The Power of an Encouraging Word

I came to realize just how powerful an encouraging word is when I started running.

I usually hit the pavement about 3-5 times a week and put in training runs. Just me and the road ... with my phone and running app that logs my miles.

Periodically, I've tried to push it and do some sprints. I've also tried to see how quickly I can run a mile or even a 5K (3.1 miles) during my training runs.

Yet, when the discomfort of the run begins to set in, my brain begins to yell at my body to slow down. To keep from slowing down, I have to engage in some mental warfare. I force my mind to tell my mind (confusing, huh?) that I'm not stopping. Running isn't simply a physical sport. There is a huge mental aspect to it.

On the other hand, I've enjoyed running in quite a few races. That is an entirely different story. My best times have occurred in races.

In fact, it's generally understood that you can take a minute or more off of your average training pace when you run in a race. So, if I was training at a 10 minute per mile pace for 3 miles, I would probably run a 5K race (3.1 miles) at a 9 minute pace. Races are almost always faster than training paces.

Do you know how that's possible? There's still the mental warfare that takes place in training runs. But, during races, there's one more huge motivator: the crowds!!!

Something happens when there are men and women, boys and girls along the race route who are watching your progress and cheering you on. Their encouragement enables the runners to push themselves harder than they were able to push themselves when they were training by themselves. The people along the race routes and their encouraging cheers are priceless to runners. We listen to those words and feast on them as we continue on in the race.

Encouraging words are powerful. You and I have the ability to cheer others on as they go about their days. We have the ability to help them perform much better than they would on their own ... simply by generously giving words of encouragement.

Do you encourage others? It would seem that our narcissistic society, where folks spend more time thinking of themselves than others, causes us to rarely ever give words of encouragement. We have the power to cheer others on to better achievements and yet we fail to do so for fear that they would get the limelight as we sit in the shadows.

Realize that you have the ability to spur others on to greater achievements. Realize that you may be the one that God could use to encourage someone who He could use greatly.

In fact, what would it be like if our churches were filled with a community of men, women, boys and girls who lavished words of encouragement upon each other?! I'd love to find out!

Let me suggest an assignment for you: For the next 24 hours, try to find something encouraging to say to everyone (or virtually everyone) you meet. See how it changes them ... and you!

Ephesians 4:29 (New Living Translation)
"Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."

How I got my first deer

Back in 2005, someone gave me a used bow. It had once been used in competitive archery and had since gained a layer of camouflage tape. It's sites were no longer set on bull's eyes. It was aimed to take down deer.

Well, I spent a lot of time (a LOT!!!) during the late afternoon and evenings shooting at targets. I got to a point where I knew exactly where the 'kisser ring' fit in the corner of my mouth and how to judge the distance to the target. I could send the arrow on its way as it pierced the air and hit a small target 30-40 yards away.

Finally, I got up the nerve and went hunting for deer. A friend had a 'deer blind' with an upside down 5 gallon bucket in the middle. I took up my position on that bucket and waited. 

As the sun began to set, I heard some movement. I looked and saw not just one but two deer slowly heading my way. But, they didn't see me. They only saw each other. Both were bucks and apparently they felt that the territory wasn't big enough for the two of them.

In the next few minutes, I watched a scuffle. It wasn't anything serious. Horns were clicking together but both bucks seemed pretty half-hearted about the whole ordeal. After about 5 minutes or so, one meandered off and the other stay behind. He was only about 20 feet away at that point.

I knew that I couldn't take a shot sitting on the bucket. Bows aren't meant to be used sitting down. But, I knew that if I stood up to take aim, the deer would see me and run. So, I waited ... and waited.

Finally, I saw my chance. The deer was making his way toward a tree. Fortunately, he was positioned to walk on the opposite side. As he slowly walked behind the tree, that barrier blocked his view. For those few seconds, he couldn't see me!

