V GENUINE MOTIV TION August 2 0 1 0
JOSHUA PAYNE ON SLEEPING EASY + SITTING STILL
YOUNG CHRISTIAN MAN
DUNKING, SPELUNKING & OTHER WAYS TO STAY FIT & COOL
THE BIGGEST LOSER (AKA THE APOSTLE PAUL)
BEWARE THE VICTORIES
YOUNG CHRISTIAN MAN 04
Feature Article: Joshua Payne Interview & The Value In Running
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On The Couch: What the Locust Have Eaten
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Can You Relate: Confidence While You Wait
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Pest Control For Your Sins: Beware The Victories
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Cornered By Grace: The Biggest Loser
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Press On: No Quick Fix
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The Tool Box: Stay Fit, Be Cool
TAMARA PAYNE
RANDY KOSLOSKI
THOM MOLLOHAN ROB BEAMES ROB BEAMES WILL DOLE
JEFFREY BRIDGMAN
A PUBLICATION OF ON MY OWN NOW MINISTRIES
WWW.ONMYOWNNOW.COM
VISIT OUR ARCHIVES TO VIEW PAST ISSUES OF GENUINE MOTIVATION
AUGUST 2010 EDITOR IN CHIEF / ROB BEAMES ART + CREATIVE DIRECTOR / MICHAEL MURO
JOSHUA PAYNE
ON SLEEPING EASY, SITTING STILL AND THE VALUE IN RUNNING
Interview By TAMARA PAYNE
GM : 4
T
he Verve Music Group says, “Joshua Payne is one of the most abundantly gifted of a new breed of singer and songwriter, blessed with a big, classically-trained voice and a soul to match.” As his number-one fan (and cousin), I cannot disagree. Further, his success has been both a blessing from God and a technological miracle. Joshua was born with a profound hearing loss, but following surgery, was able to hear. His parents, both very musical, trained his ear with musical tastes ranging from James Taylor to Prokofiev. Joshua used his talents early on in church and school, but during his youth, his interest in singing was upstaged by swimming, soccer and football. After sustaining a football injury, Joshua changed his major in college and began formal operatic training. Joshua excelled and earned a number of accolades including eight-time regional and state winner with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Joshua continued his studies in music, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Memphis. Simultaneously he was an artist-in-residence with Opera Memphis, performing such title baritone roles as Don Giovanni and Sweeny Todd. After graduating, he moved to Nashville and did odd jobs to support himself while launching his singing and song writing career. The fruit of this labor was Your Love, My Home, his debut CD on the Verve Forecast label. On this project he collaborated with legendary pianist-arranger-producer Michael Omartian, who has produced 25 number-one hit songs with artists including Christopher Cross, Peter Cetera, Amy Grant, Donna Summer and Rod Stewart and has co-written countless other top songs for an astonishing array of today’s top recording artists. “Payne’s experience performing live on opera stages made him something of a one-take wonder – he turned in such compelling vocals on the first takes that a couple of the tracks were orchestrated around his performances on the original demos and on several others he delivered impeccable vocals live in the studio with the band on the first take, a rare phenomenon in any recording process,” reports Verve.
Having recently finished a “gig” in Italy, I caught up with Joshua to get his thoughts on forward motion and Mussolini. Genuine Motivation: Joshua, what was the first song you ever performed? Joshua Payne: Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell for my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my aunt and my mom and cousin. I was two and I loved Glen Campbell. I remember my grandmother laughing so hard. I think I liked making her laugh.
Tunes from the past are getting harder to sing. I remember being so excited about them in their moments, but even those amazing moments subside. Still I try not to cheat an audience who may want to hear something from way back when. They may still be having their moment with that tune. So I do my best to keep the old songs performance-worthy.
GM: When was it, and what was it that made you realize you wanted to be a singer/songwriter?
GM: Have you gotten comfortable with being on stage, or do you still get nervous?
JP: I was 22 and I couldn’t put down the guitar. I couldn’t stop writing words. I couldn’t stop the melodies in my head. The melodies had to be sung; the words had to be songs. It was like breathing. Now, I write or I die. It’s not just part of me, it’s defining and involuntary.
