13 Days In

We are 13 days into what has been termed the "GOAT" year. Not sure about that? Well, it's 2023...the last two digits happen to be the jersey number for arguably the greatest basketball player of all time...ole Michael Jordan himself. 

But...I'm thinking...what would it take for it to be the "GOAT" year (at least up to this point) for us personally -- spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally? In the midst of the chaos, how can we maintain a growth mindset for developing our relationship with the Lord this year?

In my office at school, there is a white board. On that whiteboard, I have written two phrases:

• No more excuses
• First Things First (Yes, I realize that's a book title. Just work with me.)

No more excuses -- we (at least, I am) are really good at making excuses. And...sometimes, if we are being truthful, we couch those excuses as "legitimate reasons"...even though, we really know they are not "legitimate reasons". This is especially true when it comes to the sin in our lives that clings so closely & so entangles us. This is especially true when it comes to being distracted from that which is most important.

First things First -- ah, the issue of priorities. For whom or for what are we leveraging the best of our time, energy, and resources? The roles you are fulfilling and what those roles require will determine how you leverage the best of your time, energy, and resources. Man, when the tyranny of the urgent & unimportant strikes, it is a challenge to stay on track.

A GOAT year ahead? I'm praying toward that and pursuing that for my own life as I seek to follow Christ with everything I have. What are you pursuing?

Friday Fodder (12/31/21) - Reflection and Anticipation

Another year has come and gone. No doubt we are all reflecting on the past year's events--personal events, family experiences, national & global events.

As we ponder those experiences, how have we grown in the midst of them? What has the Lord taught us through those experiences? What are we anticipating in the coming year? What goals are we setting?

In setting goals, do we have some goals for our spiritual life; goals that will move us forward in our Christian life toward spiritual maturity?

I'm reminded of the exhortation in 2 Peter 1 that says, "make every effort to supplement your faith". Certainly, the ground of our effort is the work of Christ on the cross. We "make every effort" because Christ has already completed the work of our justification. Therefore, we pursue growth in godliness from the perspective of His finished work.

So, what are you "making every effort" toward in the new year? 

Brokenness

The reality of brokenness can be felt and seen in so many places in the world. The core piece of the brokenness we experience is because of the broken relationship humanity has with its creator. When that relationship became broken, the effects were felt throughout all of creation...especially within ourselves. We are scrambling to find wholeness and significance and peace for the internal part of ourselves; searching for that sense of well-being and being restful. We search and search for ways to fill that void, to alleviate that emptiness--even for a moment. The problem with looking for solutions either within ourselves or in the things of the world like careers, sports, other people, food, technology, social media, activism, etc. -- they are, as Jeremiah said, like broken cisterns that hold no water. Sure, there is a temporary relief from the internal struggle and striving, but it is just that--temporary. It doesn’t last--they overpromise and underdeliver. We have to keep chasing the next feeling of relief like a drug addict or alcoholic chasing the next fix. That’s why we have to keep going to the next thing, the next cistern because that one eventually dries up -- someone betrays us or lets us down -- the “coolness” of whatever activity we are engaged in wears off and we are left wanting once again. The path toward wholeness and deep satisfaction and joy and, dare I say, happiness -- is the restored relationship with our creator through Christ. In Him we find our sufficiency--our wholeness--He is the well that never runs dry. Are you feeling the effects of your brokenness today? Run to Christ -- run to the well that never runs dry.

Disciple

The root meaning of the word disciple is “learner”. In fact, the Greek word translated disciple is the word mathetes. Yep, we get the word mathematics from this Greek word. Since I’m a math teacher, that makes me happy. Ha ha. So, in a general sense, we are all learners; we are all disciples. The only question then is this: who/what is discipling me? From whom am I learning? From whom am I receiving counsel? To what am I turning to inform and shape my thinking? Christians are “disciples” of Jesus. He is our Lord and Master. His Lordship is mediated through the scriptures for how we live, think, strive, desire, feel, etc. Therefore, as a disciple, our thinking should be shaped by the truth of scripture in every facet of life.The scriptures must be our starting point; they must be our foundation. They are, truly, our starting point AND our ending point. No matter what the topic, we must begin our examination of that topic from the scriptures as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Our worldview should be shaped by the scriptures as the guardrails for our thinking to keep us on track in faithfulness and loyalty to Christ as Lord. The world system, the secular culture, is seeking to “make disciples”, too--it really is. It is not neutral (1 John 5:19). There is a system at work to deter and pull people in its direction following the evil one--it is a system designed by the evil one to “disciple” people away from God’s ways and God’s truth. As “disciples” of Jesus Christ, we are oriented toward the Father--oriented away from the world system and toward the scriptures. Yet, we can fall prey to the secular worldview and its arguments if we are not grounded and saturated in the scriptures. In a world of bobble-head commentary and social media pundits, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, hold fast to the scriptures--anchor your thinking in the scriptures--so that no matter how the waves and winds of this world crash and blow, you will remain steady and stable on the Rock--even when the mountains give way and the seas roar around you.

Friday Fodder - Flavor (8/28/20)

 Colossians 4:6 reminds us to “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…”

Seasoned with salt...when I cook I like to experiment with different “flavors”. Whether it is chicken, pork chops, hamburgers, steaks, etc., I like to put different flavors on them or have them marinade in a new flavor overnight before they are cooked. Some people like spicy flavors while others prefer the sweeter flavors. And, still others, prefer a combination of the two. Some want a lot of kick; others, not so much (we call them wimps).

As Christians, our speech--our conversation, our lifestyle--should have a specific flavor to it. The flavor of our speech should simmer, boil over even, in the flavor of Christ. The flavor of our lifestyle should be the flavor of the kingdom of God, that which is not attached so closely to the things of this world.

Does our speech, our conversation, leave people wanting more of Christ, thirsty for Christ? Does our speech move them in the direction of Jesus? Does it have the flavor of Christ in our words, our responses, or our reactions?

Does our lifestyle--our values, pursuits, longings, desires, activities, attitudes--have the flavor of the kingdom of God, the things of God & the eternal or the flavor of the world?

When people hear our speech or watch our life, what do they taste?