Spiritual Inertia

Does you schedule fill up faster than a baby's diaper on a busy day? Are you tired of all the things on your to-do list wearing out their welcome? Here's something you can do to help alleviate your problems.

Throw out your list!

Of course, we can't really do that most days. Sometimes we have a ton of stuff that just HAS to be done. But we can prioritize that list. We can decide which items really need to be done first. And then get them done!!

Most mornings I watch the news as I am eating breakfast. When I finish eating there is a tendency to keep watching the television, even though I have many things on my to-do list. My tendency is to do nothing while my Bible is on the table next to my comfy living room chair.

A body at rest tends to stay at rest. That is the definition of the word "inertia". So where do we get inertia from? It doesn't come in a bottle. It's not sold in stores. The good news is, it DOES sit on shelves in most of our houses. The problem is we're not using it enough. It's the Bible!

I am reading through Proverbs right now. There are many wise sayings concerning my topic for today. So why aren't I reading more? Why aren't I applying what I have just read? Inertia. Spiritual Inertia.

Let me re-write the Law of Inertia for you, with a spiritual twist.

An earthly body tends to stay at rest while a heavenly body tends to stay in motion, serving the Lord.

Turn off the television and pick up the Bible, get out and serve! I'm talking to myself here. Let's get going!

What motivates YOU when it comes to serving God? The fear of God does it for me!

"4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." - Proverbs 13:4

Sedentary - AAOS Commercial

The Parable of The Forgetful Servant

What was I going to write about today? Oh, yeah. Forgetfulness.

Do you get distracted as you go through the day? I sure do. I'll be planning to do something in the morning and by the time bedtime rolls around it is still undone - put off for another day. Is that forgetfulness? Is that senility creeping in? Is it A.D.D.?

What was I writing about? Oh yeah.

Do you have that problem? Forgetfulness? Or is it really procrastination looking for a scapegoat?

I was in Menard's this past weekend, picking up supplies for my Tiny House. I found some 4'x8' sheets of fiberglass paneling which we WAY in the back corner of the building. When I was in live I suddenly thought, "I grabbed seven sheets, not six." so I went ALL the way back and put one sheet back in the pile.

Returning to the checkout line the checker said, "How many sheets of that paneling do you have?"

"Six!" I replied.

"I only see five sir."

I counter them. He was right. I had him charge me for six, left my cart there, and walked ALL the way to the back of the store, picked up the one sheet(the same one I had placed there just 10 minutes before) and returned to the front. Sigh.

I can start out the day with the best intentions of reading my Bible in the morning but I get distracted by Facebook or answering e-mails and before I know it, it's time for work. No time for God in my life I guess. At least that's what I say when I am beating myself up.

God needs to be a priority in my life. Period. He should come before ALL things. God should come before Facebook, before work, before my favorite TV show, before my friends, before family. God should be number one, not last on the aggenda.

So, how can we make that happen? How can we arrange our priorities so that God is always first in our hearts and in our minds? I am writing a few verses to keep with me during the day. Not in my wallet, not closed in a book. To carry with me. Here they are.

"And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” - Luke 10:27

¹⁴ “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15

Father, let us always be mindful of you. Let us never forget to take time out of each day to praise you, to thank you for our every breath, and may each of us never forget your sacrifice, grace and mercy that was given to the whole world . . . on the cross. Amen.

Ode To Forgetfulness

Bob? The Builder?

Bob the Builder is a British children's animated television show. In each episode, Bob and his group help with renovations, construction, and repairs and with other projects as needed. The show emphasizes conflict resolution, co-operation, socialization and various learning skills. Bob's catchphrase is "Can we fix it?", to which the other characters respond with "Yes we can!" (Wikipedia).

"Can we fix it?" Fix what? Hmm. Interesting question, especially after my Sunday morning reading:

^"9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:9-11

I am getting ready to embark on a building project. I don't have any supplies yet. I don't have enough money in the bank to complete the project. On paper, this project is doomed to failure before it even begins. It doesn't make very good business sense. Naturally, I am going to do it anyway. Why?
The last verse above (v11) says it all for me lately. The only foundation upon which a successful building project can be laid is on Jesus.

