Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

The exact meaning of this verse is always been kind of a mystery to me. But tonight as I sit by the fire I started to do some digging. I took a look at several different commentaries to see what other people thought this might mean. While this is not the word of God, other people often have helpful insights. We are told throughout Scripture to obtain wise counsel, so while it is good to look at commentaries, we should be careful who we rely on. I looked at several, and they all basically said the same thing. 

The poor rely on other people to take care of their needs. When I say that, I am not demeaning who they are, I am simply stating a fact. Likewise, we are totally dependent on Jesus for our salvation. There is nothing that we can do to obtain it without His help. Spiritually speaking, we should be seeking his help all of the time. It is only when we realize that we cannot make ourselves right with God our own, that we can become poor in spirit. When we realize that we need help, and we seek out, we will find it. Only then can the kingdom of heaven be ours. Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.' That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room. 

It is very humbling to realize that you cannot make it on your own. Truthfully it is sort of depressing to know that it does not matter how hard you work, you will never make it. How badly do you want to be a part of the kingdom? Do you want it bad enough to rely completely on Jesus? It's really a silly question, because there is no other way. But it is an important question, because our answer determines our destiny. Can I lay my pride at the foot of the cross, and admit that I need what only Jesus can provide? If my answer is yes, then I will be counted among the poor in spirit. If I am counted among the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven will be mine.

Enjoy the Journey

Who am I Fighting?

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:12-17 NIV)

It is so easy to lose track of who our struggle is against. Sometimes I think it's even harder because of the church. You see the church is full of people, and people fight. It is easy to get caught up in things that don't really matter, and allow them to ruin your day, month, or even year. When these kinds of things happen, we're missing the point. There is a much bigger battle going on all around us all the time and we need to stay focused. This is difficult, because we like to have our own way, and we are all too quick to make things about ourselves. And so it is easy to forget that our battle is not against people, but against the spiritual forces of evil, who would see us all miss out on heaven. We are busy but we can not engage the true enemy.

So we are told to put on the belt of truth. Truth comes from the word of God, and it should define our lives. If our lives are guided by the truth, it is much more difficult to steer us off the path. Much like my belt keeps my pants from falling off, truth holds me steady when times are uncertain. A breast plate is meant to deflect blows, and righteousness speaks for itself. If I am living righteously, the enemy can take his best shot. The gospel was never meant to be an end, but the beginning of a great mission. The Gospel has prepared me to introduce people to Jesus. I have to be ready, because this is a big deal and it is urgent.

The shield of faith is to deflect arrows from the evil one, and the truth is we face a constant barrage. People have been trying to disprove the gospel since the day Jesus rose from the dead. The truth of the matter is there are some things I just can't explain. With that being said, there are many things that I can explain. I choose to take what I know about God and see the world through that lens. Because faith is the evidence of things unseen. If I could explain everything about God, He wouldn't be that impressive. There are some things I just won't know until the end. But there are many things that I do know about God, and I know enough to trust Him.

A helmet is to protect your head, and it often saves your life. The salvation that I found in Jesus has saved my soul for eternity. Salvation is found nowhere else, for there is one name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. The Word of God, or the Bible, is often referred to as a sword. This is because God's word is powerful. It was through His word that the universe was made, and He has the final say in everything. When Jesus was being tempted in the desert by Satan, He used the word of God to gain the victory. The same is true our lives, the Bible is a powerful weapon that cannot be defeated. It is has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so because it is the very word of God.

The word of the day is focus. We do have a battle fight, just not with one another.

Enjoy the Journey

Why Loving Abi is Easy

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25-28 NIV)

I find it appropriate That I read this passage the day after my anniversary. God hs a tendency to do things like that all the time! It's just a little reminder, 'Hey, did you see what I did there?' The best marriage advice I was very given was given to us by Arron Chambers (love that guy!), during out marriage counseling he said something I will never forget: "Make it easy for your spouse to love you." The thing that I love most about being married to Abi is that it is effortless to love her. It is effortless to be around her and to talk to her about anything. It is priceless to me and I know it is extremely rare. We were just talking about this last night on our way to Christmas Town! That is why it is so important to choose wisely. Our relationship has never felt like work. Why? Because it is based on love for Jesus and each other.

She loves Jesus more than anyone I know. She expects me to put Jesus before her and before Micah. Jesus modeled love by giving his life for the church. He modeled love by loving people who didn't even love him in return. In that way, this isn't really a fair comparison. I can honestly say that it is easy for me to love Abi. Again, I know this isn't true of all marriages, but that is why it is so important to make the right choice in who you marry. A man who marries well will have a blessed life. I am blessed beyond what words can describe. I love Abi with everything I am, and would gladly give my life for her. I guess for once, at least in this way, following Jesus isn't really that hard. But that is because we are both focused on the same thing: loving Jesus and each other well. The rest is just gravy. My prayer is that you choose well and that your marriage would be blessed like mine.

