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In 2011 Robert Downey Jr. gave an acceptance speech at an award show. In that speech he spoke of how he had to "hug the cactus," the deep, dark part of his life, in order to remove it. It was hard and painful, but it brought him humility and a changed life. For many of us, we can't just walk by a cactus like that and things be okay.

I think I've often focused on smaller problems in order to justify ignoring bigger ones. But it turns out, the big problem is usually the thing causing the smaller ones! This is a needful, deeply personal process that can lead to a tremendously transformed life.

Are you ready to stare at the cactus in the garden? No more excuses or justification. When we hug it and shake it and wrestle with it, we can, and by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, will shake it loose!

- Why are good friends the ones who challenge us to face our demons?

- Why should forgiveness be extended to everyone who addresses their problems?

- How can you identify the true cactus that might reside in your life?

- Why embrace it? Why not just acknowledge it and move on?

- How do we actually hug this thing? What kind of attention is needed?

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Sam Bennett is a collegiate golfer from Texas A&M. He made an amazing showing at the Masters tournament recently. But his tattoo got as much attention as his golf game. He lost his father two years ago and had his father's last written words identically tattooed on his arm. The message is powerful and needful for us all.

It can be so easy to do nothing. We do nothing out of fear. We do nothing out of a lack of self belief. Often we may do nothing as a result of a weaker faith than we'd like to admit. Jesus didn't teach a "do nothing" Gospel. His message is for disciples to follow Him. He asked them to do something. He challenged them to do hard things, amazing things, and things that would change the world. He is calling you to that same path.

- Why is it so easy to do nothing, even when we know change could help?

- How is "Don't wait to do something" a message we all need every day?

- What is a better version of you in terms of faith or family or even fitness?

- What will happen if you use your gifts, even in small amounts, over time?

Here is an episode list referenced in the podcast today:

1 - Just Get Better
4 - Be Wise Small
11 - Eat That Frog
24 - Try Three Times
26 - Do Hard Things
37 - Be An Encourager
41 - Change Your Geography 
46 - Start From Here
64 - Cast Your Bread!

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Special thanks to my friend, Kam Armstrong, for calling my attention to the book Sacred Fire, by Ronald Rolheiser. He expresses three levels of life, both physically and spiritually: Essential Discipleship (the struggle to get our lives together), Mature Discipleship (the struggle to give our lives away), and Radical Discipleship (the struggle to give our deaths away).

We will be focusing on the first of those today, and particularly how young adults embrace this task of putting their own life together. Younger people face a huge challenge. They are physically and mentally charged up with a grand task before them. How can they build out a life of longing that is a holy longing, a longing that honors.

Ronald Rolheiser wrote an earlier book "The Holy Calling" that will serve as our title today, and it focused more heavily on this first category. I encourage all younger people to listen, teens and young adults. But parents and grandparents need to listen as well. You need to remember what it was like to be young so you can be a compassionate, kind and helpful influence for them.

Here is the list of 7 elements raging and demanding attention in our youth:
1) Eros - the sheer pulse of life
2) Sexuality - it's brute force within us
3) Restlessness - how will this all come together
4) Loneliness - the pursuit of intimacy
5) Insubstantiality - what is my meaning and purpose and worth
6) Moral Fervor - what is worth fighting for and who can I fight with
7) Nostaliga to Come Home - more specifically, how will I build my own home

These things exist for all of us, but the intensity gauge tends to come down throughout the years. This makes older people great mentors. But it doesn't make these things any less potent. So, here are four things you must seed in your heart during these years:

1) Private Prayer and Private Integrity (pursue, know, love and serve Jesus)
2) Charity and Justice (a heart for people, for the poor and hurting, compassion)
3) Involvement with the Church (holy community, intergenerational faith support)
4) Forgiveness and Mellowness of Heart (peace, mercy, optimism, and soft hearts)

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Are you in the body of Christ? That sounds serious. What does it mean? It becomes easy to see a relationship what Jesus as JUST a relationship with Jesus. But we are a part of something more - a group of people who belong to Him. He has added you because of your value in helping His body function and in assisting other Christians. As we explore that today we will look at 5 points by Ralph Walker. I'll list them below. I also got to ask Christian High Schoolers some questions about gifts, and I'll include the for your benefit below as well. Identify your gifts and use them in the body.

Ralph's Points:
- Every member has a function
- The purpose of all spiritual gifts is to serve others and glorify God
- Every gift is important, and every Christian has a gift
- All gifts must be exercised and developed
- There are greater gifts which should motivate us all

Q&A with High School Students:

What do we share in common?
- Love for and belief in Jesus
- Spiritual gifts to help the body
- Hope of heaven
- Common struggles
- Victories and goals in Jesus

How do we share in this fellowship?
- Pray for one another
- Encourage and build up each other
- Participate/get involved in worship
- Talking to one another (even outside of usual friend groups)
- Openness and honesty / transparency with one another to get and give help.

What are some gifts you or others have from the Lord?
- Kindness
- Teaching the Bible
- Organizing events
- Hospitality

Bonus List (from Romans 12:6-8)
- Service
- Teaching
- Exhorting
- Giving
- Leading
- Showing Mercy

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Today we look at Jesus and His disciples. Jesus is perfect. Disciples are not. How is that supposed to work? In fact, in Mark 9, there are at least 5 shortcomings of the disciples. They are not Pharisees. Their hearts are good. But their walk was imperfect. Let's look at that list and appreciate how gracious and kind Jesus is! But there is also a call to growth. He is patient but He also has expectations. I hope you can look at this list today and pick some things you want to grow in out of gratitude to Jesus. 

