I have to be honest, when ever I fly I pray that the seat next to me will be empty. I like the room and would prefer it, but I also tell the Lord if he doesn't answer that prayer I am more then willing to share with whoever sits next to me. On one trip I was flying to Oregon to speak at a church. The flight was full and I was jammed in the middle seat, I pulled out my Bible hoping to get some last minute studying done on the flight. Just a few moments after pulling out my Bible, the man seated to my left began asking questions, and we began a conversation that lasted the entire flight. Somewhere in our conversation we began to talk about Christmas and the incarnation of Jesus. Though he was not a Christian he found it amazing that God would come to earth as a man. As time went on I had to just smile because I wasn't witnessing to the man, he was witnessing to himself. As we spoke of Jesus' birth, he told me a story that he insisted was true. It had to do with a family that had all become Christians except for the dad. He didn't mind his family becoming Christians, in fact he liked the changes that their new faith had brought about in his home. He had heard the message of Christ but felt it wasn't for him. One Christmas eve his family went off to the church service and he stayed at home. The night was very cold and snowy, and after they had been gone for a little bit, he began to hear a funny thumping at the windows of their enclose patio. At first he thought it was the wind, or maybe some snow dropping from the roof. After the noise continued and began to annoy him, he threw on a coat and opened the front door to check the noise on the patio. In an instant he found the cause of the thumping, it was a little bird that had somehow gotten trapped in the screened-in patio. He knew that if the bird remained in the patio it would soon freeze to death. He then began an hour long process of trying to shoo the bird out of the patio, to somewhere it might find warmth, either under the house or even in the house. He failed at every attempt to save the bird because the little guy was so afraid of him. He tried to communicate his good intentions to the bird, first by speaking in a calm voice.... "don't be afraid I'm trying to save you", then in a not so calm voice.... "you crazy bird listen to me I'm trying to save your stupid life!!". As he was doing all he could to save the bird, the thought struck him, that if he could for only a moment become a bird, that the little bird would not fear him and he could then save the birds life. That very moment his eyes were opened and the truth of the gospel hit him. This man suddenly understood Christmas, man's need for a savior, and why God had come as man. He stood on that cold patio and gave his life to the Lord. After the telling of the story, the man to my left didn't need much convincing either! What a wonderful season we are now celebrating, God's everlasting love toward us is so great that He would come to us as man.
Monday, December 13, 2010
God With Us
I have to be honest, when ever I fly I pray that the seat next to me will be empty. I like the room and would prefer it, but I also tell the Lord if he doesn't answer that prayer I am more then willing to share with whoever sits next to me. On one trip I was flying to Oregon to speak at a church. The flight was full and I was jammed in the middle seat, I pulled out my Bible hoping to get some last minute studying done on the flight. Just a few moments after pulling out my Bible, the man seated to my left began asking questions, and we began a conversation that lasted the entire flight. Somewhere in our conversation we began to talk about Christmas and the incarnation of Jesus. Though he was not a Christian he found it amazing that God would come to earth as a man. As time went on I had to just smile because I wasn't witnessing to the man, he was witnessing to himself. As we spoke of Jesus' birth, he told me a story that he insisted was true. It had to do with a family that had all become Christians except for the dad. He didn't mind his family becoming Christians, in fact he liked the changes that their new faith had brought about in his home. He had heard the message of Christ but felt it wasn't for him. One Christmas eve his family went off to the church service and he stayed at home. The night was very cold and snowy, and after they had been gone for a little bit, he began to hear a funny thumping at the windows of their enclose patio. At first he thought it was the wind, or maybe some snow dropping from the roof. After the noise continued and began to annoy him, he threw on a coat and opened the front door to check the noise on the patio. In an instant he found the cause of the thumping, it was a little bird that had somehow gotten trapped in the screened-in patio. He knew that if the bird remained in the patio it would soon freeze to death. He then began an hour long process of trying to shoo the bird out of the patio, to somewhere it might find warmth, either under the house or even in the house. He failed at every attempt to save the bird because the little guy was so afraid of him. He tried to communicate his good intentions to the bird, first by speaking in a calm voice.... "don't be afraid I'm trying to save you", then in a not so calm voice.... "you crazy bird listen to me I'm trying to save your stupid life!!". As he was doing all he could to save the bird, the thought struck him, that if he could for only a moment become a bird, that the little bird would not fear him and he could then save the birds life. That very moment his eyes were opened and the truth of the gospel hit him. This man suddenly understood Christmas, man's need for a savior, and why God had come as man. He stood on that cold patio and gave his life to the Lord. After the telling of the story, the man to my left didn't need much convincing either! What a wonderful season we are now celebrating, God's everlasting love toward us is so great that He would come to us as man.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Crossing The Line
"There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness."
Proverbs 30:12
There is a parental discipline technique that has been passed on from one generation to the next. My parents did it, and I'm sure their parents did it. It doesn't work, yet it seems every parent at one time or another uses it. I have seen it used at home, in stores, at church, in cars, and I'm betting it is used in many different cultures and tongues. I'm speaking of the dreaded count to three technique, as in, Bobby stop doing that.....one, two, three! I think there must be some power in the number three, why not say, Bobby, I'm going to count to twelve! It all begins of course with a strong "one", when the offense has just begun. When things intensify and clear disobedience is occurring, the count of "two" is given. If the count gets to "three", it must be done with a shout, and it has become clear that little Bobby has crossed some line set up by mom and dad, hopefully some sort of discipline will follow. Like I said it really doesn't work, but it illustrates that mom and dad are saying to the child that there is a line of disobedience or rebellion set, that cannot be crossed without some sort of consequences. Having said that, its important for us to know that God does not count to three. He has commands and standards and expects that we obey. He is very clear in setting the standards, and what the consequences of disobedience are. Man has never been able to live up to God's standards and God has clearly shown that He is patient and long-suffering toward this sinful world. Yet, I have wondered many times if we as mankind have crossed the line of arrogance and mutiny, and that God, will finally in one instant say enough, the line has been crossed. I just read of what I see as a line crossed, that grieves my heart. There is some web-site I've never heard of called Gawker.com, please stay away from it, my guess is its trashy. Well, this site has introduced to the internet world a couple, Pete and Alisha Arnold. Alisha is said to be 17 weeks pregnant, and the Arnolds have decided to let the people who visit the sight vote as to whether they should keep the baby until birth, or abort the baby. I don't have the right words to reflect my heart. My only solace and hope is that this is just some fake publicity stunt, because I can't fathom that it would be real. Still, it is a sad commentary on the depth to which the morality of our society has fallen. That a couple would think of it, that a web-site would publish it, and that people would vote on it, just screams out that we have crossed the line. That is the sad news, the good news is that this world is still under God's grace, and that this is the same rebellious world that Jesus died for. His love is such that He is even today, wooing this world unto salvation. How amazing that you and I have been raised up in this generation to bring forth the message of God's grace and salvation in Jesus. May these days drive us to pray, to intercede, and share the gospel. Alan Redpath had an exhortation that I keep filed away, it reminds me of the task set before us this very day, his exhortation was, "chin up, knees down!"
Proverbs 30:12
There is a parental discipline technique that has been passed on from one generation to the next. My parents did it, and I'm sure their parents did it. It doesn't work, yet it seems every parent at one time or another uses it. I have seen it used at home, in stores, at church, in cars, and I'm betting it is used in many different cultures and tongues. I'm speaking of the dreaded count to three technique, as in, Bobby stop doing that.....one, two, three! I think there must be some power in the number three, why not say, Bobby, I'm going to count to twelve! It all begins of course with a strong "one", when the offense has just begun. When things intensify and clear disobedience is occurring, the count of "two" is given. If the count gets to "three", it must be done with a shout, and it has become clear that little Bobby has crossed some line set up by mom and dad, hopefully some sort of discipline will follow. Like I said it really doesn't work, but it illustrates that mom and dad are saying to the child that there is a line of disobedience or rebellion set, that cannot be crossed without some sort of consequences. Having said that, its important for us to know that God does not count to three. He has commands and standards and expects that we obey. He is very clear in setting the standards, and what the consequences of disobedience are. Man has never been able to live up to God's standards and God has clearly shown that He is patient and long-suffering toward this sinful world. Yet, I have wondered many times if we as mankind have crossed the line of arrogance and mutiny, and that God, will finally in one instant say enough, the line has been crossed. I just read of what I see as a line crossed, that grieves my heart. There is some web-site I've never heard of called Gawker.com, please stay away from it, my guess is its trashy. Well, this site has introduced to the internet world a couple, Pete and Alisha Arnold. Alisha is said to be 17 weeks pregnant, and the Arnolds have decided to let the people who visit the sight vote as to whether they should keep the baby until birth, or abort the baby. I don't have the right words to reflect my heart. My only solace and hope is that this is just some fake publicity stunt, because I can't fathom that it would be real. Still, it is a sad commentary on the depth to which the morality of our society has fallen. That a couple would think of it, that a web-site would publish it, and that people would vote on it, just screams out that we have crossed the line. That is the sad news, the good news is that this world is still under God's grace, and that this is the same rebellious world that Jesus died for. His love is such that He is even today, wooing this world unto salvation. How amazing that you and I have been raised up in this generation to bring forth the message of God's grace and salvation in Jesus. May these days drive us to pray, to intercede, and share the gospel. Alan Redpath had an exhortation that I keep filed away, it reminds me of the task set before us this very day, his exhortation was, "chin up, knees down!"
