Our Plans Are Not Always God’s Plans

How egotistical we are when we think that our way of thinking is right and that, if only God would listen, things would go well. We don’t say that, but our actions kind of show that. How often I think through something and either assume I have the answer or realize I have no idea how I am going to accomplish it. Then God steps in. I think that probably the most embarrassing situation I get myself into is preparing a sermon about how we need to depend on God and then realize I didn’t ask God to help me prepare the message. We can talk a good talk, but sometimes our walk is more like a stagger or a crawl. I was feeling pretty good about the worship services on Easter Sunday, especially the 8:30 and 10:45 services. Right after I started the 8:30 service, I realized I had forgotten to start the recording. Instead of interrupting things, I figured I would record the 10:45 service. The sad thing at 8:30, is that the choir sang, we had a flute accompaniment, and a lot of good voices to join in the singing. Well, after the 10:45 service, when I was taking the SD card out of the camera to put it in my computer, I must have done something wrong, or it just didn’t record right. For some reason, it didn’t seem like that recording was meant to be. Maybe I was too prideful in how things seemed to go. Maybe it was a message just for those that came. I might feel that God should have made the recording work, but He might have had other plans. So now, instead of thinking of what didn't happen, we need to consider what did happen. Jesus died on Good Friday and rose on Easter Sunday. Jesus paid the ransom for our sin, destroyed the power of the devil, conquered death, rose to life, and has gone to prepare a place for all believers. That is the heart of our celebration... not family... no Easter eggs... not huge servings of food... etc. The heart of Easter is Jesus! I have a friend that always likes to say every day is Christmas or sometimes, every day is his birthday so it is time to celebrate. Much more important to our faith is making every day Easter. How do we do that? By recognizing that God forgives not only me, but all who seek Him. By responding, when asked how we are doing, “Joyfully waiting for Jesus’ return”, or “Still celebrating Jesus’ resurrection”. Father, may the words we speak to others be so filled with spiritual truths that others will be drawn to You. Amen

Is Jesus a Myth?

I haven’t heard this until recently, but there is a presence on the internet that is trying to say that Jesus doesn’t even exist. Instead of debating the ideas, they chose to question history. This shouldn’t surprise us as we have seen many try to tear down statues, rename places, and insert ideas that are foreign to good order to erase history. There actually are many ways that we can defend Jesus' existence, but what I believe is the greatest argument for Jesus is not one I have heard scholars use. I think the greatest defense of Jesus existence is the calendar. You might think that is a crazy approach, but do you really believe that when they first started keeping calendars that they started at 3000 and started counting down? That would be ridiculous. Every calendar counts from year one and then climbs to a higher number each year. That means that where the years stop counting down and begin counting up again, there had to be an even so big and life changing that everything changed for that moment. So I ask you... what event took place in the vicinity of this calendar change. There were kings at that time, but nothing monumental enough to change a calendar. If there was an event other than Jesus that caused the calendars to be renumbered, history hasn’t kept track of it. If we were to look at history from that era, we would find at least three well known historians that were not Christian or had leanings in that direction, that speak of a man named Jesus and some of what He did. We have archeological information that supports a man named Jesus teaching during that time. We have the Scriptures themselves that testify about Jesus. Archeological finds continue to support the truthfulness of the Bible. I’m not aware of any findings that discredit what was written. The Gospels, four books that tell of the life and ministry of Jesus, were written at a time that many of the witnesses to Christ and what He did were still alive. More than that, it was proclaimed in Jerusalem and the very areas that would be able to refute it, if it were false. The Apostles, those that were with Jesus, were willing to die for what Jesus taught. Who would willingly die for a lie? I think there is more proof for the existence of Jesus than for King Herod, at yet no one questions his existence. Proving that Jesus did everything recorded might be harder, but that He exists... easy. Father, forgive those that would attempt to erase You and Your Son from history. Equip us to boldly proclaim the truth. Amen

Good Friday?

