You Are a Treasure!

I have something that's going to change your life!

Do you want it? Do you want something so amazing and mind-blowing; you'll never view yourself, others, God or others the same again?

No, it's not millions of dollars, it's not unlimited power or status . . . it's something FAR greater than those. Before the grand reveal, let me share a story that will not make much sense to you . . . at least not through the lenses of the world.

Matthew 13:44-46

44 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

45 "Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

Jesus is THE Treasure, He is the PearL!

It blows my mind how truly foolish we are. We are the man, who in his wandering, found this beautiful treasure. Yet, often times, in our daily lives, we do everything but hide it in a place only we know so we can sell all we have to come back and buy the field.

Not only do we not sell all we have, but we actually take this beautiful treasure and throw it away. Every single day we choose things other than Jesus: the opposite sex, status, money, power, sin, addiction, drugs, alcohol, good things over God things etc. Any time we choose something contrary to the Lord, we squander our treasure. It's the equivalent of throwing it away or even worse running to tell someone there is a treasure in our field, and asking them if they want it!

That's crazy . . . yet we nonetheless do it.

But if we are wise, if we are obedient, we are the ones who sells all we have so we can purchase that field because we know not only is the treasure is rare, but it's PRICELESS . . . it's as invaluable as they come! His name is Jesus-- the King of Kings and Lord of Lords . . . His name is not just WONDERFUL~ His name is Life, His name is Hope, His name is Love, His name is FOREVER!

When we sell ALL we have and purchase the field; I believe that's when we step into the life more abundantly Jesus has promised to us, 'I have come so you many have life and have it more abundantly.' (John 10:10). That's when we enter the proverbial Promise Land. The time we choose our treasure over anything else is when we guard the good deposit in our hearts (2nd Timothy 1:14).

But What If It's Also the Other Way Around?

As my pastor, and dear friend/second Dad, Mike Devine was sitting at lunch with Tad Taylor, who recently lost his Mom Dorcas (who used to play the piano beautifully in our church), Taylor said what if it's the other way around. What if WE are the treasure?!? Taylor's rheotorical question rocked Devine to the core of his being. Taylor, a devout follower of Christ, family man and die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, made a powerful enough point before the Holy Spirit gave Devine an even more powerful revelation of what he meant.

You can look at it both ways. Jesus is the Treasure, but WE ARE TOO! Wow!! That completely shakes the foundation of the world as you know it when you understand what that means-- how He looks at you!

God had it all in Heaven. He had worship, He had fellowship, He had allegiance and He had comfort. Yet, He sold all He had! He gave up Heaven just for you, yes you! You were lost and weren't searching for a Savior . . . yet He sought you out. When He found you, you were covered in mud, a filthy dirty mess, and He embraced you with a sense of belonging and intensity of love you've never known before. He saw you lost in your sin and He left His throne in Heaven to be beaten, tortured, mocked, taunted and ultimately die for you.

That's how PRICELESS and IRREPLACEABLE you are to Him! You are the apple of his eye, His biggest prize, His most beloved.

Remember the Treasures

So, you may feel insufficient. You may feel not good enough. You may feel like a failure. You may feel unworthy of such an unconditional, all-encompassing, relentless love. If that's the case, I have great news! WE ALL ARE. The very definition of grace, in my eyes, is God so freely giving that of which we don't deserve.

Jesus is THE treasure. We are His treasure and we must guard the treasure of our hearts daily!

When you remember those three things; you may not have earthly treasures, and you may feel like nothing or nobody but you are truly rich.

*Mike, I pray everyone receives true and deep revelation of what we mean to God and what He should mean to us. I appreciate you sharing this message and for allowing the Shepard to guide you, so you can lead His flock (Covenant Bible). I pray this blesses you as a tribute to you and for this amazing message of an oft-overlooked parable.

Tad, I am deeply saddened for you, Leah Beth and the girls' loss, as well as Tammy, Jeremy and y'alls little girl, and while I pray for comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding over the holidays for y'all; your Mom has with her treasure. . . We had a beautiful talk about the Lord about 8 months ago and about life and I had never seen her so happy. Continue being a blessing to people and awaiting y'alls great reunion!

