"Don't Give Up!"

Have you ever asked the question; "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
I know I have!

There is nothing more deflating then expending all your energy in doing good things only to have bad things happen to you.  It is during these times that we find ourselves getting the most worn down, frustrated and weary.  These moments have foothold potential written all over them...

"...and do not give the devil a foothold."

(Ephesians 4:27)

  

There are several instances in scripture where individuals have allowed themselves to lose focus because they have become weary of doing good despite "bad things."

One of my favorite stories in scripture, and one that we've all heard over and over in Sunday School is the account of Elijah on Mount Carmel.  In one of the most miraculous displays of God's power, fire is sent from heaven to incinerate an alter soaked in water.  Elijah had the ultimate standoff with the prophets of Baal, he had done exactly what he should have done, to perfection, and yet, he found himself on the run...for his life.

"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep."

(1 Kings 19:3-5)

Why is it that we allow ourselves to get so easily discouraged when things don't go exactly as we have planned?

Elijah, after one of the most incredible acts of power, is afraid for his life, he's tired and feels like he might as well be dead.

If it can happen to one of the most celebrated prophets in scripture, it can surely happen to us!  

We cannot allow the devil a foothold in those times when we don't feel in control, we must remember that God is, has been, and will always be on the throne, in control.

So today...

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 

(Galatians 6:9) 

 Blessings!

 

"God isn't OCD: He just loves you THAT much!"

I can remember being at the fair or in Sunday School when someone would have filled a large jar with jelly beans or even candy corn. There would be a contest to see who could guess how many beans were in the jar. The one who guessed the nearest to the correct number would win a prize. 

I can also remember playing with the sand at the beach and being completely amazed at the amount of sand on the beach and even in the world.

It is amazing to think that while it is silly for us to imagine knowing the exact number of sand on a beach, beans in a jar, stars in the sky, birds in the air, or even hairs on your head......God knows the EXACT number!

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

(Matthew 10:30) 

So is God trying to show that He is obsessive compulsive, or just extremely organized?  Probably not...

What it all boils down to is that God loves you so much that he knows every detail of your life and was so intentional about creating you, for a purpose, that he knows the very number of hairs on your head.

Not only did God create you, He created you in His own image!

Not only did God create you, He created you for a specific purpose!

So the next time you hold a hand full of sand or try to figure out the exact number of jelly beans in a jar, remember that God loves you so much that he knows the exact number of hairs on your head - - and that He knew long before you were ever knitted together in your mothers womb!

God has a specific and unique plan for your life!

Blessings! 

"The Whistling Wind of God"

It's been a  while since my last post, and I apologize!  I have never been a fan of excuses (no pun intended).  In fact, my high school basketball coach would always say, "Excuses are the testimonies of failure!"

However, we did recently move to Oklahoma City "Where the WIND comes sweepin' down the plain"  to take on a new position in The Salvation Army.  So maybe that's a good explanation as to why!

One thing I have noticed in the last few hours is the WIND!!!  We first noticed it walking off the plane, we could feel the WIND ripping through the cracks on the terminal ramp.  Then when we got out of the car, the door closed on it's own, thanks to the help from the WIND!  All through the night we could hear the WIND whistling through the trees and even as I sit here on my back porch in the smoldering heat I can feel the force of the WIND moving the trees back and forth and back and forth.

There has been a lot of bad WIND related weather lately in the country.  As I was thinking about it this afternoon, it reminded me of the way WIND was referenced in scripture to display God's power.

  "The LORD does whatever pleases him,
   in the heavens and on the earth,
   in the seas and all their depths.
  He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
   he sends lightning with the rain
   and brings out the wind from his storehouses."

  (Psalm 135:6-7)

I am amazed every time I witness the power and majesty of God through His creation, whether it be the beauty of the mountains, the colors of fall, or the power of the WIND.

We serve a powerful God......The Creator, Preserver and Governor of ALL things!

In scripture we also can recall the story of how God uses WIND in a different way to demonstrate his power.