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Give Thanks
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms" Psalm 95:2
Most everyone knows today is Thanksgiving day. This is a day we set aside to be grateful for all of our blessings, and yet it is very strange that so many need to be reminded to give thanks on Thanksgiving day! I watched the news last night for just a few minutes, and the commentators never once called Thanksgiving day....Thanksgiving day. When referring to my favorite holiday, they called it turkey day, the beginning of the shopping season, get away weekend, big football weekend, and even the beginning of the most stress filled time of the year. They never said it was a day set aside to reflect on how good God is. I know it is not within our human nature to be grateful, that is why most of the time thanksgiving or praise is spoken of in scripture, it is preceded by a command or exhortation to give thanks or praise. Today of all days should be a day that we reflect upon our God, and not wait for the command to be thankful, but with natural and spontaneous joy give thanks to our Loving Father. Oh how good the Lord is to us, He is so worthy of our love and praise.
Most everyone knows today is Thanksgiving day. This is a day we set aside to be grateful for all of our blessings, and yet it is very strange that so many need to be reminded to give thanks on Thanksgiving day! I watched the news last night for just a few minutes, and the commentators never once called Thanksgiving day....Thanksgiving day. When referring to my favorite holiday, they called it turkey day, the beginning of the shopping season, get away weekend, big football weekend, and even the beginning of the most stress filled time of the year. They never said it was a day set aside to reflect on how good God is. I know it is not within our human nature to be grateful, that is why most of the time thanksgiving or praise is spoken of in scripture, it is preceded by a command or exhortation to give thanks or praise. Today of all days should be a day that we reflect upon our God, and not wait for the command to be thankful, but with natural and spontaneous joy give thanks to our Loving Father. Oh how good the Lord is to us, He is so worthy of our love and praise.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Magnify The Lord
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, let God be magnified!" Psalm 70:4
We all know that magnified means to enlarge or to increase. When you put something under a magnifying glass it looks bigger, my tired eyes are grateful for my reading glasses as they enlarge or magnify the small print for me. The psalmist is calling us to "let God be magnified". Now, God is God and He remains constant, He will never get bigger or more powerful. To magnify the Lord does not mean we can change God or make Him greater. What the psalmist is calling us to do is to magnify the truth of who God is, and to increase our perception of the reality of His omnipotence. God truly is big enough to handle our problems, but our tendency is to magnify our problems and not Him. Our difficult circumstances become our focus, and we mull things over and over in our minds, we work out different scenarios and plots, and in our imaginations the problem grows, and the molehill becomes a mountain. So many of us are masters at allowing the problem to become so magnified that not even God can handle it. The matter for us is to magnify the Lord, and to let God be God. As we change our focus, the problem will shrink back down to size. Remember, God is not stressing, He's not afraid or confused and wondering what to do. As you turn from magnifying the problem and begin to magnify the Lord, His peace will begin to rule and guard your heart.
We all know that magnified means to enlarge or to increase. When you put something under a magnifying glass it looks bigger, my tired eyes are grateful for my reading glasses as they enlarge or magnify the small print for me. The psalmist is calling us to "let God be magnified". Now, God is God and He remains constant, He will never get bigger or more powerful. To magnify the Lord does not mean we can change God or make Him greater. What the psalmist is calling us to do is to magnify the truth of who God is, and to increase our perception of the reality of His omnipotence. God truly is big enough to handle our problems, but our tendency is to magnify our problems and not Him. Our difficult circumstances become our focus, and we mull things over and over in our minds, we work out different scenarios and plots, and in our imaginations the problem grows, and the molehill becomes a mountain. So many of us are masters at allowing the problem to become so magnified that not even God can handle it. The matter for us is to magnify the Lord, and to let God be God. As we change our focus, the problem will shrink back down to size. Remember, God is not stressing, He's not afraid or confused and wondering what to do. As you turn from magnifying the problem and begin to magnify the Lord, His peace will begin to rule and guard your heart.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Remain Faithful
2 Timothy 2:6 "The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops."
A farmer does not dictate when to do his hard work, that work is determined by the seasons. The plowing, planting, watering, waiting, and the harvesting, are all done in the proper season, and those seasons are out of the control of the farmer. The farmer can't skip seasons, nor the work that must be done in each season. Wouldn't it be nice to just skip right through to the harvest? The hardworking farmer discerns the season and is faithful to do the work that each season requires, with an eye toward the goal of a generous harvest. A farmer who is not faithful in the plowing or planting seasons, can not expect the blessings of a good harvest. With this we are reminded of our walks with the Lord. We are to be faithful in whatever season we are in, and recognize that the season is not determined by us, but by our loving Father. There have been many times I would have liked to fast forward through, or flat out skip a season. But I didn't understand that it was for my benefit, and that it was the Lord's hand plowing or planting, and preparing for a harvest of good fruit. Trust the Lord and be faithful in whatever season the Lord has you in right now, He has begun a good work and is faithful to complete it. I pray that His Spirit might fill you with His joy, as you place your confidence in the Lord of the seasons and the harvest.
A farmer does not dictate when to do his hard work, that work is determined by the seasons. The plowing, planting, watering, waiting, and the harvesting, are all done in the proper season, and those seasons are out of the control of the farmer. The farmer can't skip seasons, nor the work that must be done in each season. Wouldn't it be nice to just skip right through to the harvest? The hardworking farmer discerns the season and is faithful to do the work that each season requires, with an eye toward the goal of a generous harvest. A farmer who is not faithful in the plowing or planting seasons, can not expect the blessings of a good harvest. With this we are reminded of our walks with the Lord. We are to be faithful in whatever season we are in, and recognize that the season is not determined by us, but by our loving Father. There have been many times I would have liked to fast forward through, or flat out skip a season. But I didn't understand that it was for my benefit, and that it was the Lord's hand plowing or planting, and preparing for a harvest of good fruit. Trust the Lord and be faithful in whatever season the Lord has you in right now, He has begun a good work and is faithful to complete it. I pray that His Spirit might fill you with His joy, as you place your confidence in the Lord of the seasons and the harvest.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wise Guy?
Proverbs 26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
We have seen them, we have heard them, and we know them, the wise guys and the wise girls who seem to know it all. From sports to parenting, from politics to dating, from preaching to shopping, they seem to have all the answers, and love to enlighten all who would listen. I was in a bagel shop the other day and overheard two buddies sharing their vast wisdom on everything. First they discussed how to make I-Phones better, they then moved on to how to make the New York Yankees better, from there they debated how to make some other guy's marriage better. I unfortunately had to leave as they were fixing the economy. The above proverb is so profound as it rebukes the worst kind fool, the fool who thinks he is wise. The placement of this verse is perfect in that it kind of sets you up for the truth to smack you between the eyes. In the first eleven verses Solomon rails on fools. By verse eleven it is easy to get angry at fools, you begin to apply the verses to those you consider fools, and you begin to thank God that you are not a fool. Just when you are feeling pretty good about your own wisdom, the devastating truth of verse twelve hits you, there is more hope for a fool, then for someone who thinks he is wise. Ouch! Yes, the truth hits close to home, and the truth does hurt. We are taught that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). I must recognize that I don't have my act together, I don't have all the answers, and I am in desperate need of the Lord's wisdom. As much as I may not want to admit it, I must settle this as fact, I am a dunce without the Lord. To walk in wisdom today and everyday, we must humble or foolish hearts, and be set to listen to and obey our God who alone is wise (1 Timothy 1:17).
We have seen them, we have heard them, and we know them, the wise guys and the wise girls who seem to know it all. From sports to parenting, from politics to dating, from preaching to shopping, they seem to have all the answers, and love to enlighten all who would listen. I was in a bagel shop the other day and overheard two buddies sharing their vast wisdom on everything. First they discussed how to make I-Phones better, they then moved on to how to make the New York Yankees better, from there they debated how to make some other guy's marriage better. I unfortunately had to leave as they were fixing the economy. The above proverb is so profound as it rebukes the worst kind fool, the fool who thinks he is wise. The placement of this verse is perfect in that it kind of sets you up for the truth to smack you between the eyes. In the first eleven verses Solomon rails on fools. By verse eleven it is easy to get angry at fools, you begin to apply the verses to those you consider fools, and you begin to thank God that you are not a fool. Just when you are feeling pretty good about your own wisdom, the devastating truth of verse twelve hits you, there is more hope for a fool, then for someone who thinks he is wise. Ouch! Yes, the truth hits close to home, and the truth does hurt. We are taught that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). I must recognize that I don't have my act together, I don't have all the answers, and I am in desperate need of the Lord's wisdom. As much as I may not want to admit it, I must settle this as fact, I am a dunce without the Lord. To walk in wisdom today and everyday, we must humble or foolish hearts, and be set to listen to and obey our God who alone is wise (1 Timothy 1:17).
