A guitar string, a trampoline, a rubber band, an electrical pole – what do they all need to work? Tension. I believe that we need tensions in our life too. Not the kind that make us crazy stress monsters, but another kind . . .

Tensions aren’t bad in and of themselves. They just are. All leaders have the ability to live within some tensions. This is a leadership lesson, and all of us as disciples of Jesus are called to disciple someone – so we’re all leaders. Nehemiah contains some of the best leadership lessons in the Bible. Nehemiah led a group of exiles to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem while facing intense opposition and demoralization on every side.

And we see that Israel’s two greatest enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah were still hanging around at the close of the book providing constant tension against Nehemiah and God’s people – Yet God’s work moved forward. Without those two jokers we would have a really boring story without many leadership lessons at all. It’s even possible that the work would have gone slower – hmmmm. What we know for certain is that it pulled out the best in Nehemiah. Here are the principles of tension . . .

1. Tension is needed to pull some things forward. If a tow cable is always slack, nothing gets moved forward. There are tensions in our relationships, like hard conversations that are built to grow us into better people.
2. Tension is needed to hold other things up. Electrical poles don’t stay up long without their cables, and those cables would be on the ground except for, not one, but two opposing poles providing tension. Jesus said to love God and love our neighbor – all the Law and Prophets hang on these two (Matt 22:40). If you only love your neighbor and not God the whole thing falls apart.
3. Don’t rush to relieve tensions. Living in certain tensions will produce growth that won’t come any other way. People’s default to the isolation button, or the find new friends button will never produce the kind of lasting growth that God requires. That’s why it’s only in community with other people that the body of Christ is truly His body, His bride. Jesus is not coming for a group of isolated people who profess faith in Christ, He’s coming for a community of believers. Living in that community requires growing through tensions sometimes.

I’ve talked with 6 people this week who needed to hear about God’s purposes in tensions, it’s become obvious that God is speaking this to our body right now. Lean in and grow :-).

People in our world often look at Christianity as irritatingly narrow-minded. Jesus is the only way to God. Every other religion claims morality (each morality is different), but morality, is the only way to God. If your good outweighs your bad (again, everyone’s definition of this is different) then God is obligated to treat you well. That makes God your servant, and morality your plaything.

What if Christianity isn’t giving a narrow perspective, it’s giving a different diagnosis? Let’s say that you go to a bunch of doctors who all say you’re fine and then you go to another doctor who says, “No, you’re not fine, you’re terminal unless you take this medication.” How would you respond to that doctor? You wouldn’t say, “You’re narrow minded.” No, you’d say, “Wow, I need to find out if you’re right. What if those doctors are mistaken?”

These other religions believe teaching morality is enough – but no, the situation is too dire. Sin (rebellion against our Creator) has a terminal diagnosis. The Son of God had to come to earth, and He had to go to the cross as a perfect sacrifice for sin. We must give our lives entirely to Him. It is in that restoration of relationship that the kingdom of heaven is birthed in us, and gets activated in our lives. Then we’re not working our way to get to heaven – we’re working to introduce our world to heaven! The diagnosis is different and it’s good news – heaven can be our reality – and it’s found in the person of Jesus Christ!

Have you ever desired so much to keep moving forward but everything in you felt like quitting? You know, just like James that the reward is only possible when you continue moving forward, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (Jas. 1:12 NIV) 

Here are 3 perseverance tips that have the power to change your world . . .

