The "Me" Factor

How often do you cycle through life being hot for Jesus and then cold and then hot and then cold and then hot again. There seems to be this continual roller coaster and we don't know how to handle the dichotomy of our lives being torn in two, wanting to follow Christ, but maintain our status of "me." I won't lie, Revelation 3:16 is talking to me too! I can't stand being lukewarm, and yet it seems that I spend quite a lot of my life in that status, because I can't continually keep my eyes focused on Christ.

We tend to think in terms of fully working or fully vacationing. We're either completely following Christ or we're  just taking time to focus on "me." And yet, we know, from Scripture, that the Christian life will be hard. Jesus doesn't make light of that fact, nor does He make excuses for it. He simply reiterates, "Follow me."

Since you will probably find yourself in the same boat that I continually find myself in, I'd like to offer some encouragement. Rather than throwing up your hands and saying, "I can't believe that I am so far away from Christ, yet again," I encourage you to just take a moment and reflect upon where you are at this point in your life. No matter what has happened or what you've done, just stop and consider your "now."

After you have done that, I'm going to say something that might sound harsh - "Get over yourself."

See, we weren't put at the center of God's universe. Many of us think that is the case, but it's not. God is at the center of His own universe. We were created to join Him, but contrary to popular opinion, we are not central to God existing. He exists on His own, with or without us, spanning the entirety of time. And yet, we treat Him as if He revolves around us. "Lord, just give me some time to get my life together," seems to be a popular excuse among Christians today. At what point did you begin thinking that God couldn't handle you where you are NOW? What makes you think that you are immune to Satan's attacks? What makes you think that you are the only one in the universe that is feeling this way? Stop it!

Christ came to forgive us of our sins. And yet, rather than ceasing our sin, we continue on acting as if He's not good enough to take care of us. Instead of making Him our center, we expect Him to cater to our every need. We are stuck facing "me" and we can't seem to reorient our lives back to Christ. If that's the case, then we're in a sad state of affairs.

It's time for change. Stop worrying about what everyone around you is thinking. Stop your own worry about everything that is happening in your life. Point your life toward Christ and start walking in His direction.

"But, Bryan, it's SO hard." Yep. And it will continue to be. Learn to walk toward Christ, despite the difficulty, because He is the only one that can carry us through each of these difficult situations. Instead of pushing Him away and resisting His call, rest in the only One that can truly make you whole. No more me. Leave me behind.

Thoughts for New Year's Resolutions - 12/19/11

I've been keeping track of some kick-start thoughts for New Year's resolutions. Maybe some of these apply to your life.
* If you don't start it, no one will start it for you. We seem to have a tendency to wait for others to do something for us, when in reality, we should've been working on a postponed project for quite some time. Just get to it!
* At the beginning of January, turn all of your hangers backwards. After you wear an item in your closet, turn the hanger back the right way. In June, donate all of the clothing items that are still facing the wrong direction. You haven't worn them in six months, so you probably won't wear them anytime soon. Why is it that Americans feel the need to hang on to useless things? We have a tendency to hold on more than let go. Quite applicable in many areas, don't you think?
* Find at least one thing to celebrate every day. Don't be afraid to celebrate the small things. Christ is our salvation, right? I mean, He's already made all things possible and yet we get caught up in unnecessary drama. Celebrate, don't stew.
* Rather than making the largest "home improvement" list that you've ever known, schedule out one home improvement project per month. This will give you time to plan out the project, will protect your budget, but still allow you to make the changes that you desire to see. We often forget that the small accomplishments add up to big change.
* Go through your contacts and delete people that don't need to be there. I don't think this is mean, in any way. We have contacts that just take up space - people in our lives that don't do anything for us. Granted, not EVERYthing is about us, but at some point you have to evaluate whether or not the relationship is worth it. Consider pouring more energy into those that are.

I'm usually not a fan of resolutions, because I start a new one every Monday, after our Sunday services. And...by about Tuesday, it's over. But, I think that there is some worth in taking an annual evaluation of our lives and allowing Christ to lead us in His direction.

I hope this helps point you toward Him!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan
http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com
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To My Love

The essence of my life
Bringing wonder to my soul
My sustenance and ever-present desire
Keeping my heart healthy and whole

Your love is known round the world
Serving those who are in need
You are at the fore of every heart and mind
But you are precious only to me

I love you in my inner-most heart
For you alone do I crave
This thing called food will ever be
The thing for which all I gave

Bring the Best Robe

What percentage of people spend their lives in fear, guilt or sadness? How many people miss out on the amazing opportunities that God has for their life, because they are stuck in the rut of their current life? My attention is drawn to the lost or prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32, in which a story of a lost son returning into the father's care draws upon the strings of our hearts. Check this out!

