Discouragement

One of my pastors at Oasis Church of Nashville, Adonis Lenzy, spoke this past Sunday on being stretched in times of discouragement. I, myself, have found that I have been on polar ends of the courage spectrum in recent days, and all depending on the day. 

God has taken me to this verse. "So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!" (Psalms 31:24 NLT) This verse lets me know that my God is a God of courage!!! He is a God that WANTS me FILLED with courage!!!

I've come to recognize the power of discouragement. I've faced it's power over a recent season of my life. I've made choices I've wished I had not made. I've been rejected, abandoned, and had my "wilderness" (for those of you Bible peeps who know what I'm talking about!). I can't measure what I've been through, neither do I want to! I'll only say that I've faced enough to know I don't want to face it at a deeper level. 

Look here: "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love." (1 Corinthians 16:13, 14 NLT) These verses are not exhaustive in scripture. They are just a couple of examples. But how many of you know that God will not ask of you that which He will not empower you to do?!? So when you face a moment or a season which causes your head to bow, your shoulders to slump, your eyes to droop, your pace to slow, or your morale to dip, KNOW that it is NOT of God!!!

Will God allow moments or seasons that are hard to go through? Absolutely. Sometimes discipline is necessary. So is "stretching," to use a term from Pastor Adonis. Our faith, our resolve, our TESTIMONY can not strengthen without first being tested. "Testing" means it is being exercised, worked out. Ever lift weights? When you do it the first time, or the first time in a long time, what happens the next day? You're SORE!!! It hurts to wash your hair!!! You try to think of more than one reason to put one foot in front of the other because it hurts to even IMAGINE it!!! But, what happens when we work out on a regular regimen?the resistance is still there, but not the every moment soreness. So it is with our lives in Christ. 

Our faith must be exercised. God knows this. He is our "coach," if you will. A good coach not only sees your talent, but your potential. And he or she will push you to help you see it in yourself! God does this in our Spiritual lives. And when He does have to discipline us, as mentioned earlier, He has even given us encouragement through those times as well!!! "For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” (Hebrews 12:6 NLT) You are LOVED!!! You are HIS CHILD!!! Be ENCOURAGED!!! What a coach!!!

Have an awesome day today!!!

BIBLE: Love Is A Choice

First, read Luke 10:25-37.

As a Worship Pastor, I have sat down with many of the artists I've had the privilege of pastoring, and I've heard them say something like this, "You can't help who you love."  Or, "It just happened!  I didn't WANT to love that person!"  If you're like me, you've probably even said something like that YOURSELF!  It's on television, in the movies, printed in books and magazines, and all across social media.  We're told that we need to find our own truth.  That our purpose depends on what is best for us.

I will agree that each of us are made as individuals.  We are made uniquely with diversity in mind.  That was always the intent.  We are "fearfully and wonderfully made" according to Luke 139:13-14.  We have a purpose and a calling that we are each supposed to fulfill.  BUT!  There is a commonality that binds us all.  There is a foundation on which our diversity and uniqueness is to be built.  Isaiah 64:6 tells us that any purpose, and calling, any "righteousness" is like a filthy rag without Christ.  So in order for anything we do, our works, to make any difference at all to God, there must first be the common foundation of a relationship with Christ.

In the scripture I asked you to read, the expert in religious law asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life.  Look again here at verse 27 as the expert recounts what we now call the Old Testament law.  And he was right, according to Jesus!  In order for everything to make sense, for all our works to be counted, we must FIRST love God, then love others!!!

But now let's stop right there!  How is that possible?  If we are to find our own truth, according to the media and what's popular, and if we can't help who we love, then how can we CHOOSE to love God and love others?!?  AND, that last part actually says to love neighbors as MYSELF, so I have to love ME too!!!

Michelle and I were watching a Podcast of Bishop TD Jakes tonight on TV.  He said something that just HIT me!!!  He said, "Love is controllable.  God could not be considered to be a just God were He to command us to do something we can not do."  Oh WOW!!!  Bishop Jakes woke up a whole new thing within me as God used him to speak into my own heart.  Do you understand what God is implying here by His command to us to love?!?  He is saying that we CHOOSE who we love!!!  If we choose to love Him, we choose to love others.  We choose who our mates will be.  We choose our friends.  Love is a CHOICE!!!

