Can you see the difference in your own life?

Evidence of righteous work...

Can you look back at your life and see tremendous differences from the time before you knew the Lord Jesus till today?

We should be able to see a difference. We should be thinking some different. We should be speaking some different. Different aims and goals ought to be ours. We should be doing different things.

And, don't get caught only thinking of bad habits changed; think of Gospel habits begun.

Are you a witness for the Lord Jesus? Are you discovering and growing and exercising your giftings within the Body of Christ? Are your finances yielded toward Kingdom ends? On and on and on...

The Apostle wrote the the church in Ephesus, and the Church, saying, "Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called 'the uncircumcision' by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:11-13 ESV)

"Remember..." <--- that is a powerful word.

Here, Paul speaks on position. There was a time when a believers position found them out of fellowship with God. Paul says, "Remember that time."

But, because of Jesus, that position changed: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:13-22 ESV)

Now, because we are "in Christ Jesus" and are NOT "far off", but have been "brought near," God is in the business of working to make us a "dwelling place" for Himself. That means we should be changing. We should be growing.

Is there evidence of the lovely lordship of Christ bringing change to your life? Have you attempted to add Jesus to your life or has He given you His own life? Any persons brought into the "household of God" are positionally children of God and being shaped / conformed into the image of God's Son. If your testimony is that your position has changed but your life has not, you are either hindered in your growth or mistaken in your testimony.

"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again."'" (John 3:6-8 ESV)

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13 ESV)

The Primary Mission of Jesus.

Jesus is a good teacher, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus is a great example, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus works miracles, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus receives children, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus confronted religious people, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus dealt with demons, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus heals the sick, but don't forget His primary mission...

Jesus calls people to serve Him, but don't forget His primary mission...

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, of whom I am the foremost." (1 Timothy 1:15 ESV, emphasis mine)

We love it when Jesus deals with others, but Jesus also wants to deal with us. He wants to save sinners! He wants to save EVERY sinner! He wants to save YOU! He has saved me! I am being saved! I will be saved! That's what Jesus came to do!

Whatever you might think of Jesus, don't forget His primary mission! HE CAME TO SAVE SINNERS!

Don't expect Jesus to deal with you in any of His offices and capacities while His main mission toward you has yet to be dealt with! HE CAME TO SAVE SINNERS!

He did not come to approve of sin; He came to save sinners...

He did not come to fulfill the "American Dream"; He came to save sinners...

He did not come to make us wealthy; He came to save sinners...

He did not come to give us empty religion; He came to save sinners...

Let us not talk about Jesus without considering this faithful saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

Hey, sinner, Jesus came to save you!

He came to save you from God's wrath...

He came to save you from Satan's grasp...

He came to save you from yourself...

He came to save you from hell...

He came to save you from just judgment...

And, more...

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

Like Paul, I can say, "...of whom I am foremost."

I thank God the Father that God the Son came to save sinners, for surely He came to save me!

I believe on Jesus...

I receive the Lord Jesus...

By grace, through faith, this sinner is saved by Jesus!

How about you?

A testimony about failing and growing in speech (cussing / foul language, etc.)

God is patient with failures...

This testimony won't be for everyone, but it will be for someone.

I used to cuss like a veteran infantryman. And I can't say I didn't know how to control it. I didn't talk like that in front of my grandmother. (She would've slapped me in the mouth, even as a grown man!)

It did seem situationally out of control. For example, I was so used to using foul language around men, and at places like the ball field and work, that I don't think I thought about it. It was habitual. It was like my grandmothers made me pay attention to EVERY word, other people, like my mom, or most other ladies, made me watch MOST / SOME of what I said, but, in general, my language was terrible.

And, though I am primarily talking about cussing, also, my subject matter, innuendo, and body language was fairly horrible.

My paternal grandmother said on more than one occasion, and in more than one way, that people who cursed showed their ignorance or unwillingness to express themselves in a better way. One saying cut me to the bone: "If you know how to talk better and don't, you are proving you are stupid, not ignorant. You are coarse on purpose, and that's sad."

It all hit me one week at work. I was witnessing to someone and used foul language without thinking about it. They called me on it, and the person did it in the right way, and I was immediately convicted and thoughtful.

Later that week, with a different person, I was praying and said something foul. Called me on it. I felt sick.

