Muscular Faith by Ben Patterson

Ben Patterson's new book was not what I expected and I am glad for it. Taking your faith seriously is a 24/7 job. God's first and second commandments absolutely require it. Yet in our day-to-day lives we seem (myself included) to put God's commandments on the back burner of our lives. Then wonder why our lives are more of a roller-coaster ride than the abundant life God wants for us.

My copy of Patterson's book is already filled with highlights and notes. His use of scriptures, personal accounts and life narratives keep your interest from start to finish.

Like the Apostle Paul taught, we need to approach our faith as Ben Patterson so very well describes it with “Vigorous Faith.” We must train. It takes time and commitment. Focusing on the prize means giving up and putting aside self-interest (Self) and truly committing yourself to God. Easier said than done in today's world. It is the world we are fighting against. The world wants to take your attention away from God.

The four parts of Muscular Faith give you easy reference to go back to. Not a step-by-step process in such but a where to go reference. The style is down to earth writing in my opinion. If you're a new Christian or a tried and true veteran you will enjoy and learn from this book. Yes, we get beat up and pushed back in our life. So many of us wish just to sit in the stands and roar with the crowd. Patterson teaches that is not what we have been called to do. We need to get onto the field and run the race. Before we do. We need to train daily. Focus on the prize. Get our house in order. Push through and realize the “good hard” and the “bad hard.” Keep building in our daily walk with Christ.

This book is well worth reading. An excellent book to give to other Christians. Whether they are new or old. Whether they are struggling with their faith or enjoying life abundantly. It will help them both.

Who is in Charge?

Bosses, CEO's, managers, supervisors even store owners always think that they are in charge. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

We all think we're the boss, but it's a bunch of baloney. If you are confused about who really runs your business, consider this: a co-worker with a bad attitude can (a) steal your money or products, (b) fudge on their hours, (c) undermine your relationship with your customers, and (d) poison the morale of everyone else. So, if you think you're the head honcho at the office, think again. Your coworkers really run the business. ~Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko's, author of the book: “Copy This!”

Rarely do I ever hear people complain after going to Wal-mart that the prices are too high. There is no where else to shop. They are the only game in town. What we do complain about though is how we were treated. Many I have talked to repeatedly complain about the service or lack of it. What does this say about Wal-mart? If I the customer am being treated badly by the sales clerk. The manager must be mistreating the sales clerks. The upper management must be mistreating the store managers and so on up the ladder. So who really is in charge? The one who has the one-2-one relationship. Some call it personal service. We Christians call it fellowship. The building of personal relationships. That is why when I shop at Wal-mart I look for certain sales clerks because I know they will treat me right. That is how people should look at and for Christians.

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
Matt 7:2 (NLT)

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us. 
Titus 2:7-8 (NLT)

In Matthew above did you ask who will be judging us? The one and only judge, God. So if we treat someone else badly do we really think we can get away with it? Of course not. Why? The fact is God is in charge. The sooner we realize it and submit ourselves to God's will the better we will be. Does this make our lives easy. No, in fact it makes our lives harder, but more rewarding knowing that we are doing it for Christ.

Team up, Set-up and get into the fight. <><

Pride and the Empty Sack:

If you're a Star Trek fan then you have heard the following statement. “Pride and an empty sack is worth the sack.” I have mentioned it before. Pride has toppled more governments and empires. Pride has destroyed more corporations. Pride has ruined more lives and decimated more families than any war or decease in human history. Pride is the devil's own nuclear bomb. It looks like everything else in the world and when it goes off nothing is left alive.

With that said is it alright to take pride in being humble? The American dream says no. A trap we have all found ourselves ensnared and disparate to get out of. We find ourselves trying to present ourselves in a better light or something more respectable. Why? Society calls for it. In business we have titles when in fact just plain old “Owner” describes it well for those who are truly in business. Owner means in-charge, the top dog, the buck stops here, and also means responsibility many of us would never really want to have or face. Yet society expects titles like CEO, CFO, manager, supervisor, president instead of servant or “Someone who can really help you.”

I heard a story about a man who was running for election for mayor of a small town. He had worked as a custodian at the city hall building for many years. Made very little money. His family scrapping each day to get by. One night there was a town hall meeting to present the candidates to the public. Many of them were well to do citizens of the town. Business owners, current politicians and high society types if you know what I mean. Each one made a wisecrack about the janitor running for mayor. Then it came the janitor's turn to talk. He did not try to call himself a sanitation engineer or try to project himself as something he was not. He did not even take pot shots at the other candidates like they had done to him. He simply spoke the following. “For years I have worked as a janitor at city hall. I have personally seen how my fellow town's people are treated poorly and without respect. I see the waste caused by all the offices here. The misuse of office machinery. I have had to listen to the gossip around the hallways. Poor attitudes and office politics. I have personally witnessed the disrespect for our town's properties. Over the years I have seen some of the most educated people in our town make a mess of what we call our city government. I'm a member of the same church as you. Many a times my family is overlooked or looked down upon. Why not? I am just a janitor. God has given my family and I strength to endure, hope and love when others simply pass on by. The desire to serve others. You might not understand, but God has put me in the right place at the right time. Who among these candidates has any experience in cleaning up a mess?”

