I John 5:19 says, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one”.

One could guess what the word “sway” means, but after researching this word it simply means “influence”. Kind of like the fog in the picture above… subtle, but effective.

According to the bible, the whole world is under the influence or sway of the evil one. It’s hard for me to think that the enemy has that much control and ability, but he has had a lot of time nurturing a world system that can easily appeal to the flesh of mankind. After working at this for some time, I can see how the devil can almost sit back and watch his “sway” in action.

Though… don’t get me wrong here, I know the devil is not sitting back for one second. His sway is operating in and around a system of influence. You can tell when the “sway” hits you. Any time you are influenced to indulge in fleshly conduct the sway is working. Maybe we get caught up in the latest Hollywood gossip we justify as “news”, maybe it’s the influence to rip someone’s head off for driving inappropriately in front of you, or maybe it’s a temptation to outright blow it… to commit the sin – hook line and sinker. Whatever the case the influence to do “wrong” is ever before us and many times we succumb to this “sway”.

What is man to do to overcome the sway? Well let’s read the first part of that verse again. I John 5:19 says, “We know that we are of God….  This verse is making a distinct difference between those that are of God and those under the sway. Those that are “of God” think about the things of God, are influenced by the Word of God more than the world He created, and seek truth not entertainment. If you find yourself struggling to stay away from the sway, maybe your too close to it. You simply need to pull yourself out from under the worlds greatest influences. This is where the “sway” is the heaviest.

So what are the worlds greatest influences. I am sure you can name some very easily, and they will not be very easy to pull away from.

Know this… The level of difficulty you have removing yourself from these influences is a good indication of the level of the sway over your life.

Here are a few of the greatest world influences…

1. TV – no surprise here with millions of viewers everyday being entertained by fictitious lives. Yes even reality t.v. is fictitious to an extent. Most people act different when they know a camera is watching them.
2. Internet – no need to elaborate here
3. Co-Workers
4. Newspapers
5. Movies
6. Family – Yikes!!!!

Ok, well you get the point. Can you remove yourself from these avenues that unload the enemies sway or would it just be too difficult? Maybe the sway has you more than you think.

Look… I am not saying that you should never watch t.v. again. I just want you to be aware that there is a real sway. Television can be a great tool for a different kind of “sway” – a Godly sway. Unfortunately, most of us utilize the tube to download the worlds ideals, concepts, and philosophies of what is right or wrong. We get laughs from programs that are morally corrupt, and allow violent crimes into our living rooms. Our minds deal with more images today then in any other time in history. Technology has elevated our minds with endless knowledge and no sense. Sorry, I will stop my soapbox soon.

Psalms 1:1-3 reminds us,

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Hollywood knows too well how to “counsel” us, and we know too well how to listen.

We all have a calling and a job to perform for the Kingdom. As Paul told Timothy to not get entangled with the affairs of life so we should guard ourselves from the “sway”.

Sometimes I feel that the Body of Christ is sitting in the camp watching re-runs while the battle of the century lies at the doorstep.

I Timothy 4:12-16 says, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

God has designed a life for us to enjoy – so enjoy it. Enjoy technology, Lord knows I do – just watch out for the “sway”.

Blessing to you on your journey,

Lee

I think we have all been in this situation at one point in our lives. Sometimes it’s with minor things and other times you could be fighting for something great.

There is a business principle called the “212 Principle”. Simply stated at 211 degrees water is hot… at 212 it boils and with boiling water comes steam and with steam you can power a locomotive.

One degree is the difference between hot water and a power to transform industries, societies, and our world. Here’s a thought… what if the scientists had stopped at 211 degrees? What would our life be like? How would things be different in our world today?

In looking at history you see a number of people that pressed forward in the wake of failure obviously believing that there was something great, maybe only 1 degree away.

“Robert Sternberg received a C in his first college introductory-psychology class. His teacher commented that “there was a famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another.” Three years later Sternberg graduated with honors from Stanford University with exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In 2002, he became President of the American Psychological Association.”

“Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. I just learned 1000 ways that the light bulb didn’t work.”

“R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York City caught on.”

“Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded. “

“Michael Jordon was cut from his High School Basketball team.”

“F. W. Woolworth was not allowed to wait on customers when he worked in a dry goods store because, his boss said, “he didn’t have enough sense.”

“Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.”

“Charles Schultz had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Oh, and Walt Disney wouldn’t hire him.”

“The first time Jerry Seinfeld walked on-stage at a comedy club as a professional comic, he looked out at the audience, froze, and forgot the English language. He stumbled through “a minute-and a half” of material and was jeered offstage. He returned the following night and closed his set to wild applause.”

