Jeff Searcy

Ho…Ho…Ho…Welcome to December! Wow. I blinked and here we are again…rummaging through attics and storage closets for décor that we hope can survive just one more Christmas season…body checking at the toy and electronics store (that is, if we’re even still allowed in the stores after the “jockeying for position” we did just before 4:00am on Black Friday)…and hoping that the obscure gifts we bought for those special “someones” on our list, especially those gifts we grabbed online, are…“what they are supposed to be.”

Have you ever been in a store…picked up an item off the shelf…read the tag…and realized that what you were holding was not the tag said it should be? Even the most experienced and savvy salesperson would not be able to convince a person holding a chainsaw that it was actually a bag of M&M’s…despite being identified as such by the tag. One of my all-time favorite songs is “Jesus Freak” by dc Talk. Hands down…one of the greatest Christian rock songs of all-time. When it pops up on the iPod, the volume can’t be loud enough for me. I sing like I have the ability and, for a few seconds during the song, I can rap. “What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak? What will people do when they find that it’s true? I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus Freak. There ain’t no disguisin’ the truth.”  What about you?Does the merchandise (you) match the tag? There is a saying I have heard many times and is one that hits me square in the gut every time I think about it because I know there are times that I struggle with my own answer. That question is: “If I were to be accused of being a follower of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict me?”  

Have you ever strolled through an urban market or a gauntlet of street vendors selling “genuine, knock-offs”? What does that actually mean? That it’s a genuine fake as opposed to a… what…non-genuine fake? I mean…is that a good thing? I make light of it but when it comes to us, as people, it is no joking matter. Take a fake Rolex watch, for example. On the surface and at a quick glance, it may look real…genuine. But after a closer look, when it’s really examined, its true identity is revealed. I have to admit that I have a fake Rolex that I bought from a street vendor in the Bahamas one year while on vacation. It’s a fairly nice watch and it looks a lot like a real Rolex. At a quick glance, it’s hard to tell the difference. I know it’s not real. And I am reluctant to wear it in case someone sees it and either thinks it’s real or thinks I’m trying to pull it off as being real. However, I do wear it periodically as a reminder that I can fool anyone at first glance, maybe even for a little while, but at some point…if I’m a fake…I’ll be found out. I’m talking about me as much as the watch.

In today’s world of maintaining a certain look, status, or lifestyle, we can find ourselves trying to “fake it until we make it”. Why? To be accepted? Fit in? What happens if we’re found out? What happens to our credibility? And, if by some chance we are able to live out the charade without anyone finding out, it’s all for not because we know the truth…and so does God. “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9)

Despite what my tag might read, I will be known by my actions, lifestyle, work ethic, character, and integrity…my fruit. We, the body of Christ, can be the biggest obstacle to people coming to know Jesus if what our tag reads and what people actually see…don’t match. Remember, the only way God can truly work through us is for the merchandise (us) to match the tag. Until next time…KEEP IT REAL…and Armor Up!

Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the greatest Gift ever given. “God showed us how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” (1 John 4:9 NLT)

Please remember our military that are away from their loved ones…in harm’s way…protecting our freedoms and our way of life. May God be with them and protect them. I pray they…and you…have a blessed Christmas and New Year.

Make sure to tune in to Servant Warrior Radio each Friday at www.ServantWarriorRadio.com. Also, please consider a year-end tax deductible gift to Servant Warrior Ministries, www.servantwarriorministries.org.

Hello, July. We are knee deep into the summer…and it’s HOT. Many of us have already enjoyed a family vacation. Others are getting ready and some of us are wishing we had the time or the means. Regardless of the vacation status, we are continuing our summer amusement park series. Last month we talked about roller coasters and carousels. This month, we are staying true to the call and are stepping up to the plate…the counter…the foul line…the stool…the GAME…all with our eyes fixed on the prize…the 5 foot tall stuffed animal.

We have all seen them: skee ball, the bean bag throw, knock down the bottles, water-gun races, free throws, ring toss, and many, many more. They all look so easy. But don’t be fooled. These amusement park folks are smart. They draw us in, like someone else I know, by using the awesome, super cool, oversized, gaudy, obnoxious, and incredibly cheap (in terms of quality) prizes. Amusement parks and carnivals know how competitive we are, especially us guys, and that we, as the hunters, get our thrill from the kill…from meeting the challenge head on…defeating it…and telling that stack of three bottles that despite the fact that they weigh 25 pounds each and we are trying to knock them over with a Nerf ball, “You’re going down!” Nothing is going to stand in the way of bragging rights and us taking home our prize.

