OFF… we go now

A few years back I was with a group of children who were all under the age of 6 and to keep them entertained I kept dropping pennies in various places.  Each time they came across a penny, they acted like it was a treasure and when they caught on to the fact some mystery person was dropping money, they instantly transformed into treasure hunters.  Excitedly searching for pennies on sidewalks, in flowerbeds, in the gutter and around the cars parked in the driveway, these treasure hunters knew that every penny was a treasure and well worth the effort to go on an adventure to find one.

In contrast, not that long ago I was with a group of guys and we saw a penny on the ground.  We looked at it, and left it there.  Apparently a penny holds more value to kids than a group of guys who couldn’t even be convinced to pick it up.  It struck me as funny so I asked these guys, just how much money needed to be sitting on the ground to justify the effort required to bend down and retrieve it.  At 25 cents, most of us said we would stop to pick it up, but we had to get all the way to a dollar bill before everyone agreed the effort of bending over to pick up money was worthwhile.

Jesus once said, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 

More than pointing to the pathway to heaven, when Jesus talked about entering the Kingdom of God, he was talking about entering a life in the here and now where the ruler is none other that Christ himself.  To enter the kingdom of God is to live out the values of God’s wisdom and truth in the present.  Jesus said the kind of faith required to live this way was greatest in children, I believe it is because they possess the faith to be treasure hunters when it comes to God’s truth.

Many who are reading these words have heard wisdom from God, it sounded like this;  …forgive others, love your enemies, pray always, meditate on scripture, love others as yourself, give generously, live holy, be careful of your mouth, and spend time in the word…  This wisdom reminds us to care for the poor, love God with all we have and trust him over worry.  This truth instructs us on dealing with conflict, it makes us better parents, husbands, wives, children and friends.  This wisdom instructs us on how to interact with Christians and those yet to know the amazing love of God. 

Here is an honest confession.  In my life, I find that I rarely lack for the wisdom I need from God, instead, what I far to often lack is the “childlike faith” to pick it up.  In the end, I become guilty of treating God’s wisdom like I would treat a penny.  I notice the wisdom, but after assessing the effort it would take to pick it up, I deem it is not worth the effort.  Instead of childlike faith that would see God’s truth like a treasure, I miss entering into kingdom living in the here and now.

James 4:17 – if you know the right thing to do and do not do it, this is sin.  Try this for the next few days.  If you see “a penny” pick it up.   Off We Go Now…

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In February of this year I started on my Master’s Degree.  As I was weighing out the opportunities to apply and be in this program, I kept hearing the phrase “life long learner”.  It is not new in my mind, but in light of the journey in which I find myself, the phrase has taken on new light.

It is now September and much water has traveled under the bridge of life and in a moment of pause, I am asking myself this question.  “What am I learning?”  My intention with these posts is to share some of the way in which God is shaping me as a person, man, father, husband and leader.  It is also my hope that in reading you would find yourself encouraged.

I am learning to trust God with what matters most to me.

I am an intense person.  Okay, relationally I am kind of laid back and love to laugh, but my mind is always thinking and “on” if you know what I mean.  Imagine this as your dad.  You see, in my caffeinated backwards thinking brain, everything matters.  Add passion, a bit of fear and you have the recipe for wearing out your kids.

In April of this year, I was reading and praying through Philippians 1.  I got to the familiar verse six of the first chapter “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

As I read the verse I realized something.  I did not pray for my kids with that same confidence.  I was not trusting God to do what he promised he would do in them.  I was operating out of a sense of fear that asked the question; “What if my kids make a giant mistake?”  What if my kids do not listen?”  what if my kids don’t give their best?”  As I sat there reading this verse, I could hear God’s gentle voice. “Leonard, I love your kids more than you do, can do more for them than you can and have better plans for them than you have. Trust me with the confidence of this verse.”

Truth?  I cried.  I cried because I was not trusting God like a needed to.  I cried because I had heard from my Father in heaven words that I needed to hear.  I cried because I knew my kids would get from God what they needed from God. (I also knew I couldn’t give them what he will.)  I cried in relief.

Today, my prayer life for my kids is radically different.  It is filled with the confidence that what God started, he will finish.  In the same chapter, Paul, the writer shares what he prayed with such confidence.  This is now my daily prayer for my kids.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”  Philippians 1:9-11

I am learning to trust God with what matters most to me.  So here is a real life confession, my whole family noticed the difference.  Thank you God the Holy Spirit for revealing your word, instructing my heart and gently moving my prayer life forward in a way that trusts you with what matters most.  Off… we go now.

