Workin’ it Out!

April 12, 2016April 14, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Something profound, and nothing short of miraculous, happened deep within us when we were born again. It happened in the very deepest part of us, our spirit. When we came into agreement with the plan of God for our salvation, by way of believing in Jesus, and mixing that belief with the faith that He’s already provided for us…..our spirit was renewed. I mean, completely renewed! OK, I’ll make it clearer…..your spirit was perfected! Don’t argue with me….you’ll lose the argument. I’m pretty passionate about this one!

That ‘thing’ that happened is there, in you, to totally transform every area of your life. No kidding! The real you has been ‘renewed’! (made new…and perfect!) And while it’s a lifetime process to flesh it out…your spirit can’t get any more renewed-er (I just made that word up!), than it is right now. So, the challenge becomes……“How do we get what’s happened on the ‘inside’, to manifest itself on the ‘outside’!?

Paul said it this way in the Bible; “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. (Don’t get too uptight about that ‘fear and trembling’ thing; it just means to be serious, sincere…and diligent about it!) Now, he’s not talking about working (doing good things) to ‘earn’ your salvation. That’s far from the truth. Besides, salvation is a ‘gift’; and like any other gift it can only be ‘received’, and not worked for or earned! What’s happened in our spirit is always ‘ready’ to be given permission, by us, to be useful in our everyday lives. It’s simple; don’t complicate it! It amounts to us learning to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit….Who now lives in our spirit to guide us every step of the way.

It could be classified as ‘learned behavior’; we learn from His Spirit how to let the miracle that’s happened inside to be manifest in everything we do. It’s going to require us to change our thinking, some; OK, a lot! But, it’s doable. And, as we change the way we think our behavior, and everything else, begins to change….for the better!

If we’re really being ‘conformed’ into the image of Jesus, then what’s inside has to be ‘worked out’!

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Redirecting!

April 12, 2016April 12, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 4 Comments

Technology is a wonderful thing. It’s amazing how much progress has been made in the last 50 years. I remember when I got my little transistor radio for Christmas when I was about 8 years old. Believe it or not, those little things were right on the edge of technology in the late 50’s and early 60’s. I think I was about a 5th grader when I got a little tape recorder; remember those? I loved it and had lots of fun with it. I’ve always had a fascination with technology….even though I’ve stayed behind the curve a little, if you know what I mean.

One great little technological advance was the advent of the GPS. What an amazing instrument! Julie bought me a nice Garmin GPS for Christmas several years back. I loved it! Key in your destination, punch the button and it’ll give you ‘turn-by-turn’ voice directions all the way there. I did get in a mess in El Paso one time. There’d been a lot of new construction with a loop around the city and my particular GPS didn’t have that new information. She kept telling me to turn….and after awhile I started yelling back at her, “There ain’t no street there!!!” She was unflappable; Not bothered one bit by my screaming at her. And I may, or may not, have cussed at her a time or two! About every 10 seconds she would say, “Redirecting”. I finally made it to my destination….no help from her! Anyway, all it took was a 5 minute hook up to my computer when I got home with the upgrade and everything was fine.

I was thinking about that the other day and you know, the Lord guides us through life a lot like that little GPS. I’m sure His Spirit does His very best to help us make the right turn at every juncture in life….but we run by the intersection time after time! And, if we’re not real careful we’ll find ourselves lost out there on the road of life…..wondering which way to go. But the good news is that, even though we’ve gotten lost, He can redirect us no matter how far we’ve gotten off the path. He’ll redirect us as many times as He has to…..to get us to our destination!

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Living Proof

April 6, 2016April 10, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 6 Comments

If you look down through the generations at the ones that the Lord chose to be His leaders you’d think He’s just not very picky at all. It nearly always looks like He’s got the wrong guy, especially on the front end. I mean, right from the very start He picks Abraham, a pagan man living in a pagan nation. After that, Jacob; now there’s a guy who had some issues. Then it was Moses; he killed a man….but obviously, in hindsight, he was definitely the one to lead God’s people out of Egypt. Later on David, who was called the ‘apple of God’s eye’ and His own handpicked man to lead the nation, had a moral failure of the highest order. It was so ugly that people still talk about it today.

Then Jesus came along and picked twelve of the most unlikely men He could find to be His closest followers. Matthew was a tax collector; everybody hated the tax collectors! Peter, James and John were all fishermen. They had some serious issues of their own. These were not professional ministry guys by any stretch of the imagination! They all made their own share of blunders in the process of learning the way of the Lord. And, that’s just part of the picture. There’s many more who’d fall into the same category.

