Christian

Get to work

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Eph 2:10 says that God created a work for us to do. More specifically it says “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT).

That is pretty awesome. First God says we are a masterpiece, something special, something more than just worthwhile, but great because of Him. That is something that takes a long time to really understand. The God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth. The thinker of stars and galaxies says “I have made you a masterpiece” then He goes so far as to say “I also made something for you to do.” Not only does He take great delight in the work of His hand but He says now go and do likewise.

The main point I want to get across is that while we all have a calling from God, we also have smaller works too. I think everyone will look back at their life and see an overarching work you did. Something you will be remembered for. It might be compassion, or mercy, or love, or gentleness, or passion, but whatever it is there is something you will be known for. But there are smaller works for you to do sometimes within that scope and sometimes outside of it. For example, when you leave the house today to go grocery shopping God could have it in place for you to pay for someone’s food. Maybe He will have you in place to encourage someone who is grieving. It could be as simple as just being an amazing presence in your home to show God’s goodness. Whatever it is God has a plan/work for you today and we can easily miss it.

We can miss it if we think that today is just another day. If we decide that today has no real or lasting importance we can miss our job for the day. I think that we should all take a minute (30 seconds maybe) to ask God a pointed question that can change the whole day. I think we should take just a moment to ask God if He has something He wants us to do today. After all, we call Jesus Lord and Savior. We do not just get a Savior but a Lord as well.

The lawnmower didn’t change

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Phil 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

A while back I had not cut the grass for 3 or 4 weeks. It was due to a mix of it raining every time I did have a chance and being lazy (not sure which played a bigger part). The result was the same; the lawn was out of control. I mean it was probably 8-12 inches high in some spots. Also, I should mention I had 50% grass 50% weeds. Not to mention my front yard had a pretty decent slope. All this together created a nightmare of a time. My little walk behind had a terrible time keeping up and didn’t at times. What usually took me 30-35 minutes to cut took over an hour and then it still took me about 45-50 minutes each time after that. It drove me crazy because it was always hard to cut. I had complained a lot about my stupid mower. I could not understand why that stupid thing would not cut the grass… Then I had an epiphany. It was not the mower.

I had always cut it down to the lowest or second lowest setting. Now I was on the highest or second highest setting. Because I let it get out of control I could barely manage to keep it under control. It is a lot like our spiritual life. If we walk away from Bible Study, Prayer, Fellowship, etc. then things start to grow out of control. When we come back to it we are expecting our normal effort to produce an extraordinary result. The lawnmower did not change the request, however, did. My Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship has not changed after not attending to these things but the lawn I expect them to take care of has overgrown. What is then required is either a bigger tool or repetitive use of the tools.

In order to deal with the overgrowth, I would have to go back and mow the lawn a few times or I needed someone with a more powerful (and hopefully riding) mower to intercede on my behalf. If I walk too far away from Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship then when I come back I need either a drastic move from God or more Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship to help cut down the overgrowth. The same thing applies. I sometimes think that the rules of life do not apply to spiritual things but sometimes they do. We need to be diligent in dealing with our relationship to God. He has promised to not quit on us but we have a part to play in the relationship with Him. That is why it is called a relationship.

ooh Mr Kotter, Mr Kotter

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:16

Most believers know this verse and we know that it means the Bible is the Word of God and we can and should trust Scripture, but let me drop this thought on you. If Scripture is from God then it is Holy, and if it is Holy then we must treat it as Holy, that means to set it apart. We do not drop parts of Scripture here and there pasting bits and pieces like decoupage. No we must care for it and use it in it’s proper and rightful places. Some non-believers run around throwing out Scripture bombs because they do not understand it but we have an understanding and are called to treat it properly.

I have been given the privilege to share the word with some middle school boys today and I give it as much thought and prayer as I did when I spoke in the prisons, to congregations, or in weekly Bible studies because the avenue is not of importance, but the Word is of utmost importance. It does not matter if you speak to hundreds, thousands, or 1 the Word of God is mighty and the fact that you get the privilege to read it and share it is a gift from God. Do not take it lightly.