Asserting instead of Listening with Patience (Mark 9:1-8)

Failing instead of Succeeding through Faith (9:14-29)

Missing instead of Understanding His Plan (9:9-11, 30-32)

Disputing instead of Serving with Humility (9:33-37)

Opposing instead of Receiving in Fellowship (9:38-41)

May we be a people who grow through this to greater faith:

Listening with Patience

Succeeding through Faith

Understanding His Will

Humbly Serving

Receiving in Fellowship

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Today we are comparing the Pharisees (along with some Priests and Rich folks) to true Disciples (even an outside looking in Gentile woman). The Gospels, and Jesus Himself, demand that we come face to face with the difference and choose who we want to be.  In today's episode we look at several stories I'll note and reference here:

Pharisees and Tax Collector - Luke 18:9-14
The Good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37
The Widow's Mites - Luke 21:1-4
Simon and the Sinful Woman - Luke 7:36-50
Pharisee and the Gentile Woman - Mark 7:1-30

As you read and hear about these stories, ask yourself:

- Do I approach Christ and worship more like the Pharisee or the tax man?

- Am I more like the Priest or the Samaritan when I see people in need?

- Do I submit all of my goods to God's cause or just out of my surplus?

- Would I wash Jesus feet with my tear and hair or sit proudly at the table?

- Do we set aside love of others for our views or let love for all reign?

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Mark's Gospel is powerfully and precisely written. It packs a ton of information into shorter spaces than the other Gospels.  (A great Gospel for ADHD sufferers!). Mark also uses the power of COMPARISON to make his points super strong. In Mark 2, he compares the Pharisees with Jesus by showing the questions they asked Him. We will look at those today, as well as the one question Jesus asked them to start chapter 3.

It is often said of the church, that there are Pharisees and we are sometimes Legalistic, too Judgmental, or Traditionalists to a fault. There may be truth to that at times, but if we can't be specific on what that looks like, we can't fix it. Some of us may just not have the heart to fix it... you know... like the Pharisees. But for those of us who do want to be more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees, we need some guidance. Today's episode may be a good place to start. Be prayer and give it a listen. 

- Why were the Pharisees so doubtful and unkind toward Jesus?

- How was His heart for people nearly nothing like their heart?

- Why was Jesus simple teaching of salvation in Him such a threat to them?

- Should mercy triumph over judgment and what does that look like?

- How can you be more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Let's go back - way, way back - to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. It is so fascinatingly placed! Before it is the Garden of Eden (God comes down to establish a covenant), then Sin, then The Flood. Right after it is God coming down to make a covenant with Abraham that would effect us all. That's a 500 year jump between Noah and Abraham, and all we get in between is Genesis 11. Most of that is genealogies. 

But there is this 9 verse event laid out. Somewhere between those two great men was an attempt by the people to build a large tower and make a name for themselves. God was not pleased and He scattered them. But what in the world is that story about? What is it designed to teach us? I think the answer to those questions is vital today.

Special thanks to Christianity Today magazine, and an article called "Babel's Invitation" by John Walton for the historical information behind this episode. I hope you find it useful in how you commune with God, on whose Terms, and for what Purpose. 

- What was the problem with the Tower of Babel and it's construction?

- If they were trying to get God to come down to them, what's wrong with that?

- Why are we so drawn to creating our own terms for communion with the Lord?

- If our relationship with God is transactional, how is that doomed to fail?

- Why is the end game to be God's Glory, and how can that be a challenge for us?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

So how have the last five years treated you? It has been unpredictable and wild for most of us. You might not have thought you had five years left - five years ago. But you did. And now you are here. How did it go? Did you have a vision, a plan, a path? Has it led you to wonderful and encouraging new places, new knowledge, new purpose?

Okay, that's enough looking back. Here's the real question - if you get another 60 months to live, what are you planning to do with it? How about if it was ALL you got? If you knew that 60 months was all the time you had left, would you change, start, or address things right now to improve the outcome?

Let's look back today at two previous episodes: "Seven Days Left" and "Bull Named Fumanchu" - both of which ask you to set parameters of time. And then let's move away from urgent prioritization and emotional dying phone calls, and let's stretch it out to five years and get to work building something amazing!

- (Ill 1) If we all had seven days left, how would you use them?

- (Ill 2) If you were dying, what would be important for you right now?

- (Ill 3) If you had 60 months left on this earth, how would you use it?

- How do definite time parameters help us determine our options?

- What can you do in the next few months to change the next five years?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

We all want faith without limits. We want faith that isn't affected by fear and doubt. We want to believe the best is possible and the promises of God are inevitable. We want to know Him and be known by Him and for that to control everything else. 

But how do we get it? One of the problems is believing we can get it. You and I are woefully limited. How exactly are we going to act our way to limitless greatness? We cannot. Our attention must turn toward God. Maybe we need to redefine faith. It is not the good things that we do. It is the realization of God behind all that we do. 

Today's podcast doesn't have the usual tips and strategies and practical applications. It calls you to God. It invites you to trust in a way where HE removed the limits. This isn't about you building limitless faith. It is about experiencing it in full saturation of belief in the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God!

- What is limitless faith to you?

- How would you go about achieving it?

- Why are we learning on our own power to do what only God can do?

- Why do we define faith by works when it should be defined by trust?

- What can you build, travel to, or do if God is the power behind your life?