Same week; I told some off-color joke, and a fellow Christian lovingly held me accountable.

I really began to deeply consider my language. I knew I was in bondage, and, it seemed, by my own choice / choices.

It was just another area of abject failure in my life. I knew it. I saw it for what it was, and I didn't want to pretend like it didn't matter, or that it didn't affect my witness, nor did I want to attempt to justify it. I just wanted to be free; to grow; to be more like Jesus. I wanted my tongue to be a force of good, and, more so, a force of the gospel.

I began to pour through the Scriptures: “’I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned’ … And he called the people to him and said to them, ‘Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.’ … But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. ... Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. … Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. … Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Matthew 12:36-37; Matthew 15:10-11; Colossians 3:8-10; Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 4:6 ESV) And there's even more!

Convicted. Inept. Immature. Ignorant, coarse, stupid. Unintelligent. Not powerless, for sure, but lacking Spirit-filled self-control. Of all the words that came to me, "old self" is what gripped me; un-Christ-like was easily true. Whew.

It felt like another thing to be ashamed of, and, to be frank, it was.

It was another thing I needed God's guidance and power to overcome. I regularly came to the right conclusion that there was no good in me outside of Christ, and that was a healthy conclusion. It was humbling, but it put me at the feet of God.

My first plan of action was to spend a weekend fasting and praying. My second step was to say nothing for an entire day; no words at all. My third step was to say nothing for a week unless I knew the exact Bible reference / truth to apply to my speech. (The most latter thing was sort of funny; it's hard operate a tugger, or adjust the settings on a welding machine with only Bible verses!)

Those 10 days started the surrender of my speech and BEGAN a transformation of my language. Praise be to God!

I am not saying I have this issue 100% conquered. I am not saying my speech is perfect. I am saying God has done a work and is doing a work.

That's my story. Pray for me as I seek to grow in Christ. Peace to each and all of you who read these words.

"In God We Trust," or do we?

Tithing: the training ground for giving and monetary stewardship...

Let's be honest, we do not struggle with being generous to ourselves. The joke I often make is that we buy name brand for ourselves, but we buy store brands for food drives.

I often think of giving as the testing and training ground for what truly has my heart. Tithing, then, is just a start. Regularly giving 10%, with joy and discipline, is just the start of several aspects of giving. It's where obedience, sacrifice, worship, faith and trust begin being worked out in our hearts.

What we ought to want for ourselves is to respond to God well in all areas of our finances. The Proverb writer said, "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10 ESV)

Honor God. That's a necessary and learned life. Tithing is the training wheels of giving.

Are you even learning to ride the bike of giving? Have you mastered training-wheels-level cruising? Let's ask God for Tour de France type life, and look forward to mastering the training wheels level of giving and move on to mountain climbing and race winning!

A testimony of ruined relationships.

Yet another story of abject failure...

I ruined every relationship. I did not honor my mother and father. I did not care for my brothers. I was very often a selfish friend.

I cannot say worse than any of these above, but I can say more painful and harder to face than any of these above, I objectified women. I'd like to blame it all on ignorance, but I can't. Some, of course, was ignorance. Some of it was the brokenness of youth. Some was stupidity. Some was omissive sin. Most of it was commissive sin.

I am utterly ashamed at this confession.

I learned young how to toss the word "love" around. I think I thought I meant it every time.

You might not believe this, but I know it to be true, I did mean it quite often, but I when I used the word "love," the dictionary I was using yielded poor definitions, at best.

Valuing a gentleman's demeanor and behavior was real for me, but I very often used that to capture attention for more selfish purposes.

I was very often ruled by selfish lust.

I very often held double standards.

I looked at women the wrong way.

I respected them outwardly, but not always inwardly.

There were in my past multiple relationships in which I was the cause of much pain and sorrow. It sounds arrogant to say it, but I mean it literally, my selfishness, my poor treatment, my cheating, my emotional abuse, my misuse of the word love, and my poor execution of love itself led to broken hearts. (My heart was broken a time or two as well, but I cannot confess for others; I can only confess for me.) I hurt people. I hurt their feelings. I hurt their next relationships by the infection of wounds and pain caused by my doing.

When I became a disciple of Jesus, through His word, and seeking to follow Him in all my ways, I began to truly understand what love was / is, and I began to see how foul I'd behaved. I found it necessary to confess to people how poorly I'd behaved and thought and spoke. I sought people out and asked for forgiveness.