It is always a struggle for me to refer to this Friday as Good Friday. Why? Because that is when my Savior was crucified on the cross. Don’t get me wrong, I understand how good it was for me! God’s wrath rests on anyone who is a sinner. That would be me... and you! It is only through what Christ did for me that my sin is not just covered over, but atoned for. The price was paid, not with silver or gold, but with Jesus own precious blood. It is hard for me to feel good about it though. Imagine that you were walking on the road and a car was coming straight for you. Someone runs out and pushes you out of the way, but in the process, they die. Others might say that it was good that you didn’t suffer the consequence of the accident, but you know that it was because of your inattentiveness that this happened in the first place. Jesus rescued us too. We need to understand our sin put Jesus on the cross. My hope and assurance come at great expense to Jesus. So, how am I meant to respond? I need to grieve over my sin. I am not to treat it casually as if it didn’t matter. If my sin put Him on the cross, I should desire to avoid that which is so repressible to Him. He alone is able to wash me from within. If Jesus was willing to sacrifice so much for me, it is my privilege and my duty to praise and thank Him. If Jesus was willing to put up with all the mocking and jeering, even though He could have left at any time, I should not be concerned about what others think of me. I need to be faithful to what God has placed before me to do. Since the centurion at the cross saw the darkness and the graves of holy people open and declared, “Surely this was the Son of God”, we should not only put our complete trust in God but freely declare who Jesus is. When I look at the cross, I must also understand that this is God’s plan, and the death of His son is the only way. After all, Jesus prayed that if the crucifixion and all that is tied to that could be taken away, it would please Jesus, but He followed up on that request by saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done”. I am a sinner. Jesus died for my sins. I am a lawbreaker. Jesus fulfilled the law with all of its demands so that I might be set free. If Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to do what ever was necessary to save us, we too ought to be reaching out to the lost. Father, words cannot express our gratitude for all that You have done for us. Help us as we surrender everything to You. Amen

God’s Command

Today is Maundy Thursday. Many people are not aware of what Maundy means. In Latin word, mandatum, means command or mandate. Two themes are prevalent on this day. One is Jesus washing the disciples feet and then commanding them to follow His example. The other one focuses on Holy Communion, and Jesus commands that we “do this as often as we eat and drink Him”. When we think of the Mosaic Covenant, we think of Moses going up on top of Mount Sinai, meeting with God, and bringing the 10 commandments down with him. The people all promised that they would follow everything that God was commanding of them. A few verses before the commandments are given, Exodus 19:5-6, we read, “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.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." Not only is there a call to obedience, but to keep God’s covenant. If we do, God claims us as His treasured possession. We often think calling someone our possession is abusive, or at the very least too authoritative. When God calls us His treasured possession, it gives us a preferred status, belonging to Him. By this point, God has rescued them from the Egyptians and showed His mighty power. They are still alive because God has taken them as His own. Like a child with a favorite toy doesn’t want to share it with anyone else, we are that precious people in His sight. God declares, “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other God’s before me." He is a jealous God that doesn’t want to share His glory or us with other powers and authorities. The difference is that His glory cannot be taken from Him, but we can, and sometimes do, walk away from Him. Good commands are not something to avoid, but to rejoice that God has laid out ways that His people, living in community with one another, can function well and live at peace with one another. We may not live as a community, the way they functioned, but we still need those rules and directions for daily living. It is usually when we walk away from God’s directions and law that we find ourselves in trouble. Love God, then love each other. Father, Your commands are not burdensome. They lead us nearer to Your heart. Help us to walk according to Your will. Amen

April Fools

I remember a time that I would go out of my way to come up with great April fools pranks. In grade school, they were quite silly. In college, they become a little more elaborate. Sometimes I enjoy hearing what others have done, but I have lost a lot of my desire to pull these pranks. I have seen too many of them cause great embarrassment, and some have lasting effects. I still appreciate a well thought out joke that pertains to people that I know that can take a joke, but when everyone tries to outdo the next, it starts a recipe for belittling. Now, April fools is a term used for someone that is fooled on April 1st, but the Bible talks about another type of fool, one who lacks common sense or good knowledge. Proverbs speaks of it quite often. For example, Proverbs 12:15-16, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” The fool doesn’t learn from others, but is consumed with their own ideas, even if they are not good. He reacts quickly to everything and lacks patience and self-control. The great difference between the two is the desire for knowledge and where they seek it. We read in Proverbs 10:23, “A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.” The true believer seeks to know God and prays for wisdom. Just as many turn to computers for answers, how much more we need to turn to God and His word. I want to close with a passage from Psalm 14:1-3, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” From creation to eternity, God gives us all we need to know. Israel failed every time they turned to false gods and didn’t acknowledge the One true God. We will not do any better by denying Him today. Humans have always tried to find ways to explain things without God... evolution, big bang, false gods, false religion, faulty science, self-sufficiency, denying God’s design for His creation, and the list goes on. Don’t be fooled. Father, You know all things and desire to give us wisdom if we ask. Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us today! Amen

Lower the Standard?

