We Can Miss It If We're Not Careful!

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

Psalm 46:10

I have to confess that sometimes I get so lost in thought that I miss out on everything going on around me.  Sometimes I get so distracted with all that's going on around me that I miss hearing God's quiet voice urging me to reach out to someone.  Sometimes I get so distracted by my own desire to have some time to myself that I miss out on an opportunity to be of help to someone God has put in my path.  It's easy to see when we get too distracted with all the gadgets to the point that we lose focus.  

God tells us to "Be Still" over and over in Scripture.  And He tells us that for a reason: so we can listen to Him!  Let's begin today, this very moment, and spend time being still, clearing our minds of distractions, and listen for God's whisper for you today.  Listen to Him as He tells you of His love for you.  Listen to Him as He reminds you that you are His child.  Listen to Him as He reminds you that He's got plans for your life and they WILL come to pass.  Listen to Him as He whispers to you that He is with you every breath of your life.

If we aren't careful, we'll miss His voice.  Take time to listen.

Start the Year Off Right!

I have made my New Year's Resolution...just one!  It's easier to keep just one than a whole list.  My resolution?  To look to God and, in so doing, try to be of encouragement to others!

Constructive Grieving?

Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
John 21:3

Jesus had been killed and buried.  The Disciples were heartbroken and grieving.  The person they had pinned their hopes on was gone.  They felt lost, depressed and despondent, so they began going through the motions of living.  They went back to fishing, which they could do without having to think about it, because it had been their profession for their entire lives.

I have come in contact with many people who seem to be stuck in the grieving process where they merely go through the motions of living where they don't have to think.  They simply wander through their days with little or no joy, little or no energy, little or not desire to live.  

Please don't get me wrong, grieving is as much a part of life as breathing.  Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us that while there is a time to grieve, life doesn't end because there is also a time to laugh. Our lives do NOT end when God calls home one of our loved ones.  Our lives do NOT end because we don't know why.  Our lives do not end, but too many times the living part of our lives ends.  We choose to focus on our grief to the neglect of everyone and everything else.  But God gives us HOPE if we pay attention!  In John 14:3, Jesus tells us, "I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

When Jesus says He will come get us, He isn't lying. And when He comes to get us, we will be rejoined with all of those we love!  That is the hope for the future!  So, let's not give up living in the present!  

Do You Keep Your Word?

A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

Numbers 30:2 

 

I remember standing in that room with 60 others and taking the Oath of Enlistment for Military Service.  Here's the kicker, even though I was released from service when my enlistment time was up...none of the paperwork I signed ever released me from that Oath!  In fact, one particular document had a clause whereby, if a state of conflict occurred, I could be recalled to service STILL BOUND BY MY OATH!

 

So my question is this, how seriously do we take the giving of our word in vows and oaths?  When I have the opportunity to perform a wedding, there are vows taken by BOTH parties:

"I ________, as you stand before God

and these present asking _____ to be your spouse,

I am promising to Love you, Honor you

Cherish and Protect you;

You are promising to be faithful to you

In sickness and in health

In wealth and in poverty

From this moment until death parts us.

This ring is the symbol of my vow and pledge to you.

Will you accept it?"

How many times do we merely parrot back these words without a single thought to what we are doing?  We are pledging BEFORE GOD and the witnesses that we are serious about keeping our vow and pledge until God releases us by taking our last breath.  

When my Grandfather made a deal, he and whoever he made a deal with would shake hands.  I once asked him why there was no paperwork.  He said, "REAL men honor their word!"

So, my question for reflection, how many times have we given our word, taken an oath, made a vow, giving a pledge?  How many of those have we taken seriously?

What Perfection Is This?

God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.

John 1:3 

 

We have been fed a load of manure!!!  Believe it or not, God did create us in His own image.  And by that, we were created as perfect beings.  However.....when Eve bit the forbidden fruit, we were no longer anywhere close to perfect!  And when she convinced Adam to had a bite too, it got worse.  God not only was beyond hurt, but He removed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Perfection forever!

Now, does that mean God is done with us?  Does this mean He wants nothing to do with us? Not by a long shot!!  God went so far as to send His ONLY Son to take our place, and it started in a barn in Bethlehem.  No fanfare.  No commercials. Jesus grew up, preached the Gospel, died for us, and God raised Him as promised.  That sealed the fate of every believer!

