It's Time to Suit Up Duncan, OK

I live in Duncan, OK.  My guess is, until recently, some of you who read my blog had no idea where Duncan, OK was...and, honestly, I wish it had stayed that way.  Not that I'm not proud of my town, but I just didn't want you to discover it this way.  The tragic death of Christopher Lane, a young man who was visiting our wonderful community, is not the way we wanted break into the national news scene.  I mean, really, our town is a great town that could be known for so many things like its great community spirit, its wonderful churches, a hard-working population, or its resilience to trying economic times.  As much as I wish we could be know for any of these, at least for now, we will be known as the place where the young Christopher Lane was gunned down by a group of teenagers who were "bored".

As if Christopher Lane's death was not heartbreaking enough, the following week the Duncan High School received some sort of threat that was substantial enough to result in a closed campus, heightened police presence, and excused absences from all schools if parents chose to keep their kids at home.  Suddenly, the level of fear in our community skyrocketed.  It was no longer just about Christopher Lane....now it was about every kid in Duncan.  Panic swept across the pages of Facebook faster than an Oklahoma thunderstorm blows through town.  Even I was up until 1am reading about what happened, praying for the schools, and trying to process how I lead through this as a husband, a parent, and a pastor.  As I prayed, I was reminded of how as the Israelites made their way through the desert God constantly provided all they needed....yet they consistently would complain and forget His faithfulness.  When they needed safe passage, He parted the Red Sea.  When they needed food, He rained it down from heaven.  When they needed water, He brought it out of a rock.  He led them by a cloud in the day and fire at night.  He never failed them.

LET US NOT FORGET THE LORDS FAITHFULNESS!  His promise is abundant life!  It is the enemy that comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  If you are operating out of fear, you cannot operate in faith.  What stirs your fear?  The news?  Facebook?  THEN STOP IT!  Stop watching the news and reading facebook if it stirs fear in you.  God did not give you a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind.  You have it already!  Use it!  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!!  Don't base your faith on the circumstances.  Base it on God's promises.  They always were and always are true!  He never changes!  His love is un-failing!

On top of the fear, there is also a great deal of anger lying just below the surface.  If not dealt with properly, it will quietly grow and grow and grow into bitterness and then hatred.  We must understand what we are dealing with here.  You think it was the three teenagers who decided to kill Mr. Lane?  Was it their parents fault?  Could the community have done something to keep these kids from being "bored"?  These are all pretty loaded questions with very complicated answers, but honestly none of them address the real problem.  The problem is not the problem.  I tell this to people all the time, and they just look at me like I'm crazy...and I am.  I am crazy about the Truth.  The truth is God's Word and this is what it says:

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:12

For me, this whole series of events is not about 3 bored teenage boys or anonymous threats to the Duncan HS.  Those threats aren't anonymous.  Seriously?  I know exactly who sent them.  His name is Satan.  The Evil One.  He is our enemy.  He is the killer.  He is the one who spreads fear.  He is the one who wants to destroy a community that is seeing revival in God's people.  He is like a kid at the grocery store who isn't getting what he wants, so he throws a fit knowing there is a pretty good chance he can get us to take our eyes off of Jesus and start to sink in an ocean of fear.

WELL SCREW YOU SATAN!  We are on to you.  We know what we are fighting against and we know how to fight.  We will put on our armor and stand firm.  We will wield the Word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword and cut you down!  You have no power over us!  As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us in Luke 10:19 that He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy!  Let's stop looking to Facebook to get our information and start reading the word of God!  You want to fight for your kids?  You want to fight for your family?  Put on your armor!  It's time to suit up Duncan, OK.  It's not too late.  Our God is faithful.  He is our redeemer.  He restores what the enemy steals away.  Instead of planting seeds of fear in the hearts of our kids, lets plant the Truth of God's Word.  Give them Jesus.  Jesus is and always will be the answer.

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so that you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will be standing firm.  Ephesians 6:13

Are You Trapped?

Does this little raccoon look very happy?  He obviously walked in, took the bait, and now he is trapped!  The one thing that he has going for him is that he knows he is trapped.  So many people today are trapped just like this raccooon, but what makes it worse is that they dont even realize they are trapped!  So how are people trapped you ask? 

