So many of us simply want love, acceptance and approval from the people around us. The problem is that people may not offer acceptance without certain conditions and their approval of our choices and beliefs may not actually help us to become better versions of ourselves. 

In this article I want to talk about how we can overcome the generalities, the judgments, and the unhealthy and/or unrealistic expectations that seem to be ever-present in this world. 

There are myriad reasons why people box others in, define them according to some unfair or uninformed assumption, or why they withhold praise, affirmation, affection and acceptance. 

One thing we know however is that God accepts us as we are, where we are. He accepts us when we are broken, foolish, prideful, and hurt sinners. He welcomes us into His family and embraces us with His love. He accepts us when we are tired, weary and lukewarm. He accepts us when nothing seems to be going right.

Sadly people are most often not like that.

Another thing we know is that for some reason we often associate our own personal value or worth with the approval of others, and yet God is the one who determines our value and worth and it ought to be his approval alone that we seek. When humans approve or disapprove of others’ behaviors, choices and beliefs they are basing their approval on a limited perspective and with limited understanding. However, when God offers His approval, it is because He has perfect vision, perfect wisdom and perfect understanding. 

Sadly people will approve or disapprove based upon their agenda, preference, opinion, likes, dislikes and even based upon their particular attitude or emotional state on any given day. We shouldn’t yearn for approval from such a fickle and shortsighted bunch (and therefore since we are part of said group, we ought to be very careful about offering our approval or disapproval).

Finally, the culture of this world has somehow evolved (devolved?) into an atmosphere of judging others that are different. The current climate is one of pre-judging, alienating, ostracizing, belittling, shaming and otherwise attacking people who are different. 

To overcome in this toxic culture, we must accept others as Christ accepted us, we must make judgments ONLY according to what God reveals to us in His holy Word and by His Spirit, we must seek ONLY the approval of God and we must consistently live with an openness to other people regardless of how different they are.

Let us seek to draw near to God so that He can shape and form us in His perfect image of holy love and then let us live His holy love out in this crazy mixed-up world. We won’t be able to change the world, but perhaps we can lead one person at a time to the acceptance of God, that they would seek His approval and that they would then live out His holy love in their own lives. If this happens over and over and over again in various individual lives, then perhaps like a wave that is building and growing, a revival of God’s salvation, of people seeking God’s ways, and of people living out God’s holy love will wash over the world!

If you need some acceptance today, turn to God, pray to Him, He will absolutely accept you right where you are, into His family. He only asks that you believe that He exists and that He saves those who call on His name in repentance and follow Him.

If you need approval today, look to God, ask Him to evaluate your recent beliefs and choices. If He tells you that He doesn’t approve, don’t throw a fit, instead, ask Him to change you and then you will bask in the glory of knowing God approves and that His approval means you are on the right path, doing the right things for the right reason.

If you are overwhelmed and at the end of yourself because of people judging or rejecting or disapproving of you (and others), turn to God and ask Him to remind you yet again that He is your refuge and strength and He is your defender. Let the Lord sort out all that is wrong in this world, and instead rest in His unconditional love and His everlasting kindness.

I want to be like certain people I have met or watched over the years.

I want to be like Fred Rogers. I want to be like the fictional character Father Brown. I want to be like my Uncle Warren.

What each of these men have in common is a gentleness and compassion and what appears to be a “centeredness” of peace and calm in Christ in the middle of whatever is going on.

• I don’t want to fret and worry about every little thing. 
• I don’t want to spend all my time analyzing things, second-guessing myself or living in doubt.
• I don’t want to be upended, shaken or distraught over every passing storm or every disapproving glance from others.
• I don’t want to be constantly wondering if I am wasting my time or whether I am actually accomplishing anything at all.

And yet, much of the time,  it seems this is exactly where I live.

• I want to be a pastor that has a calm assurance that God is working, and that He is working in me and through me.
• I want to be a pastor that looks at people with eyes of compassion and a heart full of love
• I want to be a pastor that is not hurried or harried but instead walks in the peace-filled confidence that God is leading me

I hope your prayer is the same as mine: 

Pastor, remember Christ is with us and Christ is in us. 

