“Agitator…” (by Mel McGuire)

I washed a load of clothes once, or at least I attempted to wash this load of clothes. When the washing machine had finished its cycles, I went to put the clothes into the dryer and…they were not clean. Turns out something was wrong with my agitator.

Now, the agitator in a washing machine is very important. It is the device that keeps your clothes from basically soaking in soapy water. The action of the agitator is what allows ALL of your clothes to be clean.

The agitator moves the clothes around, usually up and down, and that movement, that action, is what causes certain stains to be loosened and removed. To get clean, you need some agitation.

Back in the day I am sure we can all recall images of women washing clothes using a washboard…that up and down action, that labor, that agitation, was critical to getting clothes clean.

Have you ever noticed when God wants you to clean up an area of your life He is all too willing to introduce some agitation? We would all love to soak and bask and just lay out in His presence…the truth is, some of our stains can only be loosened by an agitator.

And while I pray He doesn’t lay you out on a spiritual washboard…if He must, He will. The point is to get clean. Like many fabrics of today would not stand up to repeated exposure to the rigor of a good old fashioned washboard cleaning…many of us are too fragile to let God get His hands on you like that.

So, he uses agitators. People, circumstances, and situations that cause us discomfort, make us clean up our act. Whether it is a funky attitude, foul behavior, or just dirty thoughts…the right agitator will bring that junk to the surface, where it can be rinsed away by the water of the word.

The Holy Spirit is usually a gentle agitator, convicting us internally, quietly, but convincingly…if we let Him. But we justify our sins far too often and too easily so…we require more intense agitation.

Truth is an agitator, so is love, and sacrifice, and forgiveness, giving, and humbling yourself to admit you were wrong, are all agitators. They are intended to help us stay clean before God, but they can shake us up from time to time.

God wants us to be right. He wants us to be clean, holy before Him, a holy God. Agitation is necessary to bring about cleanliness. Without it, you may just smell like soap, but not be clean. Without it, the word will merely wet you but not wash you.

Agitation is temporary but necessary. Don’t skip the cycle to save time. Soaking loosens surface dirt, but agitation gets the stuff that imbeds in the fabric. Agitation provides deep cleaning both inside and out, so we can be spot free, stain free, and odor free in Him!

Wash Me Jesus!

“Redline…” (by Mel McGuire)

I heard a great sermon about shifting from one gear to the next…it was about growth and maturity…not really about cars, but the analogy was very well done. It got me thinking about manual transmissions and the limit known as the “redline”.

In a car, the redline represents the maximum speed the engine is designed to safely operate. Key word being safely. On the tachometer, revolutions per minute or “rpm” are indicated, telling you how hard or fast your engine is working.

“Redlining” is when you not only reach and maintain the redline, but remain at or above it. Most engines are designed to reach peak performance at or just below the redline. Anything above that is actually NOT beneficial, and wise drivers shift to a higher gear.

The thing about “redlining” is that your engine will not automatically stop working the instant you exceed the redline. But it does increase the chance of doing damage to the motor. Continuous and repeated acts of exceeding the redline are never recommended.

Different engines have different redlines and if you are not careful, you can blow your engine trying to match another engine’s limit. Newer cars have “rev limiters” that will shut the engine down if you exceed to far or too long. This is for engine preservation, not an attempt to regulate ones driving…even though that might be needed as well.

Christians need to be mindful of their own redlines. Too often we are simply doing too much for too long. We are straining our engine…making a lot of noise, but in reality, we have stopped progressing and are doing more harm than good. We need to slow down, or shift gears.

We believe that because we are “serving God” that it is not possible to overdo it. Until God’s rev limiter kicks in. That could be in the form of sickness, fatigue, the flu, bronchitis, (ain’t nobody got time for that) or even a nervous or mental breakdown.

Redlining in the spirit is not good for you long term. It leads to burnout, and you begin to sputter like a car with a blown engine, spewing smoke, making strange noises, and losing power. This happens to some of us because we are trying to match someone else’s output.

Even when doing the work of the Lord, serving in His kingdom, being a blessing to His people, if power you for years to come. Know your limit and don’t exceed it!

Prayer, quiet time alone with God, reading, studying, and meditating on His word, spending encouraging, uplifting time with other believers are essential to keeping your motor running efficiently.