1. Just a little bit more. Take this attitude into your times of solitude and silence with God. How much time should you spend in silence with God? “Just a little bit more.” We all go into that place with God with an idea of when we need to come out, which is fine. So the “just a little bit more” attitude has the ability to suspend time in our spirit for the entirety of our time with God. How long does it take you to get to peace? Well, you’ll get there with the attitude that it takes “just a little bit more” and watch out, you might just persevere past peace and get deep into joy and delight with God!
2. Tell me more. Everyone has been in a conversation with someone that got awkward and intense beyond social norms – an uncomfortable story, a crying fit, an outburst of strange immaturity, the divulging of painful past or present issues. What is our tendency? To end the conversation, or change the subject, and maybe even run from the relationship. What is the response that can win? “Tell me more.” Those 3 words will breakthrough for you – they soften the other person, let them know you care and want to hear them. Then, persevere past the emotional flooding, listen and empathize. Watch for the clearing in the conversation. Seek God together with them and experience the breakthrough you both have been looking for.
3. You’ve given all to me. As we’re fasting for the next 21 days, each of us will get reminders throughout the day to seek God. When we want to engage in whatever habit we’re fasting and we’re reminded to be with God. The first thing that appropriately comes to mind is, “God, I’m giving this time to you.” So here’s the win, persevere one step further every time, “… because You’ve given all to me.” Then you’re fasting reminders are less about what you’re giving up and more about the Giver of all good gifts. “You’ve given all to me” focus in fasting will help you to persevere to Isaiah 58 kinds of victories.

Well, I already broke a New Year’s resolution. It was the one I made last week about NOT learning to solve a Rubik’s Cube. So the next day at my brother-in-law’s house I saw a cube among their children’s toys and picked it up reminiscing on my words. My brother-in-law says, “I pulled it out of the package, messed with it, and that’s when I knew, this will never look right again.” Agggghhhh – I couldn’t resist. That was all it took to send me into a spiral of indulgence watching a youtube tutorial and for the next 2.5 hours – to solve the thing, and take this corny picture :-).

Silly resolution aside, I learned something – there’s a tedium to focus. Focus is monotonous at times, or rather, rhythmic. Victories and successes are not momentary (like the lottery), nor are they all fist-pumping laps around the track (like the Olympics). They are often one right choice made over and over again daily, moment by moment for you entire life.

Like the choice to be all in with Jesus – it’s one choice, made every day our entire life. It’s rhythmic, but not monotonous. Life with Jesus is an adventure, just ask Paul . . . 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger… (read the rest on your own) ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Cor. 6:4-10 NIV)

There is power in one right choice. That is often what separates those who achieve their dreams – one right choice over and over when others have given up and puttered out. Achieving our dreams (or better yet, God’s dreams for us) is the adventure that God has called us to. There’s a rhythm to the adventure of supernatural living. Embrace God’s rhythm for you and get closer to Jesus and your dreams. One right choice over and over brings us one step closer to Christ every day.

After giving up for like the 8 billionth time on a rubix cube, my friend showed me the strategy to solving it. For him it was simple, solve it in stages, memorize a few algorithms – boom. I tried again, it turns out each of those algorithms take like an hour to learn. So I resolved to NOT solve a rubix cube this year – haha. So far I am succeeding! Yay!

Sometimes our resolutions seem like unsolvable rubix cubes. We want to work out daily, read a book a month, eat less candy, enjoy life to the fullest, stop looking at our phone so much, learn a new skill, travel more, or not make any resolutions (head scratcher). All of them sound great until we set our willpower to doing them and realize that habits eat will-power for breakfast. But I do believe that resolutions are worth making. You, God and others all deserve a better you in 2017. So here’s my list of resolutions worth making (and keeping) in 2017 . . .

1. Be more hope-filled. This involves a retraining of your habits in thought. Begin to set a trajectory in your thoughts toward hope. Imagine your mind being like a child with never-ending hope. And then imagine that again – make that one same decision over and over again. I’ve heard it said, “Whoever has the most hope has the most influence.” Grow your hope quotient in 2017.

2. Be continually growing. I believe God is proud of us when we set our heart to constant improvement. We haven’t arrived, we’re not satisfied or stagnant, but are leaning into His best in every area of our life. God wrote creative growth into our DNA and into every part of creation, and then He called us to do it also – a 50 cent word called sanctification 🙂 it means to become more and more set apart for God. So resolve to be growing in every area of life, and then set achievable, specific bite sized goals and set your heart to them (that works way better than your will)

3. See yourself as worthwhile. That’s how God sees you. He saw you as worthwhile when He created you. He saw you as worthwhile when He sent His Son Jesus to earth to die for you. And He sees you as worthwhile right now, because His Spirit is inside you to daily guide you into growth. So see yourself that way.

