The Key to Greatness.

Most of us have heroes…typically sports figures. Football might be Tom Brady; Basketball could be MJ. Women’s gymnastics is probably Simone Biles. These are the people who have sacrificed a lot to be the greatest of all time. They usually say having a great coach, practice and trusting your skill set are the things to make you the GOAT. But what does Jesus of Nazareth say will make you the GOAT?

Initially, there was no clue to his greatness. He was born in a barn to poor parents who eventually became refugees in another country. His dad was a blue collar worker. Jesus was so ordinary early on that we don’t even know about 17 years of his life.

But the 33 years Jesus had on earth changed the course of human history. His life affected the medical field, the academic field. theology. You can go to the graves of world-be world changers but you can’t go to Jesus’ grave because he isn’t there. And the Bible paints a greatest-of-all-time picture of Jesus.

Just read John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-17 and Hebrews 1:1-3. You’ll see the authors remind us that Jesus existed before time began and that everything we know was created through him and for him. He is the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus is the greatest of all time. So what does the GOAT say is the key to greatness?

Jesus says, “Be last”. Jesus says in Matthew 20:26-27, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” Jesus would never ask us to do anything that he hasn’t already done. Jesus left glory, heaven, authority, peace, purity to be pour into a human body and live on earth. He gave up kingship in order to be a servant.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-11 how Jesus left heaven and what he did on earth. Jesus is setting an example for us that in a “me-first” world, a “be-last” life is different. And Paul says “you must” in verse 5 reminding us that if we follow Jesus, looking like him is imperative…it’s not an option.

So focus on the one question this week: “What does ‘be-last’ look like for me?” If you are like me, I could make a list fairly quickly of 10 things I need to change. But if I make a list, I won’t do any of them. So, focus on one thing. What’s one thing that would help you be last this week?

There are so many ways you can look like Jesus this week. Following Jesus will cost me something. My hope is the Spirit will reveal to you exactly what you need to work on. In a me-first world, following Jesus looks very different. Blessings on the journey.

Pray for Change.

When have you prayed like there’s no tomorrow? I mean one of those prayers that leave your heart pounding and a glisten on your forehead. We have all said those “generic” prayers but how many of us have really prayed for change in our lives and a different self?

David does that in Psalms 139 but before he gets to the meat of his prayer, he acknowledges God is supreme. He knows God is all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. We serve an awesome God who has never been and will never be beaten in any regard. Like David’s prayer in Psalms 139:23-24, we too should be praying for transformation. There are four different parts of the prayer we need to imitate that David prays.

First, we pray for God to search our heart and show us the places we do not look like Jesus. Without Jesus, we don’t have good hearts. Jeremiah knew this as he states in Jeremiah 17:9, ““The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

If we prayed this honestly, what would God show us? Are we prideful, self-centered, or prejudiced? Are we compassion, loving, and forgiving? When you openly pray this, God will show you where your heart truly is and what you might need to work on in order to look more like his son Jesus.

Secondly, we pray for God to show us the things that make us anxious or worried. For each of us, it’s something different. Maybe you are worried about your marriage or your kids. Maybe you are anxious about the career path or being able to pay your bills. What I do know is what we fear the most shows us where we trust God the least. But we cannot be driven by fear if we follow Jesus. God has given us a spirit of boldness, love, and power, not a spirit of timidity.

The third thing David prays for and we should as well is that our sins be uncovered. The things in our life that distance us from Jesus should be revealed so that they no longer hinder our walk. It’s easy to see other people’s sin but much more difficult to see mine. I can point out all the deficiencies in your life but never see how I need to change.

So to help with that, we should ask ourselves three questions: What are others trying to tell me? There are always a handful of people who are jealous and trying to give you false info about yourself. I’m not talking about those folks. But your have 10-12 people in your life you trust and if they are all saying the same thing, maybe it’s time to be aware of what they are revealing to you.

You might ask yourself, what have I rationalized for a time? or where am I most defensive? Those two honest answers will reveal areas of your life you should examine to be more in line with how Jesus would want us to live as his disciple. Ultimately, when sin is revealed, it reminds us as imperfect people there is only one person who can make us right again and his Name is Jesus.

Finally, like David, we ask God to lead us. Once I said “yes” to Jesus, I threw away the script the world gave me and now I live like Jesus would live. So, if someone takes advantage of me, we don’t return with worse action. If someone hits me, I simply walk away. If someone talks poorly about me, I bless them. I follow another way of life…the one Jesus has called me live.

When we pray for God to search us and then lead us, it will totally change and rearrange your life for the better. Jesus can and will change your life for the better. Blessings on the journey.

Rediscovering Joy.

My guess is that most of us have had joyful moments. Those that made our hearts leap and smile. Like when she said “yes”; or you held your first born child in the delivery room. Maybe it was when you achieved some monumental task like graduating college or paying off the student loan debt.

But in Psalms 16, David is going to remind us, no matter your life experience, there’s only one place to find real joy.

I know every time I put faith in my own abilities, I come up short. I know David did that too. He says in verses 1-2 that joy cannot be found in yourself. God has got to be the thing you trust in, put your faith in, find joy in. In just 2 verses, David uses 3 different words for God, each one getting closer in relationship. He says the generic name for God (El) but then uses the very personal, covenantal name of God (YWHW). But finally ending with the Hebrew word, Adonai, which means “Master”. Joy is found not in yourself but in an almighty God. The closer you get to God, the happier you will become.

Secondly, David reminds us joy isn’t found in your troubled companions. See, some of us can’t find real joy in life because you have some friendships that do not care much for God. So if you want to find joy, get rid of the people in your life that are pulling you down. If you want to be more godly, then hang out with Godly people.

Third, joy can’t be found in worldly possessions. Too many times, we fill our lives with material stuff like the house, car, job titles, money…all of which will not get us closer to God. Instead of longing for more stuff, David says long for God and his presence. A sign of mature faith is when you realize that God is all you have and you decide God is all you want. Check out what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6-8.

Finally, David reveals real joy is found in God’s presence. When we consciously seek God in our every day life, God will even instruct us when we are sleeping. I’m reminded that God knows my story and will always be with me (see Isaiah 41:10). I can rest safely because of God’s presence. I can rejoice because of God’s presence. My heart is glad because of God’s presence. Finding God is finding joy.

Consider David, a guy who had everything and did everything. He was king of his country and led armies. He conquered other countries and had untold wealth. His relationships were many. After all he accomplished in life…after all of his experiences, David said real joy is found only in God. So do what you need to in order to pull God closer to your life and when you do, you’ll realize in him is where you will be most happy. Blessings on the journey.