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Prov 11:2 (NLT)

….for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matt 20:28 (NLT)

Peace be with you. <><

No Your Other Left

It is hard not to bad mouth the United States these days. The facts show we have lost our way. In fact we lost it a long time ago. In a recent article from Michael Synder the numbers show that America has missed the mark.

We seem to be worried about the stock market but the fact is that 83% of all U.S. Stocks are in the hands of 1% of the people. Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009 which is 32% more than in 2008. Why are we worrying about the Real Estate market? The facts now show for the first time in our history that banks now own a greater share of residential housing net worth than all individual Americans put together. In 1950 the ratio of average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000 that ratio has increased to 300 to 500 to one. Here in the U.S. the average federal worker now earns 60% more than the average worker in the private sector. The average time needed to find a job in a America has risen to a record 35.2 weeks. More than 40% of Americans who are employed are now working in service jobs which are often very low paying. Nearly 21% of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010. The highest figure in 20 years. The top 10% of Americans now earn around 50% of our national income.

These are striking statistics. As Christians should we be concerned? Very much so. Why? You can easily see that we are losing hope. We have lost our direction. The people we should be ministering too is growing. We need them. They need us. We all need Christ more now than ever.

Does that mean we preach and teach a message of prosperity? Telling them just trust in Jesus and He will fix your marriage, your job, make your kids perfect, cure your addictions, get you a bigger house, a new car and so on? That is the message that is being preached on T.V. Promoted in the best selling books. Dare I say in the pulpits of today's churches? We got to get them in the doors someway. Telling them they are going to die and go to hell just isn't working anymore. What?

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Prov 11:4 (KJV)

Salvation through Christ is about the wrath that is to come. The truth is we will die and without Christ, Yes you are going to Hell. That is a fact not a statistic. Not a suggestion. Not an alternative way of doing things.

We need not worry about bringing people into church. We need to bring Christ's church to them. Tell someone about Jesus today.

Two Square Feet

One day a senior church member made a point to have me follow her to her Sunday school room because she had a problem with her room and wanted me to see it. The whole situation seemed like a trip to the principal’s office for a scolding. Sure enough there on the floor near the edge was a coffee stain. Dirtying the floor less than two square feet. You should know our church facility is not small. I myself am responsible for maintaining over 60,000 square feet each week. She gave me a brief scolding making my efforts for the week seem very unappreciated to say the least. Did I proceed to tell her about the other 59,998 square feet I had cleaned that week? What would be the point? Her focus was only on those two square feet. Instead I immediately apologized for the mess knowing full well that the room had indeed been cleaned earlier that week. I then thanked her for pointing out the problem. Then immediately began re-cleaning the entire room and not just the spill on the floor. She was very pleased and then reminded me to be more watchful next time. Again I apologized for the problem and thanked her again for bringing the problem to my attention.

Later that week after Sunday service that same senior member approached me in a much more somber mood. She informed me that one of her students had informed her that they had been in the room earlier that week and had a slight accident with their coffee. Did I relish in this newfound news? No, just smiled knowing there was something more to this. She then apologized for her harsh treatment of me earlier that week. Telling me that her week was going badly at the time and that coffee stain was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I thanked her again for telling me and told her not to worry. If there is another problem please let us know as soon as possible.

How many times have we done the same thing? We have all been on one side or the other. Upset by something else. Making assumptions about others. Determine to make our point and bear down authority over others. And then when we are attacked we look to retaliate. Again determined to make our point to the one who offended us in the first place. Becoming a very dangerous cycle.

When Christians persecute other Christians who can possibly be the winner? You’ve got it. No one wins. Can you hear Satan’s laughter?

If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you. Prov 25:21-22 (NLT)

If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also.
Luke 6:29 (HCSB)

But, it’s your job:

Would you call your work or your job fun? Chances are very low you answered YES. Those days when things are not going so well we often have someone come up and say, “But it’s your job.” As if to say if we do not like it then we can leave.

Let us put it into perspective. You are at the foot of the cross. You look up and see Christ bleeding from His wounds about to take His last breath. You see the blood pooling at the base of the cross. It is a very horrific sight. The stench of death is all around you. Then you look Jesus in the eye and say, “I know you are in great pain. Betrayed, mocked, whipped and beaten. You have taken my punishment. But, it’s your job.”

What an insult to all mighty God! You would not say that to Jesus. Then why say it to His children? To our brothers or sisters in Christ?

Hey D.C. get real. You are taking it a little too seriously.

Perhaps you are right. But, I see it all the time. I have been told those very same words. Have we not said it or even worse thought it with regards to our pastors? I was just reading in one of my devotionals about a pastor who would drop everything to help others. He was a workaholic. His family suffered the most and needed him. Yet this pastor’s desire was always to help others. It was killing him. Do you dare tell his wife and family, “But it is his job?” NO.

I am guilty. Too often I focused on what I thought someone else’s responsibilities were rather than listening to what God’s Word has said about my own. Do not make the same mistakes I have.