Faith Matters Podcast

Competition

COMPETITIONIn the Gospels, it appears that Peter and John did a lot of competing with each other. Both came from families whose business was fishing. Both were part of the original twelve disciples, and along with James, both were members of the inner circle of three to whom Jesus would give special time, teachings, and experiences.When people have this much in common, they regularly become competitors. John had already established that he was the fastest one. He might have taken issue with Jesus saying that Simon’s new name would be Peter, which means “rock,” and that the church would be built on his testimony. But Peter, too, may have been annoyed that John was “the beloved one.”Jesus was aware of this “sibling” rivalry. When Peter pointed to John, wondering if he was going to be treated fairly and equally, Jesus said, “I’ll do whatever I want with him. Why do you care?!”All of us have unique challenges and unique blessings in our life. Some of us have a knack for numbers, others with sales. Some of us have great parents, and others have great wives. Some of us are very wealthy, and others are very healthy. We need to accept these God-given differences and make the most of what we have.Competing with other believers is as fruitless as a dog chasing his tail. We need to be satisfied with the life we have and run in the lane God has placed us in, not look at people in different lanes to tell us whether we are winning or not. They have their race and you have yours.PRAYERLord, I’m thankful for the life You have given me. I’m sorry for allowing the lives of others to rob me of contentment. That won’t happen today. Amen.GET MOVING1. Identify someone in your life who you tend to compete with or envy.2. Look for an opportunity today to encourage that person to their face.

Stronger In The Waiting

STRONGER IN THE WAITINGThese words from the apostle Paul took place later in his life, at a time when lesser men would have thrown in the towel, thinking their best days were behind them. But a man like Paul lives with hope, expecting and preparing for a great moment that could be right around the corner. Paul was a force in the early movement of the church. But suddenly he found himself in chains, having lost the ability to travel and preach. Life had seemingly come to a screeching halt. But that didn’t stop him from influencing others toward faith. Spending years being transferred from jail to jail, he found himself as a sort of freak show for ruling Roman authorities. They paraded him in front of a large crowd of elites at the amphitheater that still stands in Caesarea.After years of waiting, Paul was given an audience with King Agrippa, one of the most powerful men in that region of the world. Joining the king were an army of commanders and the most prominent citizens of the city. Paul had gone from a prison cell to standing before the elite of the elite while still sporting chains. He knew that if he could influence them for Christ, he could influence all of culture.I’ve been to the amphitheater where this audience was given. Every time I set foot there, this scene floods my mind. It never fails to inspire me. After spending years wasting away in a prison cell, Paul was still ready for his moment. While in chains, he took the stage and boldly shared his experiences, gave proof for the resurrection of Jesus, and pleaded for everyone in attendance to be like him in faith (minus the chains wrapped around his hands and feet).In his waiting, Paul could have become soft. He could have become timid. He could have given up hope. But that’s not what true men of God do. In his waiting, Paul became stronger, bolder, and more assured of the importance of his message. So when his moment came, Paul didn’t shrink back from it. He grabbed it confidently.We never know when it will be our time to step up and step out. We never know what great moments are right around the corner. We never know how our difficulties now will afford us future opportunities to be a blessing. Paul endured an unjust arrest, abuse, and years spent in prisons, waiting for a moment like this. He got on stage and absolutely crushed it.I’ve accomplished a lot in my life, but I firmly believe it means nothing compared to what lies ahead. The greats in the Bible are always looking and prepping for the future, not reflecting on and mourning over the present and past.Your life isn’t over after exiting the C- suite. Your future doesn’t have to be crushed after bankruptcy. There is a lot of life still ahead after a divorce. The accomplishments from when you were younger are only things that set you up for opportunities when you are older.Pain and difficulty are part of life. But you and I can choose to believe they are preparing us for the future. No matter how difficult today feels, cling to the hope that your best days and your best opportunities are yet to come. Keep your eyes open looking for them, your muscles strong and ready to move when any opportunity comes your way.In your waiting, don’t grow weak. Strengthen yourself for the day that is coming.PRAYERFather, I am inspired by the boldness of Paul and how he became stronger in his waiting. I want to become stronger too. Even when it feels like You are not working, I trust that You are. Even when it feels like everything is going wrong, I trust You are preparing me for something better. You are good and I choose to trust You. Amen.GET MOVING1. Everyone is waiting for something— a new job offer, a child, reconciliation with a parent, a better marriage. Whatever it is, waiting alone is harder than waiting with others. Right now, text a trusted friend and ask them to pray for you in an area where you feel yourself growing weaker in your waiting. Bonus points if you ask them to write out the prayer as a text and send it back to you. Read their words and find strength. 2. Getting older isn’t an excuse for growing weaker. Paul spent years in a prison cell but got stronger in his faith. Oftentimes, what we see and experience in the physical world is a reflection of spiritual truth. So drop down right now and do ten push-ups. Seriously. Feel your muscles get stronger from that exercise and let it propel you to keep your strength in all areas of your life.