Nothing Fancy ~ Jesus Loves You!!

I want to share the best news you'll hear all day-- Jesus loves you!

Before you smirk and think here we go again then tune me out, I really want you to hear me. Jesus doesn't love you like _______ (you insert name here) who only loves you on their terms, who may let you down or in a one-way fashion where you're putting forth the majority of the effort in the relationship; He really loves you!!

Truly, madly, deeply, passionately and unconditionally. God's children, His creation and the apple of His eye, chose to be disobedient in the garden of Eden and that separated us from Him. That separation just grew and grew as people continued to satisfy their own desires with little consideration given to the God of Abraham.

God could've chosen anything as a sacrifice for our sins. Anything-- a lamb, a ram, a goat or any other animal that would be placed on an altar for atonement of our selfishness and disobedience could've been offered. But God chose ONLY the very best because even though we've chosen, and will choose, other things over Him, that's how enamored He is with His children.

He could've scrapped his creation, gone back to the drawing board and made beings who would be more obedient, but what greater love is there than the love that does not exist out of a sense of obligation, but only out of choice? That's why He gave us free will to begin with. He wanted fellowship, but not robots.

The Father also sent His son Jesus, Yeshua (His name in Hebrew), as a guide for how we should live our lives. If that's not loving and nurturing enough, God then selected 40 authors to record the greatest story ever told-- Creation, betrayal, love, sacrifice, redemption, hope! We have a model to emulate. He has never and NEVER will give up on us! That AMAZES me . . . we truly grasp just a few drops of the deep ocean worth of love He has for us!!

Can you imagine being Jesus? He had ALL of Heaven's power at His disposal when the soldiers came to arrest Him in the garden. We think a Christian life takes unrealistic discipline and self-control . . . try telling that to Jesus. He was STILL God, still deity, but was in the shell of a human with all the emotions, temptation, thoughts and struggles we face daily. That type of discipline is way past amazing and inspiring.

Or back up to when Satan approached our Savior at his weakest point. He hadn't eaten for 40 days and the Devil saw that as his opportunity to pounce. He offered him unlimited power, he offered him the whole world's kingdoms, he offered him riches that would make Solomon blush. But He loved His Father too much . . . He loved you too much to bow to him! Yet we can't choose God in a tough situation? That makes no sense to me.

They beat Jesus. They mocked Jesus. They spat on Him. They whipped him with cat and nine tails. At the end of each strand of leather there were pieces of rock and glass. They kicked Him. They punched Him. They dug a crown of thorns into His skull. They then made Him carry His own cross up a hill to the Place of the Skull Golgotha.

What kept Him going when he was bloodied, mangled, had no energy, dehydrated and weakened to His very core was YOU! Your face, my face, your sin, my sin . . . His love for us. He knew this mission HAD TO BE completed to reconcile us back to His Father! It would have only taken a thought, a single thought, to end the endless torture He was enduring. Yet, He didn't because He wants to spend eternity with EVERY single one of us who humbles themselves, admits they're a sinner, asks Him into their heart as their personal Savior.

He paid a price He didn't owe and one we couldn't pay, but this price was paid with the ultimate cost
-- His life. This SHOULD compel us not to live how we want to live, but to let Christ, through the Holy Spirit, live through us in such a way we are obedient and show the Lord how much we appreciate and love Him and what He did for us! We should be grace-defenders, not abusers by thinking we should live any ol' way we want.

'No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.' (1st John 3:6).

'God paid a high price for you, so do not become enslaved by the world.' (1st Corinthians 7:23).

'But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.' (Romans 6:22).

So the next time you find yourself at the crossroads of walking the narrow path that pleases the Lord or heading down the wide path that leads to distruction, think of Jesus and how much He loves you!

Use His unconditional love and faithfulness as reasons to love Him more and choose life, choose pleasing the Lord over your own desires.

But if you do miss the mark and sin, thank God there is always GRACE!

