REMEMBER THE TITANIC?

There is one thing we have in common with atheists--we both get really nervous about the sharing of the gospel. How do you feel about sharing the gospel with someone?

The apostle Paul cared so much he shed tears over those that did not believe, saying, “I wrote to you in deep distress and out of a most unhappy heart (I don’t mind telling you I shed tears over that letter), not, believe me, to cause you pain but to show you how deep is my care for your welfare.” (2 Corinthians 2:4 PHILLIPS).

Lessons from the Titanic
Even before the movie Titanic arrived on the big screen in 1997, people have been fascinated by its story. Clearly, many mistakes were made that led to its sinking. Although it was called the unsinkable ship, it did sink—and relatively easily, at that.

We know that 1,500 people perished in an icy grave. We know there weren’t enough lifeboats on board. We also know that many of the lifeboats went out half-full, some with only four or five people, when they had the capacity to carry at least 60 people.

There was room on the lifeboats
But one of the greatest tragedies about the Titanic is the fact that while there was room in the lifeboats, no one went back to save anyone else. They rowed out a distance from the sinking vessel because they were afraid of the suction caused by the ship sinking. Survivors said they could hear the screams of the people as the Titanic finally disappeared below the surface.

Here were people in lifeboats that had room for more! They could have rowed back and pulled others in, and yet they did nothing about it. They waited for about an hour, and then they went back. By then, they were only able to save a handful of people. They waited until it was too late.

People are drowning!
Right now, there is a lost world around us. People are going down, and we have room in our lifeboat. Do we care enough to go and pull them on board? Do we care enough to do something for them? Or will we say, “They should have gotten into the boat when there was time”?

The apostle Paul wrote concerning his own countrymen, “Dear brothers, the longing of my heart and my prayer is that the Jewish people might be saved” (Romans 10:1 TLB).

Do you have a concern in your heart for lost people? Do you long for your neighbors, friends, co-workers, and family members to know the Lord? That is where it starts.

LOWERING YOUR FRUSTRATION LEVEL

"We may make a lot of plans, but the LORD will do what he has decided." (Proverbs 19:21 CEV )

Have you noticed that things don't always turn out the way you want them to? That sometimes God has a better idea?

It's okay to make plans, but remember that life is unpredictable and God says we shouldn't presume on it. On the other hand, we shouldn't worry about it because God is in control.

James 4 tells us the proper attitude to have: "Now listen you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.' Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. ... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" (vv. 13-15, NIV)

James is saying it's OK to make plans, but just realize that ultimately God has the final word.

The right attitude is to always keep your plans submitted to God. Make your plans but say, "God, if this is what You want, this is the direction I'm going to go. I'm doing this with flexible faith."

Proverbs 16:9 says, "We should make our plans counting on God to direct us." How do you do that? By praying. When you get up in the morning and have your quiet time, say, "God, what do You want to do with this day?"

Then when interruptions come, you'll remember God is in control. It will dramatically lower the frustration level in your life as you remember it is not all up to you.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Do you see yourself as a difference-maker for the kingdom of God? Do you really believe that God can and will use YOU to make an impact on your world? Truth be known, most of us don’t.

There’s an unspoken assumption that God is on the lookout for the best, the brightest, the most gifted and extraordinary intellegent individuals. The problem with that thinking is that it confines God to our expectations.

We talk about biblical heroes in ways that make them larger than life. Actually, God has chosen pretty ordinary people, just like you and me, to accomplish some of the biggest events in all of human history. And that is still the way He does it.

God has planted a dream in your heart. Maybe you’re not sure what it is but you know it’s there. You can call it your “God-given purpose.” It’s how God has wired you up to make a difference for Him.

My prayer for you this week is that you will discover what your “God-given purpose” is and start making that difference.

MONDAY MORNING

Today is Monday and this morning I felt completely inadequate to be a pastor. Maybe you can relate.

As pastors, many of us expend great effort covering our insecurities. I do. It may look like I have it together (or not.) Leading a church, I must possess talent, creativity, and spiritual energy, right? People sometimes compliment my leadership, my wisdom, and my preaching. They don't know I combat feeling that failure's just one bad decision away – constantly.

