“I said STOP IT!” screamed my daughter.  The object of her frustration was, of course, her little brother.  I raised my voice from the other end of the house and said, “Both of you stop it and show the other kindness!  Don’t make me come in there!”  It was meant to be a warning but I knew what was coming.  I expected a scream and crying and, within seconds, I was not disappointed.  It had happened and ended the same way about a hundred times.  I wasn’t watching but I knew my daughter, in frustration, had done something (hit, shove, slap) to get him away.  As was custom it was time for me to step in before things escalated.  I walked into the room and directed my ‘Daddy stare’ at my daughter first, as she was the oldest.  “What did you do?!?” I asked her.  She responded, “I was trying to play with my horses and he wouldn’t leave me alone!”  She continued her story as my son began raising his voice in protest with tears still flowing.  After 30 seconds of not being able to understand either I pulled them both to the floor with me onto my lap.  I said, “Let’s talk.  Everybody take a deep breath.”  They did so and I continued by explaining to them both how they were to act.  I said, “Sissy (a nickname for my daughter), you’ve got to show kindness to Bubby (another nickname).  It’s not your job to hit or slap him because he does something to bother you.  Let me be Daddy.  Bubby, you’ve got to leave Sissy alone and stop doing things to bother her.  We have to show kindness to each other.  This is what Jesus would want us to do.”  After a few minutes of talking both had calmed and set about playing together. All was calm again…..for a little while.

This whole interaction reminded me of the church. Have you noticed the bickering in the church world lately?   Attacks on leaders, pastors, parishioners, and more.  Sad thing is, the attacks are coming from within the walls of the church.  This denomination is complaining about what the other denomination is doing.  This pastor is openly attacking this pastor.  This Christian is complaining and giving opinions about the actions of this Christian.  It’s both sad and ridiculous.  Somewhere along the way, many men and women of God have felt they have the right to do what the Holy Spirit should be doing.  When we see injustice or get frustrated with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ we step in and attempt making things right, as if God or the Holy Spirit needed our assistance.  In Phillipians 4:2-5 we find Paul addressing two believers that have been having issues with one another.  He states in this passage, “I beseeched ye….be of the same mind in the Lord.”  In other words, you’re both fellow believers; act like it.  Christian unity isn’t always the easiest thing.  Belief systems may differ from denomination to denomination.  Rather than love we take on a judgmental attitude, reject fellow Christians, serve as judge and jury, and cut off fellowship.  In my mind’s eye I see God standing in heaven as He raises His voice a little and says, “Don’t make me come down there!”  I’ve said it before and it stands true in this circumstance; we can’t control the actions of others but we can control how we will respond.  We are called to submit to our convictions and let Daddy-God take care of disciplining others, should they need it.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  The devil is hard at work attempting to bring division in the family of God.  If he can divide us, he can set about overtaking us.  When we fight as one there’s no telling the dent the people of God could make in the Kingdom of darkness.  Let Daddy be Daddy.  You worry about you.  God’s got the rest.  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  [Eccl 4:12]  Between you, me, and God (not necessarily in that order) we can work TOGETHER and make an impact for the kingdom!

My wife and I set aside time at the end of our evenings to alternate between spending personal one-on-one time with our kids prior to their going to sleep. We lay in bed with them discussing what has happened over the day and pray with them.  A few nights my daughter rolled over and began sniffing my shirt.  At first I didn’t say anything.  But she did it over and over again.  After five minutes of this seemingly odd interaction I finally asked, “What are you doing?”  She giggled and said, “I like the way you smell, Daddy!” as she nuzzled into my chest for some cuddle time.  To be honest, I never really thought about it but I assume I do give off my own scent of cologne, deodorant, and soap.  My assumption is that would be my own personal smell.  Apparently, as she expressed that night, it brings her comfort.  No doubt she’s smelled that same aroma hundreds of times over the seven years of her life.  The wheels in my brain began turning and left me with a question.  What do I smell like to God?  Odd question, right?  Not really.

