Father Knows Best

Even though this was a TV program years ago, that is not what or who I am talking about. I am talking about our Heavenly Father. God tells us that even when we were in our mother’s womb, He knew the plans He had for us. We like to tell God how He should do His job. We do that when we don’t just lift up our circumstances, but we have a desire on how that should be accomplished. We might pray for God to heal someone, when maybe God was ready to take them home to eternity. We might pray for success at work when God has a different line of work lined up for us. We might pray for God’s help in our ministry so that we might see great success... but is that for us or the kingdom of God? We might pray for God to raise up people to go out into the mission field, not realizing that maybe God is calling us to be that person. How often do we, with all honesty and commitment, include the phrase, “Not my will but Yours be done”. I don’t question that God answers prayers and I believe that we can pray very specifically, but is it seeking God’s intervention and direction or is it accomplishing our will and desire? How much time do you spend seeking God’s direction for your day-to-day life? If our Father knows best, then why aren’t we asking Him? How I wish my earthly father was still around and that I could continue to seek his advice. Why don’t we all have that same passion and desire for our Heavenly Father? What gifts has God given you and how does He want you to use it? We are told that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to people as He chooses... He, not us! We also need to get over the concept that we are too old or too young. Retirement doesn’t remove our calling to serve God. If anything, it gives more time to be about our Father’s work. Are you gifted in teaching, in administration, in being merciful, in generosity, in serving others, being encouraging, or in some other area. How are you investing that gift in God’s kingdom. He doesn’t equip us to be comfortable, but to be faithful. If our Father knows best and He has equipped us for service, are we listening? John was the only Apostle that might have died of old age, but we don’t read of his retirement. As long as we have been given life and breath, we should serve God... praying, giving, serving, praising... Father, You have called me into service. You have gifted me to do Your will. Help me to be faithful in my call. Amen

Hurry Up and Wait...

An old phrase that I have heard many times. I believe it is something that those in the military have experienced, but most of the public has also experienced the same. We work hard to prepare and get things ready, but once we are there, we have to wait for the right time. Sometimes that time never comes. It can be frustrating and seem pointless at times, but when action is needed, it is then that those who prepared, got ready, and were waiting, will shine. I had my own experience. I had mentioned that there was water on my ears because the eustachian tubes were not draining. I had already struggled for almost a month. I am by no means saying my struggle is worse but that it is frustrating to deal with. I took medication and did what was asked. I had an appointment with a specialist who I hoped would do something to make things go back to normal. I did everything I could to clear my hearing, only to be told I had to wait another two months before they could do anything. Apparently it can take the body that long to restore itself and so insurance won’t cover it yet. Now the wait. Will my body do what it’s meant to do? Will God step in and supernaturally restore my hearing... maybe even better than it was? Are there lessons I can, and maybe need to learn, as I face a hearing disability... even for a few months. If I had waited 12 weeks without any attempts to clear things up, I would have to wait even longer. As Christians, we need to be ready. We sometimes wait until the need arises and then try to get ready. Often, it is too late. It is better to be ready and not have to intervene than to be unprepared and maybe not only fail to help someone else in need, but even fall short ourselves. If I get to 12 weeks and find no relief, then there are still things they can do. If I am prepared, by the Holy Spirit, through God’s word, and I face challenges that go beyond what I know, that is not the end. We have a God that does the impossible for those whose trust is in Him. If I find that my hearing becomes permanently destroyed (which I obviously pray is not the case), God will still use me, just in a different way. God’s ability to heal or to use us, even in our broken state, is all the hope I need. Hurry up. Turn to God. Be Alert. Be available. Trust. Father, I am Yours. You created me in my mother’s womb. You know the plans You have for me. I entrust myself into Your care to be used by You. Amen

