Tag Archives: faith

The Luckett Family Creed

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com Luckett Family Creed

What do you do when a place is dark where people can barely see, they’re stumbling over things, crashing into each other and getting hurt? 

You add light.

We believe that God is the source of all light.

Our response to darkness in the world; to the problems we see, is to be light so those around us can find the Way.

The way we “be light” is to live and teach what we learn from God. The Way we learn from God is through God’s Son Jesus the Christ.

This is not just an idea. I wake up every day working by the grace of God to contribute light in some way to those around me, starting with each of you.

And, if you’re not actively being light or reflecting it, you are being something that blocks light -causing darkness.

God has given each of us gifts and a heart to address specific needs in our world, so there are many ways to be light.

Over the years by living in our home, you’ve either heard or experienced it in some way implicitly, but I want to state explicitly how our family seeks to be light.

What are we doing as a family?

Our family creates healthy places to nurture fruitful people, always starting with you.

We aim to promote “homes”; ecosystems of well-being by targeting specific areas (think our family, community, schools, etc.) and trying to cultivate as many people there to help and not harm those around them.

Why are we doing it?

Our family’s top priority is to promote Life and to help people thrive. Life is having a heart that results in a healthy relationship to everything around you; promoting life and not death. We believe that you get this life through believing Jesus. To thrive is to have well-being that overflows into others. That means having enough (spiritually, physically and materially) to meet your needs, enough to enjoy and enough to share.

Why am I telling you this?

So that you understand our motivation, why we get up every morning, why we make the decisions that we make, how our resources are allocated and why. And, so you can choose whether you want to participate at a level beyond compulsory obedience.

Our decision making calculus is simple: make the choice(s) that results in the most people  having Life and thriving, always starting with those entrusted to our care (you).

The ultimate vision is the Great Home which is the church; a network of individual homes that work together and are committed to being healthy places where people can share Life and thrive. Through fellowship with people we’ve invested in and others who are like-minded, our goal is to spread light throughout the world.

 

What Being The Prodigal Son Taught Me About Being Made Perfect In Love

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com What Being The Prodigal Son Taught Me About Being Perfected In Love

As I was studying for an upcoming marriage ministry that Melissa and I are a part of, the lesson converged in a beautiful and unexpected way with my meditations on home and I hope it blesses you the way it blessed me.

Our marriage ministry class is going through a workbook called Husband & Wives (I highly recommend it) and we’re on the chapter about love. In it I came across 1 John 4:18 that says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

It prompted the question, “What is the fear that this verse is referring to and what does it mean by torment?” Before I had completely formed the thought, I already knew in my heart what it meant. I am familiar with that torment.

It’s the torment of failing so miserably, being so broken, that no matter how you try, you’re utterly unable to fix it or to do anything that makes you worthy of acceptance. It’s the fear of rejection, of being abandoned and stranded, having no way home, it’s the terror of being alone.

And, that led me to understand what it meant to be “made perfect in love”. You know who was made perfect in love?

The Prodigal Son.

I know because I am the Prodigal Son. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32 take note that the son was loved by the father in such a way that “when he came to himself” (v17) he had reason to believe that he could return home. And, just as importantly, he also knew he could not return home and continue to live however he wanted -he had to repent (v18).

The son acknowledging his sin and assuming a posture of humility in his heart, began the trip home. He was on the way, but while “he was still a great way off” and before he could get out the apology he had been practicing, the father ran to him and embraced him. The son repented and asked to return home, not as a son, but as any other stranger whom his father might hire as a servant. “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.” (v23)

Rather than treat him as the prodigal and wayward son that he was, the father gave the son his best and restored him to what the father had always seen the son as: a prince. What amazing grace! It was as that moment, that what the son had only considered as a possibility before (maybe my father will accept me), he now knew irrevocably. It was then that the son was perfected in love because he knew that his acceptance was sure, because it was not based on his goodness but on the goodness of his father.

Hallelujah.

But, there’s more.

The father had another son. And as my mentor and spiritual father Pastor Gregory Jones would wisely point out, the lesson is as much about the second son as the first. The elder son who had remained home and who had been obedient was enraged at hearing of his father’s reception of his wanton and wasteful younger brother. But, “[the] father came out and pleaded with him”(v28) saying to the older son, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” (v31-32)

The lesson of the elder brother is this: you can “stay” in the house, do things that look right and be just as wayward in your heart as the prodigal son who “left”. To be perfected, we must have more than a mere association with the Father and more than works done out of rote obligation (Matthew 5:20). We have to know the Father (this is what Jesus came to teach us -John 14:6-7, John 17:1-4) and we must have the Father’s heart (when we believe Jesus, this is what He gives us -John 3).