I see it happening all around us. I believe it happens at schools, at work, and even at home. There is a student or worker that is struggling with the work. Instead of trying to help them reach for the stars, we lower the standard. I think about the work, the pay, and the focus that was part of my daily life. Now I look at people complaining that they can’t make a comfortable living doing basic work. There are starter jobs that we took to get experience and to pay for the things we needed. As I got more education or if someone had the opportunity to move up in their own workplace or work for someone who offered a better job, we’d hand in our two weeks notice and begin again. Today I see some of the youth that just quite because they don’t like what they are doing or the boss won’t let them have all the time off that they want, when they want it. In order to try keeping workers or keep some of the students from failing, the standard is lowered. In fairness, the attitude of some students that they might work with is not focused or disciplined. When the standard is lowered, everyone loses. If we want to see things change, we either need to get parents more involved, have a way to discipline the students with real consequences, or both. I think there is a similar attitude in many people's faith. We might go through the motions, but there is no real drive. We go because it suits us, not because we need Jesus. Sadly, we don’t live with a spiritual passion that acts as if our life depended on a deep unshakable life. God has not, nor will He ever lower the standards. Do you think God would have let His son die if there was another option? God demands perfection. I am sometimes just trying to make it through the day. How can I compare? If God doesn’t lower the standards, who can stand? The standard of perfection remains for entry into heaven. What has changed is the means to reach perfection. Jesus bore upon His own body God’s wrath that was intended for my sin. He fulfilled the law, took the punishment for sin, conquered the power fo death, and gained eternity in Heaven for any who would surrender to God. Believing in God will necessarily change my heart and mind. My desire switches from selfish to selfless. I am not my own anymore. I belong to Jesus. He redeemed me. I owe him my all. Lord, thank You for not lowering the standards or compromising our faith and the hope of heaven. Save me from myself. Amen

The End of the Week

It is interesting how everybody responds differently to the end of the week. For some, it is time to sit down and do nothing. For others, it is time to catch up on all the chores and projects that need to be done. Still others see it as a time for fun and entertainment. Sadly, it seem like more and more people don’t see it as a time to prepare our hearts for worship or lifting our hearts and voices in worship. We need to make sure that we get enough sleep on Saturday so that we are awake and alert on Sunday. After that, it is an opportunity to begin the new week on a good foot. I’m not saying we should avoid chores and entertainment, but never at the expense of gathering around God’s word. If we were going to a professional sports event, many would not just show up. They might prepare a tailgate party, make sure they have the right clothes or sports jersey, get there early to find a good parking space. The whole week is in anticipation of that game. How much more important is our worship, and yet we don’t see much preparation out of most people. We show up, visit with a few people, get the service done, and then go home again. For special days like Easter and Christmas, we may do a little more preparation, but sadly, very little of it enhances the worship. We get decorations, food, gifts, and gather as family to enjoy the meal or sports or a special movie. What about Jesus? Maybe we can find some way each week to show our faith to others. Write cards to say you are thinking of them or invite them to worship. Maybe plan a service project with others to help someone in need. Stop by and visit, or call, someone who you haven’t seen in a while. Let them know you were thinking of them. Call someone who is shut in and ask if you can get some groceries for them or if there was another errand you could run for them. Invite someone over to play a game, put a puzzle together, or enjoy a meal together. The list is endless. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t get stressed out over it. Just pray for wisdom and direction on how you might be an encouragement to others. Sometimes the simplest things can be the most effective. Maybe do something once a month for a start and keep building from there. Leave time for your chores, but also leave time to serve others too. Merciful Father, help us to follow the example that was given us in the Bible to love and serve others. Amen

Puzzles and Crosswords

I love to work on logic puzzles because it challenges me to think and push myself. In particular, I like the ones where a quote is given, but the letters are not what they seem. Let me explain. Letters have been given different values. For example, every “a” in the sentence might actually be written as a “v”, and every “s” might be written as an “o”. So, if I can determine that the “v” stands for an “a”, then I can change every “v” in the quote to “a”. It can be a challenge to figure out what a few of the letters are, but the more letters that are found, the easier the puzzle gets. I can look at the puzzle for minutes, hours, or even days, but once I find several letters, the quote becomes clear very quickly. It is almost impossible to look at that quote and just read it. I find the easier letters to identify and use them to help me determine the rest. This logic is also good to use when reading God’s word. Sometimes we get to a confusing passage and struggle to figure it out or just give up. What choice do we have? Just as when an appliance doesn’t work, the first question the repairman will ask is, “Is it plugged in?” Likewise, with the Bible, I must ask, “Did you pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance?” After that has been done, the best way to approach some of the problematic passages is find other similar passages. We can often use cross references, other Bible verses that relate to the passage. See if your computer can give some similar passages. Find the ones you know for sure and use them to tackle some of the more difficult passages. God never lies or contradicts Himself, so if you understand a simpler passage, it will give you a better foundation to build on. I hope this is all making sense. An example might be, if you are struggling as to why Jesus had to die on the cross, look up why they had to offer up sacrifices before Jesus went to the cross. We would find that there is not forgiveness without the shedding of blood. The life of an animal is in the blood. The blood of the sacrifices were given in place of my sin. It had to be offered over and over again because the sacrifices were not perfect and they were not human. All these little passages help us to understand that the only sacrifice that could save us would be a perfect willing human sacrifice. This cross referencing can help in many passages. Father, help us to understand Your word. By the power of the Holy Spirit, reveal what we need to know to grow in faith. Amen