Do Not Think of Yourself More Highly Than You Ought

There is a line between being confident and being prideful or self-centered. If we think nothing of ourselves, we will likely accomplish nothing. When we realize that we can be someone in Jesus , our confidence shifts from us to God. If we think too highly of ourselves, we become God and our ears are tone deaf to God’s instructions and leading. In Romans 12, we read, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” We are only as good as God makes us. My success without God is like a clanging symbol. God knows it is done, but there is no beauty in it. I heard an interest pondering recently that went like this, “Sometimes I worry that I am going to mess up God’s plan for my life and then I have to remind myself that I am not that powerful.” God’s plan is going to be carried out with or without us. To somehow think that the world is going to fall apart without me is a little egotistical. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have a special part to play, but your inaction might leave you out, and God will still accomplish what He chooses. I think about the Old Testament judges. There was a female judge that asked one of the men to carry out a mission to destroy an enemy leader. He was too hesitant to act, and so Debra sent another to accomplish the task. God still stopped that leader, but it was another woman that received the praise. This is also when I recall someone’s quote that stated, “When God calls you to accomplish a task, don’t worry about how it will get done, because God has already factored your stupidity and weaknesses into the outcome”. God is not our genie or life coach that is there to help us get what we desire. God is our King, Master, and Creator. We owe Him everything and we need to understand that our life belongs to Him. My identity is not found in what I do or accomplish, but through my trusting in God. If we fail to do what God sets before us, God is not stuck, but the challenge may become greater for the one who is faithful. So, when we serve God, we should forget about what other people think about what we do and focus on what God wants from me. Father, we imagine ourselves to be the center of the world at times. Help us to remember that we revolve around Your Son. Amen

Never Will I Leave You

I went over to the church to print off the bulletin. The parking lot had been freshly plowed and so it was nice to drive on. I went to the back door, took out my key and discovered that the lock was frozen. I could only get my key halfway in. I decided to walk around to the side door. Within my first few steps, I slipped and almost fell. I took a couple more steps and almost fell again. This time I pulled out my phone and called my wife. I wanted to make sure that she knew what was going on. If I did fall, I wanted someone to know about it. Thank God I made it safely into the building, but it reminded me how wonderful it is to hear God say, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” That passage is found in Hebrews 13:5-6, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” It is not an idle comment, but aimed at those that walk by faith. We don’t need to covet the things of the world because God is enough. With God in control, what do I have to fear? I had to call my wife to let her know my situation and concern. With God, He knows before we even know enough to be concerned. The most comforting thought is that He knows what is going to happen before I ever considered it. The bad news is that He knows what is going to happen before I ever considered it. Since He knows me and still loves me, in spite of my sin, why do I try to hide it from Him. We are called to confess our sins that He might cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There are too many people that are carrying burdens that God desires to free them from. He doesn’t walk with us because He needs us, but we walk with Him because we need Him. Like Adam and Eve, we need to stop hiding from God. When God asked Adam if He had eaten of the tree that He had told him not to eat from, why didn’t Adam just hang his head low and say, “Yes. I am so sorry! Will you forgive me?” Sin would still enter the world, but we would likely have been in a much better place with God. What burden or guilt are you carrying? It is time to let go and let God. There is nothing God cannot accomplish in you. Father, help us all to understand that we are not in competition with others to be good enough, but to let You renew us today. Amen

Attitude for Life

I didn’t actually watch the Winter Olympics, but I have been watching some of the key events. I have absolutely fallen in love with the American skater Alysa Liu. Her life story is amazing, as her dad had to leave China for safety. The dad worked with Alysa and at age 13, she did very well at the Olympics in figure skating. She was overwhelmed with her experience and all the pressure, that she retired from skating. The next winter Olympics, she didn’t participate. She then decided she wanted to make a comeback which is unheard of after being out of competition for several years. She contacted her coaches, minus her dad, as she wanted independence. She told the coaches that she would determine what she ate, how long she practiced, what music she would use, and wanted to collaborate on the choreography. They agreed and so began the unheard-of comeback. She pushed herself because she wanted to and not because she was told to. That is story enough. It was her attitude that caught my eye. She had a pure love of the sport. She said multiple times, and I believe her, that she wasn’t skating for the gold, but because, as an artist, she had a great desire to stir up emotions in others. She did not appear to be nervous because she wasn’t trying to prove anything. You could see joy, not nervous concentration. She wanted all the girls to do well and cheered them on. Even as a gold medal winner, she didn’t act like it. She rejoiced with all the other skater's great routines. There is such a pure and selfless attitude in her interviews. I heard more than one seasoned announcer say that the relationship that these skaters had with each other was unlike any they had seen. This is what the Olympics were to be about. I even saw a former gold medal skater weeping, overwhelmed with the comeback and what he saw. This will do more for figure skating than one can imagine. I don’t know if she is a believer, but we as Christians should carry that same passion. We are to be joyful in serving the Lord, and selfless in our attitude and desires. We are to rejoice with those who rejoice, fight the good fight, be moved by the Holy Spirit and do the best we can without worrying about the outcome... that’s God’s department. If Christians, moved by the Spirit lived an attitude like that, people would want to know more. Father, may we be so filled with the Holy Spirit that our longing would be for You and that our faith would shine like the Son. Amen

