The Truth

Abraham Lincoln once famously said, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” Ol’ Abe was right. Sometimes we will believe almost anything except the truth.

“What is truth?” A guy named Pilate once asked this of Jesus (John 18:38) who was the greatest teacher ever.

It seems like today we are asking the same question, right? What is truth? Is there only one side to truth? Is truth absolute? These used to be questions that were left to theologians and philosophers, but now, in 2018 these questions are being brought to the forefront of culture.

I mean, if we don’t like something, we simply label it as fake news. Or we use the term “alternative facts” … What is an alternative fact? Hmm… Where was that when I was taking geometry?

Now to be clear, people have always disagreed. We have disagreed on politics, religion, parenting styles, diets, vehicle choices, and sports.

But those disagreements have largely been over either opinions or our interpretations of facts. Sometimes we have even conflicting scientific studies, largely because of differing data points. But except for our opinions, most discussions are founded upon a certain understanding of facts.

When I was working for a law firm, I saw how people can radically interpret thoughts based on facts. Two differing legal opinions will be based off the same facts. And I think that’s ok. It’s like the classic example of the glass being either half full or half empty. While individual perception will vary, all agree that the glass both contains liquid and yet has space for more.

But it seems we are now in an era where we all chose our own “truth”. And we have gotten to a point that the validity of said truth doesn’t matter as much as our dedication to wanting it to be true.

Just because we want something to true does not make it so. Just because the team we root for loses does not make the result illegitimate. Just because you didn’t vote for a candidate doesn’t mean they aren’t your official when the count is over.

I want to see the Reds with the World Series this year. But that’s not going to happen because I say it’s an alternative fact that they won all their games this year. I wish I made two hundred dollars an hour, but that does not mean that I can claim on my resume that my last job paid that much.

It bothers me to see so many kind and otherwise intelligent people who buy into lies… Who share debunked conspiracy theories on Facebook...

I can proclaim loudly that traffic does not exist. I can believe it all I want to. I can post it on social media, tweet about it, and take a selfie standing in the street. But stand in the intersection of a busy road and I may well find out differently… and painfully.

When we reject truth in favor of our “alternative facts” we end up only lying to ourselves. Not only does this cause division among neighbors and hurt among families, it causes us to build our lives on foundations of falsehood.

Jesus tells his followers the benefit of truth. John, a follower of Jesus records it this way in John 8:33, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

5 Ways to Stay Connected to Jesus During a Crazy Week

It’s Thursday, and the weekend is in sight. Woohoo! Sunday’s coming and for me and other people of the Christian faith, that means attending some sort of Church service. If you’re like me, however, sometimes you feel kind of spiritually dry between those Sundays.

And, well, that just makes sense. If you only ate once a week, you’d feel gorged after meal time, but then your body would ache and hunger during the rest of the week. It’s not healthy physically, and it’s not healthy spiritually. We’ll never be consistent in our faith until we consistently draw close to Jesus throughout the week.

“Yeah, Adam, I know that… I hear you… But how?” I’m so glad you asked. But before I share some answers that have worked for me, let me just say, I get it. Most people who follow Jesus recognize on some level the need to connect to Jesus more frequently or for those connections to increase in quality. The problem is twofold: 1, We sometimes genuinely don’t know how. 2, We lack the willpower to follow through.

Some other time, we’ll talk about building disciplines, but for now, let me share with you 5 Ways You Can Stay Connected to Jesus During a Crazy Week:

1. Read Your Bible & Pray Daily.

Ok, you surely knew this would make the list, right? If I didn’t include it, I’m sure the emails and messages would fill up my inbox: “Adam, what about reading the Bible? What about praying?”. Yes, I agree it’s a basic component of faithfully following Jesus. But sometimes we forget the basics. Nothing has helped me draw closer to Jesus than at least somewhat consistently reading the Bible and praying to God about what I have read.

And really, there isn’t an excuse anymore to not get into the Word daily. I’m a huge fan of the YOUVERSION APP. With it’s Bible plans, social networking features, media, and audio Bible features, there is so much to make reading the Bible a rich, soul-nourishing experience.

There are a lot more ways out there to engage with the text and the Author of the Bible. Amazon’s Alexa will read the Bible to you, there are apps that will remind you. This is an area where you just need to start. Pick up the book of 1 John and read a chapter a day for 5 days. Pray about what you’ve read. You’ll begin to connect with the Lord in a fresh, new way.