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

 ³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

 ⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

 ⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” 

(Mark 4:35-41)

So the next time you go outside and you feel the cool breeze on your neck, or the forceful blow of the Oklahoma WIND at your back, remember the awesome God who is the architect and orchestrator of it all!

Blessings!

"Let your SHOES shine before men!"

 

I have a lot of great memories from my childhood; traveling around the country with my parents, meeting new people, discovering new places.  Over the years there have been several images that stick out in my mind, places I've been, things I observed my parents doing, and people I've met along the way.

One of the things I remember being fascinated by was the strange wooden box that was in my dad's closet.  For years I had no idea what it was, but I had fun trying to put my foot on the top and stand without falling.  Eventually I opened it up and found all sort of strange cans and brushes and discovered that it was a shoe shining kit.  I can remember sitting in the living room watching my dad sitting on his knees with his Salvation Army uniform shoes out, and all of the various items spread meticulously across the floor as he shined his shoes.

I never would have imagined as a child that one day, I'd find myself possessing a similar kit for polishing my own pair of "Salvation Army Shoes."  I even have a power buffer, because I love gadgets and tech toys!

I was thinking this morning as I was getting ready about the process of shining shoes.  The following familiar verse came to my mind:

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16

There's just something about a well shined pair of black shoes.  Whether it's a labor intensive spit shine or a patent leather parade quality shine, people notice a well shined pair of shoes.

You see, there have been times when my shoes have not had much shine to them.

There have been times when others have noticed the lack of shine on my shoes and have mentioned it to me.

What happened in our lives and hearts is very similar to what happens when we allow our shoes to lose their luster.  When you get so busy in your day to day activity, hard at work, constantly on the grind.  We can give all sorts of excuses to justify the lack of shine due to our busy schedules, lack of time etc.

In the same way, it is so easy for Christians to allow the shine that comes from Christ living in us to lose it's luster.  We can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, even our ministry, that we lose that shine that people can spot from a mile away.

Jesus commands us to let our light's shine before men...

If we are not constantly On our knees...in the same way we are when we polish our shoes, polishing our hearts and minds with the Word of God, through prayer and scripture, then we will not be able to shine the way the Lord commands us.

Take a look at your shoes...
Take a look at your hearts...

What kind of shine do they have?

#SOULwinning

"Stand firm, and you will #WIN life!"

Luke 21:19

Date Night: "We Are God's Children"

One of the greatest Joys of my life is spending time with my two daughters, Riley and Lily.  It is almost impossible to put into words the amount of love that I have for them and the JOY that they bring into my life.

One of the things me and my oldest daughter (almost three) do, is have a weekly "Daddy /Daughter Date."  Every Tuesday we either go to the local Japanese Steak House which she enthusiastically refers to as the "Fire Place," or we go to see the latest animated movie.  It has become such a meaningful time for us both to spend one on one time with each other.  During this time she knows that there is nothing or no one more important to me then her and she has my full undivided attention.

I was thinking about that earlier today and I couldn't help but consider how much God loves us as His children and seeks a relationship with us.  I can't begin to even remotely comprehend how deep or how wide Christ's love is for us, because it is so vast.  Knowing how much I love my daughters and our relationships imagining being loved by God even more than that is something that blows my mind.

There are so many people sadly in the world today who don't experience true love.  My hearts breaks and I am moved to tears when I think about kids living in children homes, maybe even the same age of my daughters who have no home, no one to hold and squeeze them and take them to the movies.  My heart breaks when I see grown men and women who have no concept of what it means to be truly loved.  My heart breaks when I see young girls and boys who get involved with drugs and sexuality as a way to compensate for a void in their life from not feeling love.

^"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."

(John 1:12-13)

God created us.  God desires a relationship that is indescribable in human terms.  For you a "Date Night" with God might include prayer or Bible Study.  If you have to be so intentional about scheduling it...do it!

Today why not take some time to consider how much God loves you and wants a relationship with you, and make sure to tell others about how much He loves them too!

