Do It Today!

One of my regular customers recently passed away after a brief battle with cancer. He also happened to be Connie Hopper's brother-in-law, and the other night at a concert she mentioned something he had said when he learned he was dying. If there's anything you need or want to do, he said, do it NOW. There are, of course, several applications of that observation, but here's what I want to bring out of it today: there is only one eternal thing in this world--people. We forget that sometimes and put things before people. We do and say hurtful things, we are selfish and destructive. And sometimes we simply ignore. But people are important--all of them--and life is short. You have no idea what lies ahead of you; your life could end today or tomorrow or 75 years from now. Don't let yourself put important things like people aside for later, because later may never come. If there's someone you need to get right with or apologize to or forgive, do it today. If you need to tell someone you love them, tell them today. If there's someone you just need to spend time with, don't put it off. Time won't last forever; don't waste it!

We Are So Blessed

In the continuing spirit of Thanksgiving, I just want to leave you these lyrics:
WE ARE SO BLESSED
Bill and Gloria Gaither and Greg Nelson
1. We are so blessed, by the gifts from Your hand
Just can't understand why You loved us so much.
We are so blessed, we just can't find a way
Or the words that can say
Thank You, Lord, for Your touch.

CHORUS:
When we're empty You fill us 'til we overflow
When we're hungry You feed us, and cause us to know
We are so blessed, take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything,
Lord, we love you so much.

2. We are so blessed by the things You have done,
The vict'ries we've won and what You've brought us through.
We are so blessed, take what we have to bring,
Take it all everything,
Lord, we bring it to You.

Give Thanks

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we'll all spend time with our friends and families stuffing ourselves with far more food than our bodies were ever meant to hold and watching not nearly enough football. And, perhaps, in the midst of it all, we'll take a moment to "be thankful" by mentioning one thing we're thankful for or by offering a prayer of thanks. I wonder though, how many of us will truly be thankful tomorrow for all the blessings we have. We are so blessed! We are the wealthiest people to ever walk the face of the planet. We have more amenities, we have more possessions, we have fewer needs...and yet even on the one day we set aside each year for "Thanksgiving," we often give very little thanks. Remember tomorrow to take at least a couple minutes by yourself to thank God for all He's done for you. Really we should do that every day--the awareness of our blessings would make us happier people--but at least on Thanksgiving, let us pause to speak our gratitude to the Giver of all.

Got Your Back

The other day a friend of mine, in the pre-holiday spirit, posted a bulletin on myspace listing things for which she was thankful, and one of them was: "the awesome knowledge that God has my back, y'all!" You know what? That IS true...and it IS awesome! The Bible tells us that He is "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Friends fail us. They forget and abandon us. Yet God--the almighty, omnipotent, holy, righteous God--is my friend, and He will always, ALWAYS have my back. What a great God is mine!

Fly Away

This morning I was sitting in my car in the parking lot watching a bunch of birds splashing and sipping in a little run of rainwater. After a few moments, a car came through, and all the birds flew off. All but one, that is. One little bird stood stubbornly in the middle of a puddle, staring at the car. Almost looked as if he (or she) were leaning foward, to protect his little pool.
If you're anything like me, you're thinking, "Stupid bird." And, of course, you'd be right. That bird is not going to stop that car. The bird is not going to protect it's puddle by dying. And the water wouldn' t mean a thing to him dead. But he stubbornly stood his ground. Stupid. Yet we do the same thing. Throughout life there are going to be a lot of things that we don't want to let go of, even though we must for our own good. They may not even be bad things. Birds need water. But sometimes we need to learn to let go now, so that we can enjoy later. In your life--spiritual, physical, emotional, social, professional--don't be foolishly stubborn; learn when it's time to let go and fly away.

The Lord is Nigh

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
Yesterday we discussed the fact that we must approach God in a spirit of humility--that we must realize our true state of unrighteousness and sinfulness before Him. But we're told one other thing in this verse: that when we do approach the Lord in recognisance of our failure and lack He will be with us. God does not push us away because of our sinfulness--He is a loving and compassionate God. He is simply waiting for us to humble ourselves so that there will be room for Him. When we are broken and hurting, He is there with more compassion than we can imagine to sooth and heal.

How Good Are You Really?

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
There are two sides to this verse. The first is our side. There are those who consider themselves good--God ought to bless them because they are good Christians or good people. They follow what they consider to be the rules of the game, don't do anything "too" bad, acknowledge God from time to time...so obviously God owes them. I've never heard anything so ridiculous. There is no such thing as a good person. You cannot please God through works at all--that goes for earning His favor after salvation as much as it goes for salvation itself. You are not good enough, cannot be good enough, and no set of rules or regulations impresses Him. God doesn't owe you anything. This sort of pride will only build a wall between you and the Lord. God is impressed when we humble ourselves, and if we are to approach Him, that is the only way.
(to be cont.)

Be Still

How easily we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day lives. We're running around, trying to get everything done, trying to do more than any generation has ever done faster than it's ever been done. Fast food isn't fast enough. High-speed is too slow. And in the midst of it all comes a still, small voice saying, "Be still." It's not wrong to want to accomplish much; we're instructed to everything heartily as unto the Lord. But while we're striving to do, we must remember that our primary goal should be to KNOW, and we must take time to be still and know Him.

Bad Day

It's been a horrible day--irredeemable by noon. One of those days you resign yourself to surviving...forget saving. I can't tell you that tomorrow's going to be better; I hope and pray that it will...even believe that it will. But I cannot guarantee it. I can, however, guarantee this: eventually days like this will, for me, be permanently in the past. There IS a brighter day coming for me, and I can promise that. I can promise that, because it's been promised to me by One Who's never, ever broken a promise. Today stunk. Tomorrow could as well. But one of these days they'll ALL be good for every believer. And that's a guarantee.

Awesome God

It's fall and the leaves are starting to change here. A friend of mine recently enjoyed the trade winds in Hawaii. Other friends have been playing in the sand and sun of the beach. This is an amazing world we live in...and I know the Creator of ALL of it! Isn't that awesome?! My God is tremendously incredible! Not only did he create everything in this awe-inspiring universe, but He takes time to have a personal relationship with someone like me or you.

God is SO Good!

Do you remember the little Sunday School chorus "God is so good"? It's really simple: God is so good...God is so good...God is so good, He's so good to me! Again, the depth of these "simple" songs amazes me! If we could just get through our heads that God is good--and that He's good to ME--we'll be infinitely better off. Our relationship with God will be stronger, our sense of peace greater, our joy more full, our happiness more consistent.... God is good!

Faith Vs. Reality

If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
Have you ever heard someone say something like, "Oh, I don't believe that," when something about God or salvation comes up? I'm so glad that God is God with zero qualifiers. He is faithful--He will never fail. And it doesn't matter what silly person declares their unbelief. The whole world can say God does not exist, that He cannot help me, but their scoffing does nothing to change what is--my God is faithful!

Give The World A Smile

There's an old song called "Give the World a Smile," a great little chorus about the power of such a small gesture as a smile. It really doesn't take much to smile, you know, but sometimes that's all it takes to turn someone's day around. I know a smile at the right time has certainly turned my day around before, and I'm sure many of you could say the same. So, if that's all it takes to make the world around you a little better, why not go for it? Try it out. Smile at people--try to smile at everyone you come across. I bet you'll feel better and happier right away, AND that you'll find people are more pleasant towards you. Besides, as forgiven and favored children of the Most High, we've got a lot to smile about!

Life's Not Fair

Life's not fair. Sorry...it's just not...that's the way it is. I know that sounds like a depressing start to a newsletter devotional/blog dedicated to peace and hope, but it's really not. You cannot be at peace until you recognize and accept that life just is not fair. Bad things happen to good people; good things happen to bad people. But here's the good part: that's not the end of the story! We're promised that, as children of God, all things are going to end up in our favor. We may not see it right now, but we don't have to--we just need, for our own well-being, to realize that "this too shall pass" and to trust our Heavenly Father to take care of it. He's still on the throne, and when it's all said and done, we'll be rewarded in one way or another.

Don't Give Up

I was thinking of the Samaritan woman at the well. Here you've got a woman that was an outcast, unwanted, ashamed. She wouldn't even come draw water when the other women were there. I imagine that pretty much everyone had given up on her. She was despised, rejected, mocked. But Jesus knew who she was, knew when she'd be there, and waited for her...because He hadn't given up on her...He did want her...He did love and care about her...He didn't reject her. I wonder how many people I meet who are rejected. How many of them have been totally given up on by everyone in their lives. May I be like Jesus and never, ever give up on a person! May I be there to tell them there's hope and forgiveness and to show them the One Who can make that hope and forgiveness real to them.