These amusement park and carnival games are eerily similar to the lies of Satan. The games seem so easy. “I mean, come on. How hard could it be to toss a hard plastic ring onto a glass bottle neck, anyway? And basketball? You’re kidding. Right? I am the king of the court. I don’t miss. The free throw game is a piece of cake. I’m walking away with hardware.” What we quickly find out is that the games are not so easy. The plastic ring is barely large enough to fit around the bottle and is so hard that all it does is bounce from one bottle to another. And the basketball hoop…well…it is NOT regulation size and I bet that if we did a little measuring, the ball would barely fit through if it would fit through at all. As it is with the evil one, there’s always a catch. He is the ultimate bait and switch artist. But, hey, I don’t want to be a kill joy. Let’s say we, by some crazy act of supernatural chance, actually do get a ring to land on a bottle top or a basketball to squeeze through a hoop and win. Did we really? Win…I mean.

Let me break it down for you. These games aren’t inexpensive to play…nor are the games promoted by Satan and the world. And after a bit of basic math, we realize that we just spent 5 times the amount of money it would’ve cost to buy that 5 foot tall stuffed animal at the local toy store for us to “win” the thing. Which is absolutely bizarre because as guys, we will wear, iron and re-iron a shirt 4 or 5 times because we don’t want to spend the $1.49 it costs to have it dry cleaned but we’ll drop $100 dollars on trying to shoot a basketball into an undersized hoop just to walk away with a $20 stuffed animal. In all seriousness, the games we are enticed by the evil one to play ALWAYS cost us far more than money. Now, back to the stuffed animal. Even if we can somehow justify the ridiculous investment, now we get to carry that awesome, super cool, oversized, gaudy, obnoxious, and incredibly burdensome prize all over the amusement park…on rides…to the bathroom… everywhere. The stuffed animal (aka, the prize) that we spent so much on, both literal and figuratively, represents the sin in which we find ourselves enslaved. However, we have THE true Liberator in our corner…the One who came to pay the debt we could never afford and give us real freedom. We are reminded by Paul in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.” So leave the “prize” with the obnoxious and pushy used car salesman, walk away from the game, and save your money and efforts for better, more kingdomly, purchases.

As we celebrate our country’s 237^th anniversary of independence, we humbly thank those who have rung and continue to ring the bell of freedom through the selfless giving of their blood and sacrifice. That bell rings due to the blood and lives of patriots…not by the swing of a sledgehammer. May God continue to bless the United States of America. Until next time, keep it real…and Armor Up!

The above article appeared in the July 2012 Issue of Power Source Magazine. You can view the actual article HERE.

Make sure to check out Servant Warrior Radio every Friday morning @ 6am CST on KJSL AM 630 TruthTalk630 St Louis, MO and worldwide at www.truthtalk630.com. The mission of Servant Warrior Ministries is to reach guys, from 5 to 105, where they are to impact and empower them to be who God created and called them to be. For more information go to www.servantwarriorministries.org.

Hello, June. Summer is here. Well…even though summer officially begins in a few weeks, for many, it has already begun. Favorite vacation spots…here we come! Some folks will head for the beach. Some, for the mountains. And others…for the amusement parks. For me growing up, summer was chock full of sports and frequent trips to Six Flags over Georgia. I was blessed to grow up just a few miles from the park. I remember watching the nightly fireworks from the end of my driveway and being lulled to sleep by the whistle of the train that still circles the park to this day. Much has changed, though. One thing that hasn’t…the thrill of the rides. And while the advancement of technology and imagination has brought all types of rides and attractions to amusement parks across America and around the world, two standards remain: Roller Coasters and Carousels.

No matter where you go across this great land of ours, see an amusement park, fair, carnival, even some birthday parties, and you will find roller coasters and carousels. Why? Because people of all ages love them, that’s why. Take my family, for instance. My wife loves carousels. I, on the other hand, along with my boys, love roller coasters. Different strokes for different folks. But when we apply the nature of the two rides to the differences in believers’ walk with Christ, their differences, both the rides’ and believers’, couldn’t be more applicable to each other. If you’re a bit confused, it’s okay. It will become very clear…very soon.

