Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. – 1 John 5:5 (NIV)

If you find yourself standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, head 20 miles west and get the visual of what making an impact on this planet actually looks like.  A giant crater shows the evidence of a meteor that crashed into the earth 50,000 (c.) years ago.

What would it look like if our spiritual lives made such an impact on the world, that a noticeable change could be seen?  What would happen if our life was lived with so much momentum that whatever we touched was forever changed?  If you live for God daily, you are making those impacts… through Christ’s power.

Jesus Christ came to us, sent from God, to show us what “impact” looks like.  Jesus chose a band of disciples and demonstrated what “overcoming the world” looks like.  He taught them how to carry out the game changing ministry of God.  Christ hit the earth like a meteor and we still see his presence.  The disciples carried out that same mission and revolutionized cities, governments, world politics, and the entire human race. And so should we, as His followers.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God?  Do you understand what He taught us to do?  If so, you are ready to make a deep impact on the face of your culture… just by being obedient to God’s commands.  Don’t doubt, don’t waiver, don’t draw back… it’s up to you now.

2 Minute Drill

How has Christ made a deep impact on your life?

What one thing can you do today to impact the people around you?

PRAY: God, you’ve given me the authority and the action plan through your Son.  Now grant me the courage to make game changing decisions to affect this world for your purpose, not my own. Amen.

foodFIGHT!  The official Mission project of Live Bold Magazine is now underway!  As a ministry, we are committed to living out the command of Christ who taught us what service looks like in Matthew 25.  We are called to serve all and love all.  Live Bold Ministries has prayerfully entered into the mission field of hunger relief.  Every person who is called by name to belong in the family of God should be actively pursuing mission.

What is your mission?  What breaks your heart?  What are you doing about it?

I sat over a sandwich, measuring more than a foot, loaded with deep fried shrimp, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise cradled by a slightly toasted and perfectly baked “loaf” of french bread.  In my region, we call that a shrimp po-boy.  A sandwich that springs my eyes to life every time I order it.  While enjoying my sandwich, I began to notice the sheer volume of food that sat on the table before me and my buddies.  We had more than enough.  In fact, we had too much.

Living in one of the “heaviest” states in the U.S., food is a part of our lifestyle.  It’s our buffer for conversation, setting for business meetings, reason for family gatherings, and the culture of social functions.

I’ll never forget a compelling and quite funny comedic routine from the late Sam Kennison.  He would scream into the microphone and shout insults to anyone and everyone.  In one of his routines, he proposed a solution to end hunger in 3rd world countries.  He said, “hey! People!  Move to where the food is!”  It was quite funny at the time.  Possibly because I had no problems finding food.  But for those who are dying every day, moving isn’t an option.  Logistically, economically, financially, and culturally…. these people have no options.  It’s not a laughing matter.  More than 18,000 kids alone die from hunger every day (according to UN food Agencies).

I finished stuffing my face and that’s when God spoke to my soul.  My mission is to find a way to help those who have enough… give to those who don’t have enough… because I have had “ENOUGH!”

A conversation began with a mutual friend, Larry Malone, who is working with world hunger and recently spoke in Durban South Africa at a world council to end hunger.  We began a short dialogue about how Live Bold Magazine could raise awareness, join the fight, and find a way to bring relief to people who are literally starving to death.

foodFIGHT is born.  We want to provide a way for every person to give by doing things they already do.  We wanted to build an easy and sustainable concept… but we found the only way to make it work was to take greed and profit out of the equation.  So we decided to pass all the profits through our non-profit organization and send them directly to a non-profit hunger relief agency with a powerful track record.

Stop Hunger Now has an amazing mechanism of getting food pulled together, packaged, and dropped into areas that need it the most.  Regardless of geography…Stop Hunger Now is delivering food by the ton around the world.

Thanks to a connection from fellow Live Bold writer, Robert Noland, We contacted essential artist services to help us build the t-shirt design.  This group does design and print work for recording artists like Casting Crowns, Red, Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith, and many more.  This Christian firm is helping us learning how to control our costs while offering amazing product quality so more profits can go to hunger relief.

One t-Shirt will supply enough funding to keep someone alive for 30 days.  Simple.  You buy a shirt, you keep a person alive.  Now we’re getting to the root of Matthew 25…right?  Our call is to feed those who are hungry from our abundance.  Are you with us?

There are 2 Simple ways to participate:

1. Buy a shirt (available for pre-order soon)
2. Sponsor a foodFIGHT (taking applications now on our contact page)

Sponsoring a foodFIGHT is super easy.  You set your number of shirts, we add your organization logo to the shirt, and you buy cases at our cost.  You then sell the merchandise for profit and distribute to your own local food charity of your choice. You cover your costs and you raise money for the hungry and local hunger relief agencies.

We want to give you the option of letting us do the work through our partners at Stop Hunger Now or you do the work through your own mission project.

We want to give our “enough” to those who don’t have “enough”.

We’ll release the mechanics soon, but we wanted our faithful readers to be on the inside.  As the news leaks, we want you to be “in-the-know” first.  We’ll tell you more very soon and release the design of foodFIGHT shirt #1 in the coming days!

We couldn’t wait to share the news… the PR people suggested we hold off… we said no. Website is up soon and ordering will begin soon after. But get on the board now to sponsor a food fight!

Pray for us, pray for them.

Working in entertainment management, one of the requests fielded fairly often regarding artists is people wanting “backstage passes.” It’s amazing how folks will work hard to prove some distant connection to an artist, hoping the evidence is awarded with a “backstage pass.” It’s kind of a one-night Golden Ticket, as if to communicate to all the “little people” out there that—at least for tonight—I am a significant somebody. And I have the pass to prove it.

But, let’s face it, because most of us aren’t Bono or Mick Jagger, if we are allowed to be backstage at any show, then the actual significance really isn’t us, is it? It’s the pass. The guy at the door doesn’t care what you look like, what your name is, or how cool (or uncool) you are, he just wants to see “the pass.” Got the pass? Step right in. No pass? Heck outta Dodge—now.

You get the concept, so here’s two things for us to consider:

• First, what “pass” do you use to try and get through the doors in your life every day?
• Is your pass your career?
• Your reputation?
• Your title?
•  Your past?
• Money?
• Car?
• House?
• Stuff?

As guys, we flash a pass often, in many different situations, hoping to get in. If one doesn’t work, try another. The pass may change according to the room we’re in, but it’s still about the pass. We act a certain way or throw out info about ourselves, so people will let us in, and then we can feel significant. Just like backstage. We work hard every day in so many people’s lives as if to say, “I’m not like all the other people in your life, am I? I’m special. Worthy. I’m in your inner circle, right?”