Awaiting the Change

Growing up in the tropics, Winter is not my favorite season. I love Spring with the new life bursting forth and the flowers, migrating birds, warmer weather, no snow shoveling, etc. We had been getting warmer weather, and I had been watching the snow slowly disappear. Much of our driveway had become visible again. Then we have snow and predictions of more to come. Not a big snowstorm, but enough to make things white again. While it is stunningly beautiful, I am ready for a change. We’re still in February, so I know this longing will likely be on hold until the at least April, although I remember one year when it warmed up in February and stayed nice. When will Winter be done? We know what the calendar says, but reality might vary considerably. If I spend all my time looking for Spring or even Summer, I will waste the season I’ve been given... one without mosquitos or ticks. Each season brings its own challenges and work. Today, we are awaiting the biggest change that is possible... going from this mortal finite world to an eternity. Notice I didn’t say in heaven. Not everyone will be there. There will likely be some that thought they would be there that won’t enter. Why do I say that? We read in Matthew 7, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' God is calling for a genuine faith that motivates us to do God’s will. Those that build on the foundation of God, which is His word, will enter eternity with God in heaven. So, yes, we can long for Heaven as we long for Spring, but we must live in the present with its challenges and successes. Unless Jesus returns before then, Spring is all but guaranteed. Unless we live out our faith in Jesus, Heaven is not guaranteed... only hoped for. I can keep marching through Winter because I know Spring is on its way. Likewise, I can face persecutions and hardships for Christ’s sake because I know Heaven calls all believers. Now is the time to seek the Lord and grow daily in faith, serving faithfully. Father, help us not only to walk more intimately with You each day, but help us to bring others into Your fold. Amen

What Is Your Motivation

I was just thinking back to the days my folks were missionaries in Papua New Guinea. When we lived in town, we were right be the ocean surrounded by reef and coral. We made our own fish tank. We would catch our own fish using a hand net made of a coat hanger and some soft nylon screen sewed on. We had many adventures. We saw puffer fish, stonefish (highly poisonous), clown fish, jellyfish, sea horses, just to name a few. Every now and then we would stumble across something we had never seen before or stumble on something we’d rather not have seen. One such adventure was with a banded coral sea snake (extremely poisonous). We've seen them swimming along sandy the bottom. Sometimes, we saw them below us and froze, drifting over the top of them. It was always nicer with a snorkel, because then we could stay still longer, due to breathing. However, we had never experienced one vertical in the water. I’m not an expert on their habits, but our thought was it was getting ready to strike. I didn’t actually see, but my one brother warned the other one by screaming under water, a sound which carries. I saw them swimming faster than Olympic pace and so I didn’t wait to find out why. It was enough motivation for me. What motivates you to get up in the morning, to stay focused on your job or projects, or to treat others as you do? For some it might be the goals they set, while for others it might be money, or something completely different. I wonder how many are motivated by the Holy Spirit. It is not just about knowledge or about getting to heaven. Are you spiritually driven to accomplish the things of God daily?... at church, home, work, shopping, activities, etc. We talk about having to do things to get to heaven, but we need to be desiring to joyfully do His work now. We read in 1John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.” We respond in gratitude. Like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair and tears, she did it to express her love and devotion for all Jesus had done. We are not to be motivated for the future as much as we should be motivated for today... to have an attitude of gratitude. We don’t do it because we are afraid of hell (or sea snakes), but we do it because we love Jesus and desire to serve His with all our whole being. Holy Spirit, stir in our hearts and instill in us a deep yearning for the things of God. Fill us with a deep desire to follow You. Amen