Think about it, we don't have to be perfect to be forgiven and heaven-bound!!

 

Where Do I Put My Hope?

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
    My only hope is in you.

Psalm 39:7 

 

We've all had those times where nothing seems to go right for us. In fact, not only does nothing go right for us, but all our efforts go terribly wrong regardless of our good intentions.  When such times jump on us like an elephant falling from the sky, we tend to feel like just giving up.  I can only speak for me, but when those times come, I eventually will ask God, "What's the point of trying? NOTHING is working out in a positive way, so why bother trying?"

 

I was having one of those times for several months last year, and I cannot properly express what a depressing time that was.   It was as if I could do absolutely nothing right, regardless how positive my intentions and efforts.  I had already reached the point of depression, when, during prayer I angrily asked God, "Can this get any worse?"  Apparently, the answer God decided to give me was, "Why yes it can! Might want to hang on because it's going to be bad." All I can tell you is that God is ALWAYS right!  I was SO glad when 2017 ended!

 

Why do I tell you this?  Because the only strand I had left to cling to was the hope of God's promises.  He promises that "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns" (Philippians 1:6).  God also promises, " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'" (Jeremiah 29:11).  All this so we can have hope!  God has NEVER broken His promises and He is not about to start with us.  So no matter how bad your situation, keep hope in God's plans for you and keep talking with Him!

 

 

 

Your Attention Please!

Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:1

 

I've been doing some reading (and the book has NO pictures either).  The author made a very bold confession whereby he stated, "I was applauded by those whom I thought it my duty to please. I was blind to the depth of iniquity wherein I was cast away from Your eyes."  The author...St. Augustine.  He was making a point about seeking to please others instead of God.  And he does make a very valid point!  After all, receiving recognition is a human craving. However, sadly some seek that recognition above all else even appearing to be pious in the process.

 

Jesus reminds us that we are not to put our righteousness on display just so others will see it and speak nicely of us.  We are go be genuine!  We are to real!  We are to be different!

 

If we seek to be recognized then does that not damage any relationships we may have?  How long before others begin to see through that veil and decide we don't really represent Christ, we represent ourselves and are, thus, self-serving frauds.

 

We are commanded to love others as much as we love ourselves.  The question is, do we?  I confess there are times when I fail miserably with this.  I confess there are times I am envious of those who receive recognition.  And it eats me up inside until I confess it to God and as Him to refocus my heart.  

 

Be Honest!

Be Real!

Be Caring!

Be Genuine!

 

 

Are You My Weird Friend?

One Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?” Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”
Matthew 22:35-44

I have to admit it, I have a rather interesting group of friends.  Some might be called "straight laced" whilst others might be called "flamboyant"; then there are those who are introverts ("the quiet type") while some are gregarious.  And weird though they may be as a collection or individually (you know which you are), the thing we all have in common is a love for each other.

We can disagree, we can argue, we can laugh until we snort, we can sit quietly, we can talk about anything, we aren't afraid to be who God created us to be when we are around each other.  

How wonderful would it be if all of God's children had such freedom? Oh wait...we DO have that freedom!  Because we love God, we should be able to love all of His children as well!  Hmmmm.....

Reconciled

For God in all his fullness
    was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 

 

For the longest time, I had difficulty understanding how God, being perfect, could or would have any interest in getting us to Heaven.  Over many years, it has finally sunk in!  God IS love!  And because He IS love, He loves us so much that He created the way for us to experience Heaven.

 

Think about it, the same God who created all things, loves us so much that He entered this world.  In a feed trough in a barn, God became incarnate in Jesus.  The love God has for us flowed through this carpenter, Jesus, who, at the right time, paid our price to Heaven. 

 

"For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ..." what an awesome statement!  God was pleased to live among us through Jesus.  Not only that, "through [Jesus] God reconciled everything to Himself."  The greatest Christmas gift ever didn't come from a store, but from the very heart of God!

"You Just Don't Get It!"

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:15-16 

 

During my growing up years, I admit that believed that God had no clue what it felt like to be me.  I was almost always the smallest person in my classes, and was bullied because of it.  While most of the others were engaged in sports of some sort, I preferred to spend my time reading about, and learning, things which weren't necessarily taught in school.  My musical preferences were FAR different from most of my contemporaries. When our church youth group went to the beach, I enjoyed just wandering along the shoreline looking for shark teeth and anything else that caught my eye.  I was, and still am, a socially awkward introvert.  All in all, I never have felt as if I truly "fit-in" anywhere.  Even today, I still struggle with the whole "fitting-in" wondering.