Well, it starts with the bait.  You have to have some kind of bait to catch most animals in a trap.  Satan, our spiritual enemy, knows this principle also.  He uses a special kind of bait to try to trap us.  It's called OFFENSE.  I'm not talking about the opposite of defense.  I'm talking about being offended.  Have you ever been offended?  Did you realize Satan was using that offense as bait to try to trap you and render you weak and useless for the kingdom of God? He wants to take you out of the battle of advancing God's kingdom, and he knows exactly how to do it!  If you have ever been offended, Satan knows exactly what kind of bait to use.

As Jesus was talking to his disciples about what it will be like when it is close to the time of his return to earth He said this:

                 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Matthew 24:10 NKJV

The Greek word used in this verse for offended is the word skandalizo and it means to entrap. This word is also the name for the stick that was used to bait a trap to catch small animals. They would put the bait on the "skandalizo", the bait stick, and then when the animal tried to get the bait off the stick, it would set the trap!  Do you see the significance here?  The bait of Satan is offense!

So now that we know what Satan uses for bait, what is the trap?  Let's look back at the verse above:  first we take the bait and we are offended, then we betray one another, then we hate one another.  Do you see the progression?  What is the root of all of this?  How can we go from being best friends with someone to hating them?  The answer is bitterness and unforgiveness.  We do not betray and hate people unless we are harboring bitterness and unforgiveness towards them.  One of my favorite sayings is "Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.  I wrote a post about bitterness here that you can read when you finish this one :-). When you allow yourself to be offended, you set the trap of unforgiveness that leads to bitterness and eventually to hatred if not dealt with.

We must learn what offends us.  Satan knows, and so should you.  Once you know what the bait looks like it's easy to spot the trap and avoid it.  But what do we do if we are already trapped and cant get out?  We have to forgive.  Forgiveness is the key to our freedom.  So often when I have been offended I felt like the person who offended me had the key to set me free, all the while the lock was on the inside of the trap, not the outside, and I had the key! 

The difficult thing about forgiveness is that somebody has to die.  You heard me right.  You have to die.  I'm not talking about a physical death, but you do have to die to your selfishness and pride.  You have to die to your "right to be offended", which is really ridiculous.  You have to die and say that the relationship is more important than being right.  Who cares if you are right.  You will die a slow, painful, poisonous death if you stay in that trap.  The only person who has ever had a "right to be offended" was Jesus. 

You may be saying to yourself, "Jason, all of this makes sense, but I just dont know how to forgive someone that did something like this to me."  Let me tell you that I know with 100% certainty that you can forgive that person, and I know how you will be able to do it. Remember how I said that with forgiveness somebody has to die?  Well, my friend, somebody already died for your forgiveness and His name is Jesus!  He is God's only son who left his throne in heaven to come to this earth and redeem us from the curse of sin and death and give us LIFE!  

If you are finding it impossible to forgive, it may be that you have not received the forgiveness that comes with faith in Jesus Christ.  You see, we are all born sinners and in need of forgiveness from God.  Every last one of us has sinned against God over and over and over. But God was full of grace and He sent His son Jesus to die for us.  To be the sacrifice for our offense against Him.  Because of Jesus' death, you can have life and be set free!  When you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!  You will be forgiven!  You will be made a new creation!  

Those who have been forgiven best, forgive best.  If you have not accepted this free gift from God you will not be able to understand how to forgive best.  I urge you to start seeking God in His Word, the Bible.  You can get a free Bible here.  The Spirit of God is pursuing you because God wants you to be free.  He wants you to receive this gift.  He loves you.  When you are ready acknowledge to God that you have sinned against him and you want to turn from your sins, confess that you believe that Jesus is God's Son, your Lord, and that He died for you and rose from the grave!  Then share with your friends and family your decision to walk in the freedom of God's grace my friend!  You are forgiven and brand new!  It would be awesome if you could comment here and let me know too :-)  Blessings to all!  Get out of that trap and walk in freedom today!

From Ordinary to Extraordinary!

I want to encourage you today that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, is a master of taking the ordinary and turning it into the extraordinary!  There are many examples of His handiwork in the Bible, but I want to share one specific example today.  The story of Ananias.  Now I am not talking about Ananias who was married to Sapphira whose story is in Acts chapter 5.  I am talking about Ananias from Damascus whose story begins in Acts chapter 9.  This Ananias is not very well known, even among those who attend church regularly and read their Bible consistently.  The only mention of this man is in Acts 5 and Acts 22.  He was not one of Jesus' original 12 disciples,  nor an apostle, nor a church leader from all accounts in scripture.  It appears he was just an ordinary guy; an Average Joe....but he was an Average Joe who loved Jesus and was filled with the Holy Spirit.  He was a disciple.