Weather Predictions

I am always amazed at how quickly we trust someone who has proven themselves capable of being completely wrong over and over again. I remember a time that we weren’t anxious about what the weather would be in two or three days. We prepared for the prediction tomorrow and made sure we took extra things like coats, boots, gloves, and some emergency supplies. Today, I see people make plans for a week down the road based on what the weather predictions are. I find that like the news, the weather predictions seem to be as much, or more hype as there is science. Yet, when they fail to predict correctly, we seem to forget. When they get it right, we seem to trust them more. I am honestly starting to not want to see the predictions because I don’t need one more stress in my life. There is pressure for schools, churches, and some businesses to cancel before we even see results. The reason I am sharing this, and that it frustrates me so much, is because the Bible is filled with history and science that has been proven over and over again. Instead of seeing the reliability and truth of God’s word and adjusting our lives to live according to God’s leading, people look for what hasn’t been proven yet instead of seeing the overwhelming truth. We believe and adjust our lives to the weather forecast even with all its errors, but we refuse to trust and adjust our lives for that which hasn’t been proven wrong. I see a great hypocrisy. I have even heard people try to state that they don’t believe in Jesus. They might argue that they don’t agree with His teachings, but there is way too many historical proof that a man Jesus did live. More than that, the whole calendar system was changed around that one man. Instead of continuing to count up, they changed previous calendars to count down to when Jesus lived and then began to count up again. What other historical figure has caused people to consider restarting the calendar again for such a person. Not any that I know of. A large number of the teachers and leaders of the Jewish church did not recognize Jesus. They never truly checked the Bible to see if He fit all the prophesies, which He did. We trust the news. They messed up. We trust the weather. They messed up. We trust man’s philosophy and prediction and they fail. God doesn’t. Father, forgive us for all our hypocrisy and bias, as if our ways are right. Help us to learn and live Your way. Amen

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

As we are about to begin this journey through Lent, there are many different practices that people adopt. One might give up something for Lent like coffee, chocolate, or some other thing that we love in order to remind us of sacrifice. Every time we might long for such a thing, we turn our eyes and heart toward what Christ did for us. The danger is that we start mourning the loss of what we love, thus taking our eyes off of Jesus and placing them on our own desires. Also, if we are going to give something up, make it something that might have a greater value. If you spend a lot of time surfing the internet, maybe give that up and use that time to spend in God’s word. The world will not stop turning because you are not keeping up with the latest news or miss the latest show. If you are going to give something up, try to find something that not only points you to Christ, but improves your walk with God. If you are going to practice almsgiving, the giving of money, food, or other assistance, do as Scripture tells us... “to not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing”. If you need to telegraph what you are doing or expect a pat on the pack or a big thank you, it is time to check your motives. Who are you doing it for. The Bible says if you are going to throw a banquet, invite people that cannot repay you, therefore ensuring that the motive isn’t getting anything in return. If we choose to give, it should be freely and joyfully, understanding that everything that we have is not truly ours, but on loan from God. You can choose how much or how often you would do this. It is not a requirement. just give what God puts on your heart to do. Some choose to do acts of service, which can be a great blessing to others. This can be a great way to humble ourselves as we serve others. Again, the danger is a false humility that secretly wants to be praised. Look for ways you might be a blessing to others. If they don’t know you, and what you do does not come across as “creepy”, it is good to do this for strangers as they will not know who to repay. We should give and serve freely as Jesus has set the example before us. You may just choose to spend more time in prayer and reading God’s word. You may choose just to go to worship and try to apply the message to your life... your choice. Father, help us in this season of Lent to take time to contemplate our mortality and sin, and to seek You. Amen

Faith Comes by Hearing

I have been struggling over the last few weeks. I have been slowly having my hearing get muffled in my left ear. I could tell there was water build up. I tried to take some allergy medication, but that didn’t help. I tried to use the spray up my nostrils, but my ability to hear continued to decline. Yesterday, it really started to affect my right ear. I can’t afford to wait for it to clear up, especially since it was on its way to making both my ears too muffled to hear anything. I finally decided that I needed to see a doctor. He looked in my left ear and confirmed what I already kind of knew. He then prescribed me with medicine to hopefully unclog a plugged drainage tube. Waiting to see what will happen now. I was finding myself starting to really struggle with conversations. If someone was on my left side, I almost couldn’t tell what they were saying. How can I be connected to something I don’t even know happened. So often, we take our hearing for granted. If we start losing it, we assume there will be hearing aids to help us with that. But what if we lose our hearing all together. How drastically our life would change. Just struggling with one ear was incredibly hard. I could hear sounds with my right ear, but I had no idea where they were coming from. Romans 10 says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Some heard the sound, but not the content, or else they would have believed. Like my hearing decline, it is dangerous when we don’t know where the word comes from. If faith comes by hearing, we need to make sure that God’s word is clearly heard. It is not about yelling louder but finding a place and time when they are most likely to listen... sadly, that may not be in the church. This is why Bible studies in people's homes can be so crucial... it is easier to ask question. Are our ears in tune to God? Father, not only open our ears, but as You lead us to others who need to hear, open their ears, hearts, and minds. Amen