Say You're Sorry

Ever feel like you spend half your life apologizing to people? Sometimes I feel that way. If I'm not apologizing for something stupid I've done or said, it's for something stupid someone associated with me has done or said! At work, at church, out with friends...whatever...things happen. People are people, and they make mistakes. That means me, and that means you--we're going to put ourselves in situations that require apologies. And we'll be in situations where we'll be owed apologies. Either way, we have to learn to show forth another trait of God: grace. It really doesn't matter if you're apologizing or recieving an apology (and if we're honest, we owe many more than we are owed,) you have to learn to be gracious and honest and humble. We're all human, we'll always be human, and we'll always stumble over ourselves. It's a part of life, so you better get used to it. The hard part is learning to be gracious enough to deem the other greater than ourselves. Once that's done, apologies are easy! :)

Make a Difference!

And of some have compassion, making a difference; Jude 22
Ever feel like it doesn't mean anything? That you're just floating through life...for nothing? I know of one really simple way to change that: start caring! Care about your family, your friends, your neighbors and co-workers. Care about the girl who checks you out at the grocery store and the guy who delivers your mail. Care about people--all of them. Things are temporary...people are eternal. And you can make an eternal difference every day just be being compassionate--by showing that you care. Don't let a single opportunity to show compassion go by, and your life can that easily make a huge difference in someone's world.

What We Haven't Given

I just viewed a bulletin from a friend on myspace. It was one of the many "support our troops" collages, but above each picture of everyday soldier hardships was something that irritates a veteran upon their return. Essentially, it boiled down to this: after all they've seen and gone through, how dare we let them hear us complaining about how "badly" we have it?! How true. We've got soldiers across the globe enduring things we can't imagine...and we have the gall to complain about what? That our steak is medium instead of medium well? That it's three degrees cooler in the office than we like it? Especially as Christians, we have no business complaining. Not only have thousands of men and women given their lives for our freedom, God Himself gave His life for our redemption. Who do we think we are to complain? Keep in mind the sacrifices that have been made for you, and be grateful. You'll be a much happier person if you can keep that in perspective.

Live the Gospel

I'm assuming most of you remember the story of the Gadarene demoniac--the man possessed of a "legion" of demons, living naked among the tombs, cutting himself, unable to be bound or calmed by any man. And yet in a matter of moments after meeting Jesus, he was sitting calmly and quietly at His feet, "clothed and in his right mind." The Gadarene is a picture of man, lost and saved, we know. But the part that I find interesting is that, when Jesus was about to leave the region, and the man asked to go with Him, Jesus said no. He told the former demoniac to stay and tell everyone what had happened to him.
Funny...'cause that's exactly what we're to do! God didn't save us and take us to heaven. No, we have to wait to be with Him, but there's a reason: He wants us to tell everyone what He has done for us! That's what being a witness is--just telling what has happened in our hearts and our lives. It's not complex doctrine; it's just sharing. That simple. Don't misunderstand, there's nothing wrong with door-to-door soulwinning. But I often wonder if it isn't almost a way out for many. In some ways, it's easier to go knock on a stranger's door (hoping no one's home,) passing out tracks and talking to people we don't know, than it is to live and share Jesus day in and day out with those who know us. But THAT is what we're commanded to do. Are we doing it?

Learning How To Live Again

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14
I'm fairly confident that everyone reading this is human. That means you have a human nature which means it's not your tendancy to smile and be nice to someone being a jerk with you. Not hardly! But as Christians, we're expected to be better than human--we're expected (by God and man) to react like the Christ Whose name we bear. That's not even easy to think about, much less actually live! So we have to train ourselves; we have to program our minds to stop and respond with love and compassion--even when we're being dealt spite and abuse. I can't give you a magic formula to make this easy. There's only one thing I know that can make this doable at all: accept that you cannot change anyone but yourself. Living blow for blow with the world is not going to make the world act any better towards you--it'll just get you a beat-down. Recognize that the only thing you can do is refuse to let them affect you; learn to go with the flow...with a smile on your face.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Philippians 1:3
I wonder, would people say this of me? Do people think of me, and thank God for the blessing that I am or have been to them? Or do they think of me, roll their eyes, and sigh? Don't know about you, but I want to be someone that God hears in the thank-yous, not the why-Lords! I want to be, as the Philippian church was to Paul, a good friend--one whose fellowship and friendship is faithful and dependable. I want people to think of me and know that they can turn to me for anything at any time, and if it's in my power to give, it's theirs. That is what real Christianity is all about: showing the love of Christ every day in every way to every one.

Forgiveness

Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to forgive people? Forgiveness seems like a simple thing--and it is--but simple and easy are not the same! There's really one thing that stands in the way of forgiving others: pride. That's trait the first of the sin nature! It was Lucifer's first sin, and if you think about it, it was Eve's first sin--the reason she disobeyed! We struggle to forgive because we fail to die to self. An old preacher once said, "If you hurt me, it's my fault--I'm not dead. You can't hurt a dead man." How true! If we can just learn to set aside our pride, to die to self, we could forgive.
But here's the catch: you have to do it every day! We want to say, "I forgive you," and it's all over. If we could really forgive and forget, like God, we could pull that off. We're not God, and we don't forget. Every day we have to decide for that day to die to self, to set aside our pride, and forgive. The next day...well...you'll have to worry about that then!

Rest In Him

Did you know that only a Christian can experience real, complete rest? It's really very simple. See, in our flesh, we have only ourselves to depend on. Problems are constantly coming at us, hitting us from every direction, and as soon as one goes away, another (or two others) comes to take its place. The natural man cannot rest, because he's constantly battling. But a child of God can turn it all over to Him. We don't have to fight our battles, because He's there to do it for us! And yet, even believers often don't rest. Even we can only rest in Him--and until we give Him our problems and trials, they're still ours to bear. Don't struggle on uselessly and pointlessly; give it all to Jesus and experience true rest and peace.

Learning to Let Go

I've probably mentioned "The Serenity Prayer" before. You've heard it, I'm sure: "Lord, grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I can't, and the wisdom to know the difference." As I travel through life, I realize more and more that there is far more in that second (can't change) category than in the first (can change.) Don't know about you, but I'd rather not waste precious time and resources pushing against a brick wall, trying to change something I cannot. And yet I spend so much of that time and resource worrying about those same things! I'm halfway there--I know what I can't change, but I still have to work on accepting that...and will always have to work on it. Every day I find new things that I have no control over, and every day I must have God's peace and serenity to accept that. Maybe we should pray this little prayer every day.

Opportunity to Recieve

I'm poor. Well, not poor--like any American, I have more than much of the world, and really have no room to complain--but certainly broke! There's so much I'd like to do, and some that I should do, that I simply cannot, because my finances will not allow it. I'm of very limited resources. But every time I feel like I have reached the end of my rope, that my resources have all given out, I'm reminded that my Father is nowhere near broke. Our Lord has everything we need and plenty of it, and He's just waiting for an opportunity to bless us with it! Don't look at limited resources as a lack--look at it as an opportunity for your heavenly Father to show how much He does have and how much He loves you!

Pleased...With Me!

A verse caught my eye today and I saw it in a new light. The verse I mean is Matthew 3:17 when John baptizes Jesus..."And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." That's exciting! See, when we're saved we become "in Him"--a part of the body of Christ, joint heirs, one with Him. And when God looks at us, He sees Jesus; therefore, when I read, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," I know that He isn't just talking about Christ...He means me, too! When God looks at me, He sees Jesus' completed work...and He is pleased! Awesome!

Show Forth The Source

The world is dissatisfied, have you ever noticed? We're wealthier than any have ever been, yet we're less happy. The reason, really, is very simple: we stopped looking at what we have and where we came from, and started looking only at what little we don't have. There's a serious focus problem there, but that's only a symptom of a bigger problem--hopelessness. Mankind is plagued with a lack of peace and hope. The crazy thing is we've got that peace and hope--and it's free! Why then, are so few taking advantage of this amazing opportunity? Because we who have it aren't showing it. We act just as lost and hopeless as those who are! Jesus instructed us to let our light shine before men; it's time we started doing that. Strive every day to show the peace and love and hope of God to everyone you meet.

