Shooting Stars

A Shooting Star as seen from space

Many of my fondest memories come from those lonely nights gazing into the Colorado night skies.  No matter how many times it happens it still amazes me.  That brief moment in which I notice a glimmer of light that fades as fast as it came.  I almost consider myself lucky every time I see a shooting star.  I still remember the feeling of amazement I experienced the first time I saw one standing alone in an open wheat field.

Today my family takes time to look in the back yard to gaze into the night sky and believe it or not we have seen a few even with all the city lights.  I guess you just have to take some time to look and examine.

I am told that shooting stars are actually quite common and happen all the time.   It’s just that we don’t see them because we are not looking.  Sure the city lights might dim them, but I can tell you that I have seen many more sitting in my back yard over this past year than I ever did the previous ten.

What is the difference?  Well, my viewpoint!  As silly as it sounds it comes down to where I am looking and this past year we have taken time to look up.  We bought a telescope, take the time and relax in our backyard.  And wholla, the shooting stars appear!

God is a lot like that, He was always there, it was just my distracted view of life that caused me to miss Him.  He has never changed, but my life changed so much I would forget He was up there.

Remember that the next time you are compelled to believe that God is distant, angry, or vengeful, cause they are all myths.

(1 John 4:8)  “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

Praying you will bust the myths about God, cause they are the hardest to conquer.

Happy Black Friday

Well, last night was a first for me….I took my family (all four of us) Black Friday shopping.  Wow what an experience!  I can’t remember being in a line that long since I stood in line to see “Star Trek-The Wrath of Khan” (that was 1982).  On the way my sister from Colorado Springs called me so our families could wish each other a happy Thanksgiving, but this was a FaceTime call.  Gone is the long bungee telephone cord from the kitchen phone and enter the family watching each other and expressing pleasantries 2,000 miles apart from each other as I drive 65 miles per hour down the road.  That amazes me and should bring happiness right?

The line outside that red circular store was also astonishing as we arrived.  I remember looking at the ad in the paper and thinking as we pulled in, “I did not see free money giveaway listed?”  We got in line and entered the store and spend the next 3 hours trotting around the familiar isles with all of the randomly placed “Black Friday” deal displays litter here there and everywhere.  The kids did great and we where having a great time.  The amount of stuff people where hauling around amazed me and should bring happiness right?

Then came time to check out and wow, another line that rivaled my theater experiences. It winded all around the store, literally!   It snaked through isle after isle and fooled us at each turn thinking we were almost at the checkout.  I spent more time in the beauty section than I ever wanted to.  People where civil and having a good time.  All these Christmas gifts should bring happiness to many.  The huge deals are the beginnings of a “Happily ever after”, right?

We don’t have to even think about what the answer is, we know.   Sure these moments and materials make us happy, for a time.  Lets be honest happiness is a myth!  It’s fleeting, circumstantial and really never obtained.  No matter how many deals you get or how much technology you slather on, it vanishes as fast as it appears.  Happiness is a selfish lie that often keeps us from experiencing what God intended for us.  Joy is what we are really looking for and what God has provided.  It’s funny how you and I look for Joy but settle for happiness.  Looking for it at each turn, during each call and at each checkout counter.  Filling our lives with a counterfeit that will only keep us coming back for more.  Instead look for Joy and see what a difference it makes.

I pray you will bust the myth that keeps you from true happiness, that you would find God’s Joy this season!

(Psalm 4:7) "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound"

Good People

The 80’s had to be the best time in human history.  I mean we got the “human league” as a band, He-man as an action figure and Caddyshack as the best golf movie to ever hit the big screen (Tiger Woods got nothing on Bill Murray).  That is just to name a few awesome things to hit the world’s center stage when I was growing up.

Back then things where alright and we even had a song to boot, thanks Kenny Loggins!  As a matter of fact I was convinced that I was alright and the only thing I had to worry about was the Russians invading America (I practiced how I would repel such force weekly).  But in the middle of that myth I was slowing falling apart.

