by Caleb Gordon | Mar 1, 2017
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1).
Because of what Jesus has done on the cross everything has changed. I mean everything.
Think about it. “We were dead in our trespasses and sin” (Eph. 2:1). But because of Jesus, we have new life. Life that is never going to end. Life that is abundant and free. Life that transforms everything about our existence. So as a result of this amazing new life that has been gifted to us, our outlook should be different. Our focus should be brighter; our gaze should be upward focused.
Why should that be? Because we’ve been raised with Christ. You see, when you enter into newness of life with Jesus, your sins are left buried and you, yes YOU, are raised WITH Christ. You are one WITH Christ. God no longer sees you; He sees His Son, Jesus!! You have been granted access to something, rather SOMEONE you’ve never been able to get to before. So our hearts should be delighting in Jesus!
Our focus should be Christ! When Christ is our focus what happens?
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).
When our gaze is set on the right person and the right thing, life has a supernatural shift. The trials and temptations of this life really start to lose their luster. They stop controlling and ruling our lives, because we have put our hope and our thoughts on Jesus, our KING! When you’re a child of a King you don’t have to worry. Everything is going to be OK. He will take care of you.
I want you to see something. According to the above verse (Col. 3:1), Christ is seated at the right hand of God. What is He doing there? Well the Bible tells us what He is doing.
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34).
Did you catch that? He’s PRAYING for you and me! Praying that we overcome this world. Praying that we overcome sin, and most importantly He’s our advocate. He is proclaiming that WE belong to HIM! That should really give you and me a boldness that we’ve never had before. Fear not! Christ is with us!
So as you walk through your day today, know that Jesus is FOR YOU! He is rooting for you. He wants you to be with HIM! Don’t let the world drag you down. Rest and trust in HIM today!
by Caleb Gordon | Feb 7, 2017
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
There is no denying that our world is going at breakneck speed into Crazy Town. If you turn on the news or visit a news website you can learn all about the antics and downright spookiness of our modern day.
The thing that is even more disturbing is the stats inside of the church!
Eight out of 10 students WALK AWAY from church, Bible and Jesus by the time they are 19 or 20.
One out of two marriage end in divorce (this is inside the church).
Church membership and commitment has dropped exponentially over the last five years alone.
WHY?
Well, there are several ideas out there on why this is happening:
A. Men faltering on their true roles as men.
B. The nuclear family unit being literally ripped apart.
C. There is no true moral compass in our culture.
But I personally think the main reason is that many in our churches are not truly taking what Jesus did for them as PERSONAL.
What do I mean?
We have grown up in America, and for many of us have been in church most of our lives. We’ve been to Sunday School and VBS, and we’ve heard the stories.
We know that Jesus died on a cross, and three days later He came back to life. We’ve seen it in movies, and we have heard all about John 3:16.
What this all boils down to is that it’s familiar. Nothing is life shaking. It’s just part of our routine. We love the idea of Jesus, but in reality, when push comes to shove, nothing about what we do in our lives is transforming. I speak from personal experience. I was part of the “Don’t rock the boat” culture.
Then I read this verse:
“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor. 5:15).
This caused a shift in me!
It made what Jesus did for me PERSONAL. It was not just some foggy far-fetched idea. I had a stake in this thing now. Jesus died for me. But not just died, He came back to life, and as a result of this, I’m JUSTIFIED before God the Father. I have right standing with God because of what JESUS did for me. All of my sins are forgiven – past, present, and FUTURE.
Think about it. Look at that first part of the verse again…
“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves…”
I admit it, I live for myself! I love “ME TIME.” But sometimes our old sin nature can distract us even if we are redeemed and belong to Jesus. And the devil has one desire when it comes to believers. DISTRACT, DISTRACT, DISTRACT! How does he distract believers? A lot of the time with GOOD THINGS. But if a GOOD thing distracts you from the BEST thing, that good thing becomes evil.
Why is this bad? Because we as Christians have a mission, and that mission is all about JESUS! And the devil does not care how he gets us as long as he gets us off mission! So when I read this verse, everything changed! My life is not about me. My life is not about my family. My life is not about me being happy or comfortable. My life is to be about Christ and Christ alone!
It causes Matt. 5:13-16 to take on a whole new life.
If we as Christians started truly being salt and light what would it look like?
Salt does what? It preserves. It keeps things good. We should be known for persevering good in our culture, not caving into the evil of our day.
Light scatters and dispels darkness. We should be known for bringing light into a dark and dying world.
So what are some tangible ways in which we can live this out?
1. Stop playing with sin. Don’t tip toe around sin. Run from it. Confess it. Repent of it.
2. Get into a community of other believers who push us towards holiness, and when we are pushed, we need to be willing to except that word.
3. Change your conversations. Our focus is Gospel-Centered. No more idle chatter. We focus on the mission at hand.
4. Talk to people about Jesus. Eventually this becomes like second nature. Whether you’re at the gas station or grocery store you talk to people about Jesus. Invite them into this thing called a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.
5. Forgiveness becomes just as natural as breathing. Don’t hold grudges. Regardless of the issue or circumstance, we FORGIVE! Jesus has forgiven you and me of much so therefore we must forgive of much!
If we begin to live this out and start to take this thing personal, this is when things begin to transform. People begin to come alive for the Glory of God. Life is no longer boring. It’s an adventure every day! It becomes meaningful. You begin to have purpose, and as a result you are now living a BIBLICAL lifestyle, and that is what God wants for each of us.
by Caleb Gordon | Jan 19, 2017
A word from a father to a son is so valuable. When we invest in our children, we are making a lasting investment. When we sow the seed of God’s Word in our children’s lives, it makes an eternal difference. When we point our children to the foundation of Jesus Christ, it will have a lasting effect. Men, we need to be pointing our children to the right things. Football (sports in general) is fun, but it’s not eternal. Hunting is educational and good, but it’s not lasting. All of these things are good, but they are not the best. We need to be investing in our children, investing the power of God’s Word and prayer into them. Look at what David said to his son, Solomon:
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it” (1 Chron. 28:9-10).