Of Trains and God

When I was in third grade we got a new girl in my class whose family had just fled Cuba. Her English was fair, but still rough. One day just after school started, a train passed. Not a big deal to most people--we see trains all the time. But to this little girl it was huge! She'd seen few if any in her life, so she leaped from her desk, ran to the window, and shouted, "The choo-choo! The choo-choo!" Of course 30 other third graders burst into laughter.
Here's the thing: to the rest of us, that train--a miracle of engineering, a monster of a machine--was just background noise. To her it was still a miracle--a monster--a symbol of freedom to travel from the pines of North Carolina, over the treed Appalachians, across grassy plains, over the snowy Rockies to the redwoods of California. It was still fresh and new to her.
That's how our Christian life is. Over a period of time, things get old and become background noise. Bible reading, prayer, the leading of the Spirit--we start to take it for granted. When we catch ourselves doing this, it's important for us to take the time to go back, to make ourselves appreciate the little things that aren't, after all, so little.

Early Celebrations

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Psalm 47:1
Most of us are familiar with this verse--have been since childhood. But there's something interesting about this verse that we don't notice when we pull it out of the chapter: the importance of the word "triumph." I know, I know...so what? There are bunches of verses that talk about triumph and victory. But keep reading. Verse 3 says, "He shall subdue...." Verse 4: "He shall choose...." The psalmist is not telling us to triumph in what has been done for us...but in what will be done for us. How much better would our life be if we started every day anticipating God's blessings!

Mind Your Neighbor's Business

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:4
Don't get excited: this isn't talking about being nosy or gossiping or coveting thy neighbor's Z3. Paul was exhorting the church at Philippi to care for one another. The more time goes on, and the less personal the world gets (as in, the less tightly-knit) the more humanity tends to shut out others. If you listen to older folks reminisce, they talk about days when people used to care about their friends and neighbors--when people would go out of their way to help one another. As society progresses, though, you see less and less of that; and that lack of unity has spread to the church. That's not the way God wants His children to be. We are to love one another and help one another. We are to build our brothers and sisters up, to lend a hand when they're down to do everything we can for our fellow believers. Don't try to become an island unto yourself--look also on the things of others.

Not in My Bow

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. Psalm 44:6
How often do we trust in ourselves and our own strength and ingenuity! We fail and fail and fail again, yet we can't seem to realize that, in and of ourselves, we are nothing and capable of nothing. More times than I like to remember I've wasted time and resources trying to make it on my own, when the Almighty was only a prayer away. Only when we let go and stop trusting our own strength can God step in and solve our problems.

Searching On

Someone said something interesting to me the other day: they said I seemed to be searching. Well, yes, I suppose I am. See, as Christians we ought always to be searching, because Christianity is not a destination, but a journey. I've got news for you, believer: you don't have all the answers, and you have not arrived! I don't care who you are or how long you've been saved, there is still much for you to learn and discover. So don't you dare stop searching! David, whom God dubbed a man after His own heart said, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." David, as close to God as he was, never stopped searching and hungering for God. Paul, uncontestedly one of the greatest Christians to ever live, prayed "That I may know Him." He'd spoken directly to God; he'd seen His glory; he'd been used to write the very thoughts of God...yet Paul's desire was still just to know God. If David and Paul still searched, who are we to think we need not? God is not a child hiding behind a curtain to be discovered in an instant and all at once. He is more than we can comprehend--higher, holier, mightier, more gracious, more loving, more forgiving. I don't understand God. May I search until I do...which will not be until eternity is complete!

Collateral Damage

I was in a wreck yesterday--rear-ended. I and the lady who hit me were starting to turn right at a green light when a woman coming the other way ran her red light. I, of course, slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting or being hit by her just as the woman behind me hit her gas. No one was hurt; I'll need a new rear bumper and the other lady has two little holes in her front bumper from the screws in my lisence plate, and we had to stand out in the heat for 45 minutes or an hour, but we're okay. The woman who ran the red light and caused the wreck? She hasn't stopped yet.
Made me think: every day we do things that don't seem like a big deal. I mean, most of us have run a red light or at least pushed it once or twice or pulled off the old "rolling stop" at a stop sign. And we do the same things in other areas of our lives. Often the problems our little decisions create affect others as much as if not more than ourselves. Yesterday a woman ran a red light and didn't get hit--I did. A woman minding her own business on the way to pick up her daughter from church daycamp now has to buy me a new bumper, not because she did anything wrong, but because someone she'll probably never meet wanted to get who-knows-where two minutes faster. Our actions have much farther-stretching effects than we realize. Recognize that, and be cautious as you go through life not to make others physical, emotional, or spiritual collateral damage for your own selfishness.

Forgiveness, Cleansing, Renewing

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, yes. But let's be honest: the geneologies aren't really going to be high on anyone's list of passages to memorize. Some parts of Scripture are simply more real-life, everyday usable than others. And none more, I'd say than Psalm 51, David's post-Bathsheba plea for forgiveness, cleansing, and renewing. Every one of us fails God every day, and every time we need to realize the gravity of our sin. No, our sins and shortcomings no longer condemn us after we've been saved, but that sin that you committed today--that I committed today--clogs the line of communication between us and God. Every single little sin I commit puts a block up between myself and the Master, and only He can break down that barrier. The great news is, He's just waiting for us, as David did, to admit our failure and ask Him to renew that relationship; and the moment we ask, He will!

A New Day

The liner notes in one of my newest CDs includes a special thanks to someone "for being the kind of friend that will not let you live in what was, but to boldly pursue God's plan for what IS." (Treasures of the Heart, Volume One by Mark Trammell)
That person is really onto something. Our pasts are all littered with hundreds of case studies--both successes and failures--of relationships, trials, temptations, opportunities, decisions, choices. It's oh so easy to get caught up in those past victories and defeats when we should be focusing on the ones we're in right now. God doesn't want us to stay stuck in yesterday--we have to turn around and live today's life. There are new choices and decisions, trials and temptations, opportunities and relationships for us to make and form and live through and learn from. And tomorrow there will be a whole new set. It's one thing to say, "Well, that's all in the past;" it's a whole other thing to actually turn your back to the past and move on into the future God has for you. Don't miss out on today's blessings because you're caught up in yesterday's blessings--and certainly don't miss out on them because you're caught up in yesterday's PROBLEMS! "Boldly pursue" bigger and better things.

Gonna Keep Movin'

Life is not a very complicated thing--it's pretty straightforward. You're born, you go through life trying to get as much out of it as you can, you die. That's really all there is to it. Now, stop the pious gasping; "getting as much out of it as you can" covers everything from hedonism to hermitage. There are as many methods and definitions of drawing everything possible from life as there are people. Prayer, Bible study, and witnessing are just as much a manner of this as are drugs, pleasure-seeking, and materialism.
But back to life.... Yes, life is a rather simple concept. It's simply a journey like any other--you put one foot in front of the other; you press on; you keep moving. Until one day your journey's over. Those footsteps will take you through a lot of places and situations. They'll bring hundreds and thousands of people across your path. Some of those places and situations and people will be pleasant, some not so much. But at the end of the day you have to take another step and just keep traveling on.
That's not a well-loved idea when you're in the good times. You want to bask in the glory of success, to enjoy the moment. You cannot. You have to keep walking down the path of your life, and that may very well mean a trial--after all, every mountain has two downward slopes. But this fact comes in handy in the tough times, when you don't want to stay where you are. Don't worry--you won't! Life moves on, and every valley is followed by a mountain.
My family is in yet another valley. So many people are saying things like, "You must be devastated," shaking their heads with pity. Cancer is a scary word, and I understand their sentiments. But cancer is just like any other valley: you get out of it one step at a time. You just keep walking! One foot in front of the other, one day at a time, you keep moving knowing that there's an upside to every hill.

Coloring Life

This afternoon I heard a father get on his son: "You're not doing a good job! I told you: if you're not going to stay in the lines, you just don't color." How harsh is that?! I mean, we're not talking about a ten-year-old or anything; this kid probably wasn't more than six.
You know, we all go out of the lines sometimes in life, don't we? We slip, we trip, we mess up, and we go out of the lines. Don't know about you, but I sure am glad God doesn't treat me the way that father did his son. The Bible tells us that God knows that we are but flesh. And still He died to erase all of our outside-the-lines coloring! How awesome is our God!

I'd like to apologize for my recent lack of faithfulness to TMP. Last week was kinda crazy. For the few of you who may not know, my mother went in the hospital Monday and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (blood cancer) on Wednesday. After more tests, she was released Friday evening. There will be a blog accessible from JohnHouseholder.com tracking her condition and treatment, etc.
But on to TMP....

