"Fat Doctors"

Have you ever seen a fat doctor?  You wonder, how come they don't follow their own advice?  Many doctors are specialists in a particular area and their main problem is the very thing that they specialize in.

It makes you wonder how did they ever get good in the area that they specialize in.  But doctors all over the world are solving problems, helping people get healed, and advising people to make changes that will have a lasting impression on their lives.

I was thinking of the recent stories in the news, of a few pastors that have gotten into trouble over bad decisions and unacceptable actions.  We have a lot of "Fat Doctors" in ministry and leadership.

People who are good at teaching others what to do, but not following the teaching themselves.  What has happened that as leaders we have become comfortable with "selling" what we have not "bought" yet ourselves?

In leadership, we become so consumed with helping others and seeing results, that we forget to stop and take the "pills of principles" that we prescribe out daily to others.

How much more effective would we be if all our words were confirmed with actions, that show the instructions we give to people really work?

I challenge those who are in leadership, ministry, and positions of influence not to be "Fat Doctors".

"Big Fifth Grader"

Repeating a grade.  Nobody likes it, but sometimes it is necessary.  The learning, growth, and development that was supposed to take place during this time period just simply didn't happen.  And if the child did advance to the next grade, they would not have the skills required to succeed at this level.

As a parent, this can be a tough decision to make.  On one hand, you want your child to be in their "right" grade, not get teased for "sticking", and stay with friends they have went to school with since kinder garden.  On the other hand, you want what's best for your child in the long run.  And you don't want your child to constantly struggle through the years ahead.

If the decision to repeat a grade is made, many times the child is upset.  This is understandable.  A lot of times, they will have the same teachers, same classes, and same tests.  Their friends and peers go on and leave them to the next level of education.

I was thinking about this idea of "sticking" when it comes to our spiritual lives.  A lot of us are frustrated with being on the same level spiritually that we have been on for years.

God desires to have a closer relationship with us and take us to higher levels of faith, knowledge, and  revelation of Him and His kingdom.   We have bigger "kingdom assignments" to accomplish in our lifetime, but many of us are stuck taking the same tests of years ago.

As a result, we have become a population with a lot of "big fifth graders", in a spiritual sense.   A lot of us have been saved, going to church, and have had a relationship with Christ for 10, 20, 30 years, but still spiritually immature.

Some of us even have the nerve to be angry at the people who have advanced to new levels, dimensions, and realms of faith.   This anger, jealously, and also guilt are the very stumbling blocks that prevent spiritual growth.

We have to realize that in order to advance in the Kingdom of God, their must be times of testing, trials, and hardships.  These are the training grounds for advancement in the Kingdom.  Out of ignorance, frustration, and the lack of perseverance that we quit, fail, or drop out of the very things that were sent to help us.

This scripture sums this up the best:  All this is evidence that God's judgement is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
2 Thessalonians 1:5   

 We are kingdom citizens, and the kingdom of God rises under pressure.  Let us be mindful of this as we go through the tests, trials, and hardships in life.  Nobody likes to be the "big fifth grader"!

"Offended By God"

I couldn't believe it.  This can't be right.  "Something" must be wrong.  I couldn't understand why this was happening to me.

You see, at this particular point in my life, I thought I had it all together with my relationship with Christ.  I went to church, prayed, read my bible, fasted, taught bible study, etc......  I felt that I had faith, and a pretty good relationship with the Lord.

What I couldn't understand is why the closer I got to the Lord, the worst things started going for me.  I had basically left a career, to devote my time to ministry and fulfilling His purpose for my life.

My faith was running low.  The pressure of being a husband, a father, and provider was looming.  And to top it all off, the lack of what I thought was success in ministry caused me to doubt the whole reason I was going through all this in the first place.

Cars started going, accounts got closed, and relationships were strained.  Then--- I got angry, no, I got offended.  Offended by God.  How could He allow someone who had given his life to Him and His will allow me to go through all this?  How come I wasn't being delivered from this?  I could count off and quote a dozen scriptures that said I "win"!

I was so offended, that I questioned my calling, I questioned "Church", and I questioned what being a follower of Christ was really all about.  As I evaluated all of these things, I decided that I was going to have a relationship with God, "by myself", and "my way".

My perception got distorted.  I started thinking, "well, since God isn't going to help me, I have to do things my own the best way I can."  I felt alone, and "forced" to do things my way.

What I didn't realize is that I was being tested.  The things I was going through, were the training grounds for my assignment in life.  The hardships were building a platform that would last, for me to stand on.  But, I failed the test, and went through even more things than I had to, and longer than I had to.  I had become the "big fifth grader".  I had "stuck", and had to repeat the "spiritual semester" of my life.

You see, as many scriptures that I had that said I shouldn't have gone through this,  there were an equal amount, or more, of scriptures that said that I had to go through this!

What I am suggesting is that we don't get offended by God when we go through things, or if we go through things a lot longer than we think we should.  God is testing us, training us, and building us up for our assignments in life.

The bible says that we must endure hardship, persevere, and trust in Lord with all our heart.  What I learned, was if I would have held on a little longer,  kept my faith, and persevered, deliverance was just around the corner.

In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33