DAY #26: December 31, 2010

This is the last day of devotions for 2010. I'll end with the three other prayers you can pray to learn how to handle toxic relationships.

#2. Second prayer is this: Father, enable me to forgive my family.

Even as I write that, I know that phrase sounds toxic to some of you as you hear it. Forgive my family? You don’t know what they did to me, you’re thinking. I can never accept what they did to me. Folks, let’s clear up some mis-conceptions about forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean accepting what they did to you.

Forgiveness does not mean saying that what they did to you is OK. What they did to you was wrong. It may even have been evil. What does it mean to forgive? Forgive means to release it. It means you let it go to God. You say to God, “Instead of me holding on to this and trying to get revenge on my own, I’m going to trust this into Your hands.”

So you release it. You let it go to God. You say, Here it is. I let it go. I forgive them. I let go of my desires for revenge. I let go of my desire to get even, and plot their demise. I let go of my plan to get as many people as I can to come against this sworn enemy of mine. I’m going to release it to You. I forgive them.

Jesus’ first followers had to deal with this. Matthew 18. Peter, one of the first followers of Jesus said to Jesus, “Lord, how long shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?” Then he offers up a big number “’Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say up to seven times. But up to seventy times seven.’” You say, I’m not sure I like the sound of that.

What’s Jesus saying? Jesus is teaching Peter and He’s trying to teach us. St the bar high. Peter comes to Jesus and says I want to forgive my brother. Let’s set the bar high. Seven times. I’ll forgive my brother seven times. Isn’t that magnanimous of me Jesus. Jesus says, No, let’s set it higher. Seventy times seven. 490 times. And the truth is, 490 times isn’t enough – Jesus is really saying forgiveness is to be limitless. You say Pastor, that is impossible. Of course it is – on your own. Forgiveness even one time is hard on your own, but limitless – impossible.

Here’s why. If we set the bar at nine feet we think we can do that in our own strength and energy. But once Jesus says nine miles all of a sudden I realize, I can’t do that! Jesus says, “Exactly! That’s exactly what I want you to see. You can’t forgive on your own strength. You need My strength.” With Jesus’ strength I can forgive.

I don’t know about you but the only place I’ve ever found the strength to forgive others is in the fact that Jesus has forgiven me. That’s where it comes from. Jesus says, You’re going to need My strength to do this. Don’t try to do it on your own. Would you pray – “Father, enable me to forgive my family. “

By the way, here’s another fact about forgiveness you might want to store in you quiver. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” Folks, forgiveness is immediate. Forgiveness is total. We forgive others just like God has forgiven us.

If you follow that – forgive them to God immediately, then when someone who has hurt you comes to you, you’re going to be able to forgive them because you’ve already dealt with it. You do not wait until they come to you.

I want to take just a minute to talk to God about this one. Would you bow your head with me? Just a thirty second prayer. Is there someone you need to forgive? Is there someone whose asked you for forgiveness and you withheld it? Is there someone you need to ask to forgive you? Just pray, “Father, enable me to forgive.”

Jesus, thank You that You have forgiven us and in Your strength we can find the strength to forgive others. You’ve forgiven us for so much. Thank You. In Your name. Amen.

As we work through this, things we can do, prayers we can pray to make a difference here’s the third prayer.

#3. Father, empower me to change my thinking.

If you’re going to deal with toxic relationships you’ve got to change your thinking. The truth is a toxic relationship is not hard to spot. You can see toxic relationships. But it’s difficult to change them. To change them doesn’t mean to just seeing that it’s there or knowing I need to do something different. It’s changing the way that I think. To change the pattern I’ve got to change the way that I think. That’s what the Bible teaches.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, [the selfish patterns] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind and then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” You let go of the old patterns of sin, fear, selfishness and the way to do that is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Before I can do something different I have to be able to think something different. To think in a new way. And God can do that. That’s why you pray, “God, empower me to change my thinking.”

Folks, sometimes it takes a long time to renew our minds. Why is that? God’s given us the Bible. Why don’t our minds get renewed right away? As soon as I read the Bible, as soon as I come to church. I hear it, I see it! I know what to do! Why does it take time to change? Why isn’t it instantaneous?

There’s a problem: Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” You didn’t want to hear that verse. I didn’t either. The heart’s deceitful? You bet it is. My heart’s deceitful. Your heart’s deceitful. Our hearts deceive us. God is working to renew our mind but our heart, our mind is deceiving us.

“I don’t really need my mind renewed in that area. I’m right – they are wrong. I am going to hold unto my grudge, no one can change me. I deserve to be mad. I’ve been hurt.” And that hurt somehow justifies gossiping, slandering, falsifying facts. Write this one down, hurt people hurt people. And that hurt betrays us. That hurt we hold in our hearts deceives us into staying the same when God’s trying to change us. What’s the answer then? I mean, is there any hope then, when you’ve got this dynamic at work? YES!!! You need God’s power working in you. Not your power – not your muscle – you need God.

There’s a fourth prayer to pray.
#4. Father, free me to accept Your love.

The truth is to deal with toxic people in your life, in your family, you need to know that there is one relationship in your life that you can count on no matter what. The only one you can count on no matter what, the only one that will never fail you, or forsake you is God Himself. He has perfect love for you. So you pray, “God, would You free me to accept Your love,” and you build your love for everyone else on that love.

If you’re trying to find in some human relationship a perfect love that you can build all your other relationships on, you’ll never find it. Everybody’s imperfect. If you’re putting the weight of perfection on any human relationship that in itself is toxic. You’re going to create, even in the best of relationships, you’re going to create expectations that can never be met. So where do you start? You start with the love of God. You accept His love in your life. Out of that every other love grows.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:16 “So we know and rely on the love that God has for us. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us. There is no fear in love.”

How do I know God loves me? He shows me. 1 John 4:9 says, “God has shown His love or us by sending His only Son into the world so that we could have life through Him.” Some people think, “God loves me? When did He show me?” He showed me in Jesus Christ, coming into this world. That’s what Christmas is all about. Jesus was born for you. Jesus was given to you.

SO WHAT? Ephesians 3:20-21 (NCV) says, “With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen."

Today, on this last day of 2010, I need to ask you, do you need God’s power working in you? I invite you just to talk to God and say, “Father, I want your power working in me. Free me right now to accept Your love. Empower me to change my thinking. Enable me to forgive my family, strengthen me to accept my limitations. God, I start here by recognizing how deeply You love me. AMEN.”

In 2011, tomorrow, we'll be using a new format for devotions. There will also be a new COV devotional website. you can find the devotions for 2011 @
www.covdevotions2011.blogspot.com/

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #25: December 30, 2010

1 John 4:7 says, “Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God.” The truth is, if we don’t have the goal to love other people, we’ll tend to write them off. Maybe ignore them, dismiss them, forget them, turn our backs on them. So the goal is love. Today, we need to discover how to love people, even in the difficult circumstances. So, the goal is love. Loving all the people God has placed in my life – even the toxic ones.

Since we’re talking about toxic people it’s important to define this. How do you recognize a toxic family member? Definition: toxic is when two people are stuck in a way of relating that is poisoning them both. They just can’t seem to move on. They can’t seem to move past hurt. They hurt each other and they are destructive to each other.

What talk about handling toxic family members? Because, you can maybe ignore them through the year, but as you gather at Christmas and the New Year, they are right in front of you. You can’t put this off anymore. This year, this Christmas - this New Year, as you prepare to worship Jesus, as you get ready for Christmas, together, let’s learn how to handle, in a righteous way, those toxic family members.

You say Pastor – where do we start? We start with prayer. Specifically, four prayers that will help us with toxic people. These are four prayers that I have been praying for the past several years in my life. God is using these prayers to help me. He will use them to help you.

Prayer number one: Father, strengthen me to accept my limitations.

You wouldn’t have to be concerned about toxic people if you were superman or superwoman. But you’re not. You’re not indestructible. You’re just a human being. We all are. Those of you who are believers in Jesus Christ and many of us are, this is an especially difficult thing in our life. A lot of people think, I’m a Christian. I can handle anything. Well, the truth is, you can’t.

You’ve got your limitations. Accept what God says about who you are. He knows us better than anybody. I love the picture in 2 Corinthians 4:7 about who we really are. “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.”

