Don't Judge others, Just because you sin differently!

Don't judge me! That statement, while playful and funny, gets me internally on edge when I stop and think about it.  As a Christian, I've been intimately involved with judgement and it's not good on the passing or receiving end! It's the least Christ-like part of my attempt at being Christ-like. I'm sure our highly opinionated viewpoints are the root of the saying "I'd be a Christian if it weren't for...Christians"!

My fellow Christians and I have turned a relationship with Jesus into a list of do's and don'ts. We accept and reject people depending on their adherence to these rules, and all the different groups of Christians have a different set of rules! However, the Bible has it's own rule about this: "judge not lest ye be judged" (that's right: I'm bustin out the King James!) but we don't call it judgement, we call its accountability. And this "accountability" runs rampant. Here's how it works: I get to tell anyone, anywhere, on any occasion that "you're doing it wrong".  Mmmm, warm fuzzies! But let's admit it: we usually don't even have the guts to say it, we just give anyone with a differing opinion the ole stink-eye (cuz that's what Jesus would do?).

I don't think that's accountability. Accountability comes from someone who believes in you and wants to see you succeed, someone who's actually qualified to speak direction and wisdom into your life, not someone who just wants to point out your flaws. What we Christians are doing is just plain judgement! And here's the kicker: it's quite often based on opinions! We usually can't even back up our "accountability" with scripture!  We criticize people just because they're not doing it our way!

God gave Christians the joy of telling the world what He's doing--instead we're busy telling each other what we should or shouldn't be doing!

Dear friends, if you've been harshly judged (or even worse, wrongly judged) please know this isn't how God works! On behalf of myself and my fellow Christians, I apologize! I apologize for misrepresenting the God of the Universe who so freely loves and adores you, even your flaws!  His acceptance never ended when you made certain decisions!  His willingness to help didn't stop just because you did something that raised eyebrows! He doesn't squash big thinking or shut down big dreams--God isn't jealous of your potential: He put it in you! God's judgement actually doesn't even happen until the end of your life, He designed your life to be a work in progress! God doesn't judge the outward He judges the heart! And unlike humans, God's judgement is perfect: He takes your circumstances, strengths, weaknesses, knowledge...everything...into consideration!  Not one of us can do that!  

Now shake off the critical voice that judgement installed inside your head. Let go of the critique of yourself and go back to seeing the potential God put in you. Forgive those who judged you since they have surely felt the sting of judgement as well. Resist the urge to judge them right back and instead see the favor that God has already given you and live your life expecting everything good God has planned for you! And remember: you are responsible for your own happiness...you are only responsible for you!

James 5:7-9 You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. 8 Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. 9 Friends, don't complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner. 

Expect more from GOD!

I spoke on signs & wonders this weekend.  They're a polarizing topic with no middle ground.  Some think that's what church should be about--others believe God phased that part of His job out.  You know, our society laughs at signs & wonders as if it's impossible to believe that God would have special powers.  Why would it be so ridiculous for God to do something we can't--isn't that what being God is about in the crudest sense: not being human?!  I mean, don't you think that the God of the universe would be able to rig up something pretty spectacular? Don't you think he could probably throw down some mind blowing stuff that's a little better than what Criss Angel or Penn & Teller are doing? Why do we think we should be able to figure Him out? If He's just like you and me then how'd we get here? How are there mountains and rainbows and a perfect positioning of the Earth's tilt to the Sun?  I can't do that!  And I have four kids but I'm mystified when it comes to actually making a human...after conception that is ;)

Another inaccurate belief about signs & wonders is that they're reserved for the spiritually elite, but from reading the Bible I'd say they're for anybody.  Take Moses and the parting of the Red Sea and all the other miracles God performed for the Israelites leaving Egypt: they weren't spiritual giants, without adult supervision they were off making a golden calf!  And when Jesus fed five thousand people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, most of them rejected him and his teachings two days later!

  

Signs & wonders can be done wrong: I've seen them elevated above Jesus...I've seen people run after them and neglect their neighbor in need...I've seen Christians run from conference to conference like junkies, abandoning family and responsibilities for that spiritual high.  These all left a bad taste in my mouth, but I'll never doubt that there's a place for signs & wonders.  God has mind-blowing power and He still uses it!  I've got my own amazing stories about how God came through for me with the supernatural and I would want the same for you, my friend!  I would never profess to tell you exactly how God works, so I won't try to tell you how He doesn't work, either.  Let's decide to be ok with a little mystery surrounding God.  Let's make peace with the unknown factors of how Jesus works. Let's not limit such an amazing Force that's on our side!  Maybe you don't believe in miracles, but I'll bet you wouldn't turn one down the next time you're in a pickle!