So, I jumped to my feet and took aim. I waited for what seemed like an hour for his head to reemerge on the other side of the tree. I could feel my heart beating in my head as the bow string was tight ready to be released sending the arrow to its target. I was so nervous that I had to consciously think about which eye was supposed to line up with the string. I had shot that bow a couple hundred times before but all of a sudden, my adrenaline level shot up and I was making simple mistakes. (Honestly, I felt that in that moment I could have dropped the bow and simply tackled the deer!)

When the deer's head came from behind the tree, he immediately stood erect and jerked his head in my direction. He saw me! He let out a loud grunt and then took off. Fortunately for me (not him), his body was perpendicular to me for a split second before he started to run. That's when I released the arrow.

As he ran, I began to think: "Did I get him? Did I get a heart/lung shot or is my arrow sticking in his hind leg?" It all happened so fast and I wasn't able to tell where my arrow hit him ... or if I hit him at all.

So, I took off walking. I walked ... and walked ... and walked. About 200-250 yards away, I saw him! As I neared his lifeless body, I saw that my arrow was a perfect shot into his side. His death would have been reasonably quick.

Unfortunately, it began to dawn on me that it was now dark, I had no way of getting the deer out of the woods and had no clue how to strip it. I made a phone call on my cell phone and was able to get some very kind hearted men to pull the deer out with a 4-wheeler and strip it.

My wife struggled to eat the meat. She didn't want to eat "Bambi." 

Me? I loved it! When I ate that venison, I felt like a pioneer. I felt manly. I had gone out into the woods, shot some food and brought it home to the family.

There's a reason why guys love hunting.

Reflections on the Murray HRC Meeting (December 8, 2014)

Last night, concerned Murray residents packed the local City Hall for a town hall meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the ordinance that the Human Rights Commission plans to forward to the Murray City Council for its consideration. That ordinance would give special rights and protections to Murray folks who identify themselves as gay or transgender.

As I stood in the back corner of the room, I observed and learned. I went away with a lot of information and spent the evening and this morning processing what I had seen and heard. Below are some take-aways from last night.

(For the record, I did not speak at last night's town hall meeting. I approached last night unsure of the role I should play. Should I speak or simply sit quietly and let others do so? I know that oftentimes, folks look for pastors/leaders to speak on their behalf but I know that God can use the most unlikely of people to speak powerfully and persuasively on His behalf. Those folks may also struggle much less with pride than, say, a pastor would as they speak. So, as I spent time praying beforehand and then attended the meeting while striving to be sensitive to God's leading, I sensed that my role was to simply observe, applaud, and learn from the experience.)

While more than half of the folks who approached the microphone were in favor of the proposal (I assume they read it), I believe last night's meeting was very positive in that many eyes were opened. If we can understand the true nature of a problem and the magnitude of that problem, we are in a better position to fix it.

Here are some of my reflections:

1. Murray residents are able to discuss a potentially explosive issue in a very civil way

One of the many stipulations last night was that each person who approached the microphone had to be a Murray resident. So, as I listened to Murray men and women, who were for and against the proposal, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased at how respectful virtually everyone was.

There were a few folks who gave some jabs and cutting remarks but overall, it was civil. The moderator (who was not a Murray resident) acknowledged at the end of the meeting that he had no idea what he was walking into but was relieved that things went so well.

This is how community discussions should be handled. We should stand up for what is right and even do so with passion. Yet, we live in a country where ideas should be freely expressed and the best idea typically wins. That was evidenced last night. I saw why Murray was called "the friendliest small town in America" by Rand McNally in 2012.

2. Murray is on a slippery moral slope like the rest of America

Anyone who thinks that Murray is extremely conservative simply because it is a small, rural city in western Kentucky (the buckle on the Bible-belt) is dead wrong. 

Most certainly, there are very conservative tendencies in this city. Yet, because of so many influences, (e.g. television, movies, music, the local university, etc.), this community is doing the same thing that so many other communities are doing. While it has segments of society that are more liberal than others, the community as a whole is slowly moving away from traditional values.

