D.T.R. - Every Day

A group of us guys are reading a book by Kyle Idleman called "not a fan".  It hits some areas of our lives (every area actually) that we need to address in our relationship to and with Jesus. 

Recently, we hit a chapter that challenged us to have the D.T.R. talk with ourselves about our relationship with Christ.
D.T.R. - Defining the Relationship:  setting the boundaries, setting the vision, addressing where this thing is going.  It's what the younger generation does when their friendships or the person to whom they are "talking" needs to know if this is going anywhere...
They have the D.T.R. talk.  
When a bunch of guys are sitting around drinking coffee and talking about what it means to have the talk with Jesus, we realize that this is a little weird but it also brought up a number of good points.
Every day we can redefine our relationship with Jesus.  In fact, every day we DO redefine our relationship with Jesus.  Every day we wake up and find hundreds of things  - good things - that we can easily place at the center of our existence instead of our Savior.  Truth be told - every day I easily find ways to place other things in front of my love relationship with Christ.  And yet - every day, He loves me and has only my best in mind for His glory.  How do I keep putting other things in front of Christ?

• I let my schedule derail my relationship with Christ.
• I let my family schedule do it, also.
• I let my desire for material things jump in front.
• I let my worry about the uncontrollable things take center stage.
• I let my sin nature creep onto the throne.
• I let my insecurities overtake my prayer life.
• I let my victories plant seeds of pride in my heart.
• I let my desire to make others happy overtake my sense of mission in making Christ happy first.

Some of these things are bad things and some are good things when placed in the right order with Christ at the center.  What do I know?
I know that, for me, and probably for you, it is critical that I roll out of bed in the morning and hit my knees and commit my day to Him.  Every day I must Define the Relationship, renew the commitment and set patterns and habits in place for this relationship to continue to grow.
What will you do?  It does get easier - as I look back at where I have been and where I am today - I see hope!  But I also see where I want to be - I have that vision for the future of what my life should look like with Jesus, so I press on and keep taking the little steps each day to make the relationship all that it should be - I am not a fan.  I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

Ready, Aim... Wait!

Two short stories of my first year trying my hand at bow hunting for white tail deer:

Story #1 - Opening Day

There I sat (yes, "sat") watching for a deer to come through as the sun arose through the trees.  It was clearing up and I could see a good distance.  Suddenly behind me in the woods, I heard something making its way through the undergrowth. I looked and it was a good sized four or six pointer - I could not tell for sure and I am pretty new at this.  WOW!  In the first hour of my first day of bow hunting I see a buck coming along!  I slowly stood,  slowly reached for my bow while keeping an eye on where he was and where he was headed the whole time.
He walked behind a tree and I realized, as I anticipated drawing back the string, that I still had a mitten top covering my hand,.  I slowly reached down to pull it off and he came through and stopped and looked my way - BROADSIDE at 25 yards!
I waited... he looked away...I finished and prepared to draw... he looked back... I froze... he ran off.
Disappointment set in.  I missed the opportunity because I was not ready to take the shot.

Story #2 - Several weeks later...

In another location, I was again waiting as the sun arose and praising God for the beauty of the sunrise while anxiously watching the woods for signs of movement. I saw it!  Slowly moving through the woods about 60 yards away was a deer and the closer it came I realized it was a buck!  Maybe today was the day!

I was already standing... I was not going to let that happen again.  As soon as I saw him at 60 yards, I made the patient effort to get the bow ready and my hands clear. I was ready to draw with the bow raised! It came toward me.  I watched it walk behind a tree and past some undergrowth so I drew back and took aim toward where he would emerge.

He came right into my sight!  Moment of truth... I saw that I was looking straight on into his chest.  Questions popped into my head... is this a good shot or not?  I do not know - I was always told to look for a broadside shot.  I waited - he stared directly in my direction... it seemed like eternity but no more than 30 seconds passed while I questioned my judgment. I thought I was ready but I still did not KNOW if this was right.  I hesitated even though he was right there in my sights.  It was simply a release of the bow with a flick of my finger.
I hesitated.. he ran off.

Again, disappointment set in.  I knew it was a shot worth taking at 20 yards but I hesitated. Again, I missed another opportunity because I was sill not ready to take the shot. 

Are you ready?  This parable by Jesus reminds us of the penalty of missed opportunity to be prepared.
Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV) 

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'  "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'  "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'  "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.  "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'  "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'  "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. "

Have you heard the message of salvation about what God tells us about believing in His Son, Jesus, in faith and about making Him the Master of our lives?  What are you waiting for?   You are like me and my bow hunting.., you know what to do and you just are not doing it!  Make a decision - have the courage to trust Jesus with your whole life!  He does not fix all of your problems but He does walk through them with yo and promises that if you take the steps to be ready  - when He comes you are going with Him!

Anticipation

This year I took up bow hunting for white tailed deer.  I just started hunting three seasons ago and have used a shot gun and a muzzle loader.  Both seasons are just two weeks long and I have found that I really enjoy being outdoors watching the sun come up or go down, seeing the woods come awake for the day or settle down for the night, enjoying the stillness or the little creature activity and carefully, expectantly watching for deer.

actual picture from my deer stand this year!

So, I took up bow hunting to spend more time in the woods and increase my chances - or so I thought.  Often what I see is this...  lots of trees, lots of open areas and lots of "no deer".  But here is what is strange.  

I wait expectantly.
I seriously know that there are deer out there and I truthfully expect them to come past me EVERY time I am out.
I will watch for several hours.  Trying to barely move. Letting my eyes rove around the known trails and letting my peripheral vision pick up the motion of that one deer that is going to come out.
I do things to occupy my mind - things like working on the latest problem that I am facing in life. Things like reviewing the verses that I am trying to commit to memory.  Things like praying for the people in my life and for the direction of our church.
My mind does a million things while I watch.
But...
I am always alert to see what is coming and I am always anticipating a deer to step into view at any moment.
I have hunted more this year than the last two years combined.  In all of those days, I have only taken two shots with my bow at two different deer in a six week long season.  I have seen many deer but in archery season you have to have them a lot closer than in firearms season. So I wait for them to get in close.  Expecting them to come this way at any moment. In the many mornings and evenings that I have been out (and a few afternoons) I have climbed into that tree stand and begun to immediately look around for what I KNOW is coming. I have not doubted.  I have not questioned whether they will show - I always expect them to show - even when I see nothing - my mind still looks with that anticipation that "today is the day"!
I thought to myself just the other day...

Jesus has told me - PROMISED me - that He will come like a thief in the night and that I should EXPECT to see Him returning and calling me (and every believer in Christ  - dead and alive) to meet Him in the air and return to heaven with Him.  

Do I live each day as though I am anticipating His return to call my name?

Do I anxiously await His return and live as though He will catch me living to His glory?

Do I look up to the sky to see if the clouds are rolling back or if He is breaking through?

Why can I sit in a tree for hours with that joyful anticipation of seeing a deer arrive on the scene and I have trouble contemplating and even anticipating the return of the One who saved me from my sin and changed my life forever?

Don't let yourself be so caught up in the everyday problems that you cannot take a few moments and watch the sky, think about your Savior's return and live like you anticipate His trumpet call at any moment. It is coming.  Maybe sooner than we want to think or believe.  

Sunrise photo from my stand - what if it where Christ's return?

I feel  like as believers we should be anticipating the return of Christ and live as though He is coming soon.  I feel like while we are anticipating that event we should be sharing our faith like crazy and hoping to bring as many into heaven with us as possible!

Are you anticipating or fearing the return of Christ?