You are loved!

Still on this earth…

So, you are still here too, huh?

I guess we could sit around and discuss why we are still here. As a matter of fact that probably would be a very good use of our time (so long as we come to some truthful conclusions and then do something with that information). So, let’s get to it!….

1. Why are we here?
2. Why are we still here?
3. What are we doing with our life here on earth?
4. Are we ready for what will come after this life is over?

First of all, why are we here? In a nutshell, 

We are here, because God created us so we could experience His love, enjoy His gifts and participate in an eternal existence of joy, peace and inter-relating with Him and others. 

If you don’t believe this, you are missing out on the most beautiful and profound aspects of being alive. Also if you don’t believe this you may not like the rest of this article. But I hope and pray that as you read this article you will be ever more convinced of the love of God and the availability of His free gift of salvation to all who will believe and call upon Him!

Second, why are we still here on earth? The answer to this question is pretty straightforward as well. 

Either God has left us here on earth because we have not yet accepted His free gift of salvation that secures for us a new life in Christ and eternal life hereafter, or God has left us here on earth because He has a plan for us to help share His love and gospel with others who need it and/or don’t yet have a personal relationship with Him.

Since you are reading this, that means you are still on earth, and if we are still here, God has a plan for us to fulfill here. We either need to stop playing games with earthly, temporary and trivial things and get our heart and life right with God or we need to make sure that again we are not wasting time on unimportant things that will be destroyed one day when this life comes to an end and we need to get busy helping and loving people and sharing the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ so their own desperate needs will be met in Him.

Third, what are we doing with our life on earth? The answer likely varies for each of us, but

It ought to be that we are stewarding everything we have been given to bring glory to God and to help our fellow humans to know, receive and walk in all of God’s gracious provision. 

I have spent unimaginable amounts of energy, time and money on things that don’t matter and sadly I will never get back again the wasted time, energy and money. I pray that you and I will invest everything we have so that as many people as possible will accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and will be ushered into God’s eternal kingdom and glory where they will be made holy and happy forevermore!

Fourth and finally, are you and I ready for when this life is over? This is a question we should ask ourselves every single day. 

What if today is my last day on earth? Will I be ready to meet God face-to-face? Have I accepted His free and gracious gift of salvation so that when I stand before Him, the blood of Jesus will have secured for me a new life and entrance into His heavenly kingdom? 

When I leave this earth, will I have so communicated God’s gospel message that all I leave behind will know what they must do to be ready to meet God? 

So in conclusion, you and I are still on earth (for now): Because God loves us; Because he wants to save us and use us; Because there are billions of others who need to know of His great love; Because billions are lost and not ready for judgment day. 

Please join me in pleading prayer, compassionate living and zealous testimony so that no one you and I know will be headed for a devil’s hell but instead will be gloriously transformed and exuberantly welcomed into God’s kingdom. 

Oh, that none would perish, but that all would come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ!

---

PS If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord it’s as simple as 1. Believing that Jesus, the Son of God, came and died for your sins and was resurrected so that He could grant you salvation and eternal life. 2. Confessing your sins to God and asking God to help you to turn from evil/selfishness and do good and 3. Asking Jesus to take charge of your life and committing to follow and serve Him all the days of your life.

Dear Jesus, Thank you for creating me, dying for me and rising again so that I might have forgiveness and eternal life. Please forgive me, save me and take charge of my life. I commit to following and serving you now and forevermore. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN

Dear Pastor, 

I imagine that if there were a book of all the greatest prophets, pastors and missionaries since time began, it would be far lengthier than any of us could imagine and I believe there is a great likelihood that your name would be recorded therein.

In fact, there is likely only one way that your name would not be in the annals of God’s best shepherds and that is if you aren’t actually listening to His voice, responding to His call and serving according to His Word/Spirit. 

God Himself has called you, He has saved you, He has placed His Spirit in you, and He is using your efforts to bring people to Himself and to advance His kingdom.

There will indeed be countless people in heaven because of you. 