While I love the city I now call home, Murray has so many things in common with other communities:

• Marriages fall apart here, too. It would seem that adultery and divorce are as much a part of society as anywhere else.
• Children are growing up and leaving the church just like in larger, more liberal cities.
• Church attendance is down and some churches are only a few funerals away from closing. Thus, the influence of churches on their communities is declining.
• Religion is something that is performed on Sunday but often neglected and forgotten throughout the week. Yep, just like your town.
• The local university has many professors and other faculty that are steeped in liberalism that are highly influential in the lives of the students who take their classes. We've also got some compassionate Christians who are in positions of influence but know that whatever they say may be noted by those who hold their job in their hands. (Liberalism can be proclaimed from the rooftops but compassionate, conservative Christianity can barely be whispered. Go figure.)
• Yet another of the many illustrations of the non-traditional values that we experience here is that there's a gay pride float in one of our annual parades. #LifeInSmallTownAmerica

So, with the decline of convictional, life-gripping, influential Christianity that affects every aspect of a Christian's life as they go about their day, we shouldn't be surprised that our city, like so many others, is on the moral slippery slope to ... no one knows where it ends up.

In fact, last night, the word "steps" was used a few times. Folks who spoke in favor of the proposal said things like: "This is a 'step' in the right direction." Well, doesn't that kind of language imply that there is a next step and then a next step? One gentleman (in opposition to the ordinance) noted that pedophilia may not be out of the question if we look down the road far enough. While there was an immediate negative audience response, he made a reasonable point worth considering. What is bizarre today may become normative tomorrow if we're making up the rules as we go. If Christians aren't taking their walk with Jesus seriously and influencing their culture and if very few people are being positively impacted by the Gospel, (let me say it again), the bizarre today may become the normative tomorrow.

In regard to the lack of biblical knowledge, I was disappointed to hear a few local ministers horribly misinterpret Scripture. If they were doctors, they would have been guilty of gross negligence and malpractice. They were in favor of the ordinance because they claimed that every resident of Murray needed to realize that God is love (and apparently ONLY love, nothing else) and is interested in social justice. Everything else (theology!) was essentially peripheral. As they continued to talk, I wondered why in the world they had crosses in their facilities. What did Jesus have to die for if either sin doesn't exist or it is so trivial that it doesn't matter?

Anyway, my point is that our city is like so many others. We're on a slippery moral slope. If the tide is not turned soon, it will only grow harder and harder to get things back on the right track.

So, what's the application: We had better realize that what happens today affects the trajectory of where we will be tomorrow. If society in our city has morally declined, then we should assume that if nothing changes we will continue in this direction. We must pray, share the Gospel and work for change.

3. Christians in Murray do not agree on some of the most basic issues found in Scripture

It was interesting to listen to how "Christians" on both sides of the issue used the Bible to proof-text their point last night.

Now, to someone who isn't familiar with the Bible, last night could have made it seem that the teachings of Scripture are so unclear and ambiguous, even contradictory, that there's good reason to shelve the Book. Yet, it was so clear to those who have studied and love God's Word that it was being horribly misused last night. (I found myself wanting to approach the microphone simply to correct much of what was being said. After all, what my Heavenly Father said in His Book was being horribly twisted and distorted.)

Yet, the point remains that people on both sides of the issue used God's Word to 'prove' their opposing points. Some of the misuse was by pastors. 

So, what's the application? You'd better realize that knowing God's Word is vitally important. You'd better be able to know it so well that even your reflexes will tell you when something is wrong.

Acts 17:11 (New Living Translation) "And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth."

4. Many Murray residents are crying out for more rights

While I am primarily surrounded by folks who are in opposition to the ordinance, everyone I have spoken with is thoroughly in favor of every single American enjoying the rights afforded them in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Further, Christians believe that since every single individual is a descendent of Adam and Eve and is thus made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27), then every single person has value. Regardless of age, gender, color of skin, intellect, education, or even what sin they are presently engaged in ... everyone has value. We do not feel the burden to affirm sinful lifestyles in order to agree that every single person has value.

So, while many of us are in opposition to the ordinance, we still believe that those in the LGBT lifestyle need to have the same rights as the rest of Murray residents ... as long as those rights don't infringe on the rights of others.