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when I say, “Roller Coaster?” Perhaps words like: scary, exhilarating, exciting, fast, even dangerous or unsafe come to mind. Now, how about when I say, “Carousel?” Words like: peaceful, slow, safe, even boring are likely to spring forth. When we look at the nature of the two amusement park favorites, one is fast with patches of slow stretches. It’s exciting, has a track filled with twists, turns, bends, loops, high hills, low valleys, provides surprises around every bend, sometimes leaves us breathless, usually leaves us wanting more, and, despite the fear that many feel toward it, brings us safely back to the station…every time. The other is slow, methodical, predictable, safe, never ventures out of its circular path (which is not all that bad as it allows it’s riders to wave at the same people at least 10 times), and except for the random instance someone has difficulty getting either on or off the horse (come on, you can laugh….it’s ok), a ride on a carousel is rather uneventful. Now…if I asked the question: “Which ride and its description more resemble the life of a follower of Christ?”, which would you choose? Before you answer, let me make sure you understand the question.

As followers of Christ, we are called to live a life of faith-filled reckless abandonment of our own wills, plans, dreams, logic, security, abilities, control, and future, despite our fear, to the One who knit us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13), who ordained our days before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16), who hung on a cross and bore the sins of humanity, past-present-future, so that those who believe in him may have eternal life (Romans 4:25; John 3:16), and who said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:24). I don’t know about you. But I can say with absolute certainty that it would be very difficult to find any person who has answered God’s call, from the beginning of time until now, whose life was more like a ride on a carousel than a roller coaster. So I ask again. Which ride and its description more resemble the life of a follower of Christ? Which ride best describes your life?

For those who love carousels, please know that I am not slighting you or making fun of your desire to simulate nailing one foot to the floor and walking a marathon. Sorry. I couldn’t resist. I know not everyone likes roller coasters. But I believe in my heart that if we would truly reflect on the times we stepped out in complete faith, against all logic and rational thinking, against perhaps even the urgings of those who are closest to us, to follow God’s calling, our experience was less like a slow, circular ride on a stationary horse and more like flying up and down hills of steel at break neck speeds, where it was hard to distinguish fear from exhilaration, yet was comforted by a confidence and assurance that the train we were on would remain securely attached to the track…despite the hair pin turns that sparked frequent thoughts to the contrary. That confidence was not in man-made machines. Our confidence…our assurance…was, and is, in God. Until next time…Keep it real…and Armor Up!

Make sure to check out Servant Warrior Radio every Friday morning @ 6am CST on KJSL AM 630 TruthTalk630 St Louis, MO and worldwide at www.truthtalk630.com with replays and more information at www.servantwarriorradio.com. The mission of Servant Warrior Ministries is to reach guys, from 5 to 105, where they are to impact and empower them to be who God created and called them to be. For more information go to www.servantwarriorministries.org.

The article above appeared in the June 2012 Power Source Magazine, www.powersourcemagazine.com. You can view the actual article HERE.

Before I get started, if I may, I would like to remind you that this month we honor some very, very important people: Mothers ( Mother’s Day – May 13^th) and those military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country (Memorial Day –  May 28^th). I cannot think of two groups of people who deserve our thanks more. So to mothers everywhere, we say “Thanks, Mom. We love you. You’re the best.” And to those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom and way of life, with humble adoration and the utmost respect, “Thank you.”  Now…on with the show.

We’ve all heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers”. How true…how true. April showers DO bring May flowers.

So, it’s time to go out and smell the awesome fragrances of late spring…flowers, fresh cut grass, the crispness of the morning air, and skunks. What? Did he just say, skunks? Yes I did. But we’ll get back to that furry little two-toned terror in a few minutes.

If you have not seen the movie Facing the Giants, I highly, highly recommend doing so. Buy it even. It is in my top 2 favorite movies of all time. The other is Field of Dreams.  Of course, if you’ve ever read any of my articles, seen me at the ball field, or been around me for more than 30 seconds it is not hard to draw that conclusion. I digress. Facing the Giants is from the same people who made Flywheel, Fireproof, and Courageous. The Kendrick Brothers and the folks at Sherwood Baptist in Albany, GA, do it right. What a ministry they have. Anyway, there is a scene in Facing the Giants where Head Coach Grant Taylor (played by Alex Kendrick) tells his football team during a practice that, “Your attitude is like the aroma of our heart. If it stinks, it means your heart is not right.” Just then, one of the assistant coaches walks up to Brock Kelly, star linebacker and leader of the team (played by Jason McCloud), sniffs and shakes his head after he hears Brock whisper, “He sure is preaching today.” Coach Taylor asks him,  “How’s your attitude, Brock?” “It’s fine,” Brock replies. Then Coach Taylor drops the bomb, “Then you’ll be okay doing the death crawl, right?” What follows the team drill and a short exchange between Coach Taylor and his team is, in my opinion, 5 minutes of the most inspiring, powerful, impactful, and motivating film footage I’ve ever seen. I won’t spoil it…see the movie. And if you’re a coach, of anything, it’s a must.           

