Identity Crisis

The Man in the Mirror | Chapter 4 | Significance: The Search for Meaning and Purpose | “He came to the conclusion on his own: “Why should God give me a great job when I am not yet a faithful doer of the job He has already give men?”  You and I would never consider promoting someone who wasn’t doing the job they already had!

scrip·ture | Matthew 16:24-26 ²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

de·vo·tion | I was doing it.  I was absolutely doing it!  I was riding on the American Dream fast train.  Only two years after graduating from college, I had been promoted 4 times and had received a pay raise every 6 months.  I had made it to a Systems Engineer within two years and was being promised Senior Systems Engineer within 6 months.  I had no road blocks, continuous promotions, and the sky was the limit, I was doing it!  Then 2008 happened, and there were roadblocks everywhere.

Because I had grown accustomed to the American Dream fast train, I continued to press being promoted to Senior Systems Engineer.  I became obsessed with it.  I was asking my manager, “When will I be getting promoted?!?” in every conversation and at every turn.  I was so obsessed with it I started to pay less attention to what I was actually delivering, and more on getting to the next promotion.  I was sitting down with my manager during one conversation, and yet again asked, “When am I going to get promoted?”  My manager finally said the one thing I needed to hear, “When are you going to start being a good Systems Engineer?”

I had been so obsessed with the idea of being promoted that I completely lost track of doing the job I was supposed to be doing.  As Christians, we can find ourselves so caught up in what we want to be in this world and striving for the next big thing, we forget about being good at the one thing God has actually asked us to be.  We are called to take up our cross daily and be disciples of our LORD and Savior Jesus the Christ.  We are asked to humble ourselves and confess that without Him, we can achieve nothing.  We are so focused on asking to be promoted and held in such high regard in this world, we don’t hear the LORD asking, “When are you going to start being a good disciple?”

Prayer | LORD, I have found in the examination of myself, I am lacking in living out what you have called me to be.  I spend so much time focused on the rat race of this world and seeking out the approval from the wrong people.  I do not spend enough time focusing on living out what You called me to be, a dedicated child and disciple of You.  LORD, forgive me for my blindness!  LORD, forgive me for my complacency!  Lend me Your Spirit that I may have strength to humble my celebrated self and focus on loving You.  Amen

Daily Alone Time with God |

Chapter of the Week | Read Romans 12

Mon·day | Exodus 9:16 ¹⁶ But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name bay be proclaimed in all the earth.

Tues·day | Proverbs 19:21 ²¹ Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Wednes·day | Philippians 2:12-13 ¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always, obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Thurs·day | Romans 8:28 ²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Fri·day | 2 Timothy 1:8-9 ⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who save us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began

 

Comfortable Christian

The Man in the Mirror Chapter 3: Biblical Christian or Cultural Christian | “The question for us all should be: Is there any marginal difference between the way I live and the way the broken, hurting world lives?  Does my life offer hope or disillusionment?”

scrip·ture | Revelations 3:15-17 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

de·vo·tion·al | Lukewarm, Cultural, and Comfortable Christian, all terms I have seen or heard over the past five years describing modern day Christianity.  To be comfortable, I always think of surrounding myself with things that are familiar to me. I try not to introduce anything new or put myself in a situation where I might not fit the status quo.  A Lukewarm, Cultural, or Comfortable Christian praises God, reads their Bible, and goes to church in ways that have become half hearted, and surround themselves or only take part in things that are familiar to them. Put themselves in situations that they know are not going to ruffle feathers or put a strain on their already hectic schedule.

I was reminded of a story of when I used to ride the bus from Mound to Minneapolis for work every night. It was a cold day in Minnesota, which already zaps you of any energy you may have. It had been a long day at work, and I was both physically and mentally exhausted. When I got on the bus, I went and sat in my favorite spot. In the winter, it was the back seat where the engine warms the seat and adds the extra bit of warmth that the struggling heaters cannot produce. My ride was only a forty-five minute ride, so I put my feet up on the seat in front of me, laid my head back, and got as comfortable and cozy as I could in my favorite spot. After a while, I stirred from my sleep and took a quick look around. To my surprise, I had been so comfortable I had missed my stop. I was over twelve miles away from my stop and still headed in the wrong direction. I had missed out on my opportunity to be at home, and now had to wait until the bus made its way back towards my bus stop.  It scares me that if I found myself to be a Comfortable Christian, like my bus trip, I might miss the most important stop of my life.

It is time as a Christian that we become less comfortable, otherwise we might fall asleep and miss out on the opportunity to get off at the right spot.  Although I had the benefit of taking the bus until it came back around to my bus stop, as a Christian, we have only one opportunity and one chance to get off where we need to...

prayer | LORD, Help me to become less comfortable as a Christian. Inspire your word in me and help me to get off my earthly pedestal and look to you for guidance in my faith. I humble myself in front of your feet, and ask you to speak through my heart once again.

