When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, is that what he was asking? Come and sit on the sidelines and cheer while others do the playing. Be enthusiastic about what is happening on the field, but never put yourself out there?

When Jesus calls a person to follow, he asks them also to repent. Repent means to “turn away from.” It calls for a changed life. Following a football team rarely transforms a person’s life. It may add a little excitement and interest, but the person remains the same.

Repent is not a word we use in everyday conversation. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines repent, “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.” It calls for a better life. It calls for action on our part. While God’s spirit works in us to make lasting changes, for only he can change a heart, we must make the decision that we will turn from our sin. We must decide that we are going to follow. It doesn’t happen accidently or automatically by being born into a Christian home or attending church. It involves our will.

Not only do we turn away from something – sin, we turn towards something else, God. We commit ourselves to be followers–to seek God, to live our lives with a new goal. The new question we ask is not what is in my best interest, but what would God have me do, say or think in this situation. It is a transformed way of living. It is not one decision, or one prayer, although that is often where it starts. It is a life full of decisions “to follow.”

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines follower as a. “one in the service of another” b. “one that follows the opinions or teaching of another” c. “one that imitates another”

1. Position – in service. We live to please God, to serve God, to do his bidding. As a follower our life is no longer our own. We have turned from our sin and self service to a life that will glorify Jesus. Our life serves God and others.

 2.     Transformed minds – follow teaching – We study God’s word so that our minds are transformed to think  the way God thinks. When our thinking changes, our behavior changes. It is that simple. Garbage in, garbage out. God’s word in, transformed living out. Just reading the words in the Bible won’t make a difference, but seeking to know and follow God through his Word will.

 3.      Action –imitate Jesus – We follow our transformed thinking with transformed actions and obedience. Life is hard for everyone in some way, and following Jesus isn’t always easy. But the rewards always outweigh the sacrifice.  We will eventually face situations where we make decisions to follow what we know God would want us to do, or we will follow what we want to do. True following involves obedience to the truth on an ongoing basis.

Do any of us follow perfectly? No. Following Jesus is a lifelong undertaking, and our God is a God full of mercy and grace, picking us up when we fall down and helping us to get back on track and continue on the journey.

While our goodness or following can never save us, for only the blood of Jesus on the cross can pay for our sins, we must repent and follow to be saved. It is what Jesus asked of his disciples and what his disciples asked of the world. Are you a follower?

Follow: Over a hundred Bible verses deal with following Jesus. Some Key Verses: Matt. 4:19; Mark 8:34; Matt. 10:38; John 10: 4-5.

My Favorite “Following” Verse: John 8: 12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Follow and you will have light and life.

Repent: Used over fifty times in the New Testament. Some key verses: Mark 1:15; Acts 26:20; Hebrews 6:1; Revelation 3:19.

My Favorite “Repent” verse: Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Repent and you will be refreshed.

Repent and follow. Reap the benefits in this life and in the one to come!

Our definition of greatness may contain some of the following: fame, wealth, power, exceptional skill, intellect or influence. If we conducted a poll, the greatest men and women of the last century may include JFK, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Princess Di, Bill Gates, Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth to name a few.

My personal list of great people includes: Francis Schaeffer, Henry Cloud, Dave Ramsey, Billy Graham, Rick Warren and Mike Huckabee. From the above definition of greatness, they have the qualities of fame, wealth, intelligence and influence. But I value most the positive influence they each have had on thousands, if not millions of people (myself included). To me, they are great men. Not perfect, not without fault, but great none the less. If I were to fulfill greatness based on my definition, it would be to positively influence many people. But is that really greatness?

When I hear preachers promise believers a great life and that God has great plans for them without defining the “great,” it makes me a little uncomfortable. If we automatically assume our default definition of great, we may be way off the mark. God’s definition of “great” stands in contrast to ours like white against gold. White being our understanding of greatness, gold being His. Notice I didn’t use black, because His definition of great isn’t opposite to our typical definition, it is just “different.” And gold is better than white (at least I think so, and since it is my analogy, I’ll use it), as His great is better than our great.

A few of God’s ideas about greatness:

The disciples were arguing about who would be greatest.

Luke 9:47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Evidently they argued about being great more than once.

Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

1. Bottom line, the greatest is the servant.

Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

(see also Mark 9:33-36; 10:37-45, Matthew 18:1-5; 20:20-28)

2. If you are in God’s kingdom, you are greater than John the Baptist, the greatest man born of woman. (Luke 7:28; Matthew 11:11)

5. Faith, hope and love remain. Love is the greatest. (I Corinthians 13:13)

And Christians do have a great life – one receiving grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, love and joy with the freedom through Christ to extend those to others. It is great! A better great!

To recap:

Our definition of greatness– fame, wealth, power, exceptional skill, intellect or influence.
God’s definition of greatness—being a servant, being a child of God, having a gentle/quiet spirit, having genuine faith and love.

Quite a contrast to what we may have first considered “great”! So once again, I’ll ask the question. Are you great?

Our fears can keep us from moving forward, from really living life today and trusting God with our tomorrow. Many times in scripture we are encouraged to “fear not,” to “not worry” and to “cast our cares on him.” We live in a fallen world and will encounter some unpleasant things in this life, but we can always count on God to be there with us through our difficulties. His promise, if we are a believer, is that he will never leave us. He will comfort, guide and provide wisdom, grace, mercy, peace and love when we need it the most.

My biggest fear when I was in elementary school was being in front of other people. I was very shy. Class presentations were terrifying – shaky voice, red face and sweaty palms. The little red headed girl with freckles, Katherine, was the shyest girl in class. I was labeled the second shyest! As I grew up and worked with kids in Sunday school class, I discovered that I loved teaching and was told I was very good at it. When I went to college, I felt God’s leading to pursue teaching, in spite of my fears. As I taught I was able to overcome my fears and become a stronger vessel for God to use. The beginning of each semester would resurrect some of those fears, but I persisted in spite of them. And I had many blessed years teaching and growing as a person.

Even today after three decades, I don’t love public speaking (even though I taught public speaking for several years!). I do love teaching. And I do love making a difference in people’s lives. In addition to teaching, I have had many opportunities for public speaking. As a business owner, manager and marketing person, there have been numerous occasions to speak in public. I won’t tell you that I am never nervous, but I know that as I am willing to stretch myself beyond my fears, God continues to open up greater opportunities for me.

Graduates, you will have many new opportunities and choices to make in the coming days and weeks. Don’t let your fears keep you from moving forward and becoming all that you were meant to be.

The only fear listed in scripture that is depicted as positive is fear of God – it is the beginning of wisdom, but I’ll save that for another blog!

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Question: What fear is keeping you stuck in some area of your life?

Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help if you need it. One top reason college students drop out is difficulty in dealing with a college culture that is overwhelmingly different from what they have previously experienced. High school classes may have been much smaller and homework less stringent. Typically college level material is more abstract than high school curriculum, depending on the area of study, and there is more synthesis, evaluation and research. In high school they may have been required to memorize more and analyze less. Tutors are available at most campus study centers if college is academically challenging. Counselors are also available if students are suffering emotionally from homesickness or feeling like a lost number—student ID#54367. Many students need help, especially in their freshman year. Don’t hesitate to seek assistance if you are feeling overwhelmed.

2. Discover your passions and direct your coursework accordingly.

 Your mom or dad may have told you that you can do or be whatever they want to be. While they were well meaning, it just isn’t true. We each have strengths and weaknesses and are limited by our gifting and intellectual leanings. Though brilliant, an artist is not likely to be equally equipped to be a nuclear engineer, nor a doctor to be a great writer. God has wired us differently, and we must know what those gifts and abilities are. Understanding personality differences is a first step toward understanding your natural talents. (see section III of my book)Don’t fall into the trap of choosing a lucrative career, just because the money is good. Don’t follow the family business or choose a career your parents wished they had pursued and are now pushing you to follow. Choose instead according to your God given aptitudes and passions.

3. Learn how to budget and stay away from credit cards.

Calculate how much you must earn to cover basic items that your parents or student loans are not covering. Or if your parents are handing over a lump sum each month, you will need to know how much to budget for gas, clothing, entertainment and food. If these things have always been provided, you may be in the dark about actual dollars needed to survive. Ask your parents or a trusted adult for help in setting up a budget. Ask them for practical tips about saving in each of these areas. Know that you will be relentlessly pursued by credit card companies. Don’t fall for the lure of buy now, pay later. It could cost you a hefty amount in fees, interest and possibly your good credit.