Blessings!

"EGGceptional Blessings!"

My daughter is a constant source of Joy and entertainment; in fact her middle name is Joy.  She gets so excited whenever she hears about a party.  Last weekend she went to her best friends birthday party, for weeks prior it was all we heard about.

This week, she had her Easter Party at day care.  She has been excited about this party for days.  She was excited to help her mother buy eggs and fill them with candy.

When we picked her up from school that day her teacher told us about the Easter Egg Hunt they had.  She said that they spread over 200 eggs in the small play area outside.  When they gave the signal to start our daughter, who is two, proceeded to sprint around the yard like an Olympian, gathering in 5 times the amount of eggs as the other kids.  Her bag was so full the teachers had to ask her to share with the other (slower) kids.

I wish I could have seen her in action!  But as me and my wife were chuckling about this during our morning coffee, I couldn't help but making a parallel to our Christian Walk, it's what I do...

There were so many eggs spread out in that yard for everyone to have more than enough, for every child's bag to be overflowing.  In the same way, the Lord has laid out blessings for each one of us, His children.  Unfortunately too often, we don't take the time to gather them up, or we think that we can't have too many.

So as we approach this Easter weekend, consider all the Lord has done, all the ways He has blessed you, and perhaps the ways in which He could bless you if you would simply claim them and gather them up.

I leave you with a passage from Ephesians 3:16-21:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

"Lessons From The Sand Trap!"

One of my favorite things to do is play golf.  I'll admit, I am by no means a pro, or even a good golfer, yet I enjoy it!  For me there is nothing more relaxing then being outside, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation, and trying to knock the snot out of a tiny white ball with a long piece of metal.

I had the unique opportunity this year to attend both a Practice Round and Tournament Day of the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.  Wow!  Talk about the beauty of God's creation!  I was so caught up in the beauty that I even took a picture of the grass.

One of the weakest parts of my game is bunker shots.  If I end up in the bunker, you might as well give me a +12 on the hole cause I am going to hack at the ball repeated times like a housewife trying to kill a mouse in the kitchen with a broom!

I was amazed at the Masters watching the ease and the skill of the players who could intricately play the ball from the bunker many times getting it within a few inches or feet and sometimes right into the hole!

I started to think about how bunkers not only appear on the golf course, but in our every day lives.

For me there is no greater feeling then hitting that "Perfect" drive.  You know the one I'm talking about, where you just cream the ball down the fairway dead straight like it was what you always do.

But the worse feeling is after you creamed that drive, getting all the way down the fairway only to find that your enormous drive has rolled right into a fairway bunker.

Sometimes in life we end up in "bunkers."  Sometimes you feel like you have done something amazing or on track to achieve something you have been working on for a long time, only to find yourself stuck.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
   a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
   and put their trust in him. 

(Psalm 40:2-3) 

As Christians we don't have to be in despair when we find ourselves in bunkers, water hazords or woods.  Because we are walking the course of our lives with the Holy Spirit as our caddy.  No matter what hazardous situation you find yourself in, remember that we serve a God who created it all and that is in full control of every situation.  Who knows, you just may play that ball out of the bunker and right into the hole...

...Just remember to give God all the glory!'

"Don't Worry! Be Bambi!"

My two and a half year old daughter is obsesed with Disney movies.  In our house there is a constant stream of Beauty and The Beast and Toy Story and most recently, Bambi.

It had been quite some time since I saw the movie Bambi.  I couldn't help while watching admiring the plants, trees, music and animals.  The original release of Bambi was in 1942.  Animated movies have progressed so much since then, but it was refreshing to sit and watch how masterfully the beauty of nature and music were combined.