See, this is the dilemma of a me-centered, rights-oriented society. We fight for our rights. We come to believe that we have rights simply because we have a pulse and so we fight for as many rights as we can get. Yet, I wonder how many have actually looked down the road to see where this mentality will take us.

For instance, let's say that the proposal passes in Murray. LGBT folks will become a protected class of citizens. Well, what if one of them goes to a small-business bakery and wants a wedding cake. Or, they go to a small business print shop to get shirts made for a gay pride event. Or, they go to a local church and apply for the custodial or secretarial job that recently appeared in the newspaper.

Most Christians I know would gladly provide services to folks in the LGBT community ... as long as the provision of those services is not seen to be an affirmation of the lifestyle. At that point, conscience comes into play. (Think First Amendment - Freedom of Religion). And by the way, freedom of religion in the First Amendment is not aimed primarily at churches. The individual citizen is in view.

So, if the proposal passes and the LGBT community gains new rights and protections, wouldn't that strip small business owners and eventually churches of some of the rights that are afforded them in the very First Amendment? Wouldn't it limit their ability and right to act according to their conscience informed by their religious views?

It really is true that when everyone has "rights," no one will. We will cancel each other's out.

What's the application? We need to treat every single person we meet with dignity and as a person of value. Yet, we need to realize that the incessant talking of rights is a self-centered discussion that will give something to us and take away something from others. If "the friendliest small town in America" becomes that self-centered, we'll never earn that award again. Ever.

5. The ultimate wellbeing of Murray (or any other city) will never be achieved in the voting booth or City Hall. It will be won one heart at a time

I have felt strongly about this point for years. (Click here for an article I wrote in 2008 on this issue.) Yes, there is a desperate need for good men and women in positions of governmental authority. After all, Joseph, Daniel and Nehemiah were used by God in governmental positions. We also need good laws on our books.

But, our city and nation doesn't primarily have a politician or a policy problem. We have a heart problem. If hearts aren't changed by the Gospel, then discussions like last night at City Hall will only make the very people angry that we are commanded by Jesus to love and serve. 

It seems to me that the White House, at some time in the past, looked to the Church House to provide the moral compass for our country. Yet, it seems as if the tables have completely turned. The Church House is now looking to the government to fix our problems. When will we learn that we have the greatest weapon, the Gospel, that has turned the world upside down in the past (Acts 17:6)!

What is the application? We need to realize that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is written to followers of God, not the world in general. If God is to bless us once again with His presence, it will be when those who call Jesus "Lord" comply with that Old Testament principle:

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)
"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."

6. As we stand against sin, our love for the sinner should be just as loud (or louder).

The LGBT community knows that Christians stand against sin. We've done it so well that they have come to think that it is ALL we do. We have also periodically erred by acting more like the self-righteous Pharisees who judged others than we do Jesus who recognized sin but loved the individual. We have failed to acknowledge that we, too, are sinners that needed forgiveness by Almighty God.

As we take a stand against what we believe is wrong for our community, we must realize that our motives will be misjudged. We will be seen as bigots. We'll be written off as hatemongers.

So, with great intentionality, we need to make our love for others clear. We need to love so loudly that anyone who accuses us of being hateful would immediately be written off as crazy by the communities in which our churches reside.

What's the application? We've got to love folks. We've got to love our neighbor. And, we've got to love them so much that we stand against what would bring them harm ... including a very bad ordinance.

CONCLUSION
So, I think that for at least these 6 reasons and the lessons learned, last night was a very good night. Our community conversation exposed some problems. Now, we can prayerfully consider how God would have us join Him in remedying it.

Must I love everyone?!

Last night in our Wednesday Bible study, I focused on the four women mentioned in Jesus' genealogy in Matthew 1. (We know the guys are sinners so we focused on the ladies.) I showed that God's love and grace is so vast and powerful that there is no place that someone can go where God's love and grace cannot find them.

But, I also noted that anytime we learn something about our God, it always requires a response on our part. One obvious application was that since we are so dearly loved by our Heavenly Father, we must also show that love to others.

