In But Not Of

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Ted W Harris

Some of you know that I recently started driving a shuttle for FastPark, an off-site parking facility near the Indianapolis airport. I haven’t kept it a secret, but I haven’t exactly shouted it from the rooftops either. Before the rumors start—yes, I’m still fully employed at Eagle Church and have no plans to leave anytime soon. And yes, the Harris family is doing just fine; this isn’t about the money.

The story has more to do with things like taxes, social security, Medicare, and long-term planning—but that’s not really the reason I’m writing this. For years, I’ve said that driving an airport shuttle would be my dream retirement gig. So, once a week, you might spot me behind the wheel of one of those green shuttles, heading off the lot with a handful of passengers bound for Zone 3.

What I didn’t anticipate was how this little side job would open doors for me to live out the gospel in the same way many of you do every single week. For nearly 38 years, my work has been within the “church bubble,” surrounded mostly by other believers in a pretty pro-Christian environment. I’ve often preached about claiming your workplace as your mission field—looking for ways to represent Christ among your coworkers. I’ve had some chances to do that over the years when my kids were involved in sports, but lately, my life has been almost entirely inside the bubble.

The other morning, as I was praying, God directed my attention to John 17. Many believe this is what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane the night He was betrayed. In that prayer, Jesus talks about how He has prepared His followers for their mission—to take His message to the world—and how He has set them apart for that purpose. Then He says,

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it… As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”

We often repeat the phrase, “We are in the world but not of it.” Two kingdoms operate side by side: the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Heaven—the kingdom of light. As believers, we are sent into the darkness, not to blend in, but to shine. Every day, we live according to the values of another kingdom—one built on light and truth—with confidence that God will answer Jesus’ prayer to protect us from the evil one. That doesn’t mean we’re safe from harm, persecution, or even death, but it does mean we are secure in our relationship with God and our eternal destiny with Him.

So wherever you find yourself this week—at work, at school, or running errands—remember that God has placed you in your corner of the world to reflect the light of heaven. I’m thankful for M, I, K, T, J, and others whose worlds I get to step into every Monday night.

As you go about your day, live with the confidence that Jesus has prayed for you—to be in the world, but not of it; protected, but sent; ordinary in setting, yet extraordinary in purpose. May your everyday moments become sacred opportunities for the world to see that Jesus was sent by God and that He loves them deeply.

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When it rains…

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Ted W Harris

A couple of months ago, while mowing the yard, I noticed the grass in front of the house was wetter than expected. Since there hadn’t been any rain, I assumed Sari had watered the plants and some sprayed onto the grass. Yet, the next time I mowed, the same soggy patch greeted me. Last Tuesday, Sari went out again to water the plants and found the ground ‘squishy’—far too wet for the little rain we’ve had.

Curious, I grabbed a shovel and started digging, unsure what I’d find. After reaching just below the slab foundation and uncovering nothing but muddy water, I called Riley, our small group’s resident plumber—every small group needs one, trust me. Riley and Hannah arrived, shovels in hand, and it wasn’t long before Riley noticed a tiny black spot in the grout line of the cinder block. As he cleaned the area, water started visibly seeping out through a small crack in the cement.

Riley asked about the crawl space, but remember, I dug the hole just below the SLAB.  That meant we were facing a slab leak. Some pipe encased in the concrete beneath the house was leaking and soaking the yard. For all the novice plumbers out there: this isn’t good news! Was it the hose spigot, the shower, the toilet, or the sink right on the other side of that wall?

We shut off water to the spigot and decided to keep using the bathroom and try the process of elimination. After about 36 hours, the puddle began to subside. As I write this, we still don’t know exactly where the leak originates, but one thing is clear: fixing it likely won’t be simple. If you have a crawl space or a basement, you can find and fix the leak with minimal disruption. With a slab leak, sometimes the foundation—meaning the bathroom floor—must be broken apart to reach the problem pipe and make repairs.