You say, CLAY JARS? That’s all I am? A clay jar? You know the truth about clay jars? They’re easily broken. That’s what we are. There’s great freedom in accepting who you are. Not trying to be the lord of the universe, something that you’re not. Just accepting “I’m a clay jar. I can’t tell you the freedom in accepting that. You accept your limitations. You accept God’s picture of you – a clay jar.

Some clay jars have more in them and some have less. But they’re still just a clay jar. Some clay jars are painted on the outside, some are plain. Still it’s just a clay jar. Some are larger, some are smaller, some are skinnier, some are wider. But you’re still just a clay jar.

God honors us by telling us who we are. We’re clay jars and that means we all have limitations. I am not God. I’m a clay jar. I have limitations, and so do you. You say what limitations do we have? We can’t change other people. We can’t make other people do the right thing. We can not make other people get healthy. Limitations. And the truth is, not only do we have limitations, we also have weaknesses – don’t we? We’ve got to recognize that about ourselves.

Paul, one of the greatest Christians whoever lived, he didn’t mind admitting the fact that he had weaknesses. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “God told me ‘My grace is enough: It’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’ Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and I began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer,. these limitations have cut me down to size- abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over. So the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”

I’m a clay jar, I have limitations and I have weaknesses. Folks, there is incredible freedom in admitting that and accepting that.

Some of you, right now, maybe you’re in a toxic situation. The same pattern keeps repeating itself again and again and again. You feel hopeless to change the situation. That’s the starting place - accepting my limitations. Let God do what He can do, let others do what they can do, and let me do what God’s given me to do. But not try to be all things for all people. I’m not God. I have weaknesses. I accept my limitations. God work in me in spite of my limitations and weaknesses.

DAY #24: December 29, 2010

#3. The third thing that makes people toxic is bitterness.

What makes people toxic is bitterness from rejecting God’s grace. In your life, you’re going to go through problems and you’re going to be hurt. Sorry, but you live on a broken planet. It really doesn’t matter so much that you’re hurt as much as your response to it. How do you respond to the hurts in life?

God says I will give you the grace to handle all the hurts of life. What is grace? Grace is when God gives you what you need not what you deserve. He says you go through a bankruptcy or credit problem. I’ll give you the grace to handle that. You go through a marriage difficulty or somebody spits on you, I will give you the grace to handle that. You go through being turned down for a promotion, I’ll give you the grace to handle that. You had a tough time at school, somebody breaks your heart. Whatever it is. You have a health issue, you deal with cancer whatever, God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” God says “I’m not just going to give you strength. I am your strength.”

But when you reject the grace of God and you don’t let God help you in the hurts, you’re going to get bitter. When you say instead of “I’m turning to God,” “I can handle this on my own.” You’re going to get bitter. Anytime you handle a hurt on your own, you’re going to get bitter. Anytime you try to solve the problem yourself without God, you’re going to get bitter. You’re going to carry it on and on. Some of you have been carrying hurts of your past for twenty, thirty, forty years.

When you don’t let the grace of God into your life and you try to handle the problems all by yourself, that makes you toxic. The Bible says this in Hebrews 12:15 “Be careful that no one misses the grace of God so that no root of bitterness grows up among you.” Bitterness can get rooted in your heart. And when it gets rooted in your heart it makes trouble because it can poison a large number of people. And the source of bitterness is rejecting the grace of God. And it’s contagious.

SO WHAT? This is where the rubber really hits the road - How will you deal with the toxic religion in your life??

#1. Confess your sin. 1 John 1:8-10 (TEV) says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. If we say that we have not sinned, we make a liar out of God, and his word is not in us.”

#2. Refuse to play the game. One of the Pharisees’ favorite games was to try to trick Jesus with questions. Here’s an example: Matthew 22 say, “Then the Pharisees met together to think of a way to trap Jesus into saying something for which they could accuse Him. But Jesus knew their evil motives. ‘You hypocrites!’ He said. ‘Who are you trying to fool with your trick questions?’” Jesus was saying - You think I just woke up this morning? That I just got out of bed? I understand these games that you’re playing. I’m not going to fall for this trap.

Whenever they tried to get Jesus in a corner He refused to debate the Pharisees. Usually when they asked Him a question, What He would do is He’d ask them a question back and keep on walking. He would not get hooked. He just would not engage with toxic people.

#3. Live for an audience of one. If you live for an audience of one and say “I’m only going to worry about what God wants me to do,” then it will always be the right thing. 1 Thessalonians 2 it says “We’re not trying to please men but God who tests our hearts.” When you do that you will find great relief from trying to please everybody else. Here’s your choice. Do you want to live your life with toxic religion? Or do you want to live your life with a healthy relationship to God? It’s your choice.

Prayer: If you’ve never begun that relationship with Christ, this is your time. I want you to follow me in this prayer. Just in your mind say “Me too, God,” as I pray it. “Dear God, I don’t want a toxic religion. But I want a relationship to You. I want to know Your truth and Your love and Your forgiveness and Your peace. Thank You for dying for me. Help me to understand it more. I want to learn to love You. I want to learn to trust You. Today I’m saying Yes to You as best as I know how. Set me free from toxic religion and give me the strength to deal with the toxic people in my life. I pray this in Your name. Amen.”

DAY #23: December 28, 2010

So what is it that turns a person toxic? How does a healthy person become an unhealthy person? How does a normal person become somebody who’s damaging others around them? How does someone become a Pharisee? Three causes of toxic religion…

#1. The number one cause of toxicity is envy.

Envy and jealousy will rob your soul of joy. Envy and jealousy is like taking cancer in your heart. When you see somebody – a friend or a family member, a relative or somebody – and all of a sudden they’re succeeding and you’re not and you get envious, you’re being set up to become toxic. You just need to be aware of it.

The moment you allow envy into your heart, toxicity has been planted. When somebody all of a sudden makes a whole lot of money and you didn’t, are you going to get envious? You’re going to get toxic. When somebody gets promoted at work and you get envious, you’re going to get toxic. When somebody gets married and you want to be married and you didn’t get married, you’re going to get toxic if you don’t watch out. When somebody has a baby and you’ve been longing for a baby and you start getting jealous and envious, you’re going to get toxic.

Do you know what put Jesus Christ on the cross? You know why they killed Him? He hadn’t done anything wrong. He was perfect. Jesus never hurt anybody. So why did they kill the only perfect person who ever lived? Envy. Matthew 27:18 (LB) says, “It was out of envy that they handed Jesus over to Pilate.” The Pharisees, the toxic religious people, could not stand the popularity of Jesus. The resented it. Envy is toxic.

#2. The second thing that causes people to go toxic is money.

Money, really the love of money, has made more people toxic than almost anything. I have seen money destroy relationships. I have seen money destroy marriages. I’ve seen money destroy kids, families, friendships.

Folks, Jesus was a very generous person. “God so loved the world that He gave.” The Pharisees could not stand the fact that Jesus had no interest in money. Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.” What did the Pharisees do with that? Luke 16:14 says, “When the Pharisees heard this they made fun of Jesus [They ridiculed Him] because they loved money.”

You are to love people and you are to use money. Money is a tool. You never love money. You love people, you use money. If you start loving money you’re going to use people. You’re going to use people to get money, if you love money. Money becomes toxic. You’ve heard me say this before. Your value has nothing to do with your valuables. Your net worth has nothing to do with your self-worth. The greatest things in life aren’t things. You make a living by what you get. But you make a life by what you give. It is only in giving your life away that you learn to truly live.

Ponder these things today! i love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAy 322: December 27, 2010

#4. The fourth trait of toxic religion – Ridicule.

Jesus was ridiculed. He was put down. He was slandered. He was made fun of in the crowds, even on the cross. You will be ridiculed. When others ridicule you, you can’t avoid it. Proverbs 11:12 says this “He who belittles and despises his neighbor lacks sense.”

So when you’re ridiculed, remember this - Little people belittle people. They want to feel better about themselves. They want to make themselves feel like they’re more important. So they belittle others. But great people make other people feel great. They recognize the greatness of God’s love and grace in their lives they’re able to share with others how great God is and what a great life we can live in Him. That’s the difference. Ridicule is one of the signs of toxic faith, toxic people.