Celebrating Love

Today is Valentines Day. I am not sure what to think. On the one hand, I love the idea of a day that we take time to acknowledge our love and friendship with others. That shouldn’t be confined to just one day. On the other hand, it is so commercialized that it is very hard to express genuine love without feeling like your hand is being forced by restaurants, card shops, gifts stores, flower shops, etc. It puts pressure on students as to who gets one and who doesn’t, whether everyone should get one, or if not, what if you are the one that doesn’t get anything. Not good for moral. For those dating, there is a pressure to have the perfect gift and go to the perfect place. Often, there is pressure to take the relationship further than it should go. Even married couples can feel pressured to do all the right things. There is a part of love that is a commitment or obedience. That doesn’t sound right when we say it, but Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey My commandments”. Love is a choice that is expressed in very conscious ways. Love, however, is not always tied up in such a nice bow. There are times of better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health, etc. Love is also a feeling and an expression of our hearts. My fear is that this holiday can force people to try to be and say things that are not from the heart. As we read in 1 Corinthians 13, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” The Apostle Paul goes on to say, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” The things the church thought were so powerful and important will not last. So, what will? “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The faith is needed to believe and trust in God. The hope is being certain of what the future holds and who holds that future. Yet, even greater than those, is love, which binds everything together perfectly. Don’t save the celebration of that love for one day. Live each day treasuring the precious love that you have. Father, Thank You for Your great love for us. Help us to be obedient and to serve You in love and devotion. Amen

Time Stewards

In the USA, we have often become very protective of our time. We choose what we want to use it for - activities, sports, work, hobbies, etc. It is good to want to use that time in a good way, but are we really doing that? We look at work and the things we have to do. When it gets to our time, we want to make sure we don’t lose control of that. Didn’t God say He created for six days and then He rested? He tells us to keep the Sabbath free from work, doesn’t He? Well, yes and no. He did talk about a Sabbath rest, but the time was to be a rest unto the Lord. When we are trying to protect our time so that we don’t get overwhelmed, I don’t believe it included spiritual things. Yes, we shouldn’t work 24/7. Our body needs a rest, but not from the Lord. If we take a day off, it should not impede our faith, but increase our intimacy with God. On a day off, it is encouraged to gather in God’s house for worship. On this day of rest, we still lift our voices in prayer (maybe more so on this day). We should not neglect God’s word. We should not avoid serving others, just because it is Sabbath rest. After all, Jesus healed on the Sabbath. You see, too often, we make it into our day to do our activities, not the Lord’s. Yes, the Jewish people had/have many laws concerning what could and couldn’t be done on that day, but Jesus challenged whether it was man’s law or God’s command. After all, if we are to keep the Sabbath day holy, and Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, isn’t keeping that day all about honoring Jesus? Am I telling you that you can’t watch sports on the weekend? You can watch it... just don’t consider it part of your Sabbath. For most people, the only time God is part of the sports game is when praying that your team wins or using God’s name in vain. Does God require that the Sabbath has to be a 24 hour period? In the Old Testament, yes. In the New Testament, every day is to be focused on the Lord. So, yes, you can enjoy each day doing some of the things that you enjoy. However, protecting your schedule and time in a way that makes it more important than our time with God is of great concern. We can retire from work, but we must never retire from God. Until we breathe our last breath, we should continue to honor Him. Father, forgive me for being stingy with my time, as if what I do is of greater importance than serving You. Amen

Who Sets the Goals?