We love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

We love our Christian brothers and sisters (John 13:35).

In fact, we love every single person we come into contact with, especially those in need (Luke 10:25-37).

In my Bible reading this morning, the Lord reminded me that loving others is extremely powerful. It shows that I'm His child. Specifically, if we don't love everyone who is a Jesus-follower ... then we're not saved. It's as simple as that!

1 John 3:14-15 (New Living Translation)

"If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them."

Are you holding onto any grudges or do you have any animosity toward a Christian brother or sister? You really need to resolve it very soon.

Admitting I've sinned demonstrates that I'm saved

If someone came to you today and humbly confronted you with some sin in your life, how would you respond?

Most people don't respond well. As a pastor, I've had to confront folks before and many of them have usually not responded well. Sometimes, they leave the church. I've also been confronted with my own sin and it's often a bitter pill for me to swallow, too, to acknowledge sin in my life. (It's a little more difficult for me to leave the church, though. lol)

Why do we act that way? Because we want others to think well of us. If we are a child of God, the residual remnants of the 'old person' (2 Corinthians 5:17) we were before we were saved is hanging on for dear life. It despises being corrected by others. It would much rather point out faults in others than acknowledge its own deficiencies. This is just one illustration of how sinful pride has taken root in our lives.

Yet, in my Bible reading this morning, the Lord reminded me that a true child of God will readily acknowledge sin in their life. (The obvious implication is that they will actively work to kill sin in their mind and heart. [Romans 8:13])

1 John 1:8-10 (English Standard Version)

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

So, yes, if we are heaven-bound, we still struggle with sin. And, yes, we'll acknowledge it's presence. But, we will also realize that our God is so wonderful that He won't hold it against us as we confess it to Him and make it right.

Today, if someone points out some area in your life that needs attention, don't get upset. Realize that God may be speaking through that person to point out an area in your life that needs attention. (I should hope that if I have food between my teeth that someone would tell me! This same principle applies to my spiritual life.)

After all, God loves us just the way we are but loves us too much to let us stay that way. He's about the business of conforming us to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29).

Heaven will not be a long church service! (---Sigh of relief!---)

I'll have to admit that the thought of Heaven wasn't too attractive to me as a young child.

Of course, I understood that Hell needed to be avoided for obvious reasons. But, Heaven ... well ... what's so great about a long worship service that never, ever, ever, ever ends? I've been in some worship services that only lasted an hour or so but they felt like eternity. Imagine them actually lasting for eternity! Ugh!

Then, God revealed some truths to me in His Word. I realized that while Heaven is a literal place, it's really about the relationship. I came to realize on a very deep level that God made me for Himself and my ultimate joy could be found in relationship with Him (adapted from St. Augustine). The sheer, incomprehensible joy of Heaven will be found in satisfying our longings by getting caught up in the incredible presence of God and experiencing His goodness to us.

Further, I came to realize that Heaven is in fact a literal place. It's not some 'spiritual' place 'out there' somewhere. It's a literal, physical locality as real (more real!) than our present life experience. It hit me that Heaven was going to be on a brand new earth with new stars, sun(s), moon(s) and whatever else God chooses to put in outer space for us to admire from the new earth. (Revelation 21-22 describes this place.)

This morning, I was reminded that there's coming a day when God will destroy everything with fire. This earth. Our sun. Our moon. The stars. The other galaxies. Whatever is out there, it's going to be toast. But, in its place, God is going to recreate a new earth with all of the stars and whatever else He chooses to put in outer space. That will be our new "Heaven" that we will inhabit forever.

2 Peter 3:11-13 (New Living Translation)
"Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness."

What will it be like to live on an earth inhabited by folks who love each other and love God? What will it be like to have no need for keys (no one will steal from others)? What will it be like to go for hikes with no fear of being attacked by wild animals? What will it be like to enjoy work and leisure with absolutely no anxiety? What will it be like to satisfy our deepest longings as we enjoy our God? What will it be like to never, ever experience the guilt or consequences of sin?

I can't wait to find out!!!