Here’s our second consideration. You have a backstage in your own heart. You have a place where you only allow, what you deem to be, significant people. What does it take for someone to have a backstage pass into you? What do they have to flash for you to let them in? We’ve all got the criteria we put up to accept people. The pass into us.

So, where are you flashing a pass of what you do, or what you have, or who you know, to other people to prove your significance, your value? And then, what pass do you require for someone to truly see who you are?

Since Jesus is our Example and Role Model, let’s look at His life. What pass did He flash to people to be accepted? What pass did people have to flash for Jesus to let them in? In short, He had one pass—God, His Father. He always pointed to the Father. The pass He requires? Faith.

A key marker in Christian maturity is accepting our identity in Christ as our only identity—which means we no longer have anything to prove. Why? Because God the Father has accepted us—fully. We are so backstage! Funny thing too, when we accept our significance in Him, then we also lighten up on our standards for everyone else.

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. . . . The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both. —1 John 4:17-19, 21 MSG

He asked her to marry him 23 years ago and has not let a day pass without saying the words , “I love you”.  Without regard to location, time of day, or in the midst of others, he allows those words to flow as if they were interchangeable with her name.

He spends many of his evenings in a drunken stupor.   Acting like a fool and embarrassing himself in front of her.  On occasion, his drunken state provokes him to belittle and nag her about the lack of sex in the bedroom.  He can’t control his words in such a desperate state of mind.

When alone with friends, he rarely talks about his wife unless its a complaint about her rules and restrictions.  He doesn’t understand why she wants him to stop drinking… he argues to his friends about how it doesn’t really affect anyone but himself.

Our faith should not look like this “loving” husband.  One who knows exactly what to say in the right place and time.  Our confession of faith is only the beginning – it’s the “I do” of our marriage.  We have to move on from the “wedding day” and begin to learn how to love and show how to love through our actions.

Too many men treat their relationship with Jesus Christ like their unappreciated wife.  They say all the right words, but rarely stop to listen to her, offer her gifts, or trade in his desires for her desires.  Delivering empty words to Jesus Christ is a shady attempt to cover up illegitimate feelings.

Saying “I love you” is never enough to convey your love.  Acting in love and basing your actions on the truth of Christ is the mark of belonging to Christ.  Don’t treat Jesus Christ like an unappreciated wife.  He didn’t hang on the cross to be patronized by empty words.  The least we can do is speak truth and live out His commands.

Building an authentic relationship with Christ and learning to punch the world in the mouth is directly connected to the ability to stop chattering about our relationship with God and start dealing the cards.

It’s embarrassing to Christianity when people claim to know Jesus Christ by reciting the Lord’s prayer, perhaps a creed, or quoting bible verses – but then turn to behave like a drunken fool in the dark.  Worship services were never meant to be a remedy to hangovers… but many continue to flock into the church for a quick sermon, a fast forgiveness, and offer “Jesus talk” in hopes to pull out of a sin induced haze.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, doesn’t tolerate being made second.  When we slip on the ring and agree that He becomes our King… we agree to bow our head, bend our knee, and finish like Him.  If we must tell everyone how much we love others, it’s likely there isn’t enough evidence to prove otherwise.

Here’s a few ways you can show your love for Christ:

• Give up something very dear to you in order to make a resource available for someone who has little
• Feed the hungry
• Buy or give clothing (your best clothing) to someone who is cold
• Find ways to increase shelter for the homeless in your area
• Become a mentor to a child who has no father
• Serve your church congregation weekly by offering your talent

Jesus Christ died on the cross to show His love for us.  We must commit our mouths to speaking truth and offering words of love, and commit our actions to showing our faith through what we do.  How can our actions speak louder than our words?

[Today's article is excerpted from the daily devotional - 2 Minute Drill.  These short motivations of faith are new 6 days per week.  Grab our print version for an offline 30 day starter  

or get a dozen for your friends to begin a small group.  Click the ads on the right side of our website for more information]

So what exactly do you believe?  Does your extensive knowledge of the Bible qualify you to be called a Christian?  Does your faithful attendance at a church definitively prove your allegiance to God?  Do your actions speak louder that your words?

Let’s demystify the notion of being a Christian.  Here’s how you can find out once and for all whether or not you are a follower of Christ:

FIRST: Get down to the raw core of you

• Throw out every tradition of faith you’ve ever known
• Set aside every ritual of church communities and denominations
• Close the bible
• Forget every memorized verse
• Ignore every sermon
• Shut out the echoes of dad, mom, grandma, grandpa
• Cross out every committee and ministry you are associated with

You are among the 10,000+ visits we receive at Live Bold Magazine each month, so we felt that you should be among the first to hear the news that will be released to the public (non-readers) on 2.1.12 – are you prepared to engage in the fight?

Electing to live with Christ in your presence means that you are willing to walk in stride with Him.  Our daily devotion for 1.27.2012 talks about how we unknowingly find ourselves in the wrong place.  Here’s an excerpt:

The longer a group stands and applauds, the more likely that the random clapping will slowly morph into a rhythm, a cadence, a unified sound.  Each person begins their appreciation with their own expression and without prompting or leading – the group will begin to clap in rhythm… if only for a moment.

The collective presence of the crowd soon becomes the leader.  No particular person in charge, no one calling cadence, no one demonstrating the desired rhythm.  The crowd becomes the leader.

Sometimes, we find ourselves further down the wrong path than we had ever hoped.  We can feel as if we “woke up” in the wrong place and can’t remember how we got there.  We may be determined not to follow the wrong person… but we get there anyway. Why?

You can read the entire motivation on our app – itunes and android.  Just search “Live Bold” and catch our magazine on your phone with daily devotions exclusive to the app.  Granted, it costs 99 cents… but hey, we gotta eat man.  Buy the app.

So back to the cause…

We must put ourselves in a position to serve others by aligning our presence with those who serve.  We’re inviting you to be a part of our crowd.  On 2.1.12, we will launch a major mission project that you can join.  You can walk in stride with us.  You can talk about it, you can experience it, you can join it… and we’ll do the heavy lifting – you do the talking.

We’re endorsed by and in partnership with – Stop Hunger Now, a powerful Hunger Relief agency that is making a difference worldwide.  Live Bold Ministries is launching foodFIGHT© and you can be a part.

It’s simple… you buy a shirt (or other foodFIGHT© apparel), you keep someone alive.  We’re working with a merchandising company, graphic designers, hunger relief agencies, and mainline denominations to put food in the bellies of starving babies, men, and women who are literally on the verge of death.  This effort is local, national, and international.  You’ll get to pick how you want to be engaged.  From t-shirt wearing feeding machines to community organizers (the authentic kind), you can engage.

