Mind in Motion

In these posts I will discuss topics dealing with daily living to challenge all of us to live to a greater calling and higher purpose.

The Trees in your Garden

~ ForCommonGround ~ 7 Comments

14-10-13-michael-berg-in-the-middle-of-the-garden-of-eden

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV)

There is something innate in all of us that wants the one thing we can’t have. We don’t have to look any further than the Garden of Eden to know that humanity lacks thankfulness on an epic scale. For that is what leads to seeking that which we do not have. We can have the world, and all the goodness therein, and yet be lured into wanting the one thing that leads to our destruction.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul said to be thankful in ALL things (5:18). That has to be a typo right? How can I be thankful when my car breaks down? Well, considering that only 55% of those living in Russia, 35% in Mexico, and 6% in India own a car, I think I can find thankfulness in even owning a car. Or how about when a loved one passes away? If they were a believer in Christ, it was the best thing that could have ever happened for them! How about losing a job? That happened to me too. It turned out to be a sweet divine redirection in my life. I had my whole life mapped out, problem was, it was not the path the Lord knew was best for me. Thank you Lord for not allowing me to walk of course! How about that crippling physical injury that derails your life? Check! I have battled a near debilitating back injury for near 20 years now. It ended my competitive sports career and plagues even the most menial activities in my life today. Could it be worse? Absolutely! No matter the curve balls in life, we can find thankfulness in them all.

What causes ‘want’ in the human spirit? Being discontent. I know people who are never happy no matter the job they have, the person they’re with, the amount of money they make, the place they live, etc…I’m certain they would unhappy living in the Garden of Eden. I think most all of us would be. Why? Because we don’t know the art of being thankful in ALL things. We have lost touch with the garden that God has placed us in. If you know thankfulness in all things, bless you! It is definitely possible to have but hard to grasp. Until we can be happy with little or nothing, we will never be happy with plenty. No matter our abundance, it won’t be enough. Even if we had the whole world, and all the goodness therein, we would want more.

Adam and Eve had the best this world had to offer, before corruption existed. After God created it all, He said that it was good. Two people, with dominion over the entire Earth, full of goodness, still fell into the trap of wanting what they did not possess. I have an amazing wife, wonderful children, and live in one of the most affluent nations in the world. My garden is lush. Yet at times, I find myself wanting that which I don’t have. It can be subtle and it can be blatantly obvious. But it only happens when I am not as thankful as I should be. When I’m not being thankful, I complain, I want what I don’t have, I stress, I get worn down, and I don’t treat others as I should. With a picture like that its fair to say that the unthankful person is not a pleasant one to be around. I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.

In the book of James it says that godliness with contentment is great gain. That’s because contentment exist in those who are thankful and it is the thankful person that can carry out his/her mission of loving others and loving God well.  The thankful person does no wrong to another. The thankful person cannot covet. The thankful person won’t steal. The thankful person would dare not murder. The thankful person loves the sovereignty of God in all it’s outcomes and would wish no different. If there are trees in his garden, that God says don’t touch, the thankful person praises the Lord for making the danger known, and joyously avoids them.

Our enemy is after our joy. He wants to point out all the things God is ‘withholding’ from us as if God doesn’t love us enough to let us have them. He wants to keep us striving for more, wanting different, looking for those greener pastures. Satan never wants us to forget about those trees in our garden. And our gardens will go unnoticed by us if all we see are the forbidden trees. We all have different decks that we’ve been dealt in this life, all of which we should be thankful for because God allowed it to be so. I know that will rub some the wrong way because really hard things happen in life, but it is still true. In his book, Holiness day by day, Jerry Bridges makes the suggestion that our faith is measured best by our level of thankfulness towards God.  I think that’s a fair assessment. After all, how can we claim to believe in a holy, good, just, and loving God who would go to the lengths of dying for us on a cross and not be thankful for all He allows in our lives.