For the love of Christ constraineth us.... 2 Corinthians 5:14
About 70 years ago a movement started that called itself "Fundamentalism." The idea was that they didn't agree with the direction the major denominations (particularly the Southern Baptist Convention) were heading, and they were going to hold to "Old Time Religion." There was nothing innately wrong with the Fundamentalist movement to start with, but over the years it's become more and more works-focused. And not merely works to please God (which is in itself a faulty philosophy,) but works to please men--rules for rules' sake so to speak. The truth is, we're not to do anything because soem man-made rule, even one loosely based on Scripture, says so. And we're not to do things to please God, per se--grace took care of that, because our very best is not good enough. We are to live in a way that would please God out of a love for Him. Don't get sidetracked by rules and regulations; keep your focus on Christ, and you WILL live for Him.

An All-The-Way God

Last time I talked about the lame man healed at the Gate Beautiful in Acts 3, and how his leaping up demonstrated his faith. There's one other thing that this says to me--it tells me that our God doesn't do things half-way. God didn't heal this man over several months, weeks or days. The man didn't get a tingling sensation in his toes, that gradually spread throughout his legs, that turned into full-fledged feeling, that allowed him to perform a year of physical therapy to develop the muscles.... No, God immediately gave the man full power in his previously lame legs. There was no in-between time, and there was no in-between result. The lame man had no limp or gimp--he leaped and ran, because God isn't a half-way God.

Leaping Faith

When I was in college I took a class on the book of Acts in which we had to learn the primary events of each chapter. The teacher was obsessed with the first event in chapter three--the healing of the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. There's one phrase in this account that really strikes me. In verse eight when Peter tells our friend the lame man to rise, the Scripture says, "And he leaping up...."
That's fascinating. This man was more than forty years old, we're told, and had never walked. Now, if that's me, I'm going to very gingerly get to my knees and exercise extreme caution placing my feet beneath me for the first time. After all, more than forty years of personal experience have taught me that my legs will not hold me. Not this guy. He had enough faith in Peter's words that he lept up. I wonder how much more power we'd have in our lives if we demonstrated leaping faith instead of crawling faith.
There's another thought I derive from this phrase, but I'll save that for tomorrow.

Abraham's Problem

Abraham had a problem: he was always trying to do things his way. First, God promised him a son by Sarah, so Abraham decided to help God out by having a child with Hagar. Enter Ishmael and a whole heap of trouble for Abraham, his descendants, and the entire world for the duration of time. Brilliant.
Then the writer of Hebrews tells us that Abraham, when he was going to offer Isaac to the Lord, believed that God would raise his son from the dead to fulfill His promise. Now, Hebrews presents this as an example of faith, and it was; but it was flawed faith. It was a faith based on human assumption. Don't you think that Abraham's way may have caused some trust issues with Isaac? I can see it now, a year later:

ABRAHAM: "Isaac, let's go; the time has come to sacrifice unto the Lord."
ISAAC: "Yeah, you go right on ahead...I'm right behind you. [aside] Riiiiiiiggghht! You on your own with that one, Pops!"

Abraham couldn't seem to let God do things His way. He made his own conclusions, came up with his own way of doing things, and every time he was wrong! Don't be like Abraham. Trust God to do things HIS way, not yours, and your life will flow much smoother.

Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday

I got an e-mail today that included this statement: "Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday." Most of the time the things we worry about never come to pass. We've spent precious time and mental and emotional resources stressing about something that never even happened--what a waste! Don't waste your life or cause yourself unneccesary stress with worry. Change what you can and give the rest to God.

Slow It Down

I may have already written about this, but we can use the reminder.
Ever catch yourself wishing the time would go by faster? This thought usually comes to me when I'm at work. I wish the day would hurry up and pass so that I could get out of there! What are we really doing when we wish time would go on? We're wishing our lives away! Every day is a gift from God--and we're praying they'll go away FASTER! Let's try to remember that "this is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Never Slumbers Nor Sleeps

I'm tired. Worn out. Exausted. And I only worked a little over 7 hours today! Of course, it would happen that we were slow until everyone else left--then I got slammed for the last hour and a half I was there. Alone. Without help.
I tell you this, not for your pity (although cash and food are both accepted if you DO feel sorry for me,) but to make this point: I'm tired...but God isn't. It's a relief to know that I have a God on my side Who will never experience weariness. My hardest day cannot even put a dent in His ability to carry me through.

Reason for Struggling

We had a guest speaker yesterday at my church who posed an interesting question: Why didn't God remove our sin nature upon salvation? I have my own theory about that. If our sin nature had been revoked the instant we accepted Christ, we wouldn't need Him. Until we stand before Him, only our imperfections tether us to Him. We have to have him, and we know it--our failures and struggles remind us daily.

Bear Their Burdens

Our society has grown callous. Things that were once sad and wrong are now funny and okay. Things that once appalled us now amuse us; and this apathy has spilled over into Christianity. Now I'm not talking about gray-area standards and opinions. I mean things like habits and lifestyles that bring suffering and destruction. Things like drugs, alcohol, immorality.... Things that once brought shock and disgust; then eventually a mere sad shaking of heads; and now they elicit jokes and chuckles.
What happened to us? Somewhere along the line we stopped thinking of that pothead or drunk or homosexual or prostitute or what-have-you as someone's son or daughter. There are parents and friends with aching hearts; who are suffering while watching someone they care about ruin their lives. How can we be so callous as to laugh at these? Are we really that self-absorbed? God instructs us to bear one another's burdens. If you've no compassion for those hurting themselves, at least hurt for those hurting along with them.

Jesus Is Still The Answer

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Usually, we just think that means that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, which it does mean. But it means a lot more, too. Jesus, in this simple statement, places Himself as the answer to all mankind's basic desires. We have a few central, inborn needs: we need a direction and a purpose, we crave something that is real and meaningful, and we long for a life beyond our simple existance. And Jesus is the only source for these things. Only through Him can we find a path worth walking with a purpose and meaning. Only in Christ can we find truth and understanding. And only in Him will we be able to experience real living--during our mortal existances or after. He is the way, the truth and the life. Apart from Him is nothing.

Mercy's Mark

I'm listening to a CD by a quartet called Mercy's Mark. What a great name! Isn't that, after all, what all of us who claim the name of Christ are? We're like footprints of the mercy of our Lord and Savior. I gotta tell ya: if I got what I deserved I'd split Hell wide open! It never ceases to amaze me just how sinful I am, just how many times I can fail God, turn my back on Him and make the same mistakes over and over. We talk about how Judas betrayed Christ, but isn't that exactly what we do every time we, after having partaken of His grace and mercy and forgiveness, choose sin? Yet He's always there with mercy great enough to forgive every sin. As I look back over the past almost 25 years, I have to say that my life truly is a living stamp of mercy's mark, and I must be eternally grateful.

Knowledge Through Faith

There are several principles in the Bible that are underlying (as opposed to being openly stated.) One of these I call the principle of "knowledge through faith." Here's the idea: There are things that we know because we can see them, feel them, taste them, hear them or smell them--we've physically or emotionally or mentally experienced them on some way. Then there are things that we know without any metaphysical evidence--we're so convinced of their existance, that our faith in them becomes, in our minds, knowledge.
For example: I know there's a God. Do I have physical evidence of God's existance? No. I cannot experience Him with my five senses; He's not an emotion; He's not a condition or state of the mind. I have no reason to say that I know there's a God. Yet my faith in Him is so strong that I can say without hesitation I know there is a God.
What does this mean? Psychologically this concept is immence; we could discuss it for hours--and probably be no closer to expaining or understanding it. But as for how it affects us, it can be boiled down to this: my faith is mine alone. I cannot transfer it to any other person. But I can hold to it as fact, live in its light, and hope and pray that someday my faith will bring light to those around me.

When We Should Worry

I lay in bed for hours last night unable to sleep. I was worried about a friend. In retrospect I feel guilty--not for worrying (although that is a sin,) but because it doesn't happen more often. Oh, I lie awake in bed a lot, but how often is it out of concern for someone else? Shouldn't we, as Christians, be the most caring, loving, forgiving, sharing people in the world? After all, we have been cared about, loved, forgiven, and shared with more than the world has in that God cared about and loved us enough to forgive us all our sins and share with us His Son. If we aren't concerned enough to be worried for our friends, who will be? Maybe sometimes we SHOULD worry a little--for others.