How To Get Stuff Done

HOW TO GET STUFF DONEThis passage isn’t implying that a man can’t do anything without Christ. Atheists do a lot of things without Christ. But without Him, we can’t do anything of significance that is beyond our own power.No branch can support a piece of fruit unless it is tied to a trunk. Likewise, I cannot do things that are eternally significant if I am not tied to Jesus. Balancing a household budget and working 50 hours a week are things an atheist can do. But bringing life to parched souls, impacting future generations, or seeing someone be healed from a prayer you prayed is possible only through the power of Jesus.I’ve heard people say, “God doesn’t call us to be fruitful; He calls us to be faithful.” I guess they haven’t gotten around to reading what Jesus actually said. If we aren’t bearing fruit, then we aren’t faithful because being faithful is being close to the vine of Christ. And being close to the vine of Christ will bring true change and impact.Just as all trees experience winter, every branch will go through seasons of barrenness. The church I lead hasn’t always grown. My finances don’t always improve. My friendships have sometimes been listless. Our lives can’t always be up and to the right. But if our season of faithful barrenness is stretching on for long periods of time without appropriate fruit, let’s stop fooling ourselves. We likely aren’t operating close to Christ. We are doing our own thing on our own power and with our own religiosity, and as Scripture says, that will lead to nothing. But when we abide in Christ, opportunities for powerful impact are endless.PRAYERJesus, I want Your power that eclipses mine. Today, help me to produce something luscious, juicy, and satisfying. Amen.GET MOVING1. Identify something fruitful that you want God to do through you.2. Spend five minutes sometime today talking (and listening) to God about how He wants that fruitful thing to happen.

The Lost Art of Friendship

THE LOST ART OF FRIENDSHIP When we are younger, friendships seem to just happen. My childhood friends were those who lived down the street. We bonded over building treehouses and playing pickup football games. In high school, I made friends through formal sports, building relationships with the guys on my team. In college, it was the guys I roomed with. For some reason, as we age, it becomes harder to develop and maintain friendships, but these relationships are actually more important than ever.God, Himself lives in community as a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. King David, likewise has strong friendships with the prophet Nathan, Jonathan, and his “mighty men” as he made his march to greatness. Jesus’ twelve disciples weren’t just underlings but actual life-giving friends who walked with Him for the whole of His ministry on earth.We don’t have many models for friendships like these in the modern world because we live in a time of acquaintances. Acquaintances are easy to come by. They are the ones we meet at work but never keep up with after a job change. Acquaintances are our next-door neighbors we wave to but know very little about. But what about a friend who sticks closer than a brother? Do you have someone you could call to cover your mortgage for a month? Do you have someone you could confess an extramarital affair to? Do you have someone you would take a fun vacation with?If there is one discipline I could magically bestow on you, it wouldn’t be the ability to read and comprehend the Bible daily. It wouldn’t be the yearning to spend time every day on your knees in prayer. It would be the ability to choose and develop the right friendships. The brothers close to us will bring us laughter, wisdom, support, and meaning.We have to go back to the deep friendships of our childhoods. We may not have the pastimes we once had, and it’s doubtful that any of us will be building treehouses together anytime soon. But we have new things to build: honest relationships, bonds of accountability, commitments to encourage and occasionally admonish one another. If Jesus Himself needed brothers to live life with, then we do too, and what a blessing it is to live like Jesus in that way.PRAYERGod, I feel lonely. Please bring men into my life with whom I can develop friendships. I also want to thank You for my friendship(s) with ________________________________. Please bless them as they have blessed me. Life is too important to live it alone. Amen.GET MOVING1. Text a friend or a potential friend a simple message that says, “I was just thinking of you. I hope all is well with you. I appreciate you for _______________.”2. If you are friend-starved, identify a way to get around other men to have some fun, whether that means joining a Bible study or an intramural sports team. This is a key starting point for a friendship.

Fighter, Finisher, Faithful

FIGHTER, FINISHER, FAITHFULTo have a life of impact, I need to be three things: a fighter, a finisher, and faithful. This sound advice was written by Paul near the end of his life, in a letter to his young protégé. Paul elevated these three attributes as being honorable, achievable, and necessary.Church people are okay with “keeping the faith,” but they scratch their heads at “fighting” and “finishing.” Fighting sounds too violent for the enlightened, soft American who has never been punched in the mouth. Finishing is a noble concept but not something we’re actually skilled at doing. We prefer the entrepreneurial buzz of starting something new to the labor of finishing strong— because finishing is a fight. A new relationship brings a buzz, but a long-term marriage is a bloody fight. Our new American morality is always easy, but the ancient ways of God are difficult, unpopular, and capable of resulting in a body blow.“Keeping the faith” sounds serene and easy enough, but only because we don’t understand it. Most of us believe faith is a mental checklist of things we agree on. But faith is not just a doctrine or creed. It’s not just giving mental assent. It’s not choosing to believe stupid things that science says aren’t true. Faith is choosing to move. It means taking a step forward without a guarantee that it’s going to work out the way you want. It means doing the things you know your God would approve of, even if other people question you. Paul never stopped moving. He never stopped improving. He never stopped chasing his goal of becoming more like Christ and introducing as many people as possible to Him. In reality, “keeping the faith” is just as backbreaking as fighting or finishing.It’s hard to fight, finish, and keep the faith. That’s why so few people do it. This time last year, a ministry hero of mine was publicly disgraced. I have no idea what his relationship with Christ is right now. What I do know is that he stopped fighting against his sinful urges. He didn’t finish strong for the thousands of people who looked up to him. He didn’t keep the faith of honestly admitting to his struggles and finding help. Decades in the same post and no warm farewell, no final words, no future contact with the next generation of leaders. So sad and so sobering. All because he stopped fighting, didn’t finish, and wasn’t faithful.Some types of sharks have to keep swimming to stay alive. Once they stop moving, they begin to suffocate. That’s also true for followers of Jesus. We have to keep moving to stay alive. We have to want more in our relationship with Christ. We have to want more for our future. We have to want to be different, or we will be like everyone else who falters. Life is a fight, and only the faithful will finish strong.PRAYERFather, I want to fight for the things that You care about. I want to finish the race that You’ve set before me. I want to keep the faith, continuing to move and grow no matter my age or stage of life. Thank You for the call and the challenge of this. Amen.

Faith Matters - Refresh!

Join us in a study on how to Refresh by David Villa