Hundreds and dare I say thousands or more will be in heaven because of you, even though you most probably will not even know all of them. 

• Your faithful declaration of the gospel of God, has resulted and will continue to result in people far and wide coming to faith in Christ.

• Your fervent, imperfect and unseen prayers with only a mustard seed of faith, have brought about and will continue to bring about God’s perfect answers, dispatched to address your cries!

• Your persistent, sometimes staggering, sometimes painful, long-suffering and perseverance has led others and will continue to lead others to Jesus as their Savior and Lord. 

Pastor, God is the one doing the empowering, equipping, declaring and sourcing of any real ministry that takes place. If anything eternal, true or real happens in your ministry it is because of God and it will therefore (obviously!) be effective in truly saving people and changing lives. And if you are connected to Him and ministering because of faith and love, you are certainly to be counted among the Lord’s “valiant army” of prophets and priests.

So please keep declaring the gospel, keep praying with faith, keep persevering to the end. 

God is faithful, He will use you and He will advance His kingdom: you and I just have to get on board and buckle up for the ride!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

Do you ever find yourself wondering if you are doing everything wrong? You know, do you take a step back and look at all of your activity for the Lord and His church and ponder if you are doing the right things or if what you are doing is actually working? 

I know I do. 

Sometimes I think that traditions, routines, and various other stumbling blocks keep me from seeing and pursuing what would be the best practices for truly leading people to faith in Jesus and helping people to become like Jesus. 

At times it seems far too easy for me to do ministry in the ways I have seen or read about with little consideration (or prayer?!) about whether or not I should be doing ministry that way. 

• Have I waited on the Lord for His instruction? 
• Have I sought the Lord for His wisdom?
• Am I learning from other people?
• Am I seeking God and His kingdom first or something else?
• Do I keep the main thing, the main thing?
• Or do I get distracted by urgent and yet finally unimportant things?

Maybe we have been somehow conditioned to do ministry a certain way and we need some fresh perspective to realize that we are missing the point of all we are doing.

So what is the point of all we are doing? 

Simply this:

• Honor God
• Help people accept Jesus as Savior
• Help people become/live like Jesus

So let’s ask a few questions:

• Is your preaching ministry honoring and glorifying God? 
• Is your preaching ministry helping people to accept Jesus as Savior?
• Is your Sunday school ministry helping people to accept Jesus as Savior?
• Is your teen ministry helping teens to become/live like Jesus?

You may be saying to yourself: “but not all ministries need to accomplish all three of those things”. 

I hear you, but disagree. Whether it is playing basketball with teenagers or leading a ladies Bible study or preaching on Sunday mornings, we need to be actively working at all three things of bringing glory to God, helping people to know Jesus and helping people to become like Jesus. If we aren’t attempting this we have missed the point, and if we aren’t accomplishing this we need to find out why not.

So let’s dig a little into your and my ministry practices and routine behaviors to discover what we are doing wrong:

1. Do I care more about how many people are present at an activity than I do that the specific people present hear the voice of God and are changed?
2. Do I care more about how people perceive me and think of me than what they think about God?
3. Have I cut to the quick and engaged people in conversation about spiritual matters or have I beat around the bush hoping to make a connection or slowly build a bridge to bring up Jesus later?
4. Do we spend more time with a computer than with people? (Or more time in the office than in the community?)
5. Do I neglect prayer and the Word in my own life, assuming that I can “figure it out” along the way?
6. Do I actually know because I have point blank asked people if they are born-again Christians?
7. Am I actually exhorting, rebuking and confronting people so that they become more like Jesus because they have been asked the tough questions and have been boldly taught the Word of God?

Don’t be afraid to ask the deep questions of yourself and the ministries you are part of.

Don’t be afraid to ask the deep and important questions of the people you are trying to lead. 

How will you ever know if you don’t ask? How will you ever grow if you don’t ask? 

How will our ministry ever succeed at bringing God glory and making Christlike disciples if you and I don’t make sure we are doing the right and necessary things instead of just doing the same things we have always done?

It is far too easy to let ourselves off the hook because we look around and realize we are doing the same things that churches and pastors around the world are doing. 

