“Horsepower…” (by Mel McGuire)

I learned a new concept recently that reminded me of the difference between what something is “rated” and how much is actually “delivered”. While I was introduced to terminology related to golf, the imagery that stuck with me is one of horsepower.

Car manufacturers may boast about a vehicle having “500 horsepower!”, but for a variety of reasons, something less than that is actually “useable horsepower”. It is a measure of efficiency, which is the point of this article. How efficient are you?

Picture a muscle car doing a burnout or donut on pavement. There is so much power being delivered to the rear wheels that traction (friction) is overcome and the wheels just spin…creating a lot of noise and smoke…and wearing out the tires at an accelerated rate.

While there may be limited advantages to doing burnouts, if we are honest, most of it is about “show”, not “go”. Herein lies the spiritual lesson: Is the gospel we believe and preach the same as the gospel we live? When our lifestyle does not match our belief, we create wheelspin, which can lead to burnout and donuts. Lots of “show” with very little “go”. We get a lot of attention, but we are not making any progress.

How efficient, how effective is our gospel? Are we losing traction with the world we are to influence because we are inefficient? I say, “yes, we are. At least, I know I am.” Christianity is highly rated, but my life, my witness, my “useable horsepower” is something less.

Using the muscle car analogy, anything that reduces traction increases the probability of burnouts. Wet pavement, loose dirt or gravel, or poor tire tread make it easier to lose traction and waste power. Our gospel (lifestyle) must take into account those types of factors. A good driver can make progress even when traction is limited. Selah.

Sometimes the environment we are in will not support the full throttle approach of a fire and brimstone message. There can be a thin line between conviction and condemnation, and love helps ease up on the gas pedal of self-righteousness.

We need to be effective, we need to be efficient in order to reach a lost and dying world. We can no longer be content with making a lot of noise and smoke coupled with little to no progress. We are racing our engine, but are we going anywhere?

There is little point in having a highly rated gospel if we cannot communicate it to the world. Our life is our most effective method of communicating. When we strive to live the word we say we believe, we become much more efficient and the kingdom can gain traction in this world. What in our life is robbing the gospel of its full power?

We should not fear friction, but recognize friction is necessary in order to “get a grip”, gain and offer understanding of the trials of life, and the victory available through our relationship with Jesus Christ. The gospel is powerful, get that power on the ground so progress can be made. Don’t overpower friction and let the power of the gospel just go up in smoke!

“Available Balance…” (by Mel McGuire)

I was doing some online banking and noticed my checking account had a difference between my “current balance” and my “available balance”. You see the way my checking account is set up…no wait, that ain’t what I was trying to say…ignore that.

Point being, my current balance was significantly higher than my available balance. But just before I called the bank, I remembered I had deposited a check and apparently, there had been a “hold” placed on it.

I was able to access some of it immediately, but most of it, though counting towards my total or current balance, was not accessible, thus leading to my “available balance”.

It didn’t take me long to lament the fact that I had to wait before I could access (meaning spend) money that showed in my account. God interjected however, and reminded me that He too, will place a hold on things until the appointed time.

I remember when I first prayed about wanting to get married. God told me to wait. He gave me a time period that was more than a few business days. My desire was like my current balance. My readiness was my available balance. Marriage wasn’t happening until some things “cleared” the bank.

Often we want to do something, even something great and mighty for the Lord. We have a strong desire, a burden, even a gift and a calling to do it. But, we are not ready. And so we have to wait until our “can do” matches or exceeds our “want to”.

Too many lives have been negatively impacted because someone’s desire wrote a check their maturity, experience, and character could not cash. And in ministry especially, when those checks bounce…people get hurt.

Your available balance may place a limit on what you can do…until the rest of the currency becomes available. Growing in the Lord is not optional. If you stop growing, your available balance may not change…it certainly won’t increase.

While time is simply all that is needed for some money to become available in the banking industry, other things may require action or certain qualifications to be met first. Growing in the Lord is not a matter of the passage of time, rather the passing of tests.

In order for God to do all He wants to do in you and with you, there are some requirements that are non-negotiable. In order for us to get our available balance to match our current balance, we have to meet His standards.

It is easy to mistake grace and favor for being qualified. They are not the same. Grace and favor may provide opportunity. Character and competence allow you to remain, maintain, and obtain more as you are able.

Check your balances. When there is a gap between your total and your available, ask God what you need to do, who you need to become, in order to access the better promise He has laid up for you.

It is always good when the “hold” has been lifted, and all funds become available for use.

“Bunker…” (by Mel McGuire)

I play golf. When you play golf, eventually you will find yourself in a bunker. As difficult as hitting a golf ball can be…it is a completely different task to escape a bunker.