Some forgave.

Some cried.

One smacked me.

Some did not forgive.

One, to this day, still will not speak to me.

The most latter holds me in bitter contempt.

She has for nearly 30 years.

You know you hurt someone if they can boil in anger for so long.

Thank God, He did not leave me in my personal rottenness. Thank God, He taught me what love is... more importantly, Who love is. Thank God, the woman I was with -- the woman who became my wife -- stuck with me until I learned to love by the right definition. Thank God, He loved me while I was yet in my sin. Thank God, His cross, His grace, His mercy, His kindness taught me about love. Thank God, He made me see the many errors of my ways.

Thank God, I am learning how to be a better son.

Thank God, I am learning how to be a better sibling.

Thank God, I am learning how to be a better friend.

Thank God, I am learning how to be a godly spouse.

Thank God, my wife is more excellent than am I.

Thank God for those who forgave my wrongs.

Help God, that all old wounds may find healing.

I am truly sorry for every relationship I ever ruined.

I am truly sorry for all the people I failed.

I am truly sorry for every sin twisted emotion.

I am truly sorry for the times I served my flesh.

I am truly sorry for hurting feelings / breaking hearts.

I am truly sorry I sought kisses instead of living love.

I am truly sorry for lingering eyes instead of loving service.

The Lord Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34 ESV)

In spite of all my failure of the past, and even with the likelihood of more failure in the future, I know what love is. I know Him who is love. I know how to look upon others with the eyes, heart, and mind of God now (though not perfectly, more than ever before, for sure).

I plan to live in the command of Jesus.

I plan to live by the right definition.

I plan to always look to Jesus as my example.

I plan to always ask for His help.

I am sorry for every hurt I ever caused in this world.

May God lead me (and us all) to be humble folk who seek reconciliation and peace in the places where we have wounded others and broken friendships and relationships. Father, be glorified as You lead Your broken children to put their lives and relationships in godly order. Father, let us not be satisfied with our faults; help us to be kind and tenderhearted to one another. In Jesus I pray. Amen.

A personal testimony about filing for bankruptcy.

Another testimony for someone out there...

I went bankrupt. It was in 1995.

Part of the story is simple. I had a business and I did a big job -- big enough to break me -- and the company I did the work for did not pay me. They declared bankruptcy.

First step, I sold everything I had and paid the guys working with me. Next step, I drank and drank and drank, running up bar tabs and credit cards. (In case you didn't understand what I just said, I made things incredibly worse.) Third step, beg and borrow more money and pursue several gambling schemes that caused a lot of trouble and only let me break even on the money I had borrowed for the gambling schemes.

Step four, take out some illegal loans on the promise of high interest, violence, or criminal labor. Step five, more drinking and partying, more gambling, more bad loans, and more debt.

Step seven, quadruple down on every, single, bad decision.

The other part of the story, as you might be able to tell, was that I had tons of destructive habits, I was very unwise, and I had no idea what good stewardship was. Further, I was disconnected from the power, love, and wisdom of God.

I hated every ring of a phone. I hated every beep of my pager. I hated every piece of mail. I hated running into people I owed.

I drank and sank. I despaired. I went to work every day, and ran the streets nearly every night.

I would say my nerves were worn to a frazzle, but I had mostly passed through every emotion except anger and shame.

I was a hard worker, but a foolish young man. Foolish.

Finally, I drove to Greensboro to see an attorney who practiced in North Carolina and Virginia. I told him everything. He suggested a certain type of bankruptcy. I had a regular income, and he suggested I pay it all back.

I cannot even tell you how I embarrassed and ashamed I was when I appeared in federal court to openly admit how terribly I'd managed my affairs. I literally felt sick. Though I was not a disciple of Jesus at that time, I regularly read the Bible. I kept thinking about something I had read in Psalm 37. Verse 21 says, "The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again..." (Psalm 37:21a KJV)

A plan was created, and thus came the long trudge out of debt. The debt was only part of the problem. My credit was totally shot for over 7 years after the discharge of all debts (and really more like 10). Though I worked, I spent as much time paying for the past as I did struggling to stay above water in the present, which is to say 24/7/365.

I lived in shame and guilt.

