“GET REAL…”

Have you ever had a second chance at something? If you did, what did you do with it?

You may have heard the expression – “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” While that is true, you may be given a second chance to leave a lasting impression.

Few of us will ever face a second chance opportunity like the one my mother-in-law faced (at least I hope you don’t). Several years ago she literally stared death in the face, but through the miracle of prayer she fought back and left Intensive care at the hospital after about a month.  She was given a remarkable second chance at living.

While you may never face a second-chance situation like this -

We all face an opportunity of a second chance at real living. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 

      "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

Paul had been given a second chance at real living; to live a full, fulfilling life – one of love and faith.

Both of these instances beg the same question – Now that you have a second chance:

How will you live out this second chance life?

Whether you are given a second chance physically or spiritually there comes with it a responsibility to live it fully and to live it in a way that will make a Christ like impression on those around you.

If you are given a second chance there is a call from God that you need to remember – God said in Isaiah 43:19 - "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it?

So if you have been given a second chance at eternal life – and then God left you here… well He wants to live that new something in your life. If He has given you a second chance at anything – a relationship, a job, a spouse, a friend, maybe even life itself…

How will you live it out? Will it make your living any different? Will you see it for what it is?

Let me clarify one last thing – it really isn’t “what will you do with it?” – the real question is – “How will you live it?” That is real life, that is real living…

Let’s Get Real…

Doug

 

“Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12 

“Charge!”

 

Years ago when I was in Basic Training in Ft. Jackson we had a little fellow in our platoon whose last name was Debrito. He was a nice enough guy; quite, shy, sort of geeky but a nice guy. During the war games and drills he was ALWAYS the guy who survived while the rest of the platoon was taking causalities, some wounded but also getting dirty and sweaty as well.

The Drill Sergeant used to give us a hard time and tell us that it would be Debrito who would go home, get the medals and the girls – because he (Debrito) could always be found hiding in the foxhole while the battle carried on and the rest of us were in the thick of it.   Now – while that may sound like a safe and inviting place to be, you can ask any military member and they will tell you:

“I didn’t join the service to hide in foxhole (trench).”

SO that got me thinking– that as Believers, as Disciples – the trenches ARE NOT the place God wants us to live. No, God wants us to live a full, active and participatory life.  Scriptures like –  Luke 10:1-3

     “Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  "Go your ways; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”

Also - John 10:10b  “…I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”

Abundant life doesn’t happen from foxhole living or at the bottom of the trench.

It is time for Christians (Believers, Disciples, Followers of Christ) to “GET REAL!”

So the bottom line is that it is time for us to move out of the trenches and into real life.

It is time for us to go out, to move from the trenches on to the front line of living as real Christians.   Look around you, our community needs us, our country needs you. It needs you to be real, to be real in every aspect of your life, to live out loud. People need to see real Christians on the front lines of life, not hiding in the trenches. Our churches need Believers to be real. Our communities need to see real Disciples. God is calling you to be a real light on the hill.

In the Kingdom of God it isn’t the one who hides that will hear – “Well done good and faithful servant.” It is the one who will enter the gates of heaven with battle scars…

So we are moving from “In The Trenches” to -

“GETTING REAL”

Robin Williams

I guess by now (Aug 12 2014) most have heard that the comedic genius Robin Williams has died from what they are saying was self-inflicted asphyxiation – suicide. Of course now we are hearing a great deal about his battle for many, many years with depression – which lead to substance abuse – which created more depression – which give the false requirement of more self-medicating…  what a vicious cycle.  

This is a quote attributed to him - “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel alone.” It seems odd to us, heartbreakingly so, that a man who could entertain us, make us laugh and in the case of Patch Adams make us cry would suffer from debilitating depression. But remember that old saying that – “its lonely at the top” – that was made up for a reason.

A person can seem to have it all together, they may seem to be the pinnacle, and they may present a smiling face and share the gift of laughter – all while slowly dying inside. They appear to those around them to be what we might even want to emulate, but all the while they feel lonely, depressed and broken (though the world tells them they have everything going for them).