I am getting ready to build a Tiny Home. I'm building it, not so much for my wife and me to live in, but as an emergency shelter for OTHERS to live in. Sounds noble I guess but I found myself stalled in the process. There were several factors contributing to my lack of motion. How am I going to pay for it? Who am I going to find who can help me? Is anybody really going to need this thing? Basically, doubt and fear were blocking my path. That is until . . . today.

This past Saturday I was speaking with a friend at a local food pantry. She told me how she had decided to "be intentional" in her work in Jesus' name. Maybe that should have been the title of this blog post? And then this morning I was listening to a message by Chuck Swindoll on my way to work. It was VERY convicting, delivering the same "be intentional" message found in Jesus Sermon on The Mount.

^"24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” - Matthew 7:24-27

I am reminded of a commercial I saw for a local health clinic. The ad featured local football star Aaron Rodgers. At the end of the commercial Aaron offers four words of encouragement. He simply says, "Let's get after it."

As I look at this project I have ahead of me I have to stop thinking that this is ME doing this. Yes, I can draw plans. Yes, I can build things. But this is not MY project. This is God's project. Bob is not the builder. God is. HE has already laid the foundation. HE has put people in place to help. Now HE is the one encouraging me through a friend to "be intentional" and through a commercial to "get after it" and through His Word Jesus reminds me that to be "hearers" of the Word is not enough. We must be "doers."

Are you procrastinating about something? Why? Procrastination is one of Satan's biggest tools to keep us from honoring God. I need to pray my way out of procrastination. I need to ne intentional about prayer and about honoring God's plan and be faithful, expecting God's provision. And I need to get after it. Today.

Let's Get After It - Prevea Health (Aaron Rodgers)

He's Waiting For You

We never seem to know when it is that God will surprise us. Just when we think we have Him just about figured out, He does something totally unexpected. Like this week. This week I thought I heard God talking to me. That surprised me. He didn't sound ANYTHING like Charlton Heston either. More like an 80-year old woman. Let me explain.

My friend and I had just finished praying at work and I had decided to go for a walk, reading the Bible as I went down the path behind our office. I was all jacked up from my prayers because I had laid my frustrations with myself at God's feet. I was sick of my procrastination in a few areas - letters I should write but wasn't getting around to . . . a building project I was having trouble getting off the ground. I, quite often, am my own worst enemy with these things.

As I began to read, I looked up and noticed someone walking towards me far away in the distance. That's when I did something I had never done before. I began praying for them while also praying that God might provide an opportunity for me to talk with them.

The text I was reading that morning was from 1 Samuel, about how Samuel's sons didn't really do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. "That's me," I thought to myself. I didn't really want to be that person, but I was. I am.

The person walking towards me was closer now. I could tell it was an older woman. Older than even I am! She was walking her dog. I had seen her on the trail before with some of her lady friends and their dogs. I kept praying.

We met at a place when the trail crosses a busy road. We both were waiting to cross. Finally an opening appeared and I ran across. When I got to the other side, the lady, her name was Judy as I was soon to discover, said something that got my attention. She delivered a message from God. At least it seemed to me that it came from Him. She said . . .

"I think He's waiting for YOU."

Those were the first words out of her mouth. I thought to myself, "What? He's waiting for me? Oh, now I get it. And God is waiting for me alright. Waiting for me to get off my butt and start being Jesus to the people of this world! "Those words really penetrated. This lady's words were like an answer to prayer. Like they came right from God!

"I think he was waiting for you," the lady repeated. "My dog. He was waiting for you."

"What?"

The lady and her dog turned and walked with me for a bit. I shared my testimony with her that morning and she shared hers. I eventually turned around and headed back to the office. She kept on walking . . . somewhere. And as soon as I turned around I looked up to heaven and praised God for giving me an opportunity to speak about Him to someone.

That morning God encouraged me to get going in my witnessing and also in my efforts to help others. I feel rejuvenated with a new sense of purpose. I had been praying about how I had been compromising my ideas and procrastinating in my dreams and goals.

"Time to get to work," I said as I walked into the office. More about what happened next in a future installment of this blog. But let me just tell you this. There is nothing quite like serving the Lord. The rewards are "out of this world!"

"22 And Samuel said,

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
    as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to listen than the fat of rams.” - 1 Samuel 15:22

What Are You Waiting For? - Nickleback

This is the gospel: The Gospel

Do You Compromise?