JP: Always nervous. I’m uncomfortable when I’m not a little nervy before a show.
GM: Who inspires you?
JP: I step away from it all when I get frustrated. I just put it down and act like I’m never coming back to it. I get busy in the yard or with a building a project or painting or drawing or… Invariably, I do come back to the writing. It is my life blood, but to survive when I hit a wall, I disguise my frustration and compartmentalize. I draw the curtains. Even though I know there will be a better day, I know too that standing in front of the wall or the closed door does not make the present frustration any better. So, I reimagine and create a new now - the new task, whatever is standing open and right in front of me. The other day I imagined a garden. So, I planted a garden. That put things into perspective. Seeds do flower, but they take a while.
JP: People, especially the ugly and the strange, inspire me. Abnormal feels the most comfortable to me. Pain is also incredibly inspiring or, should I say, motivating. I want to help folks who are hurting. Writing is medicine for me and my hope is that it could be salve for the masses. And though I can’t force them to take the pills it doesn’t keep me from manufacturing the meds. GM: Of all of the songs you’ve written, which ones do you feel the most? JP: The songs I feel most are being written right now.
GM: What encouragement do you give yourself to keep going when you get discouraged when things move slowly?
GM : 5
GM: What were you doing in Italy? JP: I have a friend who is a pop opera singer there. She’s getting to be a big deal. She and I did a gig together in Tuscany and the rest of the time was about seeing the countryside. Though I’ve been all throughout Europe, this was my first time in Italy. I’m already planning my return. GM: What did you like best and least about being in Italy? JP: What I liked the least: 1. I didn’t get to take the love of my life. 2. Rome. Mussolini monolith. Over and over I kept hearing “Mussolini was a good man.” If I were president that would be the first thing I’d blow up. it would be like Germany erecting a monolith to Hitler. Wouldn’t fly. 3. Monuments of martyrs enmeshed in catholic pomp and circumstance, when it was the church that killed those saints. Very weird to me. What I liked the most: 1. The pub across from St. Peters, darts, good beer and great friends. I felt very Italian but very not Roman. 2. See number one. 3. The return trip with my girlfriend. 4. See number three. GM: What kinds of challenges or obstacles does your career pose when it comes to romantic relationships? JP: Ha! Name one it doesn’t. Initially, you have to be willing to be alone to do this gig. Girls don’t usually go for poets with guitars who are broke. Then, on the other side of it, there is the whole fan fantasy thing – women throwing themselves at you. You gotta be vigilant about what you know to be true ‘cause this can get best of you early on if you get caught up. I’ve come up slow. I’m grateful for it. Lasting love at home is way better than fleeting love on the road. Backstage is for the band. No compromises here. We protect each other. After a while the circus becomes what it is, and you get used to all the screaming in the hall. You laugh, call home, say I love you and go to the next show wishing you were home. GM: Does your career track come with certain occupational hazards spiritually? What are some of the specific temptations you have to fight? JP: Again, yes! All of them. This is the road less traveled for a reason. But I’m becoming. Every day I see myself growing outside of what is comfortable. There is nothing about the music world that is normal. It’s like tripping through life on purpose and to the outsider, it looks very accidental. GM: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now in your career? JP: I see myself on stage performing most days. I see myself writing with the best writers in the world. I see myself in good company, happy, benevolent, trusted, loved, caring and cared for... creating.