“After Harrison Ford’s first performance as a hotel bellhop in the film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, the studio vice-president called him in to his office. “Sit down kid,” the studio head said, “I want to tell you a story. The first time Tony Curtis was ever in a movie he delivered a bag of groceries. We took one look at him and knew he was a movie star.” Ford replied, “I thought you were spossed to think that he was a grocery delivery boy.” The vice president dismissed Ford with “You ain’t got it kid , you ain’t got it … now get out of here.”

You may have faced failure lately, and dropped your Sword (so to speak) or are facing a situation where you feel like giving up. Do you believe there is something great just beyond what you can see? The bible calls this “FAITH”.

You just might be at the 211 point with just a little last push
needed to open up a dream realized.

We are to press through the 211 barrier to achieve the benefits of 212. We are to believe in our God and Father that has created us with value and has placed great things before us.

So if you’ve dropped your sword. I have a word for you that God gave me. “Pick it up again and move forward.”

There are things to accomplish and legacies to leave. Galatians 6:9 says, And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Blessings to you on your journey,

Lee

Ezekiel
34:4 (KJV)

The diseased have ye not strengthened,
neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which
was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither
have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye
ruled them.

In this passage God is rebuking the shepherds for not being faithful to the sheep in performing various duties. These duties constitute the “role of the shepherd”. Notice they were to strengthen the diseased, and to heal that which was sick. This is a very clear passage of what the responsibilities were for the shepherd. In John 10:11 Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd. He goes on to say that He even lays down his life for the sheep. The laying down of your life as a shepherd was not mentioned as a role in Ezekiel 34. Jesus is telling us that the Good Shepherd gives everything for the sheep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Jesus would go as far as giving His life for
us, His sheep, why wouldn’t he do a lesser thing and care for our bodies.
Healing our bodies is much easier than dying for us. If Jesus would die for us
performing the greater task, He will also heal our bodies, performing the
lesser.

In fact, we read in I Peter 2:24 that He did heal our bodies. By His stripes we “were” healed. Just by understanding the “role of the shepherd” should give us comfort to know that “all” that we need is provided for through Jesus. David even says in Psalms 23 that the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. I believe David understood the provision that was given to the flock of God. Even one of the seven redemptive names of God is Jehovah Ra-ah, meaning the Lord is my Shepherd. Be encouraged that Jesus is the “Good” Shepherd and we are the sheep of His pasture. He has fulfilled all the responsibilities as a Good Shepherd, and by faith we receive these blessings into our lives. Be blessed and let the Good Shepherd care for you.

Blessings to you on your journey,

Lee

A few years ago I had heard a story about a survey that had been done on 100 – 100 year olds. It was along the lines of … If you could go back in your lifetime, what would you do different or change. Not one single person mentioned that they wish they had made more money, or that they wish they had lived in a better house or drove a better car.

Their answers….. They wished they could have spent more time with friends and family. Why does it take us 100 years to figure out what the most important thing is (Beside our relationship with God)?

I just got back from Mississippi visiting family for the Christmas holiday. You know… this year was not about the gifts. It was about spending time with family. In fact, Missy and I had probably one of the quietest Christmases ever, and you know…there is nothing wrong with that. We got to spend time with dear loved ones and it was nice.

Now next year…. we might go “Hog Wild” on the gifts, and there is nothing wrong with that either, as long as you can pay for them. But for now, I will just rest in the family and the quietness of Christmas 2008.

Blessing to you on your journey,

Lee

Here is what is so interesting. Atonement could not be done unless “first” the priest declares the person healed or clean. They must be healed “first” before an atonement could be performed. If the leprosy had spread or they were not healed yet, they could not have an atonement. Jesus being our high priest has examined us and declared us healed (I Peter 2:24). He said that by His stripes we were healed. His “stripes” was different than His death. We were not healed by His death but by His stripes, which was His beating, which happened “first”. Then He died for us which finalized the cleansing of our sin. Just as the leper or others that had bodily issues, Jesus has healed us by His stripes and then performed an atonement for us. We could not have an atonement done for us if He had not healed or cleansed us first. To say that we are not healed in our bodies is to say that we don’t have atonement either. We must be careful not to nullify the work of the cross by our lack of faith in His stripes. He who the Son sets free, is free indeed.

Blessing to you on your journey,

Lee

Birthright: any right or privilege to which a person is
entitled by birth

We in America
really don’t talk much about birthrights. As Christians we read about them in
with the story of Jacob and Esau, but somehow that just translates to Jewish
culture and a Sunday school story from the bible.

