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I’m currently reading an excellent book by Matthew Aaron Perman entitled What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done.  I highly recommend you get a copy.  So, today I want to share a couple of paragraphs from the book. 

“Teaching morals alone will not result in morality. You cannot get moral and ethical behavior by urging people to try harder, for it is the affections that lead to transformed lives, and these affections are driven by the doctrines of Christianity. If you take the doctrine away, you destroy the foundation.

Thus, when doctrine goes, the ethical teachings of Christianity eventually go as well, because the ethical teachings grow out of Christian doctrine. Doctrine is the soil in which the ethical teaching of Christianity grows, and which gives it life and nourishment and energy. Thus, when emphasis on doctrine declines, emphasis on the practical eventually declines as well.“

Perman goes on…

“One implication of these things is that the way to change society – to change the nation and the world – is, interestingly, not primarily to preach on politics or ethics or ten steps to a healthy marriage, but to preach on doctrine.”

What you do flows out of who you are.  If you are united to Christ then Christian love and good deeds and true morality will flow out of you. And then God will be glorified.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

I’m a firm believer in studying the Bible every day.  To be honest, I don’t do it every day but it’s my desire and I attempt to make the effort.  The reason we read and study our Bibles every day is that they bring us the very words of God.  As Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 32:47 about the Word of God, “These are no idle words for you, but your very life.”  I could go on and spend pages writing about the benefits of Bible study.  Instead I want to give you 5 books that I believe will enrich and strengthen your personal study of the Scriptures.  There are, of course, many other books.  These are just my top 5.

I will say up front that these books are not cheap.  They are reference books and they tend to get expensive, although the link I have provided should get you to the best prices. Just click on the highlighted text.

There is no substitute for sitting down with just your Bible and a journal.  You don’t need any of these books to study the Bible.  All you really need is the Holy Spirit to guide you into it’s truths.  However, these can enrich and enhance your study, making it even more fruitful.  So here goes…

1. The ESV Study Bible.  The notes in this study Bible are excellent. They provide valuable insight, background and understanding to the Scriptures.  From the publisher, “The ESV Study Bible was created to help you encounter the truth of God's Word as a powerful, life-changing reality. To accomplish this, it combines the best evangelical scholarship with the text, which, as an "essentially literal" translation, is especially suited for Bible study.” You can get it in a variety of covers like leather, hardcover, etc.
2. The Gospel Transformation Bible.  I love this Bible.  It helps the reader understand the Christ-centeredness of all of the Scriptures. From the publisher, “The apostle Paul summed up his whole ministry as existing “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). That single-minded goal is the heartbeat of the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible. Produced out of the conviction that the Bible is a unified message of God’s grace culminating in Jesus, it is a significant new tool to help readers see Christ in all of Scripture, and grace for all of life.”
3. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.  Have you ever read the Bible and wondered what certain imagery it was trying to convey? What do the cedars of Lebanon mean? This huge compendium is extremely helpful in understanding the images of the Bible that we may not naturally get due to the fact that it was written in a different culture and times.  From the publisher, “The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is the first contemporary reference work dedicated to exploring the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors and literary patterns found in the Bible. More than that, it examines the Bible's universal archetypes or master images--including the plot motifs and character types that recur throughout life, literature and the Bible.”
4. Systematic Theology, by Wayne Grudem.  Doctrine is important. Theology can be confusing. This is a solid reformed systematic theology that will help you make sense out of the doctrine of Scriptures.  From the publisher, “The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. This introduction to systematic theology has several distinctive features: - A strong emphasis on the scriptural basis for each doctrine and teaching - Clear writing, with technical terms kept to a minimum - A contemporary approach, treating subjects of special interest to the church today - A friendly tone, appealing to the emotions and the spirit as well as the intellect - Frequent application to life - Resources for worship with each chapter - Bibliographies with each chapter that cross-reference subjects to a wide range of other systematic theologies.
5. The Westminster Confession of Faith with Larger and Shorter Catechisms.  A concise theology of the reformed faith.  This confession guides our understanding of the core doctrines of the Bible.  Catechesis is the art of learning through memorizing questions and answers. Many children as well as pastors have used this to grasp the basic doctrines. The particular edition I am recommending references the Scriptures that each doctrine is based on.

I hope this helps!