You see all of that? He is investing, challenging, and encouraging his son all in one quick swoop.
A. You know the God of your father.
Your child is watching how you worship! Your child is watching what you are worshiping. Your child sees what you are putting your whole heart into. Is it your job? Is it making money? Your child sees who you say God truly is. Your children see where your heart is truly fulfilled. That matters!
If you are serving another god, your children are going to see that, and they will follow your lead. Make every effort to show your children that Jesus Christ is the main focus. He has to be the one and only that your affection is placed on.
B. Serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind.
When we as fathers point our children to a heart that is longing to serve and please Jesus, it will bring a new sense of purpose and belonging. Many times we as men don’t have a whole heart or a wiling mind that is ready to serve or invest into the things of the Kingdom of God. We are quickly distracted and pulled away by things that have far less value.
The sad thing is that we attempt to fool God, but as we see in the verse He knows! He sees everything, and He knows when we are faking it. So we as fathers need to be placing our thoughts and our hearts at the feet of Jesus. If we seek Him, we will be able to find Him.
The flip side of that is very sobering. If we forsake or ignore the offer of Christ, we will be cast off forever. That’s earth shattering. That should cause in us as men to ready our hearts and lives accordingly. The question is: Are you seeking Him with a whole heart and a willing mind?
C. Be careful, God has chosen you to do something, SO DO IT!!
Look at that first phrase: “Be careful.” It means be watchful. Other places in the Bible, it says “Stay alert.” Why is that important?
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
The enemy knows us. He knows our weakness. He knows where to push our buttons, and he will push them. So we have to be aware and mindful and careful of where we step.
The devil is crafty, and he knows that if he can get you off course by using another person or another event your life HE WILL DO IT! He’s a master button pusher, and we need to be aware of that. We need to be careful because if we are not, we will be devoured by him.
You see, the devil knows you are important to God, and that God has chosen you to do a mighty work. If he can cause you to stumble or fall flat on your face, he’ll get you to do that.
When we understand and chase after the idea that God has given you and me a mission to accomplish, we are less likely to get distracted by the foolishness in our lives. We stay focused. When we are focused we do what we need to do, and we get things done.
JUST DO IT! That famous line made popular by Nike. A phrase that’s a statement of determination, a declaration of confidence and boldness. In Jesus Christ, we have the power to do what we need to do for HIM! “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him” (Eph. 3:12).
When we have that confidence, nothing is holding us back from doing what we are called to do. When you know GOD Almighty has chosen you to accomplish something, nothing can stop you.
So as a father you’ve been called and chosen by God to speak life into your children’s lives. Speak Godly wisdom into the hearts of your family members!
by Caleb Gordon | Dec 29, 2016
My heart truly breaks over how easily we as men will trade an opportunity for true spiritual enrichment for a temporary momentary “payoff.”
Have you noticed how quickly we as men move towards things that are easy? Things that are hard or that give us some pushback we tend to run away from, unless we see a payoff at the end of the task. If we see a payoff we are more likely to push through to get to that goal.
So why is that we as men will trade eternal rewards for temporary pleasures? Look at this verse:
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).
Paul knew what it took to follow through and get where God wanted him. I’m not saying it was easy, in fact it was quite difficult for him, but he KNEW the outcome.
He knew where he was going. He KNEW that what was coming was so much bigger than what he had presently. Why are men so short sighted?
Jesus has something far better for us as men. Stop taking the short look and start looking further down the road to see where God wants you and me to be.
My prayer for us as men is that we PRESS TOWARD the goal of JESUS CHRIST in 2017.
by Caleb Gordon | Dec 20, 2016
I believe that men are the lynch pin in the family, the church and the culture.
We’ve been created by God to be warriors, to be champions, to be leaders, to be change agents, but sadly we’ve fallen for the lies that the enemy has spun, and we’ve settled for scraps when we should be dining at the table with the KING. We have been made for so much more.
When we were little boys playing in the backyard our goals were huge. Who did you want to be? What did you want to do? When was it that we settled? When was it when we just gave up? WHY did we give up?
You see, men have been give the power (through the power of Jesus Christ) to do so much more. We’ve been given the power to break and DESTROY strongholds in our lives.
The fact is that we as men have been created to be WARRIORS! And what’s happening on a wholesale level is that the enemy is whispering in our ears that we could never ever be what God has called us to be, so sadly, what happens so often is that men just give up and settle. We settle when we should be achieving and overcoming.
I want you to think about what our culture would look like if men took their rightful place in God’s economy. What would the home look like? What would the CHURCH look like? What would culture look like. I think the game changes when men come alive in the plan and purpose of Jesus Christ!
Take a look at this!
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”
You’ve been given the ability to destroy the strongholds in your life!
In saying this I want to tell you all about an event that I think could change the game for many, many men!
It’s called Warrior Weekend and it’s happening on Saturday January 7, 2017.
It will be held at Bartlesville Southern Baptist Church at 8:30 a.m.
Speakers include Keith Burkhart, Cody Bobay and me!
IT’S FREE!
If you’re tired of where you are, this weekend could change everything.
MAKE plans to be there with us. I mean it. Write it down on your calendar now and commit! It’s time for your WARRIOR to be unchanged and set free!
Let’s do this!
