Vain Goals – Phil. 3:8

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ  Phil. 3:8 (NLT)

When I was in high school I lifted weights regularly.  My body over time went from being fragile and flabby; to stronger and more defined. I soon adopted a lofty goal; to bench press 300 lbs.  I believed in myself if I could bench press that much weight I would be considered strong and the girls would adore me.  I treasured the thought of being able to brag to others of my great feat.  I was on my way to reaching my goal; as I went from being able to lift barely 100 lbs to a nice 225 lbs.  I was 75 lbs away from realizing my goal when I injured my wrist during the last football game of my junior year; I have never been able to bench press over 235 lbs (and that hurt profusely!). For a while this fact crushed my spirit; until my wife (just a friend at the time) put it to me so clearly. “Girls don’t really care about that stuff!” 

In life we put so much emphasis on things of minimal importance.  We spend countless hours studying, practicing, and improving our skills at things like sports, business, finances, hobbies, games, etc.  We treasure these things and ideas so much that they become our life’s mission; if I can only reach a certain status, own enough stuff, have enough money, go enough places, experience enough; then I will be fulfilled. We seek so hard and fast after these goals that we lose sight of the things that are truly important: knowing God and making Him known.  Earthly treasures will all pass away, but heavenly riches will last forever (Matt 6:19-20). 

The Apostle Paul had a profound list of earthly accomplishments; he could have boasted about his greatness and the status that he obtained. However, he looked on earthly treasures as garbage when compared to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Status and possessions were no longer important to him; he considered them “worthless”! Paul did not want to be known as a great man who accomplished great things or owned great earthly riches; he wanted to be known as a man who had a living relationship with God! His life’s mission became to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and to help others obtain and grow in their relationship with Jesus; everything else was vain.

What is your life’s mission?  Is it in earthly goals and measures?  Or is it in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and a desire to make Him known? 

It Was Me - Heb. 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing heever liveth to make intercession for them. Heb. 7:25

I leave you today with this simple poem.  

It Was Me

I’ve heard some people talking about forgiveness
Telling the story that Jesus came to save us
That He gave His life so I could be free
They must not know Lord, that it was me

It was me that caused Him to run that wretched race
It was me that smote His holy face
That drove spikes through precious hands
Openly mocked Your Son , made man

Opened up the book of Your word just the other day
I couldn’t believe what I heard it say
Jesus sacrificed His life so selflessly
To wipe away sin, but He can’t forgive me

It was me that mocked Him in His hour of shame
It was me that laughed at them who called his name
How could Jesus save someone so unworthy
You don’t understand God it was me

Now I can hear Him still calling out my name
Telling me that He sees all my doubt and shame
I don’t understand tell me how it could be
For He’s saying child it was me

It was Me that gave my life upon the cross
It was Me that chose to pay the cost
Now open up your eyes so you can see
I love you so much, It was me

No matter where you have been or what you have done; Jesus paid the price.  If someone pays the price for something, it belongs to them.  Start fresh with Jesus today!

Calling all Christians! - 1 Corinthians 1:11-13

I was discussing earlier today with a good friend of mine some differences in church doctrines.  It seems that we get so caught up on the little things that we allow walls to be built up between us as Christians.  We forget the true tasks at hand: worship God and reach others for Jesus Christ.  We must focus on these tasks that are of the utmost importance and agree to disagree on the things that are not (Phil. 1:27). 

Are you a Christian? If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ then you are my brother or sister; we are united in one family.  Now we may choose to worship different, we may listen to different music, we may even interpret some things in different ways; let us face it we are humans and we know in part (1Cor. 13:12) and we simply are not always going to get it right.  The important thing is we have faith in Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection.  We get so caught up on the trivial things that we lose sight of the fact that people are dying and going to Hell all around us. 

What would happen if we were unified as believers? I am not saying that we all go to the same church, or that we all hold to one set of doctrinal beliefs.  I am saying what if we would all lay aside our differences and truly seek to reach the lost? What if we did not put so much emphasis on converting more people to our denomination and started winning souls for Jesus Christ? Just think if a whole city of churches worked together for this common goal of reaching people for Jesus and did not concern themselves with church numbers or affiliation, it would make such an impact for the kingdom of God in that City.   Now what if we would all follow suite?

How many people would come to know Jesus if they saw the walls of denominations fall (not the destruction of denominations) and true Christian love ignited (John 13:35).  What if our desire was to see people get saved no matter where they chose to go to church? We do not have to worship the same way, we do not have to sing the same songs, we do not have to follow traditions the same; we are different people.  Sometimes I like to shout amen, some people do not and that is ok.  We will express our worship differently; the important thing is we are worshiping Jesus Christ.   Paul told the Corinthians that he determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1Cor. 2:2); what if we would do the same!

I am thankful that I fellowship and share prayer request often with Christians friends of many denominations.  Some of my closest friends have different doctrinal beliefs then I do, but we serve the same Jesus; we do not concern ourselves with the little things.  Even when we discuss our differences, we try to do so without arguments and anger; sometimes we just have to agree to disagree about the issues of less importance. God has begun to break down some of these walls in my life; I hope you will let Him do the same in yours.

Let us worship God together, let us pray together, let us lay aside our differences and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ together; so that we can make an impact on our world for Him. Then we can go home and spend eternity together; there Jesus will wipe away all of our earthly misconceptions.  

You were made for Greatness - Gen 1:26a

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: Gen 1:26a 


You were made for greatness! God made you in His image and likeness. You were knit together and designed with a great purpose: to worship and glorify the your creator and just like the boundless universe around you and everything in it you were designed with greatness in mind. You were designed with purpose, with cause, you are an important individual in God's plan.

There is no one else just like you that has your exact abilities, passions and mind set. You were created to be you and no one else can fulfill your purpose. God has given you everything you need to acomplish great things. Now it is time for you to dig deep, clear away all of life's debris and seek the greatness that is found in God's purpose for your life.