There’s a stretch of road by my house that has a huge pothole. The city has “repaired” it so many times it’s comical. They simply fill it in with asphalt and call it day. Yet before you know it, the pothole is back.
The only way to permanently get rid of that pothole is to pay a bigger price. This portion of the road needs to be torn up, regraded and then repaved. Patchwork is easier and looks nice, but the problem only returns.
Jesus didn’t come to add Himself or new behaviors to us, but to replace us with Him. Adding new behaviors is patchwork. It makes us look “good” in the short term, but the underlying cause, our sinful thinking, is still present. The sinful behavior only resurfaces just like the pothole.
You must pay the price if you truly want to change. New Christ-like behaviors only come through the hard work of renewing your mind through Spirit empowered faith steps.
Pay now or keep repaying the costs of failure. You and those around you need hope. This kind of hope only comes through Jesus shining through you, not a plastered on Jesus.

It’s been said, “True humility is seeing ourselves in others who lose their way, in others who seem unlovable from the outside, in those who continue to fall no matter how good their intentions were.”
Why is it humbling to look at broken people making broken type decisions? If we look carefully, we see ourselves in the unlovable, in those who lose their way and in those who keep falling. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know the saying, “But by the grace of God, there go I,” is true.
We feel unlovable at times. We make stupid choices that led to face-planting with the concrete. We make left turns when we should have made a right because we trusted in our own wisdom.
The sooner we all, the obviously broken and the less than obviously broken, realize that we need a Savior, the sooner victorious healing comes. Why? Because we’ll ask for it! Asking for help takes true humility, which leads to wholeness.

I was driving a mountain road when the car behind me pulled out and passed me and the car in front of me. Legal yes. Smart? Maybe. I could see an entire line of cars in front that was going to force them to slow down. I sure wouldn’t have done it.
Then it hit me. What they did was not only legal, but safe as well. And, what if they were responding to an emergency where every second, let alone minute, counted? What seemed illogical to me was perfectly logical to them.
I couldn’t see their heart or hear what Jesus was saying to them, only God could. There is one truth, but many applications to that truth. Who gives anyone the right to judge someone’s heart or motive, especially when their actions line up with Scripture?
Sure, they may not be doing it like you or I think they should. But who made either of us God? Only God is God, so allow Him to do His job; and then relax and do yours. Show your love for Jesus through listening to Him and then by Spirit empowered faith do it. Who knows. Next time, it might be you pulling out and passing two cars!

The Jesus believer is told that “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) Notice it doesn’t say that working out and eating right doesn’t have any value. It does.
Yet, godliness has value both now and forever. No matter how hard we work out and how careful we are about what we put into our bodies, even the most healthy people will sag and one day wear out. I’ve known marathon runners dying of heart attacks.
So, where should we put most of our attention? Listening and following Jesus. As we see the Spirit change our lives, doubts about where we’ll spend eternity will fade away as a changed life brings hope today. (Rom. 5:3-5)
It also has eternal value. All the time you spend on your body stays here. All the time you spend on becoming like Jesus goes with you into eternity in the form of Christlike character (1 Cor. 3:10-15)!
Love Jesus in greater amounts. Become like Jesus with each character flaw erased. Share Jesus and the hope He gives as both happens. What a beginning to eternity you’ll have!

I was having ice tea with a friend (I know it’s hard to believe, but I have a few!) earlier this week. I was sharing with complete candor that I love my wife more today than I did almost 30 years ago when we first married.
How? I’ve learned to remove the distractions in my life. I’ve discovered that what I thought was important back then is not as important today; and thus, it can be eliminated from my thinking and life.
I believe this is true for all relationships. Want to draw closer to your friends, your spouse and/or Jesus? Choose to remove what’s between you (see James 4:8).
Holding onto things you don’t need, going to places you shouldn’t go, spending on items that soon fade in importance, thinking thoughts that only drag you down…choose to remove them.
Let the Spirit show you the distractions in your life. Then choose to eliminate them one by one with Spirit empowered faith. Your love will only grow. And let me tell you, more love sure feels grrreat!