Faith, Knowledge, and the Spirit

It seems that since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, there are people speaking more openly about their faith, or at least I am seeing a lot more feeds on the internet about faith. It is refreshing in so many ways. Especially among the younger generations there seems to be a revival of faith, and a feeling of unfulfilment in what the world offers. Along with this great success are those that jump on the desire to learn and are putting out false teachings. I have seen so many clips where the person indicates that you thought this is what the Bible was saying, but really, it says something different. There are a few times that they had some interesting ideas and possible interpretations, but the vast majority of the time they were laying a foundation of sand to support what they wanted to build, but when truly tested, their foundation would be doomed to fail. So, what are we to do? Can we kick them off of the internet? No. They have freedom of speech, even if we don’t like what they say. Should we try to get them blocked? It would be nice, but if you already knew what they were teaching was wrong, you would have avoided them in first place. The best way to combat the false teachings are either asking someone that you know and trust to help you understand or make sure you are familiar with God’s word. Some say they try to read God’s word, but struggle with understanding. Have you asked the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you understanding? Have you submitted yourself to God and asked Him to be Lord of every aspect of your life? I think it is so important to be armed with knowledge. If you are uncertain of how to interpret the Bible, get involved in solid Bible based teaching that is willing to follow God’s word over siding with worldly thinking. They say iron sharpens iron. You can’t sharpen a knife with a marshmallow. Likewise, as we listen, learn, challenge, and build up one another in the word, we come out stronger and sharper on the other end. Learning God’s word from someone who interprets God’s word for their own gain doesn’t sharpen, but leaves the blade of faith sticky and dull. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth. He then leads us to faith and reveals God’s truth. That knowledge leads faith. Heavenly Father, draw more people into Your house for worship and Bible studies that Your knowledge and passion may fill us. Amen

Is There Any Hope for Me?

It can be very overwhelming to see the standard that God sets for us... perfection. The Bible says that the wages of sin are death. Sin is disobeying God in any way... a bad thought, a “white” lie, and even the tiniest slip up. What hope can there possible be? It is an impossible standard. Who could possibly stand under those conditions? We might see the Bible as painting a picture that gives us no chance. There are a few examples that seem to validate this out-of-reach standard. Job, even though he faced a lot of suffering continued to be faithful, even though he lost everything. Even more intimidating is Enoch, who walked faithfully with God and was taken to heaven before he experienced death. Now, let's start looking inside the Bible at all the people that God tells us about. Adam and Eve, though they were born without sin, brought sin into the world. God still had a purpose for them. Abraham, two separate times, allowed his wife to be taken as a potential wife by foreign rulers, and then didn’t trust God to give Him the son that was promised. Jacob, who later was known as Israel, cheated his brother out of his inheritance, but God still blessed him and fulfilled his covenant through his descendants. King David, a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and had her husband killed, and because of that, his son died as an infant, yet Jesus was descended from David. Then there is Samson, who foolishly told his girlfriend the source of his great strength and was captured. At a great feast of these pagans, Samson prayed for his strength one last time and caused the whole roof and pillars to fall on all the guests. Moses was called to lead the people out of Egypt, even after he had killed a man. On top of that, because of his disobedience against God, he was not permitted to lead the people into the promised land. The Apostle Paul, who became one of the greatest missionaries, had originally been persecuting the Christian church that he now defended. Then there is Peter that denied Jesus, Elijah, who won a competition against the false prophets of Baal, and after being victorious, told God he wanted to die. The list goes on. The Bible is full of imperfect people that were used in powerful ways by God. The question is, are you willing to let God use you today? Father, when we are feeling hopeless, You remind us that we are not alone. Use us for Your name’s sake. Amen