To be made perfect in love is being assured of our acceptance in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6) because we know the goodness of the Father. Such love transforms us and gives us a heart to love the way he loves, not the world’s love that allows and approves of wrongdoing, but love that perfects, builds up and is gracious while affirming good and resisting evil. When we love the way He loves we become as He is and…

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” -1 John 4:17-19

Whatever your proximity to God, no matter how far you think you’ve gotten, getting home takes only one step because God has been unceasingly moving towards you, His heart for you has never changed, before the beginning He made up His mind about you to love you. His love letter to us, the Bible, says that everyone who comes to Him, He will “by no means” turn away (John 6:37). And, the Way is Jesus who will teach us of the father’s goodness, give us the father’s heart, build us up into a spiritual home for others on this journey and perfect our love.

I’m a witness.

#perfectourlove

I Don’t Get Anything Out Of Church

Brainflurry.com - I Don't Get Anything Out Of Church - Grow up from Getting To Giving

“I see no reason to go. I don’t get anything out of it.”

Have you ever heard or said that about church? I sure have.

First, the whole “go to church” thing is deeply problematic. You are the church.

Secondly, to be clear, I’m not referring to the industrial church. I hate the industrial church. It’s objective is to make money to pay people. The objective of the living church is to be the bride of Christ. I’m referring to the latter.

Lastly, “I don’t get anything out of it” is baby talk. It is tragic to “go to church” for years and never grow beyond looking for absolution and seeking the peace that comes from the assurances of salvation. At some point in our spiritual development, these things should be firmly established and we should grow from getting to giving.

Among the reasons “we don’t get anything out of it” is typically there’s just one preacher that’s doing most of the giving. That shouldn’t be, everybody should be giving. “We should no longer be children… but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head –Christ –from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which EVERY part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” -Ephesians 4:14-16

We must move on from milk, looking just for what we can get: how I can be blessed, how I can encouraged, how I can be comforted, how I can have peace.

Our Lord did not say blessed are the peace-takers but “blessed are the peacemakers”. Matthew 5:9

So, we must grow to a stage of maturity where we are equipped to give. We must graduate from milk to meat (Hebrews 5:12) and this is the meat, “as He is, so are we in this world.” – 1 John 4:17

Christ who is our example said this, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45, Matthew 20:28

Giving is the mark of our maturity, that we bear fruit and the fruit that we should bear is love (Galatians 5:22).

Our Lord commands, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

So, I pray that our minds would be renewed concerning our approach to church, that we would move from thinking in terms of what we get or don’t, but instead what we can give and that being love. #perfectourlove

My heart is still on home and the Parable of the Prodigal Son is…

My heart is still on home and the Parable of the Prodigal Son is so rich, "And he arose and came…

Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.

My heart is still on home and the Parable of the Prodigal Son is so rich,

"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." -Luke 15:20

Of all the homes I've ever known, they all had one thing in common: they already had their mind made up to love you even before you got there –what's more is that it isn't on the basis of what you've done or haven't done but rather on the basis of who they are: home.

#spirithome

In Week 50 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pearson…

In Week 50 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pearson Liddell. Pastor Gregory Jones…

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, December 11, 2021.

In Week 50 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pearson Liddell.

Pastor Gregory Jones would say that every man needs these three men in their life: a Paul, Barnabas and Timothy.

That means: a mentor who models new heights of The Way (Paul), a companion who you walk with in The Way (Barnabas) and a mentee with whom you can share what you've learned along The Way (Timothy).

For more than a decade, Pearson Liddell has been a Paul to me, modeling godly masculinity, how to live in dependency on God's grace and what it looks like to lead from a position of service. Not only has he been gracious in sharing his life and hard fought wisdom with me, now he's mentoring my son. Praise God for these mighty rivers of living waters through Pearson Liddell in Christ Jesus! I'm grateful. #52WoG

“Finding a wife” is not like stumbling upon money on the ground,…

"Finding a wife" is not like stumbling upon money on the ground, but like unearthing rubies, a…

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

"Finding a wife" is not like stumbling upon money on the ground, but like unearthing rubies, a precious gemstone, that has to be mined, cut and polished. You have to appreciate the value of this treasure, have the understanding to identify what's valuable and be actively searching for it (digging).

