Clay in the Hands

A Deadly Disease

November 14, 2012 by jbrianhill

This past Sunday, we started a month long emphasis on living generously. As part of the introduction, I spent some time talking about a disease that is killing us. This disease is particularly debilitating because it works behind the scenes mostly undetected.

The disease is entitlement.

In our culture, we have been tricked into believing that we are due a good life. Regardless of how hard we work or how little we work, our attitude is that we deserve status or wealth or happiness.

The reason this disease is so debilitating is that it is birthed out of our selfishness and grows to feed that very selfishness. Unchecked, it will kill any sense of gratitude we might otherwise feel.

Here is the truth from scripture:

1. All of us are unworthy – all have fallen short of God’s ideal for us

2. All good things come from God, by God’s grace and not because of anything we do

3. We can’t earn God’s favor – God gives it freely

We need to stop this holiday season and think about these truths. We are truly blessed but not because we deserve any of it. We are blessed because God blesses us.

That should move us to gratitude.

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God At Work

November 13, 2012 by jbrianhill

Is God at work in your life today? The correct answer to the question is “Yes.”

But the reality is that we don’t always see God at work. We get wrapped up in our To Do lists and appointments and fail to stop and look for God. I am the worst at this. I know God is at work all around me but I am not sure I see that activity nearly as readily as I should on a daily basis.

For me, this is part of the Thanksgiving season. We need to slow down and think about the blessings we have been given. We need to pause and look. God is moving all the time – we just need to pay attention.

The results of perceiving God’s movement are hope and gratitude. When we know that God is at work in our lives, we realize a hope that can only come from knowing God is in control and there is something more to this life than what is on the surface. When we know God is at work in our lives – the very creator of the universe involved in my life – we are moved to be thankful that God would take an interest in us. And more than an interest – God genuinely knows each of us and has a plan for each one.

That is something that should give us pause. Knowing God is at work in me makes me thankful.

What about you?

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Thank a Veteran

November 12, 2012 by jbrianhill

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak at the local Veteran’s Day service. Our community has an impressive memorial right on one of the main streets through town, and on Veteran’s Day, folks gather at the memorial for a time of remembrance and thanks.

To be honest, I approached this opportunity as just another thing I had to do on an already over-committed Sunday. It is not that I dreaded it, but I was not passionately looking for another engagement.

As I got out of the car to walk to the memorial and join the folks who were already gathering there, it didn’t take more than 2 seconds to realize the wind was blowing 30 – 40 miles per hour and the 50 degree temperature felt more like 20. So my attitude did not improve.

But as I stood before the crowd gathered there, I looked on a multitude of faces. I looked on the faces of men who stood on ships and served in wartime. I looked on faces of men who flew planes to defend their country. I looked on faces of men who marched to protect my way of life. And I looked on the proud faces of widows whose husbands served faithfully.

And in that moment I realized something. I really have no clue what this meant to those folks. I have no context from which to develop a real understanding. So as I stood at the back of the crowd, after my talk, I watched as one by one, the anthems of each branch of the military was played. What I saw was men and women, many using canes, stand in honor of their branch.

I was humbled and speechless. The only words I could muster were “Thank you for your service.”

Tell a vet thanks today!

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What Are You Worth?

November 6, 2012 by jbrianhill

What are you worth?

There are any number of ways to answer that question. The first thing you might think of as you ponder the question is your net worth. How much money?

Or maybe your accomplishments come to mind. What have you been able to attain in this life to this point?

One very valid way to look at the question is your worth in the eyes of God. Regardless of how worthy or unworthy you may feel, you are worth the world to God. You were worth dying for to God.

Think about that for a second.

You are important to God – you are worth everything.

As we enter into this time of thanksgiving – I have a challenge for you. Consider your worth to God. Think about what that should mean in the way we live. If God loved you and me enough to die for us, shouldn’t we strive to live as Jesus taught us to live? Shouldn’t we try to live up to the worth God places on us?

Perhaps, we should answer the question, “What are you worth?” by saying, “I am worth the difference I can make in God’s kingdom.”

Go be that difference today!

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Bridge the Gap

October 30, 2012 by jbrianhill

I have been at the Texas Baptist Convention this week in Corpus Christi. It has been a blessed time to catch up with fellow ministers from around the state – to hear what God is doing in their churches and communities. We serve a big God and it helps to remember sometimes that my little world is not the only world that exists!

At any rate, the view from my window has had me thinking this week. When I look through the window to the right, I see a vast expanse of water – the bay. But straight ahead is an impressive bridge. It connects one part of the city to another part of the city while allowing ships to pass underneath. Being from west Texas, I don’t get to see too many bridges so this one is pretty impressive.

As I have been thinking about bridges this morning, I am reminded that God calls us to be bridges. All of us have been put in place to bridge the gap between a loving God and a world void of real love. We must be the path by which the people around us can come to Jesus.

There are all kinds of analogies we can draw from this metaphor but let me just ask you one question today.

Are you the kind of bridge that connects people with God?

Think about it today.

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It’s About Relevance

October 23, 2012 by jbrianhill

I was on a flight recently and overheard a conversation between a young journalist from Florida and another passenger next to me. At first I was minding my own business but I heard a statement that piqued my interest. I don’t know what the question was, but the young journalist answered by saying, “I am somewhat dissatisfied with the church.”

Again, I was trying to mind my own business, but as a pastor, when I hear a statement like that, my ears perk up. The reason for the dissatisfaction? She said, “The church just doesn’t seem to be involved in the community – it just seems to take but gives nothing back.”

