Trials…….They’re Just Part of the Deal!

July 29, 2015August 8, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Life is full of ups and downs, that’s for sure. No one really has a problem with the ‘ups’….least wise I haven’t heard anybody griping about them. Nope, it’s the ‘downs’ that we don’t enjoy all that much. But, really, it’s just a fact of life that we’re going to go through some extremely trying times in the course of our lives.

The trials of life can really take a toll on us. In fact there are many out there who are experiencing some big-time ill effects from the hard things they’ve had to endure. And in some of those cases…..they just can’t seem to break out of the pattern. There’s no way I’d minimize the seriousness, and hopeless state, of those trapped in a life of discouragement and defeat. We’ve all had the pressure and temptation to stay there ourselves. But, what if those trials of life were somehow beneficial to us over the long-haul? What if there is some redemptive value in going through the tough times? And, just what if those unpleasant circumstances were a whole lot better for us than we could ever imagine?

I believe it’s a high possibility that these storms of life can have some extremely positive effects on us if we’ll respond in the right way. I’m no expert here. I’ve flunked more of life’s tests than most. But I can honestly see how those hard things have helped me in the long-run. Your question would be…..“How’s that?”.

I’ve learned that my first response at the start of a trial should be…..to run to the Father. It’s not always my first thought (sometimes I have to have someone remind me!)…..but it’s always the right thing to do! Running ‘from’ God never works. Running ‘to’ Him always does! I’ve made a short list of why/how these hard things can be vital to us as we grow up in the Lord.

1) When we reach the ‘end’ of ourselves we’re more prone to start to put our trust in the Lord. That’s a very ‘good thing’!

2) Our faith gets tested. *God doesn’t test us so He can find out how strong our faith is…..He tests us so that we can find that out!!

3) We mature through the trials of life.

4) We learn patience and obedience through the tough times.

5) We learn, firsthand, that we really are ‘more than conquerors’!

The list could go on and on

James wrote in his letter, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials…”. By faith we can face our challenges and be encouraged that we’re going to be better than we were. And what’s more important…..we’ll be more like Him!

It’s Always Been About The Encounter!

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 1 Comment

I made a recent FaceBook post stating, “If your Bible reading doesn’t eventually lead you to an encounter with the Father, you might be wasting your time.” It’s a statement that I believe is 100% true. It’s a modern reflection on what Jesus said a couple thousand years ago; “You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, but you’re not willing to come to me that you might have life.” In His day the Pharisees were sticklers for the Law, but rejected Jesus as God’s Son…and as a result had absolutely no relationship with Him.

The scene is much the same today, especially in the Bible Belt. Reading and studying the Bible, as disciplines, have been elevated over having an interactive relationship with the Father. Now, don’t misunderstand me here; I love the Bible. Reading, and studying it, can be a very good thing, but it was never meant to be a substitute for our relationship with the Father!

I got a lot of ‘pushback’ from the post.…mostly from well-meaning, but ‘over-churched’, self-appointed Bible scholars who, somehow, believe they are the sole guardians of the Truth. I believe that is much in part due to the fact that even though people agree, in principle, with pursuing a relationship with the Father that reading the Word could never be a waste of time. It’s sad that many people can’t think outside their “Bible Belt” mentality! The bible was written in such a way as to ‘entice’ us to engage with the Father in relationship…and if we don’t do that we’re missing the point!

It’s always been about the encounter!

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

July 24, 2015April 13, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I’ve always liked Tina Turner. Well, way back in the day it was Ike & Tina, but you know that whole story. I just caught a piece of her song from 1993, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”, on XM a few days ago. And I thought about that question and how it relates to the church of the 21st century. There are plenty of challenges facing the world today; plenty of challenges facing us as Americans….and plenty of challenges facing us as individuals. But as I see it (That’s the title of my blog, “The Way I See It”...and if you’re not already a “Follower”, you should be!) there’s no greater nor more important challenge, especially for the church, than….”Are we going to love like Jesus did?”.

Today the church in America has it all; Majestic, million-dollar buildings to hold churchgoers; Sound systems that cost into the thousands; Worship teams that exude professionalism; Expository preaching/teaching using the Hebrew and the Greek; Ministry teams that know how to get ‘er done….and lots of other important things. I need to say right here that I’m for all those things to a degree.….and as long as they’re not excessive but used in a way to bring honor to the Father and to bring everyone closer to Him.

But in the final analysis, those things are bound to dim in the light of the more important issue; How did we do at love?? Every time I say we should be learning to love like Jesus did I get plenty of ‘pushback’. Don’t have time to argue that point but if you disagree you can keep on fooling yourself and be part of the problem rather than part of the solution Lots of people argue that there’s no way we could possibly do that. I disagree. It’s not an easy one by any stretch….but because He encouraged it Himself….it’s doable. We should ‘wade-in’ with the opportunities that we have to love….right now!

So you ask, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”

ONLY EVERYTHING!