A bunker is designed to slow your progress and normally you will lose distance when hitting out of a bunker. There are four things you should do to get out of a bunker.

First, you must bend your knees, get low and stay low through the shot. Second, you must open your club face, meaning point it more towards the sky. Third, you must use the sand to get the ball out. Finally, you must follow through on your swing.

These are the fundamentals of escaping a bunker and minimizing your damage. The spiritual parallels are amazingly similar for those times in our lives when we find ourselves in a bunker.

First we must bend our knees. Humble yourself and acknowledge your mistake(s). Pray and ask for forgiveness and stay low until you are safely out of trouble. This seems simple enough, but often times because we did not keep our head down on the prior swing…is the reason we landed in the bunker in the first place.

Second, we must turn our face skyward. The Psalmist said he will lift up his eyes to the hills where his help comes from, his help comes from the Lord. We must look to the Lord, His way, His word, for our help.

In golf, opening the club face adds loft, which makes it easier to get the ball up…which is necessary to clear the lip or edge of a bunker. Turning your face skyward allows you to lift your problem to the Lord.

Third we must not target the ball, but the sand that holds the ball. In golf, a good bunker player will aim a few inches behind the ball. They will hit the sand and use the sand to throw the ball out of trouble.

We are not fighting a natural battle, but a spiritual one. So the ball is not our problem, the sand is. So when we attack the sand, the situation or circumstance that is hindering us, we can actually use the circumstance to help get us out of trouble.

Changing our circumstance is a result of prayer, speaking God’s word, and changing our behaviors. When we do that, God can take that which our enemy meant for our detriment, and use it for our good. This is where testimonies begin…in the sand!

Finally, we must follow through with everything God says, so we can get out and stay out of trouble. Often time’s golfers are not convinced it will take a full swing, a hard swing, a complete swing to hit a golf ball just a few yards to escape trouble. So, they don’t commit, and stop the swing short…and leave themselves in the bunker.

So too, we as believers sometimes think, “it don’t take all that”, and we do not trust God to deliver us, so we do not follow through…and we find ourselves still trapped.

Get low, turn your face skyward, use the sand to your advantage, and follow through completely. Good golfers do not fear bunkers, nor should strong Christians fear traps, for they know, like a good golfer, there is a way to escape!

“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.

“Mechanic…” (by Mel McGuire)

I have owned my current car for over ten years. I bought it brand new and have enjoyed its performance, economy, and luxury features. Without a doubt, it is the best car I have ever owned.

Recently, little things have begun to go wrong with it, which is normal, I know. Because of various external circumstances (read “financial considerations”) I decided to not get them fixed right away. I could not afford to go see the mechanic.

Over time, I got used to driving the car without all of its features working properly. I kept up on the maintenance and important things like oil changes and the like, but the window I never use and the parking lamp I can’t really see? They waited.

When the hands free phone link went out…I bought an earpiece. The sound quality was not nearly as good, and it was certainly less convenient than just having my car and phone work seamlessly together, but I got used to it.

When the power steering starting groaning and fighting back. I bought power steering fluid and added it as necessary to keep things quiet. I got used to it and the inconvenience instead of going to the mechanic.

By the time I got a crack in the windshield, that HAD to be replaced, my little car had quite a bit of “character”. That is what we call it when you have to explain to others all the things that don’t work right, things that you have gotten used to.

Well, the windshield replacement put me on a path to get the other “little things” fixed, and after several trips to my mechanic…my car has less character, but everything works! And it didn’t cost NEARLY as much as I feared it would.

What a pleasure and a joy to be able to enjoy all the features the car was designed with again! I literally had forgotten how nice it was to have a fully functional car. Because I was afraid to go see the mechanic.

I get in the car and my phone is connected. I turn the wheel and the only sound I hear is the tires on the pavement. I can now roll down all of my windows without fear they will be stuck in one position or another. I am grateful for my mechanic.

Of course God then reminded me that my car may not be the only thing I had let fall into a state of functional disrepair. And as I examined my relationship with Him, I began to find some things that I had decided not to fix right away. I chose not to go see The Mechanic and when things didn’t work as well I as I had known…I got used to it.

I skipped prayer sessions and lost my seamless connection to Him…and got used to it. I am sure at least one of my testimonial “little lights” went out…and I ignored it. Even when others pointed it out, I chose not to go see The Mechanic” right away.

And for certain when He gave me a new direction, there was moaning and resistance on my part. I substituted situational forgiveness for true repentance…and I got used to it.

I got used to operating at less than my optimal functionality because I did not want to take the time and make the commitment to go see The Mechanic.

And then something happened that forced me back to the Shop. And it put me on a path to get all those little things fixed. And now I remember what it is like to walk in close fellowship with Him, and have everything working smoothly and cohesively.