#5. The fifth trait of toxic religion - Gossiping

I’ve got to admit I can I go through the first four traits of toxic people and religion and I think maybe none of these are me. But when I get to gossiping that’s all of us. You say, “I don’t gossip!” But you like to listen. It takes someone to talk and it takes someone to listen to make gossip happen. We all get involved in gossip and gossip is toxic.

The Bible says in Proverbs 10:18 “Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.” Gossip is toxic to faith. It’s toxic to churches. Gossip has destroyed, ripped apart, ruined more churches than all the false teaching ever taught put together. It just rips through a church. It is toxic. Proverbs 20:19 says, “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets. Therefore do not associate with anyone who gossips.”

So what is it that turns a person toxic? How does a healthy person become an unhealthy person? How does a normal person become somebody who’s damaging others around them? How does someone become a Pharisee? That's what we'll talk about the next few days.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #21: December 26, 2010

#2. The second trait of toxic religion - Hypocrisy.

You see this in toxic faith all the time. You know what hypocrisy is: you don’t do what you say you believe in. You’ve got all these rules and you push them on everybody else but you’re not keeping them yourself.

The word “hypocrisy” actually comes from two Greek works that were literally used in the old Greek plays, the tragedies. When they would have a play, often actors held many different parts. You have one guy playing many different roles in the play. He comes out on stage with one mask and says a certain monologue. Then he goes back and gets another mask and comes out and does another monologue. He goes back and gets another mask and does another monologue.

Hypocrite means you act different ways with different groups of people. It’s like you act one way at church and you act another way with guys on the golf course. You act another way with your kids. You act another way at work. You act another way in your small group. Your life is not integrated. You’ve got your life segmented, compartmentalized, and you act different ways. That’s what hypocrites do. The Bible says in Matthew 23 that the Pharisees, the toxic people, were great at hypocrisy. He said, “They don’t practice what they preach.”

#3. The third trait of toxic religion - Nitpicking

You know this one! People who love to find fault are toxic. That’s called a toxic faith. They are the folks who are always pointing out our mistakes. Always trying to get at you. Judgmental, critical of actions. Particularly critical of your words. Toxic people like to take words and twist them.

In fact the Bible says the Pharisees did this. As I read through the gospels multiple times this week, I found this sentence multiple times. “The Pharisees went out and made plans to trap Him in His words.” They’re always looking for ways to catch you – to trip you up.

Jesus never put up with this kind of nitpicking. That’s why Jesus says this in Matthew 23:24 “You strain out a gnat but you swallow a camel.” When Jesus would say things like, “Before you get the speck of sawdust out of your neighbor’s eye, you go get the telephone pole out of your eye!”

I’m sure the entire crowd who hear Jesus say these words burst into laughter. Then when Jesus said, “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven.” They must have been rolling in the aisles. Folks, nitpickers are toxic. Don't be one.

DAY #20: December 25, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

First, the five traits of toxic faith. These are all illustrated in the lives of the Pharisees. I call this list, How to Spot a Pharisee.
#1. The first trait of toxic religion - Legalism

Legalism is when people are more concerned about rules than they are about people. They’re more concerned about observing rituals than helping people’s needs. Legalism is that which says you’ve got to earn your way to heaven, which you can’t. Legalism says that God only smiles on you when you’re keeping certain restrictions. Legalism says it’s not about a relationship. It’s about rules. Legalists always have a huge list of rules and regulations and rituals and policies. They love policies. They love rules. If you don’t have one for particular area they’d be happy to make one for you.

Luke 11 talks about one Pharisee – verse 38. “The Pharisee was shocked and somewhat offended when he saw that Jesus didn’t wash up for meals.” That is a big offense! He didn’t wash his hands. But they’re much more interested in the legalism of - 'did you keep certain rules'? Forget all the healings and miracles that Jesus did. Forget the great sermons and messages He preached. Forget the lives He has touched – you gotta wash those hands. Legalism.

Jesus always offended legalists. Because they couldn’t control Him. They couldn’t manage Him. They couldn’t handle Him because He had a totally different perspective on life. Life is not about rules and regulations and rituals and policies and performance. It’s about love and it’s about relationships. He didn’t play by their rules and they didn’t like it.

Be on your guard against legalism. Give people huge measures of grace and mercy. Dole out generous portions of love and tenderness and compassion - especially today. I pray that you have all have a blessed day - a great day. I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #19: December 24, 2010

Ephesians 1:4 (MB) says “Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, and settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.”

I love that verse. God tells us that before He created the oceans, before He created the mountains, before He created anything, He had us on His mind. We have always been the focus of His love. How powerful is that? If we could just connect with that truth, it would change everything.

Starting today and for the rest of the year, I want to talk about being on guard Or better yet, not letting your guard down. It's so easy to do - especially at Christmas. We fall into old patterns of relating to our family. Old grudges re-appear. Old memories of hurt and heart ache.

Psalms 139:23-24 (MB) says, “Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.”

This is so key, because it is so easy to let unhealthy stuff into our lives. Unhealthy thoughts, unhealthy emotions, unhealthy habits, unhealthy relationships. This unhealthy stuff can be toxic- poisonous if you like. Follow me on this… Jesus had to deal with unhealthy, poisonous people all the time of people.

In fact there were two toxic religious groups in His day. Two different parties. One was called the Sadducees, which were kind of the left-leaning, theological liberals of the day. The other group was called the Pharisees. They were the right wing leaning, conservative, legalists who saw as their whole job to go around to make rules and regulations for everybody.

Well, Jesus didn’t have a whole lot of use for either group and actually dealt with them quite frankly and blatantly. Jesus used terms for the Pharisees like they’re hypocrites. He said they’re blind guides. He said they’re vipers. He said they’re white washed graves. In fact He said they’re poisonous snakes. When Jesus tells somebody that you’ve got to figure they’re toxic. Not only did He warn the Pharisees that they needed to change but He warned everybody else and said, You need to stay away from them.

Luke 12:1 says, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.” What’s He talking about there? Yeast in the Bible often represents evil. He said just a little bit of yeast can get in and leaven a whole batch of bread. Just a little bit of Phariseeism, a little bit of toxic religion in your life can ruin the whole batch. It can mess up your life. It can mess up your attitude. It can mess up your friendships. It can mess up your marriage. He says you need to be aware of the yeast of the Pharisees.

I hate to tell you this but 2000 years later Phariseeism is alive and well. There is still modern day Pharisees. In fact there’s a little Pharisee in all of us. So what I want to do this week is look at five toxic traits of toxic religion. When you see these, this is the religion you run from, you stay away from it. Then we’re going to look at how people become toxic. Then we’re going to look at how to deal with the toxic religion you find in your own life. The Bible says there’s certain things you need to do about it.

I love you guys. I'm praying you'll join us tonight @ 5pm for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. It's mu favorite service of the year. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #18: December 23, 2010

Here’s the third purpose of Christmas – Reconciliation.

Here’s the third thing the angel said at the very first Christmas. “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace good will toward men.” The third announcement was, “Let there be peace on Earth and good will toward men.” That’s called reconciliation.

What is reconciliation? It’s when a broken relationship is restored. When a boyfriend and girlfriend get back together. Or a husband and wife get back together, there’s reconciliation. When a father and son reconcile. They restore harmony, they restore peace between each other. The Bible talks about the kind of peace that Jesus came to give us…

Jesus came to make peace between us and God. Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV) says, "For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

I don’t know if you realize this or not, but if you’re trying to live your life without God, you’re at war with God. If you’re saying, “I’m going to run my own life, and I’m going to do my own thing. Forget You, God. I’ll make my own decisions, thank You very much.”

You’re at war with God, and you need a peace treaty. You need reconciliation because that relationship has been broken. Jesus Christ came to be that bridge over troubled waters, to be that reconciler between God and man.

Acts 10:35 say this, “It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from If you want God, and you’re ready to do as He says, the door is open.” God does not care what your religious background is. You may be Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Buddhist, Baptist, Hindu, nothing – no religion. This is not about religion. God did not send Jesus to give religion. He sent Jesus so you could have a personal relationship with God. It’s all about relationship.