Your part… buy the shirt or other apparel… we fund the relief, Stop Hunger Now puts food on the table.  It’s that simple.  We’ll be calling, asking, begging, and threatening you to get involved.  The most vital role you can play in this effort is what we don’t have… word of mouth and a few bucks.  If you and 12 of your friends bought a shirt, you could actually keep someone alive for 3 months or a family of 3 could eat for 30 more days.

We’ll tell you more about it on 2.1.12… but we need you to begin the buzz.  Start talking to your friends about Live Bold Magazine, and this foodFIGHT© thing.  Get your social networks engaged.

We’re dedicating our mission focus to hunger relief and we’re asking you to get involved in a Matthew chapter 25 kind of way.  Can you do that?  More to come… just start talking.

People follow leaders, right? When we call someone a leader, we are saying they lead others. But what about the leader? Is he following himself?

How many times have we witnessed the moral failure of a Christian leader, not because he simply stopped leading, but because he wasn’t leading himself to the place he was leading everyone else? Leading others to Jesus, while not going to Jesus himself? Encouraging others that the Bible is the answer, while not reading it for himself? Pointing down a moral path as the way to go, but not walking down the road himself?

Have you noticed in the past few years how many times we’ve heard about a law enforcement officer being arrested for breaking the law? A politician who knows exactly how to balance the trillion dollar budget, but not his own bank account? A parent that preaches a morality to the kids that they know isn’t practiced personally? A husband that expects his wife to manage three jobs (job, house, kids), while he gets a pass with just one? (Ok, if watching sports counts as a job, then two.)

So, here’s the question: wherever you are leading—are you leading yourself first? Do you follow your own counsel? Do you take your own advice? Do you listen to you? Now, second question: How many of those that you are leading know you don’t buy your own rhetoric?

Historically, the world has been changed by leaders who act first, talk later. That’s why America isn’t respecting Washington in general anymore, right? All talk.

A bad leader will ask: “Why wouldn’t these people follow me?”

A good leader will ask: “Why should these people follow me?”

Here’s some practical questions and steps to change:

• Question: Where are you preaching, but not practicing?
• Action Point: Stop preaching, until you are practicing. Then just teach. Cut the preach. Nobody likes that anyway.
• Question: Which people around you aren’t buying-your-lines any longer?
• Action Point: Get real with those people. Ask for forgiveness. Start over. Stay real.
• Question: Which direction are you pointing, but not walking yourself?
• Action Point: Shut up, put your hand down, and start walking it. Relax, you’ll remember how to walk.
• Question: Is there a spiritual discipline you encourage, even teach, others to do, but are not doing yourself?
• Action Point: Forgive yourself. Take it back up today. Go slow. Start simple. You know how.
• Question: What is God showing you today? This week? Where is He telling you to lead yourself? Just you, no one else. Where is God taking you?
• Action Point: Pray. Listen. Obey. (For there’s no other way.)

Check out this guy for some inspiration . . .

“When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square,?young and old greeted me with respect; I was honored by everyone in town.?When I spoke, everyone listened; they hung on my every word.?People who knew me spoke well of me; my reputation went ahead of me.?I was known for helping people in trouble and standing up for those who were down on their luck.?The dying blessed me, and the bereaved were cheered by my visits.?All my dealings with people were good. I was known for being fair to everyone I met.?I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame,?Father to the needy, and champion of abused aliens.?I grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck and made them give back what they’d stolen.?I thought, ‘I’ll die peacefully in my own bed, grateful for a long and full life,?A life deep-rooted and well-watered, a life limber and dew-fresh,?My soul suffused with glory and my body robust until the day I die.’ “Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word. After I spoke, they’d be quiet, taking it all in.?They welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in.?When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!?I was their leader, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed.” —Job in 29:7-22 MSG

Do you really think that God is all that concerned about your job?  Do you really think that He is focused on your need for a new car?  Do you really think that God wanted you to get that promotion?  Do you pray that God will satisfy all of your desires because you “deserve it” for being a good boy?  It’s time for a Reality Check.

I’ve encountered too many broken lives who walked away from God because of a misunderstanding of who He is.  I ache in my bones when I see a false interpretation of the almighty creator of the universe neatly tucked into a box that fits into your self-designed lifestyle.  Go live in a 3rd world country where food and clean water are scarce… watch your prayers change.  Watch your perception of “blessings” change.

It’s hard to imagine that God would truly want me to have that car, or get that promotion, so I can earn more money and spend it on more things that aren’t lined up with God’s heart.  Doesn’t it make sense that God accepts you and loves you whether you get that promotion or not?  If you get the promotion and I don’t, does that mean God loves you more?  Sounds silly doesn’t it.

Why would God bless you with more stuff… if you can’t even honor him with 3% of it?  Why would you ask God to bless you with more possessions and greater success if your only plan is to feed your lust for success, possessions, and wealth?  If our hearts aren’t lined up with God’s heart – aren’t you really using God for your own gain?

The reality check we’re going through here feels more like a “hockey check” – as we get slammed into the glass – right?

Read and contemplate the urging from John the Apostle:

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)

God consistently shows himself throughout the Bible to be more concerned with the first position in your heart.  He consistently lavishes blessings on people in the form of love and acceptance.  God consistently shows Himself in story after story through the blessings of contentment, peace, and satisfaction of His presence… not wealth and prominence.

Your lack of wealth, your not-so-new car, your crappy career, your “not enough”… doesn’t indicate God’s lack of favor on your life.  I’ve learned (through many hard lessons) that my thirst for God usually diminishes my need for anything more than “enough.”  And “enough”, in my culture, is typically more than I really need…. so He compels me to use my abundance to serve others – in time, resource, and presence.

Having wealth and possessions doesn’t mean you don’t love God.  But when they become your first thought, your first pursuit, your first desire… you’ve bought yourself an idol.  When you pray for finances or possessions or promotions to arrive in order to relieve your stress levels… you bought yourself an idol.

Think about these things:

1. If you ate food today and slept in a warm place, but want more…you need a reality check.
2. If you place your desire for stuff above your need for God’s presence…you need a reality check.
3. If you use the Bible to justify that your possessions are not idols… you need a reality check.
4. If you pray for bills to be paid and look to God to be  your bank… you need a reality check.

This old black sheep recently returned to the pastures of his youth. Don’t ask me why, but every winter (usually in early January) this wayward Yankee leaves the warm and comfortable confines of the Deep South and heads to the frigid air and frozen tundra of the Midwest.

Though a few of my friends still question my sanity when this yearly sojourn rolls around, they’ve come to accept my desire to be homeward bound shortly after the New Year. The phrase, “You Can’t Go Home Again”, comes from a novel of that same name by Thomas Wolfe. And I can testify; there’s some real honesty in those five words.