I've always battled insecurity, especially as a pastor. My first church business meeting…disaster. The chairman of the pastor search committee was also the chairman of the deacon body. He brought a recommendation to the church that was very unpopular, and frankly, I didn’t think much of it either. Before I knew it, I had sided with the people. I will never get the expression on his face out of my mind. He was crushed and hurt. He obviously felt betrayed. After several years, I now realize that his recommendation was right on target—it would have saved our church from a lot of troubled moments (ultimately we represented his resolution and it passed.) Unfortunately, it was after he had moved to another city.

Did I mention I feel completely inadequate?

Why do I feel this way? First, I don't feel I know enough. I wasn't a Christian until college. I had never read the Bible. In a college Bible class, I was asked to name Pilate's wife. I responded with, "I think it was CO-Pilate." He didn't laugh. Humiliating.

Didn't you learn anything in seminary, Tom? Nope. Didn’t go until well into my forties and graduated after I turned fifty.

I also don't feel I'm good enough. Respectable pastors are righteous. No bad words, bad thoughts, anger, jealousy – just faith, peace, and Christ-likeness. The pastors I admire have everything together. They're eloquent, proper, and spiritually mature.

Then there's me.

I'll ashamedly admit I've used a bad word. Not just any bad word – a really, really bad word. We came home to discover that our roof was leaking and water was saturating our brand new carpet. Frantically, I began grabbing waste baskets trying to catch the stream. Just as I thought I had it solved, I discovered two more leaks in our bedroom, in the closet, clothes and carpet were dripping this time.

Before I realized it, a word formed mentally – and rapidly escaped. My whole person participated. Pastors never say that word. How could God's love – and such filth – flow from the same mouth?

I've also made too many mistakes. The things I don't want to do, I do. Jealous, proud, doubtful, critical, gossipy, competitive – and there's more. And before I know it, I've forgotten that God's grace and power can forgive every mistake, correct every flaw.

I was discussing my feelings with a pastor friend of mine. Out of his sage wisdom he said, “Holland, one of the most dangerous places to be as a leader is to believe both the best and the worse that people say about you.”

And finally, he said, “The best piece of advice I can offer is this—spend time with Jesus. He’ll tell you what you need to hear.”

Great wisdom, don’t you think?

I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

Did you hear what President Obama said at another of his nonstop and insufferable town hall gatherings? This time he was challenged by people who had voted for him about the sick economy. In his responses, the president spoke about tax cuts and said the government can't afford them.

What? Really? Let me see if I can wrap my limited ability to understand complex concepts around something that seems pretty obvious--we CAN afford to mortgage our grandchildren’s future with Obamacare, but we CAN’T afford tax cuts?

This far-left philosophy is poisoning America. We'd be out of the recession by now if the government would stop restricting the economic engine. Cut taxes, stop spending and get out of the way because the growth will run over you.

BETTER THAN DISNEYLAND

As a child, I always wanted to go to Disneyland. Unfortunately, it didn't happen more than once or twice--once, I think.

I still remember making a vow to myself that one day, when I became an adult, made my own money, and had my own wheels, I would go to Disneyland, or Knotts Berry Farm or a big theme park with lots of rides every single day.

And if I couldn’t do that, then at least I would go twice a week.

12 years ago, we moved to the Bay area with two large theme parks (Six Flags and Great America.) This means that I can go any time I wish to. But do you know how many times we‘ve gone? Let’s just say that it hasn’t been every day. Not even twice a week. We’ve been two times in 12 years.

We have access to God.

We can be that way with our access to the presence of God. We can go into His presence 24/7, anytime we want. Yet how often do we actually do that?

This was a radical concept for the people of Jesus’ day, specifically the Jews. The Gentiles had no hope whatsoever of entering the temple of the living God. Any attempt to do so was punishable by death. The Jews couldn’t go much further. A veil separated the rest of the temple from the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest could enter once a year to meet with God.

The wall between God and man is broken down.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “For Christ Himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us” (Ephesians 2:14, TLB).

It’s a marvelous, incredible truth. But how do we benefit from this unspeakable privilege if we never take advantage of it? In fact, we don’t get to enjoy this wonderful reality simply by talking about it (or writing about it) or pondering about how amazing it is. The benefit comes when we actually enter His presence through the way made for us, bow low before His throne, and find the pleasure of His companionship.

In that moment, we enter into the great reality.