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We’re “A Work in Progress”

July 23, 2015July 23, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

We’re being ‘conformed’ into the image of Jesus….individually, and corporately. At least that’s what the Bible says. By that we know that the Father wants to nurture us into spiritual maturity. When I look at ‘where’ I am today and then look at Jesus it becomes extremely obvious that I have a long way to go to be like Him. I’d say the Father has His work cut out for Him! But, take heart…..He’s in it for the long haul and there’s no doubt about it…it’s a lifelong process.

The tendency for us in the church today is that we reach a plateau and our spiritual growth and maturity just start to flatline. I’ve been pastoring for, going on, 27 years and I’ve encountered this more than I’d like to. Church people, oftentimes, don’t continue the maturing process. When that happens they stay in a mode of childishness….which causes all kinds of problems….both for them and the church, as well. Paul, in his letters, addressed this more than once, “By now you should be teachers…but you still have need for someone to teach you”. And, “I’d like to feed you solid food (the deeper truths), but you’re still on milk”. Those attitudes are prevalent in the church today and those stuck, by their own unwillingness to move on, in an infantile mode need to be told to ‘get off the tit, and grow up’!

Kingdom people, on the other hand, realize that they’re a ‘work in progress’. It takes a long time to be conformed into the image of Jesus. They learn to resist the temptation to just settle in and they won’t let themselves get comfortable in those ‘plateaued’ seasons. It does take some effort to rise above mediocrity…..but ‘kingdom’ people are willing to do it!

By The Numbers

July 21, 2015July 21, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

I was thinking a few days ago about what I do and just wondered how many times I’ve preached a message, how many funerals I’ve presided over, how many ‘corporate’ prayer meetings I’ve led, how many ‘ministry’ school sessions I’ve taught in, how many conferences I’ve spoken at, how many civic events I’ve been asked to speak at, how many marriages I’ve performed, how many different churches I’ve spoken at, how many ‘small group’ meetings I’ve led, how many youth camp services I’ve led, how many graduations I’ve spoken at, ordination services I’ve been a part of, etc. So, I thought I’d try to count it up. It’s a ‘ballpark’ guess at best and I’m trying to be conservative.

Sunday/Wednesday Messages: 2125

Funerals: 350

Prayer Meetings Led: 1144

Ministry School Sessions: 60

Conference Messages: 60

Civic Events: 35

Marriages: 100

Different Churches: 60

Led Small Groups: 100

Youth Camp Messages: 100

Graduations: 20

Ordination Services: 40

Misc.: 25

Grand Total: 4319

……in addition to that…..

Newspaper Articles: 550

Blogs: 125

Small Group Lessons: 100

Radio Shows: 85

How Are We Doing in ‘The Thing’ That Matters Most?

July 15, 2015July 18, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Our lives are important. I don’t think I have to convince you of that. But, have you thought about how important your life might be to God? As a Father…..and the One Who actually gives us life to begin with…..you’d think that He would place an extremely high value on our lives and how they’re spent. Life is a very precious thing. I’m aware of that more today, at nearly 62, than I’ve ever been before. I expect the realization of that truth will continue to escalate as we grow older. It’s almost unbelievable how fast the years go by.

As I stop and look both ways, to the past and to the future, I wonder if I have….and if I will, spend my days doing things that have any kind of eternal value. For me, that’s an extremely sobering thought. I really think the Father wants more for our lives than to for us to just take up space and end up in heaven. If we believe that He has a plan for our life we really should go after Him (ask Him) and allow Him to disclose the details so we can ‘get on with the program’!

But as I think of what really matters most only one thing comes to mind. How are we doing in our journey to love like He loves? Some would argue that there’s no way we could ever love like He does. It’s a valid argument. But I really believe that’s ‘the thing’ that He wants ,more than anything else, to produce in us. Oh there’s all kinds of things He wants to use us to accomplish but none any more important than this. I honestly believe it’s do-able….but not without His Spirit to help us in the process.

Deep down all of us would want to hear at the end, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. And I think that, of all the positive things we might do with our lives, it actually comes down to…..how well did I do at ‘loving’ people?

How well are you doing in ‘the thing’ that matters most?

Are You A ‘Kingdom’ Person? Part 9 – Learners

July 10, 2015August 17, 2018 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Kingdom people think different….and behave differently than the regular, normal, bored, Bible-belt church guy. They have a keen sense of destiny and are serious about allowing the Father’s plan for their life to be fulfilled. The kingdom person is committed to the process of spiritual maturity and fully understand that it doesn’t happen overnight.

Committing to the Father’s plan for our lives requires us to be ‘learners’. He has us in the ‘school of life’. Every incident, every event has potential redeeming value for the kingdom person. They even have a keen understanding that even the obstacles, challenges and trials have a way of forming and shaping them into the image of Jesus. The kingdom person knows that the Father has an intricate, detailed, plan for their life….but they’re learning not to take themselves to seriously. They laugh at their mistakes, learn from them….and move on!

My dad, Cliff Taylor, gave my brother Monty and me some profound advice growing up; “When you think you know it all, you’re as smart as you’re ever going to get”. If you think about that it proves to be true if you’re a plumber, a doctor or an astronaut. That little piece of advice has caused me to be in the place of a ‘learner’ my entire life.

