Review of The Last Arrow

I had the great honor of participating in the pre-launch team for Erwin McManus's new book, The Last Arrow.

The Last Arrow will challenge you to think about why you do what you do. The Last Arrow is insightful, inspiring, and challenging.

The main idea behind The Last Arrow is asking, “what are you holding back?” Erwin McManus challenges his readers to evaluate what they are holding back and to as themselves why? Why am I holding back? Why am I not giving all I have?

I loved how Erwin McManus jumps right in to address mediocrity in our lives when he says, “We can refuse to be average. We must refuse to be average. We must war against the temptation to settle for less. Average is always a safe choice, and it is the most dangerous choice you can make.”

McManus goes on to say, “There may not be anything worse than winning a battle you should never have fought.” 

If I could only share one statement from The Last Arrow it would be this statement by Erwin McManus, “You will become who you walk with. So imagine the implications if you decide to walk with Jesus.”

The Last Arrow is a very thought provoking book that you will want to read more than once. In fact, you could probably read this book several times and still walk away with something you missed the previous times.

The Last Arrow will ignite your pursuit of the God-given dream for your life.

Review of Divine Direction

I just finished reading Craig Groeschel's newest book "Divine Direction" set to release Feb. 7, 2017.

Divine Direction

Pastor Craig Groeschel shares “simple wisdom” in this book. What I mean by “simple wisdom” is the principles of His 7 decisions all seem so simple. Yet each of us often finds ourselves wrestling with knowing God’s will for our lives because we don’t practice these 7 decisions.

Divine Direction will make you think and will challenge you to make small changes that will lead to your destiny.

Divine Direction is filled with Faith Building Nuggets, statements that will challenge you and make you think about why you do what you do.

For example:

“What is always true is that the decisions we make today determine the stories we tell about our lives tomorrow.”

 “If you try to imagine the end, it seems too grand, so distant, so ideal that you won't know where to begin. That's why we're going to take just one small step in the direction of the dream.”

“To step toward your destiny, you might have to step away from your security. ”

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

Divine Direction is a very thought provoking book that you will want to read more than once. In fact, you could probably read this book several times and still walk away with something you missed the previous times.

Divine Direction will ignite your pursuit of the God-given dream for your life.

The Basics of Life

As we begin a new year, today is a great time to re-examine our lives.

Great athletic coaches and teams repeatedly drill the “basics”… and so do good “spiritual coaches.”

My question for you today is how are you doing with the basics?

The Basics of Life

Physically                               Spiritually

Air                               •••        Prayer

Food                            •••        Time in the Word

Water                          •••        Christian Friends

Shelter                         •••        Church/Pastor to Shepherd

#1 Air.

(Time in Prayer).

Most people can go only about 3 minutes without air.

Prayer is talking to God. It is the basis of your relationship with Him.

You can’t have a good relationship with a friend if you don’t spend time talking.

The same principle applies to your relationship with God.

John 15:15 NIV I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

We need to pray so we can deepen our relationship with Jesus. (Friendships need communication)

Why should we pray?

The answer is simple because Jesus prayed.

Mark 1:35 NIV Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Matthew 14:23 NIV After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

The success of Jesus’ prayer life was due to three factors:

It was planned – Jesus had a regular prayer time.

It was private – Jesus often got away by himself to pray.

It was prolonged – Jesus spent quality time in prayer.

Jesus often got up early to pray.

Jesus often got away from others to pray.

Jesus wasn’t in a hurry when He prayed.

When prayer is a priority, your prayer time becomes a daily appointment with Jesus.

When prayer is prioritized as a daily appointment, you are less likely to schedule something else of less importance.

There will be times that you will start to pray and you won’t feel anything. This is normal.

You aren’t going to feel like God is listening all the time, but remember He is, even during times that you feel like you’re talking to the ceiling.

Pray daily whether you feel like it or not. Our relationship with Christ is not based on feelings, but on commitment! So just keep doing it!

Remember: Right Choices bring Right Feelings.

Toby Mac picture: “My secret in life is really simple. I pray.”

For those who lead, “If your prayer time doesn’t exceed your stage time, you’ll be trouble all the time.”

#2 Food.

(Time in the Word).

The human body can only go 3 weeks without food (if you have water and shelter).

John 6:35 NIV Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Matthew 6:11 NIV Give us today our daily bread.

John 1:1-4, 14 NIV⁸⁴ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Psalm 119:11 NIV I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

A.) The Bible is our spiritual food.

1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

In the same way our physical bodies need food to stay healthy, so our “spiritual bodies” need “spiritual food” to stay spiritually healthy.

If you forget about the Bible, you’ll “starve” yourself!