A disciple is one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.  Even though Ananias was not as famous as the 12 disciples, his role in God's plan was just as significant.  When you read the story of Ananias, you see that God called to him in a vision and told him that Saul (whose name was changed to Paul and took the Gospel to the Gentiles) was praying to God right now and to go to where Saul was and lay hands on him so he would receive his sight back.  WOW!  What a awesome opportunity for a disciple to get to be to be the deliverer of such a miracle of God!  Ananias was at first afraid because he had heard of Saul and the terrible persecution he had brought to the believers in Jerusalem, but God told Ananias He has chosen Saul to bring the the Gospel to the Gentiles.  So Ananias went, and he was the man who got to witness the miracle of Saul regaining his sight and his turning to Jesus!

As a pastor, I hear something in people's voices so often.....it's a lack of confidence that God could and wants to use them in His plan.  I really think the fear comes from trusting in our own abilities.  If we look at our own abilities, I would agree that none of us are equipped to be used by God.  Not a single one of us.  Even the most famous men in the Bible were not qualified on their own.  The cool thing is that God does not call those who are already equipped, He equips those He calls!  Ananias did not have the ability to restore Saul's sight on his own.  This was the Holy Spirit of God working through him to restore Saul's sight.  If Ananias had trusted in his own abilities, he would never have gone to Saul, and he would have missed out on one of the greatest opportunities of his life as a disciple of Jesus.

How often do we miss out on opportunities of a lifetime because we are trusting in our own abilities rather than trusting God?  As you read The Word and your mind is renewed and transformed you will be able to more consistently see past your abilities and follow the voice of God no matter the odds against you.  You may feel ordinary, but God wants to use you for the EXTRAORDINARY!  What is He speaking to you about right now?  He has not given you a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND!  Go be a history maker for His Kingdom!  He wants you to be a part of His amazing miracles!

How to pick your next pair of shoes...

Today I took my 6 year old son to get a new pair of shoes. It was the most exciting shopping trip I have ever been on!  I don't much like to shop for myself or anyone else, but today my son showed me how to pick out a new pair of running shoes. I usually go for a combination of looks, fit, and price; not my son though! I think his method of selection is hands down the best way to find your next pair of new shoes. 

So let me break it down for you....

First he selected 4 pairs of shoes that he liked that came in his size (selections were based on appearance)

Then he tried on each pair of shoes and had me time him as he ran a lap around the store :-)  This was so fun! The clerk in the store was laughing at us, but this was serious business to my young son.

After all of the times were in, he asked me which shoes were the fastest and he selected that pair. 

End of shopping trip!

I call it Fast and Furious shoe shopping and its how you should select your next pair of shoes!!

Authority Part Duex

In my last post, I shared with you about the freedom that is found in being under authority.  In case you missed it, you can read it here.  Today, I want to look at authority from a different angle....the authority you have as a new creation in Christ.  You see, if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God who lived a sinless life, died a brutal death on a cross, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father then you my friend are a new creation in Christ!  In your newness, one thing that has changed is your level of authority.  Let's take a look and see what the Word says about it!

Right before Jesus gives the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, He makes a profound statment in verse 18: Jesus came and told his disciples,  “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth."  So who gave Jesus this authority?  The One who has all authority, the Father, gave it to Him.  The Creator of the heavens and the earth.  The One who is, was, and is to come.  He is the one who Paul says is "over all" in Ephesians 4:6.  In Ephesians 1:21, Pauls says this about Jesus: Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.  When Jesus said He was given all authority, He meant ALL AUTHORITY!  It was given to him by our gracious heavenly Father!

So what does this have to do with me you say?  Well, now lets take a look at Luke 10:19: Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.  Jesus is talking here to His disciples, which includes you and me if you are a follower of Christ.  So lets review: God the Father gave all authority to Jesus, and now we see Jesus gives us authority over all the power of the enemy.  He was able to give this to us because He has authority over all the power of the enemy.

As a new creation in Christ, the Bible says you are in Christ and Christ is in you. It also says that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. If Christ has authority over the enemy, and he is in you and you are in him how could you not have authority over the enemy?  Tragically though, so many believers walk through life totally defeated because they don't understand the rights and privledges of being a son or daughter of the King. Don't let the devil get you down. Squash him with your faith in the Word of God.  His only power over us is in his lies. The truth will set you free but only the truth you know will set you free.