Make sure you share this with some you love this Christmas. I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #17: December 22, 2010

The second purpose of Christmas is salvation. That’s the second thing that the angel mentions when he announces the birth of Jesus. Luke 2;11 says, “Today, in the town of David [that’s Bethlehem] a savior [there’s the salvation part] has been born to you, [For you. A personal savior.] and He is Christ the Lord.”

What are you saved from? First you’re saved from sin. That’s what Jesus’ name means. “Jesus” means “to save people from their sin.” In fact, Joseph was told in a dream these words “Give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sin.” That’s what “Jesus” means.

What in the world is sin anyway? Sin is an attitude that says, “I’m just going to do what I want to do. Forget God. I’m going to do what I want to do.” That attitude has caused us to be separated from God.

Every one of your problems is caused by sin, that separation from God. Every single one of them. Sin causes confusion in your life. It causes guilt. It causes shame. It causes regret. It causes bitterness, resentment, grudges. It causes worry. It causes fear. It causes anxiety. Sin causes depression. It causes discouragement. It causes emptiness. It causes despair.

It causes conflict between you and other people. Every single one of your problems is caused because you’re not connected to God. You’re separated by your own sin – “I’m going to do my own thing.”

As a result of that, Jesus said, “I want to set you free. I want to release you. I want to save you.” Jesus Christ wants to save you from your hurts. He wants to save you from your habits. He wants to save you from your hang-ups. He wants to save you for His purpose, and He wants to save you by His grace. But you’ve got to quit trying to do it yourself. You need to let go and let God be God. God is God, and you’re not.

Maybe, you came to that conclusion some time ago. You gave your Life to Christ, but something happened. You got off God's path for your life. You're doing your own thing. Living apart from God and His plan for your life. Come home this Christmas. Rededicate your life to God.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #16: December 21, 2010

At the very first Christmas, at the birth of Jesus, an angel announced three things. Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

In this proclamation of the angel, we find the three purposes of Christmas. The first purpose of Christmas is celebration. It’s a party. I bring you good news of great joy. What’s the joy? God loves us. This is what we celebrate. The Bible says – John 3:17 (NLT) says, “God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

The Bible makes it very, very clear – God loves you. When He sent Jesus Christ to Earth, Jesus later as He grew to a man, stretched His arms out on a cross to die for your sins, and he was saying at that point, “I love you this much. This much! I love you so much it hurts. I love you so much I’d rather die than live without you.”

You will never fully comprehend how much God loves you. It’s like an ant trying to understand the Internet. You don’t have the brain capacity to understand how much God loves you.

How many of you have been abandoned in life? One of the great truths of Christmas is that God will never abandon you. You may not feel it. But that just means you’re not tuned in. You’re not connected. If you’re lonely this Christmas, you need to turn to Jesus Christ, accept His love. You’ll never be lonely again.

We celebrate Christmas because God loves us and God is with us, but also because the Bible says that God is for us. He’s on your side. He wants you to win. He wants you to succeed. Romans 8:31 (NIV) says, "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

This Christmas, celebrate these things. In the midst of gift giving and receiving, take time to celebrate God's love for us.

DAY #15: December 20, 2010

He takes care of my past, He takes care of my present.

#3. MY FUTURE CAN BE GUARANTEED.

Hebrews 2 says, "Jesus became like us to set free those who were slaves all their lives because of the fear of death." The fear of death is a universal problem. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, educated or uneducated, white, black brown, whatever, we're all going to face death. It a universal problem. It is an inevitable fact of life that we're all going to die. The mortality rate in America is 100%. Since we're all going to die, it seems foolish to go through life unprepared for something you know is inevitable. That just doesn't make sense. I know someday I'm going to die. Everybody else in history has, so I guess I'm going to. So it makes sense to be prepared for it. You're not ready to live until you're ready to die.

Have you noticed people don't like to talk about death? Some of you get nervous with me talking about it now. Why? Because they're afraid of it. Why? Because they're uncertain about what's going to happen when they meet God. You're going to meet God someday. You can run from God the rest of your life, but then you can't run any more.

How do you make certain what's going to happen on the other side? The Bible says "It's appointed unto man once to die." That's one appointment you will not be late for. God has already chosen that time. But He doesn't want you to fear death. It says Jesus came to set us free from the fear of death. Why? If you already know where you're going and you already have a relationship to God and He's your friend, you're not worried about what's going to happen. I can stand before you and say in absolute sincerity, I am not afraid to die. I'm afraid of pain but I'm not afraid to die! I know where I'm going. I've already settled that issue. I'm already friends with God. For a Christian, death is just a homecoming, a transition to better things.

At Christmas time, probably the most used word you hear is "gift". Everybody's worried about getting the right gifts. Have you ever received a gift within a gift? I received one time a pair of ski gloves and inside was money stuffed into each finger. I didn't even know it was there until I stuffed my hand in it. It was a gift within a gift.

God has some gifts for you at Christmas time this year. They are three gifts, but they are wrapped up in one big gift, Jesus Christ. When you receive Jesus Christ, the gift, you get the three benefit gifts.

1) The gift of forgiveness. "Let us praise God for the free gift he gave us in his Son we are set free, our sins are forgiven." That takes care of my past.

2) The gift of strength. That takes care of the present. Jesus said, "I'm leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart So don't be troubled or afraid." He says, I'm with you. I'll handle it. I'll help you. You don't know what's going to happen but I'll help you.

3) The gift of eternal life. Romans 6:23 "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Two questions:

1) Have you received God's Christmas gift of Jesus Christ? I was reading in the San Fransico Chronicle last week about a guy who got a Christmas gift, 49 years ago and he still hadn't opened it. Isn't that strange? I can't imagine if my wife gave me a gift and it was there under the tree (or you gave me a gift) and three months after Christmas, about March, you say, "How did you like the gift?" I say, "I'm sure I loved it, I just haven't had the time to open it yet."

The tragedy is many people celebrate Christmas, year after year... , and they've never received God's Christmas gift. That doesn't make sense! Have you accepted God's gift of forgiveness, strength and eternal life through His Son, Christ? You can't celebrate Christmas. You're not going to find it under the tree until it's in your heart. Have you ever received that gift?

I heard the story of a father who gave his daughter some plastic pearls. She wore them for years. When she turned 13, he said, "I want you to give me those plastic pearls you're wearing." Why? "Just trust me, just give them to me." As he took them back with one hand, he pulled from his pocket a string a real pearls.

God is saying to you, "Give Me the cheap plastic thrills, give Me the things you think satisfy but really don't, and I'll give you something genuine. I'll give you something real, something that lasts if you'll trust Me."

2) How do you receive God's gift at Christmas? You receive God's gift by believing. What does it mean to believe in Christ? It means more than just having head knowledge. I believe in Stalin, Hitler, Mao but I'm not a Nazi or a Communist. But I believe in Christ and I'm a Christian. Why? Because it means to commit your life to.

Some of you remember the story of many years ago on Christmas day the world famous tight rope walker, George Blondin, decided he was going to walk across Niagara Falls on a tight rope. They stretched a tightrope across Niagara Falls -- Canadians on the Canadian side, Americans on the American side. He was a real ham. He said he wasn't just going to walk across but he was going to push a wheelbarrow full of dirt across Niagara Falls. Everybody knew if he made just one mistake in balance, he'd fall off the rope and over the Falls and be killed. He gets on the other side and was safe. The crowd went wild. He did it again and pushed the wheelbarrow back across to the American side. When he got there safely the crowd exploded with praise. He did it again. He did it about 20-21 times that day -- back and forth. On the last trip he set the wheelbarrow right in front of a tourist who says, "You're incredible. I believe you could do that 100 times. I believe in you." Blondin took the wheelbarrow, dumped all the dirt out and said, "Get in the wheelbarrow."

That is very much what Jesus Christ says to you. If you believe in Jesus, put your money where your mouth is. Lay it on the line, make a commitment and say, "Jesus Christ, I receive Your gift of forgiveness, of power for today, and Your guarantee for the future with You in heaven. In exchange for that I want to trust You with my life." That's what it means to believe in Him.

