark).

And they'll stay there until the street disintegrates or is torn out.

Kind of like the trail we leave on our Christian trek through this world.
The maker of the footprints in my picture had no idea what they were leaving behind.
What footprints are we leaving behind?
That answer could go so many different directions - I'll leave you to ponder it for yourself.

Here's what the apostle Paul says in his letter to his protege Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:3-7 (Message)

3-4 Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.

5-7 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

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Lord,
My feet, mind and spirit like to wander.
Keep me focused on the right road that leads to You.
When I veer off - get my attention and steer me back on track.
I pray my trail will be a track for others to follow - and see You waiting at the end!
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Perspective in Numbers

(Guest devotion from my brother Chris)

Perspective in Numbers

I like to win.  I'm not sure that makes me unique, but I really do not like to be on the losing end of things, especially when I'm expressing a point of view, sharing an idea, proposing a new way to do something etc...   

20 years ago, as a very young people leader just getting my first opportunity to lead, I often argued from emotion, wrongly thinking that if I got louder, more emotional or more passionate about things, I'd convince others to see things my way.  
In retrospect, it seems ludicrous, but I truly believed that this was the way to best get my point across.

I was wrong of course and the Lord used my then leader to show me the error of my thinking.  He taught me to put in the work and time to do my research, to quantify things and position my argument in a way that mattered and made sense to those who had the power to make the decision, and finally to document everything.  

His favorite saying was "In God we Trust; Everyone else needs to present data."  

At first, I struggled to build the discipline required to make this new "do your homework" approach stick, because it was hard work.  I liked the ease of going in unprepared and just shouting my way through it. But I discovered that, much more often than before, when I did my homework, I won. 
Remember, I like to win...a lot.  

The perspective I gained helped me to become a vastly improved presenter of ideas, changes, challenges and proposals because I was using the power of perspective that data, numbers and facts possess.

In the book of Numbers, God Himself presents data.  He leads Moses to complete a census and in the first chapter of the 4th book of the Old Testament, we learn that the young nation of Israel, counting ONLY males 20 years and older, measured over 600,000 in number.  Imagine that number.  That is nearly the population of the entire state of Vermont.  WOW.  Be fruitful and multiply indeed!

God had blessed this growing nation and was preparing them for even more blessings, sometimes through war and other hardships, but blessings nonetheless.  

Throughout the book of Numbers, God presents compelling data and evidence that He is in control, that He is mighty beyond compare, that He is leading His chosen nation to greatness.

How easy it is to forget that our God still actively leads us today.  How easy it is to lose site of perspective; to think that we are alone, on our own and without guidance.

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Dear Father God.  Be with us today and every day, reminding us that you are actively in control, that you have ALL things from the dawn of time to the end times, perfectly in perspective and that you will never remove your love from us.

Amen.

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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Best. Coach. Ever.

The summer Olympics are happening right now.
You hear many of the athletes crediting their coach for their success.
You hear things like...
...at that moment - I could hear my coach's voice telling me...
...All the training, all the advice, all the pep talk - it added up to this.
...I would not be here today if it weren't for my coach.

And you may have heard a couple of athletes crediting their Coach.

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US diving duo David Boudia and Steele Johnson proclaim Christ on TV after bagging Olympic silver

"The two were interviewed after their win and while Boudia said there was so much pressure on them. he spoke of how focusing on Christ got them through it.

"It's just an identity crisis. When my mind is on this [diving], and I'm thinking I'm defined by this, then my mind goes crazy. But we both know that our identity is in Christ, and we're thankful for this opportunity to be able to dive in front of Brazil and in front of the United States. It's been an absolutely thrilling moment for us," he told NBC, according to the Christian Examiner.

"The way David just described it was flawless – the fact that I was going into this event knowing that my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the result of this competition is just gave me peace ... and it let me enjoy the contest," he said.

He added, "If something went great, I was happy. If something didn't go great, I could still find joy because I'm at the Olympics competing with the best person, the best mentor – just one of the best people to be around. God's given us a cool opportunity, and I'm glad I could come away with an Olympic silver medal in my first-ever event."

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Even though they call out Jesus Christ (the Son of God) specifically - the "coach in their heart" is the Holy Spirit.  

As the Third person of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) - the Holy Spirit is IN THEM.  

