Flip the Script

"I'd get mad, but I would never let them know it" - Jackie Robinson

The year was 1947 and a young man stood in the office of Branch Rickey, the General Manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers. If you know baseball history, you may already know the name of this young man, but we'll get to that later.

A strong Christian, Rickey believed that injustice had to be fought where ever it was found. As he opened the pages to the book "Life of Christ" by Giovanni Papini to the sermon on the mount, he reminded the young man of Jesus' call for each of us. As he read the words of Matthew 5:44 "love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you." the weight of what was facing them both hung heavy in the air.

In each of our lives, there comes a time when God calls us each to greatness, and this young man was preparing to answer the call. Day after day his faith was fueled by his ability to play great baseball, and each night he prayed that God would continue to give him the strength to face the hatred and bigotry he endured each day on the field.

Standing alone in a world that was completely against them, both player and manager stepped out in bold faith to flip the script and live out what Jesus calls each of us to do. Each day the player would put on the jersey that held the number 42. In a world that tells us, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" that when we are wronged we must seek revenge and even the score; both player and manager chose to tun the other cheek. When fans spit and threw things at him, restaurants refused to serve him, ball fields refused to allow him to use the dressing rooms and rival teams threatened to boycott, he never once reacted in anger. Instead he rested in and relied on God's grace and strength to see him through.

So if you have not figured it out yet, the player that I am speaking about is Jackie Robinson. When Brach Rickey recruited Jackie, he knew that it was going to take a man of impeccable character and moral strength to change the face of baseball. In 1947, Jackie's rookie year, desegregation wasn't even discussed and the historical magnitude of this event is often overlooked.

When Branch Rickey made the bold decision to desegregate baseball, it would still be 7 years before Brown vs. The Board of Education, 8 years before Rosa Parks would refuse to offer up her seat in quiet protest, and 16 years before Martin Luther King would give his iconic "I HAVE A DREAM" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. This move was not only bold, but it was inconceivable. If one thing went wrong, it would set the civil-rights movement back at least a decade. Rickey knew that he had to choose the right man for the job.

Branch Rickey knew the only way to succeed was "non-retaliation", Jesus taught turn the other cheek, and Rickey knew this was the only way. The very first time that Rickey and Robinson ever met, the men discussed this method and Rickey made Robinson commit to a 3-year non-retaliation agreement. The two men discussed Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and vowed to live out Jesus' call to peace.

The road for Robinson over the next several years was difficult, and did not come without trials and tribulations. But God was faithful. Robinson's character and refusal to allow the world's persecution destroy him, led him to a 10 year career where he helped lead his team to 6 World Series appearances, countless records and a place in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Robinson didn't have to choose peace, and if I were in his shoes I'm not sure that I would have the strength and character to do the same. Would I have the courage to keep moving forward? With every insult thrown in my direction would I be able to hold my head high and turn the other cheek?

Our first reaction is anger in the face of injustice, to get even, complain to whomever will listen and to enlist an army who will side with us. What would happen if we just flipped the script? What if we chose to not complain, to stand tall in the face of adversity and lean into God in those moments?

Isn't this the mindset that Jesus wants for us? This heavenly mindset that can free us from the enemy's grip on our hearts. When people tear us down, never apologize for hurting us, are difficult to love or they destroy our faith in humanity we have to learn to flip the script.

I can choose to complain, tear them down in the eyes of others or get my revenge...or...

I can pray for them.

When good things happen in their lives I can choose to say "Good for them.".

This might sound simple but I promise you it takes work. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. Sometimes you have to bite your tongue so hard that you feel like it's going to come off. But the more that you pray over the lives of those who hurt you, God changes your heart. As I have been working through this heart change, I felt God speak directly to me as I was reading the gospel of Matthew a few weeks ago. In Matthew 5:47 Jesus asks the question "If you are kind only to your friends, then how are you different than anyone else?" Ouch! If we are seeking that promised SUPERADDED life of more, the life of freedom and joy that Jesus died to give us, then the only answer is grace.

Grace in the moments that we want to say something unkind. Grace when we have been wronged. Grace when our kids get out of bed for the 18th time. Grace when our spouse doesn't put something away the way we like it. Grace when a crazy driver on the road cuts us off. Grace in the injustice that we see in the world.