Working Out Our Salvation

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:25
My sin disgusts me. I hate it, despise it, am repulsed by it. Yet I keep going back to it. The Scripture says that we who are saved are no longer bound by sin; we've been released from it and can not sin. And yet we do. Every single day. It frustrates me so much, I'm tempted sometimes to just give up trying. Why, if we are free from the need to sin, do we still run back to it?
The moment we accepted Christ, He saved us from the penalty of sin. Our sin-debt of hell was paid for, never to bother us again. But there are two other parts of our salvation: the power of sin and the presence of sin. Our salvation from the presence of sin will be completed when we see Christ--be it via death or rapture. That just leaves the power of sin. This salvation's a little more complicated because it doesn't occur at a particular time. This is the salvation that Paul tells us we have to "work out." We have to wrestle and fight our way to this one. It's a long, hard, weary journey that begins the day we trusted the Lord and won't end until we stand before Him. We don't have to sin. But the ugly truth is, we do and we will. We just have to get back up and keep going with patience, working out our salvation although we don't yet see it.

What I Am

I can't claim to be a great Christian. Truth be told, most of the time I feel I must be the worst child God has. But every now and then it occurs to me that I have one thing I can be proud of, and that's that the people around me have confidence in my faith. I may mess up and fail God every single day--and I do--but in spite of my many failures I know that the people I work with would tell you without hesitation that John Householder is a Christian, that he trusts in God and God's forgiving and healing power, and that he lives out his faith every day to the best of his ability. I can't claim perfection; I can't even claim goodness. But I'm proud to claim the grace and mercy and forgiveness of Christ that will allow even a miserable failure like me to bear His name and represent His kingdom. And I'm proud that everyone who knows me knows Whose I am.

20 Years Away

Have you ever noticed how new Christians or missionaries who've been away from mainstream organized religion for a while always seem to have a better spirit about them? How they seem to have a closer, more real relationship with God?
A missionary spoke briefly at our church last night who really struck me as one of those. And get this: he hadn't been back from the field since 1988--almost 20 years away! It seems crazy. Yet he simply radiated joy, and his love of Christ came through in every word he spoke. Why is that? I have a theory (of course.) I believe that such people are closer to God because that's where their attention is centered. Missionaries long on the field are surrounded by the lost and new converts. New believers haven't been much around their new Christian family. Because of this, Christ is still the focal point of their Christian life, as He should be. But as we are more around other 'mature' Christians, they, not Jesus, take over our attention. It's so easy to get distracted by other Christians, their faults, their problems, their short-comings. We have to regularly realign our lives to be Christ-centered.

Willfully Ignorant

The History Channel is currently airing a special as I type this on the Ten Plagues. According to their "experts," the first six plagues resulted from a large amount of red algae infected with anthrax flooding the Nile. Riiiiiigggghhht! And the others (with the exception of the final plague) were also "merely" natural phenomenons. Essentially, they can more easily believe that nine incredibly unlikely occurances followed one right after the other in fairly rapid succession in the same place than that God could send His judgements against His enemies.
Those of us who have accepted God's Word as truth see such a position as the utter stupidity it is. But why are we surprised? Humans have an incredible ability to put mind over matter, and can convince themselves of about anything. And sinful men don't like the thought of a just, holy God Who will judge their sin. Why then would we be surprised when natural men deny the existance of God? And why would we be surprised when they deny His power and His Word? We shouldn't.
Don't be surprised when the unsaved don't understand you, your convictions, your standards and your God. Pray for them, hold your stance faithfully, and when given opportunity, be prepared to present your case with confidence and authority.

A Child's Heart, Pt. 7

What did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher? A policeman? A fireman? A nurse? Kids have an incredible capacity for dreaming. There's no limitation to possibilities in their minds. They never stop dreaming. God wants His children to dream, too. He loves it when we have dreams and ambitions. And He loves when we share them with Him...and ask Him to help us achieve them. Where is it written that adults and/or Christians shouldn't dream? I haven't found it anywhere. But Proverbs does say, "without a vision the people perish." Dreams keep us going, give us something to live for and work towards. Never stop dreaming! Never stop looking ahead to bigger and better things!

A Child's Heart, Pt. 6

Perhaps one of the most evident features of childhood is a vivid and lively imagination. As children we could run in circles, arms outspread and easily convince ourselves that we were flying; we could pretend we were anywhere in the world at any time in the past, present or future and make it so incredibly real to ourselves.
But somewhere along the way that imaginative ability faded. Perhaps we became "disillusioned"; maybe we simply got too busy to practice imagining. Either way, that active imagination has become fat and lazy and very much out of shape. Well, let's whip it back into shape! God doesn't want a bunch of unimaginative kids. There's so much in the Bible that requires imagination! The stories of the Old Testament, the images of Revelation...we didn't or haven't seen these things, but they're described for us that we might have something to look back on and foward to. But we have to get our imaginations in gear! And I believe God wants us to use our imaginations in getting His message out, too. People are constantly changing and, like it or not, they cannot be reached the same way they could fifty years ago. (That's not to say that we should change our genuine convictions or that the Gospel has--or will--change, but...) we need to come up with new ways to share the glorious message of hope and salvation in Christ.
Wake up your imagination!

A Child's Heart, Pt. 5

There's nothing that can bring people together easier than children. God only knows how many rival groups and families have been reconciled because their children just didn't know any better than to be friends with their "enemies." It's not an inborn trait to treat people differently because of their race or gender or social status. To a kid, another kid is a kid. Period. They'll be friends with and play with anyone. Children are naturally accepting. Another reason that their lives are happier, easier and less complicated.
God wants us to be the same way. He wants His children to accept and love one another regardless of race or gender or any other so-called social differences. He sees us all the same; so should we. Now, that's not to say we should ignore sin and accept it as okay, but we should love the person and be willing to forgive them and accept them.

A Child's Heart, Pt. 4

"Why?" ... "Oh. Why?"
Ever heard a conversation like this? Parents (not to mention babysitters) can get frustrated with a kid's insatiable curiosity, but that curiosity may be one of the most important traits that child has. Curiosity asks questions; curiosity demands answers; curiosity seeks knowledge...and isn't satisfied until it finds it.
God loves it when His children ask questions and seek answers. He wants us to know Him; He desires to reveal the secrets of His Word to us. But are we curious enough to ask the questions?

A Child's Heart, Pt. 3

Similar to, but not exactly the same as resiliancy in a child is forgetfullness. Children seem to have such short memories sometimes! They get hurt or angry or interested...and five minutes later it's as if nothing happened. They forget the pain before the tears even dry on their cheeks; they "hate" someone one minute, and the next they're playing on the monkey bars with them; they get a new toy and it's their "favorite" for seemingly a moment before they're back playing with that toy they've had for a year.
And life is so much happier and simpler. Grudges don't exist, rumors don't fly, bitterness doesn't set in. How much better our lives would be, how much stronger and healthier our relationships with God and man, if we would just remember to forget!

A Child's Heart, Pt. 2

Have you ever seen a baby learning how to walk? Or a group of small children playing? One thing is certain with both of these things: falls. Kids fall, they get scrapes and bumps and bruises. But they're resiliant little suckers, and though they may cry for a minute or two, they bounce right back up and keep on going.
Resiliance is an invaluable trait in this life. We are going to get knocked down, beat up, abused; it's our job to get back on our feet and keep on going. Don't let things keep you out of the race--get up and run on! Be resiliant.

A Child's Heart, Pt. 1

There's a well-known instance in the Bible where Jesus was teaching and a group of children came up to Him; the disciples, thinking they were doing the Lord a favor, shooed the children away, but Christ stopped them. "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:" He rebuked, "for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
That's an interesting statement: "for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
I pondered on that recently and came up with several childlike characteristics that I believe God wants His children to hold on to.
Children possess an incredible ability to display faith. As children we tended to trust before doubting. With the passing of time, though, that trusting nature faded. Our spirits became jaded by the grime of a lying and deceitful world, and we lost that easy faith. But if we are to come to God--in our daily lives as well as for salvation--a child-like faith and trust in Him is our only path. Somehow we have to scrub away that grime, dust off our faith. We have to put total, complete, unwavering trust in our Heavenly Father as we once did in our earthly parents. Only then can we see Him.