These things can give you “another gear”, an overdrive as it were, to keep you moving when you have reached your limit. Worship is always a great “tune-up” as well.

Take some time to rest. NASCAR mechanics rebuild engines after every race! They take them apart and replace or repair anything that appears worn. Stop glorying in your redlining and learn from the experts.

There is a rest for you, in His presence. Shift or shut down…you choose. Do it before “redlining” causes you to break down.

This walk is a marathon, not a sprint. An endurance race, not a drag race. It is the “24 Hours of LeMans” more than the “Indianapolis 500”. Know your redline so you know when to shift to a higher gear, or when you have done all you can do in a season or situation and shut down.

“Deep…” (by Mel McGuire)

I was having a discussion recently about the frustration that comes when others do not (or cannot) share your passion, commitment, dedication, or depth about something. Not that we are all so deep that no one can hang with us, but some people are simply not going to match or exceed your level of involvement or capacity to care. You’re too deep.

This particular conversation centered around spiritual things and ministry related things, but I believe the principle the Lord shared with me applies to a variety of situations. Everybody will not go deep, or at least as deep, as you in certain circumstances.

The difference between snorkeling and SCUBA diving is illustrated in the two images. The SCUBA diver is deep and while a snorkeler can go deep…they cannot remain there any longer than they can effectively hold their breath.

At some point, they will have to return to the surface. Snorkelers usually swim in shallow water, occasionally diving under water for a short period of time. They must be able to return to the surface in order to breathe. They can go deep, but they cannot stay deep.

SCUBA divers are equipped to go deep and stay deep. Of course, they take their air with them, but it allows them remain underwater for extended periods of time. They may see a snorkeler, may even hang with them for a minute to two…but then the snorkeler must return to the surface.

So it is in ministry or other endeavors where people do not have equal commitment or passion. Everyone is not equipped or even interested in SCUBA diving. It takes longer to certify, requires more training, carries more risk, and takes more effort. Most people are content to snorkel.

When it comes to actually swimming in the ocean, I am a snorkeler. “Jaws” convinced me long ago, I had no God ordained reason to be that far under water for that length of time. I own that. In other areas of my life, I am a SCUBA diver and I own that too. I have some friends who can go deep and stay deep with me, and I have some friends who “snorkel” in those areas.

The bible tells us that “deep calls unto deep” and there are “the deep things of God” that some will explore and experience…but not everyone. That is fine. Snorkelers who remain under too long could drown. We have all seen folks fall away because they “got in over their head”. They needed to return to the surface.

Whether is a concept that requires a certain amount of depth like fasting or sacrifice, or a level of commitment that goes beyond one’s ability to “hold their breath” …everyone is not going to be able to go deep.

Prayer, Worship, Giving, Serving, Teaching, Hospitality, Study of the Word…these are all examples where all of us should be willing to get in the water. But some will snorkel while others will SCUBA. Deep is calling…who will answer?

“Potholes…” (by Mel McGuire)

My city government made a big deal recently about fixing one million potholes in the city streets. They even got around to fixing the potholes in the street on which I live. Potholes. THEY NEEDED TO PAVE THE ENTIRE STREET!!

Every time I drive home, I am reminded that someone took a lot of credit for repairing the several potholes on my street. I am also jarred by the fact that the street itself is in disrepair. While the absence of the potholes is better, the street is still a rough ride.

Of course God popped me upside my head (spiritually speaking of course) as He reminded me of the times I celebrated fixing the potholes in my cobblestone lifestyle. I suspect we have all done it. Made a big deal about one severe area we fixed, while ignoring the condition that led to the severity in the first place!

Here is the thing, if you pave the street, you have to fix the potholes anyway. It is easier and less time consuming to just fix the potholes, and leave the street as it is. While we appreciate you not cussing us out every other day in your new found salvation, we still have to deal with your overall “janky” attitude and negativity. You fixed a pothole.

When we get spiritually lazy, in the name of expediency, we fix potholes. We stop doing certain things, extreme or obvious things, like fighting, stealing, or fornication. But we still live on a rough street, so we keep fuming, plotting revenge, envying others, or watching risqué media. We need to bulldoze the street and repave it. We fix potholes.