We are called to something higher.

You can choose to be consumed by negative thoughts, wounded emotions and allow the enemy to steal, kill and destroy your joy. Or you can choose to cling onto and embrace the abundant live that Jesus came to give you.

You have the choice to Flip the Script in your own life.

Prayer:

Father God, Help us to fight the desire to always be first, to always be right. Help us to recognize the needs of others around us, to pray for those who have hurt us or wronged us. God help us to flip the script and to see the world through your eyes and not our own. In the moments when we are consumed with anger, frustration and pride remind us that we are called to something higher. Help us to choose the SUPERADDED life that you want for us.

Truth in a World Full of Lies

"The naked truth is always better than the best dressed lie." - Ann Landers

I walked toward the bathroom, knowing that I was not going to like what was waiting for me inside. I stopped at the doorway and took a deep breath as two giggling voices could be heard just on the other side of the door. I opened the door, but nothing could have prepared me for what was inside.

I stood there in disbelief as I looked down on my then 4 year old son and 3 year old daughter covered in nail polish, and my daughter's face was painted like a Picasso gone wrong. Both of them grinning from ear to ear, ignorant to the fact that I was just about to loose my crap on them.

The next several minutes are a bit of a blur...I'm pretty sure there was some yelling and possibly a desire to walk out the door and never look back. But as I scrubbed, and scrubbed & scrubbed some more, I asked my son why?

"Why would you paint your sister's face?" (in a not so nice tone)

His answer is one of the reasons why I just adore this kid, still to this day.

"I wanted her to be pretty like you, mommy" (pouty lip and tear filled eyes)

Now how could I every be upset with that answer?!?

Pretty? I didn't feel very pretty in that moment. I had just lost my cool with both my kids, I was not liking the whole mom bit very much right then and I was beating myself up over the fact that I had left the nail polish out in the first place. And it's moments like this when the lines between truth and lies begin to get a little fuzzy.

These moments of frustrations, moments that seem like failures are the moments when the enemy pounces on us and fills our heads with doubts and lies.

These moments then turn into what we end up writing on the slates of who we are. Pretty soon the lies become our truth.

Today I want to spend some time battling the lies that we tell ourselves, and replace them with words of truth. SUPERADDED truth of who God says we are. You might have to repeat them to yourself everyday, to silence the enemy and believe that YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE.

LIE: I'm alone

TRUTH: This one makes me want to crank up the Michael Jackson song "You are not alone, I am here with you..." but I digress. The Bible is filled with verses telling us that we are not alone, but one of my favorites and one of my words of truth that I speak over my life is Joshua 1:9 "Be Strong and Courageous...For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Just like the song, God promises us that we are never alone.

LIE: I'm not worthy

TRUTH: This lie is one that I have struggled with the most in my life. I often feel that because of my past mistakes that I am not worthy of God's love and forgiveness. But in Ephesians 1:4 it says "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." I say that I'm not worthy but God says that I am chosen and loved.

LIE: I am broken, damaged goods

TRUTH: I often feel weak, damaged and emotionally unstable. I feel broken, used up and unrestorable. But God battles this lie in 1 Peter 2:24 "By His wounds you are healed" No matter how broken you feel, Jesus died to restore you and make you whole again.

LIE: No one loves me or likes me

TRUTH: If you have grown up in a broken home, suffered a divorce, lost people close to you; the enemy is great at telling us that it's our fault, that we must be unworthy of love or we are unloveable. But God tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 that He has "loved us with an everlasting love. With an unfailing love and he has drawn us close to Him" You are loved and you are worthy of love.

WORDS OF TRUTH: I am going to share with all of you a list of words of truth that I speak over my own life. Many of these have been passed down and shared with me from others who also use words of truth, but I have also added some of my own.

I was introduced to words of truth about a year ago, and, since we are being honest today, I still have a very hard time believing many of them about myself. But I have recently discovered a new way of speaking them over my life. One of the best ways to begin to believe them is to speak them out loud. For the longest time I could only get through 2-3 before I would start crying. I did this for MONTHS!!

But then one day I was watching Grey's Anatomy and one of the surgeons (Dr. Amelia Shepherd for those of you who share in this guilty pleasure) was preparing for surgery and she stood in a powerful, hands on her hips, Superman pose! Now who can cry and feel wimpy when they are doing a Superman pose? Not this girl! It has been a game changer for me and the confidence to speak over my life continues to grow.