It is far too easy to let ourselves off the hook because we know our motive is good. 

And yet if we look carefully at those who have led revivals, awakenings and other tremendously impactful ministries they weren’t content to only do what had always been done. They dug deeper, they creatively tried new things, they boldly and un-apologetically said what no one was saying. Furthermore people who helped bring about major change in the church were misunderstood, maligned and persecuted. But above all they knew they had to be faithful to the One who called them and simply could not stop until they succeeded in helping lost people find Jesus, and helping saved people live like Jesus.

Let’s keep working, but let’s make sure we are working in ways that cut to the quick and make sure to diligently pursue honoring God and making disciples instead of merely maintaining the status quo. Jesus is coming back and we don’t want to miss our chance. Let’s rediscover urgency even as we also seek a fresh perspective on ministry. 

Keep praying, God is surely able to provide for you and lead you in all the ways He wants you to go!

Christ is with us and Christ is in us

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

I want you to think of yourself as a conduit, a carrier of the Lord to people.

Think about an aqueduct or viaduct…it’s sole purpose is to get the water to people. Yes the Romans created some impressive and beautiful aqueducts that 1000s of years later still draw attention to their genius and the commitment to craftsmanship, but one thing that the Roman aqueducts no longer do is carry water to the people. 

• Pastors and Christians are carriers of the water of life to parched and thirsty people.

• Pastors and Christians are carriers of the the resurrecting  power of God into lifeless people

• Pastors and Christians are carriers of the life of the Spirit to people who are empty

It doesn’t matter how pretty we are. It doesn’t matter how flashy we are. It doesn’t matter how well “put together” we appear. It doesn’t matter whether God created us to carry Him to 10 people or 10,000 people.

The point is that we faithfully, consistently, religiously, importunately deliver gifts, messages, love, fruit, power and gospel from the throneroom of God to people.

The reality is that individually we are incomplete as conduits of the Lord. It is only together with each other and as we are held together by the Spirit, that we can carry the glory of the Lord to people.

Lastly, consider that if we are carrying nothing from God but only things from other people, the people will still die of thirst and starvation.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for carrying the presence, glory, and gospel of Jesus to people.

Let us together commit to making sure we are tapping into the eternal source of all that is good and holy so that what we deliver to people is what they truly and eternally need: God Himself!

May God richly bless and flourish us as we stay connected to Him and pour forth what He pours into us.

Christ is with us and Christ is in us!

Mike J

Honor and respect are two important words and concepts and yet many times seem sadly lacking in our society. How many times in life have we felt disrespected? How many times has it seemed as though someone has disregarded our thoughts, opinions or feelings?

It seems as if this life is full of instances where people run roughshod over others, pushing them out of the way and instead pursuing personal gain at any cost. So what do we do when we are on the receiving end of disrespect? What should we do when someone dishonors, disregards and disenfranchises us?

Let’s take a few minutes and consider what the Bible has to say about this important topic…

First, the Bible reminds us to love our neighbor and our enemy. These words are difficult to hear and consider. They are even more difficult to obey. 

Love my neighbor? — “Don’t you know how they treated me?” 

Love my enemy? — “Don’t you know what they did to me?” 

And yet Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor (even the stranger, alien, etc) and to love our enemy. He must’ve had good reason to tell us this. He also must’ve believed that with His help (by the gift of His Holy Spirit) that it would be possible, or else why would He have commanded such? Why command something that is not desirable or possible? Jesus invites us into His perfect way of relating to God and to others and He commands us to live in love and live out His love because “love does no wrong to a neighbor, and “love covers a multitude of sins” and “love never fails” and “love builds up” and finally “whoever lives in love lives in God and God in (them)”.