As we approach spring, the flowers are beginning to bloom and I see more and more birds feasting at my various bird feeders around the house.  I am reminded of the passes of scripture in Matthew 6 where Jesus is using nature to teach about worrying.  There are so many struggles and challenges in the world today.  Many folks struggle with Financial, Spiritual, Emotional and Relationship issues.  In Matthew, Jesus says:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?   “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?"  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34 

So amidst your struggles, as you begin to enjoy the change in the weather, the chirping of the birds, the fluttering of butterflies and the beauty of God's creation.  Don't allow yourself to be consumed with worry.  Consider the detail and care that went into creation - read through the first chapter of Genesis, and be consumed by the knowledge that God created and controls all things and he loves us more than we could ever even imagine!

God not only created us...

"God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."

Genesis 1:27 

Jehovah - Jireh (Our Provider)

 "He covers the sky with clouds;
   he supplies the earth with rain
   and makes grass grow on the hills.
"He provides food for the cattle
   and for the young ravens when they call."

(Psalm 147:8-9) 

In Genesis we read the name, Jehovah-jireh (or Yahweh-yireh, The Lord will provide), it was a place in the land of Moriah. It was where God told Abraham to offer his son as an offering to God.  Abraham named the place after the Lord provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac.

"And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." (Genesis 22:14)

 As I sit at my desk, I can hear the constant pelting of the rain hitting my window.  I am reminded that we serve a mighty God who created all that is around us.  I am reminded and comforted that He has a plan.  As I sort through a budget and make financial decisions that affect our operations and our ministry I am reminded that he is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider. 


No matter what you're going through...  

No matter how tough your situation is...

                ...Our God is able to and willing to meet your needs!

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 4:19)

"What Are Words?"

^"You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words."

2 Kings 18:20

I've always enjoyed watching American Idol.  Primarily for the outrageous auditions early on in the season.  This year one story in particular struck a chord with me, as it did with the entire country.  Chris Medina's audition was one that we all remember.  Before the audition we hear about how shortly before he and his fiancé Juliana were set to walk down the aisle, she was in a car accident, leaving her with a severe brain injury and he as her caretaker.  His words, "what kind of guy would I be if I abandoned her when she needed me the most?"  hit me the most.

Chris was eliminated from the competetion, but not from our memory.  On a television interview I heard him mention a single that had been written for him.  I downloaded it and was touched by the words.

It serves as a good reminder to all of us.  

We are so quick to say things we either don't really mean, or are unprepared to follow through with them.

I remember hearing a retired Salvation Army officer speaking to us at the Salvation Army Training College; he said, 

"If you tell someone it's raining quarters outside, 

they better be able to go outside and get a bucket full."

As a pastor it is so critical that I do what I say I am going to do.  As Christians, it is essential that we do what we sing we do.

When we offer up empty words to someone in need of encouragement or direction, we do them a disservice. 

We speak and we sing about the "Battle" and the "War" and our role as Soldiers in the Lord's Army, but what good is it if we don't live up to the words?

^"You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words."

2 Kings 18:20

So think about what you say, and how you say it.  Make sure you are prepared to follow through with things you say.

What are words
If you really don't mean them
When you say them

"Just One Of Those Days!"

Have you ever had something happen and said to yourself, "it's going to be "ONE OF THOSE DAYS?!"
We've all had days like that.  Days that start off on a bad note and just get worse as the day goes on...and on

For example, my daughter had the flu a week ago.  I was the primary one taking care of her, and I ended up with the flu over the last weekend.  It was so bad that on Sunday morning I couldn't make it to church - first sign it was going to be "One of Those Days."  A little while later I got a call from my wife who said one of the church vans had been T-boned - second sign it was going to be "One of Those Days."

A man who was no stranger to a bad day was Paul, look at this list found in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 11:24-27

²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Paul was no stranger to bad days.  But Paul also knew something that we can all learn from.

When faced with a difficult situation: Prayer + Praise = Freedom!

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Acts 16, they prayed and praised God despite their imprisonment and the foundations of the jail were shaken and they were set free.

 ²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

What kind of a day are you having?
What kind of opposition are you facing?

Take a tip from Paul, who understood "bad days" 
 Prayer + Praise = Freedom!

Blessings! 

"Etch A Sketch for your soul!"