I actually laughed when our mayor went public with the success story of fixing all those potholes. My street will still loosen a filling every now and again, and driving slowly just makes you seasick. I think God feels some kind of way when we celebrate an “easy fix” when He knows that what is needed may temporarily shut some stuff down.

Who wants the inconvenience of a street closure? The noise of large machinery and the time it takes to do the job right? WE DO!! Or we should. The same material needed to fix a pothole is what is needed to fix the street. Just more of it on a larger scale.

It takes more time, more planning, and certainly more sacrifice, but in the end, on a long term basis, it is worth it. Our salvation is eternal. Let’s fix the street of our life and not just fill in the potholes.

When people interact with us, they should not be jarred or become nauseous due to our imperfections. How many people plan their day trying to avoid us or limit their exposure to us? Take the time God needs to become whole in Him.

Our attitude about getting better is vital to us getting healed. So too our mindset about allowing the word of God to literally transform our lives. ALL OF IT, not just the potholes.

Confessing a sin is fixing a pothole. Repentance that leads to lifestyle change is repaving the street. Stop fixing potholes. God wants to you to live at the same address but with a brand new street. Put the shovel down and fire up that bulldozer!

“Sound Check…” (by Mel McGuire)

My pastor was teaching on the subject of using the platforms that God provides in our lives. During the message he touched on the subject of the importance of doing a “sound check” prior to a live performance.

I don’t recall everything he said about it because the Lord began poking me in my chest (gently of course) about the importance of sound checks in my life. As I listened to Him, I realized how many different times He had given me the opportunity to conduct a sound check. And consequently, how many times I may have misused said opportunity.

There are many reasons to do sound checks, but the main purpose is to make sure that what you are saying is being heard in the manner you intended. Ultimately, the sound check is not about you, but about the audience.

At a concert, for example, the artist comes out before the audience is seated and performs enough samples from their playlist to enable the sound engineer to fine tune the sound for that particular venue. There are no universal settings.

When all is said and done, the artist must trust the engineer. The artist can then be free to perform and let the engineer (the expert) monitor the sound, making adjustments as needed as the acoustics change due to a variety of factors, including the size of the audience.

As believers where we can miss our sound check is when we do not test our message prior to ministering. I am not talking about preaching per se, but then again, I am. I often will call someone who knows me, knows my God, and will run a few ideas or concepts by them before I stand and minister.

Just because something sounds good to you…doesn’t mean it will sound good to your audience! Do a sound check. Be open to some fine tuning in your delivery, your style, and your method. What might bring life to your friend can turn another into an adversary. Do a sound check. Be willing to change to allow the message to be received.

I have missed sound checks because I did not say what God told me to say, when He told me to say it, to whom He wanted me to say it to. I have been late for sound checks, leaving me to feel stressed and anxious about how to say something vital to someone else. Sound checks remind us that what we say to one, we cannot say to all.

A sound check is the one on one conversations we have with God, and with each other. Where we learn the better way to say or do something, so it brings forth life, not strife. Sound checks are when we learn we cannot threaten everyone with fire, brimstone, and eternal damnation…and expect their immediate conversion to the faith.

Sound checks are those times in prayer when we extrapolate conversations about difficult subjects we may not want to have…and God shows you how to say it, when to say it…He is the author of the message, let Him find tune it. Do a sound check.

“Road Trip”…(by Mel McGuire)

I recently made a round trip from Los Angeles to Phoenix, Arizona and back. It is a little over 400 miles one way and takes about six hours to drive. I don’t mind, I happen to like road trips. But a long trip takes a different type of focus than just running errands around town.

Knowing I would be driving for a while, I did not pay close attention to most of the road signs telling me which street or exit was ahead. I was looking for freeways and highways only. I just ignored all the little streets that were not leading me to my destination.

I started measuring my trip in terms of time (hours), fuel, miles traveled, and then miles to go. I used the highway signs to give me intermediate goals – how far to the next rest stop, how far to the border, how far to the next big city…this helped me stay focused on reaching my goal.

I knew I could drive non-stop and make it without refueling, but I also knew I didn’t want to do that. I stopped for gas near the border in order to break up the trip…but I got gas on the AZ side both times. It was MUCH cheaper! (Being a good steward)

As I neared my initial destination THEN I started playing close attention to each exit and street, until I arrived safely and without any detours or unnecessary delays. Had I done that the entire trip, I would have gotten frustrated and impatient, wondering “am I there yet?”