Remind Me Who I Am

I've been there before. Mad, sad, frustrated . . . just plain tired! Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

It seems like every time you get your head above water, the waves of life knock you back under and you are left gasping for air. The current is so strong and waves so forceful you feel like you are still submerged even when you're not. If God loved me so much, why am I going through this?!?

That's the question you want answered and honestly I don't have that magical answer for you. I wish I did, but what I do have is hope. What I have is encouragement you are going to make it through. What I have is PROOF the Lord loves you and hasn't forgotten about you!

Do You Not Know!?!

Do you not know sisters and brothers, if you were the only one left on earth God loves you so much He still would've sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for you? Do you not know when Adam and Eve chose sin in the Garden of Eden, it caused a great divide between His beloved creation and God? Jesus was and IS the bridge that gets us back into right relationship with His Father.

Do you not know you are God's worksmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do?!? (Ephesians 2:10) Since you are His worksmanship-- You should walk with a king mindset . . a queen mindset . . not entitlement, but just knowing who you are. It's knowing you can achieve anything you want to achieve-- no dream is unreachable, no aim too high-- if you have faith, believe in yourself and work hard at your craft! In doing so, you don't have to 'settle!' Having a royal mindset-- me being a young king-- I walk with assurance in who I AM, but I also walk with humility, knowing everything I have the Lord can allow it to be snatched from me just like that *snaps fingers*

Do you not know you are God's friend? Take a moment to wrap your mind around that! You are friends with the Most High . . . the Creator of the Universe. 'I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not understand what his Master is doing. But I have called you friends because I have revealed everything I heard from my Father.' (John 15:15).

Do you not know you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness (1st Peter 2:9). CHOSEN: One who is the object of divine choice; one who is elected. You are ROYALTY-- a young king . . a young queen (no matter your age compared to the Maker of time, you are young)! You may not feel too 'royal' right now. You may even feel like a royal screw-up, but beloved you are SO MUCH MORE than that! You are the apple of God's eye!

Do you not know you, YES YOU, are a joint heir with Christ?!? 'And if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if indeed we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17, Galatians 4:7) Wait a minute . . . what did I do to deserve such a high standing? Absolutely nothing. It happened through the blood of Jesus dying on the cross for you and you asking Him into your heart as your Savior.

But you don't understand the type of person I've been. I am not worthy of such titles. Maybe that's who I was supposed to be, but through my bad decisions I've voided myself off that list. No you haven't! If there is breath in your lungs, it's not too late for you. There is hope. Check out 2nd Corinthians 5:17, 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away-- look, what is new has come!' Isn't that GREAT news?!? Doesn't it just make you want to scream!?

How is this possible? God is merciful, God forgives, God is love, 'For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities, I will remember no more!' (Hebrews 8:12). The blood of Jesus is spiritual Wite-Out. It erases our sins completely. That's incredible! Don't believe me? 'I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sins no more.' (Isaiah 43:25)

Do you not know your citizenship is found in Heaven? As Christians, we are just 'passing through' like hitch hikers. I honestly believe when we make it to our Heavenly Home we will experience the greatest feeling of deja vu/vous we have ever experienced. . . like taking that feeling of making it home after a vacation and multiplying it times infinity.

'But our citizenship is in Heaven, and we also await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.'
(Philippians 3:20).

Do you not know Jesus and you have the same DNA? We have heard we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) so much I believe the gravity of what that truly means often times is lost!

'Put on the new man who has been created in God's image-- in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (Ephesians 4:24)'

This is Great News!

So, the next time you feel inadequate. It could be you don't have a job. You don't have a girlfriend, boyfriend or maybe you're a little older and aren't married yet you have many family members and friends who are and who have children . . . don't be downcast! Remember not only whose you are, but remind yourself WHO YOU ARE as well!

Our hearts are fickle. In fact the Bible says it is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. (Jeremiah 17:9)  Sometimes it tells you you will die without that special girl or boy. Trust me, I've been there and still battle that daily. There is but One you would die without and His name is Jesus! Don't believe your heart, when it's telling you you are hopeless without that one special person, believe the One who occupies it. Remember you are His workmanship. If God had a trophy case, YOU would be the centerpiece. What an incredible thought!