I’ve been a pastor long enough to know that there’s a sermon illustration hiding in every situation. Sometimes, God has to break us before He can fix us. To repair a bad pipe, you may need to break a good foundation. God, in His wisdom and mercy, knows exactly what needs to be broken in us—those foundational thoughts or habits—to address the sin leaking out of our lives. Scripture gives us many pictures of this truth.

Paul thought he was serving God by persecuting Christians—until Jesus confronted and broke him on the road to Damascus, restoring him to be God’s “chosen instrument” (Acts 9). Job suffered through brokenness and emerged refined, saying, “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). John the Baptist declared, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

Brokenness in the Bible is often the doorway to healing and wholeness. Brokenness leads to breakthrough. Sometimes our foundations need to be busted to repair the sinfulness we harbor in our hearts. It’s not pleasant and can feel costly, but the result brings true healing.

So ask yourself: Is God breaking up old habits, sinful patterns, or bad attitudes in your life? Is there pride needing to be broken into humility, self-sufficiency into dependence on the Holy Spirit, greed into generosity, anger into peace, addiction into meaning and purpose?

May we trust the hands of our loving God, knowing that when He breaks us, it’s always for the sake of making us whole again.

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SOLD!

Posted on September 2, 2025 by Ted W Harris

Sold!

Auctions! I love them! Growing up, I remember going to estate sales with my dad. We usually weren’t searching for anything specific—sometimes the estate belonged to someone he knew, and other times we were simply looking for a good deal. My dad always knew who the regular bidders were—the ones who bought items to resell. He taught me to watch them, then go one bid higher and you knew you got a good deal. They always knew what the item was worth.

When we were first married, Sari and I would attend auctions looking for furniture or household items. Personally, I always kept an eye out for tools of any kind. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a live auction, but lately, I discovered Mr. Bid Auctions, an online auction site, and my old addiction has resurfaced! I’ve scored a lot of things—office furniture, tools, even a Bo Jackson jersey. The draw for me is the spirit of competition and the chance to get something for pennies on the dollar. There’s a thrill in holding the winning bid as the timer runs out signaling you’ve won, or when someone sneaks in at the last second, restarting the clock and giving you a chance to think, recalculate, and bid again.

Most of the items purchased at auctions are old—still functional, but well-used. The former owner is done with it, ready to cast it aside. Auctions provide an opportunity to redeem and repurpose someone else’s castoffs. It’s a powerful picture of redemption: buying back something unwanted, something life has dinged, scratched, and deemed worth only pennies. I think you see where this is going.

God does the same for us. Every human being is created by God, in His image, but every one of us is born with a sin nature—an operating system corrupted by Satan and passed down through Adam and Eve. Because of that, we live apart from God. Through life, we get dinged, scratched, and sometimes scarred.

But God (I love those two words, because they always bring good news)—but God, in His mercy and by His grace, has paid the “auctioneer’s price” for us. He has redeemed our broken, sinful lives to restore, repurpose, and give us new life. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived, how scarred you are, or how battered your soul may be by sin—God has paid the price.
How much did it cost Him?
        “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

        “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” Romans 3:23-25

Whenever I have a great auction find, I want to tell everyone about it. But we have an even greater story to share—the story of our own redemption. We are invited to be part of someone else’s redemption story by sharing the good news.
Who will you share your story with this week? Who are you praying for to come to faith in Jesus?

Don’t wait until the timer runs out and the gavel drops!

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Lost and Forgotten!

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Ted W Harris

I talked last week in this post about the lost and found at LIFE Conference. The number of items that started showing up in our office within a couple of hours after groups started arriving. Many things once lost were found. Some within minutes of their being lost. Others sat in the lost and found all five days, never to be claimed. How many of those water bottles, sweatshirts, Bibles?, pieces of jewelry were not only lost but forgotten. The owner didn’t give it a thought, never missed it. Maybe once they got home and a parent asked them where the polaroid camera was that they took with them and probably promised to take care of. Maybe then they thought about it. 

Have you ever felt that way? Lost or forgotten? Sadly it is an all too common emotion in these days of isolation, fake social connection, and digital relationships. People can go through life with a feeling that nobody really knows them or sees them, leading to feelings of nobody cares about me. Rejection from other humans can often lead to feelings of rejection, abandonment from God.  Have you ever felt that God has forgotten you?