2. Listen to “Christian” Music

I have mixed feelings about this. I think we have to be careful about labeling music “Christian” versus “secular”. Music doesn’t experience salvation. But in the “Christian” music field, I draw two distinctions: 1, Worship music. 2, Songs about the Christian life.

Let me explain what I mean. I would include as Worship Music songs that I would use or expect to see in a worship service. Songs like “10,000 Reasons”, “In Christ Alone”, etc. These songs can help you have a private worship service that can draw you closer to Jesus

.

Songs about the Christian life to me would include lots of songs I hear on Christian radio, like “Chain Breaker” by Zach Williams, music by Need to Breathe. While I wouldn’t use these songs in a worship service, because they’re not songs directed to God, they do have an encouraging faith-based message. Listening to that, either in the background as I work, or jamming out in the car, I notice a difference in my outlook and attitude.

3. Connect to a Small Group or Bible Study

When my mom was growing up, she went to a Holiness church and had something like 7 services a week. That’s right, SEVEN! You were expected to go to the church every time the doors were open. When I was growing up in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the expectation was that you went to Sunday School, Sunday morning worship, Sunday evening worship, and Midweek service.

Today, instead of attending 2-3 hours of services a week at a local church, it’s considered a win if people attend 2-3 hours PER MONTH. This is a huge culture shift in the American Church. And while we can bemoan this or say it’s causing people to be stagnant in their faith (which I disagree with, at least partially), it’s not something we’re probably going to see change.

And while I don’t think the answer is for you to go to a building more hours a week, I do strongly believe in the importance of Christ followers gathering in small groups for encouragement, accountability, and to work together.

Some churches do Sunday School. Some churches do life groups, home groups, cell groups, small groups, missional communities, etc. The main difference in all of these? Marketing/branding. It’s not nearly as important what you call these as long as you participate.

We were not created to do life alone. The Christian journey is not a solo adventure. Get connected with other Christians and you’ll get closer to Jesus.

4. Say No

Say no to something so you can say yes to Jesus. 90% of your schedule is ultimately determined by you. If your life is too busy to connect with Christ, frankly, it ultimately comes down to the fact that you have said yes to way too many things. Saying no isn’t easy. It’s not fun. But it’s important.

You don’t need to watch that show on Netflix nearly as much as you need to spend 5 minutes with the One who refreshes your soul. Do you really need to watch the news more than you need to connect with Jesus?

Say no to the good so you can say yes to the great. And the greatest thing in our lives in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

5. Seek to Integrate Your Faith into Your Tasks

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Everything we do, huh? Yep. Now, I’ll be the first to admit this can be tricky. It definitely takes some creativity. But when we have the mindset that there are “Christian” tasks and then there is the stuff that I simply have to do, we misunderstand God’s purpose behind our work. The Lord of the Church is still Lord of the marketplace.

Offer to pray for people you meet. Or pray for them privately. When you go to the grocery store, buy some extra food for a family in need. Ask the Lord how you can be more generous at the workplace. Sing to Jesus when you’re on the lawnmower.

I’m sure that there are many other ways you can connect with Jesus during a crazy week or season of life. But these are the 5 that most quickly come to mind. What helps you connect with Christ?

This Post Is Dangerous

Warning: Reading this and then applying it to your life could radically transform your lifestyle and who you are as a person. By all means, keep going, but just be aware.

In my last post, I raised the importance of asking questions. But what if I told you there is an even more important question to ask than “how” or “why”? What if I told you that answering this question truthfully could completely transform your life?

Think you can handle it? Are you ready? Here we go:

“Will It Really Matter?”

Will it really matter? In the grand scheme of things, will x really make a difference?

Last week I shared that one of the devil’s greatest tricks isn’t to make us bad, but to keep up busy. When we focus on the good, we neglect the great. When we spend out time doing good things, we have little time for that which matters most.

It comes down to priorities. And priorities are tricky things. If we make something a higher priority in our life, are we saying other things are bad? Are we saying others aren’t important if we relegate them to a lower level of priority? For this and other reasons, most of us simply stink at having consistent and correct priorities.

Now, it’s not my purpose here to lecture you about what your priorities should be. Those can vary from person to person. Yes, I firmly believe that there are universal priorities, given to us by God. Those are to love Him and love others. And how those work out in your life may look a little different than how they work out in mine. But I digress.

Asking “will it matter” isn’t about getting you to adopt my list of priorities. It is about helping you discover yours. When you sit down with your spouse, parent, friend, or even by yourself and ask this question openly and honestly, you can begin to determine what is truly important in your life.