I have so many fond memories of growing up in Central Illinois. Frozen images of carefree adolescence abound in my mind’s Rolodex. Trouble is, things change. Including my childhood and young adult stomping grounds.

I earned my first real paycheck at a local grocery store where I worked during high school and junior college years. “Mel’s Market” was a great place to work, goof around with buddies and learn some of the hard knocks lessons of life. The grocery store shut down years ago. Of all things, a funeral home now occupies the updated building. Attending a funeral there not long ago, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. The casket was sitting in about the same spot as the grocery’s canned food aisle, which was my personal responsibility for stocking and straightening up.

Two traffic lights now mark the main drag in my hometown. That’s two more than when I learned to drive those roads in a ’50 Ford pickup truck.

I had the opportunity to watch my twin nephews play a basketball game in the same elementary school gym where I enjoyed P.E. class (that’s physical education for you young guys scratching your heads), made the basketball team (as a bench warmer), and “enjoyed” hundreds of cafeteria meals (the gym doubled as our lunch room).  Funny thing, that gymnasium that seemed so enormous in my youth, has shrunk over the years. Still smells the same though; a curious scent of sweaty gym shoes mixed with Spanish Rice leftovers.

I had some time for a little reflection on my winter visit this year (a three inch snow is good fuel for indoor introspection). I’m a man torn between two places, having now spent half my life in the North where I grew up and half my life in the Deep South which I now call home. The lesson is this: Love and relationships matter most.

My hometown will never be the same as the picture painted in my mind. Things change. Time marches on. People move away. The family and friends I have in both these places are what I should cherish. Jesus teaches us about the significance of relationships and the importance of loving one another.

Love endures, are the familiar words from the Apostle Paul.  I re-lived loving memories with my Mother, who happily pulled out old photo albums and allowed her eldest son to remember and reminisce. I am blessed to have family and friends whom I love in both these places.

The rural Catholic Church where I first met Jesus is still standing. I drove by there when visiting the cemetery. There’s an old Jim Croce song from decades ago called, “Photographs and Memories”.  The photographs are nice; but I believe the memories matter more.  Thank you Lord for ongoing lessons in life, for loving relationships and for opportunities to go home again.

What’s the most lucrative thing you can do these days with a piece of commercial real estate inside a city limits? . . . Build storage units. Yeah, the most consistent money you can make on a piece of American property is to build small metal barns for people to put their stuff in. The stuff we don’t have room for in our houses, or don’t use, or won’t use, but can’t bear to part with. A vast amount of Americans spend $50 to $500 a month on what amounts to a big closet. Sometimes the stuff has to be kept in room temperature—which costs more. These places are often full with a waiting list. Especially the ones with a big fence, surveillance cameras, and an electronic gate with a passcode—you know, so no one steals the stuff you don’t want anymore.

I was talking recently with a man who has managed a storage property for many years. He said it is not at all uncommon for someone to pay for years to store their stuff, they never come to the unit, and then one day stop paying. So he goes and puts his own lock on their unit and lets them know if they don’t pay up in 30 days, they forfeit the stuff inside. He said he’s watched people come to the unit, take an armload to their car, then drag the majority to the storage dumpster. So, in these common instances, people paid thousands of dollars to procrastinate throwing their stuff away.

So, Robert, if I have a storage building, am I supposed to be feel guilty? . . . Nope. . . . Robert, I own storage units. Am I supposed to feel bad? . . . No! In fact, congratulations, you’re the smartest guy in the room! . . . This post has nothing to do with materialism. But, let’s take this same concept and apply it to the unseen things we store in our hearts.

Did someone once make a worthless comment to you, but you placed enough value on it that you decided to put it in your heart for storage? Maybe you decided to keep it because of the person who said it? Or because you thought you better hang onto it in case it was true. You didn’t want it then, you don’t want it now, but you just can’t get rid of it, so you just keep storing it. You pay for it every month by thinking about it, dwelling on it, continuing to own it. And it’s costing you.

Did someone do something to you in the past, you placed value on that act, and you now have it stored away? You pay for it over and over in your thoughts, attitudes, actions, and worst of all, in your identity. You don’t want it, but you can’t let it go, so you store it. And it’s costing you dearly.

Words and actions can hurt us deeply, but we know we can’t put them on display, so we keep them stored—and then we pay for it. Every month, energy that could go to something healthy and positive is wasted on storage.

So, what does it take for a person to look at their checkbook or credit card bill and decide, ‘That’s it! Not another month. No more money spent on storage. Saturday is cleaning-and-moving-out day!”

Well, it’s a much deeper and tougher decision to say, “That’s it! No more. I’m letting go. I’m calling that comment or that action worthless. I’m releasing it to the grace and mercy of God. I’m placing it under Jesus’ blood and no longer claiming it for me. Throwing away and sweeping out!”

As a Christian, you may need a storage building sometime in your life to keep some stuff, but there is no need for a spiritual storage unit to keep things that you should never have owned in the first place. So, why not ask Jesus to help you clean out your storage? He knows exactly what to do with your junk and He’s already paid to have it taken away.

 So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. —Hebrews 12:1b MSG

We watch athletes achieve seemingly impossible physical accomplishments and continue to set records and new standards of excellence.  We gawk, admire, and talk about the latest triumphs as if they were impossibilities only accomplished by super-humans.  But do we talk about their commitment and training?

Professional sports thrive on the existence of “everyone else”.  Without the gawking and admiration by millions of us who aren’t playing at “that level” professional sports would be amateur sports.  The World Cup would be played on a sandlot or in the park.  The football game would be played behind the middle school on a Saturday morning,  or the NCAA Final Four championship would be played in a YMCA gym somewhere in midtown.  Our passion for watching… fuels and funds the empire of sports.

Spectators are the fuel that drives the ego of professional sports.  I sit in my “lucky seat” when my teams play and root them on to victory.  I marvel at the coaching skills, play calling, and athleticism when all is going well.  And I berate them all when they can’t seem to score a single point or fend off the opposing team.

As men, we somehow feel that we might be able to do what those athletes do.  So we watch as live vicariously through their actions.  We stand around our tailgates prior to the game and talk about our glory days in sports. We hear stories about the one kickball game in 4th grade that Jim dominated, the touchdown pass Mike caught, the goal that Pierre kicked from midfield, or the basket Josh sunk at the buzzer to move his team to victory.

We all believe that we could have done that… if we just trained a little harder.  We could have had a shot at the “bigs” if we simply hadn’t “let off the gas.”  The same holds true in our careers or hobbies.  We could have been greater if we just gave it a little more effort and trained a little harder – right?

But we sit in our recliners, talk about what could have been, and root our favorite athletes on to the big prize.  We get behind them… because we want to be associated with winners.