Fletch

Praying for Others

I try to start most of my days in the Scriptures and praying.  I don’t hit every day but it’s a habit I feel is worth working on. I use a journal because it helps me to focus and I like to write out my prayers.  Reading, studying and meditating on Scripture is a rich time for me personally.  However, I also like to pray for others, but sometimes I’m not always sure what to pray for.

So, I decided, “why not pray for them what the Scriptures are teaching me.”  For instance, this morning I read Psalm 28 and wrote out verses 8-9 in my journal,

“The Lord is the strength of his people;

He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.”

I just turn this Scripture into a prayer for others, that the Lord would be their strength today, that they would be blessed and that Jesus, our Shepherd would carry them.  This is a simple and yet profound way to pray for people because it uses God’s Word, not just my own. Give it a try. You really can’t go wrong, and people will be blessed and strengthened as God answers your prayers, which by the way, He loves to do!

All for Jesus,

Fletcher

www.liveforchristresources.com

“I don’t understand why I have to learn this stuff!”  If you haven’t heard your kids say this yet, just wait, school only started yesterday.  I was one of those kids.  I just didn’t care much for school.  I was too busy playing baseball, tennis and blowing up green army men with firecrackers.  School was not a highlight for me growing up.  Of course my lack of desire for learning spilled over into my spiritual life as well.  The Bible seemed boring and irrelevant as did most of church and Sunday school.

However, that all started to change after I became a Christian.  It was during high school that I heard the gospel in a very clear way and felt in my heart that I needed Christ and needed to follow Him.  God started working on my heart and changing my lack of desire to learn and study.  Now, I am not saying I didn’t struggle with school.  I struggled all the way through college and really didn’t catch on to the academic study thing until seminary.  Probably because it was then that I felt God calling me into ministry and I had a purpose to study.  But I will say that my desires to study my Bible, go to church and Sunday school, get involved in a weekly Bible study really did change quickly in high school.  I got involved in all those things and started trying to reach out to my friends as well.  To illustrate my point, I actually took notes during the sermons while I was in high school.

Since then I have always felt a strong desire to learn and study God’s Word.  I guess that’s a good thing since I’m a pastor.  But seriously, my prayer for everyone is that they have a “teachable spirit” towards the things of God.  Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe you said it yourself), “I’ve heard this Bible story before.”  The tone with a bit of pride in it that says, “I already know what this passage is about and it’s really doubtful that I’m going to learn anything new here.”   I know I’m guilty of saying it.  But is that the attitude we should have toward the Scriptures, even if we have heard the story a million times before?  God’s Word is living and active, it will always have something new to teach us.  We will never, ever be able to exhaust the riches of God’s grace in the Bible.  That is, if we approach the Bible with a teachable spirit that says with the Psalmist,

“Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. ³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. ³⁵ Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. ³⁶ Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! ³⁷ Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”                                                                Psalm 119:33-37

There are numerous ways to allow God’s Word to impact your heart and life.  Study and meditate daily on God’s Word, be at church every week and take notes on the sermon, be committed to a Faith & Life class (while your kids and in Sunday school), get involved in a weekly Bible study and Community Group, get involved in the men’s and women’s ministries, listen to a message on your way to work.  I encourage you to do all of the above.  Immerse yourself in learning the things of God and what it means to follow Christ.

What have I been learning lately?  Well, I have been thinking about Philippians 4:6-7 which says,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I memorized this verse in high school so you would think that I know all there is to know about it by now.  But recently this passage has given me profound comfort during times when I am anxious.  I have been able to meditate on it, pick it apart, listen to each word and understand it in a deeper way that I have never seen in it before. 

Lord, give me a teachable spirit that I may soak in your Word each day, allowing it to wash me with its grace, mold my heart and give me the courage to live it out among the world around me.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Need to Change Something?  Find an Accountability Partner (Part 1)

“Ok, I am going to hold you accountable to do what you said you were going to do!”  In a tone that never had much grace this is how my friends and I would attempt to “encourage” each other in our walk with Christ and in trying to live out our spiritual disciplines.  I used to think that accountability meant railing on someone for not doing what they said they were going to do but then I read something that changed my way of thinking… dramatically.   Our Community Group at church has been going through a series entitled, “Instruments in the Hands of the Redeemer.”  This Biblically based, gospel-centered study equips people to learn how to minister to others and help them change (i.e. incarnational ministry).  This last week we read about accountability.  Below is an excerpt from our study guide written by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane.  Take a look at it and then see if maybe your understanding of Biblical accountability has changed.  This is Part 1.  In Part 2 we will look at how this actually looks in holding someone accountable for certain actions.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Accountability
As change is applied to daily living, the Bible gives us two things to remember. First, as we help restore a person to where God wants him to be, we should “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). We are also told that we should “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13). These passages have much to offer us as we think about accountability

• Accountability is not about being a private detective.
• It is not about trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit.
• It is not about being someone’s conscience.
• It is not about forcing someone to obey.
• It is not about chasing someone who is running or looking for someone who is hiding.
  