So how do we discover if it really matters? I’ve got some ideas, but I admit, it’s a working list:

1. Ask What Is Most Important to You.

Like really ask it. Think about it. What is it that matters most to you? Don’t think about things, think about attitudes or traits. Not “it’s important for me to have a house with the white picket fence and wrap-around porch.” No, think more in lines of where you hope to be someday.

For example, maybe you want that house with the fence and the porch. Is it really those features that you’re wanting, or the comfort and lifestyle, the down-home charm they convey? Think in broad terms. Is it more important for me to go a top-notch graduate school, or is it important to me to simply get the degree and experience under my belt?

By asking what’s most important, we can avoid the trap of disillusionment and discouragement when things don’t go the way we planned. If your goal is the fence, you’re going to be upset when the neighbor backs over it. But if your goal is simple living, you’re going to be okay no matter how many times the Donovan’s teenager runs into the fence when he parks.

2. Realize That Not Everyone Has The Same Goal.

When we get a goal in mind, something that we’re wanting to pursue, it can be simply infuriating when people we know and love don’t understand. Mom and Dad may not understand that its important for you to move away and become independent right after college or high school. That’s OK. They may not have the same goal as you.

So when people question your choices, firstly, realize they may not understand because they don’t have the same priority you do. That’s ok. Secondly, don’t allow the priorities of others dictate what yours should be.

Again, while I think that God gave all of us some common priorities, how we go about living out those priorities will differ from person to person.

3. Ask “How Is This Going to Help Me/ Hurt Me Accomplish the Goal?”

I can’t stress this enough: introspection takes brutal honesty. And perhaps it’s best to do this with a trusted friend who understands your priorities.

But many of the things that we get so hung up on, the things that keep us so busy as well as the things that easily wound us often simply do not matter in the long run.

The past several years I have been enrolled in an educational program that is an equivalent of a hybrid bachelors/masters program for local church ministry. At first I thought that it was silly for me to participate. “I know all this stuff. These classes are for amateurs, I’ve been doing some of this longer than some of my instructors.” I didn’t see how this was actually helping me to accomplish the goal of furthering my education. I thought I knew the material.

Turns out, I DID know a lot of the material. But an education is not simply knowing the formulas, it’s knowing how to integrate knowledge into your environment. Being a part of Pastoral Leadership Institute was a real blessing to me, not just providing educational credits and certificates, but in helping me learn as a leader and teacher.

Other times, the answer may be negative. Something may peak our interest, draw us in, but in reality, it’s not an effective use of our time. For most people, signing up for the summer league travel team isn’t going to make a major impact on your life. Sure, it will be fun. But it’s also going to cost lots of money and lots of time that you’ll never get back. Not saying it’s not worth it, but I am saying, ask the question “how is this going to help my accomplish my goal?”

Getting upset over petty stuff is another area that gets me tripped up sometimes. In the church world, people can get irked by little things that probably shouldn’t irk them but it does. Actually, this isn’t limited to the church world, but is prevalent everywhere people are.

It’s usually not worth getting upset over is something didn’t go your way. On the other side of that same coin, when someone is upset, don’t let that get you down.

Again, this is a working list, and I’ll probably come back at some point and revise it.

But for now, at least ask yourself: Will It Really Matter?

It just might change your life!

Start Asking

Kids ask millions of questions, don’t they? Especially at what seems inopportune times like bedtime, when you’re trying to navigate traffic, or when you’re in the middle of trying to meet a deadline. What can seem annoying just actually may be what we need to think about.

No, I try not to think too much about why the sky is blue or why cats can’t fly. I mean the more fundamental type of questions. Such as “how”, and that perpetually perplexing question: “Why?”

As kids we ask why. And then as we got older, we stopped asking why. Perhaps our parents discouraged it.

“Dad, why do I have to go to school?”

“Because I said so, that’s why!”

Yeah, guilty here. I swore I would never give that answer to my kids, but the truth is that sometimes I have just been tired or mentally drained and that’s the best I could come up with.

God gave us an inquisitive mind. Here’s why: God made this amazing world to display His handy work, to show off, if you will. And when we investigate why, it causes us to recognize His greatness. He made us to ask questions.

But somewhere along the lines, many of us stopped. Maybe we felt jaded by the answers we got. Perhaps we just accepted the status quo. Is it possible we got so busy with life we forgot that we were created to ask questions?

