Before There Was Insurance…

Theodore_Roosevelt_laughing“My success so far has only been won by absolute indifference to my future career.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

Theodore Roosevelt is one of my favorite Presidents. He won the Medal of Honor as well as the Nobel Peace Prize. Before his fiftieth birthday he had served as a New York state legislator, the under-secretary of the Navy, police commissioner for the city of New York, U.S. civil service commissioner, the governor of the state of New York, the vice-president under President McKinley, a colonel in the U.S. Army, and two terms as the president of the United States.

In addition, he wrote 43 books, innumerable magazine articles and was hailed as utterly remarkable by many as being capable of conversing intelligently on a wide range of topics from botany to classical history. He was a phenomenal human being.

And while he was a very energetic and ambitious man, he was a not given to promoting himself or being a high achiever for the sake of elevating himself over others. Rather, he possessed a very bold resolve when it came to those things he regarded as Absolutes. He maintained a lifelong romance with his wife and from about 1876 on he taught a Sunday School class whenever the opportunity arose1.

While I can point to several things that I find both inspiring and intriguing about Roosevelt, it is the quote I have referenced at the beginning of this article that I find especially significant when it comes to the mindset of the “artist.” Read more

Muscular Christianity Billboard

What Would Your Billboard Say? (Part II)

Muscular Christianity BillboardLast time we talked about “Billboard Christianity,” we talked about one possible tag line being “It’s All Good” meaning that, as a believer, you have access to a perpetual Source of optimism because you

  •  know Who’s in charge
  • your sense of fulfillment isn’t based on goalposts that never stop moving

This week we’re looking at another tag line. This one is “Pray Big.”

I) Pray Big

Above you see a license plate that belongs to a friend of mine.

“Pray Big” is consistent with the message communicated in several Scriptures.

Take a look:

A) He Knows You (better than you know yourself)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer 29:11 [see also Josh 1:8])

No one knows you like God knows you (see 1 Sam16:7;  Jer 17:10; Matt 10:30). He had a plan in mind for you before you ever entered this world (Ps 139:16). That plan is tailored expressly for you (Eph 2:10). Because He wired you in a way that results in your having both the ability and a passion for doing what He created you to do, rest assured that the greatest amount of fulfillment you’re ever going to experience in your life is doing the things you were created to do.

That being the case, anytime you’re intentional about seeking God’s direction, you’re doing yourself a favor because He’s going to steer you in the direction that results in the greatest good for your life.
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B) Ask!

If you could ask God for anything, what would it be? Do you think you would get it? Why or why not?

Take a look at what God told David in the aftermath of his affair with Bathsheba. At this point, David’s busted. He’s getting chewed out by God through the prophet Nathan and he deserves it. He committed adultery and then he turned around and used his authority as king to orchestrate the death of one of his bodyguards in order to cover his tracks. He knows what he has coming and he’s not putting up any kind of argument.

In the midst of God’s rebuke, the Lord says something that’s significant. Take a look:

I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. (2 Sam 12:8)

God’s listing every beautiful woman that David had access to along with the throne. And then He says if that hadn’t been enough, He would’ve given David even more. Think about what God is saying, here. David had noticed a woman that was not his to pursue. The fact that he had a desire for female companionship was not the deal-breaker. Rather, it was the object of his desire and the way in which he went about pursuing that which was forbidden by violating two commands that carried the death penalty.

Look at what it says in Luke:

 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

Now consider what Jesus says in Matthew:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened. (Matt 7:7-8)

…and then in James:

You do not have, because you do not ask God. (Jas 4:2)

God is not stingy. When you ask, He hears and He stands ready to answer your prayer.

Consider this: Anything you ask for is going to pale in comparison to what He already gave in terms of the sacrifice of His Son:

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:32)

So, with that in mind, ask! Go for the brass ring. Pray big!

Think about this:

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

You can’t out-imagine God. Pray for big things and do so confidently knowing that He hears and He’s more than willing to answer.

Now, He doesn’t always answer the way we like and this is where the worship component of all this needs to kick in.