  Accountability is about providing loving structure, guidance, assistance, encouragement, and warning to a person who is fully committed to the change God is working in his life. Let’s look at these five elements of accountability.

1. Accountability provides structure. Life is often messy and chaotic. Change seems easier when being discussed than it does when being applied to life. Accountability provides an outside system of structure (“Do these things during this period of time”) that can be immensely helpful to the person attempting something for the first time.

2. Accountability provides guidance. Often a person will want to do what is right but won’t be sure how to do it. At these times it is a great benefit to have someone standing alongside to provide ongoing wisdom as to the “where,” “when,” and “how” of change.

3. Accountability provides assistance. There are times when the person is not able to make the needed changes alone (example: a difficult talk with a wife, friend, child) and he literally needs someone there with him, helping him make the changes that are needed.

4. Accountability provides encouragement. Change is difficult and people get beaten down. They are tempted to question their commitments or even to quit. In these times, they need someone they trust alongside them, who knows their situation and who can encourage them to continue.

5. Accountability provides warning. There are times when people confess the need for change, but then begin to rebel against it when they realize the cost and work involved. These people need to be warned of the consequences that their disobedience and rebellion will bring. They need to be reminded that they will harvest what they have sown (Galatians 6:7).

Accountability is not about chasing a person who does not want to change or trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the willingness to provide ongoing help to the person who is fully committed to the “put off/put on” process.

There are three questions to ask as you seek to provide ongoing

accountability.

1. What kinds of ongoing help will this person need?

2. How often will I need to be in contact with him for change to continue?

3. Are there other resources in the Body of Christ that would be helpful during this period of change? How can I connect this person to those resources?

Remember, as the person begins to apply new insights and new commitments to his situations and relationships, it is important to remind him of his identity in Christ and to provide ongoing accountability.

THE BIG QUESTION: Do you help others bear the burden of change by providing biblical accountability and affirming their identity in Christ?

All for Jesus,

Fletch

First, you have to understand that my cluster of neighbors are all “do-it-yourselfers”.  We cut our own grass, we rent an aeorater together in the fall, we plant, weed, clean gutters, power wash, and even cut down our own trees at times.  But the other day while I was walking my dog I saw “the sign” in my neighbor’s yard…”This lawn serviced by Virginia Green Lawn Care.”  This is one of those companies that pull up in front of your house, unroll a huge hose attached to a gigantic tank full of chemicals and douse your lawn to kill all the weeds and make your lawn look like a well manicured golf course.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against killing weeds, they are a result of the fall.  And of course I am all about making your lawn green and looking great.  But it was the fact that my neighbor who loves to spend time in his yard is actually paying a monthly fee to have this done.

But then it occurred to me…what is it that I am actually so upset about?  Is it that my neighbor has more money than I do to make his yard look great and I don’t.  Or is it something deeper within my own heart that says, “Hey, I want my yard to look better than everyone else’s, so all the people that drive by will ooh and ahh over my yard and not his.  Then something even more profound hit me…why am I so worried about grass?  I realize that taking care of the earth, having dominion over all of God’s creation is our mandate but seriously, green grass with no clover?  Is that what my heart is concerned about?  Shouldn’t I be more concerned about the spiritual well being of my neighbors?  (Of course, this particular neighbor is a believer, cherishes his wife, loves his kids and is the nicest guy on the planet.  He even lets me borrow his truck for our annual church picnic.)

I am realizing that there are certain things in my life that really are more important than others.  I do need to be reaching out to my neighbors and the other people God has put in my life.  My thoughts need to be about relational ministry and how I can share the love of Christ with those around me.   I need to be thinking more about how the Scriptures are impacting my ministry and guiding my life.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

www.liveforchristresources.com

There is one discipline that you absolutely, positively, without a doubt, no excuses have to master as a follower of Christ.  That one discipline is daily Bible reading and prayer.  It is so simple yet so incredibly hard to master.  Here is how it goes:

1. Open your Bible
2. Read
3. Apply

Three EASY steps.  Seriously, it does not have to be complicated.  You do not have to get out your concordance, Confession or Systematic Theology textbook.  Just open your Bible, read and apply.  It doesn’t have to take you an hour, you don’t have to light a candle, you don’t have to be dressed a certain way, you don’t have to say a prayer with a bunch of “thee’s” and “thou’s”.  Open your Bible, read and apply.