And did you see how cool Jesus answers the question in our main scripture passage?  When the expert recounted to love God and love our neighbor, the lawyer wanted to know who was classified as our "neighbor?"  That's when Jesus delivers the story of the Good Samaritan.  Samaritans and Jews didn't talk to each other!  Ancestors of the Hatfields and McCoy's, these two nations!!!  Yet Jesus showed a CHOICE by the Samaritan to have compassion on this hurt Jew and care for him.  This was the kind of choice on whose shoulders could ride the reconciliation of two peoples.  Remember at the end of ROCKY IV when Rocky was being interviewed by the Russian announcer after just knocking out Ivan Drago?  He said, "If I can change, and you can change, then maybe we ALL can change!"  It's a choice.

And the part that I only touched on earlier isn't by any means the lesser of the lessons here.  We are to choose to love ourselves.  According to this scripture, we can't love others until we love ourselves first! Otherwise, who are we going to love our neighbors AS?  Just to get you thinking.

I'm reminded of ol' Joshua in the Old Testament telling his people to choose that day who they would serve, but, he said, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  So who you gonna love today?  Choose now.  :-)

BIBLE: Confessions - Who I Am in Christ

I posted these a while back on Facebook. I was asked to post them again. I decided to do it here in my blog so that they are archived and can be accessed any time. I encourage you to copy these! Print them out! Put them on your mirror, as I do. I say them EVERY DAY as part of my daily routine. God knows my every thought, but the devil does not! He can place a thought, but the devil can't read your mind! When you say these, say them OUT LOUD! Make it a proclamation!!! Let the devil know that YOU know who you are and WHOSE you are!!! And you know the POWER of He who holds you in the palm of His hand. 

CONFESS WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!

 

I am strong in the Lord and in His great power!  I draw my strength from His boundless wealth of strength. (Ephesians 6:10)

 

I am strengthened with His glorious power so that I have all the endurance and patience I need. For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Colossians 1:11, Philippians 4:13)

 

The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in me and gives life to my mortal body. (Romans 8:11)

My mind is daily being transformed by God's word and is not in bondage to depression, anxiety, worry, and other weapons against my thought processes. On the authority of God's word, I bring my every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5)

 

The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

 

I am complete in Christ and the fullness of God dwells in me. And all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge dwell in me through Christ Jesus. (Colossians 2:3, 9-10)

 

Wisdom in my heart is like water in a deep well. I am a person of understanding and I draw it out. (Proverbs 20:5)

The stripes Jesus took were for my HEALING! I command every cell of my being, down to its smallest part, to come in line with what Jesus has done for me and rid my body of disease, addiction, sickness, infection, or wound. (Isaiah 53:5)

I have perfect knowledge of every circumstance and situation in life for the Spirit of Truth dwells in me. (John 16:13)

 

I am delivered from the power of darkness. I know the truth and the truth has set me free. Because Jesus has set me free, I am free completely! (John 8:32, 36)

 

Jesus said that whatever I bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever I loose on earth is loosed in heaven. I now loose the blessings of God to flow into my life. I expect to be overtaken by goodness. (Matthew 18:18)

 

The Holy Spirit teaches me all things and brings all things to my memory. I know and remember who I am. I now use my words and my faith to manifest God's highest and best for me! (John 14:6)

LIFE: Funny Things About Airline Safety Videos

I love my visits to The Villages, FL!!!  If you've never been there, you ought to go at some point.  The Villages is a retirement area about an hour north of Orlando, FL.  You think "retirement," your mind does not go to "super active!"  But these people are VERY active!!!  More so than most teenagers these days!  My Dad, Ron Pledger, is a Pastor there and his church people are among the finest people anywhere.  I love them and love being with them.

This last week, I flew down to The Villages, not for a fun trip, but to be with my Mom, Linda, as she underwent a heart cath.  The news was great following the cath, thank you for asking.  :-)  She will do some minor treatments, and with diet and exercise, all should be well.  I flew Delta Airlines and had a wonderful experience on the airline.  They took great care of me and my fellow passengers.  But the safety videos they use contain information that just isn't practical.  Let me explain.