Through thought, word, and deed, I will be You God and Your son Jesus Christ...AMEN

Daily Time with God |

Mon·day

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Tues·day

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect

Wednes·day

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Thurs·day

Jeremiah 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walking in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

Fri·day

Matthew 16:25-27 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

"Little Bit of a Weight Problem"

The Man in the Mirror | Chapter 2: Leading an Unexamined Life | “Because we don’t take this invisible war seriously, many of us are losing the battle for our minds.  But we can win them back by committing ourselves to self-examination through studying the Scriptures.  You can know the real you, the you that is known by our God.”

scrip·ture | Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.

de·vo·tion·al | “I’d better not.  I have what doctors call a little bit of a weight problem.  I used to grab bear claws as a kid, two at a time, and I’d get them lodged right in this region here.” [motioning at his stomach] – Tommy Boy

The thing is, I can totally relate to Tommy Boy here, only it was Little Debbie Snacks instead of bear claws for me.  All of that free-for-all with my food as a kid has really led to me battling with my weight as an adult.  The only time I have been able to manage my weight is when I use Weight Watcher or MyFitnessPal to examine my food habits daily.

Using MyFitnessPal, I am consistently journaling the food choices I make for the day, and it allows me to examine my eating habits carefully.  Now when I first started journaling my food intake, I was floored by the completely bad food choices I was making.  I was completely oblivious to my food choices adding to my “little bit of a weight problem.”  I was leading an unexamined life when it came to my food, which was making me lazy and ignorant in my approach to getting healthy.  As long as I stick with the approach of using MyFitnessPal and examining my food intake daily, I am much more successful at meeting my goals of being healthy.  This same concept is true for us as Christians.

If we do not take the time to get into God’s Word, and examine ourselves prayerfully along with God’s Spirit daily, we will end up finding ourselves being comfortable with the world and becoming lazy in our journey towards becoming a righteous disciple of God.  We find ourselves having a bunch of “spiritual weight problems”.  Set times aside to read God’s Word and examine your daily habits against the character of Christ.  Set time aside to pray and examine your spirit along with the Holy Spirit to help you in the areas you need to change in your life.  

prayer | LORD, I pray to You now, asking that You provide me with the words, truths, and knowledge that will lead me to a more examined life.  Lend me Your Spirit, that I may find comfort and strength in not doing this journey alone.  I ask that the strength You give gets me passed the initial shock of my spiritual weight problems, and I can lead a more truthful and transparent path towards becoming a righteous disciple of You.  Amen

Daily Time with God |

Mon·day

2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

Tues·day

John 5:30-32 “... I see not my own will but the will of him who sent me.  If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.  There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Wednes·day

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Thurs·day

Galatians 6:4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

Fri·day

1 Corinthians 11:27-31 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

Bait and Switch

As a Men's Group at Grace Fellowship Church, we are reading a book called The Man in the Mirror; Solving the 24 Problems Men Face.  I was asked and given the privilege to write short devotionals based on what I see in each chapter.  Below is my first devotional for Chapter 1.  If you feel moved, buy the book, follow along, add your thoughts and comments.  God's peace my friends - Shua


The Man in the Mirror | Chapter 1: The Rat Race | “The rat race boils down to the conflict between who we are created to be and who we are tempted to be.” – Patrick M. Morley

de·vo·tion·al | When I was a kid, I remember looking through this magazine and coming across this advertisement for a flying machine.  I saw the advertisement and I couldn’t believe that for $2.50 I could have my very own flying machine.  The picture was of a little boy sitting on this machine hovering in the air, and the little boy had such a big smile on his face.

So, I did what any other little boy would do when they wanted something, I went to my parents and borrowed $2.50 so I could get my very own flying machine.  I remember after I sent the money in the mail, actually having dreams where my parents would be upset with me and I would quickly run outside, get onto my flying machine, spend a few hours up in the air while they let off steam, and coming down later.  Oh man, I could not wait until I got my flying machine.

The day finally came, I got a letter in the mail, which I was sure was going to provide a time and place for me to pick up my flying machine.  When I ripped open the parcel, I found inside an instruction pamphlet on what I would need to build my own flying machine…bait and switch on a seven year old is not cool.

How many of you today feel like you paid the $2.50 to be happy in this life, but as you opened the parcel of life, have found out that the happiness of this world was not what it is advertised to be?  Spend some time today in God’s Word and praying to the Father about having Him fill you with what the joy of life is meant to be.  As you read The Rat Race, keep your hearts and ears opened to what the Spirit is trying to point out to you.

scrip·ture | 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (NIV)

prayer | Heavenly Father, every day I am faced with the temptations the devil places in front of me.  I am faced with fulfilling a short term happiness only to give up a long term home with You.  I ask You Lord to lend me Your Spirit in driving these temptations from my mind.  That as I seek Your Face, the fleshly temptations of this world die and that I pursue the eternal salvation You have offered to me, which I know is the true meaning of my earthly and spiritual happiness.  Amen