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I have been so busy posting on other sites, launching a new ministry, doing grad school, traveling over 50,000 miles this summer and getting my daughter on her way to college that I have not posted here is a long time.  I appreciate those who send in requests for me to write more, and kind words are always a plus too.  I just figured I would eventually get back to writing more often when the time was right.  

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Today I want to tell you a story.

Once there was a poor man who lived in a poor village in a poor city in a poor state in a poor country.   One day he received a large box and on the box there was only one instruction.  Use this with wisdom and for that which it was intended.  

When he opened the box he saw it was filled with money, enough to share with his family, his village and his city.  With more than a lifetime supply of money in front of him, he quickly forgot about the note.   These new found riches afforded him the chance to make his life better, much better.  He hired a contractor and the contractor built him a bigger and better home.  He hired a personal chef to make sure the food his family ate was the best.  He purchased the finest clothes, cars and accessories. 

One day there was a knock at the door and when his butler opened the door there was a common looking man with average clothes and average build.  This man was invited in and as he sat together with the newly rich, formerly poor gentleman he asked a question; “did you get the box I delivered to you?” 

In shock, the newly rich, formerly poor gentleman nodded a shy and suspicious yes, but was obvious that he struggled to believe it came from such an average looking man.  “It came from you?”  “but…”  was all he could say.  Holding up his hand as if to say “listen” the average man began to tell a story. 

I was a poor man in a poor village in a poor city in a poor state in a poor country.  One day a box of money showed up on my doorstep.  On the box was a note that said, “Use this with wisdom and for that which it was intended.” 

My first response was to dream of all the new things I could now get for me and my family.  But then I saw the note again.  It haunted me.  Use this with wisdom and for that which it was intended.  In my sleep that night I dreamt about the note.  When I awoke I thought about the note.  So I set out to find the author of the note and I used the money to help me find the author.  In a very short time I found the author and there began a friendship.  It was a brotherhood and partnership that changed everything.  I stayed for hours that day and came back every day.  I finally got the courage to ask about the note.   “I asked for what purpose did you give this to me?”  His answer shook me to my core.  “So you would use it to find me, know me and we could be friends and so that in this new friendship you could help me share more boxes.”  My mind began to spin as I asked, “more boxes?” 

What happened next stunned me even more.  He opened a door to a room that had no end and showed me boxes.  I asked, “how many boxes do you have here?”  “Enough for everyone” he replied and then he handed me yours.  He said, “take it to him and leave it on his door with this note.”  Use this with wisdom and for that which it was intended.  That’s when it made sense.   

For those of us reading these words and feeling like this is about money, can I ask you now to re-read these words and everywhere you see the word money, will you replace it with the word faith?

What if God’s intention for faith was that we could and would know Him and in knowing Him share Him?  What if faith’s purpose was not so we could have power but rather so we could share His power?  What if God had in mind the best kind of love and friendship that could ever be imagined and in His wisdom provided us with the only active ingredient that could take this relationship and love from His imagination to our reality?  Faith!  And what if faith came with a simple set of instructions?  Use this with wisdom and for that which it was intended.

Hebrews 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Off…we go now.

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We live by faith and not by sight.   Wow!  These words are sure lofty.  I would love it if I could say they were always true of how I live my life.  There is a great story in the bible that in all honesty, it challenges me no matter how many times I read it or hear a sermon on it.  It is the early morning that Peter walked on the water.  In my minds eye I can see the storm, the waves, Jesus and Peter walking.  This story so inspires me that sometimes when no one is looking, I have stepped out on my pool trying to walk on the water.  I sink like a rock!

What makes me say “hmmm” in this story is that I am convinced that Peter understood something about faith and sight that no one else in the boat that night understood; “the safest place to be in any storm is next to Jesus, not in a boat.”

The only person on the sea that early morning who had no potential to drown was Jesus and I believe that Peter got that.  I believe that Peter thought to himself, if Jesus can beat the waves and sea and our boat is filling up with water… I need to go where Jesus is.  Armed with this thought, Peter says, “Lord if it is you; command me to come to you on the water.”

Sure common sense says, boats and water are better in a storm that no boat.  Sure common sense says that getting out of a boat in a storm is not the safest and wisest choice ever made.  But sometimes common sense is nothing more than sight masquerading as faith.

