John Markum

Signs that you don’t get it.

Regardless of how much Bible you know, how long you’ve been in church, or how intelligent you sound during a Bible discussion, below are a few of the signs that you are just not getting it:

  1. You read the Bible or hear a message, and think of other people that need to change.
  2. You’ve believed the myth that Knowledge = Discipleship.
  3. You talk about people’s problems to other people.
  4. You come to the conclusion, “They’ll never change.”
  5. You have a good memory of others’ short-comings, but a bad memory about your own.
  6. You make excuses for your actions.
  7. You’ve spent more time on facebook this week than in THE Book.
  8. The last time you were in church was your last crisis. The next time you’ll be in church will be the next crisis.
  9. You attend 3 churches, but are committed to none.
  10. You’re more concerned with how people see you than how God sees you.
  11. You’ve read the first 10 signs, and still think you have nowhere to improve.

James 1:22 tells us, “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” If we can have all the right responses to every spiritual questions, but live in a way that is not like Christ, and think that God approves, according to the Bible, we are spiritually delusional! Let’s be humble enough to take on the attitude and actions of Jesus. Only when we humble ourselves will we start to get it. Later this week, I’ll share some signs that you are getting it.

Blessings,

John

Life-Defining Decisions

The older I get, the longer I’m married, the more I know Christ, and the greater experience I have in life and ministry, the more my life has been impacted by a few decisions I have made along the way. These are not all necessarily from the Bible, but the principles are all there. I’m taking for granted a few things that should be obvious: give my life to Christ, etc… These are more specific. And the benefits – and burdens – of these decisions continue to guide my life. These are not general guidelines. These are personal declarations that I intend to follow through at the cost of everything else if necessary. These are decisions that have radically altered and determined the direction of my life:

  • I choose to love 1 woman, my whole life, with all of my heart, soul, and mind – and earn her honor and love in return.
  • I will raise my kids not to simply survive their world, but to change their world.
  • I choose to enjoy every season of my life. I will embrace my youth while I have it, my seniority when I’ve earned it, and every day in between.
  • I will retire in Heaven. When it is time for me to step off the scene of “full-time ministry” I will invest the rest of my days into the next generation to take the mantle of leadership.
  • Aside from my wife and children – I will not sacrifice the vision that God has given me for the demands of anyone.
  • I will commit my life and ministry to reaching those who are not yet reached.
  • I will trust God enough to boldly attempt to do the impossible. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
  • No matter the cost, no matter my comfort zone, no matter others’ opinion, I will 1) listen to God, and 2) do what He says.
  • I would rather be known by what I am for, rather than what I am against. I will speak life and call people into their potential.

What principles do you live by? What are the things that define the direction you are going? I suggest that you think through some things that you will stand by as well. This was NOT an over-night list, and depending on which aspect of my life we’re talking about, the list gets longer and more specific. The point is, I intend to get somewhere on purpose. Of course I am open to how God wants to lead me, but I find these things to be consistent with God’s Word and His character. So it’s safe to bank my life on them. What are you banking your life on?

Blessings,

John

We are not human

People often try to categorize their lives…

  • Family
  • Career
  • “Me” time
  • Church
  • etc…

And when we look at our lives through these narrow lenses, we often neglect to see – or even flat out deny – that there is an intricate relationship to all of these dimensions of who we are. Chiefly at stake with this, is the idea that our “spiritual life” is some how separate from other parts of us. That way of thinking is on par with saying that I am a father at home with my kids, but when I’m at work I’m not a father.

We are not human beings having spiritual experiences. We are spiritual being who have human experiences.

I don’t want that to sound more mystical than it’s suppose to. But what I mean, is that in comparison to eternity, this life is only a fraction of our existence. We cannot separate who we are eternally from who we are relationally. Or vocationally. Or even recreationally. And God wants to intervene in your life on all sides. He does not desire to be the most important part in your life followed by other important things. He wants to be the center of all parts of who you are.

Embrace your spirituality, and see how God wants to work mightily on your behalf in every area of your life.

Blessings,

John

The phrase no pain, no gain has been a mantra for athletes and fitness junkies for years. And what they understand about physical pain needs to be broadened to a much more general use in all of our lives. Pain hurts. That's the whole problem. No one enjoys it, and if someone does, we rightfully

The Premium of Pain