We can feel pain in thankfulness. We can suffer tears and maintain a thankful heart. Three years ago, the Lord took my father home after he suffered a traumatic stroke. That hurt to go through! Bad! But I am so thankful God did not allow him to suffer through the remainder of his life without the use of half of his body. And I am so thankful that my dad is enjoying the fruits of his salvation in Christ. Are you hurting? Are you battling fear and doubt? Are you discontent? I challenge you my brothers and sisters: find the good in all that you’re going through. The silver lining always exists because God really does work ALL things to the good for those who love Him and live for Him like the book of Romans assures us. Our God is sovereign over us and He is good. He has a love for us that we cannot fully understand. He made us, He died for us, He’s walked with us through our lives, and He has prepared a home unlike anything we can possibly imagine. For the sake of all those things, we can be thankful in everything. Bless you brothers and sisters!

…I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)

Reset

~ ForCommonGround ~ 1 Comment

Rest-button

Have you ever been working on a computer and had the thing freeze up on you? It’s so annoying…especially if you were working on something important. In my experiences, most of the times that it’s frozen up, I’ve been rushing through things, I was clicker-happy hitting keys over and over when it wouldn’t work, and I had a lot of different tabs open or programs running. I simply overloaded my computer. The only thing that will fix the problem is the reset button.

It’s not all that different with people. When we’re overworked, sleep deprived, stressed out about pretty much anything our minds will find to stress about, balancing kids, work, keeping up a home, surprises life throws at us, and whatever else isn’t on this list, we fail to operate like we’re meant to. We start forgetting more things, snapping at others, our patience fuse shortens, and we lose our joy. Our worship is probably way off too! That’s when we need to hit the reset button.

This last weekend I experienced a sweet reset. My wife and I went to a Kari Jobe worship night in Denver, Colorado. We spent three hours praising God with her and Brian and Katie Torwalt. Needless to say, it was awesome. During that three hours my wife and I both had encounters with the Lord. Even though we were among thousands of people, it seemed as though it was so intimate with God. We both left refreshed. It was like a breath of fresh air. It was like walking into a well air conditioned building in the middle of a 105 degree summer. We’ve had so much joy since that night. We are so much more patient, full of faith, refocused, and re-energized.

You don’t have to go to a concert to reset your life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and dragging your way through life, it’s time for a shot of spiritual espresso! Any time we spend with God, in an intimate connection, through worship, praying, fasting, reading, studying, etc…is well spent and full of exponential value. You need it…we all do. Find the time. Make the time. Nothing is more important in life than our relationship with Him. He’s waiting, the ever-flowing source of life. And Jesus is the master of the reset!

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.

Jeremiah 31:24

What did you say?

~ ForCommonGround ~ 5 Comments

Very few things in life hold the power of words. We learned in elementary school that sticks and stone may break our bones but words will never hurt us. Lies! Physical injury is nothing compared to what one careless word can do. Words can tear someone’s life apart and they can also bring life to someone desperate of encouragement. Words can be a weapon when used with malice and ill content, or they can be a well of refreshment for the desperate hearted. 

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Think before you speak: It’s an age old saying and I’m sure most of us have been told that, maybe more than once. There could hardly be better advice. Every conversation can be an opportunity to course correct a life, and if we are not careful, it can send someone down a dangerous detour. People who say whatever comes to their mind generally hurt most people.

Proverbs 10:19 (NASB)

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Speak to benefit the listener not yourself: Trying to take back words  is like trying to get squeezed toothpaste back in the tube…it’s near impossible. It’s much better to be intentional about speaking life and truth, with grace and with love. If everything we say is meant to be helpful to those we talk to, then we won’t have any need to try and put the toothpaste back in the tube. 

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

We all have an audience: You don’t have to be a pastor, teacher, coach, celebrity, or author in order to speak into people’s lives. For parents, there are always tingling little ears waiting to soke up our every word, even if it seems like they aren’t listening. And that never changes, no matter how old our children are. But it doesn’t stop there. For everyone who isn’t a recluse there are people listening to what we say. What are they hearing?

Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Bearing the Weight

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I’ve spent a good portion of my life  exercising. Some of that has involved lifting weights. One thing that every weight lifter knows is that you can’t lift heavy weights with open hands. A person has to close their grip around the bar or dumbbell for optimal strength. 

Sometimes I think we treat life like lifting weights. So many things add heaviness to our hearts. Think about those heavy loads in your own life. They could be bills, a career, worries over your kids, the health of a loved one, or even the plight of sexual slavery all over the  world? Chances are it’s not just one thing. Life can get really, really heavy!

Unfortunately we wait to the point where we simply can’t bear it any more. We wait until our knees buckle beneath us. If the weight of life is so heavy that it is bringing you to your knees, there’s actually no better place to be.

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.

-Abraham Lincoln

Part of going through life is to keep our hands open. What does that even look like? Holding loosely to possessions, careers, or our money? Maybe coming to terms with the fact that there is only one sovereign in the world and we aren’t Him? How about loving those close to us the best we can every single day because we just don’t know how many more we’ll get? It could be as simple as remembering that every meal we’ve ever had, and every warm roof we’ve lived under didn’t come from us but from a God who takes joy in taking care of us. It might be confiding in a friend and asking someone to pray with us. 

Holding on to things so tightly comes from a disposition of control. We keep our worries and struggles buried deep inside, because we feel as though we can carry them on our own. But no weight is meant to be carried alone.

In life, just as with weight lifting, we get to choose which weights we pick up. Even the smartest lifters have a spotter, because they know that at one point the weight may become too heavy to carry. Hopefully we have spotters in our friends and family, but if we don’t, we have a constant spotter, one who can actually do the heavy lifting for us. 

Maybe it’s time to begin more days on our knees rather than waiting until we utterly collapse. A humble life is one with open hands and bended knees. The God we serve once carried the greatest weight of all, our sins, and He did so that we wouldn’t have to any longer. 

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

He can handle the weight of our lives. More than that, He wants to! There is no weight limit or maxing out for God. He can take it all. 

“Pile your troubles on GOD ’s shoulders— he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭55:22 ‭(MSG‬)

What Fear Says About us

~ ForCommonGround ~ 2 Comments

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What we fear reveals what we value the most and where we trust God the least.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

There is no fear in those who have Jesus because they already know how great and loving God is.

Stress is a choice

~ ForCommonGround ~ 3 Comments

So often I hear Christians pray to experience God’s peace (I’ve been one of them) and joy when all along we’re the ones that decide to either experience it or not. The peace of Christ is always extended. When we don’t feel at peace it’s not because of some disconnect on His end, or because He’s withholding His spiritual peace from us, it’s because somehow we’ve forgotten who He is and lack in the trust that He’s for us. 

We don’t want to admit it but anxiety and stress only happen because we lack in faith and choose to focus on the problems of life instead of the Savior. We have lots of reasons to be overwhelmed during life whether it’s health reasons, death, money, etc…but knowing Jesus can overshadow all of that. When we find ourselves stressed we may want to spend more time in our bibles, more time in prayer, more time rejoicing, more time worshipping, and less time worrying. After all, stress shortens life but Jesus gives it. The choice is ours. God bless brothers and sisters. Be encouraged in Him!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 (NIV)

Detox

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A poison or venom that causes sickness, and even death, when present in the body.

Toxin

As a parent of two little girls I am constantly on the lookout for potential hazards that could harm my children. For some reason the main instrument of investigation for little ones is their mouth. So it is very easy for toxic things to enter a child. 

The most toxic thing to the human body is not from a snake, spider, or any living organism. It’s not even chemicals from paints or lead or cleaners. Any parent would be proactive about protecting their children from any of these. Without a doubt we are very aware of keeping ourselves safe from these as well. 

So what is the most toxic thing to the human body? It’s a nasty three letter word and it infects and affects everyone. It is the root to every problem plaguing societies, individuals, and even nature itself. The most toxic thing is sin.