Now…back to the skunk. It is absolutely amazing how the scent from the slight spray of a skunk  can impact such a large area around it. For those who have never had the benefit of experiencing the byproduct of a frightened or threatened skunk, let me tell you that everyone within a few square miles of the little guy will enjoy its distinct and rather undesirable scent. A bad attitude can have a similar impact. Just like the aroma from the skunk, the stench of a bad attitude can fill a home, permeate a business, a ball team, a church, or a neighborhood. Get just a little bit of the skunk’s spray on your clothes and the smell will accompany you everywhere you go…just like a bad attitude. And just like that little skunk’s spray, whoever comes in contact with it takes the smell with them…everywhere they go. Before you know it that smell (a.k.a. a bad attitude) has impacted multiple homes, multiple businesses, multiple ball teams, multiple churches, and multiple neighborhoods.

The immediate and lasting impact one attitude can have on so many cannot be dismissed or ignored. The great thing is that a positive attitude can have an effect that is just as impactful…long lasting…and viral. God’s word tells us to, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thes 5:16-18 NIV) It certainly is tough to have a bad attitude if we adhere to those instructions. So let the aroma of your heart be as sweet as pure nard (John 12:3)…and as glorifying. And remember, “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” (Gal 5:9 NIV)

Please pray this prayer with me: ‘Lord, thank You for Your grace, love, and forgiveness. Thank You for being faithful and true. Lord, all through Your word we are reminded of the large impact small things can have…such as the faith of a mustard seed or the tithe of a poor widow of two small copper coins. Lord, never let me forget the impact one attitude can have on so many. Let my attitude glorify You…and may people see You in me. Lord, please give me the strength to be who You see and who You created me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Until next time…keep it real. And, Armor Up!

Also…BIG NEWS: Servant Warrior Ministries is on the air! Servant Warrior Radio hit the airwaves in April and can be heard every Friday morning, 6am CST (7am EST), on KJSL TruthTalk630, St Louis, MO. Join us! It is also streamed all over the world online at www.Truthtalk630.com .  Visit www.ServantWarriorRadio.com for more information, stations, listings, and times.

The above article is from Power Source Magazine, May 2012. The actual article can downloaded HERE.

‘Beauty is only skin deep’… ‘Its true depth lies just beneath the surface’… ‘Things are not always as they appear’ … these and other phrases are ones we have heard all our lives. What do they mean? While I am confident our answer to the question “What do these phrases mean?” would be very similar, I truly wonder if we really get it…if we really apply the answer’s core message to those we meet every day. If we’re honest with ourselves, I think we know the answer.

There was a story that came out in the late nineties about how Stanford University was founded. The account of the story was that Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, the home of Harvard University, in order to speak to the university’s president about erecting a building in honor of their son who attended Harvard but died unexpectedly. Apparently, the president of the university responded rather gruffly to the shabbily dressed ‘country hicks’ and asked if they had any idea how much it costs to build a building. He told them he had over seven and a half million dollars in the physical structures on the campus. Mrs. Stanford looked at her husband and commented that if that was all it cost to start a university they should start their own. Her comment left the Harvard president speechless and the Stanfords went back to California and started Stanford University. While this rendition of the origin of Stanford University is absolutely false, the underlying moral of the story and premise of “never judging someone by mere appearance” couldn’t be truer.

“My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith.  If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted? Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God.” James 2:1-5 (MSG)

Every day, in the business marketplace…in schools…in our neighborhoods…in churches…people are judged based on their appearance. Of course, I am not speaking only of those who are looked down upon because they don’t quite meet a certain dress code or look. An attractive outer appearance has a similar impact but in the opposite way. How we present ourselves is very important. However, our outward appearance is not the determinant of who we are…and certainly is not what God looks at. A perfect example is the Lord’s appointment and rejection of Saul as king of Israel (1 Samuel 9, 15) and anointing of young David as the future king (1 Samuel 16). “When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ 1 Samuel 16:6-7 (ESV).