B.) The Bible is God’s Word to us.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

C) The Bible gives direction.

Psalm 119:105 NIV Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

D) We need to hear and take action

James 1:22-25 NIV Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

E) It’s Alive!

Hebrews 4:12 NIV For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

#3 Water.

(Time with Christian Friends).

The human body can only go about 3 days without water (if you have shelter from harsh environments).

John 7:37-39 NIV On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

When Jesus said “rivers of living water shall flow from within them,”

He was declaring that those who believed in Him would have the living water of the Holy Spirit flowing out of them.

This living water would satisfy not only them but also others around them.

John points out that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit produces an endless fountain that satisfies our own thirst as well as the thirst of others we interact with.

This shows us the importance of being around other Spirit-filled believers.

The Spirit refreshes us and uses us to refresh those with whom we associate.

We’re better together!

1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

Proverbs 27:17 NIV As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Common Questions about Friendships.

A) Now that I’m a Christian what about my unsaved friends?

Invite them to church; share with them about your decision to follow Christ.

You can still be friends, but remember —you become like the people you hang around with!

“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

In every relationship and situation, you will either be the “missionary” or the “mission field”.

B) What if my friends choose to reject Christ? Does that mean I can’t be friends with them anymore?

2 Corinthians 6:14,17 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

¹⁷ "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

Mark 2:15-16 NIV While Jesus was having dinner at Leviʼs house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Gospels clearly teach us that Jesus often ate with the outcasts of society. He spent time with people who needed Him the most.

We must remember, that Jesus’ purpose in spending time with outcast was not simply social, His purpose was for their redemption.

As Christians we must remember Jesus prayer in John 17:

John 17:14-18 NIV I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

As we come into contact with unbelievers, our mission is to keep our Christ like character and refuse to allow the world to force us to change our values.

Acts 1:8 NLT But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

C) So where do I find the right kind of friends?

Hebrews 10:25 NLT And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

#4 Shelter.

(A Church and a Pastor to Shepherd).

The human body can survive for 3 hours without shelter in a harsh environment (as long as you have food and water).

Deuteronomy 12:4-7 NLT “Do not worship the LORD your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods. ⁵ Rather, you must seek the LORD your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored. ⁶ There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks. ⁷ There you and your families will feast in the presence of the LORD your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Psalm 27:4 NLT The one thing I ask of the LORD— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.

Psalm 84:1-2, 4 NIV How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! ² My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

Psalm 84:10 NIV Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 122:1 NLT I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Hebrews 10:25 NLT And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

The church needs pastors to shepherd and teach to provide the members opportunities to grow and mature in their faith.

1 Timothy 5:17 NIV The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Acts 2:42 NIV They devoted themselves to the apostlesʼ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We need to be a part of a local church and we need to have a pastor to shepherd our lives.

When we are part of a church and have a pastor to shepherd us we benefit from the presence of God as we come together.

We receive fellowship, strength, encouragement and care from other church members as well as from our pastor.

When we have a pastor to shepherd us, our pastor/shepherd will lead us and guide us as we follow God’s will for our lives. Our pastor/shepherd will warn us of impending danger and false teachings.

If we will listen our church and our pastor will keep us safe during attacks form the enemy and during storms of life.

Without the shelter of a church and pastor, we are leaving ourselves exposed to the elements of the world that can cause destruction and devastation in our lives.

Here we have the basics of life, the essentials of survival.

My challenge for you is to Focus on the 3’s:

Air – you can survive 3 minutes without air

Food – you can survive 3 weeks without food (If you have water and shelter)

Water – you can survive 3 days without water (If sheltered from harsh environment)

Shelter – you can survive 3 hours without shelter in a harsh environment)

Wilderness Survival Rules of 3 - Air, Shelter, Water & Food

www.backcountrychronicles.com

My challenge for you is to Focus on the 3’s:

3 Minutes of prayer daily. (Air)

3 Chapters of Bible reading a day. (Food)

3 Christian friends you can build relationships with for encouragement and support. (Water)

3 Sunday’s attending church each month. (Shelter)

By focusing on the 3’s, we will begin building the proper Christ like foundation for our lives. As we focus on the 3’s, we will begin to grow in certain areas and find that we desire more than 3’s.

Focusing on the 3’s is simply the basics of life.

Ghosts of Christmas Past 2

Christmas, for many it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For others, it’s a painful reminder of the past.

What if THIS CHRISTMAS, you say good-bye to the Ghosts of Christmas Past and allow God to restore the Joy of Christmas?

For the next few weeks we are going to uncover a few Ghosts of Christmas Past that have a tendency to steal the Joy of Christmas.

During Christmas things seem to become magnified.