C) Worship

Go back to that passage in Luke:

Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? (Luke 11:11-12)

Fact is, sometimes we ask for the equivalent to a snake or a scorpion. We don’t see it that way, but God can see things that we can’t so He says “No.”

Other times we might be asking for something that is absolutely noble and God either says “No” or “Wait.” Either response can be exasperating but only if you neglect to keep the first part of the Lord’s Prayer center stage in your approach.

Father, hallowed be your name…(Luke 11:2)

The word “hallowed” means to “establish as holy.” In other words, before you launch into your petition, you begin by honoring God as being holy. In other words, you start by reminding yourself of Who it is you’re talking to.

God is not your personal vending machine. He’s not your gofer. And should He respond to your prayer by saying either “No” or “Wait” – processing that response from a position that acknowledges God for Who He is far easier than if you try to do that while maintaining God as subordinate to your authority. That’s when you can become indignant and worse.

II) Conclusion

It is not so much true that “prayer changes things” as that prayer changes me and I change things. God has so constituted things that prayer on the basis of Redemption alters the way in which a man looks at things. Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonder in a man’s disposition. (“My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers, August 28th reading)

God often works miracles through very common means. He uses people to accomplish His agenda and it’s not uncommon for an answer to your prayer to be delivered via something seemingly natural (see Luke 17:14). But because it’s God Who did it, it is therefore supernatural and you want to be able to appreciate it as such.

When you pray and you do so reverently, you change. God sweeps up the distractive dust balls that are scattered on your spiritual floor and you’re given a chance to see things from a different perspective. That is the true miracle of prayer. Sure, the material answer to your request is important, but it’s the change that He exacts in you that is truly amazing.

So pray big! Consider Who You’re talking to:

  • The Creator of the Universe (Col 1:16)
  • The One Who loves you and knows you perfectly (Ps 139:16; Matt 10:30; 1 Jn 3:1)
  • The One Who gave His Son for you (Rom 8:32)
  • The One from Whom all good things originate (Jas 1:17)

His answer is assured and whatever that answer is, in terms of the material result you’re requesting, rest assured that His answer is exactly what it needs to be in order for your welfare to be accomplished. And in the interim, you have been changed because your perspective is being aligned with the Greatness and the Goodness of God which produces a more optimistic and a healthier disposition.

Believe and trust (Jas 1:5-8). Move forward knowing that God is aware, able and active as far as your request is concerned. Don’t settle for an existence that’s limited to the physical possibilities as dictated by a cynical, human mindset. Pray big and know that God is exactly Who He claims to be, no request is too big and no appeal goes unanswered.

For some final thoughts about your, “billboard,” click here

It’s Ain’t Just Heaven

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In one sentence or less: What does it mean to be born again?

Some confuse saying a pre-manufactured prayer in the midst of an emotional moment to being saved. They catch a glimpse of hell and they sign up for a “get out of jail free” card in order to reserve a spot for themselves in heaven. It’s not always that superficial, but sometimes salvation is processed as a spiritual add-on as opposed to a total transformation.

So, what does it mean to be born again? Where did phrase come from and what should be different about that person once they’re truly saved?

Here’s the bottom line – I’ll state it here and then work backwards so it makes more sense: That which was dead has been made alive. And the resulting “resurrection” positions you in a way where you are now truly living rather than just existing. Read more

Muscular Christianity Billboard

What Would Your Billboard Say? (Part I)

Muscular Christianity BillboardIf you were tasked with creating a billboard that promoted the advantages of being a Christian, what would it say?

Let’s take it a step further and say that you can design it however you want, but you have to leave out the idea of eternal life as well as the notion that says “He helps you with your problems.”

It makes you think, doesn’t it?

John 3:16 and verses like Isaiah 42:10 and John 16:33 demonstrate that missing hell and going to heaven along with having a Divine Source of assistance in moments of trouble are both very much a part of the Christian’s landscape.

But, if your approach to Christ is limited to either a funeral home or a major crisis when you’re feeling like you’re at the end of your rope, then you’re missing out on the vast majority of what God brings to the table in the context of a relationship with Him.