One of my greatest joys is working with the men, women and children that come through our Emergency Shelter.  We see on a daily basis so many people who are at the end of their rope, without hope.  One of the things I try to convey to each person I deal with is that no matter what has happened in their past, no matter what circumstances have led them to our doors, to this place - There is hope!

The thing I find that is so common with dealing with someone at this point, is that they almost feel like they have done it wrong for so long, there is no way they can get back on track.  They oftentimes have severed any ties or relationship with family and have usually burned numerous bridges.

The most amazing part of my job is to see someone at this point come to the realization that with God, all things are possible and that there is hope and that they can be made new!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says this...

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 

One of my favorite toys growing up was the "Etch a Sketch"  I loved making intrique designs then being able to shake it up and start over.

No matter your mistakes, no matter your past, Christ provides an "etch a sketch" for our soul!
Why not allow Him to make you a new creation!


Blessings!

"What about the roof?"

There are two things that I have to constanly remind myself:

1.  Faith is willing to do the unorthodox.

2.  Faith does not stay in a rut. 

The usual way to enter a house is through a door, never through the roof (excluding my time as a firefighter, when I often entered homes through holes cut in roofs.)  

But for the men in this story, that was the only way to get to Jesus, and so as unorthodox as it was, that is what they did.

¹ A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:1-5)

A church that is stuck in a rut, or a church that sits around saying, "We’ve never done it that way before," or, "We tried it once & it didn’t work," will never succeed in its God-given tasks unless it dares to try something different once in a while. 

I've often wondered which one came up with the idea or if it was all of them.  I'm sure there was one guy who must have spoken up and said; "Wait! What about the roof?"


The example of these men teach us that faith will always continue trying, no matter what the obstalces or oppostitons are; no matter what the bi-laws or traditions are, and no matter what has always "been done in the past!"


What kind of faith do you have?  


The kind of faith that turns around when you see a crowded house and a blocked door?

or the kind of faith that sees a crowded house and an empty roof?

Amateurs built the ark - Professionals built the titanic!

I think too often people have amazing dreams and ideas, but never see them through because they feel inadequate or incapable.

I imagine there are employees sitting in cubicles that have ideas about how to turn the company around, but don't want to risk not being taken seriously or being made fun of.

I imagine there are church members who have passions and ideas for ministry and outreach, but don't feel like they are educated or experienced enough.

As leaders we have to be on the lookout for those people who have these ideas and visions and passion and encourage and develop them into the leaders that they have the potential to be.

Never be afraid to do something new!

Remember, amateurs built the ark; 

professionals built the titanic!

"Pack an umbrella!"

One of the biggest misconceptions new Christians have is that once they're saved, everything is perfect.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  In fact, often times life can become even more challenging as people and habits continue to pull at you from all angles in opposition to your new way of life!  After all scripture does say that the devil is like a roaring lion just waiting for an opportunity to pounce on you!

I have always loved the familiar Sunday School story about the wise and foolish builders found in Matthew 7:24-27

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

I think most of us are familiar with the story enough to understand the basic point Jesus was trying to make.  However, I think often times we can overlook the fact that, regardless...it's going to rain.  No matter how grounded your faith is, no matter how long you have been in a right relationship with Christ, it's still going to rain.

The thing that separates Christians and non-Christians is the way in which they hold up in the rain.  To a non-Christian a storm in their life can be devastating because they feel as though there is no hope or no way out, and wind the rains come down and the winds begin to blow, their foundations are rocked to the corps and often crumble to the ground.  But a Christian who is grounded on the word knows that no matter how big the storm or how heavy the rain gets, the God that calms the storm in scripture is the same God that is in control of their life today!  (Mark 4:35-41)

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
 ³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
 ⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
 ⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”


So don't be misled, pack an umbrella...it will rain, sometimes it may even pour.  But be assured, the same God who said to the wind and the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" is the same God who can shelter you amidst any storm that may come your way!

"The Parable of The Lost Pug!"