I am convicted by this thinking.  If I look back over the last several days of prayer in my life, I have prayed for more boats to come my way, more storms to stop blowing, more Jesus in my boat than I have…  “Tell me to come to you on the water, Jesus.”  I guess you could say I am addicted to walking by sight and not faith.

If it were me, I might have said.  Ah yes, there is Jesus, lets call him over and ask him to make the way smooth.  I might have said, Jesus my fear is so big, would you calm the storm instead of asking him to calm the storm fear had created in my heart.  I would have prayed it really well, with passion and fervency and I would have made sure I used wise sounding words about how much I know God loves me and how he only wants the best for me.  (True words, but too often I am working off of my definitions of love and what is best for me.)

Not Peter, he gets it.  “Jesus is not going to drown, that is where I want to be.”

Here are a few questions I am asking myself.  Am I asking God for another boat or asking Jesus to call me out of my boat?  Am I praying for God to calm the storm or asking him to calm my fear?  Let’s see if I can walk more by faith than sight.  Off… we go now.

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Tags: Faith, Peter, sinking, storms of life, walking on the water

I want to go to heaven, I really do!!!!  It will be amazing and I will experience several things that I cannot even conceive in my mind.  Here is a short list I am excited about.

When I get to heaven…

• I will see Jesus!  I get choked up even writing this.  I want to see my Savior face to face.
• I will see my Heavenly Father!  Wow!  To see the one whose love sacrificed His own Son on my behalf.
• I will live in perfect harmony with God the Holy Spirit!  No more zigging when He is zagging.
• I will be freed permanently from the ripple effect of all sin, especially mine.
• Some of my questions will be answered and even more of my questions won’t matter.
• I will get the new body.  I have put a lot of miles on this one.
• All my tears will be wiped away and HE will make all things new.
• I will see all my heroes.  I will meet guys like Noah, Moses, Elijah, Gideon, David and of course Peter and the rest of the apostles.  I will see my grandfather again and my father in law and other people who have gone before.
• I will never experience crummy things like worry, stress, financial woes, car problems, flashes of temper, bad thoughts hijacking my mind, caving to temptation, that ache in my knee, a migraine because I did not sleep enough…

BUT – there is always a but.

I grew up in a church that taught Jesus could come back at any moment and we needed to be ready.  But I had a lot of things I still wanted to do before Jesus interrupted my life with bliss.  I wanted to travel, I wanted to be in love, I wanted to have kids, I wanted to be a grownup…  This was the perspective of my youth.  Yes I wanted to go to heaven, just not yet.

My church was filled with wonderful older Christians.  Some of these amazing people were in their 70’s, 80’s and beyond.  They spoke of heaven differently.  They wanted to go because they felt that the end of their journey was near.  These people longed for heaven in a way I did not.

There were the troubled people in our church.  These were the folks for whom heaven was a get out of jail free card.  The thought was, “I got a giant mess, life is hard, my kids are a mess, my marriage is a mess, my finances are a mess, I got court problems coming my way, I cannot imagine struggling with sobriety for another 20 years, I don’t like working, I have such deep wounds, I have created such deep wounds…  IT SURE WOULD BE NICE IF JESUS CAME SO I DID NOT HAVE TO DO THIS STUFF ANYMORE!

After almost 30 years in ministry this thinking has not changed much.  Younger people still want to get more life lived, older folks are seeing the finish line and there is still a group of people who, depending on how hard life is, determines how much they want Jesus to come and get them.

Here is my crazy thought.  I really want Jesus to come and get me… BUT not yet and here is why.  There are over 6 billion people in this world.  Of those only 1 billion or so know Christ.  There are almost 2.5-3 billion people who have never even heard of Jesus.  There are another 2+ billion locked in religions that lead to a Christless eternity.  Frankly, there are literally billions of people who do not know how much God loves them.  There is a lot of work to do.

Here is how I see it.  I am going to get all that I described above and more.  Guaranteed by the ONE who gave His life for all.  He sealed the deal!  It is not a maybe, not an if only, it is FOR SURE!  I don’t want Jesus to come get me yet because there are over 5 billion people who still need him.  For me to want out of here just because I got my golden ticket when I would be leaving behind so many who have not even heard…  I think this heart might not be the same as God’s heart.

Is Jesus coming back today?  I hope not.  Not because I do not want to see him but rather because there are far too many people who still need to hear about Him.  Off… we go now.

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Tags: end of the world, Jesus is coming, rapture, Return of christ