Most of us are already familiar with the story, so I won't recap the whole thing. I'll only say this - the son was so tired of living a lost and wandering life that he finally came back to his father to beg for a place among the servants. Consider what he must have put himself through as he wandered the streets, looking for a bit of food or a warm place to spend the night. Picture the humility that he would have gone through, just to eat with the pigs, because he couldn't find food enough to feed his appetite (which had dwindled considerably at this point). Imagine the rags that he wore as he approached his father to beg for mercy.

As he walks up to the father (and I consider this to be a dramatic, staggering walk with the last of his unspent energy), his face is sunken in from malnutrition and his gait has turned into a hobble. His eyes are probably tired, dry, and yet filled with tears, because he just took his first steps back onto his father's property. The servants are probably staring, knowing that they're supposed to be working, but can't help themselves. The older brother is scornful and wishes the father would just turn him away.

The humility, the pain, the guilt - all of these things weigh heavily on the prodigal son's heart. Nothing else matters, though, because just by being in the father's presence, his heart is restored. Just knowing that his father hasn't cast him away melts his sadness into even more tears of joy. Bowing before his father, he just sits and weeps with his head down around his father's feet.

But, the father says, "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him."

Shock! Everyone turns to look at the father's face. Is he joking? Is this a ploy? Why would he say that? What RIGHT does this son have? He squandered his father's living! He made a mess of the family name. He doesn't deserve ANYTHING, let alone the best robe!

How does the prodigal respond? He didn't want the best robe, he just wanted something to cover him as he sleeps at night. He didn't want a ring on his finger, he just wanted a warm meal to tide him over until he could work again.

"This is sick! This is disgusting," he thought. He didn't deserve anything, let alone a place of honor among his family. "Why would my father do this? He has to be wrong. He has to be crazy!"

But, the father insisted. In fact, he turned to his manservant and gave him a well-known glare that said, "If you don't complete the task that I give to you, you can return back to the fields to work." He was completely serious and within seconds everyone rushed to comply with his command. As they brought the robe out, the father grabbed it out of their hands and bent down to kneel face-to-face with his lost son. "Get up," he said.

Not knowing any other way to respond to his father's command, he slowly rose. Joints cracking from a lack of exercise, the son stood before his father with his head bowed. The father gently placed the robe over his shoulders and straightened it as it lay there on his shallow frame. For seconds that seemed like an eternity, the son just stood there and sobbed. His shaking body could barely stand, but the father's hands upon his shoulders kept him upright.

And then, the father wrapped him in his arms. The most welcoming hug that he had ever given anyone was the breaking point for everyone in the room. All that were staring gasped in awe at what the father had just done. He had welcomed an undeserving orphan into his household - into his inheritance. The son knew, perhaps for the first time, his father's complete and undivided love.

What I find interesting about this story is the fact that God is ready to replace our filthy rags with the best robe. He desires to wrap us in His arms and just welcome us into His inheritance. If I knew what it was like to allow God that full and complete place in my own life, I'd express it. All I know is that I spend most of my time waiting on the outskirts of my Father's property, unwilling to take that first step. My fear, my guilt, my shame all keep me from walking into His presence.

Doesn't He deserve more? Wait! Bryan, you're asking the wrong question. Shouldn't you have asked if WE deserve more? No! God deserves our love. He deserves our undivided attention. After all, we are placed on this earth to glorify Him. Nothing else matters. So, rather than sitting in our guilt and shame, isn't it time for us to step into His presence and just allow Him to protect and guide us?

It's just something I struggle with. What about you?

Living Out Christmas - 12/12/11

As I sat and watched our children's Christmas play last night, I was reminded of the sparkle and twinkle of Christmas. In the U.S., we have wrapped the holidays up in a very nice package. We mostly spend time worrying about how it is wrapped, rather than considering the gift that comes inside of the wrapping. And here's a thought - no matter how you wrap Jesus, He's still the same gift.

In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus tells those following Him that they have to be willing to give up everything in order to follow Him. This isn't a one-time recruitment message, nor is is a simple prayer and your done. We seem to think that by going to church on Christmas and Easter, that our relationship to God will simply pan out in the end. However, this is NOT the message the Jesus communicates! It will be hard. It will be tiring. It will be grueling. Does that sound like the simple message of the Messiah coming that we usually hear at Christmas?

Instead of spending all of this Christmas season wondering about all of the beautiful wrapping and lights, I encourage you to deeply consider how the Messiah has changed your life. I encourage you to consider His message of hope to humanity along with His desire that you follow Him intimately. I encourage you to spread the word about God's affect on YOUR life. Show them how the Messiah has forever changed who you are and invite them to start the journey this season. It's not a one-time commitment and then your done; but, they can start the walk now. There's never a better time than now!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly devotional, please forward your email and name to thebtaylor@gmail.com.