GM : 6
GM: Ten years ago, did you ever think you would be where you are now? JP: Ten years ago I was on a path that I eventually abandoned – a bad move. But I always thought I might wind up in Nashville. It’s tough and likely tougher than I thought it would be but, I’m here, and I’ve got gigs on the calendar. It’s a good day. GM: If you could go back in time, would you have done the same things? Chosen the same career? JP: I used to go back in time all the time, and I’d kick myself for taking the wrong roads here and there and… bad move. Shoulda, coulda woulda! What a horrible, troubling place to be. Sure, I would have done some things differently. I do believe in right and wrong paths, but I’m where I am, and it’s not my job to redeem it. So I sleep easy, I wake up, I hit my knees, I pray for grace and understanding, and I walk or sit. Both are forward progress and sometimes sitting is the faster road. GM: What lessons have you learned through this process? JP: Follow the steps that are ordered. Forget your own way. Do not self promote. Despise that route even if the silent approach takes longer. Be still, hone your craft and wait. Timing is everything. “For such a time as this...” God knows your address. GM: What advice would you give to someone who is considering taking a shot at the music industry? JP: Do it and do it all the way! Learn it and learn it all the way! Go to school until you can’t go anymore and go for music. Do not give yourself a safety net. Do not take accounting or business or... Ok, so let me back up. First, go ask someone who is really really really good if you are any good. If you aren’t, ask someone else, then ask someone else. Ask a poet if he likes your lyric. Ask a preacher if he likes your heart. Look for clues that there might be something special about your approach – something unique. We can learn anything but we can’t learn to be great. That’s something you are born with. As frustrating as this business is, the only reason I’m still doing what I do is because there are a handful of people out there that tell me how great they think I am and they are some of the most respected people in the business. I decided with much convincing to actually believe them. Things seem to be sorting themselves out. I’m grateful. GM: Ten years ago, did you ever think you would be where you are now? JP: Ten years ago I was on a path that I eventually abandoned – a bad move. But I always thought I might wind up in Nashville. It’s tough and likely tougher than I thought it would be but, I’m here, and I’ve got gigs on the calendar. It’s a good day.
Get to know Joshua Payne better at his personal blog. Here’s the editor’s pick from his recent posts.
The Value in Running – May 30, 2010 There is a value in running. You see the pop fly, its going to land behind you. You turn your back on it and run. You turn back to the ball, look up and your brain has done the math - its right in front of you. When the forest is thick and dark there’s nothing to do but climb out. When the map turns like z’s and w’s strung together in spaghetti salad you.. not sure. Anyway, when conversations gain heat, announce that you are going to get away and then retreat. And in that place of respite let it be just that - respite. There are rules here; do’s and don’t do’s galore. Don’t fret, don’t curse, don’t pout, don’t drink, don’t doubt, don’t panic, don’t hit things, don’t worry and especially don’t worry about the other party, just don’t. Do sing, do work, do hope, do love, do yell but only once and only if no one can hear you, then get back to singing and working. if you think about the other person, think only beautiful thoughts. Pray for their peace and understanding, then get back to you. This time is for discovery about YOU. Discover if your foundation has been shaken. Discover if you are as strong as you’d like to be and then repent. How good are you? How lovely are you? How peaceful, gentle are you? How ugly are you? Discovering ones self, its an art form. It is the art form of man. Eventually you will die yes but why not live a goodly lovely giving life till then. You are practicing your eternity. Step away, grow and come back better. Likely, when you turn around, your love is standing right in front of you. Your brain has done the math. Go to her. Catch her with your gentleness. Even if she isn’t with you yet, she will be, and your kindness does not depend on it. Love covers multitudes.
GM : 7
on the couch
WHAT THE LOCUST HAVE EATEN by Randy Kosloski
Throughout history men have been judged by their physical strength. We are familiar with stories of physical prowess like the one telling how Samson tore a lion apart with his bare hands. We know how David killed not only a lion, but also a bear which attacked his father’s herds. These are two renown heroes of the Old Testament whose incredible acts of brawn defined them as warriors. If it were publicized today that a man ripped a lion apart with his bare hands, he would probably garner more protests than respect. Although we still respect men for their physical abilities—we pay them huge amounts to play a game and call it athleticism—we also recognize there have always been heroic feats that require spiritual, emotional and psychological courage. In the movie Spiderman 2, Aunt May tells Pete Parker that, “Sons, husbands, neighbors, and fathers who do their utmost in these very roles; these are the heroes of our time. Our warriors do not wield swords or fire arrows; they fix dinners, roll strollers and give their money to the poor. Our heroes have to do a little bit of everything, and in doing so they sacrifice so much of what they dreamed of doing as young men.” Aunt May aptly describes the unsung hero. You may know someone who fits this description. I do; his name is Jared. This young man has not scaled mountains, or killed wild animals, but he is a son, a brother, and a neighbor who does his “utmost in these very roles.” Additionally, on his journey to becoming a hero, Jared recovered from a drug addiction. “AT THAT MOMENT HE DECIDED THAT HE DID NOT LIKE HIS LIFE THE WAY IT WAS ANY LONGER.” It’s difficult to comprehend all the challenges one faces in breaking such a destructive habit, but through our discussions, Jared provided some helpful insights regarding his state of mind as an addict. He had lost both his employment and his wife because of his dependence, and even when he was drowning in his addiction, he believed he was doing everything right. Although he was financially broke most of the time, he saw no red flags. He thought he had everything under control, and didn’t realize how many responsibilities he was skirting. He so enjoyed the escape he garnered from his drugs that he didn’t notice the pain he was causing others. In time, he found out reality was not quite as he perceived it. After being trapped in his addiction for more than two years, he found himself passed out on the floor at someone else’s party—his body saturated with various kinds of drugs. When he woke up, there was a note in his pocket along with a phone number. The note said “When you are ready to clean up your life, give me a call.” At that moment he decided that he did not like his life the way it was any longer, and dialed the number. The call was answered by a friend he had known before his addiction. His friend took him under his care, and together they began to create a new life for Jared. Determined to be successful in his new life, he was able to become a contributing citizen over the course of time.