Throughout scripture we find references to God smelling things. Scriptures like Phillipians 4:18, Leviticus 26:27-31, 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, Genesis 8:21, Exodus 29:18, and Ephesians 5:2. (You should take time to read them)  In each reference God has experienced a “sweet savor”, an “odor like incense”, or “an odor of a sweet smell.”  In other words, God has experienced something He likes and is pleasing to Him.  What do all these scriptures have in common?  They all reference the scent or smell being given off due to some sort of sacrifice by His saints.  I’ve always held to the belief if my worship didn’t involve some sort of sacrifice it couldn’t be considered genuine worship (we can argue theology later—hit me up if you disagree).  The very act of being a true Christian is sacrifice (death to self and this world).  Christianity will never be about out-doing your fellow Christian in the ‘sacrifice’ department.  This isn’t some sort of game to play or win rather your personal relationship with God.  What does God smell when He sniffs you?  Does He smell his bride? Or do you smell like someone’s mistress?  I know—that seems harsh and a little crude—but not really.  If God were to close His eyes would He be able to find you by your scent?  How are you living your life today?  Sacrifice comes in many forms and is reliant on the condition of the heart.  Honestly, it’s none of my business.  But you can’t hide it from God.  I can assure you, the better you smell to God the more you become a stench in the nostrils of the enemy …….and that’s the point.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  The goal of this blog isn’t to stress the mistakes of the past rather focusing on the future.  It’s about keeping ourselves pure for our Groom.  He’s looking for a bride without spot or blemish.  Is that you?  May seem a little weird, especially for us men, but we’re Jesus’ girl.  Let’s keep ourselves clean, friends!

I recently found myself watching the animated Disney cartoon Tarzan with my children.  It had been a fun-filled evening but it seemed everything quieted at one exact moment.  As I stared at the screen I watch an interaction between a young Tarzan and his gorilla mother.  We find Tarzan at a small body of water smearing himself with mud.  Someone has made a negative remark he wasn’t like the others in his family.  This mud bath was his solution to changing his skin color to match that of the gorillas.  The mother gorilla walks up behind him and he asks, “Why am I so different?”  She attempts to divert his attention to which he responds in a raised tone, “Look at me!”  She states in a more calm voice, “I am, Tarzan. (as she wipes the mud away)  And do you know what I see?  Two eyes like mine.  And a nose…….two ears……”  He begins comparing his hands to hers and again notices they don’t quite match as he turns in frustration.  She then instructs him, “Close your eyes…..now forget what you see.  What do you feel?”  He responds, “My heart.”  She picks him up as his eyes are still closed and holds him close.  Then he responds, “Your heart” with a smile.

It’s a normal response from most children.  Unfortunately, we carry many of these self-esteem-type issues into adulthood.  Everyone, myself included, has or will go through stages where we search for a place of belonging.  Frustrations with what we perceive as something wrong with ourselves eventually leads many toward addictions and other negative choices to fill a void.  Sadly, we allow our eyes to get in our way.  We begin comparing our height, weight, skin tone, clothing, makeup, jewelry, how straight our teeth are, and any number of visible and/or tangible items.  Society has given these things value and we ignorantly follow along.  As we age we realize what matters most is something that can’t be seen by the naked eye.  Had Samuel allowed his eyes to be the guiding factor it’s highly possible David would have never been anointed as king.  This simple act could have altered Biblical history as we know it.  1 Samuel 16:7 states, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him [God is referencing one of David’s brothers prior to anointing David the next king].  For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.””  It’s the condition of the heart that genuinely makes someone who they are.  Beauty comes in tall, short, skinny, pleasantly plump, from different cultures, with a myriad of skin colors like the crayons in a box, and more.  There’s beauty in the return of the prodigal or the recovering drug/alcohol addict.  If we could see ourselves through His eyes it would change our entire outlook.  God loves you simply for who you are.  That doesn’t mean He always condones your actions.  But, like any good Father, He loves you regardless of your past or present.  He simply loves YOU!!

Final thoughts and encouragement:  It’s my prayer today you discover your beauty and the beauty of those around you.  Stop allowing value be found in physical appearance, talents, or any number of unimportant things.  “Red and yellow, black and white….we are precious in His sight.”  Stop allowing your eyes to dictate what you see.  You’re beautiful to the Father–even with your imperfections.