God is saying to you, "I have a gift for you at Christmas. You matter to me." Maybe you felt close to God in the past but you've drifted away. Or maybe you've moved to this area and have never found another church. We invite you to become a part of our church family. But there is a place for you.

More than that, God has a gift for you. I challenge you to not waste another Christmas by refusing this gift.

DAY #14: December 19, 2010

Christmas is so important - not just because it takes care of your past but...

#2. MY PRESENT CAN BE MANAGED.

I've met more stressed out people in the last six weeks than I have in a long time. I don't know if it's the economy or what, but I think you'd agree that life can wear you down. It gets to you. If you look around it seems people are searching for additional power everywhere.

Notice the best sellers. They are all about power. How to dress for power, how to eat for power, how to shower for power... People are always looking for additional energy. People say "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." Good news. The Christ who came at Christmas 2000 years ago can give you the power to manage your present problems.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I have the strength to face all conditions by the power Christ gives me." You don't know all problems and stresses that Christmas this year in 2010 holds, but you can face them all. God assumes the responsibility to meet your needs. That's amazing. When you give your life to Christ, He assumes responsibility to take care of all your needs.

Romans 8:32 says says, "God gave us His own Son. Can we not trust such a God to give us everything else that we need?"

Even if Satan and all the forces of evil come against us, in the end, God promises the victory. How much is God for us? So much that he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all. The word for “spare” is the same word for “withheld,” used in Genesis 22:12, when God said to Abraham, "You have not withheld even your beloved son from me."

Our major struggle with prayer is not that God doesn’t answer our prayer of help and rescue. What upsets us is that He seldom answers in line with our plans or schedule. At those times we may think that God is intentionally withholding something from us. But God has already given us the greatest gift of all. Remembering God’s gift will help us see that God is working for our good even when we can’t immediately see it. God sacrificed his Son to save us; will he now invalidate that sacrifice by refusing to help and guide believers? No, instead, he promises to give us everything else to bring us to the ultimate goal—our sanctification and glorification.

God says He'll supply all your needs. If He supplies all your needs, what else is left? Nothing.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE! Keep on keeping on.

DAY #13: December 18, 2010

Why is Christmas such a big deal? What difference does it make?


#1. BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST CAME AT CHRISTMAS, MY PAST CAN BE FORGIVEN.

Romans 3:23-24 (LB)says, "All of us have sinned yet now God declares us `not guilty' of offending him if we trust in Christ who freely takes away our sin." That's good news. The fact is none of us are perfect. I don't measure up to my own standard, much less God's. We all have regrets.

I love reading in the newspaper the letters to Santa Claus. One little kid wrote, "Dear Santa, There are three little boys who live at our house. There's Jeffrey. He is two. There's David. He is four. There's Norman. He is seven. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman." The problem is -- none of us are Norman's. None of us are good all of the time.

We all have regrets and guilt has a devastating effect on our lives. It robs us of happiness. It causes depression. It can make you sick. Guilt does all kinds of things to us because we don't know how to get rid of it. People will do anything to relieve guilt. They'll take drugs or get drunk or try therapy or go to Disneyland. Thrills, travel, become workaholics. Anything to cover up the things I wish hadn't happened in my life.

But there's only one solution. And that's forgiveness. The good news is God wants to forgive you. He wants to clear your conscious. When God forgives you there's several things about it that you need to know.

- It's instant. He doesn't make you wait to forgive you. You don't have to wait through a long period of time before you're forgiven. It's instant.

- It's undeserved. You'll never earn it. You can't work for it. You can't beg God for it. You can't bribe God for it. It's undeserved.

- It's complete. The Bible says, When we confess our sins to God we give them to Christ, God says, "Their sins will I remember no more." That's one of the most amazing verses in the Bible, that God can forget. The God who made the whole world, chooses to forget your sin once it's forgiven. Isn't that a mind blower? If you come and say, "Christ please forgive me. I accept You as my Savior." And you died tonight and go to heaven and said, "God, about that divorce..." He'd say, "What divorce?" "God, about that dishonesty..." "What dishonesty?" "God about that remark..." What remark? It's forgiven.

What God forgets, you can forget too. That's good news. Most of us, even if we believe God forgives us, don't forgive ourselves. We hold onto guilt over the years. Somebody said, When God forgives us, He takes our sin and throws them in the deepest part of the ocean and then He puts up a "No fishing" sign. Don't drag them out again. Satan wants to keep you under guilt, but God says it's forgiven.


My past can be forgiven. Even if there were no such thing as heaven, and there is, but even if there weren't, it would be worth it just to have a clear conscious.

Have you ever been halfway through painting a room and wish you could start over? Have you ever been halfway through a meal and wish you could start over? Halfway through some project? Halfway through life and wish you could start over?

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he becomes a new person altogether The past is finished and gone. Everything becomes fresh and new." God wants you to not just turn over a new leaf, God wants to give you a new life. It's like starting again, being born all over. Jesus said, I didn't come to rub it in, I came to rub it out. If there is anything that's good news it's that God says my past can be forgiven. Regardless of who you are or what you've done or what you think you've done, you matter to God and He cares about you. He wants to forgive you.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #12: December 17, 2010

This Christmas, will you …
#2. ACCEPT GOD'S GIFT OF HOPE?

"Today your Savior was born.” Why does that statement bring hope to us today? What does it mean? It means forgiveness for your past, it means freedom from the problems that mess you up in the present, and it means fulfillment in eternity. Forgiveness, freedom and fulfillment. That's what it means. Folks that’s really called hope.

Listen to Ephesians 1:4-7 (GN) "Let us praise God for the FREE GIFT he gave us in his Son... we are set free, our sins are forgiven." I don’t have to be the same person anymore. I can change. Man is that hope or what? It’s like I have said so many tome you have to have hope to cope.

Last night we watched “It’s a Wonderful life”. It’s one of my all time favorite movies. My favorite line in that movie comes right near the beginning. Clarence, the angel second class is about to get this assignment to go out and help this guy who’s in trouble. The superior says, “You’ve got to go help this guy George Bailey.” And Clarence says, “What is it? Is he sick?” And I love the response that he gets. “No it’s worse than that. He’s discouraged.” I love that line because discouragement – the lack of hope – can be worse than physical illness.

The writers of the Bible recognized this more than 2500 years ago. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” The message bible says“When hope is crushed the heart is crushed.”

Doctors in World War II and Korea and Vietnam said some prisoners died from the condition of what they called give-up-itis. And what they meant by that is if prisoners faced grim conditions with no prospect of freedom and some of them became demoralized and some of them became mired in despair and after a while they became apathetic and they refused food and they refused to drink and they would spend their time in their bunk just staring into space. With their hope drained away these prisoners eventually just wasted away and they died. They died of give-up-itis.

The human spirit needs hope to survive and to thrive. Folks, if you don’t remember anything else this Christmas, remember this a savior has born for you. He was born for you to give you hope. John 3:17 (LB) says "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." He didn't come to put you down, He came to lift you up. Folks that’s hope.

This Christmas, will you …
#3. ACCEPT GOD'S GIFT OF PEACE

"Let there be peace among the people." God wants you to have good relationships with other people, not just with Him. He says, "I want you to first get your life right with Me and then you can get your life right with other people." Christmas is a time for peace – a time for reconciliation. It's a time to break down barriers, build bridges, restore relationships that have been broken and damaged. Its a time to say, "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

For many people, Christmas is a very tense time because it means dealing with relatives you have unresolved issues with. Christmas is a time for reconciliation. Not only get your act together with God but get your act together with other people. First you get peace with God and once you've got peace with God, then you get the peace of God in your life. Once you've got the peace of God then you can have peace with other people.

John 14:27 (LB) (Jesus) "I am leaving you with a GIFT; peace of mind and heart... so don't be troubled or afraid."

Some of you are saying, "But you don't know what they did to me. I could never forgive them." That's why you need Jesus Christ. Human forgiveness and human love run out. Why do you think the divorce rate is so high? Human love runs out. That's why you need God's love in your life. It never runs out. There's an endless supply of it. You say, "Lord, love that person through me.But, I need your power"

DAY #11: December 16, 2010

The most used word in this season is the word "gift". And you've all been out frantically searching for gifts, finding the right gift at the right price. Where did all that come from anyway? The tradition of gift giving began because God gave you a gift at the very first Christmas. God has a gift for you and His gift is Jesus Christ. It's a person. these next few days, let's talk about the gifts of Christmas.