There is Freedom in Authority

Respect means an attitude of high regard.  If only Adam and Eve had an attitude of high regard for God's authority, we would still be living in world free from the effects of sin and death.  However, the first Human Beings were deceived by Satan into thinking that God's authority was not for their benefit.  They lost their high regard for God and what He had commanded them.  Satan manipulated what God had said to deceive Adam and Eve, and they fell for it.  It was only after it was too late that they realized God's command to not eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was for their protection. 

I look around and see the same thing happening still today, and it is only getting worse.  So many people have a lack of respect for those in authority over them because they have been drinking the devil's fruit juice.  They have been believing his lies that what they want for themselves is always best, and that no one else should be able to tell them what to do or how to do it.  I heard a story about someone recently that was unemployed because they had quit their job because they didn't like being told what to do!  Really?  Are you kidding me??  It blows my mind to hear people saying things like that, but really its no different than what happened in the garden.  When people don't submit to their earthly authorities, they are really rejecting God's authority.  Paul clearly tells the Romans to submit to their authorities, and I can only assume he did so because some had a lack of respect for those in authority over them.  They did not realize authority was for their benefit.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.  Romans 13:1-2 NLT

When we refuse to submit to our authorities on earth, it shows our heart of selfishness.  It shows that we don't want anyone else telling us what to do.  We are going to make our own decisions because only we know what is best.  I have been guilty before of thinking I knew what was best for myself.  Heck, most every teenager I have ever met has thought this at some point!  James 3:16 (NLT) warns us agains selfishness:
For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

The problem, I think, is that most people do not really respect and honor God's authority and the authority of His Word.  They have a head knowledge of God, but not a heart relationship with Him.  They don't realize His authority is for their benefit.  To think we do not need to be under authority is really to think we are better than Jesus Christ.  Even Jesus was under authority.

I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.50And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”  John 12:49-50 NLT

Why would Jesus submit to His authority, His father, but we often think we do not need to?  So often we forget that God's authority is for our benefit.  It is for our protection.  It is for our good.  When you know God well enough that you trust Him, then you are able to submit to His authority.  When you are able to submit to God's authority, then, and only then, are you able to submit to those in authority around you.  Jesus said He knows God's commands lead to eternal life.  God loves you, and His commands are for your benefit.  Don't let the enemy deceive you into thinking God is trying to limit you.  Any limitations he places on your life are for your protection.  Just like how I make my young children wear a helmet when they ride their bikes.  They didn't like it at first because they didn't think they would ever crash, but I had some wisdom that they did not have.  The helmet really isn't a limitation at all, but rather a safety measure to protect the children I love as they ride their bikes in freedom!

God loves you even more than I love my children.  More than you love your children.  He want's to protect you, but you must submit to His authority.  His authority is for your benefit.  He has given us freedom in Christ.  There is freedom in authority.  That is the truth, and the enemy wants to steal it from you.  Don't drink any more of the devil's fruit juice.  It leads to death.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7 NIV

I found one

The life of a pastors wife is one of great honor and blessing.  It is also a life that endures a great deal of persecution from the enemy.  Our spiritual enemy knows that if he can discourage, distract, or divide the pastors family, he can inevitably affect the church in that same way.  Divide and conquer....steal, kill, destroy...thats his game.  Always the same game, but he uses new doors, new people, new circumstances.

I am blessed to have an amazing wife that loves the Lord with all her heart, soul, and mind.  She knows the truth of His Word and it is planted in her heart and has deep roots that penetrate every part of her being.  She is a passionate worshipper who makes my heart smile every time she sings a note.  Most of the time she lives in the background changing diapers, making me dinner, or bathing 3 kids by herself so I can be out ministering to others or running the church.  She is the invisible prayer warrior in the day-to-day tasks.  She is always praying over me, praying over our kids, and praying over our friends.  While she may be behind the scenes, she is in the front lines of ministry and unfortunately, the firing lines of the enemy.  I am so thankful that she stands firm against the enemy with her full armor on!  She is amazing!

It's because of my wife,
I lead stronger.
She helps me invest in my team.
She gives me insight into my strengths and weaknesses.
She encourages me.
She is precious to me.

This Proverb describes her well:

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies!  Prov 31:10