Certain that I had the world by the tail I started doing things I should have never done. I started to steal things that resulted in grand theft auto long before it was a game and I started going too far in my relationships with girls that resulted…well we will leave that one alone.  The reality was I was far from alright.  I was doing life by myself and it was starting to show.

(Ecclesiastes 4:8)  “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.  There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.”

And that was me, never content and always in stress until I busted one very important myth.  The myth that everyone is good.  At the core we really know that is not true.  No one has to teach dishonestly or how to cheat.  No one has to instruct in the proper way to lie.  Instead we naturally do that which is destructive.  It’s contrary to popular belief, but once I realized I was not a good person, I begin the search for what would make me a good person.

In short it was Jesus.  He taught me through His life recorded in the Bible and the countless stories of people He impacted.  He taught me that life is never better alone, that I would never do life well without Him.  He accepted me as I was, broken, needy and messed up.  He showed me that I was not alright, but that through Him I would be.  It was then my torment of toil turned into a tide of tenderness.  It saved my soul.  Maybe it’s time you stop believing the myth you are alright doing life on your own and start seeking Jesus for answers?

I pray you bust the myths in your life, especially the ones that lie to you.

All Roads Lead To Heaven

I am amazed today how quickly people forget.  So much money is spent on getting people to remember but give it six months and no one seems to recall or remember a thing.  Messages that seem so important fade with furious speed, unless it was in their “iThingy”. 

It amazes me, especially when I examine how fast we lose information.  Now I get the lack of memory retention if it’s the mundane daily tasks or the weekly deal dash in the paper, but what I don’t understand is when people forget the real important things.  Important things like anniversary dates (guilty as charged), birthdays, money for Christmas (comes same time each year) or the teachings of Jesus.  What?  Yeah, have you noticed how many people today claim Jesus’ as who they follow but their lives reflect very little what His looked like.

Now if you think this problem is new and due to our pace of life, think again.  It plagued the first round of believers also (I guess we forgot that as well).  It’s almost like we intentionally abandon what we know for what we don’t know.  Well if that’s you, then you are not alone.  A group of Christians did that same thing…

(Galatians 1:6-7) “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

What is that Gospel they are forgetting?  Well, it’s the belief that Jesus is God (His Son) and He is the only way to heaven.  It's the claim that only one road leads to heaven.  And that is where many people get stuck. As a person people might like Jesus or even love Jesus, but the moment He claims to be God you and I have to make a choice.  He is either nuts, lying or is actually God!

And to be honest that is a big claim, one that can’t be backed up just by my words.  Proof needs to be given that Jesus is who He claimed to be.  And God does provide that, in His way!  But that’s the kicker right?  Finding God is usually attempted our way, on our terms, in our parameters.  It’s typically called religion and there are plenty to choose from today.  But if you look close at everyone you will find a common thread, “DO” (It's even in Christianity).  Yep, in order to find or please God you must do something for God and that puts us in an awkward place because we can’t find His actual “To-DO” list.  So we either make it up ourselves, toss it and stop seeking or just plain forget about it.  Jesus said this about those trying to do it their own way…

(John 5:39-40) “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

Finding God and His life is not about doing, it never was.  It’s not about our attempt to reach God.  Instead it’s about accepting what God has already done through Jesus Christ for us.  But that means you have to take Jesus by His claims and be willing to explore God’s proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be.

What is that proof?  Well I am glad you asked, it’s His promise that we can experience His power, His presence and His peace in our lives.  Not what you were expecting was it?  Well, I wish I could provide a scientific trial that proves Jesus’ claims and produce you a set of "white papers" but I can’t and really no one can.

You see, God does not focus on the external, but rather the internal which makes it hard to complete a set of experiments to prove a theory.  It’s really up to the individual to consider Jesus’ claims.  As you consider your choices about Jesus’ claims let me leave you with a few words from God Himself through the voices of those that came to believe God on His terms.

The Apostle Paul (Romans 5:8) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God Himself speaking to the Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16:7) “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Praying you bust every myth in your life, especially the one surrounding who Jesus is.