 

I told God, on numerous occasions, that "You Just Don't Get How I Feel!"  On one particular Youth Group Trip, I was, once again, just walking along by myself and thinking.  The more I thought, the more angry I became with God, until I finally out of anger, pain, frustration, and heartbreak, I shouted "You've got 10 seconds to PROVE to ME that You get it!"  And for several seconds, I got absolutely NOTHING!  Just as I was ready to snort derisively and give God the finger, from behind me I head a raspy voice chuckle and say, "Boy, God don't work like that."  

 

When I turned around, I saw this skinny, grey haired old man who looked and smelled like he had just crawled out of a dumpster.  Yet this man proceeded to remind me that Jesus understands how I felt because He was a weird kid as well.  How many 12 year olds can teach the Scribes and Pharisees on the Scriptures? How many people do you think would meet the challenge of the Scribes and Pharisees on a matter of Religious Law regarding an adulterous woman?  When Jesus became an adult, he walked away from His father's carpentry business to begin teaching and preaching.  Even then, the people in His hometown said, "Isn't this the carpenter's boy?" and they refused to listen to Him.

This old, stinky man, gently walked me through the life of Jesus in a way I had never heard before, and I hung on his every word. When he finished, he looked me in the eye and said, "So yeah, God gets it. And He's gonna bring you through it."  Then he stood up, stretched, and toddled off down the road.  It took me a while, but I finally figured out that it doesn't matter whether I actually SEE God working or not, because I KNOW He's working in my life out of His love for me. 

 

Are You A Bearer or Just A Bear?

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

 

I have a confession to make...Several years ago, someone asked me about a struggle they were having and I, being the "good" minister immediately, as if by reflex, said "I'll be happy to pray for you."  Then I almost immediately forgot about the situation until I heard this person's marriage had fallen apart and there was a struggle with addictions and depression.

I felt absolutely horrible about being so glib and not taking the time right then and there to pray with them and to keep praying for them (and with them as often as possible). Thankfully God brought others to help pray through each situation

 

Recently, God made it possible for me to teach on prayer to my Sunday School Class.  Part of the lesson was the reminder that we should always pray for each other and pray about EVERYTHING!  Not because we're trying to convince God of anything, but so we show God how dependent we are on Him.  After class, I was asked to pray with a friend...this time without hesitation, we stopped right then and there and prayed together.  And the prayers have not stopped yet.

 

Remember that we are not alone on this Earth?  Remember that our experiences are usually very similar?  That's for a reason!  So let's start right this moment and pray for whoever God brings to your mind! 

I'm Mildly Discomforted

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 

 

I admit it, I can be a bit of an antagonist at times, usually more for my own selfish amusement rather than seeking to justify a position on a topic.  As a matter of fact, I was wholeheartedly in favor of school segregation with the students being in one building and the teachers in a completely different building.  It actually sounded quite advantageous to me....my parents, on the other hand, found no amusement in my ideas

 

As I have gotten older, I have witnessed countless protests and groups of people being offended by some other group.  We become offended because of the tiniest and, yes, silliest things.  It's as if we seek out reasons to be offended.  Everyone is so busy being upset and offended that no one seems to be returning to common sense or seeking actual solutions to REAL issues!

 

Here's my point, Paul reminds us that we are to be kind to all.  Imaging how disarming  simply being kind and respectful can be?  You see, when we get upset because others are upset, what difference are we making?  However, if we remain calm when everyone else is upset, people will notice and begin to ask questions as to why we are different.

 

And here's one truth to always keep in mind; THIS isn't our real home anyway!  We are merely passing through for a few short years. And spending those few short years angry, upset, frustrated, and generally unpleasant to be around, is not very appealing, is it?

Life Under The Sun

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should honor Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 

 

This is a verse that I have read many times before but never stopped to think about it until this morning.  Several years ago, my Bride and I took a dolphin tour in Charleston. The trip itself was pretty amazing, I had never had dolphins swim close enough to be touched.  Later on we were standing on the Public Pier looking over the edge when a mother dolphin swam by right in front of us with her calf.  What an amazing sight!  