I don’t think we would be stretching to make the leap from sports to faith.  For too many of us, we celebrate our faith like the guys around the taligate.  We talk about that one good deed we did last summer, or the mission project we went on a couple of years ago.  And like a good armchair quarterback, we nod along with the discussions containing the words “Jesus”, “faith”, and “God”, because we understand the mechanics of faith – just like we understand the mechanics of our favorite sport.

But are we willing to do the training?  Could we train a little harder?  Do we admire the life of Christ so much that we answer His challenge to get in the ring and follow Him?  Or are we perfectly content to sit on the sidelines and coach everyone else from our easy chair?

Living well and accumulating wealth is easy.  Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ve done something great by becoming a successful businessman.  There are millions of them walking around.  Try something hard. Elevate your game to new level by training to be a disciple of Christ.  Shun the bad habits, walk away from unethical business deals.  Look at your decisions and determine if Jesus Christ would have made the same call.

We give professional sports our undivided attention and contribute billions of dollars to watch a few men and women who decided to elevate and commit to a higher level of competition.  Are we willing to give God our undivided attention and actually become one of the men and women in the game?  Or is faith something to be observed, watched, talked about… but not really “played”.

What would happen in Christian men began to train like Tim Tebow, Perform with the heart of Rudy Ruettiger, or approach faith with the same mental commitment of Tiger Woods?  God has given ALL of us the ability to do these things… we just have to get off the couch and start doing it.  We’ve got enough coaches… now we need some players.

My soul sparked when I watched the video that is sweeping the internet.  A young man eloquently shared his view on religion, Christ, and faith through spoken word that has been viewed (as of this writing) more than 12 million times on youtube.  I love it!  Let’s go there!

After reading and watching hundreds of responses to the viral video – my soul grieves for the misgivings, poor education, and coattail beliefs that are built from traditions and rituals.  The endless amount of responses from people who defend religion, remind me that there is much work to do in the world in spreading the core gospel of Christ.  So what about you, what is your response?

Do you cling to religion?  Do you hate religion?  Do you even care?

In a not so eloquent and non-rhyming fashion, allow me to make you feel a little uncomfortable.

Religion is man made.  Religion is a set of rituals, traditions, and commonly accepted practices that marches in-stride and in-time with a like-minded group of people.  Christianity doesn’t own the rights to religion.  In fact, religion belongs to anyone who fashions a god, worships it, and makes lifestyle decisions based on it.

If you esteem religion and hold it high…

Consider that Abraham said “yes” to God before the first book was written, before the first ritual was in place, before the first tradition was established.  Consider that God’s initial plan was relationship with His creation.  He walked and enjoyed relationship before the fall of man.  No tradition, no ritual, no religion.

Jesus Christ came and challenged the Jewish nation and railed against their dark hearts.  They had become so entrenched and consumed by their religion, that they lost the relationship with God.  The burden of doing the right things in the right order left no room for God’s unimaginable power.

Let’s not forget that Jesus Christ was fulfilling the laws of the Old Covenant for the sake of those who lived under the old Covenant.  There was no new Covenant until after the resurrection.  Oh and by the way… there was no New Testament when Jesus Christ walked and taught.  He IS the new testament.  Christ IS the fulfillment of all the requirements we could never meet.

Don’t forget about the thief on the cross…he believed in Jesus and his faith saved him.  There was no religion, no ritual, nothing – just a new found relationship with Christ.

Step back and soak up the entire essence of God.  His simple commands are to love Him first and most… and love His creation likewise.  Where is the religion in that command?  Where is the ritual?

God is bigger than words, He’s bigger than ideals, He’s bigger than religion.  God is relationship.  Religion is the tool we use to attempt to reach him.

It’s sad to see the world fall into stride, like a bunch of pharisees, who want everyone to believe what they believe because it’s what they’ve always believed.  Read that again.  Religion, in it’s purest form, is actions of relationships who are serving others.

I hate religion because thousands and thousands of people think they are “doing alright” with their faith because they follow rituals and observe traditions.  I hate religion because the religious are more determined that you follow the collective way versus following the true God.

Call my “take” what you will, but any person who argues that religion is biblical… doesn’t truly understand the relationship God designed us for… which all started in the garden.  Our friend in the video struck a nerve and the conversation is now open.  I hate religion too my friend… and I love Jesus Christ to the core of my soul.  So, what do we do about it?  Maybe we kill the debate and start serving others who are broken and need a relationship with Christ.

So, what do you believe?  What forms your faith?

Okay, confession time . . . me and my family have been watching “Finding Bigfoot” on Sunday nights on Animal Planet. Our new family phrase is “It’s looking pretty squatchy out here.” . . . Don’t click away. Hear me out.

In every single episode, the BFRO (Big Foot Research Organization) travels the globe (where do they get all that money?!) to search out any shred of evidence on the mythical creatures. But each show has the same plot. A solid hour of showing a photograph or video footage of a blurry image, talking to the witnesses, surveying the locals, then spending all night in the cold forest with the finest tracking equipment mankind offers. Every episode puts the three man-one woman team right on the verge of discovery. But every episode ends with yet another near miss and Sasquatch eludes them once again.

So, how long have these men been traveling the globe seeking proof of their life’s calling? . . . Twenty-five years. . . . Yeah, like two and a half decades. When you hear the main three guys on this team talk, they don’t speak in “if’s or maybe’s,” but certainties. They’re all in.

So, here’s the real reason I’ve been intrigued by this show. The BFRO Team is totally sold out that Big Foot not only exists all over the world, but that the very next trip will be the magic moment when they finally find the object of their faith and prove to the world that they are not crazy. These guys exhibit an amazing, undeniable, and unquestionable faith. They display a passion and excitement when they speak of their mission that, frankly, you rarely see today in any church.

Here’s the challenge the BFRO has presented me and I now want to present to you: Do these guys display a greater faith in their urban legend than you and I do for our Lord and Savior?

The lost world around us can easily drive by our churches and listen to our stories of faith and put us in the same category as those who chase Big Foot. . . . “Let me get this straight. You actually believe that an invisible, omniscient Being created the world, then sent His Son to die, and now just by believing in Him, you are going to live with Him forever in eternal bliss? Oh, and then there’s that part where He may just show up in the clouds one day to take all the true believers home.” . . . When you read that description and put your feet in the shoes of a man with zero faith, it doesn’t sound that far away from the tale of a giant, hairy, ape-like creature that lives in the woods, does it?

So, as you walk through this lost world today, remember three things:

1—People want desperately to put their faith in something.

2—Be patient with your lost buddies, but yet be bold, because to them, your belief can sound a little crazy.

3—Let’s be sure we’re more sold-out about following Jesus than the BFRO guys are about chasing Big Foot.

Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. —Hebrews 11:1 CEV

 “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” —Jesus in Luke 22:32 NIV

We’re all selfish.  In a perfect little Utopian universe, it would be all about us, right?.  We all know people who have bought into the idea that everything is about them… and their needs.  They suck the life out of relationships as they take and take… never giving as much as an ear to listen.  If they do listen, they find a way to make the story about them and twist the conversations back to their needs.

Carly Simon’s big hit in 1972, “You’re So Vain” soared to the top of the charts and has lasted far beyond the expectations of the writer.  The success of the song is largely attributed to the cloaked subject of the lyrics.  Simon penned the words, “You’re so vain, I bet you think this song is about you”, and sparked a mystery that still exists today – who is the subject?  Heck, it could be about me! But isn’t that the point of vanity?  Features articles as recent as 2011 appeared in Vanity Fair, still searching and inquiring about this unspoken person of conceit.  The irony of vanity is that everyone sees it but the vain themselves.

In stark contrast to the life of Christ, we live in a world that almost demands that everything becomes about you.  Success is measured by your importance, not to be confused with self-importance.

Status updates on facebook and social media are widely misinterpreted as people vent frustrations about life.  A wisecrack you posted about something felt or observed is read by a “friend” who then launches an attack in retaliation.  Oh, by the way, that post I made was never about you.

Conversations or gossip overheard by a person loosely connected to a few people within a social circle, magically turns into an mis-heard insult that is repeated to mutual friends.  Feelings are hurt, suppositions are made, relationships are broken… and sadly, it was never about you.

I’ve written a few articles over the past couple of years that resulted in a cold shoulder from people who had assumed it was about them.  It was painfully obvious.  So I offer an addendum to the writings that may have offended… it was never about you, but if the shoe fits…

Vanity is destructive.  Relationships which are tied down with anchors are simply unhealthy.  The notion that everyone is talking about you is really based on your lack of self-esteem and poor confidence.  Get over yourself… it’s not about you.

It’s hard to imagine Christianity with a posture of “vanity”, or is it?

You walk into the church on Sundays… and you think it’s all about you.  You demand that the pastor single you out and applaud your volunteerism.  You want others to recognize your talents and contributions in service to the church. You volunteer for projects so others can see you “working for the Lord”.  This is backwards.

Pastors step into the pulpit and quietly wonder if their hair is straight, cufflinks are in place, smile is positioned just right.  The message is crafted with hopes that congregants feel good about themselves.  Safe conversations are lobbed into the auditorium.  Taboo topics are avoided so everyone feels good about themselves and the treasury committee isn’t tempted to cut your pay for… whatever reason.  It’s not about you either, preacher.

Christ came to demonstrate that relationships require give and take.  Christ required a certain level of commitment to be included in His group of disciples.  He also demonstrated acts of service to those around Him as well.  It’s a clear model of where we need to focus our energies.  Christianity isn’t about deepening your personal holiness… it’s about serving others and find relationship.  Read more of the teachings and life of Christ.

I’ve had my fill of one sided relationships.  I recognize that my personality is one that lends itself to giving and not requiring as much in return.  I want the return, I just don’t demand it.  I’m just not interested in carrying the anchors any longer.  Unbalanced relationships in friendships, ministry, work, church, and others are over.  I’m here to make disciples first… balanced relationship will come after that.  Don’t worry… it’s not about you.  But if you feel offended or hurt, then perhaps it is about you.

Moving ahead in life means finding healthy relationships that flex with give and take.  It’s not about me and it’s not about you… it’s about us.  Just because I’m a Christian doesn’t mean I give myself away to people who want me, my personality, and my talents for their own gain… and giving nothing in return.  I’m shaking that dust off my sandals and moving on.

We should all demand more out of our relationships.  The need for acceptance, the desire to be wanted, and the compulsion to give yourself away to others for a simple “attaboy” is empty and will destroy you.  Christ did not sacrifice His life on the cross for you to give yourself away to other people.  He died for your sins so you give yourself away to Him.  Look at how Christ conducted himself among the “takers” of society.  Observe how Christ conducted Himself among His closest friends.  How are you living out your faith?

If there is no balance in a relationship, it’s destructive.  If it’s all about you… move away from me.  If I’m sucking the life out of you… sever our relationship.  If you don’t know which one you are… guess what?

And by the way… I guess you think this article is about you… don’t you?

New Year’s always brings two things: unending weight loss ads and talk of resolutions. Not revolution, but resolution. Think about the word “resolution” for a second. It has lost its original meaning and now has a connotation of how it sounds. Re-solution. A recycled solution. A solution that didn’t work before, maybe many times before, so we’re going to make another run at it. Same cycle. Different results? Nah. Why? Because it’s a brand-new year and we feel change in the air . . . at least for a week or two. Then our humanness sets in . . . again.

I am a firm believer in goals, not recycled solutions. Not ridiculous things like, “I want to be a millionaire before the year is out,” unless of course, you have three-quarters of a million in the bank already and you’re in pro sports. I’m talking about challenging, yet realistic goals.

If you and I walk out into a field with our rifles and I say, “I bet I’m a better shot than you. Let’s start shooting and see who can hit something.” Of course, that would be ridiculous, but don’t we often approach life exactly like that? Now, if I said, “I think I’m a better shot than you.” Then, I put up a target with a bulls-eye on a tree, marked off fifteen or twenty yards, then we will soon have no doubt who the better shot is. Why? Because we now not only have a standard, but marked results.

Without a vision, the people perish . . . —Proverbs 29:18a KJV

What do you think God’s vision is for your life for 2012? He has one, you know. He has the plan. What changes does He have for your marriage? As a father? Extended family? In your work? Your play? Church? Friendships? As a steward?

When was the last time you sat down in the quiet and asked God what He wanted for your life? What if you gave up on some things and handed Him the wheel? Listen to Jesus’ words . . .

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. —Matthew 6:6 MSG

Maybe I’m oversimplifying it, but here’s the drill to roll into 2012—a brand new year:

1. Get with God. Hear His heart, His plan for you. (Put up the target.)
2. Set your goals based on what you hear Him say. (Aim for the target.)
3. Come Hell or high water, go after that vision. (Pull the trigger.)
4. If things start to go wrong, repeat steps 1-3

This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. —Matthew 6:8 MSG

Casting vision, is perhaps the most grueling, taxing, heavy, and numbing process known to the human race.  The old saying tells us not to fix stuff that isn’t broken, but that isn’t accurate at all.  I for one am grateful for the brilliant person that grew tired of cutting down trees with a sharp rock.  Drinking water from the palm of my hand is great when I’m when rinsing the toothpaste out of my mouth… but daily?  I don’t think so.

