Money: A God-given Opportunity

God has good in mind for His people.  Money is part of God’s plan.  And, strangely enough, it doesn’t matter if it is a lot or a little.  God is looking for what we do with money from our hearts and what money does to our hearts. 

I have attended motivational and money seminars where the idea of money is addressed.  Maybe you have too.  Denigrated by the tone the speaker points out what many call money.  It is called, “Cold, hard cash.”  But the speaker points out that money is soft and warm.  Sharing the idea that life is tough which the audience readily accepts.  But then with great exuberance says, “It sure is easier with money.”  The crowd applauds.  So, I learned at seminars and motivational talks, Christian books on finance and dealing with Christians that God agrees with them and money is to be sought, cuddled, and collected.  What is a person seeking God and wanting to look at things His way to do with money?

Money is a God-given opportunity.  He allows the system of money to exist in our world to teach us values, to help us prioritize, to develop in us character, to show us people and to reveal His glory.  I am sure those are not things covered in Economics 101.  They rarely show up in church.  But I find them to be fascinating and wonderful. 

Here are some lines from Abba’s song Money, Money, Money:

I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball...

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world

Just being rich is the answer.  Many including followers of Christ agree.  Getting more money and putting more in investments is the answer.  But there are those who have gone another way.  For example, Christian businessman, R.G. LeTourneau, known throughout the construction world as, "The Dean of Earthmoving,” LeTourneau is considered to this day to have been the world’s greatest inventor of earthmoving and materials handling equipment.  Did this rich man handle his finances by seeking, cuddling, and collecting it?  No.  In fact, Mr. LeTourneau realized something very important: “God owns it all - He is the true owner of everything! All that we have, everything that we claim to "own," is in fact a blessing from God. Having this knowledge and believing it fully, he opened his company treasury to God. Cheerfully and bountifully, Mr. LeTourneau gave not 10 percent, but 90 percent! He practiced a "reverse tithe" - instead of giving God 10 percent and keeping 90 for himself; he kept only 10 percent and gave God the rest. After Mr. LeTourneau learned the valuable lesson that you cannot out-give God, he was privileged to watch millions of dollars flow through his business and into the funding of extensive worldwide ministry, helping to meet the needs of countless people physically and spiritually.

A man who faced hard financial times is Randy Alcorn.  In 1990, he was one of the pastors of a large church. He was also on the board of a Crisis Pregnancy Center and had even opened his family’s home to an unwed teen. Eventually Randy felt prompted by God to participate in peaceful, non-violent rescues outside an abortion clinic. Randy and others were arrested and jailed. The abortion clinic was awarded a settlement of lost income as a result of the protests. Randy told the judge that he would gladly repay money owed, but he could not just hand the money to an abortion clinic when the clinic would only use it to kill more babies. Then Randy learned that the funds would be garnished from his church salary. The church would either have to give over the funds or defy a court order. The only way to keep this from happening was for him to resign from his job. So he did. This bold step left Randy without an income. Then another abortion clinic brought suit against Randy’s group and won one of the largest settlements ever against a protest group – 8.4 million dollars. Suddenly it looked like Randy and his family could lose their house. The only way Randy could avoid garnishment and loss was to earn only minimum wage.

Randy learned very quickly what God meant when he said, “Everything belongs to Me.” (Job 41:10) Through these very events God helped Randy and his wife see a new vision for their life. You can find out more of what they discovered from his book The Treasure Principles.   Here is a principle:

“Money leads; hearts follow.  My heart always goes where I put God’s money. Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.”

Consider this “reallocation” from Jesus’ perspective.  He was at the Temple in Jerusalem watching people as they put money into the treasury.  The idea was that they were giving to God who had given them everything.  Imagine those coming by to participate in making an offering; those who were workers in the fields and others who built things along with the government workers and supervisors and business owners of all kinds.  Then this widow came by and gives what she had.  It wasn’t a large amount, but it was all she had.  Jesus noted that she had given more than all the rest. 