Recently I was in my living room with my children. Both had been constantly whining and complaining throughout the evening.  If you’re a parent you know what I’m talking about.  I was actually proud of myself for keeping my cool and just allowing them to hash it out on their own. There were constant requests for this or that only to, seconds later, throw it down in disgust because it was not what they wanted. By the end of the evening I was frazzled and just needed a break. My son approached and asked, “Daddy will you read this to me?” Side note: this wasn’t the first time he had done this and it ended in him complaining he didn’t like the book.  Just desiring a moment of peace – and assuming this wasn’t going to end well – I politely declined and asked him to go watch television for a few minutes until bed time (don’t judge me-you’ve probably done it a time or two as well). He’s asked again, “Please, daddy?” Again I declined, asked him to watch TV, and continued staring at Facebook on my iPad.  He climbed up in my lap, placed his hands on both sides of my face and gently directed my face and eyes to his. Again he asked, “Daddy, please read to me.” I looked into his eyes and I saw it. He was desperate for me to read to him. He realized he was unable and needed my help. For the first time that evening he had found something he desired of me and wasn’t in the mood to complain any longer. His request was genuine. I gladly placed my iPad to the side, beckoned my daughter over, and proceeded to read to them both.

Have you ever been desperate? I mean REALLY desperate? Consider losing your child in a crowd. Do you think you would be desperate to find him/her?  Consider being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Do you think you would be desperate to find a cure? Consider being deep under water and have no air left in your lungs.  Are you desperate yet?  These questions seem ludicrous, I know. The answers are obvious. Consider this – have you ever noticed we never see a need to spend time with God until we want something from Him? A need arises and we decide to visit our ‘gumball-machine-God’ (I’m not being sacrilegious rather bringing attention to how we treat God), put a little more offering in the plate on Sunday, and start praying harder. Why does it take emergencies and dire situations before we seek his hand and intervention?  When the blessings are abundant we tend to forget He’s there. Why can’t we be desperate for God’s face every single day?? Not His hand…..His face.  A relationship with God shouldn’t be about what He can do for us rather seeking His face.  When my son crawled in my lap and made me look into his eyes he had my undivided attention.  He desired not only my attention but my presence in His life. When I looked in those beautiful brown eyes I could see the desperation.  As his father, I couldn’t turn away. With my attention (my face) comes my hand. When he has my attention I would just about do anything in the world for him.  It’s the same way with God. If we would seek His face we wouldn’t need to worry about having His hand in times of need. Coincidentally, didn’t He already say He would supply our needs ” …according to His riches in glory…?” With His face comes His hand, heart, and favor beyond measure.

The author of Psalms 63 puts it this way [vs. 1-4], “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; ² To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. ³ Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. ⁴ Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.”

Final thoughts:  I encourage you to learn to seek His face and not His hand. If you seek His face you will not have need of anything else.  Desperations isn’t always a bad thing.  Get desperate for Him today and see how it changes your life!

This past week the pope came to town. No—he didn’t visit my little town but did come to the U.S. for the first time since taking his position. Just out of curiosity I’ve been watching a little of the coverage to see what the fuss was about. I’ve been shocked by the actions of thousands of people pouring out to catch a glimpse of him or have the chance to touch him. Yes, touch him. Many were treating him like he was a movie/rock star. I witnessed coverage of people falling over themselves crying and nearly fainting over his presence. While he didn’t encourage this reaction I didn’t see him do anything to discourage it. As I watched I realized the Catholic church isn’t the only place where this problem exists. This issue seems to be something we are dealing with in Christendom worldwide. There are portions of the Christian world who are subscribing to an ideal of misplaced worship. Many ministers, out of a fleshly desire to be treated this way, have allowed these actions to continue unchecked. Over the years Christians have taken scriptures that reference “giving honor” and “touch not mine anointed,” and have allowed observance of such to turn into something scripture never intended it to be. Ministers at mega churches (and not-so-mega churches) are allowing themselves to be given over to fleshly desires by buying million dollar homes, high priced vehicles, jets, high-priced clothing, and the like because they think they “deserve” it. Their actions are beginning to mimic something you would expect to see of a ‘high-roller’ at a Vegas casino.