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Schedule For The Day
"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:8
How humbling and convicting is this verse. The apostle Paul is stating his priorities for life, and he says that he counts everything as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. He is very simply and clearly telling us, that there is nothing more important in our lives then our relationship with the Lord. For Paul anything that he might contrast with Jesus would pale so much that it would be to him as trash. Now think about your plans for today, the priority list you have made, the order of things you need to accomplish today. Where have you placed Jesus on that list? Now, I know that we all, as Christians, make the sentimental confession that Jesus is first in our hearts and plans. But what is the concrete reality of your schedule today? Have you set aside time this day to get to know Jesus more, to commune with your Lord, to hear from His word, and to worship Him? If you haven't then you may want to check your priorities. Is there any rubbish you can move aside that you might be about the most important business of the day?
How humbling and convicting is this verse. The apostle Paul is stating his priorities for life, and he says that he counts everything as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. He is very simply and clearly telling us, that there is nothing more important in our lives then our relationship with the Lord. For Paul anything that he might contrast with Jesus would pale so much that it would be to him as trash. Now think about your plans for today, the priority list you have made, the order of things you need to accomplish today. Where have you placed Jesus on that list? Now, I know that we all, as Christians, make the sentimental confession that Jesus is first in our hearts and plans. But what is the concrete reality of your schedule today? Have you set aside time this day to get to know Jesus more, to commune with your Lord, to hear from His word, and to worship Him? If you haven't then you may want to check your priorities. Is there any rubbish you can move aside that you might be about the most important business of the day?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Trust Him....it is good!
Philippians 1:6 "being confident in this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Can I make a suggestion to you? Get out your bible and look up the above verse and underline with a very bright color the word "good". It will serve as an important reminder of something we can all easily forget. In the midst of trials, or rough days, or a difficult season, it is easy to forget that God is doing a "good" work in our lives. This is not a cross your fingers or wishful thinking verse, Paul speaks with great confidence that God is indeed doing a "good" work. We have all had those times when we consider the happenings of life and wonder what good can ever come from these things. In those difficult times we may not be able to answer all the questions, but we can surely place our confidence in the certain promise of God. I used to work for a landscaper who was a true artist. He hired me to do the demolition work. I would rip up and uproot, and he would beautifully rebuild. My boss was very gifted at what he did, he could look at any yard and catch a well-formed vision for what it could be. That vision would begin taking form with my demolition. I have to admit when I first started working for him, I would rip things up with a little fear, wondering how the mess I was making could ever turn out good. After working with him on several jobs my doubts were done away with, as this artist would amaze me with the beauty of his finished work. There were times during my demolition work, that I would have to assure the homeowner that we knew what we were doing. I with confidence would say, trust us it will turn out awesome, and it always did! And so it is with our Lord. You may be wondering why this is being torn down, or that is being uprooted. It may hurt some and there may be some discomfort, but trust the Lord, for He is faithful and has begun a good work in you. He already knows the end that work, and it is beautiful.
Can I make a suggestion to you? Get out your bible and look up the above verse and underline with a very bright color the word "good". It will serve as an important reminder of something we can all easily forget. In the midst of trials, or rough days, or a difficult season, it is easy to forget that God is doing a "good" work in our lives. This is not a cross your fingers or wishful thinking verse, Paul speaks with great confidence that God is indeed doing a "good" work. We have all had those times when we consider the happenings of life and wonder what good can ever come from these things. In those difficult times we may not be able to answer all the questions, but we can surely place our confidence in the certain promise of God. I used to work for a landscaper who was a true artist. He hired me to do the demolition work. I would rip up and uproot, and he would beautifully rebuild. My boss was very gifted at what he did, he could look at any yard and catch a well-formed vision for what it could be. That vision would begin taking form with my demolition. I have to admit when I first started working for him, I would rip things up with a little fear, wondering how the mess I was making could ever turn out good. After working with him on several jobs my doubts were done away with, as this artist would amaze me with the beauty of his finished work. There were times during my demolition work, that I would have to assure the homeowner that we knew what we were doing. I with confidence would say, trust us it will turn out awesome, and it always did! And so it is with our Lord. You may be wondering why this is being torn down, or that is being uprooted. It may hurt some and there may be some discomfort, but trust the Lord, for He is faithful and has begun a good work in you. He already knows the end that work, and it is beautiful.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Go For It
1 Kings 11:6 "Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David."
Since I'm not a surfer it's hard to use a surfing analogy. The story fits my point perfectly, but I'm afraid the terms may not be in perfect surfer expressions, so I will apologize in advance to the surfers. Anyway, so this dude was telling me about a totally awesome swell that had come in. The waves were as big as he had ever surfed in, he was like, totally afraid, but having a marvelous time. So, like, there was this one set that he was out in that had him totally freaked out. He paddled to catch this one wave, and as he got ready to ride it, he realized this was the biggest mongo wave he had ever been on. He was paralyzed for a second, and then in another second knew that he had to make some sort of total commitment or be crushed. He had to paddle forward without reservation and catch the wave, or pull back and get out of the wave. If he was halfhearted either in moving forward or pulling back, he would for sure be pummeled by the mongo wave. Well, the reason why he was telling me the story was because he chose to fully commit to paddle into the swell, and he caught the wave for one of the most fearful and exciting rides of his life. I have actually heard this same type of story from many surfers. These great ride adventures all seem to turn on a split second decision. The surfer has to decide....am I in, or am I out? Whichever way is decided, in or out, there has to be full commitment, for to be halfhearted is to get crushed. What a most excellent picture of our relationship with the Lord. Jesus has called us to be fully committed in following Him. His lordship requires complete surrender to Him and nothing less. To dabble in Christ is to get crushed in the world's swells. To play at Christianity, especially in the days we are in, is misery. Jesus' call to us leaves no room for halfheartedness. So dude, are you in, or are you out? If you are in, then go for it with all your heart, you'll be in for the greatest ride ever.
Since I'm not a surfer it's hard to use a surfing analogy. The story fits my point perfectly, but I'm afraid the terms may not be in perfect surfer expressions, so I will apologize in advance to the surfers. Anyway, so this dude was telling me about a totally awesome swell that had come in. The waves were as big as he had ever surfed in, he was like, totally afraid, but having a marvelous time. So, like, there was this one set that he was out in that had him totally freaked out. He paddled to catch this one wave, and as he got ready to ride it, he realized this was the biggest mongo wave he had ever been on. He was paralyzed for a second, and then in another second knew that he had to make some sort of total commitment or be crushed. He had to paddle forward without reservation and catch the wave, or pull back and get out of the wave. If he was halfhearted either in moving forward or pulling back, he would for sure be pummeled by the mongo wave. Well, the reason why he was telling me the story was because he chose to fully commit to paddle into the swell, and he caught the wave for one of the most fearful and exciting rides of his life. I have actually heard this same type of story from many surfers. These great ride adventures all seem to turn on a split second decision. The surfer has to decide....am I in, or am I out? Whichever way is decided, in or out, there has to be full commitment, for to be halfhearted is to get crushed. What a most excellent picture of our relationship with the Lord. Jesus has called us to be fully committed in following Him. His lordship requires complete surrender to Him and nothing less. To dabble in Christ is to get crushed in the world's swells. To play at Christianity, especially in the days we are in, is misery. Jesus' call to us leaves no room for halfheartedness. So dude, are you in, or are you out? If you are in, then go for it with all your heart, you'll be in for the greatest ride ever.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I'm Younger Then That Now
Matthew 18:3-4 "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
What an eye opening command Jesus gives us here, we are commanded to "become as little children". Notice He doesn't say we are to be childish or act like children, but to "become as children". The obvious application for us is easy to grasp. Little children are in a place of dependence and trust, and we are to be as children in our trusting in, and depending upon the Lord. I believe there is another application for us to consider. In most children there is a blessed innocence and joy. To children, life is grand, they find adventure in the small things, and excitement in the ordinary. Discovery is right outside on the back patio, with ants and snails and spider webs. I'm so glad that Jesus' didn't command us to become as an old boring fuddy duddy. His precept to us is to become as children, to depend upon Him, to trust in Him, to cast our cares upon Him, and to embark on daily adventures as we walk in His ways. Back in my high school days I remember a line from a song by a popular group, The Byrds. I don't remember the title of the song, or even most of the words, but one line stuck out to me. The line went something like this: "ah, but I was so much older then I'm younger then that now". To me the line was saying, I want to keep getting younger, not immature or childish, but more as a child. I want to stay young in the Lord, to grow in dependence and trust. I want to be less weighted down by the cares of this world, and to regain the thrill of a simple life lived for Jesus. What excitement and discoveries might He have in store for those who would dare to live in childlike faith each day. We are never called to be old geezers for Jesus, so today let's obey His command and be His kids.
