What Are You Trying to Change?

"Everyone wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change himself." ~Leo Tolstoy~

I have to come to see the truth of this. I see it in myself. If I could, I would spend hours upon hours talking and thinking about what is wrong with the government, my friends and family, the church, and everything else. And in the process completely ignore the very things God has called me to think on: His Great Commandments and His Great Commission.

We are being trained by the media to be victims. The instruction from these talking heads is calling us to blame others and to ignore our responsibilities and that is exactly what we are doing.

What would our nation be like if God’s people spent their time praying for God to be at work in their lives and through their lives and sought to share and live out the Gospel with those all around them? The old saying is true and good. What happens in the White House is not nearly as important as what happens in the Church House.

And at the Church House, it does no good to come and complain about what everybody else isn’t doing and try and be a victim there. Find friends you can do life with. Get plugged in where you are needed and not where you necessarily want. Be of service to Christ and others and not yourself.

It’s easy to complain about what’s wrong, but God has called us to work in His name to make things right (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Let’s stop wasting time on our agenda and get busy fulfilling God’s. His purpose is to make us Holy and to bring His Hope to the world through us.

When You Are Hurting..

Everybody gets hurt. It may be physical, emotional, or spiritual, but everybody goes through pain. When we hurt, we need to be very careful to guard our hearts, our heads, and our mouths. It is hard enough to keep these in check when all is well. Pain can cause us to reduce our filters and let things in and out of our lives that dishonor God.

So here are three things we should never do when we are hurt.

1. Make a major life decision.
2. Tell people what we really think of them.
3. Let people outside of our accountability circle know the depth of our hurt.

And here is why…

1. Major life decisions need to be made with a clear mind and a heart focused heavenward. When we are hurt, we usually do not have our thoughts together and our heart is usually focused inward. The best things we can do are pray and wait for God to bring resolution and healing.
2. Our words matter. What we say not only impacts other people, but it determines their view of us. When we say things, we force people to determine the level of influence they will allow us to have in their lives. When we are in pain, we usually say things we regret. These regretful words can hurt other people and minimize our ability to be of service to God in their lives. The best things we can do are to keep quiet and simply pray.
3. We all need a circle of people that we know and trust with our lives. These people see our blind spots and keep us accountable. These people can handle our pain and the sin that surfaces in these seasons of struggle. It may feel good in the moment to tell the world how bad we are hurting, but the response of the world to our communication will probably not be favorable. The fact is most people do not have the time or strength to care. Some people are hurting and are sadly glad to see our pain. Those that listen and are concerned usually want to fix us, which sometimes is not God’s will. This only leads to more pain. The best things we can do are trust our friends and pray.

Are you hurting? Be careful how you talk about it.

A Very Serious Promise - No Matter What...

Jeremiah 42:6 "Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.”

This is what the remnant in Israel said to Jeremiah after the Lord had sent the leadership of Israel into exile in Babylon. Sadly, they did not mean it. They already had plans and tickets to Egypt. They did not want God to lead them. They wanted to lead God. There was no desire in their hearts to obey God. It was their intent to have God simply agree with their decision.

I have made this mistake. There have been times in my life when I determined what I wanted and what I was going to do and then went to God for His affirmation. On some occasions, when I did not get God's approval, I still did what I had determined to do. The outcomes were never good. God was gracious and led me still, but it was grace and mercy not obedience on my part that manifested God's purpose.

This week I had a situation where a couple wanted God to bless THEIR decision. They came to me under the false pretense of wanting to know what God's Word would say to their situation. It was my assumption that they were serious and so when I opened the Word with them and taught them the Scriptures, I was alarmed at their response. In a courteous southern way they said,"That's nice, pastor and we appreciate you, but we have already decided what we want. We just hoped you and God would agree with us. See ya."

God is gracious and I believe He will be merciful to them. They will suffer consequences for their disobedience. There will be more pain in their future. In the end they will find God faithful and true and see that His way is the way and repent. I only hope God will open their eyes and they will obey His Word now.

We must obey God no matter what. Not because we have to, but because we want what is best. God knows what is best. We must trust Him. We must seek His will in His Word and simply believe Him and obey Him. If we will, our lives may not be easy, but we will have peace in God's will. We will be blessed and we will bless others.

My prayer: Father, I am a foolish man that has been saved and given Your Spirit of wisdom. Save me from me and allow Your servant to obey You rather than my flesh and my desires. Let me choose You and not to what will please and win the approval of others. Allow me the peace that comes in humble obedience. Let me hear Your directive for my life in Your Word and empower me to do it.

Boyce Catechism - Bible 7

CATECHISM of James P. Boyce - THE BIBLE 7
Does it teach us every thing about God?
It does not; no language could teach us the full glory of God, nor could we ever comprehend it.

There are times when I attempt to explain things to my three year old and get cracked up. The effort I go to at times to communicate is hysterical. There is a change in the pitch of my voice. I use over the top facial expressions. It looks like I am signalling a base runner with my hands. And I nod a lot as though to say, "you understand this, right?"

The fact is my boy is three and he has little regard for what I am trying to teach him right now. I hope when he gets older I don't hold out information from him out of spite for these early years when he blows off some big time good information... how to brush your teeth, how to make mommy happy, how to put your underwear on right. I mean serious stuff.

God in His grace has chosen to communicate with us. He is infinite. We are finite. He is creator. We are creature. God made is good, but we turned bad and have a shortage of brain usage and an attitude to boot. And yet, God has still come to us and cared for us. There is a great deal that we can know of God, but it is truly limited. The fact is this, God has shared more than we can understand. So much of what He has told us is still a mystery. The part we do get is because God has mercifully chosen to speak to us in infantile ways.