Listen to the key verse this morning - Romans 6:23 (NIV) "... the GIFT of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Don’t miss that this year. Christmas is not about a new car – it’s not about the perfect gift, it’s about Jesus Christ. Have you ever received a gift inside of a gift? My son-in-law,Matt did that for Kelsey, our daughter – gave her a Christmas ornament an inside was the engagement ring he used to propose to her. A gift within a gift.

When you get the gift of Jesus Christ, there are gifts within Jesus Christ. Three gifts. When you accept the gift of Christ -- what do you get? There's a package deal. This Christmas accept God's gift of a New Life, God's gift of hope and God's gift of peace. This Christmas, will you …

#1. ACCEPT GOD'S GIFT OF A NEW LIFE?

The angel said, "I bring you the most joyful news ever announced." Man, is that a proclamation or what? The most joyful news ever. What is that news? That you can have a new life when you receive Jesus Christ. Folks, that is the message of the bible, that is the message of the gospels – that is the message of Christmas – the good news, the best news. You can have a new life through Jesus Christ!

The Bible is very clear about this – listen to2 Corinthians 5:17 (LB) says “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!”

This is the story of John Baker.

I was raised in a Christian home in the Midwestern town of Collinsville, Illinois, population 10,000. I had a so-called “normal” childhood, whatever that is. My parents were members of a small Baptist church pastored by a very young Gordon MacDonald. I asked Christ into my heart at age thirteen. In high school I was class president and lettered in basketball, baseball, and track. I felt called into ministry at age sixteen and applied to several Christian universities. Up to this point, everything sounds normal—almost boring.

But I had a problem: I had to be the best in everything. Deep down inside I never felt good enough for my parents, my teammates, my girlfriends, or anyone. If I wasn’t good enough for them, I wondered how I could ever be good enough for God. I must have missed the Sunday sermons on God’s mercy and Jesus’ unconditional love and undeserved and unearnable grace. I was a walking, talking paradox—a combination of the lowest possible self-esteem and the world’s largest ego. Believe me, that’s not a very comfortable feeling inside. The best way that I can describe the feeling is a burning emptiness—a hole—right in the gut.

After high school I went to the University of Missouri. When I packed for my freshman year, I took my nonexistent self-esteem with me. I joined a fraternity and soon discovered the solution—or what I believed to be the solution—for my life’s pain: alcohol. It worked! I fit in! For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged.

In 1970 I graduated from college, joined the Air Force, and was chosen to be a pilot. I attended Officers’ Training School, and in ninety days learned to act like an officer and drink like a gentleman. I continued to abuse alcohol, viewing it as a cure for my pain, certainly not a sin!

After the service I joined Scott Paper Company. I earned my MBA degree at night school . I was promoted eight times in the first eleven years of my business career. I was the vice president of sales and marketing for two large consumer food manufacturers. I had reached all my life’s career and financial objectives and goals by the time I was thirty! Along with all this business success, however, came several relocations. Moving every two years made it difficult for us to establish a home church, but as my drinking continued, that became less and less important to me. I knew that if I died I was saved, but my Christianity was not reflected in my lifestyle, business practices, and priorities.

Still, I thought my life appeared normal to casual observers. I was a leader in my church’s Awana ministry for youth. I thought nothing of leaving work early to stop by a bar before the Wednesday night meeting so I could relax and relate better to the kids. Didn’t everybody do that? I was also my son’s Little League coach for five years, but I always stopped by the pizza joint with my assistant coach for a few pitchers of beer after every game. Again, didn’t everybody? Talk about insanity!

Slowly I became more and more uncomfortable with the lifestyle I was leading. I faced a major decision. I had a choice: do it my way—continue drinking and living by the world’s standards—or surrender, repent, and do it God’s way. My life was out of control. I had created my own hell on earth! On an October morning, I was in Salt Lake City on a business trip when I woke up and knew I couldn’t take another drink. But I also knew that I couldn’t live without one! I had finally hit my bottom. I was dying physically, emotionally, mentally, and most important, spiritually. That morning, I decided to give Jesus Christ my life. I decided to stop living life my way. On that cold October morning, God gave me a new life.

Today my life with Christ is an endless hope: my life without Him was a hopeless end! My own willpower left me empty and broken, but with God’s power working in me, I have beaten back the addiction of Alcohol. God has healed my marriage and God has changed my life and stated when I acknowledged I could not do life on my own.

Have you given your life to Jesus Christ? Have you received His gift of eternal life and a NEW life?

DAY #10: December 15, 2010

Christmas is time to reconnect with God and renew my faith. It’s also a time to rebuild relationships. Finally…

#3. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS.

Luke 2:11 says, "Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born for you; he is Christ the Lord!" Notice the word "Savior". It doesn't say that God sent us a salesman because we didn't need a product. And He didn't send us a politician, because we didn't need diplomacy. But He sent us a Savior, because you need a Savior and I do too. God sent a Savior so we could receive forgiveness.

If you remember, a few days ago I said that there's no sin in heaven, there's no suffering in heaven, there's no pain in heaven, there's no sorrow in heaven. It is a perfect place. The Bible says only perfect people get to live there. You may be a good person, but it doesn't say good people go to heaven. It says perfect people go to heaven. Not imperfect... perfect. And none of us measure up. You may be Mother Teresa but you're still not perfect. God doesn't grade on a curve.

So we all have a big problem. I can't get to heaven on my own ticket. I’m not good enough – I’ll never be good enough. But God says, "I will be your Savior."

How do I let Christ save me? It's real simple. You admit you need a Savior. That's hard for a lot of us because it hurts our pride. We think we're a good person. That may be but you're not good enough. You're not perfect. It's admitting to God, "I need a Savior. I need help." That's how you make him your Savior. Admitting you need help.

God can't save you until you stop trying to save yourself. You can't have Christ as your Savior until you quit trying to get to heaven on your own effort. You'll never earn it, you'll never deserve it. It's just a gift. That's the Good News.

In John 3:16-17, Jesus said "For God loved this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that anyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God didn't send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." Not to condemn but to save. Jesus came to resolve your guilt. He didn't come to condemn you but to change you. He didn't come to scare you but to save you.

One of the biggest problems in our society today is how people need to learn how to get rid of guilt. Turn on talk radio. The answers psychologists give are answers like, "Just learn to live with your guilt." Baloney! That's no help at all. You want to know why they don’t have any real answers? They don't have the power to forgive. Only God does and only God can give me the clear conscious I crave.

I was watching a Colombo rerun a few nights ago on TV LAND. This particular episode had Johnny Cash as the bad guy. The closing line, when he finally gets caught, says, "I'm glad I got caught because the guilt was killing me." You know what I'm talking about if you've ever had regrets.

God says, I came to give you forgiveness. So at Christmas it's time to receive forgiveness. That's the Good News. Christ says I didn't come to condemn but to save.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #9: December 14, 2010

Christmas is time to reconnect with God and renew my faith, but Christmas is also time to - #2. CHRISTMAS IS TIME TO REBUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

It's a time of reconciliations. Luke 2:14 says, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." God wants you to not only have peace with Him but He wants you to have peace with other people too.

Peanuts cartoon: Lucy says to Charlie Brown, "Charlie Brown, it's the Christmas season. I think we ought to bury our differences, forgive each other and try to be kind and get along." Charlie Brown says, "Great! But why just this season? Why not all year?" Lucy says, "What do you think I am, some kind of fanatic?"

Holiday seasons, often rather than promoting harmony are often a time of conflict. You see relatives that you don't particularly like. All families have difficulties. There's jealousies, grudges, resentment, misunderstanding. There are those special relatives whose elevator doesn't go all the way to the top and everybody knows it. It causes conflict.

Who do you need to reach out to this Christmas? Who do you need to write a letter to, make a call to? Who do you need to offer forgiveness to? Who do you need to ask forgiveness from and restore relationships?