What an eye opening command Jesus gives us here, we are commanded to "become as little children". Notice He doesn't say we are to be childish or act like children, but to "become as children". The obvious application for us is easy to grasp. Little children are in a place of dependence and trust, and we are to be as children in our trusting in, and depending upon the Lord. I believe there is another application for us to consider. In most children there is a blessed innocence and joy. To children, life is grand, they find adventure in the small things, and excitement in the ordinary. Discovery is right outside on the back patio, with ants and snails and spider webs. I'm so glad that Jesus' didn't command us to become as an old boring fuddy duddy. His precept to us is to become as children, to depend upon Him, to trust in Him, to cast our cares upon Him, and to embark on daily adventures as we walk in His ways. Back in my high school days I remember a line from a song by a popular group, The Byrds. I don't remember the title of the song, or even most of the words, but one line stuck out to me. The line went something like this: "ah, but I was so much older then I'm younger then that now". To me the line was saying, I want to keep getting younger, not immature or childish, but more as a child. I want to stay young in the Lord, to grow in dependence and trust. I want to be less weighted down by the cares of this world, and to regain the thrill of a simple life lived for Jesus. What excitement and discoveries might He have in store for those who would dare to live in childlike faith each day. We are never called to be old geezers for Jesus, so today let's obey His command and be His kids.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Too Big For Your Britches
Psalm 9:19-20 "Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men."
Man's biggest problem from the beginning of time has been pride. Our first sin of rebellion and disobedience was spurred on by pride, manifested in wanting to be like God. From that day until now, every man has the heart to be his own little god. Even in our early years we proved this out. When I was a youngster my mom used to tell me I was acting too big for my britches. I'm still not sure exactly what that means, but I got the point. I suppose if the movie Top Gun had been released in those days, she might have used the line....Terry, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash. She didn't really need to to explain the meaning of the saying, because I knew exactly what my attitude was like. I was being a prideful spoiled little brat. I was wanting to do what I wanted, when I wanted, and was attempting to be my own little god. Even today I can get too big for my britches. You'd think I would have learned by now, that my worst days are those days lived for me, and my biggest problems are those authored by me. The psalmist prayed, "do not let man prevail". In truth we need to make that very personal, and pray, Lord don't let me prevail. The psalmist also said, "may they know themselves to be but men". Again, I need to take that to heart and pray, Lord help me to remember that I am but man and You are God. The issue for us daily, is who will call the shots in my life? Will today be a too big for my britches day, or a day lived in dependence upon God? Oh what a blessed day as you would allow Jesus the Lordship of your life and allow His will to prevail.
Man's biggest problem from the beginning of time has been pride. Our first sin of rebellion and disobedience was spurred on by pride, manifested in wanting to be like God. From that day until now, every man has the heart to be his own little god. Even in our early years we proved this out. When I was a youngster my mom used to tell me I was acting too big for my britches. I'm still not sure exactly what that means, but I got the point. I suppose if the movie Top Gun had been released in those days, she might have used the line....Terry, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash. She didn't really need to to explain the meaning of the saying, because I knew exactly what my attitude was like. I was being a prideful spoiled little brat. I was wanting to do what I wanted, when I wanted, and was attempting to be my own little god. Even today I can get too big for my britches. You'd think I would have learned by now, that my worst days are those days lived for me, and my biggest problems are those authored by me. The psalmist prayed, "do not let man prevail". In truth we need to make that very personal, and pray, Lord don't let me prevail. The psalmist also said, "may they know themselves to be but men". Again, I need to take that to heart and pray, Lord help me to remember that I am but man and You are God. The issue for us daily, is who will call the shots in my life? Will today be a too big for my britches day, or a day lived in dependence upon God? Oh what a blessed day as you would allow Jesus the Lordship of your life and allow His will to prevail.
Monday, August 2, 2010
You Are Not Just A Number
Psalm 33:5 "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works."
I had to call a company to get some banking information, and I experienced the same trial that many of you have experienced. I wanted to talk to a real live person, hoping it might accomplish more. After listening through all the options and punching all the right numbers, I was put on hold for a long while. I determined not to lose my place in line so I remained holding for what seemed like an hour, though I'm sure it was much less than that. I listened to some great music, that was every so often interrupted by a commercial telling me of all the benefits I have because I'm doing business with the company that has me on hold for so long. When at last I was able to speak to a real person, I identified myself and told her what I needed. She didn't respond to what I needed, but straight away began asking me for all the numbers that would coincide with who I was. Can I have your account number? Can I have your phone number? Can I have the last four number of your social security number? Can I have your account security password number? No that's not it sir......oops, try this one....no sir that's not it either....oh boy, try this.....that's it ,well Terence how might I help you. You all know the drill, and for me there is nothing like that warmth I get from being known by a bunch of numbers, and by the name Terence. In fact, the only folks who ever called me Terence were the nuns back in my Catholic school days, talk about warm memories! On this occasion the lady on the line was not able to help me, so she directed me to a web site for more personal service.
You may wonder at times, with all the people in the world, does God really know you? Does He know your thoughts, your hurts and doubts, your laughter and smiles? The answer is yes! Some of the most precious teachings we have from Jesus are those that reveal to us just how much God loves us and cares for us a individuals. When teaching us to pray, Jesus has us refer to God as Father, and He gives us the example of praying using the more personal term of Abba or Dad. Jesus tells us that the Father knows every sparrow that lives, and if He knows a sparrow that is worth perhaps a penny, how much more does the He know us, because we are of such great value to Him. Our Lord said, that God knows us so well that even the hairs on our heads are numbered (insert bald joke here). Finally just think of the great price the Father paid in sending Jesus to die for us, that we might have fellowship with Him. Never think that you are just a number to God, He knows you well and has loved you with His everlasting love.
I had to call a company to get some banking information, and I experienced the same trial that many of you have experienced. I wanted to talk to a real live person, hoping it might accomplish more. After listening through all the options and punching all the right numbers, I was put on hold for a long while. I determined not to lose my place in line so I remained holding for what seemed like an hour, though I'm sure it was much less than that. I listened to some great music, that was every so often interrupted by a commercial telling me of all the benefits I have because I'm doing business with the company that has me on hold for so long. When at last I was able to speak to a real person, I identified myself and told her what I needed. She didn't respond to what I needed, but straight away began asking me for all the numbers that would coincide with who I was. Can I have your account number? Can I have your phone number? Can I have the last four number of your social security number? Can I have your account security password number? No that's not it sir......oops, try this one....no sir that's not it either....oh boy, try this.....that's it ,well Terence how might I help you. You all know the drill, and for me there is nothing like that warmth I get from being known by a bunch of numbers, and by the name Terence. In fact, the only folks who ever called me Terence were the nuns back in my Catholic school days, talk about warm memories! On this occasion the lady on the line was not able to help me, so she directed me to a web site for more personal service.
You may wonder at times, with all the people in the world, does God really know you? Does He know your thoughts, your hurts and doubts, your laughter and smiles? The answer is yes! Some of the most precious teachings we have from Jesus are those that reveal to us just how much God loves us and cares for us a individuals. When teaching us to pray, Jesus has us refer to God as Father, and He gives us the example of praying using the more personal term of Abba or Dad. Jesus tells us that the Father knows every sparrow that lives, and if He knows a sparrow that is worth perhaps a penny, how much more does the He know us, because we are of such great value to Him. Our Lord said, that God knows us so well that even the hairs on our heads are numbered (insert bald joke here). Finally just think of the great price the Father paid in sending Jesus to die for us, that we might have fellowship with Him. Never think that you are just a number to God, He knows you well and has loved you with His everlasting love.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Prayer For The Day
Luke 11:13 "....how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
So I'm studying at my desk this morning listening to the online station that I listen to everyday....it says: Christian, instrumental, non-vocal, conservative, sacred, and traditional, 48kbps, (yes, I am one boring dude). A hymn came on that made me stop and pray. It was of course, Christian, instrumental, and non-vocal, but I knew most of the words. I could not help but whisper this prayer along with the music, "Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me". Is that not the great need of this day and every single day? I can walk in the dryness and drought of this dusty flesh of mine, or I can live a fresh, lush, new life in the Holy Spirit. The choice is ours today, to walk in the Spirit or in the flesh, to walk in the fictitious life of this world, or the real life of His Spirit. The marvelous thing is, all we have to do is ask. Oh, how the Father must love it when we ask for a fresh movement of His Spirit in our lives. How blessed the day will be, if we stop and pray, "Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me".
So I'm studying at my desk this morning listening to the online station that I listen to everyday....it says: Christian, instrumental, non-vocal, conservative, sacred, and traditional, 48kbps, (yes, I am one boring dude). A hymn came on that made me stop and pray. It was of course, Christian, instrumental, and non-vocal, but I knew most of the words. I could not help but whisper this prayer along with the music, "Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me". Is that not the great need of this day and every single day? I can walk in the dryness and drought of this dusty flesh of mine, or I can live a fresh, lush, new life in the Holy Spirit. The choice is ours today, to walk in the Spirit or in the flesh, to walk in the fictitious life of this world, or the real life of His Spirit. The marvelous thing is, all we have to do is ask. Oh, how the Father must love it when we ask for a fresh movement of His Spirit in our lives. How blessed the day will be, if we stop and pray, "Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me".
Monday, July 26, 2010
Word Won't Wither
Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."