It Could Be Worse

Yesterday was all wrong. The morning started by having to get up early and kept that negative motif up right through a party of six leaving me a big mess and ONE dollar! It was ugly, and I was mad through and through. Then I walked around the corner and saw a couple that comes in regularly. They've been coming in for years every Thursday. That sounds meaningless, I know, but let me tell you a bit about this man.
Several years ago, he owned a business and was very active. Then he had a massive stroke. Now he comes in for his Thursday lunch with a cane in one hand, the other curved and knotted up. Some days are better than others, but there are times when it takes him several minutes to walk just a few yards--even to get up. Yet he labors on even on the bad days with a smile on his face and a joke ready to tell everyone who will listen.
I couldn't help feeling better. How on earth could I be mad about my situation?! So I had to get up a little early--I guarantee you somone didn't sleep at all the night before because the pain shooting through their body kept them awake or because they were sitting by the bed of a sick loved one. Yeah, I got some sorry customers and got ripped off and the whole morning was a trial. But the morning ended, the afternoon passed, and I went home. It was over. But that man went home, and his arm stayed curled, his leg stiff and unmovable.
Sometimes we need to step back and look at just how good God is to us. "This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

Who's In Your Mirror

In Matthew 15 Jesus was approached by a Canaanite woman; you know...one of those the children of Israel were told to wipe out? Her daughter was ill, probably dying, and she recognized in Jesus hope for healing. But Jesus spurned her. "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Most of us today would become indignant, probably say something incredibly clever like, "Well, if that's the kind of God you are, I don't WANT to go to your heaven!" But not this woman; she AGREED with Him! And then got what she wanted. Why? Because she acknowledged what she was, and trusted Christ to accept her and look past that.
Too often we never get past that first part. We can't admit that we are wretched, horrible, helpless sinners, so we never even really recognize our need of Him. Know who you are. See yourself as the needy being--the dog--you are.

Most Likely to Succeed, Pt. 4

The Bible says the first shall be last and the last shall be first. When my class gets together to celebrate our ten-year high school reunion chances are everyone will look at the former classmate who makes the most money or has accomplished something special as the most successful. Maybe they will be. But it won't be because of money. No, success isn't determined by anything so temporal.
Anyone who is happy and at peace in their life, who is content with who they are, what they are and what they have--that person is a success. The missionary who no one ever hears about and never has more than the bare necessities; the businessman with millions and three homes who gives freely of his wealth and time. Both can be equally successful. Are you happy where you are? Are you confident that you are in the will of God? If so, you may well be the "most likely to succeed!"

Most Likely to Succeed, Pt 3

You may disagree, and that's fine, but I'm of the opinion that Elvis Presley had the most evocative, if not the best, voice ever recorded. Smooth as Egyptian cotton sheets, rich as double fudge chocolate chip ice cream. And it made him a very, very wealthy man. As a matter of fact, Elvis makes more every year dead than most people will see in a lifetime. He is, I dare say, one of the top five most popular figures in American history.
He died with his terrific, world-reknowned hair mussed, his unbelievably well-known and loved face lying in a puddle of his own vomit.
I think we could say that Elvis Presley, when it was all said and done, was not really a success. He accomplished incredible things, will not be forgotten as long as the world stands, amassed more wealth and possessions than most reading this could imagine. But he died, a miserable man, from a drug overdose. Why? I think Elvis was saved. There's certainly a good bit of evidence that he may have been. And it's well-documented that his true musical heart was gospel music, and that he always wanted to be a gospel singer. But he allowed himelf to be taken off track. Elvis was never in the will of God, I don't believe; not because he sang rock and roll (that's another conversation altogether,) but because he didn't sing what he knew he was supposed to.
To be continued....

Most Likely to Succeed, Pt 2

Success. We get a distinct visual image when we think of it, don't we? For most of the world, the first thought is of Bill Gates, Donald Trump (when he's a billionaire, not when he's bankrupt,) Madonna, George Clooney.... Ahhh, the lifestyle of the rich and famous! More on our own level, and back to the senior superlatives/high school reunion analogy--we might look at our former classmates and say, "He's a doctor, makes six fugures a year, and saves lives. He's the most successful." Or "She started in the mail room of a Fortune 500 company and made VP in record time. Certainly she's the biggest success."
Now, there's nothing wrong with either of those scenarios. And maybe one of those would be the most successful persons in a given group. It is entirely possible for an accomplished doctor or businessperson, even a celebrity to be successful.
But it might be that the real success at my senior class reunion is the guy who works at Lowe's Hardware driving a forklift. Or the girl who got married, had three kids and spends her entire day changing diapers and warming bottles. Success isn't about money or accomplishments.

Most Likely to Succeed, Pt.1

It's been a crazy month and a half with three trips back and forth to different parts of Tennessee and Florida. Yesterday, finishing off the last leg of the latest not-really-vacation, riding home in the second back seat of a fifteen passenger van, I realized that my ten-year high school reunion is only three years away. Time flies. (Which means I better start trying to get in shape for said reunion now!)
Ordinarily that would simply remind me that I'm getting old and that would be the end of it, but this time I wondered also about those silly superlatives we voted on back in the day. Most athletic, most friendly, most academic, most school spirit, best smile, most likely to succeed, most likely to win a free meal by finishing a 72-ounce steak meal complete with baked potato and salad.... Mostly I honed in on the "most likely to succeed" thing. I couldn't even tell you who my class voted most likely to succeed. But I wonder...in three years when my class gets together (if we do,) who will really be the successes? And, more interesting to think about, will we even recognize it? Hmmm....
(to be continued...)

Check Your Focus

Does anyone else hate out-of-focus pictures? Like a picture of a person standing next to, say, a sign with the sign in perfect focus...and the person all fuzzy. What happened? Of course the photographer focued the camera on the wrong subject.
That happens all too often with Christians. Yeah, they've got Christ in their frame; but their focus is on a side subject. The result is always the same--a disappointing, sub-par picture. That's the problem the Pharisees had. They were more concerned with their form of worship than with the object of their worship. I'm afraid there are a lot of Pharisees in our churches, more concerned with other people than with their relationship with God. Remember this: life isn't digital--you don't get to delete a shot and try it again. The shutter only opens once; get it right!

The Message

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, Hebrews 1:2a
This is the message of God for us: Christ. God's message is His Son. Everything He had to say to us, He said by sending us Jesus. Are we listening? Or trying to create another message for ourselves?

No More?

Remember when the scribes and pharisees brought the adulteress before Jesus? Remember the whole, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" Now do you remember what Jesus said to the woman? He said, "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more." You know, I'd bet everything I have that woman sinned again. And you know what else? Jesus was right there to say again, "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."
How many times have we heard those words? It seems like every day I'm hauled before Him, entirely and undeniably guilty, caught in the very act; yet every time He's there saying, "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more." Knowing the whole time that I'm going to sin again before you know it. How lovingly merciful is that?!

Forbearing Faith

By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, Proverbs 25:15a

Again with the impatience! We ask for something, and when we don't get it right away, we just give up. Come on! Sometimes God wants to see a little persistance on our part. Kind an "if at first you don't succeed" type thing. If at first you don't recieve ask, ask again! That's not to say there won't be times when the answer comes and it's a "no," but when God says no, He'll let you know. Until then, if what you desire doesn't contradict God's Word or His general will for all Christians--keep asking! Be a prayer warrior of forbearing faith.

Slow it Down

In our high-paced, fast-food society we've forgotten the virtue of patience. Once upon a time, people grew up having to wait. Now we go everywhere 55, 60, 70 miles an hour; microwaves take minutes instead of hours; everyone has a drive-thru. We don't have to wait for crops to come up, an oven with uneven temps to cook our food, or our feet to carry us everywhere we go.
Sometimes that attitude can carry over into our spiritual lives. The Bible repeatedly tells us to wait on the Lord. His timing and ours don't always coincide. Today more than ever we have to force oursleves to be patient and wait for His perfect timing. Learn to be still...and wait.

Choose to be Happy

This is the day that the LORD hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Joy and gladness is not something that we happen upon in life. That idea is the main reason so many people lead unhappy and unfulfilled lives--they spend their time waiting for happiness to come to them. But being glad and having joy comes from recognizing the goodness and greatness of God and choosing to be happy. That's what it comes down to. Are you going to be happy in life, or are you going to be downcast and downtrodden? The choice is yours.

Step Up

Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace.... Hebrews 4:16
Sometimes I catch myself praying timidly or hesitantly. God doesn't want that garbage. We are instructed to come boldly and confidently before Him with our requests and petitions. He is, after all, our Friend and Father. I just don't see a prince or princess slinking into their father's throneroom. And we aren't to, either. God wants to hear from us; He wants to provide for us. There is absolutely no reason for you to hesitate or be timid when approaching your God. Be bold!

Live on Purpose

Live on purpose. Many times we just kind of float through life, just getting by. That's not God's plan for you. He wants us to live an abundant life, full of joy and happiness and victory and purpose. Don't waste your time on earth away plodding through. Fulfill God's will of abundant life--live on purpose!