So now every morning, I stand facing the bathroom mirror, hands on my hips, head held high and I imagine myself defeating the enemy with every statement of truth that I speak over my life.

Find what works for you, but find a way to silence the enemy and lessen the hold that he has on you, your thoughts, your feelings and your emotions. Remember that light drives out darkness, and love drives out hate. Speak God's truth and light over your life everyday.

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1. I AM A CHILD OF GOD (Galatians 3:26)(John 1:12-13)

2. I AM ALIVE (Romans 6:11)

3. I AM A MASTERPIECE (Ephesians 2:10)

4. I AM CHOSEN (Ephesians 1:4)

5. I AM JOYFUL (Galatians 5:22-23)

6. I AM GENTLE (Galatians 5:22-23)

7. I AM PATIENT (Galatians 5:22-23)

8. I AM KIND (Galatians 5:22-23)

9. I AM FAITHFUL (Galatians 5:22-23)

10. I HAVE SELF CONTROL (Galatians 5:22-23)

11. I AM KNOWN - EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORN (Jeremiah 1:5)

12. I AM LOVED (John 3:16)

13. I AM FREE (John 8:32)

14. I AM HEALED (1 Peter 2:24)

15. I AM NOT ASHAMED (Romans 1:8)

16. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR MY LIFE (Jeremiah 29:11)

17. I AM STRONG (1 John 2:14)

18. I AM FEARLESS (Isaiah 43:5)

19. I AM SECURE (John 10:28-29)

20. I AM A NEW CREATION (2 Corinthians 5:17)

21. I AM BORN AGAIN (1 Peter 1:23)

22. THE SAME POWER THAT ROSE JESUS FROM THE GRAVE LIVES IN ME (Romans 8:11)

23. I AM MIGHTY IN HIS POWER (Ephesians 6:10)

24. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH (Nehemiah 8:10)

25. I WILL ACT JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, AND WALK HUMBLY WITH MY GOD (Micah 6:8)

26. I WILL FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT (2 Timothy 4:7)

27. I LOVE THE LORD MY GOD WITH ALL MY HEART, WITH ALL MY SOUL, WITH ALL MY MIND AND WITH ALL MY STRENGTH. I ALSO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF. (Mark 12:29-31)

28. I AM NO LONGER A SLAVE TO FEAR (Galatians 4:7)

29. MY CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD, THEY ARE A REWARD FROM HIM. (Psalms 127:3)

30. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH (Philippians 4:13)

31. I HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE ENEMY (Luke 10:19)

32. I AM A GOOD FRIEND (Proverbs 27:9)

33. I WILL NOT BE AFRAID, BECAUSE GOD IS WITH ME (Isaiah 41:10)

34. I WILL RELY ON GOD'S STRENGTH, BECAUSE WHEN I AM WEAK HE IS STRONG (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

35. I AM NOT A MESS; I AM NOT A FAILURE; I AM NOT WORTHLESS' I AM NOT A MISTAKE; I AM JUST UNFINISHED. (Philippians 1:6)

36. I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM (Ephesians 2:10)

37. I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE (Psalms 139:14)

38. I BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN; I BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL; BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, I STILL BELIEVE (Daniel 3:18)

39. I CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ONLY GOOD THINGS (Philippians 4:4-8)

40. I CHOOSE FORGIVENESS (Colossians 3:13)

41. I AM SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH (Ephesians 2:8-9)

42. I WILL FIND COMFORT IN GOD (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

I have many more, but I encourage you to find statements and verses that work for your life. As you read these, if any of them cause you to take pause or bring up an emotional response, chances are the enemy is telling you a lie about one of these areas in your life.

Let me pray for you:

Father God,

You are so good to us. As we discover You and the truths that You tell us, help us to have the courage to face the enemy and to speak these words over our lives. God we are a broken, hurting people and we are so thankful for your love and comfort when the lies of this world leave us feeling less than who You say we are. God I pray for every person who is reading this today. God I pray for freedom from the lies that the enemy has been telling them. God open their hearts to hear Your truths, and bring healing to the hurting places of their souls. God send your Holy Spirit to comfort them and give them Your strength. - Amen.

