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

Why Study God’s Word?

A lot of times when people talk about believing in God, it is primarily focused on the promise of eternity in heaven. When heaven is the main focus, there may not be an urgency to grow in our relationship. After all, why should I drastically change my life when I can commit to God when I get closer to the end? If faith is just for entering heaven, we are indeed to pitied. If I wanted to play basketball, I can’t just say that I will learn it when I play my first game. In order to fully enjoy the game and do well, I need to learn the rules, practice ball control, become so familiar with the game that my actions are automatic. If someone wanted to be on the team so that they can get a trophy but had no interest in the preparation or listening to the coach, that person will likely not make the team. Going back to faith. Faith is not something we can muster up at will. If we believe, it will push us and encourage us to walk daily with God. If I have no desire to serve God fully now, I will probably not turn to Him in my last hours. More than that, I may have no idea when my last hours will come. Like the basketball analogy, if I want to be on God’s team, it is a daily walk, not a last-minute decision. Before you ask, yes, there are people that receive faith in their last hours (like the thief on the cross), but very few do. If we love God, we want to know who He is and what He expects of us. I find that in His word. It is not enough just to know what He wants me to do, but I need to be doing it. The bible says (about Jesus’ return), “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." It’s not just being ready, but the fact that by faith, we don’t walk alone. In God there is forgiveness, mercy, grace, restoration, joy, hope, wisdom, spiritual gifts, etc. Focusing on the future robs today of its opportunities. If I am not hungering for God and growing in my knowledge of Him, do I really have faith in Him? The basketball analogy breaks down when I think of earning a spot on the team. God has a spot for you already. Father, forgive me when I consider the things of the world of greater importance than knowing You and walking with You. Amen

Too Many Idols

A friend of mine recently shared a story of a trip one of his daughters took. She went overseas with a specific skillset that she was going to share with the locals. It was a poor community. They had resources available, but no one had taught them how they could use them. After serving there for a considerable amount of time, she was able to come stateside to figure out what she wanted to do next. Upon arriving home, she decided to spend time with her family. Shortly after getting there, her dad found her standing in front of her closet weeping. When asked if she was ok, her response was, “I have so much”. No matter how hard they tried to comfort her, she remembered those she served with that pretty much just had what was on their backs. It took her a while before she could go into a grocery store, because what she saw was extravagance, not necessities. In the USA, we read about all the false gods that Israel had over the ages and think, how could they bow down and worship an idol that they made with their own hands. I look at what this young woman saw when she came home... an abundance that was not necessary. I started to think of all the things that we have and realized that for many, our prosperity is indeed a false god. We put our trust in our jobs, our money, our possessions, and all the worldly services that are available. It is not hard to see how many have committed spiritual adultery in the world. They have taken the love and commitment they owe to God and have invested it in worldly things. What does Jesus say about earthly riches? It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, we hear that we cannot serve God and money. We will love one and hate the other. Then there is the rich man that asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said to follow the law. He claimed he kept all the laws. Then Jesus said, sell everything and give it to the poor and then follow me. We were told he left sad because he had great wealth. I think we need a heart like the young women I spoke of... the heart that is not blinded by wealth but actually understands how wealth can consume us. Are your gifts and abilities drowned out by the world? Father, teach me how I might use what You have given me to serve others. Help me to love You more than these. Amen

Corner of our Lives

After church today, we headed up to visit my mom (a few hours north). The snow on the ground seemed pretty consistent until we almost got to where she was. There was a lot of drifting, but also a noticeably heavier amount of snow. She lives right on a corner in her community and when they plow the snow, a goodly amount ends up in her yard. She made the comment that at some point she felt like the snow was closing in on her. Her yard lamp is close to being under and the small tree in her yard has snow up to the lower branches. It is quite a thing to see. My mind kept going back to her corner of the yard being a catchall for the snow plowing. Sometimes, in our homes, we have those drawers, closets, or rooms that just seem to catch everything that doesn’t seem to fit elsewhere. This gets really dangerous when that thinking starts to overflow into our lives. We try to keep ourselves focused on where we need to be, but there are things in our lives that we are not sure how to file them away. I think that this is especially true of sin, but can apply to many other things. Maybe there are things God forbids that we don’t feel as strongly about, like loving our neighbors. It doesn’t say to just get along with them or don’t cause any friction, but to love them. We don’t want to call it a sin, but we know we can’t really ignore what God calls us to do so we find that little corner in our lives to file that away. Maybe we also have our full surrender in that corner because we can’t bring ourselves to give up everything for the Lord. We hear the call to obedience, but we just can’t commit fully. In John 1 we hear, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” One of the most vital things we can do is to pray that Jesus would let His light shine into those corners of our lives where we have let things pile up -unforgiveness, anger, self-righteousness, pride, and so much more. When God’s light shines in those dark areas, our motives are brought out into the light where we have no choice but to surrender them to the Lord. No one wants their sin exposed, especially if others become aware of it. Only at that point do we truly cry out to God, “Help!” O Holy Spirit, expose my sinful heart to the light of your justice, mercy, and grace. Rebuild me to reflect Your majesty. Amen