First of all, as the video started, it got about a minute or so into it, just past the part explaining the wonder of the fine aircraft we are about to embark our journey aboard, when the video goes BLACK!  Gone.  Nothing.  Nada.  Ka-put.  The captain comes on the speaker, "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the interruption of the video, but engine #2 has had a power fluctuation and it killed the video feed.  It will resume momentarily."  I'm sorry, but the VIDEO is NOT what I'm concerned about at the moment!!!!  Can we just make sure ol' trusty #2 there doesn't fluctuate anymore?!?  ESPECIALLY after takeoff!!!  I'm happy that you want to tell me how to fasten my already fastened seat belt, but can you just concentrate on keeping the engine going, maybe?!?  Call me crazy, but THAT seems a WHOLE lot more important than me knowing how to "lift and release!"

Well sure enough, in just a moment or two, ol' #2 started again and the video picked up where it left off.  After the seat belt demonstration came the "little yellow cup."  I know.  We've all seen it many times if we've flown.  "In the unexpected loss of cabin pressure, a cup will drop down from the compartment above you releasing an oxygen mask.  Pull on the tube to start the flow of oxygen.  Place the mask over your nose and mouth.  Extend the elastic band around your head, adjusting the tightness by pulling the straps on the side, and BREATHE NORMALLY.  Know that oxygen is flowing even if the bag doesn't inflate."  Excuse me, but if we lose cabin pressure, there's going to be things flying around all over the cabin, the plane will tilt downward in a nose dive while the captain tries to get us all at an altitude where we can breathe oxygen, people will be screaming, and you're wanting me to put a little yellow cup over my face, go to my happy place, and breathe normally?!?  NOT GONNA HAPPEN, LADY!!!!  First, that thing will probably be swinging all over the place in that nose dive and air swirling that I'll probably never even catch it!  Second, if I do get lucky enough to grab the thing, I'll probably go to pull the tube to start the air and pull so hard with the adrenaline that will be pumping that I'll yank the thing right out of the ceiling.  If I'm fortunate enough to complete steps one and two, I will not be worried about an inflated bag!  I will be scrambling for the little paper bag in front of me to put over my mouth and do some "inflating" of my own since I would have left my stomach somewhere up around 30,000 feet or so!  And if I do ALL of that and I actually get to the point where I CAN breathe, there will be nothing NORMAL about it!!!

Then finally in the video, we reach the part about the floatation devices.  You know, in case of a water landing.  "In the event of a water landing," (let's just stop right there.  I saw no boat parts on this plane outside.  No big skis like on them water planes you see in Alaska.  We shouldn't be in the water!), "this aircraft is equipped with floatation devices for your safety.  In the economy cabin, they are located under your seats.  In the executive cabin, they are either under your seat, between your seats, or in the armrest of your seat."  I'm thinking, "WHEW!  Glad I'm in the economy cabin!!!  I'd die just trying to FIND my floatation device!"  No wonder the statistics say that doctors, lawyers, investors, and the like all have stressful jobs.  It's because they know that they're the only ones who can afford to fly first class and nobody is telling them where the floatation devices are!!!  It's a rough life being rich!!!  I can see their tombstone now...  "Thanks to the video, they knew how to use it, they just couldn't find it!"  :-)

I'm outta here!

BIBLE: How To Win Back A "Fallen" Christian

BEFORE READING THIS BLOG, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU READ MY BLOG FROM A FEW DAYS AGO, LEAVE 99 AND GO FOR 1.  IT SETS UP THE ATTITUDE AND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE I WILL BE USING HERE IN THIS BLOG.

I'm not speaking to this question having gone through some kind of seminary class on the theology of rescuing wayward Christians.  Neither have I been to some psychology classes that gives me some kind of degree to hang out a shingle and start a counseling firm.  I have a Spiritual Gift of counseling, but no degree.

So what are my credentials?  I have only one.  I'm one of the wayward Christians who have been rescued...on more than one occasion.  A "success story" type description would be a bit of a stretch.  I made it through once, only to do again what I swore would NEVER happen again!  But I'm also one of the fortunate ones.  I'm in love with Jesus today and I'm learning more and more about Him every day.  There's hope for those like me.  Maybe you know someone like me and you want more than anything to see them in a better place.  Read on. There's no formula, but here, you'll get a little advice, a few guidelines, and, I pray, a lot of hope!!!