Through His Eyes

I remember a fable from years ago about 6 blind men. They had often heard of elephants, but had no idea what one looked like... they were blind after all. One day some told them that an elephant was passing by their way. They asked if the elephant might stop so that they could understand what this animal was like. The first touched the elephants side and described it as a wall. The next touched the tusk and thought it was long and sharp like a spear. The third touched the trunk and described it as being like a snake. The fourth touched the ear and figured it was like a giant fan. The fifth touched the leg and though it was like a tree trunk. The last one touched the tail and described it as a rope. As the elephant was taken away, these six blind men argued with each other about what an elephant was really like. The only one that truly understood was the one that told them the elephant was coming in the first place. Why? Because he could see. Had those blind men asked a seeing person, their arguments would have come to an end. Sadly, we can often be spiritually blind. When we read God’s word, we too often interpret it through our experience and desires. I remember passages that I have read many times and yet sometimes there is something new that I see. Truth is, it was always there. For whatever reason, I had never seen it as important until now. We take from the readings what we want to see, just like those blind men perceived the elephant from their perspective, not really searching for the truth. We ignore the problem texts and remember the texts that benefit us or make us feel good. This contributes to some of the splits in churches, in politics, and in families. Just as the blind men would have done well to ask the seeing man to explain why they each had a different view of the elephant, we too would do well to ask the One who truly knows God and His word the best. I am of course talking about God. We are told that the Holy Spirit desires to give us understanding and wisdom, but we must seek His help. We need to stop and ask if what we believe is what God’s word says or what we’ve been told God’s word says. We try too often to prove ourselves right rather than seek God to reveal His truth to us. When there is an elephant in the room, it may be us...our failure to see. O Holy Spirit, give us wisdom and understanding, not for prideful desires, but to truly know Your will for our lives. Amen

Rest

I look back at my early youth and wonder how I could have missed the beauty of a great nap. I’m assuming I was like ay child that was always on the go. I used get tonsilitis all the time. I would start feeling better and immediately wanted to go out and play with my brothers. Sometimes my mom let me and more than once I ended up right back in bed. I need rest! I stayed up late last night working on the sermon. On top of that, my knees were really causing me pain. By the time the second service was done, I was exhausted. I lay down for a nice log nap. When I woke up, I felt so rested and renewed. I no longer see the nap as a punishment . It has now become a welcomed rest for the body. Speaking of rest. Today is the Sabbath for Christians. It is a day of rest. When God said that, I don’t think He was envisioning a good long nap. As a matter of fact, we must note that it was a Sabbath rest unto the Lord. In other words, we were to find our rest in God. The Jews made the meals the day before so that they didn’t have to work on that. They came up with the number of steps that were allowed on that day. In many ways, this day of rest was to take our minds away from all the things that we think are so important and making sure God had His rightful place. I think sometimes that the Jews had so many requirements for the Sabbath that their rules destroyed any possible rest. Jesus identified Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath. That paints a clearer picture of how to keep the Sabbath Day holy. By honoring the Lord of the Sabbath. How do we honor Him? By making sure we gladly hear and learn His teachings. At one point, Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” He is not speaking just of a physical rest. I think it is pointed much more to being filled with God’s peace that truly satisfies the soul. The rest of the passage goes on to talk about how God would share our burdens so that they don’t overwhelm us. My first thought is that as Christians, do we do enough work that we need that rest? Have we exhausted ourselves doing God’s will? I sometimes wonder how soft we Americans have become. We use so many devices today. I wonder how they used to survive years ago. We find our help in the work of Jesus Christ. Father, Help us first of all to be obedient to Your call, wherever it should lead us. May we find our rest in You every day. Amen

The Richness of Hymns

As we are in the season of Lent, it is a time of preparation, of recognizing our need for God, to see our inability to meet God’s standard on our own,and finding ways to serve God. I know that is oversimplified, but within the Lenten hymns we hear some powerful words. I’d like to look at the hymn “In the hour of trial”. We hear the plea of the believer who understands life without God. It begins, “In the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me lest by base denial I unworthy be. When you see me waver, with a look recall, nor for fear or favor ever let me fall.” The writer recognizes that their hope rests in what Jesus is doing for them. Even though He died on the cross some 2000 years ago, the writer understands that it is still the basis of our hope today. When we are faced with obstacles, temptation, and spiritual struggles, we need to call out to Jesus for help me so that I don’t fall away. The second verse states, “With forbidden pleasures should this vain world charm or its tempting treasures spread to work me harm, bring to my remembrance sad Gethsemane or, in darker semblance, cross-crowned Calvary.” The world is filled with temptations seducing us to seek comfort and pleasure apart from God. When I recognize the powerful pull of the Devil, the world, and my own sinful nature, I remember Jesus earnest prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the suffering and death of my Savior. The third verse “Should your mercy send me sorrow, toil, and woe, or should pain attend me on my path below, grant that I may never fail your cross to view; grant that I may ever cast my care on you.” If God allows me to experience sorrow, toil, and pain, may I never take my eyes away from Him. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, blaming God, or giving up, I am reminded again of the great love Jesus expressed as He suffered on the cross for me. No matter what my lot, I know I can bring it to the Lord and find comfort and peace in His presence. The last verse, “When my life is ending, though in grief or pain, when my body changes back to dust again, on your truth relying, through that mortal strife, Jesus, take me, dying, to eternal life.” The faithful will experience persecution and trials, but through faith, death doesn’t become the end. By trusting Jesus, death brings eternal life. God, thank You for the many amazing writers that paint such powerful pictures of your amazing love and mercy. Help us, Jesus. Amen