Do you think compromise is a good thing or a bad thing? It sounds like it would be good. The negotiator in an argument, for example, might think compromise is a GOOD thing. He might desire compromise above all else. It's his ultimate goal. A negotiator's highest priority is to arrive at a peaceful solution. Everybody compromises. Everybody wins, right? Yay!

What about a parachute manufacturer? Should he compromise when selecting the materials with which he makes his parachutes? What's the thinnest para chord he could get away with? Do we really need the highest quality nylon? Couldn't we compromise and make do with something a little more . . . inferior? Hmm. Maybe compromise is not good in ALL of life's situations.

What about our faith? Have we compromise in our beliefs? Do we compromise in how often we pray or read the Bible? Do we compromise in our church attendance or in our offerings? There are many places to compromise.

Here's a tougher question. Do you compromise in your relationships? Here's a relationship scenario for you. One friend texts you and wants to hang out but you don't give them an answer right away, hoping one of your "better" friends will want to hang out as well. Haven't you just compromised one relationship in hopes of enhancing another?

Do you compromise with God? Read this verse from the Gospel of Mark.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." - Mark 12:30-31

Do you find much wiggle room in the word "all?" Jesus just told us that we are to love God with everything we have. Do you think Jesus wants us to compromise? I think not.

So what do we do? We all tend to procrastinate and compromise in our commitments to others, even God, depending on our own selfish needs.

Here's another scenario. You've just gone to bed after a long tiring day at work. Suddenly the phone rings. It's a friend who needs help. What do you do? Do you compromise? Do you try to pass your friend off to someone else? "Have you tried calling Steve? He lives closer."

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

The word "all" leaves little room for doubt in what God wants us to do in the situation I just mentioned. The appropriate answer in God's eyes is, "I'll be right there."

We are servants . . . slaves . . . to the most-high God. We don't get to compromise or procrastinate or say 'no." We are the ones who say, "Here I am Lord. Send me." 

"8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go," - Isaiah 6:8-9

Let us be the kind of Christians who move. Let us be the ones who take action, who take the risks for our King. There is no compromise in us!

Here I Am Lord - John Michael Talbot

U-Haul

I learned a couple of lessons this past weekend about how we tend to live life these days. About how what was once unacceptable has now become not only acceptable but common place. I was given some food for thought about our personal and our nation's work ethic. I learned ALL of this while standing in the back of a rented U-Haul truck!

My wife's parents have moved into an assisted living place near Milwaukee. She and her three sisters have been spending a lot of time cleaning their old house and getting it ready to sell. Along with the cleaning and emptying of the house there has also been a dispersing of various possessions. We were recipients of a chest freezer and a wardrobe (a tall piece of furniture). Our daughter and her husband got a nice dining room set and a dresser. The problem was, how do we gat all those items transported to their destinations, the closest being two hours away. Answer? Rent a U-Haul truck!!

As we were finishing up with the move, my wife began to sweep out the truck. It was dark outside and the truck was dimly lit so naturally I asked, "Did you get everything? They will charge us to sweep it out again if they see anything." My wife swept it out again just to make me happy while I put on a pair of gloves and brushed any microscopic dust particles off the bumper. There's NO WAY I was going to be charged extra for not cleaning our the truck! That's when I recalled this verse and began to examine myself more closely.

"23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." - Colossians 3:23-24

I began thinking of all the things that I had done in recent days, or should I say NOT done, with less zeal than I probably should have. Was I doing them "as for the Lord"? Nope. Then on Sunday our pastor spoke on the same topic . . . and used the same verse . . . Was I getting the message yet? We humans can be exceptionally dense, especially THIS one.

There are times when I am at home or at work performing a particular task that I am not really excited about doing. I might stop part way through to "take a break" and then not return to work for an hour or so. Is that working heartily as for the Lord?" I do not preform every task as if I was performing it for Jesus.

I am supposed to be building a wooden model of an old buggy for my sister. She asked me to and I agreed. Yet it has been sitting on my closet floor for weeks. As for The Lord?

This country is filled with people like me. People who don't want to work performing a task they previously agreed to do. It's all about us and our comfort, not about serving others. Why? Self satisfaction. I am my own worst enemy.

As my wife and I driving to Milwaukee the other day were discussing the welfare state that we have created in this country. We were talking about how people have been smart enough to figure out how to receive income from our country without working for it. All a woman has to do it have a few kids, the more the better, and she can make more money than she can at holding down a full-time job. I wonder what God thinks about a system like that?