Yet, in spite of all his efforts, he could not escape the consequences of his past life. He had lost much of what was familiar to him. As much as he tried to repair the relationship with his ex-wife, it remained a hostile one. Given what he had put her through, he was sympathetic to her disposition, yet he still had a hard time accepting that which he could not change. Since he was trying to “move on” and had apologized as much as he could, he sometimes found it difficult to understand why everyone else could not do the same.
“GOD PROMISES TO FORGIVE AND TO RESTORE US TO HIM, BUT HE DOESN’T ERASE THE FOOTPRINTS OF OUR MISTAKES.” Together, Jared and I attempted to get a better understanding of how consequences are a natural result of bad choices. We discussed how consequences can be good indicators of bad decisions, however, they are little help to us before the decision is made. Despite his big turnaround, Jared discovered he would have to carry the weight of his mistakes for years to come. Although we always yearn to hear God’s words of grace, “I will repay you for the years the locust have eaten” (Joel 2:25), we often experience instead His words of justice, “I have sworn with an uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin” (Ezekiel 44:12). God promises to forgive and to restore us to him, but He doesn’t erase the footprints of our mistakes. Understanding this truth can turn consequences into helpful deterrents and convincing reasons not to turn or return to destructive behaviors. Although Jared could not recapture what he had lost, his recovery continued. Through the grace of God, Jared now has a full time job. He frequently helps his elderly neighbor with home repairs. He drives two hours every Sunday to maintain healthy relationships with his family, and even enjoys coaching a soccer team on Saturday mornings. On top of all that he had the time to meet with me to work on becoming a better partner in the future than he was for his wife. Therapists can become hardened and easily develop the belief that people just do not change. Even if they keep the belief that God is able to change people, they often stop believing that people will ever utilize God’s offer to change them. Many times people continue on their self-destructive paths, despite dangerous consequences. Jared was a refreshing reminder that people do change and are worth the investment. Jared is not a Christian, but hopefully someday he will discover it was more than desperation that motivated him to change. God’s love couldn’t leave him in the cesspool he had chosen for himself. He had for Jared, instead, a journey from which he would emerge a hero. God calls us all to choose the same daring course, directing us away from selfish desires and toward a deeper relationship with Him.
GM : 9
CONFIDENCE WHILE YOU WAIT
C A N Y O U R E L AT E
By Thom Mollohan GM : 10
“But I’m almost done with college and God still hasn’t done anything,” protested the young woman across from me in the campus coffee shop where I often held unofficial office hours as a campus pastor. Her voice was louder than she had intended and people at nearby tables cast a glance in our direction. Heedless of what others were thinking, she continued. “You say that God has a plan for me, but I don’t see it. I want to be with someone so badly, but it feels like God doesn’t care,” she said. “But He does care,” I replied. “Don’t forget His promise to us in Romans 8:32: ‘He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?’” “Well, I don’t know,” she responded. “I feel like I’ve got to do something.” We talked a little more, prayed together, and then parted company with her only resolution being to pursue a relationship that was not Christ-centered—not exactly the kind of resolve she needed. My heart hurt for that young Christian woman, partly for the pain of her loneliness, but mostly for the pain she was planning for herself as she forged her own path outside of God’s plan for her. Even then it seemed her life was about to take a turn in a tragic direction.