Here is where I am going with this: We need to start asking questions again. I’m not suggesting questioning authority. I am suggesting questioning the status quo. Questions if asked with the right heart behind them aren’t threatening. Questioning something doesn’t mean rebelling, it means learning and understanding.

Now, I’m not talking about being a gossiping busy-body. Sadly, we ask those types of questions way too often. Stop it.

But what would happen if you and I would start asking “how” and “why” more frequently?

A few thoughts:

1. Asking Questions Makes Us Better Parents

Ok, maybe you don’t have kids, but hear me out. As a parent in my early 30’s with 3 kids, I DEFINITELY don’t have it figured out. So, I could try to figure this whole “being a dad” thing out on my own, or I can learn from the successes and mistakes of MILLIONS of moms and dads who have been down this road before.

When our middle child, Sophia, was diagnosed with epilepsy I had a gazillion questions. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to keep a qualified doctor on 24-hr standby. But I have several friends and connections who have been through this. I know that I can ask them questions. I’m part of a support network for parents working through this.

But it doesn’t have to be a major illness the prompts inquiries. Asking questions of other parents such as, “How did you get Johnny to improve his reading comprehension?” “Any tips to help Ella learn to share with the other kids at the babysitter’s?”

Being a better parent begins with asking how and why. In my experience as a Pastor and a School Board member, I can tell you anecdotally that not nearly enough parents are asking questions.

2. Asking Questions Makes Us Better Community Members

We live in an age of fake news, agenda driven media, and blatant lies shared on social media. Liberal, Conservative, unaffiliated, we’ve let others do the thinking for us. We are too busy to do the research into what is affecting our lives, our communities, our world. So, because we’re too busy, we let others look into it for us, let them do the thinking and asking.

And in settling for another’s manipulative answer, we’ve become sheep of uncaring and dishonest shepherds. I have a cousin who lives on the other side of the country with VASTLY different political views than I. He taught me a valuable lesson of asking questions. Each day, he spends a few hours reading half a dozen or so newspapers. (Newspapers are these archaic devices of media where words are printed on a piece of paper, which is then sold or delivered to your home.) His reason? You need to be informed before you pontificate.

Imagine how much better our communities could be if we started asking why or how? Why is this person protesting? How is this person really different from me? Why do some people think gender or race automatically creates privilege? Does it? Instead of beating down people who disagree with us, what if we sought to understand them? We don’t have to agree with them, but could you maybe just ask and then quiet long enough to hear them out?

3. Asking Questions Makes Us Better

Most of us are part of some sort of organization or institution. Maybe it’s a local church or little league or PTO or the local historical society. Maybe you’re in the Lion’s club or some other fraternity. That institution was created or exists for a purpose. Do you know what that purpose is? Can you articulate it in a sentence? Why are you doing what you are doing?

Every group has a life cycle. And when we stop asking why or how, that group begins to die. “Why do we do this? How can we do it better? How does doing this accomplish our why?” Every group needs to ask and answer these questions regularly. The mission of the group is at stake.

Where I serve, in the local church world, we are often scared to ask why. We’re afraid we will upset someone. My position is that the mission of the local church, to love God and love others, making disciples, is FAR more important than someone getting upset over questions being asked. Far to often the answers to “why” and “how” in our local churches comes down to “I don’t know” or “we’ve always done it that way.” Both of those are bad answers to such important questions.

4. Asking Questions Makes Us Better Christ-Followers

Some pastors get nervous when people begin asking questions about God. We like our cookie cutter answers we memorized in Sunday School. When I was 9 years old, in one Sunday School class we played a trivia game, where the teacher would give us hints and we had to guess the Bible character. I always guess Jesus or Barnabas. I figured eventually I’d get it right.

But when it comes to questions of faith, I’m not threatened. I don’t have all the answers, that’s for sure! But, God does. And look, I know that sounds trite, but it’s accurate. Jesus stands up to scrutiny. The Bible stands up to critical scholarship. As an Evangelical, the doctrines that I follow aren’t contrived or invented on a whimsy.

Asking God why and how don’t threaten him. He actually invites our questions. He invites us to search and seek Him. He tells us in 4:29 “But from there you will seek the LORD you God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

When we wrestle with worry or doubt or simple don’t understand something about our walk with Christ, He invites us to reason together with Him.

There are so many ways in which asking questions will make us better. I could go on ad infinitum. But the best way is for you to start asking questions today. Reclaim the inquisitive nature you once had. You heavenly Father created you to ask.