Prayers not being answered – for years! Seems like God is too distant to hear. Or worse truly has forgotten you or just doesn’t care. As I have been preparing for the sermon this Sunday, I have been sitting on a part of Joseph’s story that God has used to grab me. Joseph is unjustly thrown in prison and sees no way out. He can’t prove his innocence. The future looks bleak. Until two others share a cell with him and they have dreams that God gives Joseph the interpretation. He shares the meaning of the dreams and asks the one fellow prisoner to remember him when he gets out (getting out of prison was a part of the dream).

Genesis 40:23, “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.”
And the next verse says, “When two full years had passed.”

Seemingly all hope gone – forgotten to rot in a jail cell. Where is God? Why is this happening? Why are my prayers not being answered? I can only imagine that these questions and more were on Joseph’s mind. And maybe you have had or are in one of those seasons right now. Feeling forgotten. Feeling lonely. Feeling like life as placed you in a pit or a prison and God doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it. 

If you are in that place – the pit or prison, feeling forgotten and alone – I have good news for you. Joseph didn’t die in prison.

“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace…”

Hang in there! God knows what awaits you in on the other side of the hurt and loneliness?

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Lost and Found

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Ted W Harris

Another LIFE has Come and Gone!

I am just no posting this but last summer was LIFE Conference 2025. LIFE is a triennial conference for high school students of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. LIFE Conference has been described as “one long day and one short night” and that person wasn’t wrong. We were up and working by 8 am and didn’t get back to the hotel room until almost midnight each night. Part of my responsibility at the conference is overseeing the LIFE Office. The Office is the nervous system of the conference where information flows in and out, questions and complaints are brought and answers and solutions are given. I always try to find the most detail-oriented, problem solvers to work in the office. The picture above may have been the best team yet.

While not a major problem solving task, the LIFE Office is also home to the conference’s Lost and Found. As items are found throughout the convention center, they are brought to the office for their owners to hopefully come in and claim. Jewelry, water bottles, t-shirts, hoodies, wallets, iPhones, earbuds, bibles.  You name it and somebody set theirs down and walked away leaving it behind. Eventually the owner finds their way into the office and asks if anybody has found a ___________. And great rejoicing is had when owner is reunited with their personal belonging.  If an item hasn’t been turned in we have to tell them to just keep checking because it may show up, even after a couple of days. We try to be encouraging even though we know the deeper we get into the conference the less likely it is that their item will show up. But you never know.

On Sunday one of the youth group leaders came into the office and asked about a cross pendant that had fallen off of her necklace. We looked through the box of valuables (items not just sat on the table) and it wasn’t there. We told her to keep checking. Monday morning…still no pendant.  Monday afternoon…still no pendant.  She came back several times and the same story. She came back right before the last session Tuesday night…still no pendant. We encouraged her to check again after the session as that would be the last chance before the conference ended and everyone closed up and headed home.

Wouldn’t you know it shortly after she left the office, someone brought in that lost pendant. We were so excited that when she returned after the last session we could reunite her with this prized piece of jewelry. But she never came back to the office. She never left her name or contact information. And now while the pendant was found, the owner was lost. Sadly, the two were never reunited. She had lost hope and gave up the search.

That reminded me of the stories in Luke 15 that Jesus told about the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Lost Son. The lady who lost one of her ten silver coins, lit a lamp, swept the house and didn’t quit looking until she had found the coin. And when it was found there was great rejoicing.  

We wanted so badly for this group leader to come back to the office. We wanted so badly to say, somebody found your lost pendant. I stood in the hallway hoping to see her, one person among 6,000, walking by. But to know avail. And God reminded me in that moment, never give up. Hold on to hope. Don’t quit searching, don’t stop praying, don’t stop sharing. God is always at his work! And because of that we always have hope no matter what the situation, crisis, or lost thing might be. 