What about the man referred to as the rich young ruler?  Fairly descriptive title.  He asks about eternal life.  The man is told to sell all he has and give it to the poor, and then come follow Jesus.  The man left.  The money and all that it meant to him had a hold on him.  He was in bondage. 

Jesus presented a non-401k option for an abundant life.  The widow had nothing.  Consider the taxes from Rome and the Temple alone would stretch her if she had money.  But she risked it by putting all she had in God’s treasury.  Really?  What would she do for food, housing, or any other essentials?  She may have debts and owe money.  Why didn’t Jesus deal with her irrational approach to money?  She needed a seminar.  But, Jesus, the Son of the Living God, the Mediator between God and men, the Savior, affirmed her heart. 

Eternal life, abundant life is waiting.  It is not just out there somewhere in eternity, but available now to those who follow Jesus.  Money is a God-given opportunity to follow Him fully.  It is a test of our hearts.  It exams what or who we truly trust.  We can’t serve two masters.  It is either money or the God of heaven.  And with all my limitations and messed up finances and economic blessings and disasters I choose to go with God.  Pursuing wealth according to Proverbs is a waste it just takes wings and flies away.  Money has its place, but it is not the ultimate goal.  The Lord said don’t worry about all the things all the rest of the folks worry about…money and such.  Instead, seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and He would take care of the rest.  Hmm.  George Mueller in 1800s England took care of thousands of orphans by asking God to send what they needed.  God did.  On top of that Mueller asked God for additional so he could support the mission work in China of Hudson Taylor and God provided millions more for that.  “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and He will supply.”

As you take out your wallet or write a check or pay with a credit card whatever it is that is before you…you have a God-given opportunity.  May you approach every penny with humility and an open hand allowing God to guide and bless you. 

What Is God Doing Taking Away My Excuses?

Discovering my imperfections is upsetting enough, but God even eliminates my excuses.  I have found that when everything else has fallen apart I can rely on my excuses.  They are comforting.  They are cuddly.  They are the delusions I can rest upon.  So, what is God doing taking away my excuses? 

God desires that people live in the truth and live truly free.  The truth will set you free, you know.  Excuses tend to fog the truth and freedom is lost.  God has a better idea.  I came across this in Romans 1:20 about excuses. 

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Romans 1:20 (NLT)

There it is no excuse.  People who are committed to a view that there is no God have no excuse.  People who claim God hasn’t been clear enough for them to really know have no excuse.  People who have made up their own idea of God have no excuse.  People who have been mistreated by others and deny God have no excuse.  “They have no excuse for not knowing God.” 

There is more.  In Romans 3:19 I found this it's a troublesome idea about excuses not being acceptable. 

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.     Romans 3:19 (NLT)

Apparently, God provided a standard by which to evaluate attitudes and behaviors.  God’s standard shows how crooked and out of alignment people are by comparison to His standard so that there is no excuse. 

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.   1 John 1:8 (NLT)

Oh, no, my claims to have no sin haven’t fooled anyone?  My excuses for why I said that or why I have such anger or why I lash out or why I don’t really trust God or why I have to be in control or why I struggle with the flesh are no good.  It is true I am not living in the truth, but I convinced myself that other people at least thought I was living in the truth.  But it seems I was only fooling myself.  Bummer.  My excuse ridden existence is crumbling.  But isn’t that good?

Excuses are like excrement which needs to be removed.  The marble the artist chisels is only shapely and beautiful once the unnecessary fragments are removed.  God is in the business of bringing out the beauty by revealing the truth. 

As I think about it I find that I am blessed by God to have the excuses exposed and to discover the freedom the truth brings.  God help me to remain true and to not be as the pig returning to the mud or the dog returning to his vomit, but one who stays faithful to You.  No excuses.  

The Incredible Value of Not Pursuing Your Dreams

Dreams are powerful.  They inspire and energize us.  Writers often remind us of such. 

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. -Henry David Thoreau

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. -Harriet Tubman

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal. -Pamela Vaull Starr

As helpful as our dreams are in getting us off the couch and on the path to accomplishment there is something more.  There is incredible value in not pursuing your dreams. 