4. Encourage someone. As often as possible – there are ways to encourage people even when you don’t see a whole lot of people (facebook, text, phone call, etc). There is nothing that will speak more volumes to your worth and growth like when you give encouragement away. We don’t encourage to validate ourselves spiritually, we encourage because we are validated by God. He loves us and thinks we’re amazing – and every person around us is an object of wonder and majesty.

The biggest problem with resolution is that we base them in our will. Our will has amnesia – like Dory the fish, our will won’t remember 10 minutes later what our mind told it to go after – as quickly as our next habit kicks in. That’s why the real resolution happens in the transforming of our mind – so that our habits get retrained over time.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is– his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom. 12:2 NIV)

So make some resolutions that work this year – that will prove God’s will – His will is good, pleasing and perfect :-). What are some other resolutions worth making?

No matter how foul, ragged or sour my mood is, if I walk into the house and my baby girl smiles at me – my mood has to reconcile that. If she smiles for any period of time my mood doesn’t have a chance. I will have caught the bug, the virus, the contagion called joy. That is a contagion worth catching this Christmas. So here are 3 practical questions that will help your mind get infected with joy . . .

1. What’s right in my life? Take inventory – shelter, heat, food, Jesus, freedom, transportation, etc. Then get specific and creative to write those things down. So many complain about cold, but what if we were so thankful for heat, that cold is just a reminder of how good we have it?
2. What’s right with the people in my life? This question can be asked about literally every relationship in our life. We could even pick the person that tends to irritate us and ask this question and watch our perspective change. Don’t try to love the unlovable, realize God’s truth that no one is unlovable. Holy Spirit in you knows exactly how to love everyone.
3. What can I do right now to bless someone? Take a minute right now, engage with Holy Spirit for someone, listen or see what He has for them. Then text or facebook message them. Right now. For real. Go for it . . .

We don’t bless in order to feel good about ourselves. We bless because Jesus has been so good to us – we give love out of the overflow of our heart.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with joy that was overwhelmingly awesome!” (Matt. 2:10 – my translation, but that’s what the Greek says – haha)

This was the scene of a dance party from a bunch of stuffy intellectuals – can you imagine? How wonderful! They saw the star moving, then stop – so they were in the right place! They were about to see the joyful baby, the King! We have the joy of Jesus flowing out through us this Christmas that can turn even the stuffiest scrooges into dance partiers.

The invite comes in, the party arrives, and they come (the antler sweaters, the Santa head, the jingle bell/glitter/tinsel/elf/sleigh/snow men sweaters and so forth). So fun! Very few things make a Christmas party lively like an bunch of ugly, primary colored, shoulder-padded, ill-fitting sweaters. And that’s the whole point – they’re ugly, and everyone’s doing it – everyone looks ridiculous in a spiral of bottom-of-the-barrel humanity.

But there are some things where this concept doesn’t work – like sin. Gossip, complaints, sexuality, substances, hate, hurry, spending – to name a few. Wait, there’s a list that Paul made that sounds a lot like that 🙂 . . .

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Rom. 13:13 NIV)

The principle for winning over sin in Scripture is not necessarily will power, although that can help at times. It’s not through being better disciplined, or hating sin worse, or making resolutions – though all of those things have a place. It’s what psychology calls “replacement thinking,” and believers have that on steroids, because we have Jesus Christ to occupy our attention.

I don’t think anyone is about to get addicted to ugly Christmas sweaters … maybe. If only that were true other areas in our life. But sin, well, that’s addictive and destructive to us, our sphere of influence, and our society. So beat sin, just like you beat an ugly sweater – wear something better – like Jesus Christ. Clothe yourself with Christ today (even if you have an ugly sweater on – haha)!

“Hi Laura! How are you?” I asked, answering my cell phone. “Well . . . Tim passed away last night.” She was devastated, I was stunned. He was my friend, and was 44, the father of 8 kids, a man of intense, beautiful faith and passion for God, for his family and for the supernatural. He had been miraculously and completely healed of cancer about 11 months earlier. Then he was diagnosed with an aggressive liver disease that took him out in 3 months.

At that moment in my faith the “Why?” question was unnecessary, even hurtful. I knew why – death, sickness, sin, Satan’s works – that’s the natural way of things. God gave us dominion over our world and we gave it away through sin – Jesus restored it, and we are still learning to walk in that authority. God our Father understands loss and even sickness, but He didn’t cause it. Here’s the principle . . .

