Most people understand the concept of “house rules” by about the age of 7. When you’re a guest in someone else’s “house,” they, as the authority, set the rules.

Imagine losing a hand of blackjack at a casino. As the dealer shuffles away your money, you explain to him that you and your buddies typically play by a different set of rules. Those are the rules you prefer, and they seem the best to your group. 

Are you expecting to get your money back? Of course not. When you’re in their house, you play by their house rules. 

Now consider this: I’ve been driving on the right side of the road since I got my driver’s license. It’s how it’s done here in America. But if I found myself in the UK tomorrow, what’s going to happen if I continue driving on the right side of the road? It’s going to be a disaster. 

Can you imagine if I thought I had the authority to change their house rules? “Listen, I’m too open-minded to drive on the left side of the road. As far as I’m concerned, driving on the right side of the road is the best way to do it. In fact, if you disagree that driving on the right side of the road is appropriate, you’re intolerant. Because science.”

That sounds ridiculous, I know. And yet, it feels on par with the “woke” ideology floating around our country. 

I believe that many of our differences can be summed up by looking at who’s House Rules we’re playing by.

As a Christian, I believe that the God of the Bible created our universe and everything inside of it, including you and me. Therefore, I’m playing by God’s house rules, which are prescribed in the Bible. Under those house rules, I fail daily. I’m not perfect. That’s why I need a Savior named Jesus.

For those who reject the Bible as their standard for morality, who’s house rules are you playing by? Without the absolute truth of the Bible as their standard, there are countless good-hearted people out there whose house rules are dictated by other people. Have you noticed that what is right and wrong is a constantly moving target under this ideology? That’s what happens when humans attempt to re-write rules that they have zero authority over. 

Consider this parable that Jesus told: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” -Matthew 7:24-27

The storms of life will inevitably come. If you’re wise, you’ll build your house on the absolute truth, the stable rock that is Jesus Christ. If you’re woke, you’ll build your house on constantly changing quicksand constructed by people. 

Who’s House Rules will you play by?

Like clockwork, every April this tree gives me a reminder to fix my focus. More specifically: 

“A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.”  -Proverbs 11:28

I am all for focused intensity and striving for excellence in every facet of our lives; but if we’re not serving Christ, we have nothing. 

If I’m crushing it in my career but I’m not serving Christ, I have nothing. If I’ve got wonderful friends but I’m not serving Christ, I have nothing. If I’m a devoted parent but I don’t teach my kids to know Christ, I have nothing. If I enjoy the pleasures of this world but I’m not serving Christ, I have nothing. My life is like a dead stump. 

It’s only through serving God that we can truly lead open, free, spacious, flourishing, fulfilled lives! 

I’m not saying all those other things are worthless; not at all. What I’m saying is that true fulfillment only comes when those things are in their proper position, which is secondary to our relationship with God. If we make anythingelse #1 in our lives, we’re out of alignment. 

Are you antsy about something in your life? Does something seem off or out of place? Don’t look inside yourself to try and figure it out, look to Him. 

Anyone else deal with some stress this week? I know I did, and there were times when fear and anxiety weighed on my mind. What a waste! Consider this story from the Gospel of Mark: 

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be Still!” Then the wind died down and was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” -Mark 4:36-40

I have to think I would’ve done the exact same thing if I were on that boat: run to the Son of God for safety and peace! Wouldn’t you?

So the question is: is He not in our boat at all times? 

We know He is! So when stress hits, why would we try to take it all on ourselves?  It makes no sense, yet I do it, and I doubt I’m the only one. I encourage you today, if you have something weighing on you, bring it to the King of Kings! He’s already in your boat and He is your strength. 

–James

Have you ever felt the need to defend your faith in God? Maybe you’ve even been mocked for being a Christian. In certain circles you could be considered gullible, closed-minded, anti-intellectual, or worse. 

Think of it like this George Orwell quote: “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more they’ll despise it when they hear it.” 

The absolute truth of Jesus Christ is offensive to unbelievers. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised when their reaction is to attack your faith and/or mock you as a believer. 

Here’s the beautiful thing. Do you know what the Bible tells us to do when that happens? 

Celebrate! Jump for joy!

“Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.” -Luke 6:22-23

As I watched my kids jump on their new trampoline, I couldn’t help but think that this is what our reaction should be to pushback from unbelievers. It’s easier said than done, I know, but take this as encouragement when you face this. And remember, these people are not your enemy, they’re the mission field!

It is indisputable that Jesus of Nazareth, the man, existed. Even atheist scholars know and agree with this. The real issue is whether He was simply a man, or if He is God in the flesh as Christians believe. There is a popular belief in our culture that Jesus was a wise moral teacher. Essentially, that he was an enlightened wonderful man… but just a man. I would respectfully and lovingly explain to proponents of this belief that they can’t have it both ways. The reason why is very simple, and it’s something we can point to when asked what makes Jesus different from any other wise moral teacher— i.e. Moses, Muhammad, Dalai Llama, Buddha, Confucius, etc. Jesus didn’t just claim to hear from God, he claimed to BE God. In other words;Wise moral teachers don’t claim to have existed before the world began — God does. Wise moral teachers don’t claim to have the ability to forgive sins — God does. Wise moral teachers don’t say they intend to come back to judge the world at the end of time — God does. Wise moral teachers don’t say the things Jesus said. So the question must be asked.. was He a liar, a lunatic, or LORD?

