Who is in your circle of influence?

As Christians, we tend to think that our Christian duty is to go to church on Sunday, volunteer, and give money. Christianity is far more than that.

In Mark 2:16, the religious leaders of the day ask the following question: "Why does He (Jesus) eat with tax collectors and sinners?" That may be the wrong question... the question should be:

Why would sinners eat with Jesus?

The one thing that we know about Jesus was that He was very truthful. If you were a sinner, He would tell you to stop. If there was an area that you struggled with, He addressed it head on, like He did with the rich young ruler.

So, why would sinners flock to Jesus? If we take an honest look at today's society, most people that the church views as sinners aren't given the opportunity to talk to Christians because most Christians avoid them.

Maybe it's time that we start living our life like Jesus did and spend some time with those that don't know who He is. Let's build relationships where we can sow the Word of God into their lives rather than spending 5 minutes sharing something then leaving to never see them again.

Jesus said that he came for the sick because those who are well don't need a physician. Let us struggle to open our eyes to those who are lost and struggling so we can share with them the hope that we have in Christ.

Losing the draft...

I went to see my first live NASCAR race this past Sunday. There was this interesting phenomenon that happened that I became fascinated with. Drafting. Not so much drafting, as much as the consequences of losing the draft.

Losing the draft happens when one of the cars loses touch with the pack, and as a result - regardless of how fast they drive - the cannot catch up with the other cars. As a matter of fact, within a few laps, the other cars actually catch up!

There's a benefit that comes in working together where regardless of how hard you work, you just cannot catch up on your own.

What does this have to do with Christianity? Everything!

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

There is power in meeting together. When you get together with like-minded people, you feel encouraged to try harder, strive more fervently. So... let us struggle to not lose the draft and let us work together in order to be all that we can be in Christ!

When is the truth a lie?

There are times when you read things in the Bible so many times that you completely miss the importance of what is being said.

God said, "Let us make man in our image."

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. And God blessed them. - Gen 1:26-28

The lie that satan told Adam and Eve was that if they ate the fruit, they would be like God.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Gen 3:6

Did you catch that lie? God created man in His image, but satan said "If you do this, you will be like God."

Are there areas in your life where satan is attacking the truth in your life by telling you lies? Lies like: you're not worthy, you're not good enough... the list goes on.

Let us struggle to remember what the word of God says about us. Le us not get sidetracked by distortions of the truth.

Are you a stick in the mud?

Have you ever seen a stick standing in the mud? They kind of look like a tree, except they're dead. There is no root structure, they aren't alive, but there they are standing... as if they are pretending to be a tree.

To be totally honest, there are times when I feel like I could be a stick in the mud, and other times where I know that I'm rooted and grounded and bearing fruit.

That's our struggle, right? Or am I in this alone?

I think the key is in who you surround yourself with... is your "support system" made up of people that delight in the Lord? Are there people that you can discuss the law of the Lord with? Do you meditate on the words of God day... and night? If so, you will definitely be more like a tree yielding its fruit in season.

Let us struggle to not to find ourselves in a forest of sticks in the mud.

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Psalm 1:1-4