Why is it so hard?  There are a thousand reasons but basically we either don’t see the true benefit or we get distracted.  Most people just don’t see how this simple discipline can change your life.  The God of the universe wants to speak and be with you today.  Open your Bible, read and apply.  This is the main way in which God speaks to us but we just don’t always see it. 

We get distracted and have other things to do rather than open your Bible, read and apply.  I was distracted this morning before I started this discipline.  I had this idea for this blog (the one I’m writing right now), and I wanted to write it first, then open my Bible, read and apply.  But I decided to set aside the blog and do the most important thing first, open my Bible, read and apply.  Facebook, email, twitter, a long “to do” list; these and a thousand other things are screaming at you first thing in the morning.  But you really need to be able to set them aside just for a few minutes to open your Bible, read and apply.

I could go into detail about these three things but for now I just want to encourage you to open your Bible, read and apply it to your life.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Perseverance is one of those words that seems to spark fear, courage, anxiety and some mystery all at once. Most people want to know “how to” persevere.  Do I just suck it up and keep going?  Or is there something more to it than that?  I believe that “our perseverance” is built upon “God’s perseverance”.  I don’t believe we can do anything in and of ourselves, by our own power.  Anything we do must be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The following passages give us a Biblical foundation:

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;  ²³ they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we¹ rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

 Perseverance defined: (1) as a basic attitude or frame of mind patience, steadfastness (2) as steadfast adherence to a course of action in spite of difficulties and testings perseverance, endurance, fortitude (3) with a component of hope and confidence expectation, patient waiting

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We can think of persevering in several different areas of life:

Persevering in your walk with Christ.  In believing the gospel and its promises.

Persevering in loving people.

Persevering in your marriage.

Persevering in raising your kids.

Persevering in your vocation.

Persevering in ministry, service and sacrifice (Leading your Community Group).

Persevering in suffering.

Perseverance is not pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, it’s not just hike up your skirt and stick it out, it’s not just relying on your own personal resources.  Perseverance is grounded in God’s perseverance of us.  God has pursued us, and is sticking it out with us.  One of God’s character qualities is perseverance.  We can persevere because He has persevered for us.  His Holy Spirit has been poured out into our lives and this is what creates perseverance in our lives. 

Perseverance lives in the present and pushes us into the future.  The present reality is that life is difficult, sin-racked and full of suffering.  But the present also contains the steadfast love of the Lord.  The present contains the Holy Spirit empowering, forgiving, controlling, encouraging, delivering, saving, redeeming us so that we can persevere.

Perseverance pushes us into the future.  We know that tomorrow is a new day, we can start over if we need to, we can put the past behind us and keep trusting in Christ’s grace.  While tomorrow’s suffering may be greater than today’s, the testimony of God’s grace today promises me that He will take care of me tomorrow.  The future also holds the end of all suffering when Christ comes to take us home.  The hope of glory pushes us to persevere.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Sometimes I have to go out to my shed to get something when it’s dark.  I usually forget to take a flashlight, so when I get there I’m just frustrated because I can’t find what I’m looking for because it is so dark. 

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Jesus is the light of the world.  But why do we need a light?  Because the world is actually a dark place because of sin and satan.  The world we live in can be extremely difficult to navigate through. 

Most of the time we don’t even realize how dark it is or what obstacles are out there because we are blind even to the darkness.  We see life through our own eyes which normally give us a self-centered, pleasure seeking, pain avoiding, idol making perspective.  It’s really hard to walk in darkness. You don’t know where you are going or what is before you.  It can be scary, dangerous and frustrating. 

But Jesus knows this world, he knows about our skewed perspective on life.  So he tells us he is the light of the world.  He will be our light for us.  One of my friends has a flashlight, but it’s not your ordinary flashlight.  It is the size of a mini-mag light, about six inches long, but this light is bright.  It is actually as bright as a car headlight.  We were at a camp where it gets really dark at night but having him shine this light made it look like daylight. 