If you have lost hope in a situation. If you have given up. I encourage you to keep checking, keep bringing the request, the pain, the hurt, the need to God. Do not stop until you get an answer. Marriage struggling…keep checking.  Job situation uncertain…keep checking.  Family or friend not walking with Jesus…keep checking. Feeling lost yourself or emotionally spent…keep checking.  Lost your zeal for the Lord…keep checking.  Don’t give up!

No matter what…keep checking back in the office! 

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For the Generations

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Ted W Harris

I read today of the passing of Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family. He was 89. Dobson was a leader in the evangelical church for many years. As I thought about his life and the legacy that he left I began to think of others that have passed in the last decade or so. Chuck Colson (2012), Dallas Willard (2013), RC Sproul (2017), Rev. Billy Graham (2018), Tony Campolo (2024), Henry Blackaby (2024), John MacArthur (2025), and Dr. Dobson (2025). When I think back on my own spiritual formation as a new believer in my teens and young pastor in my twenties, and even today, it was these men, and others like them, that in some way helped shape my theology, my worldview, my pastoral leadership. I didn’t agree with every thing they said. In fact some of them disagreed with each other. But, you will find their books on my book shelves in my office. And now they are experiencing the glory that they passionately taught about and lived for. There are others, lesser known to the world, like Dr. Wes Gerig (2019) and Dr. David Bieberstein (2024). College professors who personally walked beside me and played a part in who I am today. And others who are still living and still influencing my spiritual journey.

Sari said a few years ago, “it is going to be hard when this generation starts entering heaven.” She was right! 

But it also got me thinking about this Sunday, Summer Bash and the 26 people that are going to be entering the waters of baptism. 21 who are middle school and high school students! God has always built his church through the gospel being passed from one generation to the next. The old Apostle Paul instructed the young Timothy, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable me who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2

God’s plan all along was to make disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples. I have always said the key to that system is the third generation of disciple makers. The spiritual “grandkids”! When I can look back and see that the person I discipled has in turn discipled one behind them, and so on. The chain must not break!

Yes, it is always sad when I hear that one of these leaders has passed from this life into the presence of Jesus (sad for me, happy for them). But it is exciting to turn and look at what is coming behind me. This is what has spurred me on to become a volunteer in Eagle Students. Freshman Boys Life Group leader! For the Generations!

Who has been the great influencers in your spiritual journey?
And more importantly…Who are you ‘entrusting the things you have heard’ to in the generations behind you?

We have a call, a commission, to make disciples. God is building his church. This Sunday, are we baptizing the next generation of pastors, missionaries, apologists, evangelists, lawyers, teachers, plumbers, welders, business owners who will commit their life to making disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples! The occupation doesn’t matter.

We are all called to go!

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The Depth Chart

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Ted W Harris

Today a few of us took our annual trip to Colts Training Camp! It is always a good time to start a new season, new players, familiar players, renewed hope for the upcoming run to the playoffs. This was a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers. A double your pleasure, double your fun kind of day. Especially when you take with you a die hard Packer fan who will remain nameless! The whole point of the two hours is each team working on offensive teams, defensive teams and special teams while getting to go head to head against another team. You get tired of facing your own teammates every day.  While not full speed and no big hits, you get to see what your team can do against an opponent. They always start off with the First Team starters going head to head. Then the second team subs and maybe a couple of the third and fourth stringers getting a chance.

Over the course of training camp, every team develops what is called a depth chart. Naming the first string starters and the second, third and maybe fourth string back-ups for every position. This lets you know how ‘deep’ the talent is across the board. If Jonathan Taylor gets hurt who is the next in line? And that got me thinking…

Many Christians live their lives as if they are somewhere down the list on God’s depth chart. The starters are those professionals, pastors, missionaries, etc. But the average blue chair season ticket holder is somewhere down the list. But God doesn’t have a depth chart. There are no second string Christians on Team Jesus. No third stringers just waiting for their chance. God has equipped every ‘player’ with a set of skills, gifts, and placed them in the position he wants them to play (or live). The family you are in. The location of where you live. The place you work. The places you shop, eat out, go for entertainment. Those are all your positions, where you line up on the field. You are the only one that fills those places and fills the role you play in the lives of the people around you. YOU are God’s STARTER!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:8-10

You were saved and a part of being saved is serving, doing good works. Serving in a way, a place, with people, that God prepared specifically for you even before you were saved.  First string on the depth chart. Nobody else can play your position. Mostly because they have their own position to play, their own good works to do on the team. If you don’t play your position, we have a big hole that nobody else can adequately fill. And the team loses yards or other team mates get hurt (burnt out, tired, discouraged, etc).