Our dreams come from within the boundaries of knowledge and experience sprinkled with ample amounts of imagination.   For example at five in Kindergarten my dream for my life was based on the knowledge and experience of an American 5 year old.  I dreamed of being big enough to not have to take naps anymore.  Hmmm…  You get it.  I dreamed within the parameters of the widest expanse of my world at the time. 

So with all the accumulated knowledge, experience, and added imagination that I can muster at 25 years of age I still dream within the parameters of the widest expanse of my world.  At 30 or 40 or 50 I keep dreaming within those parameters. What if I dream for example of being an Olympic athlete?  Then one day with dedication and hard work I arrive and win gold.  I achieved my dream.  But what if something more amazing, more satisfying, more lasting was out there, but I let my dream get in the way of the life I could have lived? 

Crazy?  Maybe.  For those who know the Living and True God there is more in life than the accomplishment of my dreams.  Let’s take a look. 

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)

Beyond the boundaries of my dreams are God’s dreams for me.  Things no one knows…He knows.  Things no one has imagined for me…He has imagined.  He has prepared things for now and things for later that exceed all my expectations, imaginings and dreaming.  But I am in danger of going my own way of going after what seems right to me and ending up losing out on what is really life. 

  There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
Proverbs 16:25 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul was a pursuer of dreams.  His success was significant in his day.  A Hebrew of Hebrews.  The ultimate scholar.  A religious zealot.  A Pharisee.  He was well positioned and probably well respected by those around him in Judaism.  His family would have been proud.  But then Paul got it right with God.  He met Jesus and things changed.  He looked back at the dreams, the successes, and the accomplishments and said:

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ  Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

Paul found the infinite value of knowing Jesus.  A life beyond his dreams was of more value.  But for many a Christian there is a double-mindedness.  Thoreau’s encouragement misses the depth of Paul’s example. 

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. -Henry David Thoreau

God has so much more for those who love Him.  Dreaming His dreams is a better way to go. 

In the days of the Prophet Jeremiah there were those who claimed their dreams were from God.  They wanted to live the life they had imagined.  But God spoke against them and the false dreams. 

 “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!  Jeremiah 23:28 (NLT)

What God has for us we may not be able to picture today, but we can trust Him.  He will create in our hearts a dream of a better place and a higher life and an abundance of life we could discover nowhere else and He will bring it about for our good and His glory.   

Taking a Holiday with God

I really enjoy having God around.  I enjoy the conversations.  The dimension of His perspective on things shocks me at times and opens my eyes in ways I hadn’t expected.  As He reveals Himself I find myself without the strength to stand at times and strengthened to reach high at others.  He is delightful, and I enjoy having God around.  I imagine this could be true for others too. 

People could take a holiday with God.  Even the term fits.  A holiday is what was once called a holy-day, a unique day set aside for God.     

What could this look like?  It would be focused on Him.  A real-honest-determined focus.   For example, a married couple celebrating their anniversary take a trip together.  The focus can be on the trip or on each other.  It can be a trip where their relationship is deepened and sweetened if they focus on the other.  So, focusing on God would mean the heart is directed, the mind is centered, time is irrelevant and the door to one’s soul is open to Him.  Being with God is satisfying.  Not because I get something, but because He and the relationship are worth it whether I get anything special out of it or not.  The Scripture says it well, “Be still and know that I am God.”  And again, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  It is about God.  If I lose focus I can make time with God about me and what I feel and what I experience and what I get.  Then if God doesn’t part the Red Sea for me I am disappointed and wonder if He loves me and why others get special things and I don’t and why God likes others better than me and on and on it goes.  “Be still,” we are reminded, “and know that I am God.”  There is no other.  There is no one like Him.  Being with Him and focusing on Him is enough.  It is about Him.  Staying focused on Him allows me to recognize when He draws near.  He is incredibly creative and will show up as He chooses, but I can miss Him.  If I focus on myself and my expectations and my demands God may leave me to enjoy my holiday alone.  I really don’t want that. 