In John 17:3, Jesus defines eternal life as “knowing God.” That’s not something that begins when your heart stops, rather it’s something to be enjoyed, experienced and deployed right here, right now. And while it’s certainly a game changer when you’re dealing with a problem that threatens to overwhelm you, it was never intended to be something you reached for only in times of duress.

That said, how does knowing God translate to an advantage when comparing the life of a believer to their unsaved counterpart? What would your billboard say?

I’ve got a few ideas. Check it out: Read more

My Birthday

lalanneIt seems the older you get, the more common it is for people to accompany their birthday salutations with a collection of condolences. Stuff like, “It’s only a number!” or “You look good for your age…!”

It’s all cool, but lurking behind some of that is a cultural phenomenon that isn’t always healthy.

Our society operates according to a premise that says your prospects are defined according to the season of life that you’re currently positioned in. In other words, your dreams and aspirations need to be qualified according to the number of years you’ve been standing upright.

So, if I’m a teenager, I can dream of when I’m 21 and at that point be comfortable in believing that I’m now capable of accomplishing something extraordinary. By that point, I will have graduated college and I’ll be ready to take on the world.

George Washington was 17 when he commissioned to be the surveyor of the area we now know as Virginia… Read more

The Edge of God

gideonsI’m reading a book right now that has a young, idealistic guy determined to prove that he has what it takes to be an agent within an organization whose job it is to fight and bring to justice those who engage in illegal drug trafficking.

He often has to pose as a buyer and in the context of playing this role, he descends into a pit of depravity and moral darkness. And it’s not just due to the part that he must play, it’s also the manner in which reports are falsified and the culture within the agency that says the ends justify the means.

His story prompted a question in my mind: How does someone in that kind of position maintain a firm grasp on his morals? If a solid individual is capable of relinquishing his grip on the sense of right and wrong he grew up with, is it inevitable that a good person will be corrupted given the right set of circumstances?

I decided the answer to that question is “Yes.” A good person will be compromised if the only thing they have to default to when exposed to a consistent regimen of overtly wicked influences is the mere notion that says “people should play nice (see 1 Cor 15:33).” Read more

There is Such a Thing as “Muscular Christianity”

new_logo_rgb_blogThink about this: Being fit spiritually needs to be approached with the same kind of resolve that one deploys in the context of being physically fit. Reason being is that I’m not going to triumph in life based on a fit appearance. It’s who I am and not how I look or perform that ultimately translates to true success.

Being fit is very, very cool. I don’t say that because I feel like I’ve arrived, rather I see it as something that goes beyond mere appearances and therefore worthy of more than a casual effort.

It is inevitably indicative of who you are: your sense of discipline, you capacity to meet certain challenges, your ability to do more than the bare minimum.

We live in a world of instant gratification and an acceptance of unhealthy excess. We don’t have a bowl of ice cream, we have a quart because it’s there and we tell ourselves we should be able to enjoy it. And I’m not just talking about a frozen dairy dessert; I’m talking about any kind of food or behavior that, while it may be fine in the context of healthy parameters, is positively lethal when engaged without boundaries that are Absolute.

People cringe when they hear that word because it represents a dynamic that is perceived as unnecessarily restrictive and no one likes to be told they shouldn’t or they can’t.

But behind that word is an approach that is as advantageous as it is common. No one who has been able to accomplish something extraordinary has been able to do so without denying themselves whatever might distract them from achieving their goal. Yet when we attempt to take that same concept and rightfully apply it to the whole of life, discipline and sacrifice are suddenly processed as antiquated and even judgmental because even the presence of limits can invoke feelings of resentment and indignation. Its one thing to be disciplined in the context of pursuing a goal, but it’s another when deployed as part of a holistic approach to our total existence. Read more

Thomas Jefferson at Ten Years Old

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  • It wasn’t that long ago if you were old enough to work, you were an adult. That means by the time we were getting our Learner’s Permit, George Washington had already completed surveying the territory we now know as Virginia and Thomas Jefferson was several years removed from proving himself capable of surviving in the woods, thanks to a challenge presented by his father when Thomas was ten.
  • History echoes Scripture as far as how young people are far more capable than our culture gives them credit for
  • As adults we do well to process these realities as our cue to be more diligent in encouraging the young people in our charge as well as “sucking it up” when confronted with challenges that pale in comparison to those that our younger historical counterparts had to face.

