Daily Archives: March 2, 2011

I used to be a little bit intimidated by people with “good” testimonies.  You know the ones where the people used to be involved in some gratuitous lifestyle of sin and debochery BUT then Jesus transformed their lives! I love those kinds of stories… but they bear little resembence to mine. I’m a guy who met Jesus when I was 13 and just kinda grew up with Him.

About a week ago I watched an interview with a man who had one of those “good testimonies”.  It was pretty graphic and the guy seemed to enjoy telling all the details. When it came time to explain how he he met Jesus and his life changed, he lost his smile and seemed to express remorse. NOT at the way he had conducted his life prior to meeting Jesus but at HOW MUCH he was giving up FOR Jesus! He mentioned it twice…He was actually impressed with himself for what he had given up!

I literally threw my shoe at the TV! (ok so I “figuratively” threw my shoe at the TV!) “Well, bless his snot-nosed, self absorbed, arrogant little heart!” HE is giving up a cushy lifestyle of sin and doing God a favor by following Him? I don’t think so! By the time the interview was over (with the host almost consoling him for his sacrifice, yuck) I was seething.

That is until the Holy Spirit reminded me that I often get impressed with my own sacrifice for Jesus…I just look better doing it. I hide it better than most. That is why the following verses are so piercing to me… Paul writes:

Philippians 3:7-10 whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a]Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,…

GREAT MODEL FOR US TO FOLLOW…

PAUL: Is baptized and called to be an Apostle (Acts 22:14-21) Told he would suffer for Christ’s name (Acts 9:16)  People plot to kill  him (Act 16:19-25) Angry mob threatens to kill  him (Acts 22:22-24) knows that following Christ condemns him to die (1 Corinthians 4:9)  Faced depression and dispair (2 Corinthians 1:8-10) Been to prison, recieved 39 lashed 5 times, beaten with rods 3 times, shipwrecked 3 times, spent night in open sea once, been in danger from, rivers, bandits, own countrymen, Gentiles, the city, false brothers, known hunger, sleeplessness and cold (2 Cor. 11:23-27) I get a little embarrassed about my own committment to Jesus when I read the Apostle Paul’s passion and selflessness in his faith.

PSALM 119:10-11  “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Several months ago I had the great opportunity to have breakfast with one of my heroes, Steve Farrar. He has written books like “PointMan”, “King Me” and “Finishing Strong”.  They are fantastic books written for men and designed to equip us to “follow hard after God”.  I luv the guy!

During breakfast I asked Steve, “How do you do Life?” (I always wonder if the “big guys” do what the rest of us should be doing)

“Well”, he said searching for words, “This is what I do… I start every day with my black leather Bible in my red leather chair“.

“You mean like a “quiet time?”, I ventured.

“Yep, that is where I get my “footing” for the day…I never miss…NEVER.”

I can remember those words hanging in the air for a moment and then we were on to the next subject. To be honest, I don’t really remember much more about that meeting. It was so refreshing to see that even guys who has had many BIG MOMENTS in his life…live each day in the little moments.

Paul Tripp says it this way….”Our lives are not lived from from BIG moment to BIG moment but from small to small”.

• How do you save money?….a little at a time (same way you lose all your money) many folks are waiting for the lottery or that big paycheck…most will keep waiting.
• How do you lose weight?… a little at a time (same way you gain all that weight). The 24 hour Hollywood Diet is one of the best selling diet formula’s because it promises instant results… most folks who take it, stay fat.
• How do you build a good marriage?… a little at a time (same way you wreck one) Many marriages are looking for that Ultimate Marriage retreat or one thing that will help their marriage rebound…in reality “a thousand little things killed the marriage, a thousand little things must fix it”.



How do you grow in your faith?… a little at a time. 10, 15, even 30 minutes a day with God and the Bible. Making small steps of growth in your faith. That is how a strong Christian is made and that is what “makes” a Christian strong.