I started at an early age to live by the creed “You only get one shot at making a first impression.” And appearance is a major factor in the impressions, both first and ongoing, that we make. However, one’s outer appearance doesn’t always reveal the “real” person. I have been guilty, more than I would like to admit, of judging someone based on appearance, both positively and negatively. I looked at them through my own filter and not God’s. And it’s interesting…and humbling…how God convicted me when I did…and how He still convicts me when I do.

“Lord, it is so easy to form opinions and impressions based on appearance. In today’s world, appearance has become so important and a condition of acceptance…of promotion. Lord, despite  what we look like to others and see others as, You know our heart and the people we are…and likely the people we want to be. Lord, give me the courage to look beyond the appearance to reach others and love them as You did…and do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

I have often said that following Christ is like riding in the front seat of a high speed roller coaster…with the lap bar up.  Join me this summer, right here, as we are going to be hanging out at the amusement park. It is going to be a wild ride. Until then, keep it real…and Armor Up!           

The above article appears in the April Issue of Power Source Magazine, www.powersourcemagazine.com and can be viewed HERE.

Hello, March. The year is in full swing. Shamrock fields are a bloom. St Patrick, a true servant warrior in every respect, is on everyone’s mind. And our schedules are jumbled, tight, hectic, and overwhelming. Guess what…that’s life. We all get 24 hours a day and will give account for how we use them. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15-17 to “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.” But in our “burning the candles at both ends” lifestyle…when do we have time to hear what the Lord’s will is for our lives? When do we have time to hear the Lord at all? Bottom line: In order to hear Him and recognize His prompting, we have to be with Him. And being with Him must extend beyond the few minutes we may have taken over the past few days to read our…‘5 Minute Bible’.  More and more we are trying to squeeze God into our schedules rather than being open and receptive to His. God-moments and messages come when He deems it appropriate. If we are not alert and ready to hear Him when He speaks, we’ll miss them.

Quiet time is defined as the time we spend in prayer and communication with our heavenly Father. If we are truly honest with ourselves, quiet time is likely to better resemble the few minutes, when we can spare it or remember it, that we jam in between something we are likely late for or looking towards, to turn off the radio, TV, computer, or put down the iPhone and read a short devotional and/or a verse or two…perhaps even throw some prayers  upward (usually a want list or requests for Him to change something or others)and then wait ever so (im)patiently for the Lord to answer us, in a clear and audible voice, of course, because we only have a few minutes left in the allotted “quiet time”. For those times we grab a quiet few minutes in the car between appointments and/or in route to somewhere important, an audible response from God is certainly desirable or one via billboard, burning bush, or some mega-phenomenon/life changing and cataclysmic occurrence that somehow no one else sees but us…but one that we can definitively pin our God-focused lifestyle and/or directional change to so when someone asks, we have a really cool answer (reason) to share with them. That is not to say that I don’t believe “Road to Damascus” experiences still occur. I believe they do.  What I don’t believe is that they occur when it fits nicely into a time slot or a schedule…of ours.

I have heard more times than I can count that quality time is more important than quantity time. I could not disagree more with that statement and approach. The longer I am on this spinning rock, I am absolutely convinced, especially as a parent, that life cannot be scripted. We don’t get the opportunity to dictate when our kids will say their first words, take their first step, get their first base hit, or say or do the coolest thing we have ever seen (which is daily, by the way). We have to be there when it happens. Life, as a whole, happens the same way. The greatest, most rewarding, fulfilling, exciting, unbelievable God-facilitated moments happen when we least expect them…and experiencing them, you guessed it, require us being there.

 Ever heard the phrase “priming the pump”? I just love that saying and use it often when talking to groups and companies, both for-profit and not-for-profit   ones, about selling, donor cultivation, relationship building, etc… In essence,  you just have to keep pumping that lever over…and over…and over…and  over…because you never know when the well is going to produce water.  But, you had better be ready with a bucket when it does. It’s no different with hearing God’s subtle messages, realizing God-moments, and sensing His nudges. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to “pray continually”. I love the Message version of, “Pray all the time.” While it says the same thing, there’s just something about it I can relate to. Maybe it’s that I can’t hear a southern preacher saying, “Pray continually.” But I sure can hear one saying, with a smooth southern draw, “Pray all the TIME.” You can hear it too, huh. Anyway, let me do a little translating of that verse. It doesn’t mean kneeling at an altar or bowed with our hands together 24/7.  I take it to simply mean that God wants us to talk with Him…all the time. He wants us to maintain an open line of communication with Him. Important point: Communication is a two way street. Even more important point: God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we should…yep…listen twice as much as we speak. I know. I’m with you. It’s really tough for me, too.