"10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." - 2 Thessalonians 3:10

We need to be taking our work more seriously. We need to be performing our tasks "as for the Lord." Anything less than that, we are only thinking about ourselves. This weekend? That buggy is going down! The fireplace I've been dinking around with for weeks? Git 'er done!!! May we ALL perform our duties, the chores we have been given, the homework, the yard work, even cleaning the litter boxes, as if we were doing them at the command of Jesus. Get the work done and get it behind us. And then grab your Bible and read Matthew 25:21.

"21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’" - Matthew 25:21

Working For A Living - Huey Lewis and The News

Giants

Giants! Giants!! That's all I could think about Tuesday morning at 2:47 AM. Why was I thinking about giants? And why was I thinking about them at 2:47AM in the blessed morning!?!?!

When I went to bed Monday night I had no idea what I was going to do for Wednesday night's high school youth group game. No idea what . . . so . . . ever. I'm in charge or our youth group mixer games. I should probably be thinking about what to do Wednesday night and now I have visions of giants running through my head? They sure can make a lot of noise!!

 

My mind tends to be VERY creative in the early morning hours. That's when most of my ideas come to me. Whether they're youth group game ideas or blogging topics, they run around in my head, rearranging themselves, until morning comes and I write them all down, But why giants??

 

Then I thought, "Hmm. Giants . . . " I quickly came up with a game - a relay race, boys vs girls, one kid carrying another on their shoulders. I guess they would slightly resembling giants. Maybe. I thought about playing the movie trailer for Jack the Giant Slayer after the race but the trailer didn't seem very God-honoring in its content so I thought some more. I know! FACING the Giants!! I'd play the Facing the Giants clip where Brock carries one of his teammates 100 yards . . . on his back. You can watch the clip here.

 

Finally something was coming together! I had been struggling the past few weeks about a few things that were happening at my church. I won't bother you with the details. Let me just say I began questioning my relevance and started thinking about retiring from youth ministry. Yeah, nothing MAJOR. For me to be thinking that and just letting it fester was not good. I had just been plodding along, dragging these issues with me, week after week. But then I watched that "death crawl" video and I listened to the coach, yelling at his player, "Don't stop! Don't stop! Don't you quit on me!!!"

 

It didn't take me long to figure out the message God was trying to get across to me. Giants! Facing the Giants! Hey, Bob. Instead of just LIVING with your giants (those things that keep oppressing us and weighing us down), try facing them!

 

In the Book of 1 Samuel you can read all about David and Goliath. I probably don't have to tell you that David did a more than adequate job of facing HIS giant. I want to draw your attention to one verse in particular from that story though. Good advice for those of us who struggle with "giant" issues of one kind or another - 1 Samuel 17:48

 

"As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him."

 

Did you catch the last part of that verse? Little David RAN toward his giant!!!

 

As I look at my life and the battles I face each day, I rarely enjoy facing them, let alone RUN to face them. It's more like I grudgingly accept them as part of my life and just try to get through the day. Is that any way for a child of God to act? Mmm, no.

 

The other thing David did, as a friend pointed out to me this morning, was David went into battle, with God's blessing, God's anointing. The prosperity preachers of today would say, "God was on his side." No. That's backwards. David was on GOD's side!

 

So, as I am always fond of telling the kids in our youth group, I asked myself THIS question: "So, what are you going to DO about it?"

 

Here's what I have chosen to do. I am vowing not to run from the giants in my life any more. Rather, I am choosing to run towards them. To face them as David faced Goliath. And I will face them in a God-honoring way. His Word will be my only weapon. And it is not I that shall emerge victorious from the battle, it will be God. And I will have confidence because Jesus has already gone to battle ahead of me. He laid down his life so that I might have a way to victory.

 

I would encourage everyone of you to take on the giants you face in life. For me, my giant it's procrastination. It's also a tendency to take on too many things at once. Perhaps it's an addiction of some sort. Perhaps it's an illness. God MUST come first in our lives. He is MORE than worthy of our "first fruits."

 

Next in line, after God, is everyone else on the planet. Remember the greatest commandment?

 

 “'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.’" - Matthew 22:37-39.

 

Our lives can become overwhelmed by "giants." We can defeat those giants through Christ. Pick up your sling (the Bible), grab a pocket full of stones (God's wisdom from His Word) and slay those giants today . . . in a God-honoring way.