I was listening to a talk show on the radio this morning, it was a sports show but the hosts were talking about different places to hang out to see celebrities. I'm not sure how, but the conversation eventually got around to celebrities and plastic surgery. Isn't it amazing the great cost and pain people will go through to maintain a youthful veneer. It is a subject that I guess is both funny and sad. Sad because it is the way of the world....everything fades....we all get old, and funny because there are so many spending huge amounts of money attempting to put off the inevitable. They hope to appear younger, and yet to me they often look worse after their procedure. We are living in a world that withers and fades. There is nothing in all the world that does not break down, or rust, or wilt. That fresh new outfit you bought will soon lose its newness and freshness. It will fade and you will buy another new fresh outfit, that will fade. The new car looses its new car smell and shine. The child's new toy so quickly gets old. And yes, our physical beauty fades. Though we try hard and spend much to slow it down, our flesh like the grass also wanes. Knowing this ought to ought to bring us all to a place of setting up proper priorities. Isaiah tells us that in this world everything withers and fades, but only the Word of God stands forever. Are we spending our best time and energy on that which is temporal and fading, or on that which is eternal and enduring? Today give your best over to that which stands forever.
I was listening to a talk show on the radio this morning, it was a sports show but the hosts were talking about different places to hang out to see celebrities. I'm not sure how, but the conversation eventually got around to celebrities and plastic surgery. Isn't it amazing the great cost and pain people will go through to maintain a youthful veneer. It is a subject that I guess is both funny and sad. Sad because it is the way of the world....everything fades....we all get old, and funny because there are so many spending huge amounts of money attempting to put off the inevitable. They hope to appear younger, and yet to me they often look worse after their procedure. We are living in a world that withers and fades. There is nothing in all the world that does not break down, or rust, or wilt. That fresh new outfit you bought will soon lose its newness and freshness. It will fade and you will buy another new fresh outfit, that will fade. The new car looses its new car smell and shine. The child's new toy so quickly gets old. And yes, our physical beauty fades. Though we try hard and spend much to slow it down, our flesh like the grass also wanes. Knowing this ought to ought to bring us all to a place of setting up proper priorities. Isaiah tells us that in this world everything withers and fades, but only the Word of God stands forever. Are we spending our best time and energy on that which is temporal and fading, or on that which is eternal and enduring? Today give your best over to that which stands forever.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
We Should Love Tests
Psalm 11:5 "The Lord tests the righteous...."
It seems to me the above verse should include a question mark, as in....The Lord tests the righteous? At first it doesn't seem fair, or make sense, shouldn't the Lord be testing the unrighteous and letting the righteous take a nap or go on vacation? None of us enjoys trials, but as we review our lives we can see one test after another. Don't feel alone or singled out in this, understand that when tested you are in good company. We see in the Bible that none of the great men and women of faith lived trial free lives. It has be said that faith that hasn't been tested, isn't faith. It is important for us to understand that testing is good for us. The Lord does not test us to make us miserable or to fail us, but to instruct, mature, and grow us up. There may be pain in the trail you are in right now, but know that the Lord has allowed it, and will see you through it. Best of all this is not a meaningless test, it is part of the good work He has begun in you, and is being used to conform you more into the perfect image of Jesus.
It seems to me the above verse should include a question mark, as in....The Lord tests the righteous? At first it doesn't seem fair, or make sense, shouldn't the Lord be testing the unrighteous and letting the righteous take a nap or go on vacation? None of us enjoys trials, but as we review our lives we can see one test after another. Don't feel alone or singled out in this, understand that when tested you are in good company. We see in the Bible that none of the great men and women of faith lived trial free lives. It has be said that faith that hasn't been tested, isn't faith. It is important for us to understand that testing is good for us. The Lord does not test us to make us miserable or to fail us, but to instruct, mature, and grow us up. There may be pain in the trail you are in right now, but know that the Lord has allowed it, and will see you through it. Best of all this is not a meaningless test, it is part of the good work He has begun in you, and is being used to conform you more into the perfect image of Jesus.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
No Wasted Effort
Colossians 3:1-2 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth."
This happened some years ago, but I still remember the hard learned lesson. I was playing a pick-up flag football game with some buddies, and I was going out for a long pass. I was wide open when the pass was thrown, but it was heaved past me by a step or two. Not thinking, and caught up in a moment of competition, I dove hoping to make a great catch. You guessed it, I missed the ball by inches. The guy who was covering me caught up and with a big smile hollered, great try, but wasted effort. I got up and we both laughed, and I knew of course that he was right. My near spectacular catch left me sore the next couple of days, but my scraped arms and legs took not days but weeks to heal. I subjected myself to this pain for a missed pass in a meaningless pick-up flag football game. My hard learned lesson was clear, don't waste energy, effort, or your body on unimportant things. We all expend a good deal of effort and energy every single day. I wonder how much of it is wasted effort, spent on things that ought not be top priority in our lives. The above verses set forth a good challenge on how to spend our energy. First we are exhorted to seek those things which are in heaven, where the Lord is. The word "seek" is a strong word, giving the idea of expending energy and effort, literally meaning "strive to find". We are told to give priority and our best efforts to strive after the things of God. The next challenge of the verses, is to set our minds on the things above, not on the things on earth. To "set your minds", is again another strong phrase having to do with our affections. We are to set our affections toward the heavenly and eternal things, not the earthly and temporal things. Today you will spend yourself and your energies on something, don't let this day be a day of wasted effort. Spend your effort today on the things of Christ, if you do I promise it will not be a day of wasted effort.
This happened some years ago, but I still remember the hard learned lesson. I was playing a pick-up flag football game with some buddies, and I was going out for a long pass. I was wide open when the pass was thrown, but it was heaved past me by a step or two. Not thinking, and caught up in a moment of competition, I dove hoping to make a great catch. You guessed it, I missed the ball by inches. The guy who was covering me caught up and with a big smile hollered, great try, but wasted effort. I got up and we both laughed, and I knew of course that he was right. My near spectacular catch left me sore the next couple of days, but my scraped arms and legs took not days but weeks to heal. I subjected myself to this pain for a missed pass in a meaningless pick-up flag football game. My hard learned lesson was clear, don't waste energy, effort, or your body on unimportant things. We all expend a good deal of effort and energy every single day. I wonder how much of it is wasted effort, spent on things that ought not be top priority in our lives. The above verses set forth a good challenge on how to spend our energy. First we are exhorted to seek those things which are in heaven, where the Lord is. The word "seek" is a strong word, giving the idea of expending energy and effort, literally meaning "strive to find". We are told to give priority and our best efforts to strive after the things of God. The next challenge of the verses, is to set our minds on the things above, not on the things on earth. To "set your minds", is again another strong phrase having to do with our affections. We are to set our affections toward the heavenly and eternal things, not the earthly and temporal things. Today you will spend yourself and your energies on something, don't let this day be a day of wasted effort. Spend your effort today on the things of Christ, if you do I promise it will not be a day of wasted effort.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Let's Be Fools
Hosea 9:7 "....Israel knows! The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity."
I was standing and preaching in the free speech area at U.C. Irvine, when a professor broke through the crowd of students to stand right in front of me. Most of the sixty or so students kept their distance from me. They were standing in a ring around me, I'm guessing about twelve feet away. As I spoke I would keep turning in a slow circle, but when the professor moved up close within a couple of feet, I stopped my slow spin and spoke just facing her. I kept thinking she was going to try to enter into a debate at any moment, but she didn't say anything. By her facial expressions I could see she was unhappy, then after a couple of minutes she sort of dismissed me with a wave of her hand and a loud ttttshshsh sound. As she walked away shaking her head, her message to me and the students seemed pretty clear, she thought I was an ignorant crazy fool. I felt a sadness not for what she thought of me, but because at the moment of the ttttshshsh, I wasn't setting forth my concepts or opinions, I was simply reading the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Mark. We are living in days that mirror the days of the prophet Hosea. Things had gotten so bad in Israel that God's prophets were considered fools and those who loved God were thought to be crazy, and yes it is that way today! How sorry that when we proclaim the words of Jesus we are thought of as fools. The issue for us today, is are we willing to appear foolish to the world for the sake of the truth? Will we shine forth the Gospel in an ever darkening world, even if the think we're crazy? Remember in these last days we shouldn't worry about what the world thinks of us, our main concern is to faithfully and lovingly proclaim our Savior Jesus.