God doesn’t need us to fulfill His perfect plan and will. But He wants the best for us and wants us to experience all that He has in store for our lives. If we choose to follow Him…to listen to Him…we are the ones who benefit and experience an awesome and exciting life fulfilled when we give it up and jump into the raging river of God’s grace, love, and plan for our lives. It’s amazing how, if we will simply stop fighting and go with it, that raging river’s current will actually hold us above the surface and give us the ride of our lives. Until next time, keep it real…and Armor Up!

The above article appeared in the March 2012 Issue of Power Source Magazine, www.powersourcemagazine.com. Download the article HERE.

Hello, 2012. Wow. It seems like just the other day it was 2011. My…how time flies. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. I also hope 2011 was everything you had hoped it would be. If it wasn’t, rest easy my friend. It’s in the past and there is nothing we can do about it. It’s time to hit it again…a new year and new opportunities. I’m so glad I serve a God that makes all things new. Let’s get on with it…start the year off right…set the tone…and get folks talking.

I’m a sports guy. As a coach, leader, and strategist, I love to dive deep into the nuances and strategy of the game. The chess matches that occur between racing teams, dugouts, and sidelines are often as interesting, exciting, and enjoyable as the action itself. However, we sometimes get so caught up in the strategy and “out-smarting” the other guy, that we actually over analyze and out think ourselves. Admittedly, I catch myself doing this more often than I would like. One of my favorite movie lines comes from the movie “Major League”.  It’s top of the ninth…two outs…two strikes on the batter and Ricky Vaughn (played by Charlie Sheen) is standing on the mound, staring down a monster of a homerun hitter, and thinking about what pitch to throw. The screen then switches over to his coach and in a gruff and crusty voice the coach says, “Forget about the curve ball, Ricky. Give him the heater.”  What I hear in that is, ”Don’t think…just throw.”  If you are ever around a ball field with one of my little league pitchers on the mound, you will hear that phrase being preached…over and over.  It’s amazing how often our minds and the amount of knowledge, intellect, and skill we acquire get in the way.

Jesus Christ said, “Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Luke 18:17 (MSG) Why do we have such a hard accepting the simple message of grace, unconditional love, and salvation? The word “simple” is not used to denote easy. Rather, it means uncomplicated. I interpret the words Christ spoke about God’s kingdom to say that unless we accept the message of grace, love, salvation, and eternal life at face value, without clouding it up with the world’s analytical, scholarly, or intellectual insight, we will miss the point entirely and could very well find ourselves on the outside looking in. I don’t know about you but being on the outside of anything related to the God of heaven and earth is NOT where I want to be. As we go through life, the filter we see the things through is impacted by our experiences, knowledge, etc…Children, on the other hand, do not have those filters. They don’t look at anything beyond its face value…its simplicity. Isn’t it funny the more knowledge and experience we acquire, the less we are able to accept the most simple, basic, and transparent concepts.

Think about it. What were the academic resumes of the twelve…those first men that Christ chose to change the world by spreading the Message of salvation? Using today’s language, I don’t think there were many legal scholars or PhD’s. There is no doubt they were bright, gifted, and intelligent. Perhaps not by the world’s standards…or even the church’s…but the apostles accepted and understood the Good News Message at its core essence and were able to share it in a way that not only spoke to the hearts of people and changed lives forever, but they wowed the elite with their boldness and oratory skills (Acts 4:13 NLT). Don’t get me wrong. Getting an education and obtaining knowledge are essential….and Biblical. If you have any doubt, read through the book of Proverbs. But again I ask the question, “Why did He choose the twelve men that He did and not the scholarly elite? I’ll let you think about that one as it is a question that can be discussed at length…but it is a question for another time.