Let me give you a couple of biblical examples. In 1 Kings chapter 19 Elijah the great prophet of God is running for his life, he is scared, he hid in a cave and was crying out to God. Now, this was a man who had just experienced a momentous miracle of God from what was honestly a simple prayer. Yet here he is hiding in a cave, lonely and scared (and by the way, this is the same guy who had raised a widow’s son from the dead!) but here he is and his own words he says – “and I am alone…”

David in Psalm 22 was in a bad place. In Psalm 22:2 he cries – “O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; by night, but I have no rest.” To me this sounds like a person in great distress, very possibly battling depression. Again he wrote in Psalm 38 – “My heart throbs, my strength fails me; And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand afar off.” Again, that sounds to me like someone afraid and alone.

One more – the great Prince of Preachers – Charles H. Spurgeon, the guy that so many preachers want to be like… wrote of himself – ” "Some years ago, I was the subject of fearful depression of spirit. Various troublous events had happened to me; I was also unwell, and my heart sank within me.”

Three giants among Believers. Who would have guessed it?

Ok just one more - I have a pastor friend of mine whose wife was in a terrible accident and left paralyzed from the neck down. They struggled but the pressed on. They kept their faith, he was a loving diligent husband who both worked and looked after his wife so faithfully, fortunately he had a position that would allow him to do that. In a meeting with several pastors one day someone asked him how his wife with doing and with great pride and excitement he told us of how wonderful she was doing and that she was make small progress...then one of the pastors turned the tables - and asked him... "How are you?" He gave the obligatory answer - "Im fine, I am doing ok." Which was followed up by - "No...I want to know how you are doing!" Then the dam broke. He broke down in tears and shared of how hard this was to see his wife like this, how hard it was to stay focused on his job, how hard it was to be a caregiver... and he cried. Several of us huddled around him, prayed, hugged him and offered support. He left that meeting with a burden lifted, if only for a moment, but knowing that someone out there cared about HIM.

 

Let me just share this thought with you.

Just because a person is out front, just because they seem to have it all together and have NOTHING AT ALL to be depressed or sad about does not mean that on the inside they are not crying in an emotional fetal position. That friend who seems to have it all, that leader who seems to be hard charging and successful, that friend who always helps others but is never helped by others… If you and I would take some time to just ask them… “Are you ok?” if we watch for the signs that might indicate some struggle… we might just surprise them with that compassionate question. And you don’t know that it might by the one smile, the one hand, the one simple exhibition of love that saves a life.

This is why it is so very important to have real relationships. First with God through Jesus. The three giants I mentioned above would all come to say that it was God who got them through. Secondly, have real relationship with real people, not Facebook relationships but relationships where you are able to be real, be broken, be honest, be happy or sad. Listen, observe, and don’t assume that there is nothing wrong. We are all human, we all need Jesus and we all need relationships that are genuine love.

If you know someone is hurting. Be an ear, be a shoulder, be a REAL friend. Don’t assume they are ok… ASK THEM – even if they seem to have it all together. If you are the one struggling, seek the help of a friend, a physician, a counselor and yes… you can talk to God.

I think if we were more real, more honest, more open in our relationships we could help each other so much better.

In Galatians 6:2 is says – “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” And by the way, the Law of Christ is the law of love. God knows what He is talking about.

 

This is not at all comprehensive, it certainly is not medical advice and I don’t claim to have all the answers. What I do know is this – we need God and we need each other.

Today – just the simple ramblings of a simple man.

Us First…

No one has to tell you that what we see in our society and what we are witnessing around the world runs counter to the Biblical principles set forward by God.  I know that there are good people out there (because I see them in the church), I know that there are non-Christians who are morally good. But sadly these are not the norm.

You only have to watch the news for a few minutes to hear that all is not well in Camelot. Frankly we should not be surprised. We (as a nation) allow for an “anything goes” attitude, we call sin a “personal choice” and then when someone goes through emotional problems they want to blame their past, their parents or the public. We, the people, in order to form a supposedly perfect nation allow any principle, any action, and any behavior to go unchecked in the name of personal freedom as if corporate responsibility is of no issue.