PS- if the liar/lunatic/Lord principle resonates with you, you can google “CS Lewis trilemma” to read a version that is roughly 6,000 times more eloquent.

Do you know where Jesus’ closest followers were when he was crucified?

Hiding. 

Their teacher, the God-man they’d seen perform miracles like giving sight to the blind and walking on water, had just been executed in the most shameful way possible. They thought He was their long-awaited Messiah, but now He was dead. Their beliefs were shattered and they, by association, were in danger. If it could happen to Jesus, it could happen to them. They were scared, scattered, and in hiding. They didn’t even give Him a proper burial. One of His closest followers (Peter) denied Him three times in one day. If the story ended there, it would inevitably have faded into history long ago.

But something changed… 

In the coming days and weeks, Jesus’ followers (called apostles), reappeared in public. They began publicly and boldly proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. They claimed He had risen on the third day, just as He said He would. They claimed they had eaten with Him and touched Him. They claimed He was the Son of God indeed.

Now here is the most curious part. Do you know what these claims about interacting with Jesus got them? Money, fame, sex, power? Quite the opposite, actually. They were persecuted, tortured, and many were killed. In fact, eleven out of twelve of Jesus’ closest followers were martyred because they would not deny that they’d been with the risen Christ.

It makes no sense that these men who were scared and hiding would all have a change of heart and decide to endure persecution, torture, and death for a lie. Not a single one ever recanted their testimony, and it was common knowledge that Jesus’ tomb was found empty on the third day, with the guards there terrified. This fact pattern only makes sense if it’s true. 

It’s important we make one important distinction here, because dying for a belief doesn’t automatically make that belief true. Even the 9/11 terrorists died for something they believed in. But here is the critical difference: Jesus’ followers didn’t choose to die because they believed something that had been passed down and taught to them by other people. They died for something that they themselves were direct witnesses to. In other words, if they hadn’t actually interacted with the risen Jesus, obviously they would know they were lying about it! So we have to ask ourselves this…

Who would die for something that they knew to be a lie? 

It’s undeniable that something changed in the days following Jesus’ crucifixion. Something caused these followers to proclaim Jesus even unto their deaths. Something caused 10,000 people to be converted under the most hostile of circumstances in the weeks following the crucifixion. And all along, the enemies of Christianity could have squashed the entire movement if they did one simple thing, which is to produce the dead body of Jesus. But they couldn’t do it then and they never could, because His body wasn’t in that tomb. 

He is risen, indeed.

Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the teachers of the religious law (Pharisees) saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:15-17

This story is nothing short of remarkable. Jesus, the Son of God, chose to eat with tax collectors and sinners. In other words, He chose to eat with the dregs of society. Tax collectors were considered traitors and scum during Biblical times. They were Jews who betrayed their own people by collecting taxes on behalf of the Roman Empire. They each had a yearly quota to pay the Romans. Anything they collected above and beyond that quota was theirs to keep. So you can imagine that they basically extorted their own people in order to become wealthy. This made them outcasts amongst Jewish society, so they spent their time with other outcasts (sinners) such as prostitutes. It’s no surprise, then, that the religious teachers (called Pharisees) were shocked Jesus would eat with this crowd. To share a meal during those days was an act of honor and acceptance. Pharisees would only eat with other Pharisees. Why would Jesus give the time of day to these unclean sinners? His response? “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I’ve not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”BOOM! As someone who has not yet had a perfectly sinless minute let alone a perfectly sinless life, this scripture brings me so much joy. Jesus didn’t come for the so-called righteous, He came for sinners. And since every single person walking this planet is a sinner, He came for us all! If that doesn’t get you fired up, I don’t know what to tell you. If you’ll put your trust in Jesus, He’ll remove your sins from you as far as the east is from the west. God is so good. There’s one more important point to be made here. Jesus wasn’t endorsing the sin. He wasn’t giving them a license to continue living a rotten lifestyle. His message was simple: repent and believe the Gospel. To repent is to CHANGE. He’s saying, I hate your sin but I love you. Change, turn away from your path, and instead put your trust in Me. Believe the good news. The next time you’re beating yourself up over a mistake, I want you to remember this story. Jesus didn’t come for those who think they’re good enough. He came for those who realize they’re sinners and they need a savior. Repent, and believe the Good News.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31: 25-31

Thanksgiving Day 2020: I was on Amazon.com shopping for stationary bikes within minutes of finding out that my foot was broken. I wasn’t going to let this tennis injury mess with my fitness. I took one more day off and then started working out from a seated or lying-down position. 