Just a thought,
Mike

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
James 3:1

Grace & Truth

/ Mike Farley / 1 Comment

John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”  

The suffix ian means belonging to, coming from, resembling, adhering to or following, and expert in.  It can be used to form a noun or an adjective.  Add that to the word Christ and you get Christian, someone who belongs to the Christ, coming from the Christ, resembling the Christ, or adheres to the Christ.

That means like John 1:17 I should have Grace and Truth coming from me. If it comes from Jesus it should also come from me because I have Christ in me, and I am suppose to resemble Him.  If you travel abroad you will hear people talk about the American attitude.  We are loud, and proud, and have a sense of entitlement.  Before you can do anything people expect that from you.  It should be the same way with different traits of Jesus.  Do people, when they find out I am a Christian expect to have Grace and Truth come from me, and regardless of that answer do I show Grace and Truth?

To be honest yes…..sometimes.  Sometimes I am a little more Truth, and sometimes I am a little more Grace (not always in the proper ratio).  Both are great and very important but there is something about the proper mixture of Grace and Truth that makes it fantastic.  It is not baking a cake where you always use equal parts of each and you can do it without thinking.  Having Grace and Truth flow from you means thinking in each situation.  Sometimes you need a lot of Truth and enough Grace to show the love of God, but sometimes you need only a little Truth to confirm something and so much Grace that people are overwhelmed by God’s great love.

I want to be known for having Grace and Truth.  If someone says “Hey do you know Mike?” I want them to think “Grace and Truth.”  I figure if I have Christ living in me, and I am in Christ, and I have the mind of Christ,  then I should be able to do this.  I want to do this.  

Just a thought,

Mike

Think about that

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Philippians 4:8: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Oh have I got a word for you today my friends.  It is a Greek word that has many meanings that are and can be used in a variety of ways.  The word is logizomai.  In the verse above it is the word behind think.  Think as used above means to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reason, to deliberate.   That might not seem like much at first but if you look at Romans 4:8 “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”  Impute here is the same word think in Philippians 4:8 logizomai.  In both these cases it is translated differently but the meaning behind it is the same count up and deliberate.

What is the point of all this?  Well I have two points.  First is think about the good things, and I mean really think about them.  Count them up and spend time thinking about them, just like you might be inclined to about the bad things.  You can’t help but think about the bad things when something is going on so you must force yourself to think about the good things.  Remember how God loves you, Jesus died and rose for you, you wife or husband loves you, your children, or what have you.  You have good things you can think about.  It doesn’t mean you ignore the bad things that need to be addressed but you do not give them the power to control the rest of your thoughts.  

Second is God does not count or weigh your sin against you.  He does not logizomai them.  Instead He sees you in Christ.  Sure there might be things that He wants to and will refine in you, but it is done from the position of love for His child.  That is pretty awesome if you ask me.  

Just a logizomai,

Mike  

Who does this guy think he is?

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Let me say that I do not know this for certain but I would imagine that Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, DL Moody, AW Tozer, and others did not have instant success in the ministry.  I would imagine there were times in the beginning where their names were not what a person wanted to see on the invitation.  Whether it be the pastor of a church, a person receiving the invitation to attend the meeting or what have you.  At the starting point their names did not bring in a crowd.  I can imagine a pastor wanting to have a revival meeting and seeing their name on the list thought to themselves “can we not find a real preacher?”  Now however (if they were all still alive) they could send a letter to almost anyone and the recipients would be elated at the possibility.  

I am not saying that I have nearly the oratory skills or Biblical knowledge of these men but I do have two things in common with them.  One is passion for lost and hurting people.  A deep longing and desire to see people come to faith in Christ, and not just those outside the church.  I long to see those that know Him come into a closer and more intimate relationship with Him.  Second is Jesus.  I serve the same Lord as they do.  You see it was not their name that got them to where they were it was His name.  

The Bible says Jesus has a name above all names, He has a place of supremacy above all else, and it is in His name that I go.  In my own name I will not go far, and right now I am nowhere (at least it feels that way) but I serve a great and mighty King.  One who does not call just to abandon.  He does not give passion without a way to live it out.  Even though it feels that way right now I know He will make good on His calling as long as I am open, willing, and obedient (and Lord knows I am trying).  