Sadly, in her case, the result was the same as it has been for other men and women I have known in the last 20 years who traveled down this dangerous avenue rather than waiting on their loving God. Those chosen paths have been lined with heartache and brokenness, although in some cases, God brought some good out of tragedy. In the last issue, John Buri, Ph.D., asked the question “Why wait to get married?” But for many of us, that question isn’t really applicable. Instead, we’re wondering why we have to wait. We’re eager to jump the broom, tie the knot and seal the deal—we just can’t find anyone to jump, tie and seal with! Trusting God with our relationships seems to be a tricky thing. The world—the devil’s megaphone—likes to make us think that if we are single then something is wrong with us, either physically, or with our personalities. Then there’s impatience. It seems everyone around us already has that “someone special” making their life complete. Impatience can easily mutate into desperation which, in turn, can lead us astray from the walk of faith designed for us. On the flip side, we fail to realize that going without romantic love can be an excellent pipeline for us to experience the love of God. We are better able to celebrate something which can be called the “centrality of Christ,” the understanding that no relationship is remotely as critical, or as fulfilling, as our relationship with God. Solitude can also help us to practice the first part of “the greatest commandment,” which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind,” (Matthew 22:38). As Revelation 2:3 says, our souls long for our “first love,” who is Jesus Chris our Lord. It can be easier to focus on Him when He’s also our only love. It’s common to look to a partner to provide that which only God can provide. However, unconditional love and acceptance cannot be consistently found in any human relationship— despite what we see in movies or hear through the messages of popular songs. Unless we are first grounded in the One who
has already loved us unreservedly and approves of us with all our faults—demonstrated to us by the death of Jesus—we will fail to find another person who is able to complete us as we desire. In addition, being single can be an opportunity to exercise the faith to which we have been called, as we consider what is at stake. God has a unique plan especially crafted out of the depths of His immense love for each one of us, but our spiritual enemy would like for nothing more—and wants nothing less—than to derail us from this perfect strategy. This is an attempt to steal our joy and peace, but also an attempt to sabotage our fruitfulness for God. King Solomon’s life illustrates this. Renown for his wisdom, Solomon undermined his effectiveness by giving his heart away to women who did not share his love for God. From a worldly perspective, these marriages made sense, but as a consequence, his heart turned away from the Lord. He failed to realize part of God’s blessing in his life and his actions negatively impacted his children and the entire nation of Israel (1 Kings 11). If we resist the tendency to act impulsively and foster desperation, we can be infinitely better positioned for God to use us and to increase our joy and peace. This doesn’t mean we have to give up the idea of marrying, but it will make our waiting more bearable. It can help to ask the following questions: If the Lord has in His plan for us a “special someone,” then wouldn’t she also share our calling? Wouldn’t she share our vision to know God and make Him known? As we attempt to answer these questions, the author of Hebrews encourages us with His words in chapter 10 verse 35, “So do not throw away your confidence: it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
GM : 11
PEST CONTROL FOR YOUR SINS
BEWARE THE VICTORIES BY ROB BEAMES
GM : 12
“DON’T LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD!” Maybe we’ve been told that before by a family member or friend who didn’t want to see us fail by becoming careless or putting forth less effort than was required. This admonition is highly applicable in our quest to rid our lives of sin-pests, as we have been calling them. In short: beware of victories along the way. This sounds like a contradiction, after all, isn’t victory what we’re after? Ever play tennis? Normally in a tennis match, each player will win some games and lose others. Rarely does a player make it through a set with no losses. Yet, any tennis player can tell you that it’s not the losses, but the wins that have the greatest potential to make one lose focus. A player is intensely focused when losing, but after a few consecutive wins, it’s easy to get cocky. Proverbs captures this principal in the often-quoted verse, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). And this principal directly applies to our struggle with sin. After a certain amount of success in resisting our particular sin-pest, we often start to under-estimate the power of its temptation. In our pride, we can start to feel that we aren’t at risk, even though we have given into this same weakness many times before. We can warn ourselves about the reality of this over and over again, but it’s startling how we flirt with disaster while resting on our laurels. As we are starting to feel invincible, we are also failing to prepare our defenses, and we even sometimes remove the fail-safes that have worked before. It’s kind of like changing lanes on the freeway. Every single time we know there is a possibility that a car is riding along in our blind spot, and if we don’t look to make sure the lane is clear, it could be fatal for us. We check our mirrors and