The Holy Spirit is IN YOU and providing the gift of faith.

The faith that makes it possible to "know that your identity is rooted in Christ" (as David Boudia put it).

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Coach,
I am so glad and so thankful that you're with me.
That you're in me.
Giving the advice, spurring me on, providing the pep talk.
Thank you!
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Listen to your heart. No, don't.

From Bryan Adam's 1980's hit "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)"

Look into my eyes, you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart, search your soul
And when you find me there
You'll search no more
...
Look into your heart, you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am, take my life
I would give it all, I would sacrifice

Who is speaking here?
Is it a person (with good intentions and pure motives)?
Is it you - speaking to your true love?
Maybe.

But my heart is not full of good intentions and pure motives.  
As much as I'd like to think it is - it's not.
My heart is full of me.  
What makes me happy, what makes me fulfilled, what fills me up. 

Now imagine the person speaking is Jesus.
Read the lyrics again as though He is speaking them to you.
It makes a whole different kind of sense.

There is nothing that you can hide.

And as a believer in Jesus Christ - there is nothing you need to hide

When He "carves His plan on the lining of your heart" and fills it, it's worth listening to.

Hebrews 10:12-18 (The Message)

As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God and waited for his enemies to cave in. It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. The Holy Spirit confirms this:

This new plan I’m making with Israel
    isn’t going to be written on paper,
    isn’t going to be chiseled in stone;
This time “I’m writing out the plan in them,
    carving it on the lining of their hearts.”

He concludes,

I’ll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.

Once sins are taken care of for good, there’s no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.

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Jesus,
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,

it shall be thy royal throne.
Amen.

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What's the big deal about Jesus?

The Color of Calm

What's the color of calm?

A scientist in the 1970's discovered and claims that a particular color has a calming affect - especially when someone is overly aggressive.

A naval holding cell was painted this bubble-gum shade of pink and found, indeed, that "even 15 minutes of exposure to the pink-walled room resulted in a noticable reduction in aggressive behavior".

God paints the color of calm all over his Word.
For you.

Matthew 6:31-34 "...Do not worry about tomorrow..."
Psalm 107:28-32 ""He quieted the wind down to a whisper, put a muzzle on all the big waves."
Luke 12:25 "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Get your calm on.
Get into the Word.
Dive in.  Deep.
Fill up with the living Water.

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Song - Calm My Storm (Tyler Price)

Lord,

Your eye is on the sparrow.

If you care that much for something I don't even pay attention to, 

let that remind me how much more your eye is on me.

Calming my storms.

Routing those hurricanes around me in ways I can't even imagine.

Quiet my pounding heart and sweating hands.

Grant a quiet spirit within me.

Amen.

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What's the big deal about Jesus?

We're in this together...

"We're in this together."
That is a great thing to hear.
Especially when I feel like I'm all alone and nobody cares.

And that is a GREAT thing to hear - from someone who means it.

This week we're studying Moses and Israelites as they trek through the wilderness in the book of Leviticus.  
They were all in it together.
Getting lost together.
Getting found together.
Good times.  Bad times.  
In it together with their God.  (Even when they forgot about Him...)

Last night I was reading about how in English - we have kind of lost a voice.
It's called the "middle voice" - and it's contrasted with the "active voice" and the "passive voice".
Active voice example: I am driving you to your appointment.  I am doing it.
Passive voice example: I am being driven to my appointment.  It is being done to me.

The "middle voice" is where both sides are actively participating.
"We're all in this together.", in other words.
Middle voice example: We are both driving us to our appointment.  Hmmm - doesn't make sense.  In English, anyway.

The "middle voice" is a good way to think of prayer.
You and your God...actively conversing...all in...in this together.

The "middle voice" is also a good way to think of marriage.
...or a friendship.
...or worship.
"We're in this together."

Yes - "We're in this together."
A GREAT thing to hear from someone who really, really means it.
Your Lord.
Your Savior.
Your God.

Matthew 11:28-30New International Version (NIV)

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Hebrews 10:19-25 The Message

So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.

So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

aka "We're in this together."

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Lord,
I like to forget that "we're in this together".
I like to make my own way.
My way, my stuff, my, my, my.
Remind me through your Word and the people in my life THAT...
"We're in this together...all the way to the end...in heaven."
Whoa!
Amen!
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What's the big deal about Jesus?