Quit Trying

I tried and tried to do well--but my well ran dry.

I tried harder, but it wasn't good enough.  I tried to be stronger, but my strength ran out.  I tried to act right, but my actions didn't measure up.

I kept coming up short, feeling the weight of my inadequacies, feeling the pain of messing up over and over.

Some days can seem like an uphill fight.  We do something stupid and then we're ashamed.  We know we want to do better.  

We want to do well with our lives. And then we come to the realization that we can try to do well--but our well runs dry.

So quit trying! 

That's right, quit trying! You're no match for sin!  In yourself, there’s nothing you can do to defeat it!  It’s a hopeless cause and we're just silly to think we can fight it on our own strength!

Remember when you gave your life to Jesus and you prayed something like 

"I can't do it on my own, Jesus, I give you my life!" and you were relieved?!  And you suddenly had hope!  And you were free to dream again!  

Friends, let's all get to that realization every day!  You knew when you hit rock bottom that you needed help--so don't walk away from this life-changing experience and think that you can now do it on your own!  Surrender again! 

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  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. 

Ephesians 2: 8-10

The REAL God

The author John records a curious recollection of when Jesus spit in the dirt, put that mixture into a blind man's eye, the blind man washed it out and then had perfect sight.  It's a very strange occurrence that got me thinking: just maybe God isn't who we think He is. It makes me think that God isn't afraid to get dirty...God's not some prude...God isn't against the strange and unusual... and He's not just about obeying a bunch of rules.  You know, God's the One who created sex...and Jesus was the one who turned water into wine--these are not exactly the works of the staunchy-crabby-narrow-minded-jerk that religion can paint Him out to be! And He's not like a fake-plastic kid's show host from the 1960's, either, complete with perma-smile and a make-believe world!  He knows every one of us inside and out and we aren't shocking or appalling or even surprising to Him--He knows who we are, He knows our most secret flaws and He loves us completely!

And how does putting spit mixed with dirt into a blind eye logically equal 20/20 vision?!  Now that sounds like the logic of someone who's had a little too much wine!  But actually, it just goes to show that we don't always have to understand what God's up to! God was never required to run all his plans by you or me!  I hope there's stuff out there that we don't understand --I mean, if He's God and He's so smart, then there's probably some stuff that He's gonna do that will go right over my head...some stuff that will put my brain in an all-out tantrum because I don't get it, I'll never get it, I wasn't meant to get it, it's whole purpose is to show me that (surprise!) God IS in charge...and I'm not!  All we ever need to know is that HE'S GOOD!  HE LOVES US!  HE HAS GOOD PLANS FOR US!

Then there's the other tricky thing: His good plans will probably happen differently than you or I imagined.  I mean, that blind guy wanted his breakthrough, he wanted to see, but what do you suppose he was thinking when he heard some guy spit on the ground and then scoop it up?!  We want breakthrough? Are we ready for it to look a little different than we thought it would look?  Are we ready for our breakthrough to arrive with a little dirt or a little spit mixed in?  Are we ready for God to be a little unconventional, a little unusual, maybe even a little uncomfortable?  

I don't think I just figured God out--the more I know the more I realize I don't know--but I do know He's more accepting and loving than I will ever comprehend and I am running with everything inside of me toward this authentic, genuine and REAL God!

Unfair Favor

I was 17 years old.  Mouthy.  A troublemaker in my small Nebraska town.  I was hanging out downtown (as all small town teenagers do) with my friends when a drunk cowboy came out of nowhere, yelling at me that I'd stole his beer.  He was trying to pick a fight.  Now, I told you I was mouthy, and a troublemaker, so I fought back.  I didn't steal his beer, although I wasn't against stealing beer, I just hadn't stole any that particular hot summer evening.  But the cowboy grabbed his .223 rifle, stuck it to my head, and pulled the trigger.

Click.

I was dazed. Was I shot? Was I dead? Was my story about to dominate the hushed gossip in our small town? It took me what seemed like an eternity to answer these questions in my stunned condition.  But in real time, it was just seconds later when I realized I was still alive and I was ANGRY! I laid into that cowboy until someone pulled me off. He had attempted to take my life and my fight or flight reaction was FIGHT!