I wanted to jump into the conversation but I didn’t. I sat the rest of the flight and wrestled with this perception of the church. As I sat and pondered what I heard, I began to try and see the situation from the eyes of a young professional. There were lots of excuses I came up with in my head for why this person might feel the way she does. Maybe her church experience has been unique. Or maybe, she approaches church from the mentality of “what’s in it for me” (and she would not be alone in that approach).

But as I tried to take an objective look at church in general, I became convicted that she might be more right than she knows. A church that does not look outward toward the community with the eyes of Jesus has lost focus of why the church really exists in the first place. Is it possible that our churches have taken on more of a social club mentality than the focus of a family of believers seeking to share God’s hope and love to a hurting world? It’s an issue of relevance. How relevant is church to a person who is trying to make it in the world?

Here’s the challenge – couldn’t we all do a little better? Couldn’t we all seek to see things as God sees things? Couldn’t we all try and love others as God loves them? God calls us to be light to a dark world and salt to a tasteless existence. Be light and salt today!

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The World On Your Shoulders

October 17, 2012 by jbrianhill

How much can you carry? I don’t mean how many bags of groceries at a time from the car to the kitchen. Although, given my desire to be efficient, I often try and carry all the groceries in one trip – just a little heads up, that doesn’t normally work and has the real likelihood that it will end badly.

No, I am talking about the amount of responsibility you can shoulder at one time.

We often cling to the promise that God will never give us more than we can handle. While that promise from scripture is true, I wonder if we don’t use that sometimes to justify the amount of commitments we make. Unfortunately, I am speaking as much about me as I am about anyone else.

I have found that I have a real problem saying “No.”

The problem is that regardless of how much I think I can carry, the reality is the more I take on, the less effective I become in all of it. And added to that reality is the humbling realization that at some point along the way, I begin to rely on my own strength, brains and experience instead of seeking God first and working through the power I find there.

Take some time today to make a list of all your commitments. Note beside each one whether it is an endeavor to follow God’s plan for you or just something you took on because someone else made you feel guilty. Then ask God to help you focus on those responsibilities that will bring people to Jesus. Our ultimate reason for existence is to love God and love others. Make sure your responsibilities are keeping you focused on what is of ultimate importance.

Be blessed today!

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Crossroads

October 15, 2012 by jbrianhill

Yesterday, we were blessed to have a wonderful ministry come and share with our congregation what God is doing in the lives of their students. Teen Challenge came and shared about the ministry and led in worship. Scattered throughout the service were opportunities for the students to share their stories of how God is at work in their lives.

As I sat and listened to story after story of God’s miraculous intervention in each life, I began to pick up on a common theme. Each one, in their own words, said the same thing.

Some talked about coming to the end of the road. Some described it as a realization they weren’t raised to live as they were living. Some described it as a crossroads.

Regardless of how they described it, they all communicated that they had been living their lives one way and reached a point of having to decide to continue on their current path or change directions.

The decision they made affected everything. Once they committed to turn their backs on their old path and turn toward following God, their lives were changed.

All of us reach crossroads in our lives. Some are very dramatic and others, more subtle. But all of us come to those times in our lives when we are faced with the reality that we must make a decision – the results of which could change our lives.

Maybe you are there today. If you are, let me tell you that deciding to follow God’s plan for your life is a decision you will never regret.

I am always happy to hear from you through email or comments here on this site but I don’t always tell you. But today, I feel compelled to let you know that if you find yourself at a crossroads and just need someone to talk to, I would be happy to try and give you direction. Just reach out to me here and we will see what God does from there.

Be blessed today!

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Never Absent

October 11, 2012 by jbrianhill

I read something that blew me away today. Have you ever read something that was not revolutionary – something you already knew – but for whatever reason, in that moment it had huge impact?

That was my experience this morning. You can read the full post here, but Max Lucado’s email devotion this morning reminded me of an important fact.

I know that Jesus never leaves nor forsakes us. I know that he is always present and always leading, but when I read this something washed over me. A peace came over me – and then conviction.

Max said, “There’s never a time when Jesus is not speaking. Never a place in which Jesus is not present. Never a room so dark, that the ever-present, ever-pursuing Jesus is not present.”

I have to admit that sometimes I feel Jesus is not speaking. And I would disagree with Max to a degree. I think there are times when God is silent. But what we must never forget is this – regardless of whether or not God is speaking – or whether we hear that still, small voice or not – God is ALWAYS present!

What an amazing thought!

Open my eyes to you today Father! I want to see you!

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What Do You Stand For?

October 10, 2012 by jbrianhill

What do you stand for? There is an old cliche that says, “If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.”

While this statement has become trite, it is very true. Part of the problems facing the church stems from the fact that people are unclear on the truth. In fact, people in the younger generations are being taught that truth is subjective and relative.

The effect is a decline in the church. I read this morning that for the first time in US history, Protestants are no longer the majority. You can read more about that here.

The decline of Protestantism has not been caused by the increase of any other major religion. In fact, it has been the growth of the non-religious population. 20% of Americans now declare no religious affiliation. They have bought into the lie that religion is pointless and truth is what they want it to be.

Somewhere along the way, the church has become irrelevant to a growing number of people.

Perhaps the perceived irrelevance is due to an opinion that the church doesn’t stand for anything at all.

Jesus said that when he is lifted up, people will be drawn to him.

Is the church lifting up Jesus day in and day out?

Are you?

What will you stand for today?

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