Encourage Yourself

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6, KJV

Ever made a decision that caused people to turn against you? In this particular story David made a decision to send his men into battle, but when they returned they found that the enemy had burned their city, stolen their goods and kidnapped their families, including David’s. Not what you’d call a good day. Instead of comforting one another they looked for a scapegoat and turned against their leader David. Have you noticed that when your decisions are good ones, people are quick to share the credit with you? But if the decision’s not so good, they are even quicker to point a finger at you? I’ve heard it said, that at times it can be pretty lonely at the top.

We’re a fickle bunch aren’t we? I wonder if sometimes we’re just way too quick to throw our leaders under the bus when we don’t agree with a decision they've made or, like David, when they've make a bad decision. Here in this story, these men who were affected in such a positive way by David’s leadership quickly turned on David because he hadn’t prepared for this one contingency. This band of brothers snapped and were now prepared to stone the very one who they had learned so much from. So, what was David’s response? “He encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

We can learn a lot from David’s response. First of all, he didn’t have a pity party. You see, leaders don’t have the liberty for pity parties. As much as we’d like to, there’s no time…we have to lead, and keep leading even when we make mistakes. David had clearly made a poor decision here and although his men wanted to beat him up for it, he couldn’t beat himself up. He did what we all need to do if we find ourselves in similar situations – encourage ourselves in the Lord our God!

So, to be encouraged in the Lord we need to do two things.

First, we need to repent and ask God to forgive us. Ok, you blew it, you didn’t do your homework and you made a bad decision without thinking through all the facts. Join the club. We’ve all sinned and fallen short. But now what? We need to turn to the One who went to the cross for us! The One who understands us, and the One who will never leave us nor forsake us when we make good decisions or bad ones. 1 John says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, KJV) In other words, when people want to stone us, God has our backs and is willing to forgive. So we’ve got to be like our old friend Clebe McClary, who always says, "FIDO” – which stands for “fix it and drive on!” In other words, go to God and ask Him to forgive you. Get things “fixed” with Him and then drive on.

The second thing we need to do is be proactive and ask God for direction. That’s exactly what David did in 1 Samuel 30:8 (KJV) when he asked the Lord, “…shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” God’s answer to both of these questions was yes. He told David to pursue the bad guys, overtake them and that everything would be restored.

So, have you made a mistake? Are there people in your life who want to stone you? Then it’s time to encourage yourself in the Lord your God, repent, get God’s direction on what to do next and then fix it and drive on. Remember your best days are ahead!

With love-

Jeff

A Work In Progress

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." Romans 12:3, NKJV

Don’t you just love working with people? We’re all so different and on top of that we’re all works in progress. I put myself in that category as well…a work in progress…so as I share this with you today, I pray that it doesn’t come across judgmental or critical, but that it will actually help of few of us.

I’ve come across several situations in my work as a pastor in dealing with some people who can best be described as “thinking of themselves more highly than they ought to think.” Now don’t get me wrong, they are good people, but they are just not seeing themselves the way they should. I’ve tried to put my finger on it and I think it can best be described as the “teenager syndrome.” Do you remember those years, when you thought you really knew the score on life? The years when you thought mom and dad were just so out of touch with life, were complete idiots and totally clueless, if only your parents could be as smart as you? But then it happened – you grew up – and somehow they got smarter.

Did you know that if we’re not careful the same thing could happen to us spiritually? According to 1 Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV) when we gain a little knowledge it can sometimes puff us up. Ever seen a blowfish? They are the fish that puff themselves up so it looks like they are much bigger than they really are. Well, sometimes we can do the same thing and think that we’re bigger, smarter, or even more spiritually mature than we really are. The danger is that we stop listening to the very people that God has placed in our lives to teach us, and help guide us through life.

It’s unfortunate, but as a pastor I’ve seen this very thing shipwreck people’s faith. Imagine what would happen if you made a decision at home that your teenager didn’t like, if there was a conflict or they didn’t get to do what they wanted, and their response was, “Mom and Dad, I believe the Lord is moving us on…my season here is up.” As parents we’d send them to their room and tell them not to come out until they changed their attitude. But that’s not what us loving pastors do. Oh no, we just love on them and let them go. I sometimes wonder if that’s really the right thing to do.