The Shepherd's Flock

The LORD is my shepherd.... Everyone pulls it out whenever things aren't going right, when trouble arrives or seems imminent. But how often do we think about the implications of that statement? Because, if the Lord is my shepherd, that means that I'm His sheep. That means that I reflect on Him. If my language is vulgar, if my attitude stinks, if I'm always complaining and negative, if I'm lazy, if my lifestyle is destructive...I'm making Christ seem like a bad shepherd. But if there's something different about me, if my language and habits are clean, if I'm a positive and uplifting person, if I'm known as a hardworking and responsible person...then I can reasonably offer my shpeherd's services to others. After all, people can screw their lives up on their own; but we need help to rise above. So, ask yourself: are you reflecting well on your shepherd?

Rekindle the Flame

Anybody ever get a new job, start a new hobby or begin a new project that you were really excited about or thoroughly enjoyed--for the first few months...or weeks...or days? What happened then? The newness wore off. It got old.
The same happens in our Christian life. After time the newness of being saved and having a relationship with God wears off; and we get bored. In our jobs, the result is going to work is a drag. We do it anyway...bills don't pay themselves. With hobbies and projects, we set it aside with the self-promise that we'll finish it later. In our relationship with God, though, we can't afford to just forget about it. And dragging our way through it isn't good enough. We have to rekindle that first love.
I can't tell you how to do this other than to say, just treat it like a human relationship that gets old. You have to shake things up in some way. Take time to talk it over with Him. Revisit what He's done for you. Find a way, though, to get back that first love. It's vitally important.

My God Is So BIG!

Do you remember singing "My God Is So Big?" My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do! If you grew up in church, you probably sang it dozens, even hundreds of times. How long as it been, though, since you thought about that truth? Our God holds worlds in His hands. He holds veto rights on the actions of every person on the planet. He is unhindered by restraints of time and space.
Our finite minds tend to limit God. We impose rules on him that don't apply. God is not bound by the rules that bind us! He's bigger than that. He's stronger than that. There's nothing my God cannot do!

God is Good!

There are a lot of traps that we fall into as Christians. Semantics present an especially tricky area. Example: Many times we're guilty of saying things like, "God is good because He did____!" What's the problem? Well, yes, God is good. And whatever you filled in the blank with is, I'm quite sure, excellent evidence of God's goodness. But God is not good because of what He does...God is good because He is God! Goodness is His very nature. Indeed, He defines goodness just as He defines love and holiness. There may be times when we don't see what we would consider proof of God's goodness in our lives; sometimes it will seem like God is cruel and vicious--He's not. God's ways are higher than our ways, the Bible tells us, and we won't always understand them. But He always knows best, He's always looking out for our best interests, and He's always good!

A REALLY Good Lit Teacher

Psalm 119:18 asks, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." This ought to be the prayer of each Christian each day. We have this incredible advantage in studying the Word--the Author is there with us. I always hated in literature classes when teachers and textbooks (literature textbooks--what a crock!) tried to say, "Well, this is what the author was trying to say." It bugged me, because I'd put everything I own on the fact that most of the time the writers weren't commenting on the state of the union or the corruptness of politicians or.... Couldn't they have been--oh, I don't know--telling a story?!
But with the Scripture, we don't have to wonder what the Writer did or did not mean. We can just ask! He's right there with us to go through His Work with us. Take advantage of your very knowledgable tutor! He'd love to help.

A Freeing Faith

The other day someone, quite indignant about that whole flier thing that I mentioned the other day, demanded, "So, what...you think everyone shoul just do whatever's right in their own eyes?"
Well, in a way...yes!
Romans chapter 14 sums up the Christian life by saying, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." The simple fact of the matter is, there is a plethora of gray areas in life. There are going to be things that I do that you wouldn't and vice versa--and that's okay. A lot of Christians don't like that; Christian liberty in its raw form scares them to death. But fearing something, being made uncomfortable by it, doesn't make it less real. Paul wrote later in the same chapter, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." The fact of the matter is, Christian maturity is exactly the opposite of what many people have long thought. A mature believer is not one who lines up a series of rules that one must follow to please God, but one who recognizes the difference between a commandment and a preference.

He's Living Again

Too often when people are shown how to share the Gospel they are imbedded with one major flaw--they're trained to leave Jesus on the cross. Jesus died for us; His blood was shed so that our sin-debt might be paid. But He didn't stay dead! Jesus is alive, and it is in that fact that we have our victory.
If they knew where to look, Muslims could find the bones of Mohammed and Buddhists could view the grave of Budda. Every pope dies and Mormans can pay homage at the grave of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. But there is no grave of Jesus Christ; no bones will ever be found that belonged in His body. Jesus is alive! And because Jesus rose from the dead, we can be assured that we can live forever as well.
Don't leave Jesus on the cross!

The Love of God

Tomorrow is a day we set aside (in theory) to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and I'll talk more about that then, but today I want to remember what He did three days prior.
We think about the death of Jesus and we think about the crown of thorns, the beatings, the stumbling journey up Golgotha, the nails, the spear. We imagine the pain, the suffering, the humiliation. But too often we imagine it from only our human point of view. Jesus was a human being--He did feel the pain, the suffering, the humiliation. But He was much more than that--He was the Son of God. And while Christ hung on that cross, suspended between heaven and earth, He felt the ultimate pain and loss--He experienced, for the first time in eternity past, real seperation from His Father. When our sins were placed upon Jesus, God the Father had to turn His back on His Son. At that moment, Jesus took our Hell. The burden of the cross was great, but the burden of my sins and your sins and the sins of every man, woman and child who has ever lived was infinitely greater. Take all the guilt you've ever felt in your entire life, multiple it by billions...that's what Christ endured for us. And He did it knowing that His Father would forsake Him during that time. How much He loves us! How much do we return that love?

Grown-Up Problems?

My church hosts a big, well-known youth conference every year, and the fliers for this year's conference recently went out. No big deal--except that no one looked them over first. Within days the youth pastor received 17 phone calls complaining about the flier. Was there a faux pas inducing spelling error? No. A screwed up Bible verse? Nope. a vulgar reference of any sort? No way. The thing that caused so much problem: a picture featuring guys whose hair covered their ears.
So...17 grown adults felt the need to call and cause a fuss.
What is wrong with us?! We're more concerned about a picture with shaggy-headed young men than with changing young hearts for the Lord. What a sad, sad commentary on Chrisitanity! Let's grow up, folks, and learn to be concerned with things that actually matter.

Hiking Towards Heaven

I'm tired. Insomnia has from time to time plagued me since childhood, but I'm going on a week and a half of not being able to sleep. I'm not telling you this so you can feel sorry for me (but if you do, feel free to send checks, money orders or homemade cookies;) I'm telling you this to make a point. Sometimes you're tired. Sometimes everything seems to be going against you. Sometimes life just stinks! And right now, for me, life is stinkin' to high heaven.
I read a friend's blog today, though, that helped me put a little perspective on things. She recently went on a hiking trip in the Great Smokies of Tennessee and shared some thoughts on hiking and life in this blog. One of the things she pointed out was that, even when the trail is steep and tough, you can rest assured that at some point it will level out--even turn downhill. So true! Life is a journey--a marathon, not a sprint--and there are times like I'm having right now when it's hard. But there are two sides to every hill.
You, too may be climbing right now; or maybe you will be soon. God's not playing a cruel joke on you--you'll eventually reach the top and be able to start down the other side. That may not make it easier to climb, but it sure does give you a reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

March 23, 2007

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mark 6:31

In today's society of high speed everything, we tend to burn out. Sometimes we just need a break--physically, emotinally, mentally, and spiritually. That's what happened here to the disciples, and Jesus pulled them aside. Rest is important. Without it our bodies weaken, our mental clarity and sharpness diminishes, and our spirit becomes worn down. Every now and then take some time to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Spiritually, take some time to get away with the Lord. You're sure to come back refreshed.

March 18, 2007

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that htough wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:10

There's a difference between being content and being satisfied. One of the primary reasons people are not where they want to be in life--are not happy--is that they are satisfied too soon. God wants you to be happy! He wants to bless you in ways that you cannot even imagine! But if we sit back and accept what we have and where we're at, we may well never see those abundant blessings. Don't be a have-not-because-ye-ask-not Christian; be a Jabez. Seize the day! Tell God exactly what you want...and expect great things!

March 17, 2007

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8

This morning at about 8:30 a legend died. Roger Bennett, acclaimed pianist of the Cathedrals and Legacy Five, lost a long battle with leukemia.