Then I met Jesus. You see, Jesus removed the guilt. I found spiritual and emotional freedom in Him. He gave me strength and joy. He gave me wisdom and perspective. He showed me truth, precepts, and principles of godly stewardship in His word.

What Jesus did not do was magically remove the monetary debt. He did give me joy in the discharge. He did walk with me. He did lead me (over the years) to tons of resources to help not only myself but others manage and handle both debt and wealth. (I haven't seen the wealth side, but I have had the privilege to counsel / disciple those with wealth.)

I still have a lot to learn, but of this I am sure: "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein," (Psalm 24:1 ESV) I long to be a faithful, wise steward who understands to Whom all things belong and to Whom I shall answer for all things.

Now, I have taught Financial Peace University several times, and I have counseled dozens of people in wise financial stewardship. Ain't God good?

I share this because someone out there IS struggling. You are are ashamed. You hate the mail. You hate the phone.

You can recover. It very well may be very difficult, and long term. God can deal with your emotions. He can also connect you with helpful people.

For anything to change, everything will most likely have to change. Lifestyle. Spending. Saving. Yes, everything.

You can make it out of this. You really can.

May God give you courage to face it, grace to recover, strength to endure, and wisdom in the outworking.

If, then...

Conditional, personal, causal... 

Sometimes the simplicity in God's word is powerful. 

Consider the following: "My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." (Proverbs 2:1-5 ESV)

Make no mistake, operating in wisdom comes with conditions. The above exhortation comes with the little-big word "if". Something happening is conditional on something else happening. Conditional means "subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met; made or granted on certain terms." This passage from Proverbs, then, is saying, "if" you do this, "then" something will happen.

It's also personal; the passage says "...if you..." Someone else cannot meet the conditions. 

It's also causal; the passage says "...if you receive..." For something to be, something has to cause it. 

This passage has three "if you" promises and one huge "then you" reward. The cause of the reward is God. The reward is God. The condition is dependent on YOU. He will if you will. He will be the cause if you will be the recipient. You can receive if you will receive. 

So many don't receive simply because they won't receive. Simple. 

So many don't receive because they refuse the conditions. Simple. 

So many don't receive because they do not believe it's for them. Simple. 

If you, then He will. Will you?

A personal testimony about getting a DUI

This testimony is for someone...

I got a DUI once (back in 1992, I think). A lawyer told me I could beat it. I wasn't even in the car, and I passed the field sobriety test. I was changing a tire; the SHP stopped to assist me. He smelled alcohol on my breath. I was honest with the Trooper when he asked me had I been drinking.

Drinking and driving killed my brother. I saw clearly the wake-up call I needed. I refused the breathalyzer, but I took a blood test and I was more than double the legal limit, and that was back when it was .10, rather than the .08 it is today. It would've been 3 times over now.

I plead guilty. I took my punishment. I deserved it. It cost me for years. I am thankful I was confronted. I am thankful for that very difficult season.

I never drank alcohol or used substances and drove again.

I was wrong to ever drink and drive; I was dead wrong. Thank God, I learned my lesson without injuring myself or someone else.

Maybe you're driving while impaired...

Maybe you're struggling with substance abuse...

Maybe wisdom-lightening will strike you when reading this post and you'll stop driving while impaired.

Beloved friends, IF you EVER drink and drive OR use mind-altering substances and drive, YOU DO HAVE an addiction issue, and you need help. There is no shame in admitting you have a problem and need help. There is shame in covering up a problem. There is shame in denying a problem. It's a shame not to get help.

I realized I had a drinking problem. I didn't want to change. I didn't want help. I used drugs, and I didn't want to quit.

I was also empty, had no transcendent worldview, was floundering in life, and lacked shameless pursuit of purpose. I did want that to change. I wanted peace. I wanted purpose. I wanted the guilt to go and I wanted goodness to come.

I needed peace with God. I have come to understand that only comes through the good news of Jesus. Jesus lived the life I failed to live; a life of perfect obedience to the Father. He died the cruel, harsh death I deserved to die. He died for our sins, was buried because He really died, and He rose from the dead because He was truly righteous, laying death in the grave, and was granted the title "Lord" by the Father.

Jesus empowered me to find freedom from addiction, and so much more. I've made a TON of mistakes, and I have a TON of growing left in front of me. This much I am sure, Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe... so, Father, I am Your boy, do with me as You will. 