God has you on a road trip. He has a plan to get you to your eternal destination. We have to stop measuring our trip by every exit and interchange we come to. We have to adjust our timing to His timing and stretch out our intermediate goals, so we don’t become impatient and frustrated with our progress.

Change, like a long trip, takes time. If you do a diet right, you will be more encouraged if you weigh yourself weekly and see pounds lost instead of daily where you might see some fluctuation. Christians should measure their growth and progress on a different scale and schedule.

If you want to be more patient or generous, you may have to take a larger sample size than one incident. Measure your progress by the month or even year and not moment by moment.

I believe God sees us as He intends us to be. He sees us FROM our destination and so He knows even though we may not be happy with our current situation, we are making progress and getting closer to Him.

When I got tired, I stopped and rested. I refueled my car and my body. Knowing I was making progress was encouragement in and of itself. Sometimes you have to encourage yourself in the Lord.

One last thing…I used my cruise control. I did it for the discipline it requires…to stay steadfast and consistent. To maximize my fuel consumption and to avoid the mental energy needed to speed up, then slow down, then speed up, then slow down.

I got passed by folks racing ahead, but they needed to refuel more often, and they also had the added stress of looking for the police because while they were making better time, they were also breaking the law. Sin brings its own stress.

God has you on a road trip. Trust Him to get you to Him (your destination) safely and on time. You aren’t successful if you crash en route. You aren’t successful if you get a bunch of tickets along the way, or if your car breaks down. Get there.

“There” is who and where He wants you to be. He sees you coming, and He is waiting and watching your progress.

“Camouflage…” (by Mel McGuire)

In the movie “Jurassic World”, the new villain is a dinosaur called “Indominus Rex”. The word indominus means “untamable”. It is a hybrid animal created from the DNA of a variety of other species, not all of them dinosaurs.

One of the features of this creature is the ability to camouflage itself, and when it demonstrates the trait…bad things happen. No one seemed to know the animal could do that, but part of its DNA came from a cuttlefish.

A cuttlefish (google it), has an extremely fast growth rate, which is why it was used to create the Indominus…but it also has the ability to camouflage itself, as a way of hiding, and to aid in hunting prey.

A tree frog was used in the creation as well. The frog shows great adaptability to extreme climates, a good thing…but it also has the ability to regulate and moderate its own body temperature, which the Indominus used to trick heat sensors and once again, avoid detection.

Finally, they put a GPS chip in the Indominus at a young age…but it removed the chip, at no small cost of pain to itself, to avoid being tracked. This all leads us to church.

Like a garage is built for cars, a church is built for believers. But, just like everything in a garage is NOT a car…everyone in church is not a true believer. Some folks are using camouflage to avoid detection and accountability.

To camouflage simply means to blend in for the purpose of hiding or concealing your presence. Many people come to church and take on the appearance of accelerated growth…they dress right, talk right, look the part… but they are in camouflage.

Whether they do it to avoid detection, or more ominously, to help them hunt prey…many unsuspecting believer has fallen victim to a church going “Indominus”.

When God tells us to be hot or cold, but NOT lukewarm…He may have had these folks in mind. By being lukewarm you blend in…warm enough to be convincing, but cold enough not to commit. Like the Indominus, beware the person who can always manage to avoid detection by heat sensors.

In church, the fervent prayers avail much…true worshipers go “in” during devotion, lovers of the word are “on fire” and excited about the written and spoken word. They stand out and they stand up. Commitment to His presence is a spiritual thermometer. That person you have got your eye on…are they real or in camouflage?

And lastly, beware of folks who refuse to be accountable…to anyone. They do not want to be tracked, followed, known, or understood. They live in fear of having their sin exposed, so they do whatever they can, even if it costs them dearly, to resist being accountable.

These traits are contrary to the nature of God and His kingdom. The Indominus has developed attributes that allow it to hide in plain sight, setting up its prey, or just simply avoiding detection.

Submit yourselves to God and allow Him to have true reign in your life. Test every spirit to see if it is of God or not. God has given us a sound mind, so let the mind of Christ be in you…so you can have sound discernment and can sniff out the Indominus in your midst and in YOUR life.

