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Why are Spiritual Secrets So Hard to Understand?

January 22, 2016 by

I often find I have more questions than answers the longer I live this spiritual life. Now maybe I’m a little dense. I’ve been told that on occasion. But I think if we’re honest most of us feel the same way.

When I pastored a church I found this extremely unsettling. I had to come up with a sermon every week to bring spiritual insight. Yet, sometimes I just felt spiritually stupid.

I see a couple of responses pastors fall into.

Some just preach the same three point sermon over and over. New scripture, new stories, same plot. It worked once so they keep dragging it out.

Or the other solution that’s popular today is to focus on a few well traveled how-to verses. Then turn the Bible into a self development handbook.

Yet, the believers often stagnate. And the mysteries of true spiritual growth remain elusive.

I don’t believe that’s what God intended. He meant for us to keep growing closer to him and more into his amazing life.

And I’ve discovered that somehow as I keep turning to him for those insights he gives them but often irritatingly laced with more questions.

Do you ever feel this way?

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How to Become the Person You Really Want to Be

January 21, 2016 by

Have you ever tried just keeping up with all the instructions given in church on Sunday mornings.

I mean this week eight steps to healthy relationships. Next week five steps to happiness. Next six steps to job success. No wonder we’re exhausted.

Yet that isn’t how life was meant to be. God instead offers to change us into the person we really want to be so we can live the life we dream of. And he does it in his power from the inside.

But how?

The apostle Paul writes, “It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread.”*

It comes down to focus.

We can focus on all the efforts we need to make. Or we can focus on the life changing power of God working within us.

We can try to follow a new set of rules each week. Or we can rest in the love God has for us even as we are. Then trust he’s changing us into the person we really want to be.

We can force those changes. Or realize it takes a lifetime and enjoy the journey.

Then be surprised as we become the person we really want to be.

 

*Galatians 5:9 (MSG)

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Becoming the Person You Really Want to Be

January 19, 2016 by

Sometimes I can grow pretty frustrated with myself. I know the kind of person I’d like to be when I grow up and frankly way too often I fall short. And that leaves me a bit discouraged at times.

Yet, I also remember that this transformation business is an inside job. It’s not something I do by grinding out strict personal disciplines as much as trusting God to work the changes.

I was reminded of that when I read this parable Jesus told.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”*

Frankly, that gives me hope because I realize, like yeast, the new life that came into me permeates me. It works changing me from the inside. Bringing light where there’s darkness.

This parable reminds me of one more thing also. This change takes time. Yeast leavens bread but not instantaneously.

So when I grow discouraged it helps to remember God isn’t finished with me yet. The process continues. And my life keeps getting better and better.

 

*Matthew 13:3 (NLT)

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When You’re Frustrated with Life and Want Something Better

January 18, 2016 by

When I first entered into my relationship with God I came with a lot of baggage from my previous life style. My life didn’t change all at once. Rather it changed very slowly often imperceptively.

In fact to this day, decades later, I still wrestle with some of the same issues. Just ask my wife.

I’ve watched this pattern over and over in the lives of others as well. Their lives truly change but they carry over a lot of bad habits sometimes for a lifetime.

I see a common response from well meaning popular churches.

The pastor preaches on five things to do to fix your marriage. Then next week seven steps to further your career. Then next three steps to stop worrying.

But the problem is we’re trying to fix our lives from the outside in our own power. And frankly it just doesn’t work very well. It can drift into legalism. And sometimes people grow so discouraged they give up thinking, “I just do it all.”

Yet, the good news is God is in the business of changing us from the inside. And when we simply rest in his power it allows him to do just that.

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Surprised by an Amazing Life When You Least Expect It

January 15, 2016 by

As we grow older it is so easy to give up. To think, “It’s too late for me to accomplish my dreams. I’m too old. I don’t have the time.”

I know. I hear it way too often because, well, I’m in that age group.

Yet look at this story Jesus tells that frankly promises no constraints.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”*

What I love is that it’s not conditioned on the size of the seed. It’s conditioned only on the size of the potential life inside the seed.

Likewise the amount of success and blessing from God isn’t conditioned on the size of our faith. It is conditioned only by the unlimited power released by our minuscule seed of faith.

Then he draws a picture of life that blossoms into something amazing. A life beyond what we can even imagine.