“For the wages of sin is death…”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:23‬(a) ‭ESV‬

Toxins of all sorts can cause sickness and physical death, but sin reeks havoc on everything and causes a much worse death…a spiritual death…and if left untreated, an eternal death. 

Lies, murder, adultry, gossip, sexual immorality, cowardous, pride, greed, covering, and on and on it goes. Sin, left unchecked, will spill over into the lives around us and have a ripple effect possibly for generations to come. Sin puts people into bondage. The Bible refers to it as slavery. It causes anxiety, depression, anger, and addictions. 

As I said, we all are infected with sin and our sin can infect others. As a parent, I not only need to protect my kids from worldly toxins, I also need to protect them from infectious sin, even that which lives within my own heart. Sin can creep in through the most inconspicuous ways. Movies, tv, books, relationships, and yes, even from parents. As a husband, friend, teacher, or whatever the role may be, it is vital that I deal with the toxins within me. 

Even though sin is the most toxic thing it is also the most curable. Other toxins may lead to cancers or other incurable illnesses. Some may result in near instant death. But sin, it can be eradicated in an instant. 

“…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23(b) ESV

Jesus made a way for a sure fire detox. Around this time of year there is a barrage of detox methods, healthy eating plans, exercise routines, five step programs to new habits, how to achieve that new career, etc…January 1st is a day for new beginnings for many people. Why not make it a new beginning by allowing Jesus to detox the sin within? What better goal for the new year than spiritual renewal? 

There is nothing more hindering to life than sin. There is nothing more dangerous to ourselves, our children, our spouses, and any other relationship, than sin. And there is nothing more liberating that the freedom that Christ can give to everyone who asks for it. 

As anyone knows who has tried this detox before, it is both instant and a life long process. January 1st can be the beginning of a new year, and a new life, full of hope and promise. No sin is too toxic for the cleansing blood of Christ. No life is too far gone because Jesus creates an entirely new person. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God bless brothers and sisters! May you find new life, new hope, and new freedom in the year to come.

Three Questions That Run Our Lives

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identity

All people go through life with one of three questions looming over them and the decisions they’re faced with from day to day.

#1-How do other see me?

#2-How do I see myself?

#3-How does God see me?

For the follower of Christ, it’s simple because the answer is the same to all three questions: Jesus. When God looks at His children, He sees Jesus.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3 (ESV)

Therefore when we look at ourselves, we are supposed to see ourselves through His sacrifice and the new life that He has purchased for us. Obviously we don’t actually look or act or think like Jesus often times but He is our new identity and our goal is to be like Him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

-2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Because of that, we are meant to reflect Jesus to others. Our goal is never to display ourselves to the world but to put Him on display through our love for others and standing for what He taught.

You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

-Matthew 5:14 (NLT)

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

-1 John 2:6 (NIV)

For those without Jesus (and sometimes Christians too), the answer to the three big questions can vary drastically. The answer to question #1 often times dictates the answer to question #2. The answers comes from words spoken to them, friends they have, their appearance, likes on Facebook posts and tweets, affirmations, successes, etc…Sometimes people will translate their own view of themselves towards how they perceive others, and even God, may see them. This can be either out of insecurity or even pride. People like this think things like “I’m a failure” or on the other end of the spectrum, “I’m the best thing since sliced bread”. Because they have thoughts like those they assume that obviously others must see me that way too. In reality, neither of those statements are true. No one is hopeless and no one is the greatest thing this world has ever seen.

Point is, we cannot answer questions #1 or #2 accurately without first knowing the answer to #3.  I work in a high school where I see teenagers trying to create an image for themselves that they hope will win them acceptance from others. They dress a certain way, listen to certain music, where their hair in a particular style, follow all the popular people on Instagram, want to drive the right cars, etc…believing this will get them “in” with who they want to be “in” with. That’s what it all boils down to isn’t it? We all want to be accepted, loved, safe, etc…When we don’t feel that way ourselves, we try to get those things from others. When that doesn’t work we feel hopeless and depressed.