When training to run track for competition, it isn’t good enough just to run every day. There needs to be a target goal so that each day, you have something to shoot for. The same is true after an injury or surgery and going to physical therapy. They determine what you can do and where you want to end up. Then they give exercises and set goals for where you want to get. Even when trying to lose weight, it helps to have goals. They need to be realistic though. If the goal takes too long to reach, you may give up. It is better to make smaller goals and then readjust when you reach it. There are goals for work, for investments, for retirement, etc. What about in our Christian walk? Here is where we need to be careful. When we set the goals, we can begin to think of it as a means of earning our way. Most goals are made because we want to have a better life and a comfortable retirement. With faith, the goals are to be focused on God. What do I mean? If my goal is to pray more, I have to ask why? If it is so I feel like I am really doing something, it is works. If it is because we want to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with God, it becomes more promising. The same thing is true with reading God’s word. Why are we doing it? Is it because I want to sound more knowledgeable or seem more faithful, it is good but misses so much. If it is a desire to grow in our intimacy and to understand what God desires from His children, it can be great. When we set goals with our faith, we may lose the desire to continue to grow spiritually once we reach them. Many high school and college students have goals to learn enough to graduate but stop seeking to be knowledgeable once they get there. There should never be a time with our faith that we no longer have the hunger and desire to know God more and to serve Him in every way that we can. Does that mean we shouldn’t deliberately try to do what God shows us in His word? Without a drive, we will likely get stagnant in our faith and eventually wander away. The goals need to be set by God... through the Holy Spirit or in His word. Following that goal is out of a deep desire to please and serve God, and not a way deal with guilt or impress anyone. Our goal is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind.... Father, nurture in us a servant's heart, seeking to live out our faith according to Your leading. Amen

God’s Hand Leading

Today, I heard a testimony about God’s provision. A gentleman that served in the military shared the struggle he had getting back into the civilian world - with jobs, insurance, loans, etc. As he was able to get on his feet, his faith drove him to reach out to those serving in the military. He was looking for more than just a morning worship. He wanted to disciple them. The ministry that he is part of (Cru) is effectively reaching men and women in the service. He recently felt led to reach out to the Coast Guards, a group that has not been the focus of as much outreach. His service area is in Wisconsin and so there are several bases along Lake Michigan. Their operations are from their vessels. He was given permission to visit with these men and women, but in the winter months, they needed a place to meet. He had prayed and then asked businesses in these different towns if they could provide a place in each of the ports for Bible Study and discipleship. Over and over again he was turned down. It is easy to start feeling frustrated on why businesses weren’t more open to this outreach. It ends up God had another plan all along. He started searching for a bus at a good price to use for a family business. A bus was found, but the family no longer needed it. The deal was so good that he couldn’t just forget it. Long story short, he had a vision of turning the bus into a small Bible Study place. They decided to put a small cook area into it so that they could serve food too. He didn’t have the money so he reached out to some of the community and before long, he had the finances to purchase it. It was illegal for him to have a “yellow” school bus so he talked with some “detailers” that offered to paint and detail it for free. He didn’t want it to look like a bus inside and talked with a local business that provided all the wood flooring for the bus. He created a wish list on Amazon and people have been providing the needed items. The seats will be turned inward so that they can face each other in study. The bus also will be used to transport people to churches. If he had found physical rooms, he would have been limited as to what he could do and whether it would be there next month. Now, he will have one mobile place to services all those they are serving. God, You always know what we need even before we know we need it. Help all of us to seek and know Your leading for us. Amen

Have We Looked in the Mirror?

When I look in a mirror, I still mentally expect to see the person I was when I was in college. Today, I am a lot heavier and more out of shape than I was then. Why is it that I can’t seem to see who I really am? Isaiah, in chapter 59, reminds God’s people that they do the same things. Isaiah 59:1-3, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.” The issues that we may have in our relationship with God do not rest on God being unfair, too strict, or uncaring. God is not unable to rescue us from any harm and there is not a prayer that we have uttered that He does not hear. So, what stands in the way of a beautiful relationship with God? We do... or more correctly, our sin does. If God did not look at his own son when He took on the sins of the whole world (Jesus: My God, My God, why have You forsaken me), why do we think that our sin would be any less offensive to Him? It is our sins, our guilt, our lies, and the wickedness of our hearts that create a barrier between us and God. God is waiting for us to humble our hearts before Him and confess our sins and rebellion. His desire is to restore His people. Actually, the end of Isaiah 59 we read, “‘As for me, this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord. ‘My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,’ says the Lord.” That means there is hope. Thank God that He sent His Son to restore our relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Just like in Isaiah’s day, our hearts still have the desire to be rebellious, and without repentance, without a broken and contrite heart, without true surrender, we will not experience the intimacy that God desires with His people. There is nothing magical or exclusive in what God offers. John 1, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Father, Give us such a deep faith that our pride and earthly desires gave way to a genuine faith in You. Amen

What Is Your Calling?