Motivation, “want to,” is huge isn’t it?  It gets us going.  Have you ever had a bad habit?  A dark area of life that motivates you?  I was thinking about this side of things as a comparison and contrast to the positive motivation that takes us closer to God.  It can be anything from extra carbs to cocaine, gossip to gambling, pride to prejudice.  Follow me on this.  I will with ease begin thinking about my thing.  I will find a way to get to it.  I can hear the words of Sméagol from The Lord of the Rings movies say, “My preciousss.”  Yikes!  How easy it is to go to the dark side.  But then the desire for God and time with Him should be the real draw.  It takes some effort to turn from the motivation for other things to God.  It ought to be that I am trying to find a way to get close to God every day.  I want my “want to” to want more of Him. 

A great way I have found to redirect my “want to” is taking a holiday with God.  I learned about times of extended prayer from others and tried it myself.  I set aside time to get alone with God.  I read Scripture and prayed.  Reflected.  Considered.  I did it by faith.  Believing God would draw near.  I think sometimes I did it hoping for spiritual points.  Sometimes because of big pressures or decisions.  Sometimes because it seemed to be the right thing to do.  I would talk and walk at times.  I would write in a journal and pour out my heart.  I would look at nature.  I would read a book that pointed me to God.  I would cry out in confession.  I found myself attacked by doubts and infested with regrets.  If my depression wasn’t dark enough then the Enemy seemed to have a way of awakening the horrors of my sin.  I found the freeing of my spirit remarkable as I laid out my heaviness before the Lord.   My times with the Lord are similar in some ways years into the process, but have an element of heaven’s air that wasn’t always there in the beginning.  I have found that I am motivated to be with the Lord.  It is the greatest of joys. 

I am so privileged to be a pastor at a church where I am free to have time with the Lord, to encourage others in getting to know God better, and to see the work of God all around.  It is wonderful.  

I do think, however, that the encouragement to spend time with God is mistakenly viewed as a condemnation for not rather than what it is an invitation to more.  When I first came to recognize that a person can really know God, that Jesus really made a way to deliver people, that there is so much more to life I was excited.  I thought other people ought to know about this.  I ticked people off telling them about this deal.  I was shocked by that.  I ran into some people who were growing in the Lord by way of discipleship.  I got involved and found it helpful.  I thought anyone who heard about this was surely going to jump on it.  Not so much.  I was shocked.  I am also, apparently, a slow learner.  The reality check had a souring affect on me for a while.  I have a new reality.  I realize there are people who don’t want what God has to offer.  That is sad.  But He is offering an invitation to more with Him, and I am excited.  I am excited that He even bothers with us.  I am excited that His promises are true.  I am excited that He is limitless and He has invited us to explore. 

So, there is before you this day an invitation of a holiday with God.  This is an invitation by the Supreme Being of the universe to come be with Him.  Take Him up on it, and see what He does. If you have already taken Him up on His offer you know what I mean and for those who have yet to begin the process may you have your heart enflamed with desire for Him. 

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. -Jude 24, 25

 

Making Sense of the Randomness of Life

A Batman movie opened a couple of days ago and movie goers intending to watch a movie in Aurora, Colorado were terrorized, shot and some were killed.  Where is the sense in that?

Try as we may we cannot make sense of the randomness of life.  Evil is evil.  Evil will erupt.  Destruction will be destructive and appear often with no warning.  It is a broken world we live in and the cracks in the brokenness are more apparent sometimes than at others.  The brokenness becomes more apparent to anyone close to the cracks, but it still doesn’t make sense. 

The scientific research has not solved the problem of evil.  The logic of philosophers has not put a stop to the darkness. 

But what of God?  What has He done about this?  He has acknowledged the problem of evil, given instructions on how to live given the situation, and has laid out the end game.  But God has not provided all the information needed for us as human beings living on this earth to make sense of the randomness of life.  That is above our pay grade, it is way over our heads, it is need to know only and we don’t need to know.  God has released the information needed for living in a world where brokenness and randomness exist.  That information is something worth getting hold of.  He says it like this:

“The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.”  Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT

God has included in His basic instructions that people not murder other people.  Some don’t listen to God and act out anyway.  Then other people suffer.  Other people have to put the pieces of life together after a shattering act of evil. 