Is The Devil Making You Too Busy?

“If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”

Ever heard that before? I have, and boy if it isn’t true…

Sometimes I can get so busy doing good things that I forget to do what I was supposed to be focusing on.

What about you?

Between work, taking the kids to practice, studying for the next test, trying to keep the lawn looking good, trying to exercise, catching up on laundry, church activities, and parent-teacher meetings, our schedules look less like a family plan and more like a complex algebraic equation.

If I have to be at x by y and then I have to take child 1 to location b, will I have time to go through the drive through or will we all be eating those gummy fruit snacks for dinner for the second time this week?

And we know we need to cut things out, but what? I mean, it’s not like I am running drugs or killing puppies. If I was, it would be a no-brainer to cut those things out. “Hey, honey, if we stop stalking the neighbors, I think we’ll have time for a date night.” Hopefully that’s not the text message you send. I say text because you don’t have time to talk to your spouse. In fact, if it wasn’t for the picture of the two of you on social media, you may forget what they look like.

We’re too busy. I know, you’ve heard it before. But what do you cut out? Our schedules are full of good things. Sports are good. Getting your kids to youth volleyball, dance, and the traveling basketball team is good. Actually showing up to work is good. Folding laundry, that’s’ good. Studying for the exam coming up is good. It’s good. It’s all good.

And I think that’s’ the problem. Let that sink in. The problem is our schedules are full of good things.

And that’s bad.

Confused yet? Do I have your attention? Good. Perfect. Here’s the point: The Enemy of Great is Good.

The enemy of great is good. See, I believe that God has created us for great things that will bring Him glory (see Eph. 2:10). And if you’re a follower of Jesus, God has a task for you to do. And if the devil can’t cause you to walk away from faith, he’ll try to keep you so busy that you’ll be distracted from your faith.

Distraction. It’s a dirty word. It’s perhaps the most commonly committed sin in the North American Church today. In fact, it’s perhaps the root of almost any other sin we struggle with. What’s the first of the 10 Commandments? “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

When we’re distracted, we’re either putting something else ahead of God, or at the very least, we’re regulating God, and His call on our lives, to equal footing with all the other stuff we have going on.

You say: “Ok, Adam, since you seem to have all the answers, what am I supposed to do about it?”  

Well, first of all, you’re not alone. I’m guilty of this too. I get distracted by good things. My schedule is full of good things; things that need done; needs that should be met; obligations that I signed up for. I’m in this too. This post is for me as much as for you, maybe even more so.

But here’s what I am learning: God has some simple steps to stop being so busy and refocus.

Nehemiah was a guy who got things done. And just a quick scan of the Book of Nehemiah gives us 3 steps we can take to reclaim our mission and focus on the great things God wants us to.

1. Realize the Need.

If you don’t see the need to do something different, then you’re not going to change, and the situation is simply going to get worse. In Nehemiah 1, we see how Nehemiah heard about the bad shape Jerusalem was in. The city wall was destroyed, the citizens were discouraged. It was a mockery of God.

We need to realize that there is a problem in our lives. It may be our schedule reveals some deep needs in our lives that we’re trying to meet apart from the redemptive work of Christ, like trying to earn acceptance or praise of others. Or it could be that we just need to realize we’re not making enough time for what really counts. And that’s what leads me to the next step.

2. Reflect on priorities.

The first thing Nehemiah did when he got to Jerusalem was he took a trip around the city to see for himself what was really going on. He checked out the city, inside and out. He did this in secret, not making a show, so he would get an unbiased outlook.

What are you really doing with your time? Have you ever added up the time each week you devote to each task? Have you identified the absolute essentials? We often say “I need to do this or go there…” But that’s not really accurate, is it? Is anyone holding a gun to your head saying you MUST sign the kids up for dance, intro to yoga, softball, and concert band at the same time, in the same week? Did anyone really force to you say yes to helping with the Committee to Appoint More Committees to Do Nothing?

I’m not saying those things are bad. In fact, I think there is a lot of value in those things. What I am saying is that you and I need to reflect on what is most important.

When Nehemiah went around Jerusalem, I’m sure he saw lots of things that needed attention. Streets needed cleaned of debris. Markets needed set up. Wells needed re-dug. Civic institutions needed revamped. But first and foremost, the walls needed built. It was only when Jerusalem was secure could they deal with other important things.

Focus on the priorities before you commit your time to lesser things.