Fun fact: you can get totally different gems from the same corundum mineral stone: a priceless ruby or a much less valuable sapphire or a worthless rock – it varies based on the skill of the lapidary (gem cutter) [Husband]. An incompetent man can ruin a great wife. So, learn from the Master.

Jesus teaches us how to "find a wife".

He's clear about:
Who God is, thus;
Who He is.
What He's doing.
Why He's doing what He's doing.
Where He's going.

He then makes an invitation to join Him and is clear about what it costs.

He loves the wife He finds; covering, praying, leading, teaching, providing, giving His life -perfecting her that they may be one in God.

By the grace of God, I "find a wife" in Melissa every day. It's not a one time event. It's a continual process. My example is Jesus as Christ prepares for Himself a bride — in me. I, along with all those who accept His invitation, am His bride.

Naturally, as parents, we want to protect our children.

Naturally, as parents, we want to protect our children. But there comes a time where we must…

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

Naturally, as parents, we want to protect our children.

But there comes a time where we must prepare them and let them know that the world is nothing like our home and equip them to confront its cruelty.

We must make it clear that, not only for our children but for everyone that steps out our doors, they are stepping out into a warzone.

So, my goal as a husband, father and the head of my house is to make our home a sanctuary and, to the extent I am able, ensure that the war out there is not happening in here.

That war is with but one enemy – Satan and I discern He has only one attack – calling the goodness of God into question. That means:
Who God is (life)
What God says (truth)
What God gives (good)
and as a product of these;
Who I am (identity) and
What I should treasure (heart / value system)

Establishing peace and safety in my home and equipping my family to win the battles they're confronted with outside of it is to establish the truth of God's goodness.

I have heard the question asked many times, “How am I supposed to…

I have heard the question asked many times, "How am I supposed to choose Christianity among so…

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, November 18, 2021.

I have heard the question asked many times, "How am I supposed to choose Christianity among so many other religions?"

First off, you're mistaken. You can't choose to be Christian.

It's not a matter of picking the belief system that gives you the best deal. It's all about what happens when you hear the Word, whether faith is kindled -whether you hear and believe.

So, the real question is have you truly heard the Word and then, how did you respond?

That's why it's imperative, for those of us who do believe, to preach the unadulterated Word and live it in the power God provides, so to provide more opportunity for people to engage with the true Word.

What's key is the Word, expressly communicated in the person of Jesus Christ so that even babes can understand. Because salvation is His work alone. It is the gift of God alone, for His glory alone, therefore received by faith alone, in Christ alone as imparted by the Word alone.

You do not choose God. He chooses you and His choice is revealed by your response to His Son, Jesus, the Word in flesh.

What we can evaluate is our response. What kind of heart and ears are we hearing with -ones that are obstinate and seek our own desire or those that yearn for righteousness and receive the gift?

Even if you are in doubt and unbelieving, you can ask God for a heart for Him. That's the kind of prayer He's eager to answer. #seek

Sometimes I’m frustrated by the things I still struggle with and…

Sometimes I'm frustrated by the things I still struggle with and it makes me wonder whether I've…

Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, November 15, 2021.

Sometimes I'm frustrated by the things I still struggle with and it makes me wonder whether I've truly been born again.

But as I ask and seek about that, I find the key to properly evaluating my regeneration is not whether my old nature is still visited by old temptations but whether I now have a new nature indicated by a new heart with new yearnings for God and that confesses Jesus as Lord.

While I am a new creature, the old man remains. And, whatever we feed, we strengthen. Therefore, I starve the old and feed the new. I will never be completely free from temptation until I'm with the Lord but I can weaken the flesh and strengthen my ability to resist it.

Don't confuse this with the demonic talk of feeding the good vs bad wolves.

The wolves approach depends on your strength and your evaluation of good and evil. The new creature depends on God's.

I struggle with tunnel vision. I will set my sights on an outcome…

I struggle with tunnel vision. I will set my sights on an outcome at the expense of everything…

Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, October 18, 2021.

I struggle with tunnel vision. I will set my sights on an outcome at the expense of everything else.

I can be so focused on what I'm trying to do for the future that I lose what I have now: precious, irreplaceable time with loved ones and friends, enjoyment of the moment -life.

I must be careful not to make an idol out of my plans, putting all my hope and trust in them but instead "trust God who gives us richly all things to enjoy". (1 Timothy 6:17)

I repent.

So, here's some questions I've decided to ask myself daily to make sure that my stewardship of this wonderful gift called life includes enjoying it every day.

What questions would you add?