 

That adventure aside, something the tour guide said stuck in my mind, he said "Thank God for the tides, because without them we'd be in trouble because the nutrients that enter the water with the tides would stop and life in the sea would cease to exist." This morning, as I was reading Ecclesiastes 3:14, that tour guide's comment became clear.

 

Everything that God does (and will do) is final!  We cannot add to it or take away from it.  Therefore, God's purpose is that we should honor Him.  Now, can you imagine what it takes to keep everything going in the universe?  Yet God does that just for you every moment of every day!  Pretty humbling to be loved so much!

God's Joy

 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great joy to give you the Kingdom."
Luke 12:31-32

I can't tell you how many times I have looked at my bank account then looked at the bills to be paid and began to worry about how I was going to be able to pay them.  I had done everything I could think of to be frugal, but the bills always seemed to outweigh my paycheck.  Finally, I go a bit of a windfall only to have the car battery die, which chewed up the windfall plus some.  To be honest, I was more than a bit irritated with God and told Him so!

I let Him know what I thought about this little game He was playing by allowing me to get half a step ahead only to be knocked backwards 3 steps.  To my amazement, God revealed to me that it has never been His plan for me to be wealthy.  Why?  Because then I would begin to worship the wealth instead of Him. I'd begin to rely on my wealth instead of Him.  He knew my weakness and made provision for it.

I was reminded that every single bill was paid, when I am frugal, and there is always food on the table, clothes on my back, not to mention the innumerable other ways He has blessed me.  He has blessed me with a Bride who loves me in spite of myself.  He has given me a pet who is not only my buddy but one of the best therapists ever.  And so much more.

AND I was reminded that all my worrying, all my anxiety, all my fussing and cussing (yes I did), and all the fuming did absolutely nothing to extend my life or increase my joy.  In fact, it stole my joy and contributes to some health issues.

Take a moment and think about all that God has provided for you.  Thank Him for them.  Write them down so you won't forget them.  Learn gratitude.  Accept that we don't need trophies or awards to prove God has blessed us.  God will show that Himself!!!

Hope...It's Not For The Fainthearted!

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.

Romans 8:25 

 

Christmas...that time when we celebrate.  We celebrate family.  We celebrate with eating....LOTS of eating.  We celebrate with gifts.  We celebrate the hope for the new year to come.  

 

But what does it mean to "hope"?  Here's the best definition I have found thus far: "Hope" is the confident expectation of what God has promised.  How does that grab you?  Remember WAY back in Jeremiah 29:11?  God reminds us, "I have plans for you. Plans to prosper you, not harm you."  Therefore, we hold God's promise as our hope.  We wait expectantly for the fulfillment of God's promise.

 

There are those who will try to tell you that having hope in God's promises is just a load of hot air, but ask yourself this: Has God EVER made a promise that He did not keep?  EVER?  Nope!  God has never once made a promise only to yank back the curtain and say "Tah Dah, I was just kidding SUCKER!"  

 

When God promises, you can wait expectantly because He ALWAYS fulfills His promises!!!

What's That You Say?

The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need.

Matthew 6:7-12 

 

I have been drawn to looking at Prayer, of late.  One thing that has stuck in my mind has been those who look at prayer as some grandiose performance whereby they must make a show of the act.  "Blessed and Most Gracious God and King of All Creation...we humbly bow before Thee do Thou mightest lend Thine Ear so Thou mayest hear our unworthy pleas..."

 

You've GOT to be kidding me.  No offense, but prayer is a conversation with our Abba (Daddy) who not only knows when we are engaged in "performance prayer" and when we are talking to the One who knows us so much that He wants a relationship with us.  When God came to the Garden of Eden in the evening to talk with Adam and Eve, I doubt seriously that the conversation was "King James" formal.  In my mind, the conversation was one of friends talking, sharing, and enjoying time together.

 

Think of your very best friend who knows more about you than anyone else, the one you share your deepest secrets with, how do you talk with each other?  Now, think of how much more deeply God knows you.  With God, NOTHING is hidden!  He knows all about us and still loves us anyway.  So, talk with Him as the person with whom you have no secrets!

 

Prayer is NOT a practice in eloquence or theatrics. Prayer is a conversation with the One who IS LOVE.  Speak plainly and openly! 

My Words Just Sound So Empty

Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. 