Where in the world did we get this idea that our behavior was someone else’s fault? When did we start to believe that we could do anything, live anyway and not expect serious consequences?

The bottom line answer is when we took God not out of schools but when we took God and His Word out of life. Somewhere along the way we became like the children of Israel, we cursed the God who freed us and quit listening to His words.

I have said on occasion - “The world is going to hell in a hand basket...” and we believe that they need to get their act together. But think about it, why should THEY if we WON’T! That’s right, I said it – why should we expect a world who doesn’t know God to get their act together if those of us are called “Children of God” won’t get our act together and when we look just like they do.

In an attempt to attract the “them” – we have become like “them.” Don’t think that “them” cannot see it, that they cannot see through our hypocrisy.

But wait – there’s more – What if we started to live biblically? What if we returned to this call to righteousness and holiness that God wants of us? What if we made decisions based on biblical principle? What if we loved God with all the heart, mind and soul? What if we lived a life that was striving to live by God’s instruction instead of our own “pleasures”?               What if we acted and lived like we said we believed!?!

It’s not legalism is “loveism.” It’s loving God and loving people (while not buying into sinful actions) and then living like it.

It’s putting God at the center of EVERY aspect of your life. It’s reaping the spiritual maturity and confidence in life, its gaining real blessings – both tangible and intangible.

I believe that God is calling His Church, His Children to return to righteousness, return to holiness, to live like aliens in a strange land. We have no excuse not to. Trust me, I have tried to come up with my own list of decisive arguments that would free me from this call – but every one I come with God comes back with a better one. In His call to “come now let us reason together” I have found that His reasoning is much better than mine!

It is time to get real – it is time to return to holy and right living... then and only then will we begin to see the nation, the world change.

STONES

We took some time this past few weeks to visit our daughter and her family in Dupont Washington. Our three grandkids, of course, were the highlight of our trip. All the things we did were really nice but being with them is what makes it meaningful.

On a particularly warm day (by Washington state standards) we took a little hike through the forest down a trail that led us to the shore of the Puget Sound. The beaches there on the sound are not like sandy, they are covered in rocks ranging in size from a tiny pebble to baseball size stones. We played with the kids for a good while, they actually got in the water (which again by Washington State standards was “warm”). We attempted to build rock “sandcastles” but rocks don’t pack as nicely nor hold form like sand does. We built our rock castles and then the kids went back into the water.

As I sat there watching them play in goose bump producing water I reached over and picked up a small stone. It was a nice amber color and when held up to the sun light it had a soft glow about it. The rock had a noticeable square shape to it, but the edges were not sharp but rather rounded off and smooth, not at all jagged or sharp.

I held that small stone in my hand and, it was rather beautiful and smooth and I began to think about just how much this rock has been tossed and turned in the sea water, how many bumps and maybe even some battering against the shore that it must have endured before ending up sitting in the sun. The years of being tumbled and tossed had not created sharp edges but rather had polished what must have been at one time a sharp, rough rock into a beautiful, almost gem like stone.

I thought about how God turns us from rough, often too sharp, often cutting rocks into gems for His purpose. It makes me wonder if we see the things that toss and tumble our lives for what they are. Sure many things will through us in a bit of turmoil, sure events in life can be horrible at times, sure there are times in our life where we feel we are being beaten down, tossed here and there. There are certainly times in life that are not good at all.  Even in Romans 8:28 it never says that all things are good

 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Not all things are good, but even the bad things can work together with the good to shape us for God’s purpose. Those times can soften the edges; polish our lives that when in the Son Light shows something glowing and beautiful. So maybe we need to take to heart what James wrote in James 1:2-4

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The various trials in this life are strengthening the stone, not trying to break it apart but rather smoothing the rough out of our character and the perfect result is that we become this gem in God’s Kingdom.  I know from personal experience that this isn’t always easy – which is maybe why God used a small smooth stone on the shore of the Puget Sound to remind me that He is still shaping and smoothing me for HIS purpose and reasons…