This is what Jesus does when we follow him.  The very presence of Jesus in our life lights up our way.  I see people everyday walking in darkness.  They do things that they are completely blind to see how harmful they are and how contrary their actions are to the way they were created to live.  I’m not trying to be judgmental, I really feel sorry for them.  I pray that God would open their eyes to see Jesus, his love, his mercy, his grace and his forgiveness.  I pray that they would believe in Jesus so they can see where they are going in life and how their life needs to be satisfied by God himself and that they need to be living for His glory and not their own.  Then I look at my own life and how I often choose to walk in the darkness. 

I know Jesus is leading me in one direction, but I will choose to walk in a different one.  So then I pray that God will pick me up and put me back on the path to follow Jesus.   May you and I follow Jesus today, the Light of the world, so that we can clearly see where we are going, and that we can clearly see God’s will for us today and how we might glorify Him in all that we say, do and think about.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

“When I seek the Lord my God, I will find Him if I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 Does this sound like God is hiding?

Do you think God hides from us and then we have to go about seeking Him? I don’t think that God hides from us. I believe God is in plain sight and is always ready and willing to engage us on the deepest level. What blocks our view of God then?

The latter part of the verse gives us a clue. “…if I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul.” We miss seeing God because we allow ourselves to get in the way. Our hearts and our souls can be so self-centered that we block out seeing God who is right in front of us. So our encouragement today is to examine our heart and soul, allow the grace of Christ to wash away any selfishness or impurity so we can have a clear view of God. He is there and He is totally excited to be with you, to help you, to rescue you, to give you whatever you need today to live for His glory. Christ is for you today.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Fight for Joy

I love that phrase.  It is not original with me, it comes from my friend John Piper.  But I love it because it characterizes every day for me.  Each day I get up and face a day that has tremendous challenges.  Challenges to fight for a strong and healthy marriage, challenges to fight to raise godly kids, challenges to fight temptation and lust, challenges to fight disappointment, challenges to fight suffering, challenges to lead people to a greater understanding of God’s grace.  These challenges can seem overwhelming at times but that is why we have to fight.

I use three main weapons to fight for joy.  The first is God’s Word.  The Bible brings me the true truth about life, God, who I am and how I am supposed to live.  The Bible tells me the unbelievable story of God’s relentless pursuit of me and His unconditional grace He floods my life with everyday through Jesus.  Thanks to my old Young Life leader, Casey Dunn, I memorized Psalm 119:9,11 in high school and I still remember it today.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?...I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Hiding God’s Word in my heart enables me to fight for joy and to believe that the promises of God are far better than the promises of the world.

The second weapon I use to fight for joy is prayer.  I am terrible at prayer.  I can’t sit still for more than 35 seconds.  Prayer is hard work but it pays great dividends.  I try and pray throughout my day, attempting to constantly keep the Lord on my mind.  Asking the Holy Spirit to fight for me when I am tempted or frustrated or feeling down.  Sometimes I put these two weapons together and pray through a passage of Scripture.

The third weapon I fight for joy with is friendships.  I have a couple of guys that I can share absolutely anything with.  I can call them day or night, ask them for help, advice or prayer. They have always been there for me.  If I am feeling like a complete failure then I know I can call one of them to help me work through it.

So, my challenge to you is simple, grab your Bible, speak directly to God and make sure you have some buddies that will fight this battle with you.  The battle is of utmost importance, it has eternal consequences.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

My son goes to college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. In order to get there we have to drive over the mountain. On both sides of the mountain are valleys. We spend more time in the valley than we do on the mountain.

I was reminded this morning in the story of the widow at Nain, that pain and suffering are pervasive in this life. I know this comes as no news to most people. However, we often think about our Christian life as reaching the top of a mountain. We create our own little mountain of success and we think that the peak of the mountain is the place to be. More often than not people are in the valley rather than at the top of the mountain.

In a Friday morning men’s Bible study that I lead, we are reading a book called Mighty to Save, by Richard Phillips. In it he writes concerning this story in Luke 7:11-17, “One thing you will notice if you study the Bible is that there is a great deal of weeping going on…With few exceptions all the major figures of the Bible are seen weeping, and in all sorts of situations.” The truth about life is that sin has caused a great deal of pain, heartache, suffering and ultimately death. Like the widow of Nain who had previously lost her husband now she has lost her only son. She is in a desperate and confusing state. All her earthly hope is gone, it has literally died. But approaching her is Jesus, who can not only bring hope but life to her situation. The text tells us that “Jesus saw her and had compassion on her” (v.13). Jesus “sees” the agonizing situation of this woman and walks into the valley with her. Jesus then literally speaks life back into her son and raises him from the dead.

