You committed to a job and something better seems to come along? You committed to a customer and someone offers you more if u go back on your word. You committed to a club, group, or school and discover a more appealing place. You committed to a church and something about the one next door seems more appealing. You committed to your spouse and someone more appealing, exiting, and interested came along. You committed to a lifestyle and it seemed better to go back on the commitment.

Sure, we could always talk about the benefits of our change of mind. The new place was better. The new woman was prettier and easier to get along with. The new job was paying more.

But, What about the benefit of keeping our word? What about not buying into the “grass is greener,” approach and trusting in God to bless our commitment, loyalty, and integrity. Is it better to have the worldly benefits or the spiritual benefits?

I was wrestling with my own question of commitment this month. I asked a friend his opinion and he told me a story about a costumer he had.

Joe had a truck for sale. He had just posted the the truck and advertised it when he received a call from a customer in Canada. The truck was advertised for $12k and he said he wanted it and would come and get it in a week. Joe told him it was his.
The next day the phone rang and another costumer called and offered Joe $13k for the truck “Right Now!”
Joe explained he had already given his word but if the first customer didn’t come and get it, he would have first chance at it.
Just after that conversation a third customer called. Joe explained the situation and that customer offered Joe $14k cash if he would sell it to him.
Here he was standing to make $2k in cash more if he would go back on his word. But Joe told him if either of the first 2 didn’t buy it he would be next in line.

Joe called the first costomer to double check weather he was still going to buy it. “well, he said,
“I been thinking….would it be OK if I let u sell it to someone else?”
“No problem” Joe answered.
and now Joe had an opportunity. He could skip the 2nd customer who would never had known the difference and go straight for the 14K cash.
But, he gave his word.
So he called up the second customer and said, “its yours.” The customer showed up walked around the truck and said, “I guess I don’t want it after all.”
So, Joe was able to sell it to the last customer in the end. He had his profit, and he had his integrity all the way.
In the end Joe kept his word.
“I will always remember the lesson I learned that day. That if you stick to you’re commitment God will bless it. It may not be a blessing you will always see dramatically like the extra money from the truck but there will be a blessing from God.”
Joe finished off with “That’s one thing that the up and coming generations seem to miss. The since of loyalty and commitment. The willingness to trust that God will bless us even when the grass is greener on the other side.”

What is it that you have been tempted with? What commitments have you been considering going back on? The Challenger here is this, to stick with them and search for God’s blessing in your commitment.

In Matthew 5:33-37 (NIV) it says,
” “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

In Matthew 6:33 (NIV) it says,
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

There are relationship week spots in the church.

There are leadership week spots in the church.

Then, there are “My” week spots that i bring into the church.

Sitting in leadership, along side this unruly bunch called the church…I see the task God gives us and have that conversation.
“Oh man…how are “we” going to reach people for Jesus in this community before they are lost? How are we going to attract them? How are we going to lead and disciple them?”

It’s a project larger than us. It’s a task out of our league. It’s a daunting thought if it were left up to my talent, my ability, and the talent and ability of this church.”   Good thing it’s not.

Preaching through the book of Exodus this year has really helped me learn that lesson.  I have seen, as God redeemed the people of Israel by his power.  I have seen, How He sustained and provided by His power. I have seen how He created them to be His people and His special treasure by His power. And I have been reminded that my part in it…is to do my best to be obedient, to trust in His presence, to rest in His Power, and He will do His part.
He will redeem us. He will seek and find through us. He will grow His church. He will carry us.

In Matthew 16:18 (NIV) it says,
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

In Exodus 19:4 (NIV) it says,
“‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”

At the end of the run, I would let loose.  Give it all i had.  I Turned on the nitro, relaxed every muscle even more.  I let go even more.  I would sprint the last half mile to my driveway.  My arms swung farther, my feet took longer strides, I would finish strong.  It felt great.

What didn’t feel so great, were the times I would be giving it my all and a jogger would waltz on passed me with a grin.  I gave it my all.  But there was no imagining that I could run with the best of men, or even the above average of men.   In School track I did ok.  I often placed at least 3rd.  I won occasionally in my division, which wasn’t so high.  But racing with men, for me, has always been a challenge.

Even out side of running.  I find myself facing challenges at work, in life, at home, and with people and wondering “Man can I keep up?” “Can I even do this?”  “Do I have it in me?”  I can relate to Jeremiah who answered God with a flat out “No.” God asked, challenged, and told Jeremiah he was going to be his prophet to the people and Jeremiah said, “I cant do it, I am just a child, I don’t have it in me.”  Jeremiah was right.  He didn’t.