There are those that tout a belief in the reality of heaven, grace, unconditional love, salvation, absolute truth, an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and loving God, and an all sufficient Savior who hung on a cross and died for the sins of humanity, past-present-future, is a naïve, narrow-minded, uneducated, and simpleton perspective and point of view. The world tell us that things that sound “too good to be true”…usually are. However, we are clearly told in God’s word that it will take a childlike faith in order to enter heaven. (Matthew 18:3)  And if we will humble ourselves and seek His wisdom , and not our own, He will reveal a message of grace, forgiveness, freedom, salvation, and eternal life that truly is…“just that simple.” Remember, everything comes from the Lord. That includes knowledge, wisdom, and perspective. When we are praying, it would serve us well to pray that God will provide us the right amount of each. Until next time, keep it real…and Armor Up.

Don’t forget to visit www.servantwarriorministries.org. 

The above article was published in the January 2012 Power Source Magazine, www.powersourcemagazine.com, and can be viewed HERE.

Well, guys, welcome to December. Can you believe that 2011 is almost over? Wow, how fast it goes. Christmas is here. The sound of bells and carols can be heard all around. Decorated trees have been erected and lights have been affixed (both with minimal injury, I hope) and buzz with a holiday glow…and massive amounts of electricity. The stockings are hung and the college football bowl season begins only days from now…which, for many of us, is really the most wonderful time of the year. I’m only half kidding.

Now, think back over the last 11 months. What kind of year was it? It was a challenging year, economically, for many individuals and for certain sectors of our economy. A large number of people spent much of the year out of work while others prospered in their business and vocational endeavors. Life is certainly never dull. However, I also know people who, despite their circumstances – whether bad or good, set courses for adventure and stepped out in faith to do something…something they felt called to do…something God put on their heart. What about you? Did the year transpire the way you thought it would? If you set goals, did you end up doing what you set out to do back in January…February? What about this…Did you act on a dream? I love the story of Joseph. Man, you can carve up the events in his life in so many ways and see so many truths of God’s sovereignty that it is astounding. Unfortunately, and I’m really bummed about it, time and magazine page space restraints won’t let me dive into them all. I think I literally heard your sigh of relief. For now, I want to talk about dreams…God dreams.

I once heard someone say that God dreams are always met with opposition, always require greater than our current capabilities and character, and are always for a purpose much greater than ourselves.  In my experience, that is a dead on assessment. And when we look in God’s word at the story of Joseph, these three characteristics fit his dreams perfectly. In Genesis 37, Joseph shares two of his dreams with his brothers and father. In both dreams, objects representing his brothers and family bowed down to him. That, of course, was met with significant opposition. Joseph’s brothers, who already didn’t like him because he was his dad’s “favorite”, essentially told him that he was sadly mistaken if he thought they would bow down to him. They even plotted to kill him. That sounds like push back to me. Secondly, his dreams were certainly greater than his current ability and character as he was just a young shepherd boy and not one who “the sun, moon, and eleven stars” would bow down to. And lastly, the reality of his dreams would end up for a purpose far greater than himself as he, through incredible circumstances and faith,  would eventually become second in Egypt only to Pharaoh and save millions from starvation because of his plan to gather grain during prosperity in preparation for a 7 year famine. It’s a great story and a must read.

While most of us will never have a life story like Joseph’s, we are all given God dreams. I will tell you that Servant Warrior Ministries was one. ..still is. There are countless testimonies of people who stepped out in faith and followed a God dream. From a vocational change, to a business venture, to something like teaching a Sunday school class, going back to school, even starting a new hobby, if it is a God dream, the three characteristics will be clearly evident. We often times place a level of expectation on a God dream and think it has to be some earth-shattering, world changing endeavor. It doesn’t.  God dreams are simply those things He places on our hearts that we cannot do ourselves in our power and abilities, require Him at the helm, and are for a purpose much greater than ourselves. They usually require us to leave a comfort zone and/or go where we feel wholly ill-equipped…knowing we have no reason to be there…but realizing it is exactly where we are supposed to be. “’I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree.’ Isaiah 55:8 (MSG).

Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the greatest Gift ever given. “God showed us how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” 1 John 4:9 (NLT) Just as we marvel at and celebrate the birth of a new life, we celebrate the blessing of a new life in Christ. “…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT). It is in Christ that we receive the blessings that come with a life given to Him to use as He sees fit. And it is through the dreams He places on our heart…dreams that through Him alone can become a reality… that we fulfill the purpose He has for us and receive our reward.