I enjoy reading through the Bible and hearing God’s story and His relationship with Israel.  It seems that each time the Israelites sat back and accepted things for the way they were… they fell away from God.  It’s easy to sit and do things the way they have always been done, but isn’t that the first stage of dying?  When we become complacent, fail to continue pressing forward, and cease to cast our vision, we die.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” – Proverbs 29:18

So who is looking ahead?  Who among us has decided to live in the current moment while looking ahead?  Are we searching out new ways to serve our neighbors?  Too many of us remain chained to our recliners out of fear that we may lose our comfortable place in life…that was last year… what about this year?

Many complain that looking ahead and getting out of the comfort zone seems to speed up life.  I would argue the opposite.  Life blurs past us faster and faster when we disengage from casting vision and we stop looking ahead.  The mistake we make is to think that “Life” is an all encompassing body of work that defines who we were after we are dead and gone.  On the contrary, “life” is what happens with every breath we take.  ”Life” is what happens when we engage in nature around us.  ”Life” is what happens when we become a part of other people’s struggles and victories.

“Life” is where we find God, and He wants us to engage in every moment with Him so we can live it abundantly.

Each year, we use the first few days of January to reflect on where we’ve been and our hopes for the coming year.  We take stock in where we’ve been and make decisions to repeat or forget the actions of the past.

Take a little time to slow down, take inventory, and identify those places in your life where you are still “chopping down trees with a sharp rock.”  Identify better tools that will make your effort more productive and enjoyable.

It’s to lean forward, and cast a vision full of ways you can better serve God with your time, talents, and resources.  It’s not a request, it’s a requirement.  Maybe this is the year you decide to live in such a way that others see God in you… every day.

4 Ways to live into your vision of being more Christ centered:

1. How you talk
2. How you forgive
3. How you serve
4. How you worship

Sitting in a coffee shop in the heart of Nashville, my good friend Larry Malone unwrapped a word that has become the heart of his ministry and now a complete theme of life for me.  The word is “expecting”.  So what does the word mean to you?  What does it mean to expect something?  I ask you the same.

The Free Dictionary defines the word expect:  ”To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of” or “To consider likely or certain”.

Larry then asked the question, “What about a woman who expects a baby?  What is the real meat of that expectation?”  I responded, “Something is going to happen.”  After all, a woman pregnant with a child can’t see the baby, but feels the child, observes changes in her body, her cravings, her posture, and her life in preparation for the inevitable.  We all see a change and tangible evidence but can’t see the child… she’s expecting something happen.   Just because you can’t see the child doesn’t mean the baby doesn’t exist. Right?

Larry then turned the conversation abruptly from defining a word to a penetrating question, “So are you expecting God like that?”

We sat for a moment in silence, I furled my brow, and my mind pinged back and forth from the idea of expecting, the reality of expecting, and the definition of expecting.  The thoughts easily settled on the questions, “Am I expecting God to be present in any situation?  Do I have any type of evidence that I expect God?  Does my life look like I expect God?”

It’s important not to confuse “expecting” with “hoping”.  Hoping for something places you in a tentative posture with an uncertain attitude toward the outcome.  Unfortunately, “hoping” is where most of our faith ends.  We’ve all hoped that God would intervene in our lives.  We’ve hoped for something.  We’ve hoped that we’re on the right track… but have we ever really expected God?  The writer of Hebrews spells out this “expectant” posture.

Hebrews 11:1  ”Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.”

The original Greek and Hebrew of this pivotal definition of faith hangs on the word “hope” – as it’s translation is “expect”.  What the writer is attempting to tell us is that Faith is something we expect and that expectation is what gives us conviction.  If you don’t expect something to happen, then how convinced are you that it’s a reality?

A steady flow of people drifted in and out of the coffee shop, but we were entirely too consumed in our conversation to notice a single person.  I drew in my last sip of a large iced mocha latte and smiled.  Larry had just helped me define that intangible thing that drives me.  He helped me put into words what it means to drop everything and pursue ministry, and it is wrapped up in a single word – “expect”.

I expect God to be a part of my day, and I expect God to show me where to focus my energies and commitments.  Moving into an aggressive stance where you can completely rely on God and trust that He will show up is perhaps the most important aspect of faith that every believer should grip.

If you find yourself in a tentative posture of hoping God will show up or hoping what you are doing is the right thing, then you’ve missed the pleasure of faith entirely.  Faith is active because God is active.  Expecting God means that that you will observe Him, feel Him, and know Him before you see Him.  Like a child in a mother’s womb… you know it’s there… and you expect to meet it.

Today, we lean into life full of expectation.  To expect God means that you live as if the Kingdom of God is at hand, just as Christ explained.  To expect God, means that you are certain  and look forward to the occurrence of meeting God today… and every day.  Hope is for the people who stare into the sky as if God is “up there” and might come back one day.  Expectation is for the people who live like God is present right here, right now.

If all you can muster is a “hope” for God, you aren’t ready to Live Bold.  However, if you are expecting God to be a part of your life, then you are Living Bold and exercising faith at every turn.  We don’t “hope” at Live Bold Ministries, we “expect”.  What about you?

[We'll soon introduce you to Larry Malone's new ministry - Expecting God.  You'll enjoy it!]

It wasn’t long ago that the high five was the celebratory greeting of choice.   Now considered “lame”, it seems to be reserved for those who just aren’t “with it” any longer.  Watching a well executed high five seems a little anti-climatic, deflated, or a bit passe…doesn’t it?  In fact, the high-five is more often used as an indicator of someone who is living in the past.  Be honest… the knuckle bump is for the cool kids while the high-five is for the lame-o people.

The fist bump began in the 1800′s, struggled through the 1970′s, and finally found it’s moment of glory in the 2000′s from the stage of Deal or No Deal as host Howie Mandel’s germophobia left him with no option but to fist bump rather than shake hands.

Wikipedia has a pretty thin article on the origin of the fist bump, but it seems to have taken root in our culture by the exuberant celebration of Tiger Woods when he sunk a seemingly impossible putt.  Somehow, golfers became “tough” by fist bumping.  Finally, we saw a physical manifestation of machismo leaked onto the stuffy playing surface of the “Pomp & Circumstance Country Club”.  Thanks to Tiger Woods, all the cool kids started fist bumping and the sport of golf had new energy.  Woods began pounding fists on the golf course after virtually every putt.  Society was quick on board to be a part of the scene.  Revival and acceptance of the fist bump was born!

Have you fist bumped lately?