I'm sad. I'm sad for his wife Debbie and children Jordan and Chelsea who are missing a husband and father. I'm sad for his fellow group members who are without a close friend and confidant. I'm sad for his multitudes of fans who will never again hear a hero of the faith and superb musician minister in song. I'm sad for everyone who will miss Roger Bennett.

But I am not sad for Roger Bennett!

Indeed, I'm happy for him. Roger was hurting. Roger was, I dare say, so very, very tired. And at this moment he's pain free and not the least bit tired. I write this with confidence. Roger Bennett is not in a morgue or funeral home; he's in the presence of the God he spent the last 28 years singing about across the country--even around the world. Roger's frail and pain-racked body was left behind, and he is right now--at this very moment--experiencing the freedom and joy of true healing.

We'll miss you, Roger, but our tears will also be joyful ones for your sake. See you on the other side!

March 16, 2007

Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. Philemon 21

That's the kind of testimony we should all desire. As representatives of Christ, we should do everything we can to ensure that people have confidence in us. Do your co-workers and neighbors have confidence in you? Do they know you will do the right thing? Do they naturally expect you to go above and beyond--because you always do? I wonder, if asked, how many of those around us could say without hesitation that they are confident in us.

March 15, 2007

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Colossians 1:14

There are a lot of things that I don't have. So many, in fact, that I'm not even going to start listing some of them here. But I can tell you this: nothing that I don't have is worth anywhere near what I do have! I have redemption. I have complete and total forgiveness. I have liberty. I have peace. I have hope. I have Jesus!

March 14, 2007

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Psalm 146:5

Everyone wants to be happy. Some people spend their whole lives seeking happiness in everything you can think of: money, possessions, drugs, alcohol, sex, entertainment, charity, work, hobbies...the list is endless. Yet, as Solomon said, all that is vanity--worthless. There's a God-sized void in every human life that nothing and no one other than He can fill. But with Him in that spot, how happy we are! There's no need to worry--He's our burden-bearer. No need to fear--He's our protector. No need to faint--He's out sustainer. No need to wander through life--He's our guide. With the one true God in our lives, we can know true and lasting happiness!

March 13, 2007

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Matthew 9:12

There are a lot of people out there hurting. Many need and want someone to care, to be a positive influence in a life filled with negative. Maybe someone near you is like this, wanting you to be a friend, hoping you will help make them a better person. My question for you is, are you going to be that positive influence, or are you going to cut them off at the knees? I know people on both sides of this coin. I've seen those reaching out for help--and those so-called Christians smile to their face...then stab them in the back. Is that the sort of "Christian" you are? Are you the person who smiles and nods when a less-than-perfect friend/co-worker/church member talks to you...then criticizes them as soon as they walk away? Or are you the one who honestly listens and cares, who is attentive enough to sense their pain and reaches out to help? Remember: Jesus didn't come to save the angels--He came to save sinners.

March 12, 2007

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

This is one of the saddest verses in the Bible I think. We have such an awesome, able God, and He wants to do so much for us! Yet only one thing can prevent Him from blessing us like He desires--our sin. How often has my sin held back God's blessing in my life? How about your life? The thing God craves more than anything is fellowship with us, which is an incredible honor; but many times that fellowship is severed by our own doing. We choose our sin (which we often hate ourselves) over a personal relationship with our Savior! Don't let sin stand between you and the Lord--or between you and the Lord's blessings. Remove the hindrance and see how much happier your life will become.

March 11, 2007

Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: Isaiah 59:1

Never forget the liberating fact that your God can do anything. Nothing, nothing, NOTHING is too hard (or too easy) or too big (or too small) for your God to take care of! His reach reaches everywhere; His ear picks up the faintest of cries. And that ear is always tuned to the cries of His children; that arm is always anxious to reach out to His children. How wonderful to know that we serve a God who can!

March 10, 2007

Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: Psalm 40:5a

How incredible it is to realize that God's thoughts are centered around us! God thinks about me! Did you know that? Did you realize that the sovereign God, the Master and Ruler of all thinks about you? And all that He does--all of His marvelous works--are done with us in mind. We are the center of His world. He loves us, He knows us, He cares about us, He thinks about us. We really do have an amazing, involved God!

March 9, 2007

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6

And you thought you had it bad! Just imagine being in David's place: his own king (whom he'd been ordained to seceed) wants to kill him, so he's living with and serving his natural enemies. He's willing to fight his own kinsmen for those enemies who have taken him in, but they will have nothing to do with him and send him home. Back at home a second set of enemies has burned his town and kidnapped his wives and children. Now the men who love him most want to ritualistically kill him!

But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

There's that all-caps LORD again--Jehovah, the Almighty God. David was at (arguably) the low-point of his life, yet he was encouraged. Why? Because he realized that the most-high, almighty God was his God! That this God had not abandoned him and was standing by to protect and guide him. That same God is your God. And he's standing by to protect and guide you! Encourage yourself in the LORD your God--it will all be okay!

March 8, 2007

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:12

This is such a wonderful declaration! God will have mercy on our unrighteousness--He will purposely forget our sins. Does that excite you? It should! All of our short-comings and failures; all of our rebellions and disobediences; all of our mistakes and errors--gone! The slate is clean, and the Savior waits with eraser ready to wipe away any and every mark that we'll put back on it. What a blessing it is to know that He doesn't remember my sin!

March 7, 2007

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Timing is important. We cannot overlook that fact. It is important in every interpersonal relationship we will ever have, and therefore to every aspect of our life. There will be times to joy with someone over their successes, and times to empathize with their failures. There will be times to rejoice with them over victories, and mourn with them over losses. There are times when we will need to keep someone grounded, and times to lift them up. There are times to correct, and times to forgive. Never overlook the factor of timing. It is an oversight that could cost you a relationship.

March 6, 2007

Put on the whole armour of God, the ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

One of the primary reasons that Christians fall is that they fail to keep one word of this command: whole. They don't realize that Satan only needs a little opening. He doesn't need you to be totally off guard and unprepared--he just needs you to leave one spot unprotected, and he can get you. Ours is a wily, ever-vigilant enemy. Put on the whole armour! Don't go into battle (and we do every single day) missing a single piece of your gear! Don't become a statistic because you slacked off in one little area.

March 5, 2007

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

The God of the Bible is a healing God. He knows when you are hurting, because He hurts, too. He knows when you're broken and feel like you can't go on--He feels it, too. Our God is a feeling God, and He longs to alleviate our pain. No matter how it seems to our finite minds, His goal and desire is never to hurt us! But when we do hurt--and we do and will--He is there to bring relief and healing. When the pain seems unbearable, He is there to help bear it. Remember: when your heart is breaking, His is also, and the Great Physician will come with true healing.

March 4, 2007

...avoiding...oppositions of science falsely so called: 1 Timothy 6:20c

As Christians and representatives of Jesus Christ, it is emminently important that we exercise great discretion in every aspect of our lives and beliefs. We have a responsibility to be aware of what is going on in the world around us, to know what we believe, and to have answers ready for those who will question us. Our Lord expects us to be strong and established enough in our faith to not fall for the false teachings that will certainly be thrown at us. Stablish and strengthen yourself in the Word, and you will be ready for any opposition that the world can hurl your way!

March 3, 2007

...avoiding profane and vain babblings, 1 Timothy 6:20b

There's a tendancy for us as humans to insert our own two cents into what God's said. The result is religion. And it's no wonder that so many are fed up with organized religion with its man-centered philosophies. God got it right the first time, there's no call for us to add to or take away from it. Let's strive, as bearers of the true gospel, to avoid inserting our own babblings into that Gospel. Take the Word at face value, trust it, and live it!

March 2, 2007

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, 1 Timothy 6:20a

We have been entrusted with something very special--the Gospel of our Lord. But too often it stays home on the shelf when we leave. This ought not so to be! The blessed good news that God has committed unto us should go with us everywhere! We should be spreading it abroad. Sadly, we're more interested in sharing the news of who got the boot on American Idol than we are about sharing the news that Jesus loves people and died to save them. Friend, as Paul exhorted Timothy, so I exhort you (and myself): keep that which is committed to thy trust!

March 1, 2007

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
Hold onto your faith in the hard times; the times when it seems like nothing's going right; when the people doing wrong seem to be getting blessed for their evil; when there seems no way to withstand the opposition. We're promised that we will overcome. It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. But we will win! Our Father's got everything under control, and as long as we hold onto our trust in Him, we know we'll overcome in the long run.