So often, as Christians, we assume that we are all pretty much the same and that we are all called to serve the Lord in the same way. If, however, we read what God says, He tells us that some are called to lead, some to give, some to be merciful, some to teach, etc. Not only that, but sometimes God is calling us to serve a particular group of people. The Apostle Paul wanted to go East into Asia, but we are told God prevented him from doing that. Some are called to serve youth, some military, some in the mission fields, some to the sick, etc. When we look at whether someone is successful, it should not be based on what we might want to do, but on what God is calling them to do. Why am I making this distinction? Last night, during the halftime of the Super Bowl, Turning Point USA chose to offer an alternate to the provided entertainment. Why? The Football League was having an entertainer that was known to be controversial and crude. As much as people try to say it was family friendly, I looked up the lyrics (Spanish songs) and found many of them detestable. When I heard Turning Point’s alternate presentation, I quickly realized it wasn’t my cup of tea. I then had to re-assess my over all judgement because the target audience wasn’t for us “older folks” but rather aimed at the youth. With that in mind, they probably hit the nail on the head. The last song, however, was a powerful song encouraging people to do the right things and treasure what we have because at some point it will be too late. Good intentions don't matter when it is too late. I encourage everyone to read the lyrics. Very well done. So, how did Turning Point do? I heard a number of people, familiar with broadcasting state that if they had reached 500,000, it would have been an amazing turnout. Last count I heard was that they had over 20 million views and they were still gathering information. It shows that there is a frustration with what the “world” is trying to push on us. Praise God for organizations like Turning Point that are willing to push back. They didn’t attempt to please everyone but focused more on who God has called them to reach out to. It should be an example and encouragement for us to stand against the “worldly” flow and focus on the people that God has called us to reach out to. Holy Spirit, equip the saints for service, reveal their gifts and who they are called to serve, and grand each one Your boldness. Amen

Useful in God’s Sight!

I know of some people that love to go to garage sales. As they look around, they see items that have great value to them and other items that seem useless. The problem is that the value rests in the eye of the beholder. The phrase, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure is so true. Even though in our daily lives, we may not always seem valued, this is not true for those who put their trust in God. From the book of Exodus 19, we read, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” There is no more precious identity to have than to be God’s treasured possession. You belong to Him. We read again in Colossians 3 that as those precious to God, there is also an expectation of how we carry ourselves -“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” That identity cannot be any clearer than what we read in 1 Peter 2, “But 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 into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” In our world today, when someone famous or of great importance values something, he or she causes the value goes up for everyone. The same is true with God. If God is for us, who can be against us? By faith, we become children of God, His ambassadors, saints, etc. Even in Psalm 23, as it speaks of His “goodness and mercy following us”, the word for follow means to relentlessly hound. That means God will not give up on you unless you have died without faith. So, the next time you are tempted to despair, be reminded that you are a child of the Most High God. Father, we are often quick to turn from You and embrace the world. Remind us of our great identity when we walk by faith. Amen

He Is Worthy

I remember hearing and seeing, when I was growing, people that believed in some sort of divine being or beings, whether the God of the Bible or false gods. There was the knowledge that something existed that was greater than we are. Today, I fear that our so-called knowledge has become our God. We have tried to create God in our own image. Funny, how when we do that, he seems to believe in the same things as we do. Truthfully, not so funny. Whether it is trying bypass God with alternate ideas of evolution and big bang theory or create a different image of God that is easier for us to relate to, it doesn’t change the truth. I like a quote that C.S. Lewis wrote on the glory of God - “A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” It exposes the foolishness of man, living a lie because it is more comfortable than the truth. We have been studying Jeremiah in our Sunday Bible Study and, even after Jeremiah proclaims God’s judgement and spells out what punishment they will face, they turn to the false prophets that give a message they want to hear. As C.S. Lewis rightly discerns, the glory of God is not dependent on our opinions. How did we get here? It goes back to the Biblical truth, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Lest we think fear simply means a healthy respect, God also said in Matthew 10, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” It is not the Devil, but God alone Who holds our eternity. God is beyond our understanding and yet He has revealed Himself in the Bible. God created and can destroy His creation and yet He sent His son to restore His creation. God alone knows all things and yet He sent the Holy Spirit to give wisdom and understanding to those who ask and hunger for it. He has full authority over the Devil and His fallen angels. He existed before time began and will exist for all eternity. One commentary says glory- “refers to the weightiness, splendor, and majesty of God. It encompasses the honor, praise, and worship due to Him, as well as the manifestation of His divine presence.” To God be the glory forever. Father, You are our hope, our life, and our salvation. Nothing exists without You. We praise You and worship You. Amen