Yahweh

"Lifting hands in praise because of you, no more hiding no fears you make all things new. You give me strength I'm not afraid to face what I have done, I'm at your feet, you are almighty, good to me. Jesus, precious is your name. Beautiful Lord, Yahweh."

- Brielle Lidtka, Element Music

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Two years ago, Element Church worship leader Brielle Lidtka debuted the song "Yahweh" at Element's Night of Worship, and it quickly became a song that has spoken so much hope into my life. Before she began to sing this powerful worship song, she shared with the audience her struggles with depression and how there are times when it was a struggle to feel God's presence and power in her life. In that moment her story and this song made an incredibly powerful impact on my life, but I had no idea how it would help get me through one of my own darkest days.

Last week I talked about bringing heaven down to earth and how part of making that happen includes worshiping God. Over the past 9 years of attending Element Church, the one thing that hooked me and kept me coming back week after week was the incredible talent of our worship team. It wasn't just their modern style; I grew up in a "turn your hymnal to page 214" style church, and lets face it, attending a rock concert every Sunday morning is pretty great; but mostly it was their ability to help me to connect with God in a way that I had never experienced before.

For so many people, worship music is one of the first ways that God is able to speak to our hearts. In 9 years of worshiping God here at Element I can only count a few times where the music and worship of our awesome creator hasn't brought me to tears and overwhelmed me as I felt surrounded by God's presence.

This past November, I walked into the auditorium a broken mess. Sunday mornings for me are generally chaos and this Sunday was no exception. I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders and the shame of the secret depression that I was suffering from was unbearable. As I stood there in worship tears streaming down my face, thoughts of suicide filled my head. No one knew how much I was hurting, how broken and alone I felt in that moment, but God knew.

As the beginning of the next song began, I was desperately begging God to silence the enemy and the words "Standing here amazed at who you are. Confused at why you call this broken mess your child." came from the stage. The song continued, "Your mercy is a gift to me, I don't deserve the air I breathe. But you are good, you are good to me." and in that moment God answered my desperate prayer and silenced the enemy's attack.

Worship is a powerful thing. I don't believe that there is a time that we are more connected to God and more in His presence then when we are in worship of Him. The next few lines of the song "Lifting hands in praise because of you, no more hiding no fears you make all things new." are a powerful reminder of how worship can transform our lives and can be used free us from whatever is holding us back. When we raise our hands in worship and praise of God, He has the ability to, as the next part of the song states, "You give me strength I'm not afraid to face what I have done, I'm at your feet", to give us the strength to lay it all at His feet, and allow Him to work in our lives.

We all long to feel God's love and presence in our lives. We are all broken sinners, who carry guilt and shame. We hide our fears away from the world but God sees them all. The next part of this song shows us the power that worship can have in our lives the freedom that can only be found in Jesus.

"Your steadfast love it draws me close into your arms of light. This is all that you desire, my broken sacrifice. So take our sin and scars we've made, take the bitter mistakes away and show us the power of your name."

In Romans 10:13 it says "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." There is power in then name of Jesus, and no matter how lost or broken we are all we have to do is call on His name.

There is freedom from every sin that we have committed, every wrong that we have done, the shame that we carry, the labels that others have placed on us, every lie that we tell ourselves. If we call on the name of the Lord, worship Him and lay it all at His feet, we can experience the power of His name.

"We lift our hands in praise, for you alone are good. The power of your name brings healing to the broken."

Worship is all about praising the mighty power and goodness of God. When we worship, we enter into His magnificent presence and we find comfort for our souls. When we are in God's presence we find the peace our souls desperately seek, the joy that fills our hearts and His presence will overflow into every part of our lives. It is only in God's presence that will we ever find healing.

Here at Element Church we have been so blessed to have an amazing worship team, with incredible talent and leadership. As this current season comes to a close, and Brielle follows God's calling to a new adventure, I ask that all of you cover her and her husband Bryce in prayer.

Brielle, we have been so incredibly thankful for you and your impact here in Cheyenne. You and Bryce will be greatly missed. May God bless you, as you continue the work in His kingdom. You are forever in our hearts and will always be part of the Element family.

If you would like to listen to the song in it's entirety it is available on iTunes, Spotify or you can also listen to it here on YouTube:

"Yahweh" by Element Music