Grace Amazing

A few nights ago, I was watching Saving Private Ryan on TV. It's a great film which reminds me of the unbelievable price so many soldiers paid for our freedom. I caught it just before the climactic final scene where Private Ryan has been rescued and the brave Captain who had given his life to protect the young man pulled him close and with his dying breath issued an impossible challenge..."Earn it"! The scene flashes forward to an elderly Ryan on the shores of Normandy at the graveside of that Captain. As he weeps at the tomb, we see the pain and guilt that has haunted him every day since he had been saved. Those words, "Earn it", replayed in his mind perpetually and he was haunted by the fear that he owed a debt he could never repay.

Sadly, many Christians choose to live in this type of guilt and hopelessness. The fact is, Christ paid a debt on our behalf that we could never possibly repay. In our pride and self-sufficiency, we're quick to trade in the freedom of grace for the treadmill of good works as we attempt to earn our salvation. We convince ourselves that God won't be pleased with us until He sees how good we are, but Jesus didn't die for us because we were good, He did it because He is good, and He didn't use his dying words to say "earn it". Instead, He said, "it is finished"! Stop trying to earn grace and start embracing the freedom of it. Our victory is not in our goodness, but in the goodness of our Savior.

Amazing Night

This past Wednesday nights at the Creek was one of the most amazing nights I've experienced in ministry. We baptized almost FIFTY people! That's fifty people who were caught up in dead lives and heading towards an eternity without Christ who are now saved and empowered sons and daughters of God! Each person had a story of life-change after their encounter with Jesus. God is always moving and always working and always healing. Thank you LORD!

Sweaty Interview

On Saturday morning, after a brutal, 10K race at Fort Gordon, my great pal Chris Rivers interviewed me during the car ride home. He asked some insightful questions that I've continued to ponder. I love Chris' innovative spirit and his love for Jesus, his family and life in general. Hanging out with him makes me more creative. I hope you guys enjoy this short in-the-car interview.

Thoughts

On Facebook and Twitter (two of the most addictive things on the planet), I try to share one thought per day. Sometimes, one good thought per day is a stretch for me, but at least every few days, I post something. I've collected some of these thoughts together and posted them below. I hope you enjoy them (or at the very least...the make you think)!

I don’t know all the answers, but The Answer knows me.

Stay focused on what you do best. The world is rarely changed by "Well Rounded" people.

God works more through interruptions than itineraries.

God will always call you to do things that are impossible to do without Him. If you're doing something on your own strength, you're probably not making much of a difference.

Pride is the Enemy of Grace. Most folks that never find fullness in Christ resist not because of intellectual reservations, but simply because they're too proud to admit their own helplessness and need for a Savior.

If you want to be like Jesus, consistently show kindness to people who have no way to repay you.

In the history of the world, Jesus is the only "Self-Made Man".

Depending on your motives, "Hard Work" can be either a form of worshipping God or a form of playing God.

You have to be broken before you can truly be fixed.

What you DO will make a NAME, and what you OWN will make a FORTUNE, but it's what you GIVE that makes a DIFFERENCE.

Every decision you make will disappoint somebody, so be very intentional about whom you're trying to please.

A Husband's Love

I've always been a fan of Civil War history, and this four-minute segment from a documentary on the war is one of the most touching things I've ever heard. It's a letter from a soldier to his wife describing his love for his country and his love for her. I don't typically post this sort of thing on my blog, but I believe thes words are so compelling and inpsiring that they transcend time and they should be shared.

Remarkable Faith

Let me introduce you to the Asselin family. These folks are some great friends of mine and they graciously allowed me to interview them and share their story during a recent sermon. Their baby boy Lucas played Baby Jesus at our Christmas Eve Service and four days later, he was diagnosed with cancer. The faith of this family has been in inspiration to me and to countless others.

People Pleasing

The worst job I ever had was refereeing flag football for pre-schoolers. I learned something very early on in my very first game...no matter what call you make, somebody is going to hate you! Any job that pays 5 bucks an hour and brings death threats is a lousy job. Those parents were brutal. For survival's sake, I had to make the decision to ignore the sidelines and just make the decision that I felt was the right decision regardless of who loved me or hated me for it.

This simple life lesson from flag football has been one of my greatest treasures. The most liberating discovery in the world is realizing that you don't have to live my life to please people (and it would be impossible even if you tried). All you have to do is live your life for an audience of one...God. And one day, the crowds will all be silent and you will stand before Him and hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant"!