What he forgot.  What I often forget.  Is that its not about whats in me.  It doesn’t matter if the Joggers in life can pass me by.  Because when God wants people to do things, he doesn’t count on our ability.  He counts on our availability.  Then he gives us what we need to not only run with men,  but to run against the impossible.  The way God says it, “To run with horses.”

When He is with us, we can run against the odds.  We can accomplish the impossible.  We can run against even horses in life.   I picture the Arabian noble steeds lined up for a race across the desert and there next to them is me.  The gun goes off, the horses buck and go, and there is me… with the power of God, out in front leaving them in the dust.  It’s an impossible picture if God is left out.  But with God, with His power in my life, with the power of Jesus and the power of the resurrection in my life, I can run with the horses.

What are the men in your life?

What are the horses you are up against?

Why not turn to God today for that strength that only he can give, and ask him to help you run with the horses?

In Jeremiah 12:5 (NIV) it says,
” “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?“

I lost all of what was said at that moment.  Stuck on those words. How many times have the headlines of life read “This will change your life.”  The news reporter promises the story that “will change your life.”  The class promotions said, “This will change your life!”  The conference host promises, “This conference will change your life!” The church promises “The message that will change your life!”  We hear the phrase often.  That promise of life change.  It sounds exciting!  It sounds positive! It sounds like amazing growth.  Yet, unless its cancer, a death, Hitler or some negative change, experience has shown us, and told us that, that promise, always ends up falling short. 

The phrase, “This will change your life” gets racked up there on the shelf with the overused and over stimulated power word advertising that has become common place talk.   We could shelf it with the word “Awesome.”  Today everything is so “Awesome” that nothing truely is “Awesome.”  I used to get excited by the word Awesome…but now there is no Awe.  My blood used to get pumping at the phrase “life change!”  I was excited, and looking forward to what was coming because everything was going to be better now!

But, honestly, It’s not something that gets my blood going and pumped up anymore.  So when I herd those words… “here we go again” was all that it said to me.  Another class.  “I’m sure ill get something out of it…but life change…I’ve herd that before.”

Now I sit 13 weeks later.  My wife Kari loves me more.  My children have a better dad.  The people I work with have a better friend, a better co-worker, and a better leader in me.  I have grown up.  I have learned how to keep the 2nd greatest commandment from people who didn’t even know they were teaching it to me.  Was it life changing…and for the better.  Absolutely! and I meen that in an ”absolute” kind of way!

Thank you Allison, Thank you John, (the Carnegie instructors) for teaching me to love people more in a practical way.

In Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) it says,
“Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”“

“Awwwwwwwwhhhhhhhwwwwwhwhhhwhwhwhwhhwhw”

5 minutes later….repeat. 10 minutes later…repeat.  20 minutes, 30 minutes, on the hour every hour till noon.  When it comes to pleading it seems to be something we really know how to do even from childhood.  Sometimes, What starts out as a simple mundane request becomes something we long for.  We plead for the desires of our heart.  We plead for gifts from mom and dad.  We plead for help from others.  We plead, and plead, and plead.  Sometimes our simple asking just slips down the hill to pleading and begging. 

Sometimes we even find ourselves pleading to God.  “God I’m Begging you, help us find a way to pay these bills.  God I’m begging you take the lumps and the cancer away.  God I’m begging you, keep the drug dealers from our kids.  God I am begging you to take the abuse and the memories away.  God I’m begging you, dont let my loved one die.  God I am begging with you to help to stop this marriage from exploding.  God I am pleading with you to stop those people who are trying to hurt me.  God I am pleading with you…I am begging you…please remove this sin from my life.”

It’s interesting to notice that Paul the apostle himself prayed the same prayer.  He prayed, the verse says he pleaded.  Of all the pleading in scripture It’s the only place in scripture where we see someone pleading in prayer to Jesus.  Paul pleads with God multiple times, all day long, morning, afternoon, and evening.  Three times a day he prays.  He has a thorn.  We aren’t told what it was exactly.  But thorns stick, they hurt, they prick, they make us bleed, and they just plain out suck.  And we see this grand apostle, humble like the rest of us, and praying, pleading with Jesus to take it out.