I was standing and preaching in the free speech area at U.C. Irvine, when a professor broke through the crowd of students to stand right in front of me. Most of the sixty or so students kept their distance from me. They were standing in a ring around me, I'm guessing about twelve feet away. As I spoke I would keep turning in a slow circle, but when the professor moved up close within a couple of feet, I stopped my slow spin and spoke just facing her. I kept thinking she was going to try to enter into a debate at any moment, but she didn't say anything. By her facial expressions I could see she was unhappy, then after a couple of minutes she sort of dismissed me with a wave of her hand and a loud ttttshshsh sound. As she walked away shaking her head, her message to me and the students seemed pretty clear, she thought I was an ignorant crazy fool. I felt a sadness not for what she thought of me, but because at the moment of the ttttshshsh, I wasn't setting forth my concepts or opinions, I was simply reading the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Mark. We are living in days that mirror the days of the prophet Hosea. Things had gotten so bad in Israel that God's prophets were considered fools and those who loved God were thought to be crazy, and yes it is that way today! How sorry that when we proclaim the words of Jesus we are thought of as fools. The issue for us today, is are we willing to appear foolish to the world for the sake of the truth? Will we shine forth the Gospel in an ever darkening world, even if the think we're crazy? Remember in these last days we shouldn't worry about what the world thinks of us, our main concern is to faithfully and lovingly proclaim our Savior Jesus.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
You Are Beloved
"That Your beloved may be delivered. Save with Your right hand, and hear me." Psalm 108:6
In the above prayer the psalmist David refers to himself as the Lord's beloved. David seemed to grasp a truth that many of us have a hard time laying hold of. This man who had a heart after God, knew his relationship with his Lord was a tender loving relationship, he understood he was greatly loved and cherished. It is easy for me to see God as liking me, or caring for me, or even me and God being "BFF", but being the Lord's beloved is a bit beyond me. This truth of being the Lord's beloved may be hard to grasp, but it is a foundational truth that we all need to grow in. Is the wonder of His great love for you fixed in your heart? Do you know that God is crazy in love with you? There is no greater proof for His love, in that He gave His life for you. Take some time to ponder the fact that you truly are the Lord's beloved. As you grow in the marvelous understanding of His great love for you, I promise you will have an increase of peace and joy and strength. Oh how very much He loves you.
In the above prayer the psalmist David refers to himself as the Lord's beloved. David seemed to grasp a truth that many of us have a hard time laying hold of. This man who had a heart after God, knew his relationship with his Lord was a tender loving relationship, he understood he was greatly loved and cherished. It is easy for me to see God as liking me, or caring for me, or even me and God being "BFF", but being the Lord's beloved is a bit beyond me. This truth of being the Lord's beloved may be hard to grasp, but it is a foundational truth that we all need to grow in. Is the wonder of His great love for you fixed in your heart? Do you know that God is crazy in love with you? There is no greater proof for His love, in that He gave His life for you. Take some time to ponder the fact that you truly are the Lord's beloved. As you grow in the marvelous understanding of His great love for you, I promise you will have an increase of peace and joy and strength. Oh how very much He loves you.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Fresh Hearts
"strengthening the souls of the disciples...." Acts 14:22
World War One had become a stalemate. Neither side was winning and they were locked in horrible trench warfare. The war had become a war of attrition, which is a slow grinding down process, until one side loses the will to fight or resist. I am absolutely convinced through experience, that attrition is a favorite strategy of the enemy of our souls. We all burden ourselves with a busy day to day grind which begins the attrition process. Then the enemy or the world throws in who knows what....a physical ailment, an unexpected bill, your child's school project, a discouraging word, fearful news, a looming pay cut, a funny clunking noise from the car, or any number of things. The daily toil can wear you down and weaken the soul. The above words from Acts 14 describe Paul and Barnabas' ministry to the churches they had visited. These shepherds knew that their disciples had been in tribulation and therefore needed their souls fortified. I love J.B. Phillips' translation of the verse, he says, "they put fresh heart into the disciples." I love the idea of the "fresh heart", because so often the daily onslaught leaves us disheartened, and unable to fight or resist. God's desire is to strengthen our souls and make us stout of heart. No doubt if Paul and Barnabas were passing through our town today they would look to put "fresh heart" into weary troops. They would set our hearts right in reminding us that our battle is not a stalemate. We have already won in Christ, the enemy is defeated and victory is assured. The proper heavenly perspective is crucial. If our eyes are fixed on the battle alone we will grow weary, but if we fix our hearts on the triumph of Jesus, we will be heartened.
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...." Revelation 12:11
World War One had become a stalemate. Neither side was winning and they were locked in horrible trench warfare. The war had become a war of attrition, which is a slow grinding down process, until one side loses the will to fight or resist. I am absolutely convinced through experience, that attrition is a favorite strategy of the enemy of our souls. We all burden ourselves with a busy day to day grind which begins the attrition process. Then the enemy or the world throws in who knows what....a physical ailment, an unexpected bill, your child's school project, a discouraging word, fearful news, a looming pay cut, a funny clunking noise from the car, or any number of things. The daily toil can wear you down and weaken the soul. The above words from Acts 14 describe Paul and Barnabas' ministry to the churches they had visited. These shepherds knew that their disciples had been in tribulation and therefore needed their souls fortified. I love J.B. Phillips' translation of the verse, he says, "they put fresh heart into the disciples." I love the idea of the "fresh heart", because so often the daily onslaught leaves us disheartened, and unable to fight or resist. God's desire is to strengthen our souls and make us stout of heart. No doubt if Paul and Barnabas were passing through our town today they would look to put "fresh heart" into weary troops. They would set our hearts right in reminding us that our battle is not a stalemate. We have already won in Christ, the enemy is defeated and victory is assured. The proper heavenly perspective is crucial. If our eyes are fixed on the battle alone we will grow weary, but if we fix our hearts on the triumph of Jesus, we will be heartened.
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...." Revelation 12:11
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The River Is Full
Psalm 65:9 "You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God if full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it."
I can still see the drinking faucets in my mind. These faucets were the most crowded place after the lunchtime recess at St. Joseph school. There were six all together, three to the right, and three to the left. The three on the left were for girls only, so this was forbidden territory, even for the most thirsty boy. One day I ventured over to the girl's faucet and was very surprised to find that the girl's water tasted pretty much the same as the boy's water. Unfortunately, a nun caught me committing this dastardly crime, and I had to spend the rest of the day kneeling next to my desk....but I digress. To a sweaty thirsty boy after the lunchtime recess, the water faucets were frustrating and disappointing. The line was too long, and there were way too many of us packed three across. But the real disappointment was when I finally arrived at the much needed water source. Due to poor water pressure and heavy use from all the thirsty boys, the water only came out in a trickle, and was warm. There wasn't much else to do, these were the water faucets, it was the only place to get water in the school. Remember this was before you carried a water bottle with you everywhere, mommy didn't put expensive store bought water in your fancy backpack with wheels. In fact we didn't have backpacks, we carried our books in our arms, with rocks, in the snow....but I digress. In John chapter four, Jesus spoke to a woman about spiritual thirst. He promised that whoever drank of Him would never thirst, and His water would become a "fountain of water springing up into everlasting life". We all know the letdown of standing in line at the world's faucet, slurping the warm trickle, and leaving dry. The Lord's promise is sure, "the river of God is full of water". His call to us all is to come to the river of life and freely drink, honest, you will not leave dry!
I can still see the drinking faucets in my mind. These faucets were the most crowded place after the lunchtime recess at St. Joseph school. There were six all together, three to the right, and three to the left. The three on the left were for girls only, so this was forbidden territory, even for the most thirsty boy. One day I ventured over to the girl's faucet and was very surprised to find that the girl's water tasted pretty much the same as the boy's water. Unfortunately, a nun caught me committing this dastardly crime, and I had to spend the rest of the day kneeling next to my desk....but I digress. To a sweaty thirsty boy after the lunchtime recess, the water faucets were frustrating and disappointing. The line was too long, and there were way too many of us packed three across. But the real disappointment was when I finally arrived at the much needed water source. Due to poor water pressure and heavy use from all the thirsty boys, the water only came out in a trickle, and was warm. There wasn't much else to do, these were the water faucets, it was the only place to get water in the school. Remember this was before you carried a water bottle with you everywhere, mommy didn't put expensive store bought water in your fancy backpack with wheels. In fact we didn't have backpacks, we carried our books in our arms, with rocks, in the snow....but I digress. In John chapter four, Jesus spoke to a woman about spiritual thirst. He promised that whoever drank of Him would never thirst, and His water would become a "fountain of water springing up into everlasting life". We all know the letdown of standing in line at the world's faucet, slurping the warm trickle, and leaving dry. The Lord's promise is sure, "the river of God is full of water". His call to us all is to come to the river of life and freely drink, honest, you will not leave dry!
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Tomb Is Still Empty
Every Easter we reflect on the empty tomb and are reminded, that in spite of all the difficulties of this life, all is well, for Jesus Christ is alive. But today is Monday, we are back to life, and life has a way of robbing us of the joy and confidence gained in knowing that Jesus is truly alive. Jesus' resurrection puts a new light on everything, and though I may not understand life's headaches, or the Lord's methods and timing, this I do know He is alive and reigning. I've discovered in my Christian journey that it is important for me to take a regular reflective pilgrimage to the empty tomb. In doing so my heart and mind get centered and stable. So, I know it's Monday, but the tomb is still empty. I know that bill is still hanging over your head, but the tomb is still empty. Your boss is a "#!$*%", but the tomb is still empty. He or she or they were mean to you, but the tomb is still empty. Those kids drain you and won't listen, but the tomb is still empty! The power of His resurrection is available to us every single day, may you find in it strength and joy.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Watch Your Words
Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."