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The Struggle of the New Me

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:17, 18, 22-24, 30 NLT)

How diferent do I look from everyone else? According to this the answer should be pretty drastically. I have to put to death my old way of life because Jesus came and died for me so that I could have a new one! This is a difficult process, a daily battle. You see, I don't always want to put on my new nature, sometimes I want to be spiteful and rude. Sometimes I want to be angry and hold a grudge. I don't always want to show the love that Jesus has shown to me. Why? Because people are jerks. While that may be true, if I claim to have Jesus then I don't get to make that choice. You see, part of being a follower of Jesus is actually following. That means He calls the shots. He says to put on the new nature daily, so that is what I'm supposed to do! It's really not that complicated, although it is difficult. 

When it comes down to it, why should I listen to Him anyway? Well, you could say that I owe Him one. And by that I mean the biggest one of all time. How do you repay someone who saved you from eternal damnation? The short answer is you don't. But a good place to start is by doing what He asks you to do. He has called me His own, which is beyond amazing! He has guaranteed that I will be saved on the last day! The least I can do is live for Him until that time comes!

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Missional

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:6, 10 NLT)

The church is an amazing thing. Truthfully I spend way too much time complaining about it, but just stop and think about it for a second. Where else can you find that many different types of people under the same roof? Every nationality, gender, and social class need Jesus. Why? Because are all sinners who need a Savior. Ir is. Job as the church to show the world the wisdom of the plan of God. If we took that responsibility a little more seriously, it would be incredible! We do pretty good for a little while, and then we forget. I know it's natural, but we need to keep our mission at the forefront of our minds to keep us on track. 

The church is beautiful. God's plan is perfect. I need to be careful the way that I talk about it. Yes, people inside the church are not perfect, but that includes me! That doesn't change the fact that the church is God's plan to save the world! So instead of spending my time complaining about her shortcomings, I need to spend it celebrating the amazing things she is doing and striving to do my best to represent God in everything I do! 

I need to stay on mission: show the world God's wisdom.

Enjoy the Journey 

From Death to Life

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. (Ephesians 2:1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15 NLT)

Being alive is something that I think most of us take for granted. I don't usually think about breathing...except now that I'm thinking about it! We are on autopilot so much of our lives. But here it says that we used to be dead because of our sins. Of course he is speaking spiritually, which means that we were separate from God. This is a big problem for us, because it means that we were on the he fast track to hell. It is only through Jesus that we can be raised to life. The thing about that is there is nothing I can do to help myself, I totally depend on Jesus. This takes me and my ego out of the equation. I don't have anything to brag about, all I did was sin and get forgiveness anyway! This is the good news of the gospel, and it is the good news of the Christmas season. Jesus came, even though we didn't deserve it, and did what only He could do...He made us right with God!

Enjoy the Journey

Got Scars?

It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. (Galatians 6:15, 17 NLT)

This is a question that Paul is just tired of dealing with! People were trying to put things on the believers that weren't necessary and say that they are necessary. The ritual of circumcision was to show that you were a part of the Jewish nation and therefore set apart as one of God's people. With Jesus, all of that changed. It was no longer about becoming a Jew, it was about becoming like Christ. This is what Paul is addressing..for what he hopes will be the last time. It takes a long time for people who have been doing something one way forever to change. It used to be essential to be circumcised or you would be cut off from God! You can see how this would be a difficult thing to convince the Jews of after several thousand years. 

All that being said, what matters is whether or not you have been changed by Christ. Have you been transformed into a new creation? What is different about you now? Paul then goes on to talk about the scars he has that proves that he belongs to Jesus. You see, following Jesus is costly. When you are transformed, it causes friction with the world. You'll get some scars. It is easy to talk, but the proof is in how you life your life. The question I have to answer is this: Am I willing to get scarred up for Jesus? My answer is absolutely! Bring it.

Enjoy the Journey 

The Week of Dad Recap

And so the 'Week of Dad' comes to an end. This past week I have been on staycation and it has been great. It has given me time that I do not normally have to spend with my son Micah. I can't even begin to talk about how blessed I am to be his dad. There are so many moments in life that we just take for granted until we slow down long enough to actually realize what is happening. No, we didn't go anywhere fancy, but this week I got to play at the park, go to the beach, and see fireworks (his first fireworks show) with the best kid in the world!

I spent almost every moment that he was awake this week with him, and it was incredible. God is amazing, I don't know how many times I just stopped and starred in awe. Micah is a sweet little guy who wants to help with everything, and he actually is pretty helpful most of the time! I wouldn't trade this past week for anything, and I am more than a little bit sad that it is over. 

One thing that I have learned this week is just how precious the time that we have with our family really is. The best times of the week were when the 3 of us were together (and fully engaged with one another). We can take a marble out of Micah's jar this week and I can honestly say, we've made the most of our time. 

You don't have to go anywhere to make memories, you just have to be present. So dads, be present in your kid's life (and your wife's life as well), because God has blessed you tremendously. 3 things I know: I love Jesus, I love Abi, and I love Micah!