1 Corinthians 15:3–4

[3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (ESV)

To all who read this, be blessed, much love, and many prayers.

A Personal Testimony of Bankruptcy

Another testimony for someone out there...

I went bankrupt. It was in 1995.

Part of the story is simple. I had a business and I did a big job -- big enough to break me -- and the company I did the work for did not pay me. They declared bankruptcy.

First step, I sold everything I had and paid the guys working with me. Next step, I drank and drank and drank, running up bar tabs and credit cards. (In case you didn't understand what I just said, I made things incredibly worse.) Third step, beg and borrow more money and pursue several gambling schemes that caused a lot of trouble and only let me break even on the money I had borrowed for the gambling schemes.

Step four, take out some illegal loans on the promise of high interest, violence, or criminal labor. Step five, more drinking and partying, more gambling, more bad loans, and more debt.

Step seven, quadruple down on every, single, bad decision.

The other part of the story, as you might be able to tell, was that I had tons of destructive habits, I was very unwise, and I had no idea what good stewardship was. Further, I was disconnected from the power, love, and wisdom of God.

I hated every ring of a phone. I hated every beep of my pager. I hated every piece of mail. I hated running into people I owed.

I drank and sank. I despaired. I went to work every day, and ran the streets nearly every night.

I would say my nerves were worn to a frazzle, but I had mostly passed through every emotion except anger and shame.

I was a hard worker, but a foolish young man. Foolish.

Finally, I drove to Greensboro to see an attorney who practiced in North Carolina and Virginia. I told him everything. He suggested a certain type of bankruptcy. I had a regular income, and he suggested I pay it all back.

I cannot even tell you how I embarrassed and ashamed I was when I appeared in federal court to openly admit how terribly I'd managed my affairs. I literally felt sick. Though I was not a disciple of Jesus at that time, I regularly read the Bible. I kept thinking about something I had read in Psalm 37. Verse 21 says, "The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again..." (Psalm 37:21a KJV)

A plan was created, and thus came the long trudge out of debt. The debt was only part of the problem. My credit was totally shot for over 7 years after the discharge of all debts (and really more like 10). Though I worked, I spent as much time paying for the past as I did struggling to stay above water in the present, which is to say 24/7/365.

I lived in shame and guilt.

Then I met Jesus. You see, Jesus removed the guilt. I found spiritual and emotional freedom in Him. He gave me strength and joy. He gave me wisdom and perspective. He showed me truth, precepts, and principles of godly stewardship in His word.

What Jesus did not do was magically remove the monetary debt. He did give me joy in the discharge. He did walk with me. He did lead me (over the years) to tons of resources to help not only myself but others manage and handle both debt and wealth. (I haven't seen the wealth side, but I have had the privilege to counsel / disciple those with wealth.)

I still have a lot to learn, but of this I am sure: "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein," (Psalm 24:1 ESV) I long to be a faithful, wise steward who understands to Whom all things belong and to Whom I shall answer for all things.

Now, I have taught Financial Peace University several times, and I have counseled dozens of people in wise financial stewardship. Ain't God good?

I share this because someone out there IS struggling. You are are ashamed. You hate the mail. You hate the phone.

You can recover. It very well may be very difficult, and long term. God can deal with your emotions. He can also connect you with helpful people.

For anything to change, everything will most likely have to change. Lifestyle. Spending. Saving. Yes, everything.

You can make it out of this. You really can.

May God give you courage to face it, grace to recover, strength to endure, and wisdom in the outworking.

G.I.G.O. = Garbage In, Garbage Out

Music is powerful! Put something trashy or depressing in your ears and it will wind up in your heart! Put lewd language in your ears and they will wind up on your tongue! Put faulty doctrine in your ears and it will wind up in your thinking and doing!

Don't mistake what I'm saying...it's not about genre, it's about the message you are hammering into your psyche!

Country CAN be horrible.

Hip Hop CAN be horrible.

Jazz CAN be horrible.

"Inspirational" music CAN be horrible.

Bluegrass CAN be horrible.

Rock CAN be horrible.

Pop CAN be horrible.

Opera CAN be horrible.

EVERY genre CAN be horrible.

Genre is one thing; the message is the main thing!

We all need to set our minds on things above!

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV)

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16 ESV)