Romans 8:26

 

I felt completely overwhelmed and out of my element.  The call came in of a tragic situation which I needed to come counsel those involved.  Up to this point, I had dealt with pretty much any situation I could have imagined, yet this one was different.  This time, instead of being the one telling the counselor what I knew they wanted to hear, I was the one who would be hearing the "I'm fine" comment over and over (even though I knew it would be a lie).  I had no idea how to pray for the people involved.  I had no idea how to reach out to them with any sense of broaching the "Blue Wall of Imperviousness."  

 

The only thing I could manage to pray was "God help me!"  By the time I reached the ones in need, I was literally sweating as though I had just stepped out of a furnace and my thoughts were racing almost as fast as my heart rate.  How could I help make ANY sense of a tragic situation?  How could God use me to bring any sense of peace to this horrible event?  My mind's mantra became "Abba, speak through me."

 

All the books that I had read on helping others deal with tragic situations did not have a word about horrific situations and were, thus, of little help.  But the more I kept praying, the more sense of peace filled my soul.  By the time I was able to speak to the first person, God had already begun moving.  We talked, we cried, we hugged, and my soul continually prayed.

 

You see, I, in my own strength and knowledge, was completely lost and overwhelmed.  But God already knew exactly what was needed and had already begun His healing before I met with anyone.  I am convinced that Prayer is NOT telling God wonderful things we think He wants to hear.  Prayer, I do believe, is building our relationship with Him; understanding that He already knows what we need and has a plan already in action for our benefit.

 

"But I don't know what to say when I pray."  I hear this quite a lot, and have said it too.  What do we say to God?  How about: "Thank You Abba for loving me.  Thank You for this day You have set ahead of me and before we get started, thank You that You have already worked everything out.  Keep me calm and trusting in You every moment."  No flowery speeches, no repetition which become just sound filling the air....just simple heart to heart conversation with the One who knows you better than you know you (and the One who loves you anyway).

Never Promised You A Rose Garden

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 

What do you do when things don't seem to be going your way?  What do you do when your plans seem to crumble around you and you can't see how to get out, much less the next step? 

When we feel like our world has imploded onto us, it's very easy to blame God, isn't it?  It's easy to say God isn't listening to my prayers because I didn't get my way.  Fact of the matter, God hears ALL of our prayers and sometimes allows situations to happen that will take us out of our comfort zones to challenge us to become stronger and to rely on Him more.

Jesus told us, "Here on earth you WILL HAVE MANY TRIALS AND SORROWS!"  And He wasn't kidding!  We have been warned that they will come so when they do come, we can be prepared and not destroyed!  How do we deal with these trials and sorrows?  By trusting in Jesus who reminds us that HE has overcome the world and every trial and sorrow the world can through at us.

We have to be like George Foreman when he won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship the last time when he was in his late 40s.  When asked how he did it, his response was simple: "I got up one more time than I was knocked down."  And if you have ever heard him preach (he's a preacher too, by the way) his message is "You WILL get knocked down by this world but not knocked out!  When you get knocked down, remember who is in your corner!  God is in your corner and Jesus it the referee!  Get back up because the referee isn't going to end the fight until God's plan for you is finished!"

Why Does God Love Us?

The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 

 

There is a question I hear quite a lot during the Holiday Season, "How could God possibly love ME?"  There's the long answer, then there's the short answer.  The short answer is: Because God chose to.  Well, that answer brings more questions than comfort, so the longer answer might suffice.

 

When God created Adam and Eve, it was not for His benefit it was for their benefit.  And God Loved them!  He loved them so much that He came to the Garden in the evenings just to walk and talk with them.  Yet even when Adam and Eve deliberately disobeyed Him, God still came to talk with them.  Granted He reminded them that they had done wrong and that there would be consequences to their deliberate choice to disobey.  Yet even then, He gave them a way to survive!  Even when Cain killed Abel, God marked Cain so that no one would harm him.

 

All through History we see God showing us His love over and over, especially when we don't deserve it.  God loves us, not because of anything we do or don't do!  God loves us because He CHOOSES to love us.

 

Let me put it a different way, find a clover and tell that clover "I no longer like you as a clover, thus I dub the a Shrubbery!" And see what happens.  I'll wait.....go ahead.  Guess what, the only one who could force us to change understands that forced change will be resented.  But when change comes by choice, it is welcomed.  Therefore, when we Accept God's love, we make changes because we want to show God that we love Him in return.

 

Listen to the words of God's love and let them wash over you bringing you the desire to love Him in return.