Rather than make sense of the randomness of life perhaps being prepared for the outbreak of randomness in a broken world would suit us better.  We can do something about being prepared and we can do something about a situation once it has occurred. 

In the big picture few humans will get out of their fleshly bodies while alive.  Some people God may take directly to heaven, but for most dying is the way of transition.  Given that reality it would seem prudent for those who know the Living and True God to be ready to point others to God and to help them, teach them, encourage them along the way.  We never know when a random act of violence will take place or when the end of our days will come, but being right with God and helping others be right with God seems wise and loving. 

When the unthinkable enters our realm of reality we can do something about it.  We can as we have opportunity help someone.  The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example of random violence bursting onto the scene and a man who had resources offering what he had to assist a victimized person. 

We can do something about being prepared and we can do something about a situation once it has occurred even when we don’t have all the reasons for the occurrence.  This is part of loving God and loving others.  And though we are limited in understanding why darkness breaks out as it does we are linked in to the limitless source of light which can and will shatter the darkness.  

God’s People at Crossroads, Part 3

There is a fabulous verse in 1 Corinthians 2:9 in The Message it says this:

No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this,

Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—

What God has arranged for those who love him.

Not seen or heard or imagined anything like it.  Wow.  This could be quite a journey. 

So, if this is true why would I ever try to work things out my way?  Why would I want to control things to fit my perceptions?  God has something not seen or heard or imagined by me, well, then I can hardly work toward it no matter how clever or cute I am.   His plan is better.  His desire for me is better.   And even in my wildest dreams I can’t come up with something so grand.  I want what God wants for me.  I want to discover the life truly abundant. 

I am presented with a number of options at the crossroads.  I can choose God’s way or any other way.  But only God’s way leads to the abundant life.  We all make choices.  Jesus tells a story about a man who has a dinner and invites a number of people to come.  They are at the crossroads.  The story has to do with God the Father inviting people to the Kingdom.  Here is how they responded:

¹⁸“Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’

¹⁹“Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’

²⁰“And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’

²¹“The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged… Luke 14  The Message

I imagine we have all had our excuses when God has come calling.  He says take a day or a weekend to spend with Me, and we respond no because we have stuff to take care of.  Maybe He says come close to Me, focus on Me for a year I have something I want to do something you can’t imagine and we say “that’s nice, maybe another time, I want to date now and maybe get married and then, of course, after I’m married I won’t be available, but thanks for the invitation.”  Sad, isn’t it?  The God of Glory blown off.  And we miss out on the amazing unimaginable things He has for us.  Jesus says the Master was “outraged” at the response of the people. 

How do you make sure not to outrage the Master?  Go when He invites you to come.  Don’t make anything else more important than God.  Simple really, let God be God in your life. 

Jesus gets very intense and personal a bit later in chapter 14 when He says to people following Him you have to choose.  You are at the crossroads of life and you have to choose…your family or Me?  He said it this way, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple.” The answer for many at this point is to turn and take another path and not be a disciple of Jesus.  He has our good in mind.  He has the best for our family in store, but when we don’t trust Him we cling to our family and make them more than God.  It all seems so cruel doesn’t it?  To choose Jesus who we don’t even see over our kids or the next family gathering?  But for those who have chosen God’s way at the crossroads have seen a bit of that which they had never heard or seen or imagined.  They broke away from self and gave God a chance to do what He has been planning since the beginning.  The explosions of joy and delight in their hearts would flow throughout them.  Now imagine receiving back a loved one who is a disciple of Jesus and has let go of these things to follow Him.  They would be filled with the Spirit and His fruit.  They would bring a new light to the family. 

Jesus wraps up Luke 14 with this:

³³“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.

³⁴“Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

God is offering more than we can imagine for this life and the one to come.  But come to the crossroads and decisions have to be made.  God says come and I will show you amazing things, but if a Christian has a hot relationship going, then far too many times they say, “See You later, God!”  God says, “Come!” and the plans for making money or getting projects done or playing with a hobby or a sport catch our attention and, “Thanks, but no thanks, Lord.”