The woman now has hope and has been given her life back. Jesus, who is the life and the resurrection, has the power and authority over death. Jesus, our Savior, empathizes with us, and He walks through the darkest valleys with His people. There is nothing wrong with looking forward to the mountain top. Joy and hope and encouragement should always characterize us. But we have to realize that most of life is lived in the valley. Yes, one Day all things will be made new; no more tears, no more suffering, no more death. But for now, we face those trials with the presence of Christ.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:1

May we walk confidently through the valley, knowing Christ is at our side and may we go into the valley with others showing them the hope and life that is found in Christ.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

I am always being dragged away and enticed by the world and Satan, that dog who won’t go away but hounds me constantly. I feel like I am constantly fighting with hardly any relief. The best relief that I have found always comes from the Scriptures. God’s Word is the best anti-venom for counter-acting the poison of sin. The writer of Hebrews says this about temptation: “For because He [Jesus] himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18.

I don’t always think of “suffering” through temptation. I usually think of temptation as annoying and bothersome, like being outside when the mosquitoes are really bad. But this verse says that Jesus “suffered” through temptation. He had to endure it and it was not pleasant. But we don’t like pain, we crave pleasure, we avoid pain at all costs. So we give in to temptation because it is more pleasurable (at least in the short run) than suffering and enduring through and not giving into temptation. But we must see the reality of life in a fallen world, where the battle rages for our souls.

The reality that temptation will always be present (until Jesus comes back) and so we will always be in a constant state of suffering, of enduring and fighting off temptation. Suffering in this life is inescapable, but thanks be to God who has given us a Savior who not only can empathize with our suffering but gives us the grace and strength to endure it and fight it off. I John 2:15-17 shows us the Truth:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-- comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

Ask the Lord to give you strength and grace to suffer and not give into sin just because it seems more pleasurable – for ultimately sin kills and destroys us – only holiness and purity bring life and this is what Jesus has clothed us with. Pray that God will satisfy you with Jesus and His overwhelming love rather than the passing things of this world. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper

All for Jesus,

Fletch

I was talking with a friend the other day who is the same age as I am, 42.  We were discussing how blessed we were to be doing exactly what God had called us to do.  There was no pride in ourselves but there was great joy that God had led us to our own particular callings and we were actually enjoying them.  A lot of guys get to our age, which is mid-life, and still have no idea what they want to do or what they are supposed to do.  Then comes the “mid-life crisis”.  Some get depressed, some get a new car, some get a new wife.  I am blessed that I did not have to “get” these things to help me figure out my mid-course direction.  I think one key reason involves the subject of my last blog, “The Single Most Important Discipline.”  I would have no idea what to do with my life were it not for God and the leading of His Spirit.  I can take no credit for His voice or even for the strength to obey, all the credit goes to Christ, whose Spirit lives in me.  But the constant, daily voice of God that comes through prayer and studying His Word has an incalculable cumulative effect on your life.

So what if you are at mid-life and struggling to know what to do with your life?  I would say begin to meditate on these startling words from Romans 13:11-12,

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

It’s time to wake up and listen to the voice of God.  The truth is that we ARE getting older and therefore closer to death, and therefore closer to our salvation.  Don’t waste any more time.  Cast off the works of darkness you have been struggling with.  Go hard after God.  Spend the rest of your life living out His will.  Dive into serving Christ and furthering His Kingdom.  It’s not too late.  Go ahead, put on the armor of light, join Christ and His forces and fight the good fight.  You may get tired and battle weary. It will cost you sacrifice and discipline.  But the rewards last for eternity.  There is nothing greater to give your life to than the call and service of Christ.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

"Fight for Joy!"  I love that phrase.  It is not original with me, it comes from my friend John Piper.  But I love it because it characterizes every day for me.  Each day I get up and face a day that has tremendous challenges.  Challenges to fight for a strong and healthy marriage, challenges to fight to raise godly kids, challenges to fight temptation and lust, challenges to fight disappointment, challenges to fight suffering, challenges to lead people to a greater understanding of God’s grace.  These challenges can seem overwhelming at times but that is why we have to fight.