Me and my wife have two daughters, one two and one 4 months old.  About 10 months ago we decided to get a puppy so that our oldest daughter would have a companion to grow up and play with.  Not long after we brought the puppy home we discovered my wife was pregnant with our second daughter and now we would have a puppy and a newborn - lucky us!  We named our black pug puppy "Scrabble."  Scrabble very quickly became a part of our family and my daughters best friend.

It was pretty funny watching them chase each other around the house and play keep away with each others toys.  Our daughter also started to blame everything on Scrabble.  "Riley what happened?"  "Scrabble did it!"

We had to go out of town for a few days and had some friends come over to take care of the dog while we were away.  The second day we were gone, we got a call that she had gotten away while she was out using the bathroom.  I immediately drove home to help try to locate her, but had no luck.  I called her name all day and all night, I drove around the whole city looking for her.  We had signs made up and spoke to all the neighbors.  We were in contact with the dog shelters and animal control...but had no luck.  Our daughter kept asking us where scrabble was and we kept stalling hoping for a miracle.

I had to go out of town on business a few days later and my wife was left with all searching duties.  She was unloading a few signs from the van at the house, and she called out again a few times before heading back into the house...then she heard a jingle.  She turned around and saw Scrabble running out of the woods behind our house, all covered in mud and scratched up, she had been missing for over 3 days.  My wife called me ecstatic and I was overcome with joy.  She was so much a part of our family already and our daughter loved her so much, I couldn't have imagined not finding her.

This great story of finding our lost puppy really made me think about a familiar passage in scripture.

Luke 15:1-7

 ¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  ³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I wonder what kind of pain we put God in when we go astray?  I wonder if his heart aches at the thought of us being lost and away from him?  I can't imagine what the pain of losing a child must be like, and I wonder what kind of suffering Jesus endures when he is dealing with one of His children that are lost.

 I'm grateful we serve a God who never gives up on us, never keeps searching for us.  And who would leave the other ninety-nine, just to look for us.

Maybe today you might find yourself a little lost, perhaps this is the day for you to make your way back home! 

 

"A little bit of dirt in the right hands!"

I've been staring at my backyard a lot this winter, anticipating getting my garden going again, which I started last year for the first time.  It's a pretty incredible and religious experience to watch food literally come out of dirt!  Above are a couple shots of my garden from last year when it was looking like a lush tropical oasis!  It's pretty interesting however, to look at it now.  What only a few months ago was a thriving garden, is just a bunch of dirt in a box.  There is absolutely nothing lush or remotely tropical going on, just dirt.

The only thing that makes that 8x4 box of dirt more than a box of dirt is the seed, sun, water and time spent weeding and fertilizing.  Without it, either nothing grows, or whatever tries to grow withers away.

We are no different than a box of dirt.  God can take what seems to be lifeless, fruitless, and ordinary and turn it into a lush productive oasis.  There are so many references in scripture where God refers to himself as a gardener.  If we don't allow ourselves to be pruned by Him, we will no doubt wither away.  But if we allow ourselves to be watered and nurtured there is no limit to what we can become.

There were several days where I went out and notice a tomato plant or two had gotten too heavy to hold itself up, or had begun to lean to the side.  It wasn't the end of the world, it just simply needed a stake to hold into place and to guide it upwards.

There is a certain stigma attached to the word dirt "Girl, what happened?  Give me the DIRT!"  Or we talk about people having a dirty mouth, or a dirty mind.  Usually any phrase that has the word dirt in it is being used negatively.

But when I think about dirt, I think about potential.  Maybe I'm not there yet, but I can be, if I'm in the right hands.

I love the story in John 9 where Jesus heals a blind man:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.  His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”  But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”  “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.  He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

It's amazing to me to see what can happen in a life with a little bit of dirt in the right hands.

How To Prevent Burnout!