We all struggle with sin. It's a never-ending battle. Some people struggle with little bit and some struggle with a lot, but it's a battle we too often lose. We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) and we can also rejoice in the fact the Lord's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2nd Corinthians 12:9) and that He will provide a way out in the moments of temptation (1st Corinthians 10:13).

Remind yourself in those moments when your flesh is calling out to you, wanting you to be the 'old man,' you are a joint heir of the Kingdom of God. You are a citizen of Heaven and you are made in God's image. You can overcome. I believe in you! I've always felt the place all Christians want to achieve, their place of Nirvana, is where the satisfaction of being obedient to the Lord overrides your own desires.

You may be dealing with sin. You may be dealing with depression or feelings of inadequacy. It could be you're having a hard time finding a job or maybe you're struggling with addiction. Maybe you have gotten too caught up in 'status.' Is there any greater status than being God's son or daughter-- a joint heir, His workmanship, His friend and part of the Royal Priesthood? Or you may feel like it's 'too late' for you to be redeemed. You have messed up over and over again. Everybody who has ever believed in you, you feel you have let down through making another bad decision. It's not!

If we could see ourselves through God's eyes for a solitary second, our devotion to Him would change, we would never feel not good enough and we would walk with a boldness and stronger faith than ever before. Join me in asking the Lord to reveal to you how He sees you. Your life will never be the same.

'For He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and umblemished in his sight in love.' (Ephesians 1:4).

'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins) according to the riches of His grace.' (verse 7).

So the next time you're struggling with anything, ask God to remind you WHO YOU ARE!

He will.

Please check out Jason Gray's song 'Remind Me Who I am.' I believe it will encourage you greatly and serve as a much-needed reminder of who you are!

There's Always Next Year

It's too much like work.

I'm going through a divorce.

I don't feel like it.

She probably won't get to play much anyway!

There is always next year.

One by one, that was the list of excuses I gave in 2006 of reasons I wasn't going to watch my little sister Karson play, as a sophomore, varsity basketball at point guard.

It was true. I was a sports editor for the county newspaper and although I'm an avid sports junkie and fan, going to games had started to feel like I was at work. I couldn't just enjoy the game. My ex-wife is a good woman. She just wasn't suited for me . . . instead of telling her leading up to the wedding I went through with it because I did care about her. The result was less than a year after saying our 'I dos' we were living two separate lives underneath the same roof and I honestly wasn't in much of a mood to socialize with people.

I was SELFISH.  If I didn't feel like going to a game, I wouldn't go or anything else for that matter. If it inconvenienced me, you could just go ahead and count me out! She will only play a couple of minutes of mop-up time. After all, she was an undersized guard playing varsity a year early, so the odds of her playing much weren't very good.

And finally, the easiest and best excuse of all . . . 'There is always next year!' There is always next year, there is always next month, next week, the next day, so it was really no big deal if I missed my little step-sister's basketball game. She would understand and besides she loved me and knew I loved her. Cankles, that's what I called her picking around with her because there was no distinction between her calves and ankles, would be a standout at least in her senior year and I would be there for as many games as possible.

Only One Problem

Mitzi, my wife at the time, walked into the living room.

'Karson died in a car wreck,' she blurted out in the most blunt way possible of giving me the news I would never hug my 16-year-old sister again.

What happened next was a blur. I punched holes in my wooden door, kicked a hole, went outside and pounded the ground as tears flowed down my face. I sobbed, I weeped, I would calm down then repeat the process like clockwork before my big sister (Julie), who was closer to Karson than I was and grown even closer in the final year of her life, came and picked me up.

We headed to Grace Hospital where my family and I were briefed on what happened in a car accident that took Karson Victoria Carroll's life and Matthew Potter's. As I'm listening, I hear the doctor, or state trooper, hell I don't know which, tell us she died in a black Camaro.