What's the key to happy relationships? 1 John 1:7 tells us. "If we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other." When Christ is in me and Christ is in you, then Christ isn't going to argue with Christ. We're never going to have peace on earth until the Prince of Peace reigns in everybody's heart. We need, the Bible says at Christmas time, to rebuild relationships.

For some of you, it’s time to rebuild your relationship with God. Before you can rebuild relationships with the people in your life, you need to start with God. You've been thinking about it. You've lived this past year apart from Christ and it's frustrating. You run out of energy. Your run out of ideas.

Maybe you've drifted away from God in the past few months or the past few years -- for a long time. Now is the time to come back home. Come back home to God at Christmas. Let Jesus Christ be your Savior. Receive God's gift of Jesus Christ this Christmas and it will make all the difference in the world. It's time.

DAY #8: December 13, 2010

These next few days, I want to look at the timing of Christmas. The Bible says that everything that happens in the world happens exactly in the timing that God chooses. The Bible says that God specifically chose the time when Jesus Christ would come to earth. It was not an accident. In history, He specifically chose that time as the time for Jesus' birth.

Listen to our first key verse this morning - Galatians 4:4-5 (LB). It says, "When the right time came, the time God decided on, He sent His son, born of a woman so that He could adopt us as His very own children." God waited until just the right time to send Jesus Christ.

The next key verse - Ecclesiastes 3:1 (GN) says "Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses." You know what that means? Everything that happens in your life – it happens at the time and pace that God chooses. When you try and make stuff happen in your time – life gets messed up. So part of what you need to get from this message is the idea that God is God and He gets to decide when the right timing in your life is.

The right time for a new job. The right time to get married. The right time to move. The right to have kids. Let God be God in your life. You quit trying to be God.

When it comes to Christmas – at this awesome monumental time of year – when God decided to put on flesh and show us what He is like. Christmas – we need to ask - what are the implications for us? At Christmas time, what does God want to do in your life?

#1. CHRISTMAS IS TIME TO RENEW MY FAITH.

The reality of Christmas is not Rudolph or Santa or Frosty or Scrooge or Rainbow Bright or Yogi's Christmas or Homer Simpson's Christmas or anybody else's Christmas. The reality of Christmas is Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:10 says, "I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone!" Notice the phrase "joyful news". The Greek work means "Good news!" Great news, Fantastic news. Christmas is Good news.

I was asked this last week by some pastors – what has the secret been of your growth @ COV? Why is your church growing when ours are not? I think they expected me to say – well, the preaching is so fantastic. Or it is our staff – I mean they are great. Or maybe they thought I would say the worship. Folks, it is none of those things. Our secret is we've got Good News! Great news! It's the best news in the world. People want to hear it. You'd have to lock the doors to keep people away from hearing Good News.

The Good News keeps getting better and better because the bad news keeps getting worse and worse. The contrast between what you see on TV and what you hear at COV or read in the Bible is so different. The Good News keeps getting better and better. Christmas is a time to reconnect with that good news. Christmas is a time to renew your faith.

What’s the good news you need to reconnect with? You matter to God. God knows everything about you -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- and He still loves you. You matter to Him. He cares about you.

"I bring you good news and it is for everybody." Christmas is God saying, "I want to relate to you. I want you to know Me as much as I know you." So, at this holy time of year – would you reconnect with God? Would you renew your faith? It's time.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!

DAY #7: December 12, 2010

There’s a third miracle of Christmas. GOD CAME FOR YOU. When God came to earth, He came to ordinary people. When Jesus Christ was born, He didn’t come to a select few. He didn’t come to the privileged class. He didn’t even come for religious people. He came for people who didn’t care less about religion. He came to lowly shepherds. He came for all of us.

Luke 2:7 (NIV) says “Mary gave birth … and wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The Bible says that when Jesus was born, He wasn’t born in a palace although He was the God of the universe. He wasn’t even born in a nice hotel. He wasn’t even born in a hospital. He was bon in a barn. We, today, over sentimentalize the nativity scene. And we talk about how Jesus was born in a manger. Do you know what a manger is?

A manger is a feed box for cattle. And they put wheat and oats and stuff. The cattle stick their nose in it, saliva comes out. It’s not exactly a real clean place to leave a infant, newly born baby. Yet that’s where God was born. When God came to earth, He came in the stuff of life with the stench of animals. You can’t get any lower than being born in a barn. He was born right out in the open where anybody could come and have a relationship to Him.

Luke 2:16 (LB) says “The shepherds ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.” The first people who got to visit Jesus were not religious leaders. They were not royalty. They weren’t political figures. The very first people who were invited to see Jesus were the shepherds. Just regular ordinary people.

Folks, the third miracle of Christmas is that Jesus came to our level. John 1:14 says “Christ became a human being and He lived here on earth among us.” Notice the phase “among us”. He didn’t live in a palace, He didn’t live is some far off place where you couldn’t get close to Him. He lived among us. I love the Message translation: “Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” He was a homeboy, one of the brothers in the hood. He was a regular guy and looked every ounce a Palestinian Jew which was what He was.

What’s the Good News of this? God meets us where we are. You may think, “All the things I’ve done in my life, I could never have a relationship with God.” You’re wrong. You may think, “God doesn’t care about me, I’m a little nobody. Nobody cares about me and God certainly doesn’t have time for me.” You’re wrong. Dead wrong. God says, “I love you, I know you, and I want you to know Me.”

There’s a fourth miracle I want to talk about this morning – I think the greatest miracle of all – it’s the miracle of why He came. He came for one purpose. He came for our benefit. He came for you and for me.

Listen to these verses where Jesus explains why He came to earth.

John 18:37 “Jesus said, `I was born for this purpose. I came to bring truth to the world.’” John 10:10 Jesus said, “I came to give you life, life in all its fullness.” John 12:48 Jesus said, “I came to save the world, not to judge it.”

Truth, life, forgiveness – that’s why Jesus came. First He says I’ve come to bring you truth. Truth about what? Truth about ourselves, because we don’t even understand ourselves a lot of the time. Truth about God, because there’s a lot of misconceptions about Him. Truth about life, because there’s a lot of phony philosophies that lead to dead ends.

If you don’t build your life on truth, you build your life on a foundation of faulty information, then you’ll go through life making bad decisions and having unnecessary stress and unneeded problems that God never meant for you to have in your life.

What is the truth? The truth is that you matter to God. You matter to God so much that God left His home in heaven came to earth in the form of a baby, grew up, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, was resurrected, went back to heaven and now says, “Come be with Me. I want you to live with Me for eternity.” That’s how much you matter to God.

Jesus said, “I’ve come to give you life.” Why did He say that? Because most people aren’t really living. They’re just existing. Most people get up in the morning, go off to their job, come home, eat dinner, watch television, go to bed. The next day they do the same thing. And the next day they do the same thing. Folks, that’s not living – that’s just existing.Jesus said, “I came to give your life purpose and meaning and significance. You’re not here just to take up space.”

Then Jesus said, “I came to save you not to judge you.” You may ask this morning – What do I need a Savior for? The Bible says that heaven is a perfect place. There is no sadness in heaven, no sorrow, no sin, no sickness, no problems, no pressures at all in heaven. Heaven is a place of absolute perfection. That means that only perfect people get to go to heaven.

If God let imperfect people into heaven, then it wouldn’t be perfect any more. It would be like earth. Our earth is obviously filled with imperfect people. You say, “If only perfect people get into heaven, then I don’t stand a chance.” You’re right. Exactly. Neither do I. None of us stand a chance. That’s what Christmas is all about.

God said, “None of you are perfect so I can’t let you into heaven. So here’s what I’ll do. I will come to earth in the form of a human being and My name will be called Jesus. I will live the only perfect life that ever lived. Then I will die on the cross to pay for all the imperfections you have and then ,if you will trust in Me, I will get you into heaven on My own goodness because you’re not good enough.” Those are the miracles of Christmas.

DAY #6: December 11, 2010

The second miracle of Christmas was how He came. GOD BECAME A MAN . He became like one of us. He became a human being. God came as a baby! Think about it, if you were God, would you have come as a baby? Of all the ways that God could have come into this world, He came the same way you and I came into this world -- as a baby. Every one of us here came the same way. He came into this world and became a human being.