It appears at first glance that the Lord is just not a very good judge of character. But, that can’t be it. We know He doesn’t make mistakes. And, as awkward as some of these choices looked, early on,…..they turned out to be the right ones for the job every single time.

The Bible actually speaks pretty clear about that. “Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God uses the simple things of the world to confound the mighty.” Not a single one of these were chosen because of their impressive resume’. The Lord still makes some awkward looking choices today.

Take me for instance……I wasn’t trained for this; knew absolutely nothing about how to do it. And, after 27 years, I’m probably still behind the curve, some. People will decide, a long time after we’re gone, if anything we’ve done could be classified as ‘significant’. If they decide that it was…..all we can say is, “We’re just living proof that the Lord can use anyone!”

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Living Your Life With Abandon

April 5, 2016April 6, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I was teaching on a recent Sunday morning about the 40 days immediately after Jesus’ resurrection. It’s a 40 day stretch that I’ve never heard anyone talk about. In fact, I titled my message, “The 40 Days No One Talks About”. There’s not a lot written about what Jesus did during those days but there are a few critical pieces of information.

In thinking about those 40 days there’s a lot that comes to mind for me. I’ll probably write about some of those thoughts from time to time. But one thing that seems to emerge for me is the need that Jesus had to get the apostles in a ‘good place’. Because…..they were not in a good place, from my perspective. They were not in a good place spiritually or emotionally, actually far from it!

If these were going to be the 11 (later Judas’ replacement was chosen) in charge of changing the world, advancing the kingdom and continuing the work that Jesus started….something drastic had to happen with them. Thomas was a ‘doubter’; Jesus had to rebuke several of them for their doubt, unbelief and hardness of heart. Peter, James and John couldn’t stay awake in Jesus’ darkest hour. And then again there was Peter, who folded like a cheap lawn chair, in denying even knowing Jesus when He needed him the most! If we’re keeping score, His failure would rank up there in the top two or three, all-time! (I’m glad God doesn’t keep score on that kind of stuff!)

World changers, without exception, live their lives with abandon. People who don’t walk by faith would label them reckless. …..and reckless they are, but for the most noble cause. These were just men, fishermen and tax collectors, but their destiny demanded that they, somehow, recover from their failures. So, Jesus had to fix them if they’re going to be world changers. Not an easy task! That’s some of what He did in the span of that 40 days.

As I think about it……it seems to me that those are the exact same things He is working to change in us. ……….and for the exact same reason!

Check these out, too:

Talk About a ‘Fixer-Upper’!

Virtual Reality

God Moves Through ‘Influence’ ……. Not ‘Control’!

You’ve Gotta Quit Calling Yourself a “Sinner”!

A Long Ways From the Lord

March 31, 2016April 3, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Awhile back I was right in the middle of telling my story (my personal testimony). And, something I’ve said a dozen or more times before in that process, all of a sudden, took on a whole new dimension. If you’re a regular reader of mine you’ll remember that I didn’t grow up going to church. In fact, by the time I was thirty, I probably hadn’t even been in a church more than a few dozen times, funerals and all. I will say that even though our family didn’t go to church we were definitely brought up right. We were taught things that everyone really should be taught. Things like working hard, telling the truth, being true to your word, giving value to people and treating ’em all with dignity. Those are pretty valuable things…..we were just kinda missing some of the spiritual stuff. But, thinking back, Mom and Dad somehow imparted to us that God was real…….and that He was good! I didn’t learn that at the church house but, somehow, I knew it! I’ve always known it!

In giving my testimony I said, “We were a long ways from the Lord”. Like I said earlier in this post, I’d said that a dozen times or more but this time when I said it I heard that familiar, still, small voice of the Lord quietly say to my spirit, “Yeah, Andy…..you might have been a long ways from Me…..but I was never far from you”! It got my attention and really struck me in a deep, deep place. I knew that it was the voice of the Lord…..and I knew that it was true.

I’ll bet there are a lot of people out there who, like me, think they’re a long ways from the Lord. But I want to go on the record, here, and tell you……..He’s not far from you!

If you like these “Share” ’em!

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The Lord Helps Those That Help Themselves!

