4 Lessons I Learned in 2013 That You Need to Learn Too

2013 brought so many things, and almost all of it good!!!  I could tell you story after story of the way God showed His mighty awesomeness in our lives over the last 12-18 months!  But there are two things wrong with that scenario.  First, I'm really wanting to concentrate on the year that is, as I type this, in its fading moments.  Second, the LAST thing I want is for this blog to have the tone of a bad Christmas letter!

So instead of reliving moments in my life that have nothing to do with you, my reader, I want to instead leave you with some life lessons that I've learned (or RElearned) that I hope will make a lasting difference in your lives as well.  I honestly don't know that I could create an exhaustive list, but I'm going to pray and ask God to remind me of the ones that need to be included here.  He knows who will be reading this and what all of you need to hear most.

1.  God adores us.  My friend, Debby Berry, says this all the time.  Two years ago, because of decisions I had made personally, I called Debby.  At the time, I would've said it was coincidence.  From what I know now, it was a Divine appointment!  She was the first person who drilled that into my head.  I'd never heard it put that way before.  A few months later, I remember laying in the altar of Gateway Church in Texas and God speaking to me so clearly saying, "You just need to let me love on you.  Cast every worry on me.  Nothing matters except that you let me love you."  Since those conversations, I now wake up knowing that my Father in heaven ADORES me!!!  Not for what I've done, mind you!  That would disappoint even the holders of low standards!  But because He made me, died for me, and still sees in me what He made me to be and knows my potential for His kingdom.  And the same is true for YOU!  Say it with me, "God adores me."  Feels good, huh?  Thanks, Debby, for that simple, yet life-changing lesson.

2.  We don't deserve to be happy.  Now before my fan mail starts crashing this server, hear me out.  See, I tried that.  Here's what I found.  Happiness can be achieved only for fleeting moments at a time.  It is not a sustainable state.  But humanity gives a daily valiant effort at making it such and trying to convince the world that it's possible!  Ok.  So, I challenge you.  Name ONE person that has sustained happiness.  Not asking for a top ten list, not even three.  Just one.  Singular.  YOU CAN'T!  Because nobody has!!!  Most people have for a time, but then it fades away like morning dew.  Scripture tells us that we will face trials.  Ever known anyone to jump up and scream, "YAY!!! Another TRIAL!!!!  I'm so happy life tests me like this.  BRING IT!!!"  Me either.  Not being serious, anyway.  God was guaranteeing times of unhappiness.  He knew they would come with frequency.  He wants two things for us: joy & contentment.  The first is from Him through Jesus.  That kind of joy is sustainable.  The second comes from experiencing the joy of knowing Christ.  And when you add them together, you know what results?  Happiness.  Again, not sustained.  But certainly more common and longer lasting than any we would hope to find in our own pursuits.  So seek Jesus first.  Then rest in the contentment that He brings.  There, you will find the happiness you seek.

3.  The importance of your spouse choice.  Married people, don't cut me off here!  I have come to realize full well that I love Michelle, my wife, more than the day I married her.  Now there are a LOT of reasons why that this blog has no hope of provision for naming, but that's not the point.  Whether you're dating or married, distractions happen.  Distractions hinder the decision making process.  Focus is key.  Keep your eyes where they should be, and everything else will follow suit.  Feel me?  When distractions come, be strong in your resolve.  Have accountability in your life of some sort.  There is no wake up call that will hit you as hard as realizing too late that you made a mistake you can't take back.  Nobody's perfect.  I get that.  But you have no idea the power of the devil where this is concerned, and you'd be wise to wise up!  Pray over who you date AND who you marry.  And NEVER STOP!!!

4.  Speak truth into your life out loud daily!!!  I grew up Southern Baptist.  This is not something we did or that I was ever taught in Sunday School growing up.  And I'm not talking about "prosperity gospel," at least what I always heard that phrase meant anyway.  I'm not telling you to start claiming a Mercedes Benz and expect it in your driveway!  But I am saying that we speak ourselves into the situations in which we find ourselves.  My Pastor, Danny Chambers, said, "Who you are is who you've been saying you are for the last two years."  I believe that.  I've heard believers in Jesus say, "I can't...   I won't...   God didn't...."  They'll talk about being a "realist" about their lives and situations.  They've forgotten whose they are!  I have a list of statements hanging on my bathroom mirror that Jamie Brandenburg, a buddy of mine here in Nashville, gave me.  All of them are based on scripture and are just statements about who we are in Christ.  I wrote them in a recent blog for you to be able to have and use.  You can see them by clicking here.  Go and print then off.  Tweak them if you want.  Add, subtract, it's your life you're speaking truth into.  Make it your own!  But you will see HUGE results if you do!!!  I'm giving you personal testimony to that fact!!!  Life is all about perspective, and saying things like this out loud daily helps keep a right perspective in our lives.  Another quote by Pastor Danny says, "The Israelites looked at Goliath and said, 'He's so big we can't KILL him!'  David looked at Goliath and said, 'He's so big I can't MISS him!'"  It's all in perspective.

As I said early on, this isn't an exhaustive list.  I think 4 is doable for anyone in any situation.  Most of you will think that this was a nice blog and just close it.  No, I'm not going to ask you to do a chain letter!  I just want you to experience all God has for you.  Just USE what Ive given you!  If it doesn't work, I give you permission to call me a liar.  But if it does, and I truly believe it will, then you can share it at your discretion.  And no, your love of Jesus won't be affected if you don't! :-)  I'm greatly annoyed by those emails and posts!

I welcome your comments!  PLEASE click on the words "No Comment" or "Comment" (whichever is listed just to the right of the posting time directly below this paragraph) and post a comment of your own.  You must also choose a profile from the drop down list, or just choose "anonymous" from the list and type your name at the end of your comment in the actual comment box.  Clicking the PUBLISH button posts your comment and you're good to go!  Use the social media links there to share to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts directly.  THANK YOU for stopping by!  Till next time...

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!!!