A verse that has stuck with me for about 10 years now is Numbers 23:19.  It says “God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent.  Has He not said and will He not do, has He not spoken and will He not make it come to pass”  Now that is a promise if I have ever heard one.  It says that when God says it that settles it, and I love that.  I have had a few “dreams” in my life that I know where from God.  One was how He showed me I would learn.  It was and is beautiful, but it is a hard road because it bucks the conventional system.  It is a path that not many walk, and to be honest I do not always want to walk it because it is harder than the standard path.  But it is what He as for me.  So even though I cannot send letters to churches and get a response because my “name” is not what someone expects or wants to see, I do go in a “name” that is beyond what my name could ever be.

So who does this guy think he is?  He is a son of God and servant of Jesus Christ, and that is a name to be proud of.

Just a thought,

Mike

Kinda like Gatorade but different

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

What does it mean to quench the Holy Spirit?  Is He something that can be put out?  I mean Gatorade quenches thirst and then thirst is gone.  Can you get rid of the third person of the Trinity?  Loaded question, and if I was smart I would have started this entry off a little different so I did not have to answer it.  Oh well here we go.

First is no you cannot “get rid” of the Holy Spirit.  He is always there giving gifts, showing correction, leading to the Savior, and restraining evil.  You cannot make Him go away by ignoring Him, and choosing not to listen.  It just won’t happen.  He will be there gently, and lovingly  nudging you.  So there is that you cannot make Him leave or disappear.  There is a day when He will be removed but that has to the end times and not you not wanting to listen.

So what is it you can do?  What is the quenching then?  Think of like a relationship.  You have at least one relationship in your life I assume.  With that relationship if you do not nurture it, foster it, take care of it, or work on it then it starts to fade.  After a while you don’t talk much anymore, and if you do it feels a little awkward because you are really not sure what to say.  You end up talking about things of no real importance or significance because the closeness is gone.  You no longer have that deep connection.  The connection where you are starting to think the same thing as the other person.  It’s just not there.

That is what it means to quench or do with stifle the Holy Spirit.  You don’t listen anymore, you don’t talk, and on those rare occasions when you do it is awkward and you only talk about the weather.  Time with the Holy Spirit can be so much more.  The Holy Spirit is the one teaching and guiding you to Jesus who then leads you to the Father.  It all starts with Him.  Spend time with Him, let Him reveal things to you.  Let Him instruct and teach you about the Savior.  Then when He gives you are hard direction you can take it because you trust him and have developed that relationship.

Just a thought,

Mike

Big Picture, Little Picture

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

I love big picture, little picture.  It’s a little game God plays with me.  You’ve probably played it to.  It is where He shows you something and then tells you to keep watching.  For example I have read James 4:7-10 a few times this past week and I saw the big picture.  Namely; humbling yourself before God is the only way to be lifted up and beat things you might be fighting.  If you resist the devil you also turn to God.  It is not you who defeats the thing you fighting but God.  Rely on Him and He will pull you through it.  I know this and it is good stuff that I need to remember.

But wait there is more.  There must be because I have read this like 5 times and can see something but it is all fuzzy and I cannot make it out.  Then it hit me.  If you want a different outcome you have to change something.  

OK this one is tough to pull out of these verses but track with me for a minute and I promise to try and make sense of this.

James 4:7-10 “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”

I am not very good at knowing what the different conjunctions and parts of speech are, but there are 8 instead ofs, or in place ofs.  You know like this instead of that….Ya dig.  

OK so here is the deal.  If you want something different you need to do something different.  So lets say sin is the problem you’re facing.  Well to defeat it you resist the devil and he will flee, you just tell him no and then come close to God.  The devil cannot occupy the same space as God (Job I know but thats a weird one because he was summonsed, and theres more to it).  Lets make it simpler and say chocolate cake is the issue.  Well just don’t buy it, and if it is in the house don’t eat it.  Instead eat a banana.  Cake and a Banana cannot occupy the same space in your mouth at the same time.  You have to do something different.  

Everything is like this.  If you want different results in your life you have to make different choices.  If you want to be healthy then you have to do healthy things instead of unhealthy (not just physically folks).  I know what you are thinking; Mike I appreciate this but I already know this, and it’s easier said than done.  My response is first I know that and that is why it is called a principal.  Second is if you know it then why are you not doing it?  Because it’s hard?  No because you don’t want to thats why.  You do hard stuff all the time, but you don’t make the choices you need to make because you don’t want to.  Guess what that is OK.  Just be honest about it.  Difficulty has almost  nothing to do with it, desire is almost all of it.