Loneliness becomes deeper.

Loss becomes greater.

Hurts and wounds from broken relationships become amplified.

We let what someone did or said keep us from enjoying meaningful relationships at Christmas.

Someone has hurt or offended us so we don’t go home.

Offenses:

Luke 17:1-4 NKJV Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Notice Jesus says offenses will come.

You’re going to be offended.

In fact, how many would say, “I know someone who has been offended?”

How many would say, “I am the one who has been offended?”

There are some who are “easily offended.”

Luke 17:1 NKJV Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!”

1. Being Offended is MY Choice.

Here’s what the Lord has taught me about offenses: I choose to be offended.

When I am wronged, or when I feel like I’ve been wronged, I always have the choice to be offended.

Notice ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

If someone sins against you seven times in a day!

My question is how does someone sin against us 7 times in a day?

The answer is because we chose to forgive the other 6!

Being offended is always a choice! It’s choosing to hold a grudge the 7^th time instead of forgiving like you did the previous six times.

Many people find themselves offended at other people.

Proverbs 19:11 NIV A personʼs wisdom yields patience; it is to oneʼs glory to overlook an offense.

The solution to being offended is choosing forgiveness over offense.

2. Failure to Forgive is Rebellion.

“You’ll never have to forgive someone more than God has forgiven you!”

Jesus taught that those who refuse to forgive would not be forgiven. Unforgiveness jeopardizes your relationship with God.

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Failure to forgive is rebellion.

We want to be forgiven, but Jesus taught that God forgives us in the same manner we forgive others.

Colossians 3:13 NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

That’s a high standard!

The way we forgive, release and restore others is the way in which we will be forgiven, released and restored.

3. Be Known for Forgiveness.  

Make it your daily prayer to pray, “Lord, help my first response to be forgiveness rather than be angry, offended or defensive. Help me see each moment as an opportunity to forgive as You’ve forgiven me."

Imagine never being offended!

Instead of looking for offenses, look for opportunities to forgive.

How important is forgiveness?

Mark 11:25-26 NKJV “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Interrupt your other prayers and forgive.

Make forgiveness an absolute priority.

Unforgiveness doesn’t hurt the other person, it hurts me.

“Refusing to forgive someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

"Forgiveness isn't saying they were right, forgiveness is freeing me from the hurts of my past, and empowering me to live free."

The way you forgive those who hurt you is the way God will forgive you.

“You’ll never have to forgive someone more than God has forgiven you!”

Romans 12:17-18 NIV Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Bitterness is a root that starts small.

As it is nourished it begins to increase in depth and strength.

– You’ve been right and been done wrong.

The only way you can put an end to bitterness is to take the axe of forgiveness and chop up the root.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We must learn to live with an attitude of forgiveness that mirrors the God kind of forgiveness.

“Just as” is the key to allowing God to rid our hearts of the bitterness that has the potential to destroy every relationship we have.

The only way to rid your heart of bitterness is through the power of forgiveness.

This is where you’ve must have the grace of God.

Hebrews 12:15 NIV See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

The grace of God works in 2 ways.

The Grace of God is not just unmerited favor.

Titus 2:11-12 NIV For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

The Grace of God when it comes into your life:

1)    Gives you the DESIRE to do God’s will.

2)    Gives you the STRENGTH to follow through with it.

Some don’t want to forgive.

– The Grace of God will fill your heart with desire.

– The Grace of God follows desire up with strength.

It’s only through the avenue of the Grace of God that you’re going to be free from bitterness.

If you are going to go free, you must know the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the supernatural burst of energy we need to break free from the grip of bitterness and resentment on our lives.

Once we learn to accept God’s forgiveness in our own lives and learn to offer that same forgiveness to others, then we will begin to live a life of freedom and peace.

It’s a daily choice to forgive anyone who has hurt or offended you so you can be forgiven by God.

The way you forgive those who hurt you is the way God will forgive you.

How different would your life be if you walked in forgiveness every day?

God predetermined how He would respond to your sin!

What if we did the same? What if we predetermined how we would respond to hurt and offenses?

How different would this church be? It would be like Jesus!

Once we learn to accept God’s forgiveness in our own lives and learn to offer that same forgiveness to others, then we will begin to live a life of freedom and peace. 

That’s what forgiveness does. Forgiveness restores our ability to reconnect with one another.

Relationships are not perfect. There will be snags and problems.

Forgiveness will be required.

This Christmas you are offended at those who have hurt you in some way; physically, emotionally, relationally; what if This Christmas you chop up that root of bitterness and forgive.

Forgiveness will bury the Ghosts of Christmas Past and allow you to enjoy a peaceful Christmas.