First and foremost, YOU need to realize that you're no different.  Name the sin.  Whatever it is that someone else has done, it's no worse than anything you've done!  The moment you think yourself better, in any way, than the person you want to help, you give the enemy a foothold in the outcome.  The devil will consistently spin the conversations with that attitude unless you first surrender that spirit of superiority to Christ, repent of it, and be a conduit of grace because you fully understand that it took the same Spotless Lamb's blood to save YOUR sin as it will theirs.  If you can't reach this place, let someone else handle it.  But this is important for ALL Christians to realize, not just a few.  It's the recognition of the power of the grace and forgiveness in our own lives that supercharges the effectiveness of our testimonies and counsel to others.  It's "Being A Christian 101!"

Second, you need to realize that tough love and scare tactics rarely work.  It's not something you see in scripture either.  Giving your life for someone else's is one thing, if you want to call that a form of tough love.  But there's no greater love than that.  THAT kind of love is not only in scripture, it is what Jesus did for us all!!!  Discipline is in scripture.  It even says that God chastises those whom He loves.  So I'm not saying there should not be discipline.  But Jesus never exercised, endorsed, or encouraged any form of tough love!  It causes resentment in the one you're trying to help.  Resentment causes a desire for separation.  The moment you further separate the person any more than what they already are, that is the moment you turn them over to that "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour."  The devil WANTS them alone!  Without protection, they're easy prey.  It's the 1 who has left the 99.  Yet this seems to be the FIRST thing that many Christians do!  We feel like we can't handle it or don't want to, so we take a hands off approach.  We look at them and say, "I'm not sure you're even a sheep.  And if you ARE one, you're not like us and we don't want you or to be associated with you."  But in doing this, we remove the protection of the influence of other Christians in their lives.  We paint a target on the back of the sheep and say, "Here you go, devil.  You can have this one.  He's not worthy to be in our group!"

I can hear your thoughts, "So then are you saying to CONDONE the sin and act like nothing is wrong?"  ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!  Scripture doesn't do that either!!!  Sin is sin and it cost Jesus His life!!!  We need to, again, FULLY understand of what Jesus has forgiven us, before we EVER start trying to point out the ins of others!  We're quick to go to Matthew 18 and say that we should consider them o be like tax collectors and other sinners.  But did we do what Matthew 18 pointed out before it ever got to that point?!?  It lists a step by step process!  But read what happens we choose not to forgive someone who asks for it in Matthew 18:21-35.  It doesn't do well to withhold forgiveness.

So then, WHAT IS THE ANSWER?!?  It's simple.  Love.  That's it.  A simple four letter word.  Love in SPITE of the sin, not because of it.  Love the SINNER, not the sin.  Remember the shepherd going out to find the 1 and leaving the 99?  Remember what his staff is for?  NEVER use the pointy end on the sheep!!!  That is for the enemy, the devourer, not the one you wish to protect.  Guard your words carefully.  Be transparent about your own failures.  Take responsibility for any part you played, even if you don't think you did!!!  This can't be about you.  It's about them.  It is reducing yourself below your rights and what or who you believe you are to reach out to someone who doesn't DESERVE your rescue attempt, but you love them or Jesus or both enough to try.

Now let me say a word about counseling.  I've been through counseling.  I went through about 3 years of it a number of years ago.  It worked some wonders in my life at the time.  I identified a lot of things that helped me to watch out for pitfalls in the future.  But it did not keep me from making the same mistake again!  There are all kinds of great programs out there for all kinds of different problems.  But an alcoholic will always be tempted by alcohol.  A drug addict by drugs.  A porn addict by porn.  These things are readily accessible by anyone who wants to try hard enough.  But NOTHING out there works as well as the move of God in a person's life!  I don't care how many programs you send someone to, Jesus is still better than any doctor or counselor.  I believe in the work of doctors and counselors!  I DO!!!  But Jesus is making the lasting difference!!!