account for every car near us on the road and then crook our necks only to find exactly what we expect—nothing in our blind spot. After so much of the same, we stop bothering to turn our heads to verify that it’s safe to move over. And most of the time we get away with it and just keep driving along in our pride. In the same way, we careen down the road of sin. We keep getting away with it, or maybe we simply think we are not going to get hit. There’s another way our pride gets us into trouble when battling sin. Sometimes, after a little improvement we start to feel we’ve earned something in return. After a few victories, we may feel entitled to a little indulgence. Our triumphant spirit can quickly turn into a spirit of “quid pro quo.” We gave a little here; we should get a little there. We may not be consciously processing it this way, but it is happening nonetheless. For example, have you ever felt entitled to slack off on studying after learning you have an “A” at mid-term? Although it may work out okay in the classroom, it is a very dangerous attitude to have when combating sin, because God doesn’t work on a grading scale. He demands flawlessness. We can rely on His grace and be saved, or we can rely on our perfection and be lost. God is working with us to make His righteousness effective in our lives. He gives us the strength to overcome our sin-pests, even if it’s one at a time. In His power, we can sometimes feel invincible and fail to arm ourselves for spiritual battle, as instructed to do. This is when we can be the most vulnerable to the temptation to sin. We want to celebrate the victories which are due to His grace, but also beware the subtle way those victories may puff up our pride and set us up for another fall.
GM : 13
The
BIGGEST LOSER
CORNERED BY GRACE BY ROB BEAMES
N
ot everyone is a big fan of reality shows. I’m certainly not ashamed to say I’ve never seen one. In fact, when the first advertisements aired for the debut of the television series “The Biggest Loser,” I assumed it was another creative idea Hollywood had concocted to provide us with an avenue to look down on others. I envisioned viewers having the ability to vote for someone they felt looked the most like a geek, acted the most like an idiot, or had the most annoying character flaws. I was relieved to find out that the show was actually a weight loss competition. These types of weight loss contests have infiltrated our “real reality” too. We see them posted in the workplace and in social circles. Most of us probably have either participated in one of these contests or know someone who has. Money and competition are powerful motivators and have worked as the impetus to shed some extra pounds, even when nothing else has worked.
GM : 14
The Apostle Paul considered himself “the biggest loser” too, but he had an entirely different kind of motivation, and an altogether opposite kind of “losing” in mind when he addressed the church at Philippi from his prison cell, most likely in Rome. Paul spoke of himself as being the biggest loser, not only for what he had lost physically, in the name of Christ, but much more for what he had lost spiritually, for the sake of Christ. “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).
Like Paul, any greatness we could hope to achieve hardly compares to having a personal relationship with Christ. Clearly, our works have no value with the wrong motivation. But if our goal is to demonstrate the love of God to others, or to reach for His holiness out of a faith which trusts in the way He is conforming us to the image of Christ, this is an entirely different matter. God will use the times we faithfully respond to His perfect love to work His pleasure within us, and if we allow Him to do so, He can work through us to communicate His love to the world. These things are not worthless, but are of great value. Yet, they still do not count toward our salvation or our acceptance by God. Since we were created to do good works, our endeavors do have value, as long as they are done out of a gratitude for what Christ has already attained for us. Any other motivation behind our works changes our deeds into cow patties.
“CHRIST GIVES US THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WE COULD NOT BEGIN TO ATTAIN,
This is extremely difficult for us to accept, isn’t it? It’s not so hard to comprehend that none of our efforts could have the same worth as anything from God, but for us to view all of our righteous works as the refuse which comes out of a dog’s behind? That’s a tough humility pill to swallow. If we find this difficult to believe, we might as well get our pooper scoopers ready and make a crown for ourselves with the little bits we find on the ground after walking our dogs.