3. Refuse to get distracted.

In Nehemiah 6, some bad dudes named Sanballat and Tobiah were trying to con Nehemiah out of finishing the work on the wall. They didn’t like what was happening. Because when Nehemiah realized the need, reflected on what needed to get done first, and started focusing on the most important things, amazing things happened.

Nehemiah 4:6 tells us that they had completed half of the work in what seemed like record time, because they were focused on it.

So Sandy and Toby didn’t like this. They thought, “Hey, lets get Nehemiah to come to a meeting. He’ll get distracted and then the work will stop.”

Satan and his minions will try to keep you from the most important things. Sure, take another meeting, it’s just one more night away from home. Yeah, sign up for the community group project, it’s just one thing. They need help with coaching Little League? Well, I mean, my kids on the team, so sign me up. Again, good things, but if they take us away from our main goal, they could be distractions.

Nehemiah told his tempters, “Sorry guys, I’m busy doing a GREAT work and I can’t come down and talk. If I stop now, I may not get back.” (Nehemiah 6:3, paraphrased).

It’s so difficult to do this. People will get disappointed. You will feel like you’re letting down your friends. But perhaps they just don’t understand how GREAT the work you’re doing really is.

Next post, I’ll outline some simple ideas to free up time in your schedule.

Walking A New Path

A New Path

Today our family begins a new chapter in our story. It's an unexpected chapter, one we never saw in the Table of Contents, one we didn't choose or wish for.

Today, Sophia, our middle child, was diagnosed with epilepsy. She had a seizure on Monday morning, three months to the day since her first and up to now only episode. It has been a long week, but now we have some answers. And yet, at the same time we have even more questions. I'd like to say that this post has some great point, but frankly at this point I am just processing.

Epilepsy? Really? Isn't that when you have convulsions frequently? My mind is running with stories of people I know with epilepsy. Interestingly, Christina told me that she learned from the doctor that Epilepsy is kind of an automatic diagnosis when there is no other known cause of seizures. Epilepsy is not a one-faceted disease. It is varied and encompasses numerous and diverse symptoms and reactions.

So, we've begun a medical regimen that will last at least two years. Two years! That's half of the life she has lived so far! Hard to fathom.

But I'm glad we have an idea of what's going on. I'm thankful for all the love and support our family has received just the past few days. The texts, the calls, the visits, the offers of help. They mean a lot. Frankly, we're tired. Christina and I are at just drained. Trying to understand this as best we can, while raising three kids and all while in the midst of the busiest week of the year for me (Holy Week). It's an adventure that I don't recall having signed up for.

But that's the way it goes. Life is a continual unfolding of God's story for us. He's not freaked out by this. He knew what He was doing when He formed Sophia. He knew this would happen before time began, and somehow He will be glorified in all of this.

Sophia obviously doesn't have a grasp of what is going on. But she's brave. So many kids her age are scared of doctors and hospitals. But not Sophie. Oh, she's not the biggest fan of them, but she has been a real trooper this week. 

By the way, I'm not going to call Sophia an epileptic. She will not be defined by this. This doesn't change who she is, it just affects her. She is defined by God's love for her. She's defined by her piercing blue eyes, her love of animals, her love of families, and her love of all things purple.

It's only fitting that the color of Epilepsy Awareness is Purple... It's her favorite.

Each of my kids have taught me so much. May Sophia teach me to be brave. And to trust God more each and every day.

Twisted: The Root of All Evil

This past Sunday at Mount Hermon Church we finished the series "Twisted" where we looked at the most some of the most commonly misunderstood Bible passages. 
You can listen to Sunday's message here: Twisted: Root of All Evil.

One of the key thoughts I shared was this: When we think "What I really need is more money," we're deceived. Money is not the answer to our deepest needs. JESUS IS! We don't need more money, we need more Jesus.

So as you go through the week, and maybe think, "I need more money. More money would make my life easier right now." Remember, Jesus is the answer to your greatest needs. Money isn't bad. But loving it is more dangerous than you can imagine.

So let's pursue Jesus instead of money. He's the real answer to our problems, the real source of our joy, the genuine provider of security and forgiveness.

Hey, are you a pastor, church leader, or Bible study facilitator? You need to check out Open.Church! They are a group of several churches who give away everything they do for free! From sermon outlines, to teaching videos, to church graphics, to original worship music. Open.Church has saved me countless hours of detail work. For this series, Twisted, I was able to use graphics and other media to give the message some extra oomph. I was able to take the outline for this series, and customize it to make it my own. Again, you need to check them out.