I was told a funny story of a brand new state of the art music center at a major city here in the States. Apparently this fancy opera house had an orchestra pit that could be raised and lowered by powerful lifts. These lifts worked on a wireless system and would go into affect with the push of a button. I don't know all the technical details, but the fact that this system somehow works using sound waves, caused a bit of a problem on opening night. At some point in the evenings performance a woman with a beautiful and powerful operatic voice, hit a certain note or pitch, that caused the lifts for the orchestra pit to spring into action. The orchestra was lifted into plain view, but not long after, the singer hit the same note and the orchestra slowly vanished. This happened a number of times during her singing, and soon the serious song became a comedy act. Laughter and applause followed every disappearance and reappearance of the orchestra. What a great picture, this woman with the power of her voice was able to lift up, and to bring down. The Bible teaches us, and warns us, that our voices have that very same power. The words we use can encourage or discourage, can bring joy, or dejection, can carry up, or carry down. Keep the picture of the orchestra pit in your mind as you speak. When speaking of someone, or to someone, are your words lifting up, or bringing down?
I was told a funny story of a brand new state of the art music center at a major city here in the States. Apparently this fancy opera house had an orchestra pit that could be raised and lowered by powerful lifts. These lifts worked on a wireless system and would go into affect with the push of a button. I don't know all the technical details, but the fact that this system somehow works using sound waves, caused a bit of a problem on opening night. At some point in the evenings performance a woman with a beautiful and powerful operatic voice, hit a certain note or pitch, that caused the lifts for the orchestra pit to spring into action. The orchestra was lifted into plain view, but not long after, the singer hit the same note and the orchestra slowly vanished. This happened a number of times during her singing, and soon the serious song became a comedy act. Laughter and applause followed every disappearance and reappearance of the orchestra. What a great picture, this woman with the power of her voice was able to lift up, and to bring down. The Bible teaches us, and warns us, that our voices have that very same power. The words we use can encourage or discourage, can bring joy, or dejection, can carry up, or carry down. Keep the picture of the orchestra pit in your mind as you speak. When speaking of someone, or to someone, are your words lifting up, or bringing down?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Name That Tune
Psalm 84:5-6 "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it spring; the rain also covers it with pools."
Working retail management can a be grind, so I remember being very happy I hired a particular employee who was hilarious. This guy always kept me entertained, and his antics usually helped store morale. One game he would play was to hum or whistle a tune that he felt represented certain people walking around the store. He was good at it too, his song always seemed to match whoever might be wandering the aisles. Through the day the tunes would come out of nowhere, "Bad to the Bone", "Viva Las Vegas", "Mellow Yellow", and sure enough I'd look up and passing right in front of me would be someone matching that song. I don't remember him ever being mean about it, and it always brought his desired end, a shake of the head and a smile on my face. His little game did teach me something that I carry with me to this day. Wherever I go or whatever I do, I carry with me a song, or attitude, or vibe. The question for me is what sort of vibe am I giving off? As a Christian I carry my Lord with me, so wherever I am, ought to be blessed with His holy song or attitude. The above verses from Psalm 84 speak of this. The blessed of the Lord are passing through the Valley of Baca, and make it spring to life. The Valley of Baca is literally the Valley of Weeping. How amazing, a place of tears and lamenting becomes a place springing with life, because the blessed of the Lord are passing through. The psalmist often speaks of the Lord giving him a new song. This is a song of our loving God, a song that is holy, and right, and joyous, a heavenly song. As we pass through the work place, or sit in the food court, or wander the valley, may it be that whomever we pass will be moved to hum or whistle a new song, as they recognize our Lord's life in us.
Working retail management can a be grind, so I remember being very happy I hired a particular employee who was hilarious. This guy always kept me entertained, and his antics usually helped store morale. One game he would play was to hum or whistle a tune that he felt represented certain people walking around the store. He was good at it too, his song always seemed to match whoever might be wandering the aisles. Through the day the tunes would come out of nowhere, "Bad to the Bone", "Viva Las Vegas", "Mellow Yellow", and sure enough I'd look up and passing right in front of me would be someone matching that song. I don't remember him ever being mean about it, and it always brought his desired end, a shake of the head and a smile on my face. His little game did teach me something that I carry with me to this day. Wherever I go or whatever I do, I carry with me a song, or attitude, or vibe. The question for me is what sort of vibe am I giving off? As a Christian I carry my Lord with me, so wherever I am, ought to be blessed with His holy song or attitude. The above verses from Psalm 84 speak of this. The blessed of the Lord are passing through the Valley of Baca, and make it spring to life. The Valley of Baca is literally the Valley of Weeping. How amazing, a place of tears and lamenting becomes a place springing with life, because the blessed of the Lord are passing through. The psalmist often speaks of the Lord giving him a new song. This is a song of our loving God, a song that is holy, and right, and joyous, a heavenly song. As we pass through the work place, or sit in the food court, or wander the valley, may it be that whomever we pass will be moved to hum or whistle a new song, as they recognize our Lord's life in us.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hate Sin
Romans 12:9 "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good."
I have never been one to think much about germs, I know they are around me and can make me sick, but unlike some, I've never really made a big deal about them. I lived very happily in my insensibility toward germs, until our current cold and flu season hit. This year it seems like we are being bombarded with too much germ information. On television, on the radio, in articles, and even on billboards we are being warned on how not to catch, or spread these bugs. I have to be honest for the first time, germs are starting to creep me out. I think we are supposed to wash our hands a hundred times a day. To make sure you wash long enough, sing happy birthday or the alphabet song all the way through while washing. To keep from spreading germs, we have been taught how to sneeze, and how to properly dispose of tissues. The list of things we shouldn't touch is endless. Don't touch: door knobs, stair rails, counter tops, other people's pens, kitchen sponges, elevator buttons, cell phones, key pads, gas pumps, and never ever touch your own nose or eyes. I'm pretty sure it's alright to breathe in most places, except it might be best to hold your breath in elevators, airplanes, and public restrooms. As I'm writing this I'm fighting a cold, so I'm kicking myself for going out in public and breathing and touching things. There is a dangerous germ out there that gets too little attention, in fact I have never seen a public service announcement warning us how to avoid it. This bug spreads quickly and is devastating to all who are infected by it. You are all sharp enough to know where I'm going with this. That foul germ is SIN. Sadly we can feel more creepy about all the microorganisms that encompass us, then about the sin bug that abounds. God hates sin, and calls us to abhor it. Let us therefore be vigilant in cleansing, be wise in what we touch, and careful what we breathe in.
I have never been one to think much about germs, I know they are around me and can make me sick, but unlike some, I've never really made a big deal about them. I lived very happily in my insensibility toward germs, until our current cold and flu season hit. This year it seems like we are being bombarded with too much germ information. On television, on the radio, in articles, and even on billboards we are being warned on how not to catch, or spread these bugs. I have to be honest for the first time, germs are starting to creep me out. I think we are supposed to wash our hands a hundred times a day. To make sure you wash long enough, sing happy birthday or the alphabet song all the way through while washing. To keep from spreading germs, we have been taught how to sneeze, and how to properly dispose of tissues. The list of things we shouldn't touch is endless. Don't touch: door knobs, stair rails, counter tops, other people's pens, kitchen sponges, elevator buttons, cell phones, key pads, gas pumps, and never ever touch your own nose or eyes. I'm pretty sure it's alright to breathe in most places, except it might be best to hold your breath in elevators, airplanes, and public restrooms. As I'm writing this I'm fighting a cold, so I'm kicking myself for going out in public and breathing and touching things. There is a dangerous germ out there that gets too little attention, in fact I have never seen a public service announcement warning us how to avoid it. This bug spreads quickly and is devastating to all who are infected by it. You are all sharp enough to know where I'm going with this. That foul germ is SIN. Sadly we can feel more creepy about all the microorganisms that encompass us, then about the sin bug that abounds. God hates sin, and calls us to abhor it. Let us therefore be vigilant in cleansing, be wise in what we touch, and careful what we breathe in.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
GIVE THE AD A BREAK
I've heard a few pro-life folks complaining about the Focus on the Family Tim Tebow ad on the Super Bowl telecast. I have to admit when I first saw it, I was a bit disappointed. But upon further review (clever football analogy), I had a change of heart. I think my disappointment stemmed from all of the pre-ad hype. There was plenty of press coverage, there were threats and accusations, and the pro-abortion crowd was saying that CBS should not run the ad because it was dangerous and anti-women. All of the controversy got me in a fighting mood, I couldn't wait for Sunday, and not because of the game. I knew the ad was running in the first quarter, so I sat a little nervous waiting for Tim and his mom to come out throwing pro-life blows. I anticipated an aggressive attack on abortion, sort of a counter-punch for all the pro-abortion antics I'd been subjected to for the past two weeks. What I then saw was a sweet, loving mom telling us that life is precious, not one punch was thrown, and abortion wasn't even mentioned. I'm not an expert on using mass-media to reach people, but I'm sure that those who did the commercial know more about it than me, they took a step of faith and chose a subtle approach. My disappointment came because I was told there was going to be a fight at the bike racks and one of the kids wouldn't fight, he had a better idea. By the way, Focus on the Family never said there would be a fight, they just said don't judge the ad until you see it. Focus didn't cop out, and they aren't afraid. They have taken the lead in the battle against same-sex marriage, pornography, gambling, and most certainly abortion. They have been at this a long while, and I trust that they put a great deal of prayer into it, so let's cut them some slack. I believe if I hadn't heard all of the hoopla beforehand and saw the ad fresh, that I would have been thrilled that Tim and his mom, in the midst of screaming chickens, go daddy, and beer can houses, were able to share a brief message of life. Focus on the Family and the Tebow's took a big step of faith. I'm praying that through that faith many eyes will be opened, and little lives saved.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Wise Love
Philippians 1:9 "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment."