The Great Thaw

After all the snow we had last weekend, I was overwhelmed. Suddenly the sun came out and the weather warmed up and the snow began to melt. I was struggling to just remove enough snow to make it drive-able, and now the sidewalks and most of the driveway are dry and snow free. The clothesline that seemed to be built for munchkins, with the snow almost reaching the lines, now looks normal again. I felt bad because our propane tank was filled, meaning they had to push through a lot of snow to get to the tank. I was just too worn out to do it after the snows. I would say about 30% of the snow has now melted. It is amazing how something that days ago seemed impossible to battle with, has now become a manageable obstacle. I looked at the snow from my own perspective of shoveling, blowing, being shut in, with no clear resolution. Now, without my help, the sun came out, the weather warmed up, and the snow is disappearing. How often we let the obstacles in life become overbearing. We look at it based on the solutions we can control. God is not bound by our foolish and finite thinking. He calls us to trust in Him. God has the solutions to every situation. Sometimes in the storms, God gives us an opportunity to trust His protection and solutions. Just as the media and the world have a way of hyping things up and making our problems look insurmountable, God has a way of meeting each challenge with solutions. We need to see the storms and obstacles in life through God’s eyes. It is only then that they don’t seem so terrifying. I am so thankful for all of God’s provisions. I think of all the men and women that worked on emergency crews, law enforcement, snowplows, linemen, ambulances, etc. There are so many ways that God watches over us and provides for us. We tend to think about those provisions as physical things of the world, but what about spiritual things. He offers forgiveness to all who confess. He gives eternal life in heaven to all believers. He gives us peace, even in the midst of the storms. He has given us family, many of whom are not related by blood but a shared faith in Jesus. He gives insight, understanding, revelation, restoration, etc. I have almost forgotten the big March storm of 2026, but may we never forget the rescuer of our souls. Father, thank You for protection in the midst of the storms, but even more importantly, thank You for life and salvation. Amen

Biblical Recipes

I see adds all over the place trying to piggy back off of someone else’s fame. Maybe it is a movie star that speaks for a specific product, which is their right to do, but they have no more authority on how something works than the average Joe. Now, Artificial Intelligence is creating ads using people that I know didn’t personally do the add. I don’t know if they agree with it, but it was not done by them. Those bother me a little. What bothers me the most is using God’s name or the Bible to sell a product. That sounds strange to say, but I have been seeing so many adds about how the Bible has a diet plan, a recipe for how to improve sight, how to cleanse your system, get rid of diabetes, and so much more. The only specific recipe or diet that I know of was what Daniel did when he was in Babylon. I don’t, however, see the Bible telling everybody that they had to eat like that all the time. When people try to get specific coded or hidden formulas for various ailments, I have to wonder if it would read the same way if looking at the original Greek or Hebrew. When someone tries to say that if you turn to a specific book of the Bible and take every 5th letter, that it spells something out. It only works in that one version of the Bible. With a computer, you can find what appear to be hidden messages in almost any written book. When I do any sort of a search on these secret formulas, they don’t really stand up to any scholarly testing. To set things straight, God’s message is much clearer. The Bible isn’t a self-help book, but rather points us to the One who can truly help us, Jesus Christ. There can be helpful passages like “Do not be discouraged. Be not afraid” or “I can to all things through Him who gives us strength”, but that is not a formula. It is God’s promise and aid. Those that search God’s word to benefit them in a worldly way are building on a foundation of sand. Our rock, our strength, or hope is in God Himself. The goal of the Christian life is not prosperity and comfort, but rather, faithfulness and obedience. We are not saved by our status or wealth. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. When people are telling you there is a secret way to improve your life, understand this - the Holy Spirit is the one that brings healing, direction, understanding, etc. as He chooses. O Holy Spirit, give us a deeper understanding of who You are and how we should be living our lives. Strengthen our faith. Amen

Does Denomination Matter?