WHEN WE PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM ALONE,
&
THIS BRILLIANT HOLINESS IS OURS!” Paul could have easily boasted in his religious zeal, pedigree, education, titles or affluent circles of association, (verses 5 and 6) yet he doesn’t. Rather, he acknowledges that everything he had previously done, as well as the reputation he worked hard to build—all in the name of righteousness—he now considers rubbish. This shocking word used only once in his writings indicates a distinct feeling of disgust. It’s the sense one would get if forced to handle dung or manure. It is noteworthy here that Paul does not consider his own righteousness, which comes from the law, just a little less than the righteousness which comes from God. No, he says it is of absolutely no worth! He regards all of his past efforts and accomplishments as loathsome claims. And he doesn’t stop there. He includes everything he is, has or will ever accomplish as a discredit to him compared to having known Jesus. In contrast to what He has done on our behalf, Paul’s accomplishments are less than worthless. Perhaps, Paul’s words resonate best with those used by the prophet Isaiah many years earlier which called our best efforts “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). In today’s vernacular we might say they stink!
Our righteousness comes directly from God and is by faith alone, or it is actually not righteousness at all, in fact, it’s offensive to God. Christ gives us the righteousness we could not begin to attain, and when we put our faith in Him alone, this brilliant holiness is ours! We no longer need to lean on our imperfect efforts to support us. Without the appropriate faith, they are revolting anyway. We want to think that the daily sacrifices we make, each sin we resist, and the efforts we put forth mean something to someone, right? How can we consider them as disgusting as manure? Well, it puts our efforts into perspective, doesn’t it? We have the choice every day of standing proud on the tops of our dung heaps, which reek to high heaven, in full view of everyone to see and (figuratively) smell, or we can climb down in humility from our mounds of manure and choose to put our faith in the sufficiency of His work on our behalf. Then and only then will His faultless righteousness will be credited to us and will we be able to stand proud! (I believe He wanted me to remind you of this truth.)
GM : 15
NO QUICK FIX Keeping a journal can be a great help to remember how God has been faithful in our lives. Recently, I looked back at a page I wrote during a long, difficult journey in my life, and I was struck by the way my words captured my heart-felt struggles.
GM : 16
PRESS ON BY WILL DOLE
“What is my problem? Constantly searching...constantly confused. I know God has a plan, all I have to do is trust Him...but I seem incapable of that. Why is it, that although I know what my problems are, I still fail? Time and time again I stumble. I even know how to “fix” my problems...but I don’t. I keep on going along my merry way screwing up my life, complicating things for those I love. It’s like I’m in a constant state of stupid. Why? Is it lack of faith? Will power? Character? What is the root of my problem? I know that it all boils down to that fact that I’m a sinner...but there has to be something more specific. Something I can work on, train myself away from. What is it? I’m so sick of myself.” Does any of that sound familiar? Struggles vary from person to person—each of us has our own history, our own character flaws, our own sin issues, but what we have in common is the fact that we all struggle with our faith sometimes. At times we are overwhelmed by our circumstances and start to question where God is. It’s not always easy to see His purpose in our lives. In fact, sometimes we simply can’t make sense of the things we go through, or the pain we cause ourselves.
God’s grace is much greater than we can possibly grasp. We will never be able to fully comprehend it, but until we accept by faith the truth about His grace revealed to us in Scripture, we will not only be frustrated, but our “good works, which we were created to do in Christ” (Ephesians 2:10), will be only ineffective efforts. We generally understand that God’s grace is the means by which we are saved, (Ephesians 2:8), but to truly understand grace and its impact on our daily lives, it is helpful to compare this with 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And He said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This verse makes it clear that our problem is not that we are screwed up, or that we continue to return to our old sinful ways; our problem is that we are sinners without the power to redeem ourselves. “SOMETIMES, IT SEEMS LIKE GOD COULD MAKE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER BY MAKING
Sometimes, it seems like God could make things so much easier by making us perfect as soon as we are saved. But then, how would we see His grace? We may wish we didn’t need His grace, yet we continue to be the objects of it, and through His grace, we experience the joy of belonging to Him, even though we continue to sin. Sometimes we may wonder why—no matter how hard we may try—we can not fix ourselves. But this is not really the question we should be asking. Trying to answer that question can leave us up burned out, emotionally drained, or even disenchanted with our loving God. The Bible doesn’t tell us to fix ourselves. Rather it asks us to repeatedly acknowledge that we are sinners. Romans 3:11 explains, “There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.” So, we see that not only do we fail to understand, but we don’t even have the capacity to seek after the only cure: Jesus. Why would we think we could improve ourselves, if we don’t understand the magnitude of our sin, nor where to go to for help? Fortunately, because of Christ’s death, God has entered into a Father/son relationship with us. If He had waited to do this until we became more perfect or less of a sinner, it never would have happened.