*Read this Scripture: Nehemiah 13:15-31

One of the biggest issues young leaders and pastors face is Burnout.  Just like any machine or appliance, if it is overused and abused, it burns out, stops working, falls apart - sound familiar?  One of my favorite passages of scripture is in Nehemiah, when Nehemiah takes on the project of rebuilding the crumbled walls of Israel.  And we know that in a supernatural display of God's power, the walls were rebuilt, despite opposition, in 52 days!

The idea of the Sabbath and a Day of Rest is often discussed, but not always completely observed - especially by Christian leaders / pastors etc.  There was a similar disregard for the command to obey and observe the Sabbath at the time of Nehemiah.  The people had become lax and accustomed to letting some of the regulations concerning the Sabbath slip.

I find myself falling into the same pattern.  Working so hard during the week - trying to do some of the work I was unable to get to on Saturday and then often times Sunday.  But when is my Sabbath?  Where is my day of rest?  Surely, this observance isn't meant to be observed by pastors / leaders?

The heart of the word "Sabbath" is "Rest."  The Sabbath was to be a time when man could rest.  Today's challenges are similar if not greater then those of the time of Nehemiah.  I am amazed when I listen to the struggles our Youth face in school and at home.  I am amazed at the struggles some of our congregation is facing concerning job security, finances and health issues.  People are carrying an unhealthy amount of stress around with them wherever they go.

The Sabbath is basically God's "Stress Management Program."  If we cannot pause from our busy lives, from the stress that would try to engulf us - we cannot survive and we will fall apart and we will fail.

A word often used in scripture that I can relate to is "weary."  Weary is defined as; exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness, having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted.

When we allow ourselves to work and work and work with no rest, we become weary to the point that we have no strength, patience or pleasure.

One of the misconceptions I think people have, especially leaders, is that they have to work themselves to death to feel like they are doing a good job - or to appear that way to others.  But the truth is; we can't always do everything, we can't always do everything exactly how we want it - we can't be perfect!

That's where I think the lesson is.  

One of my favorite versus is Matthew 11:28 -
 
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

The Lord wants us to rely on his strength to see us through, not our own strength.  Jesus wants us to take time to spend with him and to allow him to refresh us and renew us.  If we don't - then we will never truly be rested and we rob ourselves of the strength, patience, and pleasure that can only be achieved from a relationship with Him.  Luke 4:18 -

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.

We cannot fulfill God's will for our lives if we allow ourselves to get Burnt-out.  It's only when we have the faith and the courage to rest in Him, despite what we feel we have not accomplished, that we can really change the world!

"World Hunger can wait, I'm out of Puppy Chow!"

Can we ever end "Homelessness?"  This is a question that is asked of me often, both in private and in public.  My answer is always the same, "No."

Deuteronomy 15:11a says;
¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land.

I think scripture is pretty clear that there will always be a percentage of people throughout the world that suffer from poverty, in whatever form.  So what can we do?

I was looking at some interesting statistics today and was slightly alarmed.  According to statistics taken from 2001; 76% of Americans consider themselves "Christian."  Then I researched some statistics on poverty, see below:

These statistics are alarming!  Not only do they tell a story about Americans, but since 76% of Americans consider themselves Christians, it speaks of us as well.  Basically according to my calculations, we as "Americans" spend more than half the amount of money needed to feed the entire world, on "Cosmetics?"

What's even more disturbing is that The United States and Europe combines spend more money on pet food, then it would take to give food to the entire world.

I think we have all seen statistics on how much waste and overspending we are guilty of as Americans.  Perhaps though when we consider how much we spend on luxury and cosmetic items such as makeup and perfume it will cause us to pause and think and perhaps re-evaluate our priorities.

If not the whole country, surely the 76% of it that claim to be Christian, could really have a huge impact on global poverty and hunger.

Deuteronomy 15:11a - clearly states that there will always be poor people in the Land, but don't leave out the second part of the verse:

¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. 

We cannot knowingly continue to live lives of luxury while ignoring those people we are commanded to help!

Think about that while you wait in the Dairy Queen Drive through, or at the cosmetic counter or as you carry the 20 pound bag of puppy chow into the house!