The grocery store is a great place to witness interesting parenting skills. It seems most times I'm in some local store I'll be treated to a parent either over disciplining or under disciplining or entertaining a child. Poor mom or dad are just doing whatever they can to quickly get enough for dinner, and get out of the store with some sanity intact. Now that my kids are grown it's fun to observe. I forget what aisle I was on, but I saw a round little boy tugging at his mom wanting some snack he was holding. The boy was very tenacious and kept asking, even though mom was saying no and trying to ignore him. I kept my eyes on the shelves but was paying close attention to the drama, because I wanted to see if mom would stick to her guns. I was rooting for mom not to give in, so I was a bit disappointed when she caved. The worst thing about her letting him get the snack was what she said to him. She said something like this..."well ok you can have it but only because I love you". I know when it comes down to it, it was none of my business, but I was so tempted to pull mom aside and give her a little advice. I wanted to tell her that to say no to your son is very loving, and sometimes more loving than saying yes. I would have liked to explain how a simple "no" might be hard right now, but would pay dividends later down the line. If I was feeling extra bold I would have quoted the above verse and given her a mini Bible study, right there in Ralphs. The lesson would have been simple, and would have applied to us all. We need to learn and discern how best to love. Love can be difficult, it's not always warm and fuzzy. Love says no, love rebukes and confronts, and love at times may appear unloving to the person to whom it is extended. The most powerful love requires a heavenly discernment, so that we might know how best to love. I didn't give mom a sermon, and I'm sure she loves her son, it just seemed at that moment that her love was not in knowledge and all discernment. Lord, teach us how to love, give us the wisdom we need to love as You would love.
The grocery store is a great place to witness interesting parenting skills. It seems most times I'm in some local store I'll be treated to a parent either over disciplining or under disciplining or entertaining a child. Poor mom or dad are just doing whatever they can to quickly get enough for dinner, and get out of the store with some sanity intact. Now that my kids are grown it's fun to observe. I forget what aisle I was on, but I saw a round little boy tugging at his mom wanting some snack he was holding. The boy was very tenacious and kept asking, even though mom was saying no and trying to ignore him. I kept my eyes on the shelves but was paying close attention to the drama, because I wanted to see if mom would stick to her guns. I was rooting for mom not to give in, so I was a bit disappointed when she caved. The worst thing about her letting him get the snack was what she said to him. She said something like this..."well ok you can have it but only because I love you". I know when it comes down to it, it was none of my business, but I was so tempted to pull mom aside and give her a little advice. I wanted to tell her that to say no to your son is very loving, and sometimes more loving than saying yes. I would have liked to explain how a simple "no" might be hard right now, but would pay dividends later down the line. If I was feeling extra bold I would have quoted the above verse and given her a mini Bible study, right there in Ralphs. The lesson would have been simple, and would have applied to us all. We need to learn and discern how best to love. Love can be difficult, it's not always warm and fuzzy. Love says no, love rebukes and confronts, and love at times may appear unloving to the person to whom it is extended. The most powerful love requires a heavenly discernment, so that we might know how best to love. I didn't give mom a sermon, and I'm sure she loves her son, it just seemed at that moment that her love was not in knowledge and all discernment. Lord, teach us how to love, give us the wisdom we need to love as You would love.
Monday, February 1, 2010
I Need To Workout
The hardest part of me doing my physical exercise, whether it's going for a run or hitting the gym, is getting out the front door. I love working out, in fact I can't think of a time, after the gym or a run, that I was disappointed that I went. Once I take that first step and get going, I'm glad, and seem to always be energized and healthy afterwards. Knowing these things, why in the world do I find it so hard to take that first step out the front door? I have in fact become quite good at making excuses, and would share some with you, but I don't want you to use them yourself. This in the forefront of my thoughts today, because the cold and rainy weather has made my excuse making far to easy, and my workouts have slacked off a bit. Now, I'm not sharing this because I think you care about my exercise habits. I'm sharing this because I see clear application in our spiritual lives. As with physical workouts, so it is with our spiritual workouts, it seems the hardest thing is getting started, taking that first step. We know once we get started and open the Word or begin to pray, we''ll be blessed. How is it that excuses can be made for not doing something so needful and healthy? I guess there is no easy or soft way of looking at this, the bottom line is, we need to be disciplined and just do what we need to do. Turn off the big screen, set aside the I pod, the I phone, the I pad, and the I anything else, and open our Bible. We all know there is no good excuse, so take the first step, begin your spiritual workout and I know you will be blessed.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Search Me
Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
I was at the Dermatologist today when the above verse came to mind. I find it necessary to visit the Dermatologist on a regular basis. It seems my bald head and Irish complexion attract nasty sun rays, and this makes me a prime candidate for skin cancer. My appointments are usually the same, I arrive and ask the doctor to search me, and try me, and see if there is any wicked cancer in me. The doctor thankfully is very diligent in the searching, and when something suspicious is found, she brings out a device that looks like a blowtorch and burns it away. I've never been a big fan of these doctor visits, but I make the appointments because the stinging of the blowtorch is much better than cancer. In Psalm 139 David does an important and scary thing, he invites God to be like a Dermatologist and search his heart, and try him, to see if there is any wicked way in him. David knew what we all know, that we are all prime candidates to fall into sin. He also had a clear understanding of the danger and deadliness of sin, and thus he boldly asked God to examine him and remove any trace of the cancer. We all know the wisdom of regular check-ups at the doctors that can detect a deadly disease. How much more than, do we need to invite God and His blowtorch, to search, and try, and cleanse, that we might be free from the deadliest of all diseases.
I was at the Dermatologist today when the above verse came to mind. I find it necessary to visit the Dermatologist on a regular basis. It seems my bald head and Irish complexion attract nasty sun rays, and this makes me a prime candidate for skin cancer. My appointments are usually the same, I arrive and ask the doctor to search me, and try me, and see if there is any wicked cancer in me. The doctor thankfully is very diligent in the searching, and when something suspicious is found, she brings out a device that looks like a blowtorch and burns it away. I've never been a big fan of these doctor visits, but I make the appointments because the stinging of the blowtorch is much better than cancer. In Psalm 139 David does an important and scary thing, he invites God to be like a Dermatologist and search his heart, and try him, to see if there is any wicked way in him. David knew what we all know, that we are all prime candidates to fall into sin. He also had a clear understanding of the danger and deadliness of sin, and thus he boldly asked God to examine him and remove any trace of the cancer. We all know the wisdom of regular check-ups at the doctors that can detect a deadly disease. How much more than, do we need to invite God and His blowtorch, to search, and try, and cleanse, that we might be free from the deadliest of all diseases.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Guide With The Eyes
A sure sign that you know someone well, is that you are able to communicate with them without speaking. My wife and have known each other long enough to become pretty adept at "speaking" non-verbally. It comes it handy in telegraphing from across rooms or tables, or most especially from the front row to the pulpit! The eyes are key in communicating without words. How amazing that sentences can be found in a glance or a wink. A lecture can be given in a scowl, or a poem in a twinkle. I'm sure you will agree with me that it is hard to properly define the words coming from ones mouth if you can't see the persons eyes. In Psalm 32:8, the Lord says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Don't you find it amazing that the Lord desires to establish non-verbal communication with us. He wants our relationship with Him to be such that we might be able to discern His will by just looking at His eyes. Now, clearly He is not calling us to stare up toward heaven, looking for a big eye in the sky. But He is calling us to set our gaze toward Him, through spending time in the word, through communion in prayer, and intimacy in worship. What a privileged call we have, God has invited us to be such friends with Him, that He can guide us with His eyes. There have been too many times that the Lord has had to flick my ear or pull out a megaphone to get me to move. Oh how I desire that my friendship with the Lord would be such, that at the slightest glance I'm able to discern His heart and amen His will.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Count Those Days
I always get a little sad when I take down Christmas decorations. I'm not one who puts things off, so if the decorations make it to New Years day that's pretty long for me. I'm not a Grinch or anything but when Christmas is over its over, and when Christmas is over the decorations should come down. Is there anything as sorry as a house still decked out for Christmas around Valentines day? I've gone through a fair number of holiday seasons, and one consistent thought I have while "un-decorating", is how quickly I'll be putting this stuff back up again. Isn't it amazing how rapidly time takes us from year to year, and from Holiday to Holiday? The other day as I was putting away decorations and pondering the speed of our years, I was reminded of the words of Moses in Psalm 90. He said, "So teach us to number or days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom". Moses lived to be 120 years old, and in this psalm he speaks of how quickly life goes by, wow! We should learn that our days are few, and each is a gift from the Lord. Time seems to have accelerated, so let's make the most of each day. What a powerful 2010 we can all have, if we count every day as dear, and use every day to love and serve the Lord.
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