So what can we do to avoid the spiritual “teenager syndrome”?

First, be honest enough to admit that it exists. Just know that it takes decades to grow up in the Lord, not months, or even a few years. There’s an old saying that to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Second, stay little in your own eyes. That’s the warning that the prophet Samuel gave Saul when he took matters into his own hands in 1 Samuel 15:17 (NKJV),

“So Samuel said, ‘When you were little in your own eyes,were you not head of the tribes of Israel?And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?’”

There’s no doubt that God was able to anoint Saul to be king because he was little in his own eyes, but then he got in trouble when he stopped listening to Samuel and decided to take things into his own hands.

Isn’t it really just an issue of spiritual pride? That’s why God reminds us of this in 1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV),

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Would you agree that all of this takes faith? Because sometimes we just don’t want to humble ourselves. Sometimes we just don’t want to listen to anybody but us, our own thoughts and ideas. But that’s not God’s way. So, let’s stay little in our own eyes, stay humble and teachable and trust God to keep working on us, because in the end, we’re all a work in progress.

Pray For Them-- It's The Least We Can Do!

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Ever wonder why God asks us to pray for those that are in authority? It’s because they need it! This became very real for me this week as I experienced two days of training exercises with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. One my co-workers, Matt Munson, and I were invited to join a group of community leaders for what KDPS calls a “Citizens Leadership Academy.” For two days we were exposed to the various aspects of what it means to be a Public Safety Officer.

It was an incredible two days of hands-on experiences. Our first day began with a 2-hour discussion on the use of force, and ended with one of the officers being tazed to demonstrate how they are able gain control of an out-of-control situation with the least amount of bodily harm. We then went out to the fire tower for fire-fighting training. Until you’ve put on all that heavy fire gear, an oxygen tank and have gotten on your hands and knees and crawled through a smoke filled room, you’ll never fully appreciate what they do, and how they lay their lives on the line to save others. We then spent a couple of hours with the guys from K-9. We worked with the head of the K-9 division who trains both the officers and their dogs for duty. These teams are simply amazing, and so dedicated to one another. We met the officers and their partners and all I can say is they were both incredible. These dogs are all cross-trained to smell dope, track a suspect running through the woods, find a gun thrown into a field, and if necessary will bite once and hold their suspects, all at the command of their handlers. Then at the end of the shift they (man and dog) go home together and share their lives off duty. We ended that first day with some adrenalin pumping exercises with SWAT. Just one word…wow!

Our second day began with a large screen computer-training simulator called MILO, where we experienced “shoot, no shoot” scenarios just like the officers will face. Not sure my heart has raced quite like that in my 50 plus years. Next was traffic stops where we again experienced first hand some of the tough and very tense situations that can occur in any traffic stop. Our day ended at the shooting range, and not being a guy who has spent much time around firearms, I was shaking like a leaf. The last exercise of the day was a “shoot, no shoot” drill with live ammo at paper targets in a darkened room. Oh my, I’m breaking out in a sweat just typing these words. I can’t imagine what it would be like in a real life situation.

You may not be aware of what a Public Safety Officer is and how that role differs from that of your standard Police Officer. It just means that each Officer has received cross training in police work, fire fighting and emergency medicine, and can be called upon at any time to exercise one of these disciplines. Honestly, I was shocked that one person could be proficient at all three of these. They carry all of the equipment they need in their patrol cars and will actually change their clothes on the run. But on top of that, some officers also volunteer to train to become members of the SWAT team, the bomb squad, or work K-9 on top of their normal duties.

So let me break down what that actually means for one of these officers on a typical 12-hour shift. They can start their days on road patrol, be called to fight a fire, go back on patrol, receive a call to end a domestic dispute, follow that with a search through a building because an alarm has gone off, and then end their night stopping a bar fight. Then they go home to their wife and kids. Are you getting the picture yet? Can you see why they absolutely need our prayers? These super-human men and women do this day in and day out for the good of our communities; for people who are typically against them, and if they are not against them, they are at best neutral toward law enforcement personnel. How many folks out there are for them, I mean really for them? Personally, I have always been a fan of law enforcement, but my appreciation has grown 100 fold. Will you join me today and pray for the law enforcement officers of your community and our nation? Let’s join our faith to lift them up in prayer so that you and I can “live a quiet and peaceable life,” and that these officers return safely home at the end of their shifts.