You have been uniquely gifted by God, placed in a position of influence, handed the playbook (Bible), most importantly filled with the Holy Spirit and sent into the game every single day. We don’t do any of this without the filling of the Holy Spirit. What a privilege! How much does God love us! How much does God believe in us!

If you aren’t sure where you fit, what your position is on God’s team, let’s do lunch sometime! Part of my position on the team is helping other teammates find theirs!

This is shaping up to be a great season!

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Chirp! Chirp!

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Ted W Harris

I had a birthday recently – #61. I remember the days when I thought 61 was old. Now that I am here I don’t feel old but I think there may be signs. For my birthday I received a bird feeder…with…a…camera! When I am connected to the app it will notify me anytime a bird lands on the feeder. It may be one of the best presents ever. When my phone dings I am quick to open up the app and see which bird has landed. Does that make me old? When my greatest source of entertainment is birds eating seeds? I bombarded my family group chat with pictures for a few days.

As I sat and watched that cardinal (Chirp! Chirp! to you Ball State Alum), I was reminded that God too is a bird watcher. Matthew quotes Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6) And again, when Jesus is sending out the twelve, and is preparing them for what they will face he tells them, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.”  (Matthew 10:29) 

Throughout Scripture birds illustrate God’s care and provision. Birds do not spend their lives worrying about what is next, where their food will come from, what might happen to them. God provides. “Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6)

BUT! Worry is a part of the human experience. If it weren’t, Jesus would not have told us what to do when it happens. Life is filled with uncertainty. The average person lives about 29,200 days (trust me I read it on the internet). By those numbers I am in the final quarter of my life here. But Jesus says that worrying won’t add a single hour, much less a day. And he knows what my days look like – nothing happens outside the will of the Father – whether he permits it or brings it – I can trust that his eye is on me.

A little farther down on that page, Jesus says Oh you of little faith? That describes all of us at some point or points in our lives. And just because God feeds the birds, they aren’t fearless. They even scare each other while they are feeding. But when we worry, when those times of uncertainty, doubt or fear do come – stop and look around – remind yourself of all the things God, who is watching us, has provided.

Step back, take a breath and “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 
I am not saying replacing worry with faith is easy – it’s not – I am saying it is possible when we focus on the Father – the Provider!

What are you worried about today? What uncertainty are you facing? God sees you! God hears your cries! Chirp! Chirp! Cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you! You can rest in him!

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Because He Said So!

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Ted W Harris


As many of you know I am a baseball fan. And baseball season is right around the corner. I grew up playing the game. I dreamed of playing professionally until about the age of 35 when I realized it was never going to happen opportunity I have to play or watch I usually take it. A number of years ago, I had meetings to attend in Florida in late-February. This is about the time pitchers and catchers were to report for Spring Training and start their workouts for another season. I had a friend, who at the time, was pitching for one of the major league teams. My thought was I could go down early and maybe catch a game or some practice at least.


I called Matt and asked if there was any chance, if I come down early for my meetings, I could hang out with him for a day and watch some baseball. They invited me down to stay with them and so I flew in and drove to where they were staying. The next morning we were off to the ball park. This was Matt’s first season with this team and wasn’t sure where I would be allowed to go. So I headed for the bleachers and Matt disappeared into the club house.
Shortly, he reappeared with a pass that allowed me to hang out, walk around, and take some pictures, kind of a back stage pass. Here’s the thing – I didn’t belong there!  I wasn’t part of the team! I didn’t come holding any kind of credentials. I had no right to be standing in the same area where all of the ball players were – but there I was All because I knew somebody.


