The natural response when being attacked is to defend. We don’t have to learn how to defend, we automatically do it. It’s comes standard in all human makes and models. When we know we’re in the wrong, we feel the need to defend ourselves by trying  to justify our actions. When we know we’re in the right, we feel the need to defend our reputation. We somehow have been taught that if we don’t defend ourselves we are admitting that we are in the wrong, that our silence is somehow an admission of our guilt.

Jesus certainly had every reason to defend himself in front of the inquisition and insurrection he was facing. He could have defended his actions and possibly avoided some of the beatings that he faced. But he remained silent. Choosing instead to trust his heavenly Father for the outcome.

Occasionally, defending ourselves might be the wise thing to do. Many times it’s wise to keep our mouth shut. Defending requires discernment as well as listening to the Holy Spirit. When should we defend ourselves and when should we remain silent? I think the answer is hidden in our motivation. If our desire is to elevate ourselves in a situation, it’s best to remain silent. If the situation elevates God and could potentially lead someone closer to God, it might be wise to defend your actions and explain why you did what you did.

Recently, I was in a situation where I could have easily defended my actions and was tempted to. I felt God telling me, “you don’t have to defend yourself, I got this one Mike.” I just made the conversation about listening and seeking to understand the other person. Sometimes, the other person isn’t looking for your defense, they are just looking to throw stones at you. By the way, you know a person is just wanting to throw stones when it is a one-sided conversation and there is not one question trying to understand your point of view. Proverbs 23:9 says this, “Don’t bother talking sense to fools; they’ll only poke fun at your words.(MSG)”

There is great freedom in not defending. There is freedom in allowing God to be in control and trusting him for the outcome. The next time you find yourself in a situation where you are tempted to defend yourself. Ask the question…will this elevate me or elevate God? Extend grace and trust your heavenly Father. He’s perfectly capable of handling it on his own.

Jesus always sees people through the lens of anticipated redemption. Seeing them for who He intended them to be, rather than seeing them for who they really are.

The Russian writer and philosopher Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “ To love someone means to see him as God intended him.“ It’s this idea of seeing every person and treating them as kingdom contributors before they even know what the kingdom is. It means treating people as if they are already functioning in the body of Christ, giving them a picture of what could be and should be.

God has expanded my view of prayer beyond a verbal exchange between God and I. This idea of anticipated redemption is living out a prayer for people far from God. I believe that God sees the faith of our anticipation for people and answers it by drawing these people to himself. It’s prayer with feet. It’s living out our prayer life with anticipation.

It’s not our job to arrest people with our judgment, but rather by grace. Being arrested by judgment produces guilt, shame, hostility, and hopelessness. Being arrested by grace produces repentance, hope, worth, and redemption.

Try seeing and treating those far from God as already followers of God, as to win them through anticipated redemption.

God is sanctifying us daily. He’s at work, setting us apart for His special use and special service. Our level of contentment often stands in the way of our sanctification. For many years I was discontent with where God had me and content with where I had God.

A major shift happened in my life about 7 years ago. I began to have contentment with where God had me and started to have a discontentment with where I had God.

This shift was a game changer for me. God was sanctifying my contentment so He could take me to where He wanted me to go. Sanctifying contentment leads us to a God alignment.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

Are you ready to make the shift?

I decided to start a new weekly series on MistakeMaker.com called “Confessions”. Every week I’ll be confessing the junk in my trunk… mostly for me, but hopefully you’ll find some encouragement in it as well.

So I thought I would kick off this series with my first confession. I’m a middle-aged out of shape fat guy. There I said it. Whew…I feel better already.

So here’s the deal. God has been kickin’ my butt in the area of discipline. Particularly with the idea that our physical life is interconnected with our spiritual life. I blogged about this here a few days ago. I feel like God is telling me that one way I can grow spiritually is by shaping up physically. I am 38 years old. This is half time. Time to regroup, refocus, and reprioritize for the 2nd half. The 2nd half is when most of the action happens. I want to be ready. I want to be able to run the race hard and I want to finish well.

I’m about 25 lbs. overweight and I’m completely out of shape. I imagine that my blood pressure is on the high side. And I’m sure that my Cholesterol is high. At least it was the last time that I had it checked which was about 2 years ago. Since I’m confessing, I blew off the follow up appointment, the-one-where-I-was-supposed-to-come-back-after-eating-healthier-to-get-rechecked appointment.

I said all of that to say that on Monday, training for the 2nd half begins. My wife and I will begin the P90X training program. Man, I’m excited and pumped up to get started. It’s gonna be tough. But, I’m determined to finish the program. I’ll journal my progress each week on the blog. Please keep me motivated by letting me know that you’re following my progress. We do what’s inspected, not what’s expected. Inspect away…please.

Confession done.

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This video got me thinking…As followers of Christ, we need to play hard until the whistle blows. God holds the whistle and no one else. We play to please Him. When we stop playing before the whistle blows, we risk one of two things.

1) We risk celebrating a false win. Or…

2) We risk giving up just short of a win.

Anytime we celebrate the win before the whistle blows, we are celebrating a false win. Our spiritual enemy loves to deceive us into celebrating a false win. If he can get us to celebrate early, we let go of the ball and take our eyes off of the goal. He tries to steal our victory. When the enemy tempts you to celebrate, keep going until the whistle blows.

From a different perspective, there are times when we are tempted to quit…to give up. When everything looks bleak. While everyone else is celebrating a false win. You be the brave one. Risk looking foolish. Pick up the ball and run!  The game is not over. It’s not over until you hear the whistle blow.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14-15