This couldn't be happening! See my childhood best friend Jonathan died our sophomore year at Western Carolina in a black Camaro. I couldn't imagine that life would be so cruel as to rob me of two of the people I loved the most in the same car . . . not once, but twice!

We then walked into the morgue before they haul them off to the funeral home. There was my little sister on a metal gurney. I still remember how cold that room was to this day! I can feel the icey-chill on my skin as I write this . . . if only I could feel her breath.The beautiful smile gone forever, her playful giggle, her soft touch, her cuddles . . . never again. I would say she looked so peaceful, but angelic would be a much better word to describe how she looked as my mind tried to process something I never thought I would have to see.

It was agony. That's a memory that stays with you like gum on the shoe of your heart. It never disappears!

I heard Karson's spirit speak to my spirit in that moment.

'It's OK brother, I'm not here.'

I can't describe to you the peace and closure that brought me.

I remembered some of her last words, 'It's OK Poppy (my Dad), if I die I'll run straight into the arms of Jesus!' That's exactly why she wasn't there. She was in Jesus' arms in Heaven.

I Learned the Hard Way!

I learned there is not always next year. There is not always next month, next week, the next day, not even our next hour. For that matter, we aren't guaranteed our next heartbeat, the next breath we draw in our lungs, our next thought or next blink of our eyes. Each moment is a precious gift. No matter how we spend that moment, it is nonetheless invaluable.

Since then, I've quit being nearly as selfish. Of course I have room to grow, and can still think of me FAR more than I should, I've made a big change! My little niece Madison's soccer games when she was six years old, seven, eight etc. were not a burden, but became a joy to attend. See, it didn't matter how much she played, if she scored any goals, had any assists or if her team won . . . the important thing was I was there. I was there as a tangible expression of my love for her, to show her my support and to share in that moment.

Before Karson passed away, I couldn't imagine waking up at 8 a.m. on a Saturday to go out to a freezing cold soccer field for an hour and a half to watch soccer, but after the fact I set my alarm every time Madison had a game.

I wasn't always in the most cheerful mood, and sometimes was still half-asleep, but I was there right there alongside my Mom, Buddy, Julie, Mamaw, Dad, Madison's Father Mark and other members of the family. Now Madison is grown up, a freshman in high school, and she runs track and cross country. I don't go to every single event she does, but I am there. I text her prayers before she runs and I also go to some of her meets.

Every single day of my life, I beat myself up, but ultimately deal with the pain and agony that comes from the selfish decisions of my past, who the old John Mark was. I am learning to forgive myself, but I haven't reached that place yet and honestly who knows if I ever will, but I am FOREVER changed!

My other little niece, who is named after our little sister, Karson Faith is three and Lord willing we will get to watch her play sports as she grows up too. I don't have my own family as I am not married and don't have any children, but my girlfriend Sara has two-- Tyklen (4) and Finley (19 months).  It's changed me with them too. I may not always feel like wrestling with Tyklen, pushing them on the swing, kicking the soccer ball, throwing the football, or any other kind of ball with him. I don't always have the energy to be the 'giant'  or let him mistake me for a jungle gym, but I do.

While I did not help conceive Tyklen and Finley, I love them like my own and when they're being whiney, crying, fussing and ugly or disrespectful, I remember I'll never get this moment back, so it's less about what I feel like doing, or if there is a football game on I really want to watch and more about them! My amazing Sara and I both know they're only this age once and we don't want to miss out on a single thing.

I made a promise to myself I would never miss out on validating my family and friends again. I show them and tell them how much I love them often-- in a text, with my voice, found in a sticky-note or in a warm embrace or soft kiss. I take a ton of pictures because I realize simply tomorrow is not promised and I want to document every step along life's journey along the way!

I try to appreciate every single day I'm on Earth . . . each day the Giver of Life blesses me with one more. I don't, but I do try. I try to live, love, laugh and give, all in and through Jesus, as much as I can. I give the shirt off my back even when I don't have it to give. I'm not patting myself on the back because 'I' do NONE of it, He does it all! Many things, good and bad, can be said about me-- some true and some not-- but I deeply appreciate my God, my Savior Jesus, my family, my friends and moments that intertwine this beautiful tapestry we call LIFE . . . like a man who has been given a second chance because I have!