March 31, 2016March 31, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

I hear people put that out there fairly often as if it’s actually written in the Bible. Well, it’s not! It’s not a flat-out untruth…in fact, there’s quite a bit of truth to it if you think about it. It does make sense that the Lord would help someone who is trying their best to be obedient and to be a good steward of the resources he might have. It’s even very Biblical to expect the Lord to bless you even more if that’s the position you’ve taken. “Whoever’s faithful in a little, the Lord will bless with more.”.

So, it can very well be true that the Lord helps those that help themselves…..but His help is not limited to just the ones that do that. No, much to the contrary, His attention is never far from those in distress, those who have lost their way, those who are discouraged, depressed and downtrodden. And, many times it’s actually, ONLY, the help of the Lord that can get a person lifted up out of those kinds of dire straits. I’m speaking from personal experience here! I’m really grateful that His lovingkindness and His ability to rescue is not totally dependent on my utter devotion to Him! I’d have been in big trouble a bunch of times!

So, yes, the Lord will help those who’ll help themselves…..but He’s also very quick to help those who just can’t muster up the energy to get it done!

*He’s even been known to help some who are just determined to ‘not’ help themselves!

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What’s So Good About Friday?

March 25, 2016April 19, 2019 / Andy R Taylor / 4 Comments

I like Fridays’! They’re nothing like Mondays’! I can live with Mondays’ but I don’t just crave ’em. More stress, too far to the weekend, usually a dilemma or two; Yep, Mondays, can be tough. They don’t call ’em Mondays’ for nothing! But Fridays’, now there’s a day I can enjoy! I can do Fridays’!

But seriously, there was a Friday, way back, that someone decided to call ‘Good Friday’. I’m not sure who coined the phrase but I think they did a heckuva job! When you look at that particular Friday a couple thousand years ago, and what took place on that fateful day, you might be really perplexed as to why anyone could have the audacity to call anything about it, ‘good’. In fact, if I didn’t know the whole story…..it would’ve been the worst Friday that ever happened!

That Friday that I’m talking about was the Friday that Jesus, God’s Son, was put to death by crucifixion on The Cross.…the cruelest method of corporal punishment around the first century. It was the greatest miscarriage of justice that would ever take place in the context of time itself! Jesus,……sinless, perfect, lover of sinners and tax collectors, put to death with absolutely no wrong done. How in the world could that possibly be ‘good’?!

Because if Jesus hadn’t done what He did….we’d be doomed to be slaves to sin, forever. That, in turn, would make eternity to be dreaded to the deepest degree! No hope. But Jesus turned it all around! It didn’t come easy, though. He was beaten almost to the point of death, stripped of His clothes, and made to carry His cross through the swelling crowd in Jerusalem to the hill called Golgotha (the place of the skull) where he was nailed to the cross. …..and there He died. Bad Friday……really bad!

Saturday,…..not good! Terrible, in fact. But Sunday everything changed. I mean, Everything!! ….when Jesus came out of that tomb! And, He was carrying the keys to death, hell and the grave! They would no longer have any kind of hold on mankind!

Jesus, motivated only by love, willingly laid down His life for you and me! Because of that, now, we have the awesome opportunity to have the same relationship with God that He has!

And that,………that right there’s why they call it Good Friday!!

The People That Nobody Else Wants

March 24, 2016December 20, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 1 Comment

Nearly 27 years ago Julie and I said “Yes” to whatever it was that the Lord wanted us to do in Sayre, Oklahoma. We knew very little about starting or leading a church but we were sure we had heard the Lord on it. We started with a little group of about 6 or 8 people….and off we went!

One of the very first things I know I heard from the Lord was some specifics on how to pray about the work in Sayre. He directed me to pray this way, “Lord, bring us the people that nobody else wants.” We started praying that from the very beginning and we are still praying it today.

Interestingly enough, about ten years after we’d been faithfully praying that, a traveling ministry person was with us at one of our Wednesday morning prayer times and gave this prophetic word. Keep in mind he didn’t even know we’d already been praying this for at least ten years. Here’s what he said, “God wants me to tell you that if you’ll pray for the people nobody wants, He’s going to give you the people that everybody wants; and He’s going to take the people nobody wanted and turn them into people that everybody wants!”. And if you look at this family today you can clearly see the fruition of that prophetic word!

It’s sad to say but the very nature of stale and stagnant religion is to devalue the poor, the afflicted, the addicted, the ones who’ve lost their way, the ones who hate church…..and even those who hate God. The religious system really has no use for them. They have too much baggage, they require too much time to rehabilitate, they’re not givers….and the list goes on and on. …..but they’re very special to the Father!