A life of significance that touches others and brings the greatest fulfillment and blessings of all.

Now that’s surprising isn’t it?

 

*Matthew 13: 31-32 (NLT)

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How to See God’s Amazing Life

January 14, 2016 by

So why does our experience so often diverge from God’s promised amazing life?

In fact you might be thinking, “Wow, I’d just like to have one amazing day.”

I think sometimes it’s because we’re told, “You just need to have more faith.” Yet, I find when my faith is running low that’s really discouraging because, well, I don’t have enough faith.

That’s what I love about this promise from Jesus.

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”*

Wow, just a minuscule amount is enough. More like hope really.

Realize that the amount of your faith isn’t the deciding factor in experiencing the amazing life God has for you.

So stop being discouraged because you feel you just don’t have enough faith. Realize what you have is enough.

Then focus your faith on a promise from scripture which answers your needs and brings your desires. Yes, look it up. Memorize it if you like. Think about it. Focus on it.

Then believe what Jesus said, “Nothing will be impossible.”

Are you ready to experience all that God has promised?

 

*Matthew 17:20 (NLT)

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Would You Like Your Life to Grow More and More Amazing?

January 12, 2016 by

I celebrated a birthday a few months ago. Well, actually more like ignored it. Now in my sixties I try to forget them.

Over the last few years I’ve had several friends die. Another just last week.

Which along with the grief I find is an irritating reminder that life is finite and goes by way too fast.

I’ve had a great life. Been truly blessed. Had some successes and more than a few failures.

Yet, frankly there’s so much more I’d still like to do but time is ripping by.

In the midst of that it’s easy to give up or give in. I hear friends make excuses, “Well, I’m too old.” Or “It’s too late.”

I also watch others bury themselves in activity never stopping to think about what life could be.

Yet, when we’re all alone with our thoughts the realization that life is slipping by sneaks in. And for some the regrets of what could have been but now will never be.

I truly believe God has a different plan, though. The best is yet to come. Life is meant to just get better and better.

What would happen if we expected that? What might we see?

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Spirit Hacker 2.0 Launches

January 11, 2016 by

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been seven weeks since I posted.

I’ve had quite a journey.

We traveled some including a week in Cabo and a week with our daughter in Monterey.

We had a lovely time off over the holidays with our family.

And it’s been a journey spiritually as well.

After two years of writing this blog I felt spent.  I needed a fresh vision.  So I spent a lot of time thinking, praying and writing.  I questioned everything about the blog including how I was writing it and why.

From that process I can honestly say I have a renewed vision of what I would like to see accomplished.  And a fresh vision of how to do that.

You’ll see some changes in version 2.0.  The posts are half the length and I plan to publish posts 4-5 times a week instead of 2.

I think this will encourage people to read them everyday because you can read them in less than a minute.  Yet, it will show up most week days to give you some encouragement for that day.

I have a few other changes in mind as well but those are developing as we speak.

So welcome to Spirit Hacker 2.0.  I hope you enjoy it and it blesses you.

Please let me know what you think.

Blessings on the journey.

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A Short Hiatus

December 2, 2015 by

I’ve been writing this blog for over two years.  It’s time for a short break to evaluate it.

We’ve been gone and are leaving on another trip shortly.  So it feels like a good time to step away from the daily pressure of producing posts to listen to God and explore my heart about the blog.

If you have input on what you enjoy and on what could be stronger please email me.  As always I love to have you join me in this adventure.

Be back soon.

Until then be blessed.

 

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Why are Churches so Full of Hypocrites?

November 24, 2015 by

The number on complaint I hear from those who reject Christianity is that churches are full of hypocrites. Their theory goes, “Since the church is full of hypocrites I get a pass on having anything to do with God. I mean I’m not nearly as bad as some I see in churches so if God grades on a curve I’m gold.”

 

windy wheat

 

The number one fear I hear from Christians is losing their salvation. That somehow they’ll get to the end of life and have missed reading a chapter they needed for the final exam. And all the hypocrites in church kind of prove this.

Interestingly both are rooted in a common reality. One, that when I was a pastor, I can tell you I experienced up close and personal.

 

I used to say, “Some of the best people in the world go to church. And some of the most messed up people in the world go to church too.”

 

So how can this be? And how does it answer both questions?

[Read more…]

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