Second, the Bible tells us not to repay evil with evil, but rather with good. This seems counterintuitive. It seems like we should hit back with the same force as others hit us with. As the old saying goes: “An eye for an eye”. But Jesus corrected this type of bad theology and stinkin’ thinkin’ even in His day when He told His disciples to “love your enemies…pray for those who persecute you” and to “do good to those who hate you”. We also know that Scripture tells us to give food and drink to our enemy which will “heap burning coals upon them”. I hope we understand that this doesn’t mean that somehow we “win the battle” when we do good to those who are against us. Rather let us consider that the “burning coals” might just symbolize conviction and when we do good to those who mistreat us perhaps they may come under conviction, repent of their ways and turn to Christ and God. 

Third, the Bible tells us that God’s grace is sufficient for our salvation and deliverance but also to empower us to face the troubles of this world. Scripture reminds us that we each have received “grace upon grace” indicating that we deserved something far different than what we received. We committed sin and offense and then did it again, and yet God offered grace once and then offered it again!

God’s kingdom is full of truth but it is also full of grace. The truth is that others have and will disrespect and dishonor us. The truth also is that we have disrespected and dishonored God and others. And yet God has offered us grace. The kind of amazing grace that forgives and restores us to a right relationship with Him. God invites us to receive His undeserved and unearned grace but also commands that we share that same grace with others. We cannot ask God to give us mercy while not offering that same mercy to others. And remember God offers us grace and mercy even before we asked for forgiveness, even before we acknowledge that we have done wrong. He even offers grace to us for things we have repetitively done against Him and others. Let us forgive just as Christ has forgiven us and let us respect others just as Jesus Christ showed respect in His behavior toward people.

I want to close this blog post with a personal example from my life.

I once worked for an employer whom the employees called “the devil”. This employer had a nasty temper and didn’t mind taking it out on any of his employees. He regularly would demean and tear down his employees insulting their intelligence, the quality of their work as well as their character. I watched as employees would react to his dishonoring and disrespecting them with harsh words, vitriolic attitudes and hate-filled body language. On one occasion I spoke to a number of my co-workers and mentioned that they could choose to show him respect even when they were disrespected by him and that they could honor his position of authority even when he dishonored them. On the next occasion that he began to admonish and even verbally abuse one of my co-workers, the co-worker stood there, in silence, and accepted the unnecessary and uncalled for rebuke and did not react in a disrespectful way. The boss almost immediately calmed down, lost all of his rage-filled bravado and left. The employee looked at me and exclaimed:  “did you see what I did? I didn’t respond and he stopped yelling!”. That day served as a turning point and I rarely saw the boss lose his temper in our building anymore. I know it doesn’t always work out that way or that quickly but that doesn’t negate God’s call for us to respect and honor others. 

I share these scriptures and this story so as to encourage you to live in a Christ honoring way that demonstrates respect even to those who are disrespectful and honors those who even are dishonoring, in order that God himself may be glorified by your behavior and others may be drawn in to this countercultural kingdom of love, mercy and grace! May it be that when people observe our respectful behavior they may be won to Christ.

Dear Pastor,

I want to ask you a very important question. One that it would be easy for you to gloss over.

Is Christ enough for you?

• Is it enough for you to know that Christ is with you? 
  • That Christ is for you? 
  • That Christ is in you?
• Is it enough to know that Christ has called you? 
  • And is empowering you?

Do you have to have visible confirmations of what you hope and dream?

What if God doesn’t bring a numeric increase in the church you are leading?

What if God doesn’t bring the miraculous healing you have been praying for?

What if God doesn’t answer the prayer request the way you hoped, dreamed and begged for?

Would it be okay if God said to you: “Trust me in this, you can’t see what I am doing, but you don’t need to see. Just trust. Just rest. Just believe.” ?

More than just “okay” would you be able to receive and walk in His joy and peace whilst not seeing outwardly the miracles, breakthroughs and accomplishments you always hoped you would?

Would you be able to be confident in the Lord, rejoicing within, grateful for the opportunities, with inner calm and satisfaction?

I want to challenge you in this because I believe that unholy discontent has a root in pride and selfishness and many times we have this deep belief that we can hold on as long as the answer we hoped for/prayed for eventually comes. But we are not resting in the Lord and trusting His wisdom in this. (What if His wisdom says: “no my child, you don’t need that. That is not what I have planned”?)