John Calvin says, "For who is so devoid of intellect as not to understand that God, in so speaking, lisps with us as nurses are wont to do with little children? Such modes of expression, therefore, do not so much express what kind of a being God is, as accommodate the knowledge of him to our feebleness. In doing so, he must, of course, stoop far below his proper height." -Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.13.1

No, we don't understand a fraction of the greatness of God, but thankfully we understand enough to worship Him and receive His grace through faith. The Lord has chosen to get down on our level so we can get something of how great He is. We don't fully get it, but what we get when we get it is overwhelming.


James Petigru Boyce (1827–1888) was a Baptist theologian, pastor, and seminary professor. Boyce was educated at Brown University under Francis Wayland, whose evangelical sermons contributed to Boyce’s conversion, and at Princeton Theological Seminary under Charles Hodge. Boyce became a pastor, then a university professor, and finally the founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he taught theology from 1859 until his death in 1888. Throughout his ministry Boyce insisted on the importance of theological education for all ministers. In a preface, he described his Abstract of Systematic Theology, published the year before his death, as follows: "This volume is published the rather as a practical text book, for the study of the system of doctrine taught in the Word of God, than as a contribution to theological science."

Boyce Catechism - Bible 6

CATECHISM of James P. Boyce - THE BIBLE 6
Ought it, therefore. to be believed and obeyed?
Yes; as much so as though God had spoken directly to us.

My wife and I have been best friends for a long time. I first saw her when we were in 8th Grade. She was a cheerleader for West End Middle School and I played basketball for Bellevue Middle School. We attended the same high school the following year and started dating. We were only freshman. We are still best friends 22 years later!

One of the things we still have are our letters to one another. To those who don't know... before texting, status updates, and email people used to write on this stuff called paper with what were called pens. These "notes" were passed by hand from one person to another.

We would run into each other in the hallway in between classes and pass those notes to each other. Some were nice. Some were mean. All of them are hysterical to us now.

God has sent us a message. It is His Bible. His Holy Spirit who lives in those who are redeemed by grace allows a proper understanding of the Bible and directs believers in how to apply the truth personally.

God has passed us a written message from His heart to us so that we can know who He is, what He is doing, and how He desires to work in our lives. We must read it and trust in God's Spirit through prayer to apply its truth to our life and enjoy the blessing obedience to God's Word brings.



James Petigru Boyce (1827–1888) was a Baptist theologian, pastor, and seminary professor. Boyce was educated at Brown University under Francis Wayland, whose evangelical sermons contributed to Boyce’s conversion, and at Princeton Theological Seminary under Charles Hodge. Boyce became a pastor, then a university professor, and finally the founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he taught theology from 1859 until his death in 1888. Throughout his ministry Boyce insisted on the importance of theological education for all ministers. In a preface, he described his Abstract of Systematic Theology, published the year before his death, as follows: "This volume is published the rather as a practical text book, for the study of the system of doctrine taught in the Word of God, than as a contribution to theological science."

Money Problems

I appreciate this encouragement from Ken Blanchard. I must confess that I worry about finances. Not so much mine as the church's and other people's that are out of work. I do not believe he is advocating a lack of responsibility. What I hear is an encouragement for faith in God and a heart that is at peace in His sovereign care.

Here is what Blanchard said...

Concern over finances is a major issue faced by many leaders. It is true that money is a significant consideration, but it should not be the focal point of life. When money is the top priority, destruction is sure to follow. Scripture reminds us that loving money brings evil desires and temptations. It can even lead us away from faith in God. Instead of focusing on money, we need to learn to trust the Lord, seek His wisdom and depend on Him to meet our needs.

Today I am going to pray for the needs I know of and trust God to provide in His time, according to His will and for His glory.

Reading Answers to Prayer From George Müller's Narratives by George Muller has been especially helpful in gaining a Godward perspective on God's provision.

Boyce Catechism - Bible 5

CATECHISM of James P. Boyce - THE BIBLE 5
Did they write it exactly as God wished?
Yes; as much as if he had written every word himself.

God does not waste anything. When we think of being good stewards, we think of reducing waste. God's stewardship like His being is perfect. There is nothing wasted with God.

Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

"A 'jot' refers to the smallest Heb. letter, the yohd, which is a meager stroke of the pen, like an accent mark or an apostrophe. The 'tittle' is a tiny extension on a Heb. letter, like the serif in modern typefaces." -MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (Mt 5:18). Nashville: Word Pub.

Ever single stroke that went into creating the Word of God was under God's inspiration. There is not a name or adjective or verb or phrase that was placed their unintentionally.

When I think about how careful God has been with His Word, it gives me confidence to know that the author of the Word is also the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). God is aware of every detail of my life. He has a plan and purpose for all things to bring glory to Himself and joy and salvation to me.

Praise be to God!



James Petigru Boyce (1827–1888) was a Baptist theologian, pastor, and seminary professor. Boyce was educated at Brown University under Francis Wayland, whose evangelical sermons contributed to Boyce’s conversion, and at Princeton Theological Seminary under Charles Hodge. Boyce became a pastor, then a university professor, and finally the founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he taught theology from 1859 until his death in 1888. Throughout his ministry Boyce insisted on the importance of theological education for all ministers. In a preface, he described his Abstract of Systematic Theology, published the year before his death, as follows: "This volume is published the rather as a practical text book, for the study of the system of doctrine taught in the Word of God, than as a contribution to theological science."