Then, I have one final request: Today, if you come across an officer, please take a moment and shake their hand, give them our thanks and let them know that we’re praying for them. It’s the least we can do.

Love to you-

Jeff

Jesus, Can I Have Some Time With You?

"To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Acts 1:3, NKJV

I need to spend more time with Jesus, how about you?

Ever wish you could just run away from the demands, the noise and the busyness that always seems to be swirling around you. I mean come on, our faith needs to be built on something more than attending church. We talk about having a relationship with Jesus, but have we allowed it to become a religion? Are we just going through the motions of Christianity or are we really having a vital, heart to heart, life-altering relationship with Jesus Christ?

On the church calendar we’re in what’s known as “Paschal Time,” which includes the 40-day period between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension to heaven. Ever wonder why the resurrected Jesus walked around the earth for 40 days after He was raised from the dead?

I’d like to believe it was so that all of us would learn not to look back at who He was, but be continually reminded of who He is. According to Hebrews, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV) That’s the Jesus I want to know; not the historical Jesus, but the Jesus that’s alive today, the now Jesus – the today Jesus! I want my heart to burn within me like those guys He came across on the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32. After He was raised from the dead, Jesus joined up with a couple of guys as they were talking about Him, only they didn’t recognize Him. You see they were talking about the Jesus who was…He was a prophet, He was a teacher, He was…only Jesus is a whole lot more than someone who was, He is! He IS a prophet, He IS a teacher, He IS our redeemer and He IS alive.

Later that same day, Jesus opened up the Scriptures and began to explain to these guys who He is, and that the plan has always been for God and man to have their relationship restored. Now here’s the cool part:

“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him and He vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31, NKJV)

That must have totally blown their minds. Can you imagine just sitting there and then realizing that Jesus, who you thought was dead, is sitting across the table from you and wham – He disappears? But I love their response:

“And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:32, NKJV)

When was the last time our hearts burned within us as we worshipped, as we prayed, and as we spent time in the Word? If it’s been awhile, it’s safe to say that it’s not God’s fault. Maybe we just haven’t taken the time we should to really focus on the reality of our relationship with the Jesus who IS. He IS real, He IS alive, and He IS here for us. Let’s take a walk with Jesus this weekend and spend some time with Him.

I know He’d like that.

Your Final Call

Two significant events happened this week that reminded me of how important it is to live life with purpose. The first was the funeral on Tuesday of PSO Eric Zapata, the first police officer ever killed in the line of duty here in Kalamazoo. Officer Zapata had responded to a call from a fellow officer who had been fired upon, and in doing so, lost his life. His death truly reflects the words Jesus shared with us 2,000 years ago, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” (John 15:13, NKJV) It’s safe to say that Officer Zapata’s death really shook up our community. I’ve been to a fair number of funerals over the years, but I’ve never seen anything like what I saw that day. Before the funeral began there was a processional, for roughly an hour, of uniformed officers from all over the country, and even Canada, who came to pay their respects and pass by the casket.

I’ll never forget the tape they played of Eric’s “Final Call,” in honor of his last day of duty. It went something like this:

“Lincoln Radio can you raise Baker 22 for me,” Lt. Mike McCaw said, followed by the dispatcher’s call, “Radio to 22…Radio to 22…Radio to Baker 22. (No response) Lincoln Two, I am unable to raise Baker 22. The time is 23:28 hours. The date is April 18, 2011.” “Take Baker 22 off the watch,” Lt. McCaw responded. “Baker 22 is off the watch…Kalamazoo Public Safety honors the service and sacrifice of Public Officer Eric Zapata, on his final call; Officer Zapata…rushed bravely toward the sound of gunfire in order to aid a fellow officer. In doing so, Officer Zapata gave the full and final measure of devotion; on behalf of another he made the ultimate sacrifice…the sacrifice of his own life. May his example of selfless courage be an inspiration to each of us, may we find hope in his valor, and may he rest in peace and in glory, in the company of those who have gone before him. Officer Eric Zapata, employee No. 11611, is off duty for the final time at 23:28 hours on Monday, April 18, 2011. Godspeed, Eric.”

Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. We all left that funeral with a greater appreciation of the men and women in law enforcement, the military and the first responders who place their lives on the line every day to keep people like us safe. We thank God for those of you who serve God and us in these ways, and we promise to pray for you even more than we have in the past.

The second event was the death of David Wilkerson, author of the famous book, “The Cross and The Switchblade,” founder of Teen Challenge, and founder of Times Square Church in the heart of Manhattan. Pastor Dave didn’t serve in law enforcement, but he did invest his life in saving the lives of others. He and his wife Gwen were in a head-on crash in Texas on Wednesday and as I write this she remains in critical condition. Please keep her in your prayers today. “The Cross and the Switchblade” is one of the most popular Christian books ever written. The ministry of Teen Challenge remains a powerful tool, used by God, to help change the lives of thousands and thousands of hurting people around the country. Then on top of these two major works, he founded the Times Square church, which now has 8,000 members. I don’t know about you, but I’d say that's a pretty significant work.

Even though they had very different careers, Office Zapata and Pastor Wilkerson both heard the same words that Jesus shared in Matthew 25:21. They are words we all would like to hear when our work here on earth comes to an end, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

So let me leave you with a few questions. What causes a person to run into danger when their natural response should be to run from it? What causes a person to preach the gospel in the hard places, to folks who don’t want to hear it? Is it because they know their God given purpose and are willing to give their lives to fulfill it? If that’s the case, here is a question for you: Are you giving everything you can to fulfill your life’s purpose? How you answer that question will determine what you hear on the day of your “final call.”

God Bless Officer Eric Zapata, and Pastor David Wilkerson, and may God use how they lived their lives to teach us how to live ours.

Love you-

Jeff

What A Guy Is Looking For In A Girl

I want to talk to you single girls on what we guys are looking for in a girl – what we like and what we don’t like. Now I’m no expert on this subject, but having been married to my best friend for nearly twenty-five years, and raising two exceptionally gifted, intelligent, beautiful, amazingly gifted girls gives me a little bit of a platform to speak from.

So, let me start by telling you what we’re not looking for.

(1) We’re not looking to be the center of your world. There is nothing more attractive to a guy then knowing that his girl loves Jesus way more than she’ll ever love him. I’m not saying that we’re not looking to be loved; we’re just looking for proper perspective. Because if we ever become the center of your world then both our worlds are going to get way out of whack real quick. Let’s call it a “whack-attack.” Here’s the deal, it’s not our role to be the center of your universe; only Jesus can be that and until He is, you’ll be looking for some yahoo to complete you, and he can’t. Colossians says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10, NKJV)

(2) We’re not looking for someone we can run over. Girls, don’t ever let us dishonor you, or treat you crummy. You are way too valuable for that. Too many of you girls let us guys mistreat you. Hold your ground and when your guy does something or says something that hurts you, don’t unload your frustration on your girlfriends, unload on us. Really, we’re going to get all ticked off at first, but if we really want to have a healthy God honoring relationship with you then in the end we’ll appreciate it. A lot of times we’ll say things, do things that will hurt or offend you that we’re just clueless about. Now I’m not saying that we’re dumb, we’re just not girls. Remember we’re the guys that will punch our best friend in the face one minute and then go play catch the next.

So, what are we looking for in a girl?

(1) We’re looking for someone to accept us for who we are. Listen, God never intended for us to be compared to your dad, your last boyfriend, or even your roommate’s cute brother. We’re all different. So, celebrate with us our strength’s and don’t keep pointing out our weaknesses. And please, please, please, don’t try to change us, leave that up to the One who created us.