I guarantee you Matt didn’t go in and say “Hey I have Ted Harris out here” and they said “Oh! Ted Harris! Oh yeah get him down here!” But because Matt did belong there, Matt was part of the team, Matt did have credentials and because he said so – I was in!  I was able to go places that the general public wasn’t allowed. There a few other fans there that day but they had to stay in the bleachers.  I was back stage – the bullpen pitching mounds – the batting cages – all because someone said so.

I didn’t belong down there until someone said I belonged.

It will be the same thing when our time on this earth is done. Heaven and Hell are real places. Places where people will spend eternity. Every one of us belongs in Hell. Our sinfulness, our sin nature says Hell is where we belong. But when I put me faith in Jesus – Heaven is the place where I will spend eternity. I don’t really belong there. My credentials after this life are “filthy rags.” But because Jesus says so. Because Jesus has invited me to share his life. He invites me to spend eternity with him.

This is very much like that thief on the cross. The one who humbled himself, admitted his sinfulness, admitted that crucifixion was what he deserved. But also the one who admitted that Jesus didn’t deserve to die. That Jesus was sinless. The one that put his trust in Jesus and asked to be remembered when Jesus returned. The one to whom Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

That day in that spring training stadium was pretty close to paradise for this baseball dreamer.

We have one that invites us into his life. That invites us into his kingdom. Many will just sit on the bleachers and miss it. They will find themselves outside. Jesus wants you to join him on the field. Because He said so!

Philippians 3:17-21, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

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Recalculating!

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Ted W Harris

More years ago than I care to think about, we made a trip back to the city I grew up in for my 10 year high school reunion. I had only been back a couple times since moving the day after graduation. Catching up with old friends, reliving the glory days and sharing first real job stories, my best friend all through junior and senior high was sharing about this awesome company that he just started working for. They made devices that, using a satellite, were able to pin point your location and help you navigate to a destination that you programmed into the device. It utilized a Global Positioning System. Yep, good ol’ GPS. The company originated making these for marine and aviation to navigate the oceans and friendly skies but were now designing them for personal use. My initial reaction was “what in the world would we ever need something like that for.”  This is why I will never get a job in research and development like my friend did.

It wasn’t long before I had my first GPS attached to the dashboard of my car, programmed with the Australian accent, politely telling me when to make the next turn. And if you weren’t paying attention and missed your turn, it was that no-matter-how-polite-sounding but ever dreaded “RECALCULATING”. I can’t imagine going anywhere without a GPS device now. Besides my smart phone, I have a watch for running and cycling and a device in my golf bag to pin point the distance to the hole. Yeah, what in the world would we ever need something like that for?

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a spiritual GPS! When our actions start to drift…RECALCULATING! When our thoughts start to stray…RECALCULATING!  Knowing where we are going and traveling the way with confidence is crucial as we live out the call that God has given each one of us. The spiritual life is hard to navigate and it is all too easy to get off course, lose our way and wind up in a ditch! But with a Gospel Positioning System (see what I did there, maybe I do have a future in Research and Development), we could reorient our lives and stay on course.

Proverbs 16:9, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

As believers we must live our lives in light of who God is and the truth of his gospel. And the gospel is centered in the person of Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  The gospel story is the map for our lives. From creation, to fall, to redemption, to new creation, Our lives are to be lived in response to the gospel.

How do we do that? What does our road map to the Spirit-filled life look like.
1. Spirit Dependent – This is a consecrated life – it is a clear understanding of being set apart through the indwelling and leading of the Holy Spirit, we can’t navigate life on our own without getting lost. We are dependent on the Holy Spirit.
2. Kingdom Minded – We represent Jesus well carrying out the purpose of making disciples wherever we go. 
3. Biblically Grounded – We are regularly engaged in the process of learning, understanding and applying the truth through the lens of a Biblical worldview.
4. Prayerfully Present – We establish regular daily rhythms of prayer and spending time in the presence of God, developing a ‘prayer without ceasing’ life.

It is easy to get lost with all of the distractions this world throws our way. It is easy to forget where it is we are really going but these four things will help us stay the course. Maybe this morning, or whenever you are reading this, take a few minutes and recalculate your life right now.

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