The favor of God spared my life before I acknowledged that God even existed! In His overwhelming kindness and mercy, God gave me another chance to live a life worth living by miraculously jamming the gun. But in my second chance, God had spared that cowboy's life as well!  The cowboy could have had to live with the weight of committing a cold-blooded murder for the rest of his life. His wife could have become an outcast in our little community. His family could have grown up without a dad.  His kids could have wondered if the same impulsive rage lurked inside of them.  His parents could have spent sleepless nights wondering where they'd gone wrong. Or they could have looked at each other with suspicion, replaying the memories when Mom drank too much or Dad lost his temper.  God spared more than my life when the trigger jammed--He spared my enemy's life & his family's lives as well.  How is that fair? It's not. Favor isn't fair.

We can wonder why the "bad guy" gets off in life--why the drunk driver lives while the young mother & child die...why the crooked remain in power when the faithful end up with pink slips...why the popular kids are idolized and the kids who accept everyone as a friend are ostracized--it's not fair!  But just like God's gift of unmerited favor that spared my life when I didn't know Him, He gives miraculous second chances to us all!  And I'm so glad He doesn't just save these chances for the "good people" because that's a far cry from who I was back then. God sees the value in you & I long before we see it in ourselves!

No matter what you're going through, no matter who you are or what you've done, YOU ARE important to God. You're His favorite kid! His love for you never runs dry!

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.  --Ephesians 2:10

Favor isn't FAIR!

I talk to myself on a regular basis.  I tell myself things on purpose to remind me how I'm favored by God. I look for the favor God has blessed me with for that day, and I find it! I know something good is going to happen to me just because I got out of bed--just because I'm favored by God--and that's not fair!

That may sound crazy or delusional, but that's how God WANTS us to live!  He wants us to go through our day knowing that He's our Daddy and He's up to something GOOD!  I truly believe that if we really knew just how much God wants to bless us we'd go into shock or convulsions or stare into space & drool or something because it's the exact opposite of what so many of us believe about God!  The truth is GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU IN A WAY THAT HE HASN'T BLESSED SOMEONE ELSE! HE WANTS TO FAVOR YOU IN A WAY THAT WILL UNIQUELY BLESS YOU!

What does this favor look like in my day? It looks like I just happen to get a front row parking spot. I just happen to run into some friends who'd been on my mind recently. I just happen to get the last cookie before my kids got to it (for once). I just happen to go to the DMV when the lines are low...ok, somewhat low. And, this one's really cool, I just happen to arrive home the other day with a full tank of gas after driving all over town to help out some people who are new to the area! 

Each of these "coincidences" brightened my day and reminded me that God is looking out for me, orchestrating my life to put me in the right place at the right time!  And that thought alone has revolutionized my life: no more Murphy's Law--I traded that in for the FAVOR OF GOD! 

So FAVOR ISN'T FAIR.  It's not fair that God gave me a great parking spot or a tank of gas or a cookie. You could be thinking, "God didn't give me a cookie!" But when you start to look, I'm sure you'll see that your Daddy hooked you up, too! I have a friend who unexpectedly got a huge inheritance check in the mail--and another friend who's business is just taking off without any strategic planning on his part!  God didn't do these things for me, but I believe He's going to do something amazing on my behalf as well. EACH of us is God's favorite kid!  EACH of us will have mind-blowing "coincidences" and opportunities given to us in our lives!  EACH of us can look around and expect to be in the right place at the right time!  Just look around--you'll find Him...Because He already found you!

Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:4–5

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Even though you're evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Matthew 7:11

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

Part 2: Our Story (SUDDENLY!)

As promised, here's Part 2: Our Story that lets you in on how we SUDDENLY met, fell in love and all kinds of suddenlies! Enjoy!

Our Story

Nate and Carole arrived at Heidi’s parent’s house so introductions could be made before the date...the blind date or the meeting or whatever it was.  Nate arrived in a plaid shirt, hair parted down the middle and, in Heidi’s opinion, a little too much like a “nice, christian boy”...very smiley.  Heidi appeared insecure, depressed and, in Nate’s opinion, revealed too much cleavage to be a “nice girl”.  On top of that, they were about the same height...neither party was visually impressed with the other.  Smiley Nate held out his hand for unsure Heidi to shake, “Hi, I’m Nate Elznic, nice to meet you!”  “Nice to meet you”, Heidi awkwardly replied.  Then Nate proceeded to explain he’d been called into work so he had to postpone the “date” (or whatever) until after his shift.  “Where do you work?” Heidi asked. “Casey’s General Store” was his reply.  So now, he was smiley, geeky and worked at a gas station...just keeps gettin’ better.  