Have you noticed that the fist bump is quickly becoming overused, saturated, and somewhat trite?  People are fist bumping at sales meetings, at the water cooler, after a funny joke, in the middle of church services, or simply greeting one another in passing.  A few days ago, a friend and I fist bumped as a result of brewing a good cup of coffee.  Almost instantly we realized what we had done.  We had used the fist bump irresponsibly and out of character of it’s original intent.  It didn’t feel right…. it was awkward… and we both agreed that we had taken it too far.

It wasn’t long after my awkward and thoughtless use of the fist bump that I noticed it being used in an almost irreverent fashion.  It seems that fist bumping is everywhere!  Nursing homes, daycare centers, offices, churches, grocery stores, the post office, and the Mexican restaurant.  Too much… too often…almost as an afterthought.

Isn’t it strange how something as simple as a fist bump can spread like wildfire and infiltrate every corner of our society, while we have to use a crowbar to open a conversation about the Gospel of Christ?  Has it always been that way?  Not hardly.

When Jesus Christ came on the scene, he slammed into society at full speed.  His teaching was electric, people were excited to be a part of His ways, and the world has not stopped talking about him for 2000 years. The name of Christ used to evoke an automatic gesture of respect and association with morality.  Now He’s relegated to jokes, skits, and foul language.  It’s as if society has attempted to make His message a little anti-climatic, deflated, or a bit passe…like a fad.

What Jesus did was to keep his message easy and his burden light ( matthew 11:30 ).  Following Him is still electric… but we can’t allow His word to be cast aside, put on a shelf, or turned into a fad.

Fads… fade.  Truth…remains.

GUT CHECK WITH JOHN 3:16:

• Are you a “whoever”?
• Do you believe in the simple message of Christ?
• Do others know you believe in Christ?
• Have you served someone today?

If you answer yes to each of these… FIST BUMP!

Sure… we’ll fist bump and celebrate a great cup of coffee… but what about the news of Christ?  What about the reason we are here?  What about the breath we breathe? Christ was cool, is cool, and will always be cool.  Don’t allow anyone to toss His message aside for a new fad, trend, or word.  Christ IS the message. Now, who wants to knuckle bump on that?

Having looked at some of the characters of the Nativity story, particularly some of the often-overlooked people and details, it is fitting and even a bit predictable with any Christmas focus to end with Jesus. It’s also fitting to present this to you after Christmas, when most people are starting to put Jesus away until next year.

Here’s my challenge, encouragement, and, hopefully, inspiration for you and me for the coming year: let’s make sure any and everything we do as Christian men has Jesus front and center, right in the middle, unapologetically, unashamedly, on the Throne of any situation, circumstance, activity, or event we are a part of. Let’s remember it is all about Him. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Power, the Presence, and the Person. And even when we can’t speak His name, we can make sure we bring His presence with us everywhere we go. Invite Jesus to go with us to every meeting, to be on every phone call, in every post, in every word, every action, in all things. Present with us on any and every platform He gives.

If we practice this in the coming year, then:

• who will be apologized to that wasn’t before?
• what relationship will be made right?
• who will be thanked that never has before?
• who will be told they are loved that hasn’t before?
• who will be encouraged that either was discouraged before or left to silence?
• what situation will truth now enter?
• what heart will be healed?
• what bondage will be broken?
• what family will be restored?
• who will see and hear Christ in us like never before?
• who will come to know Him as a result of us acknowledging Him?
• how many lives will be changed because His life is alive in us?

Your life can take on a meaning and a satisfaction that you never knew possible, if you commit to take up your cross daily and submit to Christ. As ironic as it is, much of God’s plan to reach the world is by seeing His difference in us. In you. Then we tell the seekers where the search ends . . . Jesus.

Let’s put Jesus at the center of all we do in 2012. Not our church, our theology, our opinions, our plans and programs. Just Jesus.

Lord, may I be a man You can count on to be Your mouthpiece in any situation, because my heart is fully Yours. Amen.

What you’re after is truth from the inside out.  Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.  —Psalm 51:6 MSG

The young family sat silently on their front lawn as they watched the flames engulf their home.  The father kept shaking his head and wondered why God would allow something like this to happen.  His prayers intensified along with the flames, but the flames continued to burn.  He searched his Bible for the right verse that would brings God’s miracle to extinguish the flames.  He thought, “Surely God wouldn’t allow this happen.”

The distant scream of sirens quickly ceased as the large red trucks stopped in front of the burning house.  The family turned in unison to witness a large group of firefighters running toward them and their home to extinguish the flame.  The father jumped to his feet and confronted the firemen. “What are you doing?!?  I didn’t call you!  Get off my lawn!”  With a look of amazement and frustration, the fireman pushed the man aside and commanded his team to advance on the flames.

Frantic and screaming, the entire family began hassling the firemen to stop trying to intervene. The surprised Fire chief shouted, “You people are insane!  Your house is on fire!”  The father responded, “God is going to take care of this! He’s going to put out the fire!”  Frustrated and overwhelmed, the Chief shouted back, “We are here to serve you, protect you, and help you!  What more do you want?!?”

There are homes burning down all over the world with the flames that take on many different forms.  Marriages are falling apart, adulterous relationships are escalating, greed is rampant, and children are growing up without fathers and sliding into addiction and depression.  Families are struggling to find one more meal to survive, clean water to drink, and jobs that will keep them sheltered for a few more days.  Some have lost everything and soon will lose their life.

What is your response?  Tell them to keep studying God’s word for an answer or to roll up your sleeves and start serving them?

Perhaps it’s time to stop studying God’s word and start living God’s word.  Let’s remember that Abraham said “yes” before the first word was written in the Torah (Old Testament).  Let’s remember that Jesus Christ came as the living word (John 1:1) who showed us how to actively live out our faith…. before the first word was penned in the New Testament.

The encouragement for you is this;  Faith is built to be lived not simply observed.

Let’s leave the study of God to the man on the front lawn who was steadily searching for salvation in the written word.  Let’s start Living Bold by putting God’s instruction into action…like the firemen who came to protect, serve, and help.  Remember that Christ was the living Word… who brought Salvation in person.

We may not completely dissect the Hebrew, Greek, or Orthodox manuscripts, but we sure know how to help a family who is hungry.  We understand that God calls all of us to serve.   Quoting scripture at a house fire isn’t fruitful.  Battling the fire and loving the people trapped in the blaze… is who God is calling us to be.  This is what it looks like to Live Bold.

Are parts of your life burning down while you sit and watch?  Waiting on God looks less like the family sitting on the lawn and more like the fireman who spring into action and service.  Are you leading your family down a path of passive faith or active faith?  Faith in God demands your participation.  His instructions are clear to DO and not to merely listen and reflect.

^22-24Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. – JAMES 1:22-24 (MSG)

Keep an eye open on how Live Bold Magazine is going to do some fire fighting of our own.  Information coming!  Keep watching the website.