There are many different churches that have variations of understanding. There is Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Assemblies of God, etc. Within each of those classifications are a series of different teaching. When God speaks of the church, He speaks of one faith, one baptism, one God. So, why don’t they just all get along and form one Christian church. Well, for centuries, that was the case. The Catholic church was that universal church. Unfortunately, over time, any organization run by people, will falter. At times they too will stray from the truth. At one point in history, a man named Martin Luther who was taught that God was a demanding God and that unless we were perfect, confessed every sin we have committed, did all the right things, fulfilled what the church wanted, we had no hope. As he trained to be a priest, He ran from presiding over the Eucharist (communion) because he felt he was so unworthy. One day he discovered that God tells us we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works lest any man boast. He found such a hope and peace from this knowledge that he tried to share it in the existing church but was rejected. Since there were many that believed what Luther was teaching, and so it didn’t get confused with the current church, they called it Lutheran... Christianity as explained by Luther. Now there were two groups. Other teachers began to share slightly different interpretations of God’s word and so was born, more and more denominations. Is this ok since God speaks of there being one church? It is not ideal. We are to serve God and not a specific church or teaching. The problem is that many of these churches are trying to be faithful to God’s word, but topics such as communion, baptism, works, the function of the Holy Spirit, the end times, are understood differently. The truth is, what we were first taught will often influences how we interpret God’s word. No matter how much we say we follow what God’s word says, we still interpret it through our experiences. We need to study God’s word for ourselves so we can rightly, with the help of the Holy Spirit, determine what is good and true. As much as I want one church with all the same teachings, there are too many variations in teaching. Father, I am ashamed of how many different denominations there are, but each is seeking to be faithful. Reveal Yourself to us today. Amen

Exercising

They say it is good to get plenty of exercise, but shoveling snow wasn’t what I had in mind. All things considered, I have had a great workout over the last couple of days. That has also translated into sore muscles and a back that is threatening to go out on me. Truth is, I should be getting much more exercise than I am, so this might be a blessing in disguise. I just need to keep it up and push through the sore muscles. Exercise can be an amazing thing. We can get our body into shape. It can make us healthier, unless we go crazy with it. It enables us to do certain tasks more efficiently. It can help us be more alert and help burn fat. Football teams have specific exercises for their sport. Even specific positions played on the team may have very specific exercises for their needs. A body builder has yet another routine. If they are the right exercises, being faithful to do them will have a beneficial result. So it is spiritually. We don’t think about exercising, but Paul talks about going into training so as to finish the race. Spiritual training does not have to do with treadmills and weights. Just as those exercising need to eat well and drink plenty of liquids, so as Christians, we need to be nourished on God’s word and the Spirit. When it comes to sharing our faith with others, the first time you tried probably felt awkward and uncomfortable. The first time someone walks into a gym to exercise can have a similar feeling, however, the more we do it, the easier things get, especially when what you are doing has eternal consequences. Most people aren’t comfortable the first time that they pray. Praying for more than a minute or two seems like forever. With practice, 20-30 minutes of prayer becomes very do-able. Sometimes we struggle with reading God’s word because we commit to reading too much at the start. Read a smaller section, praying that God would reveal its meaning and find a nugget of wisdom to hang on to and put into practice. When church is a chore, it can be hard to endure, but when we are exercising our faith, worship becomes an important part of that. It is good to exercise physically if you ar able. It is of the utmost importance to exercise our spiritual walk with God. What are some things God has put on your heart to do? Take baby steps and begin to accomplish this new task. Father, I don’t need to be a spiritual body builder. Just help me to exercise my faith in a way that is pleasing to You. Amen

Wind Blows

I remember, when I was serving a couple congregations in South Dakota, church services were called off, even though there was only an inch or two on the ground. I know in the southern states that this might have caused some issues, but up north, it usually takes 8 inches or more to start closing things. The reason we cancelled was because the winds created a whiteout condition that basically made it almost impossible to see. Now, I sit in the house, looking outside at the wind blowing like crazy. I didn’t snow blow because it would just drift in again. I was surprised though. Usually the snow piles up on the north end of the house, in front of the garage. Today, that part is almost clear, but the drifts are pushing in around the front door. You see, when the winds blow, it can be unpredictable. In the Summer time, a breeze is welcomed to keep insects away and cool things down. In the Winter time, that same breeze causes a very chilling effect. In the Summer, twisting winds called huricanes create so much damage and predicting their touchdown and path can be a challenge. There is also a straight line wind that is like a hurricane without the twisting. It also can create a lot of damage. Wind sheers are winds in a downward direction that can cause planes to crash, while updrafts are winds that lift the eagles high in the sky as they soar. As you can see, some winds are predictable while other winds can suddenly appear. We read in John 3, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." We do not control the Spirit of God, but if we are truly born of the Spirit, He will lead us where we should go. There are things predictable about the Holy Spirit - faith and understanding of God’s word. There are also things that are unpredictable, when God puts something on our hearts to do or calls us to a specific ministry. He told the Apostles in the Bible not to worry about what they should say, but that the Spirit would give them the words to speak. Most of us should be much more in tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Sadly, many who seek the Holy Spirit seek what the Spirit can do for them, rather than what the Spirit is leading them to do for the Kingdom of God. Come, Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, give us faith, wisdom, and understanding so that we might hear Your word and put it into practice. Amen