Nate didn’t get off work until late so Heidi went to Casey’s to gas up her parent’s mini van and get another look. As she paid for the gas, Nate informed her, “just so you know, I’M A JESUS FREAK!”  Yup, no surprises here, folks! And at 11pm, that’s pretty much how the date went: Nate talked about Jesus, Heidi suppressed disgust and went to the bathroom frequently to escape from Jesus.  But when the conversation strayed from Biblical topics, the two actually enjoyed each other’s company.  Heidi felt strangely at ease carrying on a conversation with this person who was now quite intriguing...she had never met anyone like him before. Nate found out that this quiet girl lit up when talking about music and actually became passionate about it.  Nate liked talking to a good listener and Heidi liked being talked to...it was a strangely successful blind date over coffee & pie at Village Inn at midnight.  Before he dropped her off, Nate asked Heidi out on a “real” date the very next night.  His goal was to prove to himself he could be something other than a mack when it came to women.  

On their second date, Nate opened every door for Heidi and paid her compliments. He chose what happened to be her favorite restaurant and after dinner he drove to a secluded spot to park.  Much to Heidi’s surprise, this was so he could tell her his life story! Heidi thought, "his life used to be exciting" and for the first time she saw his potential since he used to be cool! The next day was Easter and, just like Carole’s dream, Nate acted and Heidi sang in the Easter drama. During the alter call, Heidi left the service to go to the bathroom...and privately gave her life back to Jesus.  Nate knew something was different and Heidi told him she was back in relationship with Jesus.  Nate called Heidi the next day and after a long conversation, Heidi decided to move closer to her family...and closer to Nate.

After 3 weeks and two days of knowing each other, the unofficial couple went to church together just like any other Sunday morning.  That morning the pastor’s sermon was titled “Master Charge or Master in Charge” and Nate went forward for prayer to get out of debt.  He saw a vision of himself and Heidi holding hands and she had an engagement ring on, complete with big, sparkly diamond.  He was shocked and asked God if that was Him speaking...Nate felt peace.  He hadn’t planned on getting married anytime soon so he stayed at the alter arguing with God and trying to figure out a way around God’s command...but he couldn’t.  His only peace came with the thought of getting married.  Heidi  was waiting and waiting, wondering what was he doing at the front of the church?! Finally the pastor made them leave so the church could be locked up and a very quiet Nate walked out.  He was very deep in thought and unusually silent as Heidi drove us down the road so she asked him if he was ok.  “God wants me to marry you!” Nate blurted out.  Heidi was shocked! That’s the last thing she had expected, but she heard herself say, “uh...yes!”.  Nate was baffled: he hadn’t popped the question, he was merely explaining what was the matter!  

They decided to get some lunch and talk it over.  It was a beautiful April day so they grabbed some burgers and had a picnic in the park.  They were both a little giddy about the whole thing.  The spontaneousness was exhilarating and their true feelings came out: they both believed the other was the “right” person... they just hadn’t thought it would be right NOW!  Somewhere in the midst of going to every possible church service and asking married couples our favorite question: how did you two meet...how did you KNOW...somewhere in there we had fallen for each other...it was just all happening so quickly.  We needed a clear answer that this was God’s idea so we decided to go buy that big ring from the jeweler, and if Nate’s credit was accepted it would be God verifying once again that this was His plan for us since, if you recall, Nate had originally asked for prayer because of his overloaded credit.  

Looking at rings was really fun for Heidi until she saw the prices.  Suddenly she didn’t feel comfortable spending thousands of dollars of someone else’s money, someone that she had only known for 3 weeks and two days.  Nate, on the other hand, had always known he wasn’t about to buy his future wife some cheap ring, so he was wheeling and dealing.  Heidi handed over the whole decision to him and he picked out the rock.  Just as the couple planned, Nate applied for the Jeweler’s credit and they said they’d have an answer on Wednesday.  It was a weird next few days: were they engaged or not?  By Wednesday they were both on pins and needles.  After Nate got out of classes, the couple went to his apartment and, guess what?! There was a message on his answering machine, “This is Sartor Hamen jewelers, come pick up your ring!”

Nate & Heidi were married March 29, 1997, exactly one year from the day they met and the rest has been a great journey!

Full time ministry in October 1998

Israel was born in November 1999

Corban was born in February 2001

Shekinah was born in June 2002

Zion was born in October 2003

Built our dream house in 2007