I get it there are some cases that are different.  There are some cases that are so extreme I would a total jerk to not feel bad for them.  But by and large those are the ones that inspire us.  Those are the ones that move us.  Those are the ones that give us hope, that give us drive to move on and accomplish.  Check out Nicholas James Vujicic and then tell me how hard things cannot be done.

So today either admit you don’t want to and stop whining, or start making different choices and see how God lifts you up.

Just a thought,

Mike

Another Year, Another Word

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Another year has come and gone.  A new year is upon us and that means it’s time for a new word.  First let me explain what the word is for any who do not know me.  Each year instead of a New Year’s resolution my family each picks a word.  Just one word that we want to pursue for the year.  Last year I picked audacious along with most of it’s variants.  While that word is typically used negatively I wanted to be positively audacious in all I did.  I wanted to go for broke, hold nothing back and be so daring it scared the crap out of me.  In my relationship with my wife, children, family, friends, and most importantly with God.  I wanted to trust God so much that I dared to do the impossible.  Of course I needed to be wise in my choices of what to go for so it required a lot of prayer to make sure I was going to make the correct jump.  Jesus says to carefully consider before you build (Luke 14:28-29) so that is what I did.  I am pretty happy as the year ends to say I lived my word.

Now before I tell you my new word let me make one more point about the word.  First for years I made New Year’s resolutions and every year I failed.  I might have had some success but by and large I failed.  I think a lot of people are the same way, and you may be hesitant about picking a word but let me tell you a secret.  I don’t pick the word on my own.  I spend time talking to God about it.  If I picked the word on my own I would probably fail, but by talking to God about it first I have a greater chance of success.  Last year God worked with me on being more bold and confident in my prayer life, and relationships, and decisions.  I am thankful God set up a sort of plan for me saying Mike this year I am going to make you daring and more determined.

So 2014 is brought to you by the word INSPIRE.  I want to be inspired, and I want to inspire.  My goal is to look for ways to be inspired whether by people, nature, movies, books, actions, or what have you .  I going to actively look for inspiration, and I am going to be more intentional about inspiring others.  There is such joy in knowing you played a part of someone deciding they CAN.  Seeing someone finally decide to shred the pain, or frustration, or aggravation, or whatever and do it.  Knowing you played a part in that changes you just as much as them, it pushes you harder, makes you want to go further, do better.  This year will be an inspirational year.

God says in Isaiah 55:11  “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  That is pretty amazing.  God says if I am going to send my word out it will accomplish what I have sent it to do.  That is why I take the word for the year seriously, and talk to God about it.  Because if He says “Mike this year I will Inspire” then it will be accomplished.  

So here is to a great year everyone.  Remember that you can do this, you can make it through this, and you will get there.  There is a God who loves you and who wants you to rejoice.

Just a thought,

Mike

2 sides of the same coin (or Jedi vs Sith)

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Do you have something that you consider a fault?  Something that some people find a bit annoying?  For example I am what some call stubborn.  When I decide to do something I do it and thats that.  I don’t usually consider quitting an option.  If you ask my daughter what Farley means she will tell you “we never give up.”  I have told her that for years, and now believes it most of the time.  Now I will admit that the trait itself can be bad, but it can also be good.  The flip side of the stubborn coin is persistence, and everyone knows persistence is a good thing.  I find that odd because they are the same trait, one is used negatively and the other positively.  It is all about how you use it.  Don’t believe me just watch Star Wars.  The force is the force but you can either be Jedi or Sith.  You use the same power.  Generally speaking stubborn means you think something then do it.  Persistence on the other hand usually means it was carefully thought out ahead of time and planning was made (usually).  

So whats the point of my little message there?  God made you for a purpose.  He has given you gifts to use.  You can use them for good (Jedi) or bad (Sith), but you have to make a choice.  You have to decide to use them wisely and be more than a conqueror or foolishly and be conquered.  It is up to you.

Just a thought,

Mike