US PERFECT AS SOON AS WE ARE SAVED. BUT THEN, HOW WOULD WE SEE HIS GRACE?”
This makes our plight sound ominous, but it’s not. Jesus took care of our problem completely and totally on the cross, and therefore as we trust in His redeeming work, our problem is no longer a problem at all. In fact, Paul says that in our weakness the power of Christ rests upon us. So the focus is no longer on us, or what we have to offer other people. It’s not even on what we think we have to offer God, which in reality is nothing. No, it’s not about us at all. The focus turns to where it should be: God glorifying Himself through our lives.
We must not miss the fact that sin is evil and unwanted in our lives, but our motivation should not be so much avoiding sin and doing good deeds—which only leads to frustration when we realize we can‘t accomplish what God‘s law demands—but rather, our focus ought to be on the secure relationship with God, which we have only because of what Jesus did for us. When our focus is on our relationship with Him, we may not always live a life worthy of our calling, but we are able to enjoy and appreciate His love for us, and watch it eventually bear the fruit we were created to bear in our lives.
GM : 17
THE TOOL BOX STAY FIT, BE COOL
by JEFFREY BRIDGMAN
It’s tempting to become lazy during the dog days of summer and neglect getting a healthy dose of exercise. Why would we opt to go out in the sweltering heat when we can hold up in our airconditioned fortresses endlessly entertaining ourselves with videos, games, movies and music? Although it’s difficult to get motivated when you look at it that way, we need to get outside on a regular basis, even when it’s really hot and humid. So here are a few ways to keep outdoors exercise cool in the summer heat.
TAKE A DUNK
GO UNDERGROUND
SPIN YOUR WHEELS
FACTOR IN WATER AND SUN
In the alternate, bike to a beach, swimming hole or waterfall, then spend a few minutes wading through the water to cool hands and feet before the return trip. Finally, scheduling rides for before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., will avoid the hottest part of the day.
Don’t let the heat turn you into a baked couch potato! Get outdoors today for some cool summer fun and fitness.
The best way to cool down in summer is with water. Keep things interesting and get creative by going swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, canoeing, tubing down a river, making a slip-n-slide in the yard, visiting a waterpark, or even starting a water-balloon war—the options are endless. Even if we don’t get into the water, a hike along a river or stream, or a trek to a nearby waterfall through the shaded woods can be very refreshing.
I’m spending the summer in Austin, Texas, and finding it’s a rather bicycle-friendly city. Though the need for a helmet keeps the wind from blowing through my hair, cutting through air at 30 miles per hour is still pretty breezy. To make it even cooler, try riding in the shade or alongside water. Austin has an abundance of shaded trails along the river, as do many well-conceived urban biking routes.
Ever been spelunking? Better known as “caving,” it’s a great way to be in nature but out of the heat. Caves temperatures remain constant most of the year, which means they are relatively warm in the winter and cool in the summer—nature’s own air conditioning system! Check out http://cavern.com/ to find a cave tour near you as a first step. Caution: Caving can become addictive (ask me how I know!).
Whatever your summer sport, don’t forget to stay well hydrated. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen. If you fear the possible embarrassment of random white splotches of unblended sunscreen in your facial recesses, try the spray-on varieties. A cool shower can fix being hot, but it won’t do anything for being burned. Only time – extremely painful and uncomfortable time – will get rid of that. So don’t be a blockhead and forget the sunblock!
GM : 18