If you look at our extremely diverse family you’ll see people from every walk of life. We have rich, poor (a lot more of the latter), black, white, red, doctors, inmates, recovered alcoholics, recovering alcoholics….and alcoholics, cowboys, bikers, hippies….and just about everyone in between. It’s a truly remarkable family, the most amazing bunch of people I’ve ever seen. There is unbelievable talent and potential in these people that nobody else wanted. They’re connecting in relationship with the Father; they’re finding their voice, they’re finding their place of purpose and function. They’re well along the way in fulfilling their God-given destiny.

They’ve been transformed, by the love of the Father, into people that everyone wants! That’s how the Lord does it!

Oh, and just so you don’t somehow get the wrong idea about all this…..I consider myself among that group that nobody else wanted!

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A ‘Sure Fire’ Way to Get Blessed!

March 23, 2016March 23, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

A young guy had moved his family here from Texas. He came here to ‘learn the ropes’ of ministry, so to speak. After he’d been here a few years he felt like it was time to go back to his hometown and begin the work the Lord had for him. He asked me a question, “What would you do if you were me?” The typical answer that most leaders like myself would give would be to go back and start a church. But, unless the Lord has spoken clearly and specifically to do that…..I wouldn’t give that advice at all. I think my answer might have caught him a bit off-guard.

“I’d go back and find out ‘who’ the poor are in your town.” The poor look different from town to town and city to city, even region to region and state to state. “I’d find out who they are, where they live, where they congregate…..and what their real needs are. Then I’d find out how to help them and to serve them.” He asked me, “Why would you do that?” My answer was, “Because if you’ll make it a priority to help the poor, God will bless every other thing that you do!”

It’s true, we’ve made it a priority here, and I’ve seen it happen over the past 25+ years. The poor are very special to the Lord; so much so that if you’ll help them….he’ll help you! It’s a Biblical guarantee. “When you give to the poor, it’s like lending to God.” I’m gonna go out on a limb here (just kidding) and say that He’s a pretty decent bookkeeper!

If we really want to talk about doing the work(s) of Jesus and neglect the ministry to the poor….we’re missing a huge ingredient of what Jesus’ life was all about. In fact, if He came back today….I think the church would have some serious questions to answer. There’s great potential among the poor in your community. The poor traditionally have no voice….and, sadly, no one is contending for them.

Figure out a way to help them! It’s a sure-fire way to get blessed!!

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Thank You, Mother Teresa!

It Ain’t as Easy as It Looks!

March 22, 2016March 26, 2017 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

About a year ago were was a young guy, I’d say in his late 2o’s, who wanted to get on some bucking bulls. Professional Bull Riding, the PBR, has come to the forefront over the last decade or so and is finding a strong fan base similar to other professional sports. So, this young guy obviously was captivated by the mystique, machismo and the sheer danger of it. He’d never been around it….but he did know a little (very little) about it.

He got on 3 or 4 bulls back to back. He didn’t ride any of them further than a jump or two. I will say for the guy that he wasn’t afraid to get on! After about the fourth one he yelled at his girlfriend, who he’d brought along to watch, “It ain’t as easy as it looks on TV!” Truer words were never spoken!

And, it’s like that with a lot of things. It looks easy from a distance, or on TV, as our buddy above surmised. But most everything changes when you’re actually doing it. Ministry is dang sure like that! Oh, there’s plenty of people out there who love to make fun of ministry people. They say things like, “Yeah, he couldn’t do anything else, so he started preaching.”. That’s some of the nicer stuff. But, just like our bull riding friend said…..it ain’t as easy as it looks. I rode bulls professionally and the stress of that doesn’t even come close in comparison to this. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t griping; everybody’s got plenty of stress to deal with. And, the Lord always gives plenty of grace when it’s needed.

Oh, and there’s a way to insulate yourself from the stress. I guess you could just look at it as job. (some do!) You could just treat it as a 9-5, not get attached to people, not deal with their tragedies, and not care whether or not they would have an authentic expression of Christianity, or have a genuine relationship with the Father….or experience a church that’s actually alive. I could never do that!

But, if you sincerely care about people, if you’re willing to do everything in your power to keep it real, if you’re determined to not be satisfied with some ‘phony imitation’, if you’re willing contend for the glory of God and endure all the criticism that comes along with it……it ain’t as easy as it looks!

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I’m Just the Messenger