Snow More, Please

The forecasts were all right. I don’t know what the exact snowfall was, but with drifting, we have some areas that exceed four feet. And to think that about half a week ago, we basically had no snow left. I have snow blown more snow in the last few days than I think I have done the last five years combined, and I’m not even done. There will be some areas that undoubtedly will not be cleared out until the Spring thaw. My first though was about Jesus asking His disciples about a blind man... “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” In Biblical times, they believed that every tragic event was caused by someone. (Actually, growing up in Papua New Guinea, the same mind-set was present.) I jokingly looked at the snow and asked my wife, “Who sinned that caused all this snow?” The truth is that bad things happen because of original sin in the world, caused by Adam and Eve. Could there be judgement in it? Possible, but unless God clearly reveals that to us, we shouldn’t be going down that road or accusing any group. Why does God allow it to happen? Maybe because we haven’t been faithfully calling on Him? Maybe He wants us to trust Him for our future and knows that, often in suffering, people turn to Him. It is frustrating that it happens at a time that shuts down most of the churches in the area, but they are God’s churches and His people. He can work out the details. We just need to be available to follow Him. I was also drawn to the passage that tells us that though our sin is as scarlet, they will be made white as snow. Note, unlike the snow outside that covers everything, God doesn’t cover our sins, He washes us and removes our sin, if we walk by faith. The snow that we have is much lighter than the snow we had several days ago which makes the areas that I have to shovel much easier to do. With this snow, I could wait until God brings out the sun and warms the weather to have it removed, or I could use the gifts and abilities - shovels, snow-blowers, and muscles, to remove it more quickly... letting God remove those areas that don’t get done. I think that sometimes we are faced with the same choices in our spiritual walk. It is good to wait on the Lord for His power and leading, but until that happens, we need to be faithfully doing what He enables us to do... love and pray. Father, as sin and the struggles of this world seem to keep piling up, help us to turn to You for forgiveness, healing, and direction. Amen

Preparing for Worship

With the possible storm coming, we need to decide what to do. The storm, pending a miracle from God, was going to prevent us from gathering. I was trying to determine if I needed to print the bulletin or get anything else ready for worship. The cancellation settled that. When we were buying last minute stuff at the store, I realized that I could have recorded a message to put on the internet. It takes a while to do that, so I was too late to accomplish that. Then I heard of another church that decided to call around and see who could make it on Saturday for the worship. Then I was really mad at myself for not thinking of that. We called around to everyone in the church, plus a bunch of others, letting them know that church was called off. We need to fine tune that list to make it easier and more efficient next time. Even without the service, there still seemed to be a lot of things that needed to be done. I look out the window now and the snow is starting. Just because we can’t get to church doesn’t mean we skip worship altogether. There are other services on the radio, TV, internet that can be a great help. Just be cautious as there are many “churches” that teach things a little contrary to God’s word or maybe even not God’s word. We need to exercise discernment. We can also look to past services that have been posted already on the internet. We can also just spend a little extra time in God’s presence... reading the Bible, a devotional and then spend some time in prayer, asking God to help us to apply the message we read. You may not have the greatest voice, but if you can find words to some of the hymns you know from memory, books that you have, or even looking them up on the internet, you can lift your voice to the Lord. I believe that music is an amazing gift to express our hearts, even if our singing isn’t perfect. It does say, after all, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord”. The joy flows from the depth of our souls as we lift our praise and worship to the Lord. A storm can change a lot of our plans, but they can’t take God from us. These ideas aren’t just for days when church has been cancelled, but a good practice for daily devotion. So, as you prepare for the storm, begin with a prayer, a hymn, God’s word, and a desire to worship the Lord our God. Father, fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit and lead us daily into a deeper walk with You. You are the One we worship. Amen