The other day I had a dream that I was trying to get in
through a gate to visit a drug kingpin. I was with someone, who passed easily through
the gate and the huge guard that was standing by. When I got up to the gate the
guard with folded hands moved in front of me and would not let me pass. After a
couple of tries this huge guard looked at me and said that I couldn’t come in
since my birthright was not the same as the other guys according to their
principles.

I woke up and realized that I actually do have a birthright,
and that God was speaking to my heart. When we become born again, we have a new
birth. That new birth gives us a birthright, which means we have rights and
privileges associated with it. The bible says that he gives his angels charge
over us to keep our path straight. That is one of our privileges. We have many rights
as children of God. These rights are legal according to the Kingdom in which we
are citizens. If the devil tries to take a right, he is illegal and we, with the
authority of Jesus can enforce the law… His holy Word.

So whether you need joy, prosperity, health, peace or any
other promised blessing. Know that you have a birthright that allows you
legally to obtain these from the Lord. We as Christians have rights and it’s
only fitting that we utilize them.

Blessings to you on your journey.

Two days ago I was out in my yard picking up
sticks that had dropped from our pecan trees. I was throwing all the sticks
into a pile that later I would burn. I had been out there for quite a while,
when I noticed that my wedding band was no longer on my finger. I never take it
off, so I knew it had fallen off as I was picking up the sticks. The
problem is I live on almost two acres, and I had picked up sticks over a good
portion of the back yard. The grass had not been cut lately and leaves had
fallen, since it is October. I knew that this was going to be very difficult
finding a very small object in a very large yard.

I immediately prayed for the
Lord to guide me in my search. I began looking and trying to trace back over
the steps as much as possible. After a while I gave up for the day and headed
back into the house. I was disappointed, but was determined to go back out
there the next day and search more. A friend had a metal detector and loaned it
to me for my continued search. I had determined in my heart that if I had to
stake the whole yard off with stakes, string, and identifying markers, I was
going to do what it took to find it. The whole place may have to look like an
archeological site, but to me it was worth it. This ring has not been off my
hand for almost 20 years. It was engraved on the inside and it was valuable to
me.

I prayed again and said,
“Lord, this ring is valuable to me, and that means it’s valuable to you. You
are my father and you want me to have the things that are good and valuable to
me. I thank you for helping me find my wedding band.”

I went out the next day to
search again. I took the metal detector and configured the settings. I took two
sweeps through one section of the yard, and then thought that most of my time
was spent near the pile I was building. Since all of my steps led to throwing
the sticks on the pile, there may be a greater chance of it being on or around
that area. I took a couple swoops back and forth around where the pile was and
heard a beep! After moving some leaves out of the way there was the ring. How
wonderful the feeling was when I saw the gold shining in the sunlight. I
probably wasn’t out there 15 minutes when I found it. It was amazing!

This encouraged me that God
does care about the little things. I mean it’s just a ring, and I could have
lived without it, but it was valuable to me, and God cares about me. How much
more will he take care of the real important issues in our lives. Be encouraged,
God will take care of you, even in the small things.

A believer,
an atheist, an unlikely friendship… This statement is on the front cover of the
book Jim  and    Casper go to Church. Jim a believer
travels the countryside visiting churches with Casper an atheist and    then writes a book
about each of their perspectives. It was enticing to read a book on church from
an atheist perspective hoping to gain some advantage on how to reach those that
don’t claim Christ as savior. Around page 98 I realized I was being fed “The
Revolution”. It was like I was duped. Hook line and sinker. The Benadryl pill
inside the warm hotdog! For those of you that have not read the book
“Revolution” by George Barna, it details out how millions of people have
stopped going to church and are now “becoming” the church. These church leavers
are called “Revolutionaries”. They love God but hate the church. Anyway I
should have known since Jim and Casper’s book is published by Barna. When
I looked at Jim and Casper’s comments through the eyes of a
Revolutionary I could predict the outcome of their visits. A believer, an
atheist, an unlikely friendship… Not so unlikely when they have the same
agenda.

I love the
church! Comments throughout the book referring to big congregations and the
“big show”, and celebrity status preachers really get to me. Jesus spoke to
more than 5000 people on more than one occasion and fed them all with no more
than a few fish and some bread. That’s a big show! Pulling money out of a
fish’s mouth, stopping funeral processions in the street and raising their
dead, believers tearing off roofs so that their friends could get to healed by Jesus,
woman crawling and bleeding in the street just to touch Jesus clothes, blind
people screaming in the streets making scenes would all be in the “BIG SHOW” category according to Jim and
Casper

In the
words of ABC News correspondent John Stossel “Give Me A Break” There are 2
billion Christians on earth today which is 33% of the earths population. There
are Christians and churches in all 238 countries in this world. There are 20.7
million new Christians each year and 19.5 million of them end up as new church
members. We are planting 50,000 new churches every year. Church planting is the
premier tool for evangelism today. 