Why did God do that? Because God said, “I’m sending Jesus Christ to save you, not to scare you. Nobody’s afraid of a baby.” Many people are honestly afraid of God. They don’t even like to talk about God. They get nervous when you talk about Him. If God had come in thunder and lightning and clouds, it would have scared a lot of people to death. But nobody’s afraid of a baby.

God wants you to know Him. He knows all about you. He knows everything that’s ever happened to you. He’s watched every single moment of your life. He saw you in your mother’s womb. He knew that you were going to be here tonight, a thousand years before you were born. He knows everything that’s going to happen in your future. He knows all about you. He wants you to know Him.

He had to come in a way that we could understand. If God had wanted to communicate to birds, He’d have become a bird. If God had wanted to communicate to frogs, He would have become a frog. If He’d wanted to communicate to donkeys, He’d have become a donkey. But He wanted to communicate to you and to me, so He became one of us.

I like that. I can’t relate to some big, ethereal force in the sky – the great almighty, all being, “May the force be with you” kind of thing. But when I look at Jesus and see that He was a baby, but He didn’t stay as a baby. He grew up a human being and lived a full life and died on the cross for me.

I look at Jesus and say, “Oh, that’s what God’s like!” I can relate to God in human flesh. I can understand that. That’s why Jesus Christ came to earth. He was God, but He became a man. And that’s an amazing thing, an amazing humbling experience.

Philippians 2:6-8 (NCV) says “Christ gave up His place as God and made Himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when He was living as a man, He humbled Himself…”

The Bible says that He was just like us. He was born like us, the way we were all born. The Bible says He grew like we did – physically, spiritually, socially. The Bible says that Jesus Christ was tempted like we are. He had the same needs, the same drives, the same desires, the same problems, the same pressures in life.

The reason He went through all that was so He could relate to us. No matter what you’re going through today, God understands because He’s been there. He came and lived a human life. The Bible says that He was not only tempted but He suffered like we did. He experienced real pain. There were times when Jesus was lonely. There were times when Jesus was tired, fatigued. There were times when He was under pressure. There were times when He was disappointed, misunderstood, when people didn’t treat Him right and He was criticized. He understands all that.

Here’s the point: God not only came to earth at Christmas, He came as a human being so He can understand us and so we can understand Him. That’s the Good News. He wants to have a relationship to you. That’s what Christmas is all about. He came as a child so we wouldn’t be afraid of Him. He came as a human being so He could relate to us. That’s the second miracle. Imagine this: The King of the universe, the God who created everything came as a child.

DAY #5: December 10, 2010

These next few days, I want to talk about the miracles of Christmas. Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) says “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Don’t miss the very real meaning of Christmas this year - Christmas is all about Jesus – Immanuel –which means GOD WITH US.

Folks, Christmas is all about God coming near to us. That was true 2000 years ago and it is still true today! This morning, we’re going to going to focus on the miracles of Christmas. There were four miracles that happened at Christmas time. We’re going to look at them.

That is the first MIRACLE - GOD CAME NEAR! The God of the universe chose to put skin on – He chose to be near us. Folks, it was a big deal when man walked on the moon. But it was a bigger deal when God walked on the earth. That’s the first miracle of Christmas. GOD CAME NEAR>

2010 years ago, God came to earth. You say, “God? I thought we were talking about Jesus. Isn’t it Jesus’ birthday?” Jesus is God. He said it Himself. He claimed to be God. The Bible calls Him God and He proved He was God by dying on the cross, being resurrected three days later, walked around. Everybody saw Him. Even the people who crucified Him.

Colossians 1:15-16 says, “Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all. In fact, Christ Himself is the creator who made everything in heaven and in earth.” The Bible says that Jesus Christ created this world. Jesus didn’t start in a stable. What we’re celebrating is not the beginning of Jesus Christ. What we’re celebrating is the day He came to earth.

I know a lot of people say, “I believe Jesus was a good man. I even believe He was a great teacher.” There’s only one problem with that. Jesus never claimed to be a good man. He claimed to be God. John 10:30 (MB) says “Jesus said, `We are the same – Father and Son. He is in Me, and I am in Him.’ Now, onto the miracles...

The first miracle you can’t miss at Christmas – GOD CAME NEAR - It’s the most significant event in history. All of history is split into A.D. and B.C. by this one event. Jesus Christ, who was God, is the reference point for every date in history because it was that important. Every time you write a date, who are you using as a reference point? Jesus Christ. Even atheists, people who say, “I don’t even believe in God,” use Jesus Christ as a reference point every single day of their life. That’s how important it is. It was God who came to earth.

It didn’t start out in some flashy way. He came in a simple way. It all started on one cool, clear Christmas Eve. The first miracle of Christmas was that it God came to earth – He came near us. How grateful are you for that? Don't miss that this year. Celebrate HIS birth.

DAY #4: December 9, 2010

The third thing the prodigal did that we need to do…
#3. Come home to God’s Love!

Verse 18 “I’ll set out and go back to my father.” You have to move – get off dead center. Remember 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God is waiting for everyone to come to repentance - to turn around and come home.

Runaways can always come home. When you do just imagine God’s presence, His joy, His face. Ephesians 3:12 says, “Because of Christ and our faith in Him we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence assured of His glad welcome.” Underline the phrase “glad welcome”. You can be assured that God’s saying, “Welcome back! I’ve been waiting for you. Welcome home!”

The natural result of these three steps is the fourth one.
#4. Come celebrate a fresh start!

Celebration is the result of being connected with God. When I am connected with God, it gives birth to an attitude of celebration. I live in the real world with you. I understand pain. But what I’m talking about is the celebration that rises above your circumstances. It’s a joy that is deeper than just your normal happiness. When any one of us comes to our senses, comes clean, comes home – we need to celebrate.

This coming home that Jesus referred to in His story ends with a celebration. It ends with a celebration. Verse 22-24 “But the father said to his servants quick, ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of my was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

Listen to this story out of Readers Digest It’s a story about the game that all of us know called Hide and Seek. We’ve all played it.

“ Hide and Seek – what a great game. I loved it as a kid. Did you ever have a kid in your neighborhood who always hid so good that nobody could find him? We did. After a while we’d give up on him and go off leaving him to rot wherever he was. Sooner or later he’d show up all mad because we didn’t keep looking for him. He’d say, “It’s Hide and Seek, not Hide and Give up!” We’d all yell about who made the rules and who cared for who anyway and how we wouldn’t play with him any more if he didn’t get it straight and who needed him anyhow and things like that. Hide and Seek and Yell.

Now, as an adult, I write this, and the neighborhood game goes on. There’s a kid under a pile of leaves in my yard just below my window. He’s been there a long time now and everybody else is found and they’re about to give up on him. I considered telling them where he’s hiding. Then I thought about sitting the leaves on fire to drive him out. Finally I just yelled out my window “Get found kid!” I scared him so bad, I think he wet his pants, but either way, he started crying and ran home to tell his mother. It’s hard to know how to be helpful sometimes.

I think adults play hide and seek – just not for fun. Most of us probably don’t even know we are playing it. A man I know found out last year that he had terminal cancer. He was a doctor and he knew about dying and he didn’t want to make his family and friends suffer through that with him so he kept it a secret and he died. His family and friends were angry that he didn’t need them, didn’t trust their strength and he didn’t say good-bye. He hid too well. Getting found would have kept him in the game. Hide and Seek grown up style. Wanting to hide. Needing to be sought, confused about being found.

Come in from the game – come to your senses, come clean – admit who you are and what you have done, come home and watch the celebration that happens.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your love for us. When I read this story and think about how much You love me I’m overwhelmed. Thank You God that Your love for us is patient, that it’s extreme and it’s forgiving and that You created us and want a relationship with us. It’s incredible.

If you’re reading this today and you want a relationship with God, you might say something like this in the silence of your heart, “God, I want a relationship with You. I don’t understand everything, but I want to come home. I’ve come clean. Forgive me of my sins. Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross as a payment for my sins so that I could have a relationship with You. I want to come home.”

God, thanks for hearing our prayers. Thanks for hearing the prayers of those who’ve drifted that we can come home. And you say Welcome back. God, may we be different people as we all leave here today because we’ve heard Your voice, we’ve sense Your presence. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.