Mark Batterson

Shame is a story you tell yourself about yourself. Like a news ticker that runs in the background of our minds, we have shame scripts that say: “I am unworthy, I am unlovable, I am not enough, I am a mistake.” God says you are His workmanship, fearfully and wonderfully made, the apple of His eye, more than a conqueror. If you want to change your life, you have change your story! You are who God says you are. To believe anything else is false humility.

If you stay humble and stay hungry, there is nothing God cannot do in you or through you. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. How? By thinking of others more. By thinking of God more.

We are getting smarter and smarter, but I’m not sure we’re getting wiser and wiser. Our culture is polarized and politicized, fight or flight. If we ever needed wisdom, it’s now. The good news? Wisdom has a name. Jesus is wisdom with skin on it. Jesus is perfect theology! The Jesus Way is Third Way. It doesn’t compromise it’s convictions, but it always shows compassion.

We have RULES for everything. There are rules of the road, rules for the games we play, rule of law. Spiritually speaking, a RULE OF LIFE consists of core values, core beliefs, and core practices. It’s a CODE OF CONDUCT—rituals and routines, decisions and disciplines—by which we live our lives. This week we explore seven JOY RULES, and it starts with this—ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

Everybody is somebody’s disciple. Consciously or subconsciously, we pattern our lives after someone. As Christ followers, we have made a conscientious decision to live like Jesus, pray like Jesus, forgive like Jesus, love like Jesus. We are His hands, His feet. We are His workmanship. We are the manifold wisdom of God. Simply put, you are the genius of Jesus.

When you put what you have in your hand—five loaves and two fish—into the hands of God, 5 + 2 doesn’t equal 7 anymore. Add God to the equation, and 5 + 2 = 5000 R12.

When you trace the genealogy of genius, the genesis usually involves some PAIN and SUFFERING. Genius is not born of comfort. It’s born from, born for adversity. SUFFERING is the SEEDBED of genius. God redeems it and recycles it for His plans, His purposes.

When Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross, it was GAME OVER. Death was undefeated, but there is a God who turns GRAVES into GARDENS. It's not over until God says it's over. Don't put a PERIOD where God puts a COMMA. Just when it seems like all is lost, God has a supernatural surprise up His sovereign sleeve!

God has not, cannot, and will not give up on you. It’s not in His nature. He is the God of second, third, and hundredth chances. We are never beyond the need of God’s grace and we are never beyond the reach of God’s grace. When we extend God’s grace to others, we become People of the Second Chance.

At critical junctures in our lives, situations present themselves that call for courage. Are you going to let FEAR or FAITH dictate your decisions? Are you going to OFFEND GOD or OFFEND PEOPLE? Are you going to PLAY IT SAFE or TAKE A RISK? These are the days when decades happen. The courage of calling is risking ME for WE. The courage of calling is enduring present-tense PAIN for eternal GAIN. The courage of calling is living according to biblical convictions—no reserves, no retreats, no regrets.