I am not perfect, been at this too long to ever think that, but I am so much better, and I believe God is getting more out His vessel now that everything that was in disrepair has been fixed.

Go see The Mechanic. Listen to what He says about things that are going to have to be replaced or repaired soon…do not get used to being or having less. Stay fixed. Stay functional.

“Odometer…” (by Mel McGuire)

During a great sermon I once heard the speaker was making the point that value in a used car was NOT in the appearance, but in the mileage. This got me to thinking about odometers.

There are two types of odometers in cars. The main odometer tells you the mileage during the LIFE of the car. It cannot be legally reset. The other one, the trip odometer, is designed to help you track mileage on a repeatable basis, like a road trip, daily usage, or miles between fill ups.

The Lord shared two concepts with me about odometers. First, He reminded me that even if a car has high mileage, it is still relative to the age of the car and how and where the car was used.

A car that spends most of its time cruising on a freeway can accumulate lots of miles in a short period of time. On the other hand, a car driven in urban rush hour traffic may have lower miles, but will be much more “used up”.

So He encouraged me to look beyond the numbers on the odometer and inquire as to the lifestyle of the car in question. The same is true with people. Especially people that God has got a hold to.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light…to me that equates to freeway driving while on cruise control…a constant steady pace that speaks to consistency and maximizing efficiency with minimal effort.

A life apart for Him kind be likened to urban driving. Lots of stop and go traffic. Reduced brake life, more frequent oil changes, earlier transmission issues. More opportunities for the little door dings and minor fender benders of life to mar your appearance.

Low miles doesn’t mean a car has been pampered and high miles does not mean it has been abused. Look beyond the obvious and get the unique story of each life you encounter.

The trip odometer simply reminds us that God’s mercy is new every morning, and He gives us countless opportunities to get it right and enjoy a fresh start. Whether we do it at each fill up (weekly) or with each trip (activity or event), we can reset our odometer.

The forgiveness and longsuffering of God is remarkable, but as we partake we must also extend in kind. Allow others a fresh start and be ready to reset their odometer with you to zero as well.

Finally, I recall looking at a used car once with high mileage. The owner said, “Sure, it has 150,000 miles, but only 25,000 on the engine and transmission…” His point being that the new, lower mileage is the number I should be aware of and judge the car by.

The day we give our lives to God, we get in return a new heart, and a new attitude. We start fresh and our odometer is reset to zero in God’s eyes. Look beyond the numbers and see what He sees, in yourself, and in others.

“Highlights…” (by Mel McGuire)

Every night I spend a few minutes watching sports highlights on television. I like them because you get a sense of what happened without having to sit through an entire game. The other side of that coin however, is that you don’t get a feel for the ebb and flow, momentum changes, and rhythm of the actual event. You just watch what someone else has decided is worth showing. Sometimes the highlights are more focused on the losing team…they had more exciting plays, but lost the game.

As a result of this phenomenon, we have a generation of people who focus on the spectacular catch, in your face dunk, or big hit…the knockout punch, the acrobatic goal, or the longest fight (hockey fans, you know who you are).

Of course as I watched the same highlights for the third time one night (am I the only one?), the Lord “interrupted my regularly scheduled programming”. He reminded me that the highlights, while entertaining and addictive, do not tell the whole or even true story of an athletic event.

The fundamentals, the basics, the routine…they that perform those the best, with the least amount of errors, usually win the game. Has our Christianity become like the late night highlight show? Have we become so enamored with the latest sermon, the miracle, the testimony or praise report that we forget the importance of the fundamentals of our faith? Prayer, obedience, holiness, forgiveness, and giving…the basics that determine outcomes far more than the spectacular move of God.

In our walk with Christ we need to make the routine play, the things that happen all the time more so than preparing for the spectacular, the highlight play. Pray for obedience and humility, pray for our leaders and for your family. Make the routine play. Do what you know the Word says for you to do. If you don’t, it’s like an error, or a turnover. Don’t mine the word for some new deep revelation if you aren’t even trying to walk in holiness or forgiveness. Make the routine play.

Highlights come from mastering the basics and rising (sometimes literally) to some extraordinary occasion. But if you lose the game, what is the ultimate value of the spectacular event? Make the routine play, eliminate errors and turnovers, master the mundane and see if your greatest highlight isn’t victory in the end, when it matters.

When God replays the highlights of your life, will the final frame be you lifting the ultimate prize, bowing to receive the gold medal (your crown of glory)? Or will you live a spectacular but error filled life, full of mishaps and missteps that leave you defeated and downcast (cast down?)? A Gatorade shower will not extinguish the flames of hell. Play to win the game.