Furthermore, is it possible we might only be exhibiting “trust” and “faith” because of what it gains for us, instead of simply abiding in Christ and saying to Him: “Jesus, you are enough for me!”

If the church you lead never grows by another person, would you be able to still find the joy and shalom of the Lord and still preach/teach/minister passionately under the unction of the Holy Spirit?

If the community you live in never repents and turns to Christ would you still be able to walk in the inner strength of knowing that God loves you and them, resisting bitterness and frustration, and still preach/minister as if this sermon or this encounter would be the time when revival breaks loose?

I don’t really know how to put this into words, but what I am driving at is that the relationship we have with God through the sacrifice of Jesus and by the presence of the Holy Spirit is enough for us to continuously walk in joy, peace and freedom. He is enough for us to constantly have inner strength, contentment and long-suffering. He is enough for us that we can consistently live victoriously regardless of the circumstances around us or the responses of the people. 

I hope and pray that you will get alone with God and (re)discover the absolute sufficiency of His presence and as He sources you that you will live in and love/serve/minister out of the overflowing springs of His eternal joy welling up within your soul!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

I want to take a moment and encourage you:

• You are engaging in the mission of Jesus.
• You are participating in the life of Jesus and His Holy Spirit power.

I know, you may say “I sure don’t feel like that”.

But if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then by faith and especially as per the gracious gift of His Holy Spirit, you are participating in His majesty, holiness, power and glory!

And that means, that as you preach by His Spirit, serve according to His love, welcome people in His name and prayerfully carry the burden of lost/hurting people, God is actually using you as a conduit of His mercy and holy love. 

And if God is the One doing the work in you and through you, then a whole lot more is going on than you could possibly imagine!

So instead of worrying about the broken and messed up things that you see or wondering about the many things you can’t see, rest in the knowledge that God is on the move, He is working and by His Spirit at work in you, His kingdom and glory is advancing.

Be sure to abide in Him. Be sure to worship and express your eternal thankfulness. Be sure to let His Word and Spirit source you. Don’t be lazy, don’t be passive, don’t get stuck. Don’t rely on your own wisdom, cleverness or creativity. Check your motive and make sure you are working for God and His glory.  And partner with Jesus with active faith and obedience, celebrating and walking in His strength, wisdom and love.

And rest in the knowledge that somehow, God is supernaturally moving, right where you live, in the people you are shepherding and as you are surrendered to His will He is even moving through the life you live and the  words you speak.

Let us humbly admit our need and accept His divine help.

Christ is with us and Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Christian,

Please do this 1 thing this week:

Consider how your words will help people know God’s love.

• Will your critique of politicians or people on the other side help them to know the love of God?
• Will ridiculing people help them to know the holy God of love?
• Will shouting louder than the other person lead them to Jesus?
• Will lashing out draw people into God’s kingdom?

I’m not saying to not disagree. Disagreeing is not the problem.

How will we disagree?

• Is the point of our words to express our frustration with their view point?
• Is the point of our words to “fix” or “correct” them?
• Is the point of our words to win the argument and make sure that some “truth” has been spoken?

Or is the point of our words to help people know God better?

If the entire point of our words is to help people know God better, we might need to choose to say things differently.

We don’t have to pretend there aren’t disagreements. We don’t have to try to homogenize everyone’s thoughts and beliefs and words. 

But we do need to try to speak in such a way that people will sense that you are a safe place, a safe person to speak to. 

We need to try to speak in such a way that people will sense that they matter to you beyond the immediate disagreement.

We need to try to speak in such a way that they might actually consider our words as an alternative to what they have previously believed.

So Christian, please, if we are going to ever help people to know God and live according to His ways, let’s drop the ways, language and posturing of this world and instead pick up the ways of Christ (accepting others, listening to others, including others, disagreeing without maligning, etc)

Let us be humble and gentle in our speech, actions and attitudes

Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

I hope that many Christians will hear these words, turn away from their angry outbursts, apologize as necessary and try to rebuild bridges of trust, acceptance and openness to everyone but especially those who are different than us, those we disagree with and those we hope to help lead to Jesus.