The injury turned out to be a Jones Fracture, which is something that heals very slowly. The days turned into weeks and weeks into months. I continued regular exercise, but this seated and lying-down stuff just isn’t the same as the sweat you get from a good run. 

As I looked into the mirror this morning, determined that I would get back into proper shape in a hurry, God shifted my perspective. He opened up within me a whole new level of admiration for all of you Mom’s out there. 

This foot injury changed my body. It’s been a battle for going on 4 months, and God reminded me that this struggle is NOTHING compared to what a Mom goes through. Nine months of profound changes within your body, followed by giving birth, followed by nursing, and the list goes on. 

My wife has been through three pregnancies and three C-sections. And I’m feeling bad about a foot injury?

To all the moms: just as our verse says, you deserve to be honored. I can’t imagine what strength it takes to go through those massive bodily changes, get back in shape, only to go through the process again (and for some of you, again, and again, etc.) 

As anyone involved in our athletics ministry (Victory Athletes) knows, we’re not doing this stuff to try and get a beach body. Of course, we want to look and feel good. But taking care of our bodies is truly about worshipping God. God created these bodies, and so, therefore, we honor Him with them. God paid the price to save us, and so, therefore, we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. Exercise is worship when we do it for God’s pleasure. If we treat our bodies like garbage, we are trashing what God created. 

Mom’s: I honor you and would like to pray over you right now. 

Lord God: You know the struggles that every one of these moms has been through. I’m thanking you right now in advance that every single one of the moms reading this is in the palm of Your hand. Thank you that You created their bodies and that You are their health. We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to You, Lord God. We know it’s our reasonable service to do so. I pray that you would lift up every Mom reading this and that the Holy Spirit would even be with them as they worship You through exercise. I thank you that You’re strengthening every single Mom reading this. I thank You that You’re showing them just how valued they are, that even the hairs on their head are numbered by You. Yes, these are our bodies, but we didn’t create them. Lord God, You created us. We thank You and give You all of the honor, the glory, and the praise. In Jesus’ mighty name. AMEN!

The view outside my window drew my mind right to Isaiah 1:18. Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.Wow.No wonder it’s called the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. No wonder it’s called the peace which transcends all understanding.Do you guys realize how gnarly that is? Every mistake you’ve ever made… gone. Every stupid decision… gone. As far as the east is from the west, that’s how far He removes our transgressions from us. That’s what happens when we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.If you’re looking back on your past with guilt or shame, you’re not living for all that Jesus died for you to have! He took our sin, He took our guilt, He took our shame. He took it all on that cross and he said IT IS FINISHED. You don’t need to take my word for it. Instead, get into God’s word. If you’ve got hang-ups or hurts in your past, I want to encourage you today to read 1 Peter 2:24. If you don’t have a physical Bible handy, download the YouVersion app and you can read it there. No excuses! I’d love to hear what you think of that verse.

Verse of the Week

Our verse this week reminds me how God can even use broken promises for His glory. Settle in and stick with me on this one.  The photo above is Tiff and my first house. I can’t help but smile when I see it because of all of the memories we have there. Memories from seasons in our lives when life was much different than today. Times as newlyweds and brand new parents. Times when I naively thought we had really busy lives BEFORE kids…  We bought the house in 2009 and, with baby #2 on the way, moved to our current home in 2014. It wasn’t a great market to be selling a house in at that time, and we had a deadline named Mia Rose Finke to work around. When it became clear we were going to lose money if we sold, we decided to rent the property. We became landlords by default.  Of the many walk-throughs we offered to potential tenants, one shocked me. A classmate of ours from Salve Regina University was moving to Connecticut. We hadn’t seen her in 7 years until she came walking up our walkway to check out the house.  She and her boyfriend promptly put a deposit down and we breathed a big sigh of relief that we’d found a tenant. Unfortunately, the relief was premature. The boyfriend involved starting acting erratic during our discussions. Apparently, he’d had a bad experience with a prior landlord, and was taking it out on us.  The deal fell through, and they wanted their deposit back.  I have to admit that I let my emotions take me for a ride through the process. I was bothered and super anxious throughout. I felt betrayed. I, I, I, I, feelings, feelings, feelings, emotions, emotions, emotions, me, me, me, me.  I was so focused on ME that I forgot it’s not ME who is in control.  After parting ways with our former classmate, the tenant we ended up with turned out to be the best possible situation for us. She was a recently divorced mother of two getting back on her feet. We’ve had a wonderful and stable business relationship, and she’s lived in the house for the past 7 years! Now she is getting remarried and moving into a larger home with her new combined family. We are selling the house, and guess what happened? Our first buyer, after putting a deposit down and having us turn away other suitors, has backed out of the deal.  You know what’s not in control? My emotions! Nope. I haven’t lost a wink of sleep because I know that God is in control. Tiff and I know that the first deal didn’t happen for a reason.  So I’m challenging you today. When something happens that seems to be bad in your life, change the question. Don’t ask, “why me?” and have a pity party. Instead, talk to God and ask, “what do you want me to learn from this?” God will take you out of your comfort zone in order to develop you into the person He created you to be. Remember: suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.