What About the Lies?

As the church where I serve, Mount Hermon UB, has grown, so has the amount of criticism that I and our church face. And while I’m all about constructive criticism, because I want to get better at what I do, there is one thing I don’t handle as well: lies about me or the organization I serve.

I’m not talking about differing opinions, or even differing interpretations of the facts. Those aren’t lies, those are opinions, and like bellybuttons, nearly everyone has one. And like bellybuttons, just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you need to tell and show the whole world. Congrats. We get it.

But lies. What do you do about the lies? In our era of social media, they go viral, are shared dozens of times, or at least seen dozens of times by people before you even have time to see them for yourself, let alone react. Don’t we have a duty to correct, to rectify an injustice?

When the lie is about you, or even your organization, I’m going to say, under most circumstances, NO. Yes, that goes against every instinct we have. That goes against our pride, our righteous indignation. But it’s usually the right call.

See, getting into an argument with someone who is lying about you is like wrestling a pig. You both get dirty and only one of you is going to like it. Reminds me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” (ESV) I know that may not be the proper exegesis of this passage, it just reminds me of what happens when you engage a person spreading lies about you.

So what do we do? Here’s 5 STEPS to deal with lies and the lying liars who lie.

1.  Recognize This Isn’t Personal, But Spiritual.

“But Adam, of course it’s personal, they’re talking about me!” While technically correct, remember the words of Paul the Apostle to the church at Ephesus: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (NLT)

I know Billy Bob may be telling a lie about you, but the issue isn’t Billy Bob himself. It’s the forces of the enemy, Satan, trying to take you down or to discourage you. See, if the Devil can get you to give up, or to sin while trying to defend yourself, he wins. The problem isn’t the person who’s lying. It’s the underlying spiritual issues.

Is that person saved? Is that person going through some sort of traumatic life circumstance? After all, hurting people hurt people. I’m not saying that they have a pass to say whatever they want. No one ever has a pass to say whatever they want (including you). But the issues are deeper.

2. If There is a Specific Accusation or Attack, Refute It Once And Move On.

But if it’s specific enough, refute it ONCE. Don’t be constantly trying to defend yourself. Again, then you find yourself in an argument that you can not win. But if you refute it, then the people whom are closest to you can say, “Nope, Jane didn’t do that. She refuted that charge.” I believe that your character will show the truth, at least to those open minded enough to give you the benefit of the doubt.

We have to be very careful about continually insisting on our innocence, because it then becomes very easy for us to think we are fighting the battle. It becomes easy for us to insist on our own righteousness. It becomes about our justification.

And for the Christian, we recognize that a, we’re not always innocent, in fact we have sinned just as everyone else has. B, It is God who is to fight for us. Vengeance is His. He promises to deal with it. C, apart from Christ, we have no righteousness. Sorry but without Jesus you might as well be guilty of what they’re accusing you of. And lastly, your justification comes only from what Jesus did for you on the cross, not from the opinions of others or the reputation you or your organization enjoy.

3. If You Have a Personal Relationship with Them, Reach Out. 

Now this can be tricky. But if it’s someone you have had a decent report with in the past, someone whom you have been in relationship with before, try to reach out to them. Humility is key here. Don’t reach out with a “What the heck are you doing” attitude. But humbly, kindly, ask them what is going on. Do they have a misunderstanding of what occurred? Perhaps they aren’t mentally well, and are lashing out? Ask them to correct the matter to the best of their ability.

They likely won’t listen. But you have fulfilled your obligation as stated in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceable with all.”

4. Keep Going. 

If the enemy can get you distracted, he’s won. You’re likely getting attacked because you are doing something worthwhile. Keep reaching people for Jesus. Keep being kind to others. Keep making the difference in people’s lives.

In the Book of Nehemiah, there is a guy named (wait for it) Nehemiah who is rebuilding the walls around the desolated city of Jerusalem. And people don’t want him to continue. They try to discourage him by trying to scare him and his workers. That doesn’t work so they resort to telling lies. “Hey Nehemiah, come down from the wall so we can talk about all the stuff you’re doing.”

Nehemiah’s response is great: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you.” (Nehemiah 6:3b ESV)

Did you catch that? “Sorry guys, I am too busy to play your game or get caught up in your little drama.”

Man, if more of us would keep going, imagine what we would get accomplished!