For some, life will pass them by without even giving consideration to question #3 which is where we have to start. Think about it. Why do we go to an imperfect source of love (people and ourselves)?  Why do wait so long to look at the One who invented love and paid the ultimate price so that we can be accepted despite our choices and failures and struggles in life? Why do we expect anyone (ourselves included) to give us the answers we need accept the One who created us?

Believer, start with Him. You are chosen. You are His child. You are forgiven and loved. You are accepted and you are new. Start with that and live free.

Everyone else, start with Him. You are being called. You are loved. You can be forgiven and new and accepted. Start with Him today and live free.

It’s all about  question #3. God bless!

Only dead fish swim with the stream

~ ForCommonGround ~ 4 Comments

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“A particular activity or cause that has suddenly become fashionable or popular.”

-Bandwagon

 Most people have heard of bandwagon fans.  Every time a new team rises to the top of the ranks in any given sport we see their jerseys, hats, tweets, posts, etc all over the place. The media probably feeds this phenomenon but I wouldn’t say that it causes it by any means. There is something inside people that makes them want to hop on the wagon. The bandwagon analogy doesn’t just pertain to the sports world either. With most every hobby, passion, ideology, philosophy, and much more, there is a bandwagon effect. I would say that bandwagons are harmless for the most part, and even fun to tease people about, until it involves critical aspects of someone’s life or becomes more of pattern in a person’s life. That is what this blog post is addressing.

Behind the bandwagon effect lies a much deeper issue…insecurity. Bear with me here. By default, a person who jumps on the wagon is someone who wants to be associated with what is popular at the time. They might even be very outspoken about what is acceptable or praised in society at that moment. But, as we know, society changes about as often as teams rise and fall from prominence.

To jump on and off the bandwagon is the easier path in life. One never has to be disappointed, weather hard times, go against the flow, or be challenged. It may be easier to live this way, but it is far less fulfilling, impactful, and authentic. It could also be said that these people are either absent of true conviction or too fearful to stand by them. Their insecurity drives their beliefs deep down so that they choose the crowd over conviction. In perspective, a bandwagon lifestyle is fake. It is a projected image that doesn’t match reality. The life is no more dangerous than when it comes to our faith in Christ. Just as a bandwagon fan, is no fan at all so too a bandwagon Christian is no Christian at all. And there are plenty of impostors out there wearing the Christian fan garb and speaking the Christianese language, but only when it’s safe, and only when it doesn’t require changing their lifestyle, and only when it doesn’t require standing up for truth.

The title of this post is part of a quote from Malcolm Muggeridge, an English journalist. I believe it captures the bandwagon life. Those who follow the flow of society don’t have a promising future ahead of them. The fish who survive and have purpose, are those who choose to swim upstream, against the current. Few people choose the current, but those who are spiritually alive refuse the flow. That’s because Jesus is at the headwaters not the mouth of the river.

I am not advocating anarchy or outright rebellion, but I am promoting the idea of being counter-cultural. There have always been, and I would venture to say, there always will be aspects of culture that is anti-biblical. So to be a Christian is to be counter-cultural. To be a Christian means we have to go against the flow for a lot of issues in society. To be a Christian means we will have to weather hard times and that the majority will criticize us at one point or another. To be a Christian means that we have the strength of the Holy Spirit to thrive in the midst of hostility and adversity. Jesus didn’t send us out into the world to flow with it, but to change it. And He promised that we wouldn’t go alone.

The goal of the Christian is not the acceptance of society, but acceptance by the Savior. He wrote the rule book of life, not men. He decided right and wrong, not men. And what was right in the beginning of time will still be right when this world comes to an end. The judgement standard of this world is Jesus Christ, not cultural norms. What separates the bandwagon fans of Jesus and His die-hard followers will be whether or not they live that way. Besides, the bandwagon doesn’t pass through the pearly gates only those who followed Him in life do.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 7:13-23 (NIV)