Scripture always addresses the why question on the positive, but not the negative. The negative is obvious – it’s natural. The positive, well, that’s supernatural. That’s God’s domain.

• John 9 – Why was the man born blind? So that God’s works might be displayed.
• Rom 8:28 – Why do bad things happen? Doesn’t matter, God will orchestrate them for good, for those who love Him.

The why (on the positive) of the timing of miracles is very often (maybe always) related to God getting maximum glory through us. That’s why people more often get healed in church Gatherings. That’s why non-believers are likely to get healed even more than believers, because the supernatural is always an avenue for relationship.

Why did my friend die in the prime of life? Not the right question. God was (and is) miraculously with that family throughout. What about asking why he got healed of cancer and had 11 more months with them? That’s a better question.

At the funeral, we cried and sang powerfully, “In death, in life, I’m confident and covered by the power of Your great love.” (Tim’s favorite song – “One Thing Remains”) God’s presence was so thick and wonderful. Why? Because He loves us and He thinks we’re amazing. He is fully dedicated to orchestrating any natural circumstance into supernatural good.

• “You want to be a coach, don’t you.” I said.
• “I want to be a what?” She replies incredulous.
• “You want to coach volleyball and basketball, don’t you? . . .”
• “Yeah, but I never told anyone . . .” She says.
• “God knows your heart, and He knows that you’re not playing right now because of things out of your control, but you’re going to play again, and He has plans for you as a coach. He loves that you want to be a coach and He’s going to use you.”

The words had just started to roll out of my heart by that point, as they pierced the heart of this teenager who had been through so much. She had people reject, abuse and tell her what she couldn’t do her whole life. So even when someone came along to encourage her she didn’t believe them. But not this time. God shined light onto the secrets of her heart through supernatural knowledge (Word of knowledge), and everything in her heart became free game again.

When God reveals the secrets of the heart, the heart will open like a flower to Him and to people. Paul wrote about this to the church in Corinth . . .

“But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of all and convinced of all, ²⁵ as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’” (1 Cor. 14:24-25)

That girl walked into an environment where God’s words were being poured out, and the gold in her was being called out. This time she couldn’t convince herself out of the encouragement, and she couldn’t run from God’s love. She decided to become an all-in Jesus follower!

Truth . . .

1. The secrets of your heart are laid bare before our Father, and He still likes you.
2. The secrets of others hearts are available to everyone through Holy Spirit, when we partner with Him for kingdom purposes, with His love in our heart.

Does your heart need to open up today? Who will you target for God’s love?

 

Whoever promised that technology would simplify our lives was seriously delusional. We were supposed to have robots to clean our houses, do our laundry, make us cookies, and drive our cars by now. Electronics are high-powered and make us more productive but they are by no means simple; because electronics are inherently complicated. Not only that but, decisions are complicated, elections are complicated, family relationships are complicated, life is complicated. But does it have to be?

Martha was living a complicated life in the 1^st century when she encountered truth from Jesus. You see she was doing all the work around the house while her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and clung to Jesus’ every word. Martha tried to get Jesus to correct her, listen to Jesus truth and let it ring true in your spirit now, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Lk. 10:42-43 NKJ)

Truth to Simplify . . .

1. “One thing is needed” – Sit at Jesus’ feet, clinging to every word. It’s really that simple. Removing obstacles sounds complicated, but the truth of relationship with Jesus is the simplest thing ever and it’s needed.
2. “Mary has chosen” – We can choose to simplify. Choose to be available for God’s words, listen for His voice, sense His peace, engage with His joy.
3. “Will not be taken away” – No one can take our relationship with Jesus. They could take our freedoms, money, home, possessions, our Bible, even our family, but no one can ever take us from Jesus.

One suggestion for today to put action to this – take 5 or 10 minutes (time it) and listen for God’s voice. Go through the practice of quieting yourself and putting yourself in His space.

Although we’re still waiting on the robot who will make us cookies, we’re not waiting to simplify our life with God. That “one thing” is available right now.