My Advice

I'm not famous, I'm not a pastor, a counselor and honestly have no professional training whatsoever, so you can take this for what it's worth. But, don't wait until next year! To the moms and dads reading this, even if you've only acted like a mother and father to your children, it's never too late to take an interest in your kids. The reality is, you can give your kid everything they want . . . spoil them rotten, but ALL the gifts in the world won't replace the one thing EVERY kid (no matter the age, no matter the race, or socio-economic background) LOVE.

All kids want to know they belong. Every single person who lives wants to be accepted, affirmed and validated. See death is not the only thief of these moments, but time is as well. When your kids, or your parents, grandparents or friends are a certain age, they are only that age once. The older I get, the faster the years go and talking to my dear friend Mary (103), who is like a second grandmother to me, has given me even more of a sense of urgency because she says her life (the longest one I've ever known) has gone by just like that *snap of a finger*

Avoiding the 'There's always next year' epidemic doesn't just apply to the people in your life, but also to the dreams you have. It applies to things you would like to mark off on your Bucket List, what you want to accomplish, who you want to become, who you need to forgive, who you want to emulate and the lives you want to make a difference in.

Take my advice and not only pursue the dream God placed in your heart or chase it, but do it NOW! Yes, chase the Dream Giver, but in doing so become a Dream Liver. It's not easy to step out of the boat and run toward your dreams when the devil's fear of failure, feelings of insufficiency and past hurts leave you paralyzed with fear, but no exciting journey begins without taking the hardest step of all-- the first one.

Quit putting off. Stop delaying.  Whatever dream the Lord has given you, and not only given you the pursuit but equipped you with the gifts and talents necessary to accomplish that dream, go LIVE it TODAY.

I'm urging you to accept this counsel, but if not . . .
'There is always next year!'

Just one Look

Just one look of your eyes made my whole world stand still
How can someone as gorgeous as you also be so real?

My eyes adored though I couldn't take your hand
Just one look makes me feel like the luckiest man

To look into your pupils is to journey to my dream
My heart explodes with love my soul wants to scream

You are altogether beautiful my darling I am so blessed
Just one look calms me down when I find myself stressed

Holding you in my arms I've already won the prize
Proof God saw my tears and heard all my cries

You make every fiber of my being come alive with just one touch
Each glimpse of your beauty a reminder of why I love you so very much

I close my eyes to breathe you in as I taste you on my lips
Feel your hands on my back as they slide down onto my hips

I feel our bodies morph into one as we form a warm embrace
Your touch is softer than any satin or lace
Where as others wrote a chapter, you've already written the book
You stole me away and captured me and it only took you just one look

Song of Songs 4:7 & 9

The Shufflers

He shuffles across the parking lot and bathes in the creek
Though he's clean his clothes look like he hasn't bathed in weeks

People stare, people laugh, people act like he can't see them at all
They don't know his story, or feel his pain, they only have their gall

He shuffles along the highways and sleeps on a bench in the park
Wanting just one person's flame of love to create in him a spark

He's been cold so long, he's forgotten how it is to be warm
Being hungry, laughed at and hopeless has long since been the norm

He carries his medals in that old shopping cart as grenades echo in his mind
He served in Vietnam, flames took his family, this life hasn't been too kind

He slips his hand underneath his shirt, holds his cross and for a brief moment clings to hope
That moment turns to peace as tranquility helps him cope

You painfully shuffle along in your heart, while he shuffles only with his feet
He wonders aloud what it would be like to be human, that would be so neat

Their missions don't last just hours or days sometimes they last a life
Complete with kids, a job, a home and a loving, supportive wife

So as angels shuffle among us may about you they give a good report
As you hand him a warm meal, God rejoices your parents didn't abort

John Mark Brooks
Copyright Nov. 1, 2012