What’s your point, Brian? I would like make a request of everyone who reads this. STOP WORSHIPPING YOUR PASTOR(S)!  It seems the line between respect and blatant worship have become blurred—and that scares me. I understand and appreciate the respect being given to those in these positions-and I subscribe to the same as the Bible requires such. But when Christians worldwide begin to buy into the lies this “superstar” lifestyle is okay—we’re in big trouble. These actions completely undermine the entire ideal of Christianity. We were created to worship God and nothing/no one else. Pope Francis is a man. Your pastor is also human. A ministerial license or a high ranking position in a denomination doesn’t make someone superman/superwoman. It simply signifies a desire to live a life ‘set apart’ for the work of the kingdom. We all put our pants on one leg at a time. Everyone’s feet stink after a long day of working. We are all human. I dare you to find one person in this world with the ability to heal or take away sins. Everything we are is because of God. He is the very air we breathe. He is the giver of life. He alone has the power to forgive our sins. Exodus 20:3 reminds us, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Anything that takes your attention from God is an object of worship—relationships, tangible items, fleshly desires, etc. I’ve seen time and again where ministers have been placed on (or have placed themselves on) pedestals only to fall to moral failure or some other tragic occurrence. If we’re not careful we all will fall victim to the hype being pushed to the forefront. Every action we take and every word out of our mouths should point others to God. If it doesn’t I’m not sure we can genuinely call ourselves Christians. Are you worshipping YOUR pastor?

Final thoughts and encouragement: I encourage you to take an inventory of the object(s) of your worship. If God isn’t your focus it may be time to REfocus.  I pray God’s blessings on you all, my friends!

Ever had one of those moments you felt so convicted by your actions you simply wanted to dig a hole and crawl in it? Yeah, I just had that moment. As I’m typing this I’m on vacation with my family [this was written a week and a half ago]. To say it has been a busy day would be an understatement. It’s the evening and we’ve finally settled in for the night. A short while ago my wife asked me to buy her a bottle of water from the local gas station down the street. Deciding to pass on the $3 bottle in our room I grabbed the kids and set off for my destination.  As I was returning to my hotel I noticed someone of Middle Eastern descent dressed in traditional attire, and of (I assume) the Islamic faith, on a prayer mat praying outside our hotel.  If I’m being totally transparent – I’ll admit, my first instinct was one of a judgmental spirit. A form of disgust was attempting to rear its head.  Just as I was about to allow those negative thoughts to run rampant something in my spirit questioned me, “When was the last time YOU prayed today?” My response, “I, uhhhh, ummmm, I was…..uhhhhhh–see what had happened was….” I just hung my head in shame and walked to my room with the water and my children in tow.  Truth be told, the last time I prayed today was as we were leaving at 4am this morning. I was asking God for protection for my family as we traveled. That was it. No, “Good morning, God!” or “Thanks for letting me live to see another day.” Just something I was adding to my daily “To-Do” list for God. No interaction just a list of desires.

In that moment the one thing that caught my attention was the person’s lack of concern or embarrassment of those passing by.  This person was unashamed of their faith.  Every day that passes it’s more apparent we live in a society where we’re expected to be ‘Politically Correct.’  If your actions offend someone you’re expected to change or alter them. I question, how does a ‘PC’ response make Christians any different from anyone else. How does conforming to the PC agenda make us better Christians?  How is it even possible to be salt and light in that instance? I’m not saying we should go around purposefully attempting to offend others but I question how are our actions are setting us apart?  WHAT makes us different? Mark 8:38 states, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”  While I’m positive I don’t agree with the beliefs of the Muslim I just came in contact with I must admit something I never thought I would say.  Today was the day I found admiration for a Muslim.  There was nothing in that person’s demeanor that gave any recognition of my presence. They were concentrated on the task at hand. Simply stated, the prayers being prayed were their highest priority and they gave no regard to what others thought.  When was the last time YOU prayed today?  I’m not talking about a prayer where you were asking God for something or to intervene on your behalf.  When was the last time you prayed to simply speak to God and spend quality time with Him? Why does it take emergency-type situations for us to spend time with God in prayer?  If something goes wrong and we will pray ALL day, EVERY day.  Let life begin moving along positively and we go our merry way without a passing thought of praying.  What is preventing us from shining our lights brightly wherever we go?  I’m not even referring to praying in public I’m talking about simple things like show love, care, and concern for our fellow man regardless of social standing, race, etc.  Allowing the God in me to be a light to those I come in contact with should be MY highest priority. It’s not my job to shove God down other’s throats rather live my life in a way that point’s people back to Him.  I guess I’ve always known it but I received a reminder from an unlikely source today. Sometimes we have to be unashamedly Politically INcorrect.

Final thoughts and encouragement:  Among other things prayer must become our daily priority.  Our Heavenly Father longs to hear from us.  Rather than using our prayer time asking for ‘stuff’ maybe we should use that time to simply talk to him.  Choose to purposefully spend intimate moments with the Savior every day and I assure you it will change the entire outcome of every day.