Enjoy the Journey

Living by the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV)

Crucifying the flesh is really hard to do. This is the way I want to life, but I fall short of it all the time. My desires have changed since I have come to Christ that is for sure, but it would be a pretty big stretch to say that I don't have 'desires of the flesh.' It is actually very frustrating and I find myself identifying with Paul when he talks about doing things he doesn't want to do all the time. 

Trying to live by the fruit of the Spirit is a difficult task, but it is one that is so important! I know that in order to actually get rid of bad habits you have to replace them with new good habits. It's time to get to work. 

Enjoy the Journey 

Why Can't I Do It Myself?

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. (Galatians 2:16, 20, 21 NLT) 

This takes some pressure off. I am a goal person, and nothing makes me more miserable than failing to reach my goal. Too May times it feels like the goal is to be able to obey the law perfectly so that God will love me. This is impossible, and if it is my goal, I will always fail. God knew this from the beginning, and He gave us the law so that we could see how much needed Jesus. My life makes that pretty clear, I fall short every day. That is why it would be so frustrating if following the law perfectly was the goal of this life. 

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to keep the law. God made it therefore it is perfect and we should do our best to obey it. However, we have to remember that the law doesn't save us, Jesus does. Like Paul says at the end of the chapter, if the law could mark us right with God, then there would have been no reason for Jesus to come here and die. So clearly that was never the plan to start with. Thank goodness Jesus did come here and die so that I could be made right with God. 

Now when I am baptized (according to Romans 6), I am buried with Jesus and raised to walk in a newness of life. I have been cruicified with Him and I no longer live but it is Christ who lives in me. His grace means evening, because getting to God isn't something I can do on my own. I can try as hard as I want to, I can put all of my Type A personality to use, and I will never get there. That is why Jesus came. That is why it's called good news. His grace is amazing!

Enjoy the Journey

This Verse Terrifies Me

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. (Galatians 1:8 NLT)

This verse is terrifying for me. I teach and disciple almost every day of week. That means I have to know my stuff and make sure that I am am teaching the truth, otherwise, according to this verse, I will be cursed! I've often said I should go be a weatherman, that way it wouldn't really matter if I was wrong 60% of the time! But here we aren't taking about weather, we are talking about the eternal destination of people's souls! Messing this up is a big deal. That is why it is so important for me to study the Word of God to make sure that what I am saying is the truth. That is also why the language in this verse is so strong. There isn't room for an 'oops' moment here, we have to get it right. 

It is a tremendous amount of pressure, a very heavy burden, so why carry it? The truth is, it would be much easier to do something else. Not that other things require less skill necessarily, but the consequences are less...eternal. The reason I do what I do is simple: God has called me to it. There is no other reason. There is no other explanation. When God has called me to do something, I don't see how I can do anything else! I don't say that to complain, I love what I do, I'm just stating a fact. I've often wondered what it would be like to have a different kind of job, but God keeps on showing me that I am exactly where he wants me to be.

My prayer is that He will continue to guide and direct me, that He will give me the words to say, and that I will have the courage to follow Him wherever He leads.

Enjoy the Journey

The Secret to My Awesome Marriage

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. (Proverbs 31:10, 11, 30 NLT)

Your spouse will make or break you. Choosing a wife is the second most important decision that you will ever make (1st to follow Jesus)! Choose wisely my friends. 

I know that I will get in trouble if she reads this, but that's ok. I married a Proverbs 31 woman! I am beyond blessed to be married to Abi. She is more precious to me than anything but Jesus. I can trust her with anything, and she definitely enriches my life. She is beautiful physically, and works hard to maintain that beauty, but more importantly she is beautiful spiritually. She is an anchor in my life. I know that her counsel will always be rooted in the ways of God. 

She loves Jesus more than anyone I know, and that allows her to love Micah and I well. I could never ask for a better wife or a better mother for my son. I am so thankful for Abigail Blount. I love her with all of my heart.

Gentlemen, be picky, choose wisely, it's worth it!

Enjoy the Journey 

The Criticism that Counts

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. (Proverbs 29:1 NLT)

Accepting criticism is one of the hardest things to do. I think it's because I always think I'm right. I know that might sound weird, but if I didn't think I was right it wouldn't do what I did! As a result, accepting criticism is hard to do because it means that I have to swallow my pride. In ministry this is especially hard because criticism (fair or unfair) is a constant reality. There is always someone with an opinion of what you've done wrong or what you should have done differently. It is so easy to get defnisve or just want to hand it all over to them and let them deal with it. But that is not what God has called me to do. 

Having a good filter for what criticism to listen to is so important. Not all criticism is valid and not all criticism should even be listened to, however I know that I am not (and never will be) a perfect person or leader. I need people in my life who are honest enough with me to tell me the truth when I need to do something better or differently. 

I think in many ways criticism keeps us humble. It helps us to remember (if we let it) that we are not perfect, but we are serving a perfect God. Since the God we are serving is perfect, who owe it to Him to continue to improve everything we do. My prayer is that I will learn to filter our the criticism that doesn't matter, and that I will learn to grow from the criticism that counts.

Enjoy the Journey