Praying

I believe that this is one of the greatest gifts that we have been given. The ability to communicate with the Creator of the universe. The One who spoke and brought everything into being is the very One that is listening when we lift up our voice (or thoughts) in prayer. We should be quick to offer prayers for those that we meet as they share their stories and life. We should begin and end the day talking to God. We should thank God for our food before each meal. We lift up our nation and leaders and the nation in prayer for God’s leading, remember to note, not my will but Yours be done, for God may have very different plans than we do. We lift our church and community that God might soften hearts for the listener and put words in the mouths of those proclaiming. I think Corrie Ten Boom had a great quote on prayer, “The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God’s realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love.” How often we get our minds stuck in the world and our inability to get the job done. He specializes in doing the impossible, but we often fail to ask, and when we do ask, we don’t ask from believing hearts. Our prayers sometimes sound sheepish, as if we weren’t sure if we were asking too much or chasing the impossible. How sad God must feel when we don’t trust Him for everything. Where is the boldness that James talks about where he speaks of praying and not doubting. We need to start taking prayer off the shelves that they have been sitting on and starting putting it into practice. Prayer should be the first thing that comes to mind as we begin the day and the last thought on our mind before we go to sleep. Prayer is part of the armor we are to put on everyday as we head out into spiritual battle. And it is not just us talking. God answers prayers. Sometimes in supernatural ways, sometimes through others, sometimes with a no or not yet. Sometimes we hear or sense that still small voice that speaks from within, but be careful to distinguish that voice from the Devils and our own selfish desires. Take time to listen. Father, give me spiritual ears to hear You and to know Your desires. Speak to us by Your word, Your Spirit, and through others. Amen

Lost

I was going to visit someone who I had never been to their house before. I made sure I had the address in my phone map search and set off with all the confidence in the world. It was an area that I knew didn’t get much of a signal, so I was counting on the map program to do its job. I went left, and then right. I drove down this road and around that corner. I got into a straight stretch and ended up in the middle of nowhere. It said that I had arrived, but all I could see was snow, and trees, and more snow... not one house or building or mailbox, or fire number. I knew there had been another similar address, so I was going to enter that in, but there was no reception. I knew that I could use the compass to get to a town east of me, but then what? I started heading east, waiting for my signal to get better. All of a sudden, I came across a road that was familiar. Did I find the house I was looking for? No, but the road I recognized went to a home I had also intended to visit sometime in the near future. That day was today. It was a good visit, and I think an important one. I might have to wait until Sunday and ask the individual if I might stop by for a visit and the directions to getting there. I’m even thinking that, since we boarder another state, I might have been in the wrong state. I at least know I was in a state of confusion, but that is a whole different thing. God’s timing and God’s way. That is what I learned today. How often we trust the world or the things of the world to get us to where we want to be. A couple problems with that. Where we want to be and where God wants us to be might be very, very different. The other, and more obvious issue is trusting the world and not first seeking God. As His word says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added as well”. It sounds so easy and obvious when we say it, and yet we continue to seek our own way. If, instead of just following what a machine told me, I zoomed in to where it was directing me, I would have known it was the wrong way. When we blindly listen to others, even Christians, without zooming in on what God’s word says, we often find ourselves in places that we never intended to be. Lord, please give me wisdom. Father, we get lost in our own thoughts and desires and often don’t even recognize that we are lost. Give us eyes to see. Amen

Almost Fixed

As I grew up, I loved to try to fix things from flashlights, to radios, toasters, lamps, and basically anything mechanical or electrical. If you ask my mom, she would say that I had a lot of things that needed fixing. I, however, thought they were almost fixed. In the end, most of the things awaiting fixing had to be thrown out. Today, I ran across the same mind set. We had a vehicle with the check engine light on and several other lights. They had diagnosed it a few weeks ago and were fixing it today. An hour later, the vehicle was ready to go. I drove it about three blocks, and when I stopped slowly, it felt like the car was rolling over rumble strips and about to stall. I didn’t say to myself, “It sure runs better than it did”. We immediately turned around and went right back to the repair shop. Fifteen minutes later it was done. There was a lot of high-tech jargon used, but the essence of it was that the computer in the car needed to relearn what to do with the new sensor. No matter what the problem was, the vehicle is working great now. At least we didn’t need to throw the vehicle out like my almost fixed items. Over time, it will need to be fixed again and again until it runs no more. Then it will go to the vehicle graveyard. When we walk by faith in Jesus Christ, God doesn’t see us as almost fixed. He sees us as fully redeemed. Will there be need for tuning along the way? Yep! Each and every day. Will this broken-down body of mine eventually end up on a scrap heap? Not if I walk by faith. Instead of eventually wearing out, our bodies will become what God created us to be, children of God and inheritors of eternal life. Remember, when you are tempted to feel down because your life isn’t going as you desire that in Christ there is no almost fixed. We are either ready or we belong to the Devil. I think we often look at others as almost fixed, forgetting that in Christ, we are all made into new creations. Our eternity is not dependent on how the world defines us, but rather on faith in Christ. With faith in Christ, I am not almost fixed, but I am royalty, a child of the King. Heaven is my inheritance, and forgiveness and faith are my hope. I am called to be a mighty warrior of God. The Holy Spirit tunes me up daily. Father God, thank You for the gift of life and all Your promises Help me to daily keep my mind focused on You. Amen