1.    Help them to create a budget and secure housing and transportation within that budget.

With a shortage of good paying jobs in our current economy, graduates are frequently returning home to live with mom and dad after they graduate. While in school, many of a student’s expenses are paid for by their parents. But after launching out on their own, they often find it difficult to make ends meet. What can you do to help? Encourage them to delay moving out until they have secured a job and know how much they will earn. Then help them create a realistic budget that will allow them to stay independent. Two areas where graduates often overextend themselves are housing and transportation. Ask if you can assist them in finding something that is affordable and accompany them on their search. Help them to negotiate rent and a vehicle they can afford. By teaching and modeling habits of negotiating, budgeting and living within your means, you’ll be passing on invaluable skills for life.

2. Keep the communication lines open through respect.

Allow graduates to express their opinions with freedom. Resist harsh rebukes and condemnation for their choices. When graduates feel respected, they are more likely to seek your advice. Then when they ask for input, you’ll be able to gently guide them away from situations and relationships that could potentially damage them. Respectfully offer guidance that is in their best interest, even if it is not what they want to hear. Your graduate will be more open to your ideas when you show respect.

3. Encourage spiritual habits.

The late teens and twenties are a time when young adults typically have a lot going on. They are studying, socializing like never before, planning for the future and taking on more personal responsibility for their lives. If they attend a secular university their faith will be or already has been challenged by those who see Christianity as a crutch, the Bible as a fable or exaggerated stories, and Christians as narrow-minded bigots. Often the best way to encourage spiritual habits is to be actively practicing your beliefs and pursuing God personally through Bible study, prayer, church attendance and involvement in outreach. What you do speaks much louder than what you say. Lead by example.

4. Love unconditionally.

Many late teens and twenty-something’s mess up. No matter how great our parenting skills, our children may still get off track. If they do, we need to let our kids know that we will always love them–they are special and dear to us no matter what. It doesn’t mean we’ll enable them to live recklessly or rescue them from consequences of their actions. It does mean we’ll still be there for them emotionally and not turn our backs on them when they fall.

5.    Refuse to Rescue.

One of the greatest mistakes parents make is to rescue their adult children. They believe they are doing the loving thing, when in fact, they are enabling their kids to continue poor behavior, habits, choices and sometimes even addictions. Shielding them from consequences keeps them from leaving the immature stage of adolescence. Good parenting allows the natural correction of consequences to facilitate better choices and future success.

6. Keep the focus on what really matters-integrity.

Graduates are often consumed with questions about their future. What job will they secure with what company or salary? Who will they marry? Kids or no kids? Where will they live? What lifestyle can they afford? While all of these are important and hopefully your graduate will seek your counsel in these significant matters, you can encourage them to continue to live the right kind of life while they navigate these new waters. Resumes should be truthful and when employed they should follow the rules and respect those with whom they work. Hold character and integrity above success or achieving goals. Let them know you are proud of them for who they are, not just for what they accomplish.

In order to answer the above question, you need to know what an EMP is and what effect it has. Without getting too technical, it is an electromagnetic pulse. Wikipedia defines it as “a burst of electromagnetic radiation that results from an explosion (usually from the detonation of a nuclear weapon) and/or a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field. The resulting rapidly changing electric fields or magnetic fields may couple with electrical/electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges.” In simpler English, if a nuclear bomb were exploded high above the earth, it would send out damaging electromagnetic radiation that would knock out any unprotected electrical devices. Powerful solar flares could also have this effect. Our lifestyle would take a step back to how people lived over a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, most of us lack the skills needed to survive without our modern conveniences. And yes, this is a real possibility, not science fiction.

If you are reading this blog, it means you are one of the more affluent on the planet, and you have much for which to be grateful. We take for granted so many of our physical comforts. A warm home in the winter, a cool one in the summer. Refrigerators to keep our food fresh and stoves, ovens and microwaves with which to cook it. Cell phones, email, Facebook and Twitter keep us connected (sometimes a little too connected!). TV, radio and Sirius XM keep us informed and entertained—along with iPod’s, iPad’s, iPhones, kindle, computers, netbooks, and we can’t forget Game Boy, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. In the morning we take hot showers with an abundance of soaps, shampoos and conditioners. We have the luxury of indoor toilets and sinks with running water. We shave with our electric razors, dry our hair with hair dryers and curl or straighten our hair with hot irons. Occasionally we even iron our clothes–after we put them in a machine to wash them and another one to dry them. We vacuum our floors, put dishes in the dishwasher and power wash our homes. At night we turn on the electric lights, usually to continue using our other electronics. We hop in our cars (or electric golf car if you live at the coast) to run to the store where we can find anything we need, a lot of what we want, and a bunch of other stuff that just clutters our lives! We have it made; life is comfortable, life is good—on the physical level at least.