Putting the Pieces Together

Those that can quilt have an amazing gift. Some quilts are just a variety of fabrics sewn together in squares. Other quilts can get pretty detailed and at times, rival many paintings I have seen. Most find themselves somewhere in between. I am confident enough in my masculinity that I can say that I enjoy helping my wife pick out fabrics. I have thought about making one, but I don’t think I have the patience to do it well. I can however find fabric colors and pattern textures and bring them to my wife to help her narrow down the choices. Most of the quilts I have seen done have been thought out, sometimes before searching for the fabric or sometimes inspired by a great piece of fabric. There is the pattern, the fabric, the washing, the ironing, the cutting, the sewing, the quilting, and then masterpiece, with many other steps in between. Different quilt stores have different styles, so it isn’t always a one stop solution. I can really appreciate all the work put into it. Often the quilting, stitches that hold it all together, can be the most challenging. It can be done by hand or machine, and the stitching, if done right, will add depth and beauty by its patterns or outlines. The point is, most people see the finished product and never consider all the work to put it together. I acknowledge there are many other hobbies that also take time and talent. In our walk with God, we see people we admire greatly and wish we could be more like them. They took many years to be shaped into the person they are. Just as not all quilts end up on a bed, not all Christians have the same function. The quilt could actually represent faithful ministry as there are so many different steps and styles necessary to complete it. On our own, most of us might not seem to have extraordinary gifts and abilities, but like the quilt, when each part is carefully combined, a masterpiece becomes visible. A quilt that is done with one color and sewed together quickly can be functional but lacks the depth and beauty that people long for. It doesn’t matter what part you are, for without you, it will not be as amazing as it could be. We read in Ephesians 4, “From him [Jesus] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Call on the Holy Spirit to lead you. Father, weave us together as one body under the headship of Jesus. Help us to do our part joyfully. Amen

Teach Them When They Are Young!

The book of Proverbs in the Bible has some amazing words of wisdom. It was written by King Solomon, who was gifted by God to be the wisest man on earth. A verse that came to mind today was from Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” I believe that many of the families in the USA are not training their children to know God. Part of that is because they didn’t see that faith lived out in their parents. I have heard so many “enlightened” parents say that they are not pushing faith on their children so that as they grow up, they can choose what they want to believe for themselves. The problem is, if the parents aren’t training them, someone else will train them. There is so much indoctrination going on in some schools, extracurricular activities, clubs, peer pressure, political agendas, etc. A child is not equipped to determine what is right and wrong. It seems they are seldom taught critical thinking so that they can weigh out the pros and cons. It is the parents' responsibility to train them and not hand them over to others to raise... that includes churches too. Don’t get me wrong, church should be an important part of their life, but it does not replace the parents. I saw a wonderful thing take place when my wife and I went to grab something to eat. A mom came in and had, what appeared to be, two children... possibly three years old... possibly twins. They ordered their food and sat down to eat. Before taking a bite, these two angelic voices could be heard singing a table blessing. Not only were they being taught the importance of thanking God for their food, but they were setting an example for everyone else that was there... young and old alike. The two children were curious and full of joy, but they were also well behaved. It was clear that they were being trained in the way they should go. A pattern for daily living was being lived out before their very eyes. Maybe you no longer have young children. What about grandchildren or great-grandchildren? There is also Sunday School, youth group, and school events. Cheer them on and teach them to be a good sport. Maybe better yet is encourage parents that you know to train their children well. Pray for parents to step up and lead their children by example. Father, Thank You for the mother that set such an amazing example. We lift up all parents, that they might lead their children well. Amen