I use three main weapons to fight for joy.  The first is God’s Word.  The Bible brings me the true truth about life, God, who I am and how I am supposed to live.  The Bible tells me the unbelievable story of God’s relentless pursuit of me and His unconditional grace He floods my life with everyday through Jesus.  Thanks to my old Young Life leader, Casey Dunn, I memorized Psalm 119:9,11 in high school and I still remember it today.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?...I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Hiding God’s Word in my heart enables me to fight for joy and to believe that the promises of  God are far better than the promises of the world.

The second weapon I use to fight for joy is prayer.  I am terrible at prayer.  I can’t sit still for more than 35 seconds.  Prayer is hard work but it pays great dividends.  I try and pray throughout my day, attempting to constantly keep the Lord on my mind.  Asking the Holy Spirit to fight for me when I am tempted or frustrated or feeling down.  Sometimes I put these two weapons together and pray through a passage of Scripture.

The third weapon I fight for joy with is friendships.  I have a couple of guys that I can share absolutely anything with.  I can call them day or night, ask them for help, advice or prayer. They have always been there for me.  If I am feeling like a complete failure then I know I can call one of them to help me work through it.

So, my challenge to you is simple, grab your Bible, speak directly to God and make sure you have some buddies that will fight this battle with you.  The battle is of utmost importance, it has eternal consequences.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

There are two types of people; those who have surrendered their life to Christ and those who are still putting up a fight.  Some people think that those who surrender in battle are cowards.  I don’t think this is always true. Surrendering in battle actually takes courage.  When you surrender you are placing your life in the hands of your enemies.  You are hoping they will treat you fairly and with dignity and that one day when the war is over, you will be set free.  Cowards are the ones who run from the battle and hide. 

The thing about this war with God is that we can’t win.  There is absolutely no hope to beat God.  He is just too powerful, too just, and too loving.  So I am encouraging everyone who is still fighting against God to surrender.   It will take courage, especially since you have no idea how God is going to treat you and whether or not you will ever be set free from His captivity.  But let me assure you…God will treat you with dignity, He will love you unconditionally, He will show you mercy and He will set you free.  Freedom with God is different than what most of the world thinks though.  Freedom with God is when He sets us free to be who He originally created us to be.  You see, for those who are still battling against God, putting up a good fight, you are actually enslaved.  You are enslaved to a lifestyle that focuses on yourself, which is actually pretty pathetic.  Why would anyone want to settle for something so little when you could have so much?  Why settle for a purpose in life that centers around a creature who is so limited?  We were created to live in relationship with the eternal God.  We were created in His image and our purpose is to worship Him and glorify Him in all we do, say and think. 

I know this sounds absolutely crazy for those who are battling against Him, but just think about it.  God created us to live in this awesome relationship.  He gave us the entire world to have dominion over and to rule.  He said that He would walk through life with us, every step of the way.  But we have chosen to rebel against God, run away from Him and then try to rule the world without Him? What is that all about?  Why would we give up so much to attain so little?  It doesn’t make sense.  What does make sense is when we realize what we have done, how stupid and self-centered it is and then return to God.  God uses this word called “repent”.  This just means that God wants us to turn away from our old way of living, our old way of thinking and turn back towards Him.  Only when we come back to God will anything in life begin to make sense or have meaning and purpose.

But how in the world is this possible?  If God is really just then it would go against His perfect and holy character to let me, His enemy, go free without punishment?  God has made it possible by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to take your penalty upon Himself.  Jesus lived a perfect life, perfectly fulfilling every law that God demanded.  God sent Jesus to die for you, in your place.  So God really is just and His justice was taken out on His own Son, Jesus.  So surrendering to God means believing that Jesus died for your sins and giving your heart over to Him.

So, you may be a coward and run away from God, you may have the gall to stand and fight God or you may have the courage to surrender to God through Jesus.  But ultimately, God is going to win the battle, whether you like it or not and whether you believe it or not.  So my suggestion is to surrender to God.  Believe that Jesus died for you, that He rose from the grave and now sits at God’s right hand.  Believe that He will send His Holy Spirit to come and live in your heart, to walk through every moment of life with you.  Come back to God and let Him take you captive.  It is His great desire to have you back, to show you mercy and grace, to love you unconditionally.  Surrendering to God has no regrets.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

On Tuesday night at 1:30am my next door neighbor was robbed at gunpoint. They stole some of her jewelry and her cell phone and of course scared the daylights out of her.  This is obviously quite disturbing.  We live in a very nice, quiet and (usually) safe neighborhood.  But this happened next door!  Literally 25 feet from where I was sleeping.  You can’t ignore it now that it has happened.  So the big question is, what do we do now?