“Shadows…” (by Mel McGuire)

This is an award winning photograph of camels walking across the desert in Africa. When I read it had won an award, I immediately wondered, “for what?” The caption on the photo then admonished viewers to look closer, which I did. Nothing…at first.

Then I saw it. I was not really looking at a bunch of dark camels walking across the desert… I was looking at their shadows! I instantly agreed the photograph was worthy of whatever award it had won…and got a revelation from God at the same time. Shadows.

In reality, because of the relative angle and position of the sun, the camel’s shadows appeared much larger than the actual camels themselves. My eye was drawn to the shadows and I almost missed the camels in the process!

Why was this so revelatory to me? I have been encouraging the men in my church to understand that the way others see us is often times in a much better light than we see ourselves. We know we are “camels” in size and stature, but others see our shadow and therefore see us bigger in their eyes.

One definition of a shadow is a reflection, and they are created when an object is between the viewer and a source of light. If God is our light source, when He is allowed to reflect Himself through us, WE appear bigger and better!

The shadow that we can cast, when properly positioned, is like the greater influence or footprint we have when we are in His will. Others may not see all of our flaws and faults, mess ups and mistakes. But God does…and He shines through us anyway!

We have more influence, more impact, than we normally give ourselves credit for. People are looking at our example, our lives, and they are seeing God in us. It encourages and inspires them, it motivates them, and yes, sometimes it convicts them.

My prayer is that we will position ourselves to always reflect a large shadow, not that others will think more of us than they should, but that God will be glorified through us, and others will be inspired to want Him to shine through them as well.

The way we can reach a lost and dying world is through an effective, genuine witness. Our life is our testimony and our influence needs to increase. As others watch us, some rooting for us, some against us…either way, we are casting a shadow of who God is in us.

What a witness we can be when others see our shadow and are impressed. Then when they get to know us, they will not be disappointed because we are less than our shadow, but they will be encouraged because they will recognize how much of an influence we have because of Him and in spite of us!

Lord shine on us…let your glory be revealed and reflected through us. May you increase as we decrease, and may our “shadow” ( your influence in and through us) remain larger than our natural life.

“Detour…” (by Mel McGuire)

A recent social media post said something to the effect that “A detour is not a dead end.” I was encouraged by those words as I reflected on my attitude about detours in general. See, I drive home from work at a time when the freeways are empty. Consequently I expect to arrive home in a timely manner.

However, for months now the freeways have been under construction, and from time to time, I have to take a detour. This of course adds to my commuting time, adds mileage to my car, and has been known to impact my sunny disposition.

But I am reminded that a detour is a good thing really, when you consider the alternative. Yes, they may be temporarily inconvenient, but they are designed to still get you to your destination safely.

The Lord then began ministering to me about the detours He has placed in my life. He specifically mentioned two different types; the first, a deviation from my current pace and direction that is solely and primarily for my protection. I understand with most detours, you have to do a couple of things…you must SEE THE SIGNS advising you of the detour.

You may or may not know the reason for the detour, but does it really matter? Should it matter? If the road is closed and unavailable, who cares if the bridge is out or if there are potholes? Either way you cannot cross safely and be certain to reach your destination (destiny).

Then you usually have to SLOW DOWN, and you probably will have to travel through an area with which you are not familiar, which normally causes us to pay closer attention to our surroundings.  Finally, you have to TRUST that the detour will eventually place you back on the proper route to reach your destination.

I thank God (now) for the detours He has used to keep me safe and on the right path.

The second detour He uses when I am on my own journey, doing my thing, my way, at my own pace and timing. He puts up roadblocks and detours that are designed to get me off of Selfish Boulevard and back on the King’s Highway. Detours intended to get me off the wide road and back on the straight and narrow. Directions to get me out of rush hour and back in the express lane of His plan and purpose for my life.

God uses people, churches, circumstances, and anything He needs to keep us on our journey. So instead of grumbling, and complaining about “added time” to your trip, rejoice that God is navigating your path. He is directing the traffic of your life to get you to your expected end, your destination…your destiny.

So when you see the signs, slow down, pay attention, and trust that He will not waste your time or lead you astray. Enjoy the journey, embrace the process, and be grateful for every detour, knowing that the end is still unchanged. He knows where you are going and He knows best how to get you there.