(2) We’re looking for someone who likes to do the things we like to do. Sure in any relationship there are compromises, but if your guy likes to fish, it wouldn’t hurt for you to learn to like it too. I love to ride motorcycles, and so it was always fun for me to have Beth ride on the back of my bike. But a few years ago I convinced her to learn to ride a bike herself, and now she has her own Harley. I can’t really explain it, but her effort to learn to do something that I like really means a lot to me, and makes me feel closer to her.

(3) We’re looking for someone who will keep us in check physically. So, you need to know a couple of things about us. First, guys are totally visual. So, when we go out with you, please don’t show us too much. No skin to win, if you get my drift. Also, don’t forget that when it comes to sexual temptations, girls are like crock pots, but boys are like microwaves set on full power. We don’t simmer; we go from zero to a hundred in a matter of seconds, so help us say in check. Now I’m not saying don’t look hot, just not too hot!

(4) We’re looking for someone who likes to have fun. We’re not looking for drama. We get plenty of that at the movies. We’re just looking for someone who enjoys life, doesn’t take life too seriously, and someone who laughs, a lot. The Bible says that laughter is a like medicine. So, you don’t have to worry so much about your hair, just let it down and have some fun.

(5) Finally, we’re looking for someone who loves Jesus and His church. The church is the hope of the world. And any girl that would be an interest to us is going to have to love Jesus as much as we do, and love His church. So, going to church is not an option, it’s a requirement. If we’re ever going to have a solid, healthy relationship we’re going to need to like going to the same church…together. In Psalm 34:3 it says, Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. (Psalm 34:3, NKJV) Get it? Key word here is “together.”

So what’s the bottom line? If we’ll put Jesus in the center of our lives, He’ll help us guys and girls to have God honoring, healthy relationships.

There's No Plan B For The Life Of Faith

"But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach)." Romans 10:8, NKJV

My wife Beth and I have been the senior pastors of Valley Family Church for nearly 20 years. It’s been a joy to bring the message of Jesus Christ to so many people over the years. To see people grasp the reality of forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ for the first time is so cool. And then we get to watch them launch out into this wonderful adventure of a life, built upon their faith in God and His Word. We’re often asked if we’re one of those “word of faith” churches – as if there was another option? If you know of one, please pass it along. Here in Romans, the Apostle Paul called the message that turned his life 180 degrees around, the “word of faith.” That was what he preached everywhere he could, regardless of his circumstances, because he knew there was no “Plan B.”

What is the word of faith? Well, it’s simply learning to take God at His Word. Does God really care how we live our life? He sure does, because in Hebrews 11:6, He says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Notice that this verse doesn’t say it’s “unlikely” to please God without faith. It actually says it is impossible! Now don’t miss this, because it’s huge: the only way you and I can please God is to live our lives in the way that He originally designed for us, by faith. So how do we do that? How do we get faith?

Well, according to Romans 10:17 faith only comes one way. It says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” In other words, faith isn’t some mystical or magical thing. It’s very tangible and it only comes one way, through God’s Word. Remember what Paul said that he preached? He said he preached the “Word” of faith. He wasn’t preaching his ideas, or his experiences, or even his theories for living. He was simply preaching the Word of God, and when he did, faith came to those who heard him.

So if faith comes by hearing, how do we know when it arrives? Again, according to Romans 10:8, the word of faith will show up in two places. It shows up in your mouth, and in your heart. You’ll hear yourself talking differently. You’ll catch yourself thinking differently. There will be a confidence and a trust that comes from the inside of you that says, “I believe God’s Word, more than I believe in these circumstances that I’m facing staying the same.”

What scriptures are you hearing and getting into your mouth and heart? Are you just blindly trusting God or are there specific verses that you’re making your stand upon? Our faith and trust can only be founded on the Word of God. So grab your Bible today and let God’s Word, His promises, speak faith into your life, and hold on because change is coming. There is no “Plan B.”

Say It: “Father, I want to live my life in a way that pleases You. I believe You, I believe Your Word and believe that Your promises are bigger than any circumstances I may face. I will put Your Word in my mouth and in my heart. I will speak Your Word over my life, my family, my business and my circumstances. I will see Your Word begin to mold and shape my life. Your Word is changing me, today! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”