5. Bless Them.

 Yep, you read that right. Bless them. Jesus told us repeatedly to love our enemies. Bless those who curse you and lie about you. Why? Because that demonstrates the genuineness of our faith in Christ. It shows the world the power of God’s love.

Paul tells us to repay evil with good in Romans 12:14-21. In verse 20-21 Paul says, “To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

I hope I have given you some steps you can take when people say false things about you. It hurts. And it’s okay to hurt. But allow God to use this to shape your character to more reflect the image of Christ. He is for you. And you are never alone.

Be sure to share this post if it has helped you, and leave a comment.

Master, Savior, Friend

I used to write a lot in my "younger" days. Mostly sappy stuff to impress girls with how sensitive I was. Yeah, I burned most of that stuff.

But writing is often how I process things. I'm a visual guy, so while I may be a speaker by profession, I often manuscript out my talks, speeches, and thoughts before hand.

But I'm learning that writing may also be one of those ways that I draw closer to Christ. Today as I was cleaning up around the house, in the peaceful quiet of a fall afternoon, some thoughts just came to me:

Jesus is so much! He's my King. He's my Redeemer or forgiver. And He's also one who cares. He's my Master, Savior, and Friend.

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV) says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Emphasis mine) Jesus is that friend. And for some reason lately, that particular attribute of Christ has meant so much more to me than it has for a long time.

So to took out a word doc and typed what just came to mind and then edited it for clarity's sake. Maybe this blesses you. Maybe it inspires you. Or maybe it does nothing for you. Either way, here ya go:

There’s a name that I call
When I’m just about to fall
There’s king who left heaven for me
There is One who won’t delay
He’ll guide each step of the way
He’s my master, my savior, my friend


Chorus:
So I cry Jesus, lead me
Jesus, forgive me
Jesus, come lead me home
I will love you
I will obey you
I will always draw from you.
You’re my master, my Savior, my friend

You lead me from empty cisterns
That no water can hold
You bring me to fountains with water untold
You renew, You restore
You’re the Way, You’re the Door
You’re My Master, My Savior, My Friend
(Chorus)

 There are days I am afraid
That I’ll lose my way
But You come and lead me towards home.
You bring light, You bring life
You lead us on through the night
You’re Our Master, Our Savior, Our Friend

(Chorus)

Bridge:
So We cry, Jesus Lead us
Jesus forgive us
Jesus, come lead us home.
We will always love you
Help us to draw from you.
You’re Our Master, Our Savior, Our Friend.


No matter what we go through
The same old same old or brand new
You will center us in your will
So be our Master, lead us onward
Be our Savior, forgive us forward
Be our brother, our closest friend

(Chorus)

Welcome... Let's Try This Again

Let's Try This Again...

After reading the blogs of several of my friends I have decided it is time to try this blog thing again. So here we go. Fasten your seat belts. Welcome.

I'm not new to this blogging thing. I did it before. You can click on my profile to view my previous blog "Out of Eden". It was a double play on words-- my name being Adam as well as the fact that at the time I was the pastor of Eden Church.  Because SO MUCH has happened in the YEARS since I last blogged on Out Of Eden, I thought I would start afresh instead of trying to fill in all the gaps.

For those of you who aren't familiar with me, lets get to a few basics. My name is Michael Adam Edward Will, but please call me Adam. I never really liked my first name and have rarely used it except for legal and/or identification purposes. And please, don't call me Mike. Whenever I hear Michael Will, I usually think of my father, that being his name. Fun fact- There has been a Michael and an Adam Will in every generation of my family as back as about 1650. As far as the Will's that I am in close connection with, I am the only one with either. But anyway...

My wife Christina and I recently bought our first home, which happens to be just down the road from my family farm where I grew up and my family has lived for nearly 200 years. I am surrounded by my history, which in some ways is haunting and yet encouraging at the same time. The geography reminds me of some things in my past I'd rather forget, while I am also reminded of how blessed I have been. 

So let's try this again.

I like that idea of trying something again. Don't you? See, whether it's blogging, marriage, finances, or any aspect of our lives, we make mistakes and want to start over again. That's why I am so grateful that Jesus offers us second chances. As I get ready turn 30, I have been evaluating many life choices and priorities. I have been blessed to be the owner of a small business that is really starting to take off, at least for me. I have two beautiful daughters. I have a wife that loves me unconditionally and makes  me want to be a better person. Life is full right now. Maybe too full. So if nothing else, maybe this blog will help me to sort life out and hopefully provide some entertainment and encouragement along the way.

So Welcome- Let's Try This Again.