So what would you miss most if there were an EMP that knocked out all of the above and everything else that has an electrical component in it? Think camping with no running water (un less of course you are by a stream.) I’ve always enjoyed camping, at least for a couple of days. It is fun to be out in the wilderness, close to nature enjoying the campfires and closeness to those with whom you are camping—that is, if you leave your electronics at home! But it is great to get home, take a nice long hot shower and throw your clothes into the washing machine after you hit the drive thru at your favorite fast food restaurant.

As you go through your day today, imagine what it would be like without all of your electronic devices. Of course without companies manufacturing and shipping products, without farms harvesting and shipping food, and without stores and banks, a lot of non-electronic conveniences would disappear as well. You may be surprised at how different your world would be after an EMP.

Today thank God for all of your creature comforts. Take delight in the little things that wouldn’t be so little if they weren’t available! When we have a heart of gratitude, it is much harder to have a negative, pessimistic outlook on life. When we are grateful, we lose our entitled attitude (that the world owes us something). So be mindful today of all your blessings. Beyond the physical, think of health, family, friends, church, school and a free country. We are truly blessed!

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)

Take the poll in the left hand column: What would you miss most if there were an EMP?

In the comment area below, tell why you would miss the item you chose in the poll most.

Huckabee holds book signing.

How Do I Show I Care?

How much do you value your friends? Do they know what they mean to you? It is easy to take friends for granted. We see them all the time. We share our secrets. We hang out with them to relax and have fun. But do we remember to tell them how important they are to us? This week, think about your friends in terms of a time line.

Past
Who were your best friends two years ago? Five years ago? Ten years ago? Don’t forget to stay in touch (at least occasionally). Find them on Facebook or Twitter. Reconnect and be a cheerleader for their life. At one time they counted on you for support, and you counted on them. They will continue to appreciate a word of encouragement once in a while. “Good job!” “Don’t give up!” “You are a great ___________.” You fill in the blank. . . “singer, or volunteer at church, or kid’s worker, or organizer, or writer, or athlete, person with a big heart, or sensitive to other’s needs, or always cheerful, or a peacemaker, or so kind to everyone.” Everyone has strengths. Concentrate on those things. If you know they are going through a rough patch, let your past friendship continue to impact their life with a strengthening word today.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

Present
Make time for those who are in your life today. It is easy to get so busy we forget to cherish the relationships we have today. Our performance society puts a lot of pressure on us to do it all. Yes, our relationship with God is important, and family is important, and work is important, and school is important, and exercise is important, and developing our talents and skills is important, but don’t forget friends! Friends are important too. As with the other important things in our life, we need to carve out time for friends or they will go by the wayside. We will be blessed as we love, support, admonish, and enjoy our friends (and they do likewise)!

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Future
Life can be hectic, stressful, and demanding at times. It is easy to get into a rut and not reach out and make new friends. We get comfortable and avoid change. But don’t forget those around you who may need a friend. The new girl or guy in town. The quiet person who always sits by herself. The guy who never gets picked for teams or groups. The one who gets bullied, mocked or made fun of. The one who is different in some way. The one who reaches out to you. Or you may be the one moving to a new area where you don’t know anyone. Don’t settle for being lonely. God made us for relationship. Take the initiative and stretch yourself by getting to know someone new today. Your best future friend may be the next person you meet! Don’t put a “full” or “out of order” sign on your friendship door!

“But always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” (I Thessalonians 5:15b)

Gary Chapman has written a great book, 5 Love Languages. He proposes that we may receive and understand love differently than our spouse, kids, siblings, parents and friends. The five love languages are 1. Words of Affirmation  2. Quality Time  3. Receiving Gifts  4. Acts of Service  and 5. Physical Touch. In showing our friends that we care, we should strive to understand and act on what their love languages are, as well as communicate what we cherish and value.

Question #1: Can you think of any other “languages” to express your love for a friend?

Question #2: What is something you have recently done for a friend to encourage them or something they have done for you that made your day? Does this fall into one of the five categories of Love Languages?