Paul, the apostle, took a similar position; “I don’t count myself as having attained (arrived)”. As a result of that mindset, he remained a ‘learner’ his entire life. Today, and it’s events, holds the incredible possibility of teaching us all kinds of things. There are plenty of people out there in the church today who act as if they have ‘it all knowed up’. ……..but kingdom people are ‘learners’!!

I’m All For Celebrating ‘Independence Day’, But I Think We Need A ‘Dependence Day’ Too!

July 6, 2015July 4, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 4 Comments

We just celebrated Independence Day here in the good ‘ol USA….for the 239th time, no less! It was in 1776 when we won our independence out from under British rule. I, for one, am glad that happened; I really can’t see myself speaking that fancy, refined, limey English brogue. That’d be one heckuva stretch for a ‘whangy’ talkin’ Texas Panhandle boy, if you know what I mean. So I’m glad we’re a sovereign, autonomous….and independent nation!

Independence is a good thing from that perspective. And even, to be independent, as a person can be a very good thing. Independent people are naturally confident and assertive…and they’re not prone to let others’ negativity affect them too much on the road to their goals. But in the kingdom of God…independent attitudes can work against us, not for us. Let me explain; God has created each of us with specific strengths…but on the other side of that, we all have weaknesses as well. He has designed the church in such a way that we’re all needed. Nobody has it all. He wants us to learn to depend on others’ strengths where we’re weak…..and vice-versa.

The church is a ‘body’ with many body parts and it only works really, really well when all the parts are working in conjunction with one another. So, in that respect, we need to get over our independence and be team-players. But there’s an even greater issue with independence that must not be overlooked. It’s my opinion that we need to occasionally re-declare our dependency squarely upon the Lord. We cannot live a successful life nor can we fulfill our destiny without a deep dependency on Him. It’s easy to just put our lives on auto-pilot and not be dependent on Him. I’ve done it too often.

So, I hope you had a great 4th of July; a great Independence Day! It’s a pretty important holiday. And, as much as it’s needed, I doubt we’re going to get the Feds to initiate a National ‘Dependence Day’ so I guess you and I will just have to declare one for ourselves! Do it, and without a doubt, and you’ll notice….and enjoy the benefits!

“Keith” – It Was a Short Friendship….But a Good One!

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 14 Comments

Sitting in a local truck-stop about midnight with some friends when a guy from another table came over to ours’. Keith was a truck driver from a town about an hour away. He said, “I could tell from overhearing you guys that you believe in God.” He went on to say, “I’m in a bad way, I need help.” He then began to pour his heart out to us. Turned out that his wife had left him for his best friend and he was about a low as a man could be. We talked with him for an hour or so, then prayed with him to receive Jesus.

I made it a point to call Keith at least once a week, which I did for a couple of months. He’d have a lot of bad days and a good one here and there. Then one week he called me. I vividly remember the call. He said, “You know you’re always calling me to check in and cheer me up, but today I’m having a really good day….and I just wanted to call and say thank you. I think I’m going to be OK.”

Tried to call him a couple weeks later, but no answer. I tried to call him at least a dozen times over the next month. I bumped into a longtime friend from Keith’s hometown and asked him if he knew Keith. He said that he did and then told me that Keith had been found dead in his truck about a month before of an apparent heart attack. My friend told me about his funeral and said that Keith’s folks had no idea of his decision to receive Jesus.

It was really rewarding to be able to call Keith’s mom and tell her about our midnight truck-stop meeting. You can imagine the peace that it gave her. I also got the opportunity to meet his son a few months later and tell him that his Dad belonged to the Lord….and would be waiting for him in heaven. I think of Keith often and how blessed I was to know him….even if it was just for a short time.

Are You A ‘Kingdom’ Person? Part 5 – Evolving into Sonship

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Kingdom people are evolving into their ‘sonship’/’daughtership’! It comes by the revelation to our hearts that God is a Father and He’s chosen us to be His children. It’s an amazing reality and it’ll totally transform our lives for the better when we ‘catch’ it!

When we’re born again we come into God’s kingdom as a little child, so to speak. Our immaturity in regards to spiritual things is pretty obvious at first but hopefully we’ll grow through the childhood stage into spiritually mature adults. I say that with all sincerity, but I’ve observed through the years that many people in the church today have never matured and remain childish and immature. There’s really no excuse for that.

God is our Father and He wants to interact with us on a regular basis. There’s a lot of reasons why we need to hear the Lord but one of the ‘key’ reasons is that the things that God says to us forms us and shapes us into our true identity. He desires to raise us up as His own sons and daughters.

Evolving into our sonship is a lifelong process but we can, and should, start now. We start out with a lot of ‘orphan’ characteristics. We want to be the center of attention, we self-promote so people will accept us, we embellish the details of our lives so we’ll look important. That’s just a few of the characteristics that we might have as immature believers but as we begin the growth process into sons and daughters we start to leave those things behind us. In the light of God’s love, and through our ongoing relationship with Him, we begin to ‘grow up’. *All creation is anticipating the revealing of the ‘sons’ of God!

Kingdom people are evolving into their Sonship!