Surprisingly, the answer came back as a resounding ”No.”  How frustrating.  Back to pleading.  But while we are at it…maybe we can learn a lesson about leaning on Jesus in those times.  And instead of being ungreatfull for what he has done for me, cross and all, I’ll lean on his grace.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV) it says,
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“

So often I would fight the inevitables I didn’t like.  I would worry about them, fret about them, build up pain in my chest and twist my stomach about them, and complain, complain, complain, about them.  And somehow, the  only person i have ever seemed to effect in the process was myself. 

All day, that day, I sat incapacitated over an inevitable.  I was so wrought with frusteration I sat at work starting at my laptop screen for hours not doing a thing.  Lunch time…grab a burger…back to the office to stare at the screen, no one home…but irritability.  Luckily I had to head to class that evening and then there was Suzie. Thank God for Suzie.

“Learn to cooperate with the inevitable.”

Those words reminded me most of all that as a disciple, i need to learn to give thanks in all things.  This year i have learned to give thanks when the flood waters come and almost destroy your place of work.  I have learned to give thanks in Church conflicts and to overcome them.  I have learned to give thanks in financial struggles, growing pains, tragic deaths, suicides, murder, abuse, and tough times.  Now, with another inevitable on the horizon looking into my eyes….Suzie reminded me to give thanks.  Thanks Suzie.

In James 1:2 (NIV) it says,
” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,“

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) it says,
“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“

In Romans 1:20 (NIV) it says,
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.“

Sometimes it’s tough to think about “Jesus Today,” because we think so much about Jesus in the yesterday.  We think about how Jesus was a suffering servant.  How he was a crucified God/Man who put himself in the hands of men and allowed himself to be a sacrifice on our behalf.  We talk about how he did rise from the dead.  We spend oodles of time studying and preaching and teaching about the Jesus story we find in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  And all of that is good.  It’s vital to understanding and believing and encountering the grace of God.

But how often do we remember that today Jesus is.  That today Jesus is living and exalted.  That the Jesus of today is not a Jesus we will humiliate or crucify.  The Jesus of today is the tatted out King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  The Jesus of today is one who will lay his hands on us either with the hands of grace or the hands of wrath.  He is alive.  He is watching.  He is moving.  He is vital today.

The bible paints us a picture of a Jesus who today is ruling over everything in heaven and on earth.

It paints a picture of Jesus as a victorious king.  No longer is he suffering on a cross.  But he is the King who wins.  One who will judge.  One who will make war and come out on top.

It’s a very different Jesus from the long haired hippie Jesus of the past that people tend to picture.  Instead it’s a picture of a warrior.  A UFC champion.

In Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV) it says,
” I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.“

When I look at my daughter with peanut butter all over her face, toes, and hair.  In His Image.  When I look at my 1 year old awkwardly stumbling, fumbling, across the room to me screaming “DADDY!”  In His Image.   When I see people rising in this world.  When I see people endure.  When I see people stand for whats right.  When I see people create.  When I see people care.  When I see what people are made of.  When I see people love.  In His Image.

It could be enough for a person to fall in love with people.  To see people, and to see them in light of that image.  To see them in light of what God sees in them.  It could be enough for us to fall in love with people the way God fell in love with them.  To see them in light of what they were created to be.  To see them in their moments, their glimpses, the smidgen of instances however infrequently they pop up, where people actually look like the finished product they were intended to become.  In His Image. 

It could.  But let’s be honest.  Usually we are so busy criticizing, condemning, and complaining that all we see is the marred image.  The broken unfinished product.  Sometimes, in the midst of the battles in this world all we see is a target, an adversary, a Challenger, a sinner, a worthless worm.  The people around us become those little ducks on the carnival shooting gallery for our criticism and some of us are so good we are really worried that a duck will go by without getting hit and knocked over.  God forgive us for saddling up with the accuser and even doing the shooting for him.   Remind us.  Remind me what it means to see people the way you see them.  As people you love.  As people you created.  As people you dreamed up, and made to be in your image.  As people you are transforming.

God, help me to learn to see people and love people the way you do.  Help me to fall in love with people.  Help me to fall in love with what you are doing in their lives.

In Colossians 3:10 (NIV) it says,
“put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.“

Who am I to be so bold?  Who am I to be so arrogant to think that I should just expected God to answer my prayer?  Simple.  I am just a man who takes God at his word.  Just like Elijah.

In James 5:17-18 (NIV) it says,
“Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.“

In Mark 11:24 (NIV) it says,
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.“