What dream has God put on your heart? If there is a question of which dream is from God and which one is the result of either bad pizza or a too-good-to-be-true infomercial…a dream from God has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Him, is a major pride extractor and humbler, is the ultimate in risk/reward with the reward not readily visible but the risk clearly evident, scares us to death but excites us to live, allows us to watch others be blessed and experience God right before our eyes, and, puts us right in the middle of the Almighty’s will for our lives. Can you think of a better place to be in 2012 than smack in the middle of God’s will? Me, either. If God has put a dream on your heart…act. Take that step of faith. It’s worth it. Until next year…keep it real, Mighty Warrior…and Armor Up!

From my family to you and yours, have a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year. And please remember our military men and women, many in harm’s way, who are away from their loved ones protecting our freedoms and our way of life. May God be with them and protect them.

The above article appears in the December 2011 Issue of Power Source Magazine, http://www.powersourcemagazine.com, and can be viewed HERE. 

Wow…I can’t believe it is already November. Fall is in full swing. Turkeys are feeling a bit uneasy. The anticipation of dressing and gravy, sweet potato soufflé (which, by the way, I only get at Thanksgiving and Christmas…despite my tantrums), and honey baked ham is almost too much to bear. The Lions and the Cowboys stay true to tradition and will once again ensure we have football on Thanksgiving Day. College football rivalries are at their peak. We find ourselves a bit more aware of the blessings in our lives. We make a point to thank and honor those men and women who have served their country, past and present, in our Armed Forces. For all who have served and who are currently serving, Thank You.  And, of course, we celebrate the birthday of the United State Marine Corps. Happy 236^th Birthday, Marines. Oorah! Semper Fi.

It has been said many times that character is what happens when no one is watching. That is absolutely true. Unless we have the self discipline and the inner fortitude to do the right thing when no one is watching (of course, there is One who sees everything), chances are much greater that we will not have what it takes to stand our ground when it counts…when others are watching. In today’s world of instant gratification and eroding ethics, maintaining a high level of principles and living an uncompromising life is deemed…well…radical. The book of Daniel is definitely one of my favorite books of the Bible. No matter how many times I read it, I either learn something new or gain a new perspective. The stories of Daniel and the lion’s den and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) being thrown into the fiery furnace are two of the most beloved stories of the Bible. Both stories end with God showing His faithfulness to those who love, trust, and follow Him. But we sometimes forget how God’s faithful servants ended up in the lion’s den and the furnace. Both situations resulted from an unwillingness to compromise principles, beliefs, and commitments to God despite the potential repercussions.  And in both stories, it could be argued that their (Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) compromise could be justified given the societal perspective and potential outcome …death. I marvel at the unwavering conviction, courage, faith and fortitude of the three young men, likely in their late teens, as they stood before a merciless king and essentially told him that their God would come through and save them. But even if He didn’t, death by fire was more appealing than bowing before anyone, or anything, other than the God of heaven.  Wow…that is awesome.

That sentiment of “acceptable compromise” is alive and well today. For the majority of us, we will never face a situation where our choice of whether or not to compromise means the difference between life and death. However, we have all faced the choice between what we know to be right and what we know to be wrong, despite the choice’s level of “worldly acceptance”.  When there is an audience of only one…the One…it is sometimes easier to do what is right. But when we are out in public, with a group, or even our family, and presented with a choice of whether or not to stand our ground…maintain our principles…doing what we know is right is sometimes more difficult, especially when the only other person in the group that agrees with our position is God. Peer and societal pressures, eroding values, and the sentiment of “acceptable compromise”, put significant pressure on all of us, especially young men, to maintain a Godly perspective and stand firm in principles and values. Every day, it seems, we hear of men, many prominent and respected men of faith, succumb to the pressure and compromise their values and ethics. Our challenge…bottom line: “Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9. We face choices every day. And even though we want to make the right ones, the ones that the Almighty would want us to make, we don’t always do it. However, there is an incredible thing called grace…and a promise that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. (Rom 8:39). Christ tells us that whatever we ask of Him in His name, He will do it. (John 14:14) So take Him up on His offer. Ask Him for the power to stand firm in faith when faced with choices large and small. Not sure you can? Remember… there is power in the blood of Jesus. And we can do everything through Him who gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13).

Until we meet again…keep it real…keep your focus vertical…and Armor Up.

 Don’t forget: Join the movement…wear the gear…spread the Message…and help save a soul. Make a powerful and life changing statement without saying a word. Visit www.DontDieStupid.net and get your limited edition “Don’t Die Stupid” t-shirt today. 

The above article was published in the November 2011 issue of Power Source Magazine (www.powersourcemagazine.com) and can be viewed HERE.