First, I am thanking God that my neighbor was not physically injured, although the emotional scar will be
there for some time and I am praying that God will heal that. Secondly, we will be more vigilant about keeping our lights on at night, our doors locked and try to be as aware as possible of our surroundings.

But am I really surprised that this happened?  Yes and no.  Yes I am surprised because these things don’t
normally happen in our neighborhood.  There has always been the occasional car break in or vandalism but I
have never heard of someone being robbed at gunpoint.  I am not surprised though that people have
the will and desire to rob other people.  It is in our nature to do whatever we want regardless of the
consequences and regardless of anyone else.  We live in a culture that believes in “the survival of the
fittest.”  It only makes sense that if someone wants something someone else has then they will just take it.  Originally, we were created by God, to live in a relationship with Him.  But, we rebelled, we decided that we wanted to live life the way we wanted to and said,  “The heck with God, I’m going to live life the way I want to.”  The problem is that living this way has created a pretty chaotic world.  One in which people lie to one another, cheat on their taxes, start wars, say mean things to each other, think evil thoughts, and even rob each other at gunpoint.

The real answer to all of life’s problems is to return back to God.  Because God created life and He’s the one who designed it, then He is going to be the one who knows best how to live it.  God has this intense desire for us to enter
back into this awesome relationship He originally created us to live in.  Some of you have done this already and you
understand what I am saying. Some of you are not exactly sure who this “God” is or what it means “to have a relationship with Him.”  My suggestion is for you to pursue God and get to know Him a little better.  But how?  There are two main ways: First, read what God says about Himself in the Bible.  God has chosen to make Himself known in the Bible.  Actually, God has made Himself known through His Son, Jesus Christ.  The Bible says that Jesus is the exact
representation of who God is.  God chose to communicate to us in the flesh, through a human, Jesus, who was both God and man.  So I encourage you to dust off your Bible and check Him out.

The second way to know God is to talk to people who really know Him.  I have a personal, intimate relationship with God.  I know Him.  I have read the truths about God in the Bible and then have experienced
those truths in real life.  I know about God’s unconditional love, His mercy and compassion, His justice.  I know that He is with me all the time.  I am available to talk to anyone who wants to know more (Plus I have this blog where you can get more information and resources to understand God more. Tomorrow you can read about Cowards vs.
Courageous people).

And I am not the only one, there are others who have this same relationship with God through Jesus.  So I encourage you to talk to them, get to know them, ask them questions about who God is.

The best is yet to come,

Fletch

     I’m a rule follower. I know it’s kind of silly but I like rules. Rules help me know when I am staying within the bounds of what I’m supposed to do. I somehow find comfort in knowing that I am being responsible if I follow the rules. (Jay walking is dangerous. I saw a kid yesterday barely escape getting run over by a car because he was jay walking.) But sometimes when I think I’m being responsible, I’m actually being prideful. I take pride in following the rules. This is a problem when it comes to our spirituality and our relationship with God. We can follow God’s rules, well, at least most of the time. And we can become prideful about it too. We can become so prideful that we believe that God loves us based on our rule following and that He is either happy or disappointed with us when we follow or break the rules. But that is exactly not the way God relates and acts towards us.

Listen to what John Piper says in his book, Fifty Reasons why Jesus came to die:

     “This is why the Bible says that the new way of obedience is fruit-bearing, not law-keeping. ‘You have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God’ (Romans 7:4). We have died to law-keeping so that we might live to fruit-bearing. Fruit grows naturally on a tree. If the tree is good, the fruit will be good. And the tree, in this case, is a living relationship of love to Jesus Christ. For this he died. Now he bids us come: ‘Trust me.’ Die to the law, that you might bear the fruit of love.”

     I am praying that I will be fruit-bearing today and not just a rule follower (law keeper). I don’t need to earn God’s love, Jesus already did that. I need to bear fruit of who I am on the inside. May you think and ponder deeply that one of the reasons Jesus died was so that you do not have to keep the law perfectly but so that you will bear fruit for God, for His glory. I think your relationship with God through Jesus will be much more joyful if you do.

All for Jesus,

Fletch