There are those who are saying, “Yes.”  Praise God, there are those saying, “Yes,” to God.  Inside things are happening for them.  Life is more than they had thought.  The relationship with God takes on new dimensions.  Every day and every night God is showing up.  The joy of the Lord is their strength.  The JOY.  People only really get that when they go God’s way at the crossroads. 

Listening to Him is crucial.  Discovering relationship with God above all else is central.  Realizing Who He is and what He has done is vital.  If you need more on this check some of the blogs here. 

God is calling you to a life you have never ever dreamed of…better than anything you have seen or heard.  Come on!

God’s People at Crossroads, Part 2

At the crossroads God has a direction for you and there are, let’s say, three other ways to go.  What happens when the wrong direction is chosen? 

It happens doesn’t it?  The GPS gives the wrong turn and off you go.  Did you know you can’t arrive at the right address if you are on the wrong street?  When the wrong direction is chosen at the crossroads there are bound to be consequences, lost time and lost opportunity.  And, sadly, distance from God further complicated by difficulty discerning and deciding God’s way at the next crossroads.  It is a mess. 

The crossroads may be about life long decisions, but it could be as close as the next interaction with another person or choice about what to do.  Look at this from Galatians 5:19-21 for an idea of how this plays out. 

¹⁹When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.

Let’s say Larry the Christian doesn’t really drink much and he isn’t into wild parties, but he interested in being the adult teacher of his group at church.  They have overlooked his obvious abilities before.  He wants this.   It is clear that he is so much better suited than Bill Big Bible.  Come on!  In fact, Larry the Christian has been inviting members of the group’s leadership over for BBQs at his place just to win some favor and because of his Christian hospitality.  The ideas he has about the Second Coming of Christ and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem just needs to get out there he thinks.  Gary the Greek Expert taught the group last year, and Larry found his profound knowledge of the Bible nauseating.  He started letting some of the guys in on his feelings about Gary as the year went on.  Just sharing some “concerns” for the good of the group.  Well, Sam becomes the next adult teacher of the group.  He is a solid, simple, unassuming man, in love with God and lovingly relating to others.  Larry is beside himself.  Before he gets out the doors of the church he is spewing.  He is hot.  He wanted his way.  His way was best for everyone.  Anyone who thought different was obviously an idiot.  What is the problem? 

There were a number of crossroads for Larry.  God was calling him one way, but he chose another.  Here is a challenge for you.  Match the items listed in Galatians 5:19-21 with Larry’s actions and attitudes.  These are typical “Christian” ways of doing things and they take place wherever Christians gather together, but they shouldn’t.  This written list is provided in Scripture to be a sign to each of God’s people to turn and go the other way. 

Move the scene outside the church.  What happens at work?  What happens when the family gets together?  What happens when driving?  Those are crossroads…go God’s way, listen to Him or go our way in another direction. 

Here is another list from Galatians found in 5:22, 23:

²²But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control.

At the crossroads God’s people can listen to God and go His way and the result is like this list.  Back to Larry the Christian for a moment.  If Larry were learning to listen to God and the Holy Spirit was producing this kind of fruit in his life, then would he have had the issues he did?  And what about us?  If we learn to listen to God and go his way at the crossroads each day will that allow the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the fruit in our lives? 

We can get better at going God’s way at the crossroads.  In the book of Hebrews there is a point where the writer is trying to express some deep spiritual truths, but realizes the shallowness of his audience.  He addresses that.  Then he describes those who are spiritually mature (people good at the crossroads in going God’s way):  Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.  Hebrews 5:14 NLT   The mature didn’t magically become that way…they trained…they practiced…they have developed skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.  They have listened to God and have His heart in them so that when they come to the crossroads they hear, they know, they go God’s way. 

That should be very encouraging.  It is to me.  Training and practice don’t require that we have it all perfect, but that we are headed in the right direction but we will make mistakes and learn and get better and get back on the right path.  So at the next crossroads or maybe the one after that we make the right decision, the right way, and then go with God.  Then we can start developing a pattern of making the right decisions and have the skill to recognize the difference between what is really right and wrong.