Read Romans 6:23.  Notice the use of the words "is death."  Friends, when Christians sin, there is still DEATH!!!  Hear me?  Let me repeat that.  When Christians sin, there is STILL DEATH!!!  When I sinned, I had all kinds of friends - CHRISTIAN friends - dessert me!  They all told me, "That's the consequences of your sin."  WHAT?!?  No.  See, we don't get to sentence our brothers and sisters to any kind of consequence.  They're dying inside!!!  If they truly know Jesus, there is conviction, there is grief, there is mourning, and yes, there is a part of them that has died.  It is the part called "a right relationship with God."  And that part is the very heartbeat and breath - the LIFE - of a believer in Jesus.  There is NOTHING you or anyone else on this earth can say or do that will cause more death in a person's life that being outside that right relationship!  They may not realize it.  They may deny it.  They may reject a belief in it.  But that's not THEIR choice either!!!  That's Bible.  Death is the payment - the wages - of sin.  God said that would happen.  And our belief as far as what treatment sinners need doesn't mean a hill of beans to God!  He's got this.  He doesn't need our help.  GOD is the Judge.  God is the Jury.  And HE will pronounce sentence.  He has given us two commands, basically.  They are NOT, "watch and see how many tears they cry at the altar, I need to know if they are REALLY sorry!  I can't tell from up here."  He's never deferred and said, "Pastor, how many years of counseling do you think he needs before I let him serve Me again?  Now I know I can't let him back in the capacity he was because you people won't accept him that way."  Sounds ridiculous, almost blasphemous, doesn't it?  But that is the attitude we take.  That's the way we expect God to act.  When He has told us our two responsibilities: love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves.  Period.  We love them.  We ache with them when we see the sentence (if He chooses to pronounce one) on their lives.  Because we know that but for the grace of God, there go I!

People have looked at Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Michael English, and the like, and have shamed them and shunned them and refused to listen to them because they have sin in their past.  Well SO DO YOU!!!  The ONLY difference between them and you is that everybody knows what THEY did!!!  What would happen if someone were to read your most private sins that you hope nobody ever finds out about in a public arena?  THEN how would you feel about grace?!?  You'd want a little, wouldn't you?  But we need PROOF that they've repented!!!  NO YOU DON'T!!!  God's a big boy.  He said He would handle that part.  LET HIM!!!  Personally, I think that is a total blatant display of a lack of faith in God!  When Christians do that, it is a window into their own relationship with God that says, "I really don't believe it when I say that God can handle anything, even that which He has promised to handle."  In that situation, YOU are the problem, not the one who is wayward and crying out on the inside for someone to help and listen.

Understand, I'm not trying to get any kind of sympathy or "preach" to friends who turned their backs on me.  I left that to Jesus.  All but 1 has allowed me to restore my relationships with them through Christ.  Thank You, Lord, for that!!!  And I have left the 1 in the hands of Jesus and have accepted his decision not to have any further contact with me.  He has that right.  As far as I know, he will never see this blog.

Truth be told, people who have experienced public sin, people such as those listed above, probably have a closer walk with Jesus than any of you!  WHY?!?  Because HE is the "Great Shepherd" who left the 99 and went after them and now holds them close to His chest!  HE is the "Great Physician."  HE is the "Wonderful Counselor."  Not YOU!  Not Dr. Phil!!!  No Dr. Drew!!!  JESUS!!!!

Let me tell you, friends, I have learned more about the power of God in my life (thus the lives of others since He loves us all) after my "fall" than I ever did before!!!  I'm closer to God now.  I have a renewed sense of purpose.  I have a renewed calling, even though His first call on my life has never been revoked according to Romans 11:29.

I also believe that the closer a person is to a wayward Christian, the more responsibility they have.  Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, best friends, spouses, children, whatever - we have the responsibility of getting our hands dirty.  Scripture makes it VERY clear what our responsibilities are in Galatians 6:1-3.  Pay strong and close attention to the words "GENTLY" and "HUMBLY."  Plus God says in James 5:19-20 that those who bring them back - those who embark on a rescue mission - end up saving a life and a multitude of sins!  The question to you is, "Do you mean what you say?"  Do you really LOVE that person?

There are many out there who have children, parents, friends, etc who have "gone off the deep end."  I'm no pro.  I have no shingle and no degree.  There are no formulas.  But if you need to ask a question, I would love to help if I can.  Feel free to write me.  You can use the link on the right of this blog under the ABOUT ME section.  I will write you back.  And PLEASE take time to comment below!!!  Share this blog on YOUR Facebook page so that your friends can read what's here.  I believe this information to be so very important.  Just click on the Facebook and Twitter links that are somewhat grayed out below this blog near the "Comments" section and you can share to either one you wish.

Thanks for taking time with me.  I hope and pray this helps you and many others.  Till next time...