I will end
with this, though I have more to say. DOWNLOAD MY FULL REVIEW HERE. If you believe that
Jesus lives inside of you it will make sense that if you don’t go… Jesus doesn’t
go. I like the effort and thrust Jim and Casper put on going into the world and
leaving your churcheeez language and style in some far away closet.  I am ok with that, and it offers the
“Gauntlet” to every believer. Stop talking about it and do it. I like this and
it challenges me. I have to watch myself sometimes that I don’t spend all my
time strategizing and never running the play. It’s a call to action, a call to
stop writing on the chalkboard and get out on the field. Run the plays, execute
the game plan, get dirty, get in the trenches with folks, let people see you
bleed. All of this is OK. But then again…so is Church!

Sunday I
got the privilege of attending the 125^th anniversary of the Johnston
Presbyterian Church. This church I was sitting in was started in 1883. As I sat
there listening to the speakers and presenters my mind wandered to what life
would be like back in the 1800’s.

It was a
time where going to school was a privilege, working on the family farm was
necessary to survive, and the only light source was kerosene lamps and fire. A
dollar back then was equivalent to twenty today and there were no cars. Churches
were small, and were designed to meet the needs of the community. In fact most
of the community walked to church, thus the need for the church bell that only
rings today to remind us of what things used to be like.

As I sat
there I asked myself what success looked like for the church back then. The
testimonies that were being shared from this 125^th anniversary were
from people that sat in these pews over the years. One even referenced the
church being large with only around 30 in attendance and how blessed he was as
a youth in this church. He is now in his 50’s. 

It was very
humbling to see the fruit that came from a church that never saw their
congregation grow beyond a handful. Humbling, because in our fast paced world
today we look down on churches of 30 as being “unsuccessful”. So back to my
original question… What did success look like for the church in the 1880’s. It
certainly wasn’t to obtain a massive membership. It was clear that success was
about loving the people, meeting the needs of their community and the lives God
so graciously brought them to minister to.

For me I
came away with the feeling that success for us pastors today is the same as it
was for the first pastor of Johnston Presbyterian Church in 1883. Minister to
the community and love the people that God so graciously has brought you, no
matter how many that is.

The
Johnston Presbyterian Church still meets today and runs around twenty or so.
Our church, Faith Family Church,
meets there too on Saturday nights and Wednesday nights. We can learn a lesson
from this. That even after 125 years this church is still loving and meeting
the needs of the community. It’s amazing what you can do when the body of
Christ sticks together. No matter how small the unit.

Yesterday I
was driving home from in town and I saw on the back of truck the phrase “Just
Passing Through”.  It was painted very
professionally and quite artistic, with script fonts and a cross graphic. In
difficult times I want to “Amen” that statement, but yesterday was quite different,
I actually got a little roused up about it. I am not just passing through and
neither are you. Just passing through implies no responsibility. Not stopping,
not passing go, not collecting 200 dollars. Were just passing through.

You know
God has specifically created each one of us for this time. As Esther said, “For
such a time as this”. We have been created meticulously and special for this
hour of the world, and God has so chosen us and sent us here to complete a
task, or mission if you will.

Take NASA
for example. When they need to complete a task on the moon or in space they
choose special people… the right people for the job. They prepare the way for
them to get there, the suits for them to survive and the tools to get the job
done. The abilities for them to complete the mission were given them before
they even got into space.

God has
chosen special people… the right people for this job on earth. He sent us here,
gave us earth suits to live here and has provided us the tools to get the job
done. And what is so awesome is that he had already given us the abilities to
complete the mission. Jeremiah 1:5 says that before I formed you in the womb, I
knew you; before you were born I sanctified you.

You know
even NASA doesn’t leave their astronauts on their own while in space. If
something goes wrong or mistakes are made, NASA will do everything possible to
help fix the problem, even help them repair their suit. Otherwise they could
not complete their mission. It’s NASA’s mission not the astronauts.

We
are here on God’s earth for His mission to be accomplished not ours. If your
suit is damaged, he has made provision for it to be fixed. Psalms 103:1-5 and I
Peter 2:24. If not you can’t complete your mission, you will have to return
home. We get all caught up in things of this life, but if we view our life as a
mission like the astronauts view their time in space. We will have a much
better perspective on why we are here. 2 Timothy 4:5 says to be watchful in all
things and fulfill your ministry!