Thomas Jefferson. He’s ten years old and his father sends him into the woods alone. The assignment is to demonstrate his ability to survive in the wild. All he’s got is a gun and his wits.1

10 year old Thomas is able to prove himself and he would go on to accomplish some extraordinary things as a statesman and as the third President of, what at the time was a very young and unsteady nation.

I’m wondering what would happen if such a thing were attempted today. What if a father handed his ten year old son a shotgun and told him that he had the afternoon to find and kill his supper. Given today’s culture, I’m thinking that would be considered abusive and Family Services would be called upon to help the Dad better understand how to properly raise a boy.

And who’s to say that Family Services wouldn’t have a point? We don’t expect that kind of capacity in a youngster, but my question is: Should we? Should we expect a ten year old to be capable with a shotgun? And why stop there? Should we expect more out of kids than we do? Read more

Productivity or Activity?

Gears EngineeringSometimes you just don’t have time to waste, you know? You’ll sit down to do something and you find yourself involuntarily doing a bunch of things simultaneously, or at least it feels like it.

Problem is, unless you’re careful, the end result isn’t always as productive as you want need it to be. Reason being is that inevitably there are things that need to take priority and when you allow yourself to be distracted by other things that “appear” as though they need to be done, what absolutely must be done takes a back seat and you’re not aware of it until the day is almost finished.

It’s subtle, isn’t it? It’s not that you’re not doing anything. You’re glued to your workspace. Perhaps your friends and family have commented to you how it seems as though you’re always working. But when it comes time to get paid, you’re not pulling in the kind of revenue you need to and you find yourself feeling a little uncomfortable when you’re asked “What have you been doing?” Read more

Lap of Gratitude

There’s a park nearby that features a trail which provides a great route for runners in that it’s a little less than a mile and winds through trees and some picturesque scenery. It also has a little bit of a hill at one point, so it can be challenging depending on how much you want to “push” it.

Generally, I’ll try to run around it at least three times. That way, I will have gone three miles and  worked up a decent sweat.

Most of the time when I run, it will be a day where I’ve resolved to give my muscles a break from the normal LCF routine and my pace will be somewhat relaxed, at least for one lap.

By relaxed, I mean that if I were to be running along with someone, we would be able to have a conversation without a lot of huffing and puffing. That being the case, praying is often an activity I’ll engage in when I’m running on this trail.

Earlier this week, I started running / praying and I determined that for one lap, I was going to put my “list” aside and instead do nothing but thank God.

My list can be pretty extensive and, depending on how things are going with my family and my business, rather than a quality conversation, it will be a one sided wall of requests that will crowd out anything that I might otherwise say to God or hear from Him.

So I thanked Him for everything I could think of. And by that I mean, I wasn’t engaging in some trite little exercise where I’m trying to sound gracious and reaching for things that required very little thought. As I was running, I…

  • noticed the sky and the scenery – Romans 1:20
  • reflected on the fact that I could run at all. My hip surgery is rarely overlooked when I’m exercising in that there was a time in the not too distant past where walking for any length of time was a challenge. Not I’m doing Burpees! – James 5:13-16
  • rehearsed the fact that my perspective is radically different because of the Spirit of Christ breathing life into what othewise would be a spiritual corpse – Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:12
  • thanked God for my bride and my kids – Psalm 127:3-5; Prov 31:10-31
  • thanked Him for my country – Psalm 33:12
  • thanked Him for my business – Deuteronomy 8:18

…and there was more, but those represented the highlights.

Here’s the thing, though: Being more intentional about thanking God before I launched into my list of appeals and grievances set the tone for a far more healthy and productive conversation with my God than what would’ve been the case had I simply started off with “what I want.”

So, I think I’m going to try and do that more consistently in the future. Before I start my marathon of requests or my sprints of activity, I’m going to warm up with a lap of gratitude and maybe throw in some well-deserved compliments. It seems like that’s how you’re supposed to pray anyway (Matthew 6:9-10; 1 Thess 5:16-18).

I think I’m going to go take a lap right now…