Tuesday, November 20

Be Thankful

Earlier this morning, surrounded by the standard Thanksgiving gourd-and-corn-husk decor in the White House Rose Garden and in keeping with a fabled tradition started by President Truman sixty years ago, George W. Bush give his Presidential word to May the turkey that he would not be dished up with a side of yams and cornbread on Thanksgiving Day. May’s feathered crony Flower was also promised clemency.

The President joked that the names May and Flower were certainly better than the names Vice-President Cheney suggested, which were ‘Lunch’ and ‘Dinner’.

Chortles and chuckles arose from the audience. Gobble Gobble Gobble emanated from May the turkey. It was such a grand day for all.

Remember to be thankful. Only a turkey is not thankful.

Wednesday, November 14

To The Sudan

Zac and Shelley are going to the Sudan next month. They were at church Sunday night telling about their journey. Not so much their journey to the Sudan as much as their journey to decide to go to the Sudan. There were three things that Zac said that I want to pass on to you.

First, as a missionary, you must expect him to say this: "Every Christian has a role to play in the Great Commission." Yes, we do know this to be truth. Yet we also need to be reminded and re-challenged with this nugget. Please consider yourself reminded. I have.

Second. He and Shelley were both school teachers. Zac mentioned that he was praying several years ago and he was telling the Lord all about the plans he had for his life (like you and I do sometimes). The Lord spoke to him (not audibly, but clearly) and asked Zac, "What about the plans that I have for your life?" Wow, good question for all of us. What about the plans that God has for your life? Has He asked something of you that you have yet to do?

Third, as school teachers for six years they were preparing to run a school in the Sudan. Understand that they were not consciously preparing to run this school (they did not as yet know they were going to the Sudan), yet the skills and experiences they were picking up in the school systems where they worked were giving them great advantages for what the Lord knew they would be doing in 2008 and beyond.

This third point is powerful. What are you and I doing right now that we may or may not enjoy or like? Yet can we grasp that this experience (that we sometimes fight against) is possibly preparing us for some work that the Lord has for us to do in 3 or 5 or 7 years.

Don't quit now. See you in the Sudan.

Window Wednesday

On Wednesday I ask that you pray for one nation in the 10/40 Window. Today we lift up the people of Eritrea. I am not making any political statements or judgments, I am simply asking for prayer for some people in need. Join us if you can.

Eritrea, East Africa

Population: 4,906,585

Political Leader: President Isaias Afworki
Religions: Islam 48%, Christianity 47.4%, Other 4.6%
Persecution Ranking: No. 13
Number of Terrorist Groups: 4
Acts of Terrorism: 5; Casualties: 16
Percent of Corruption: 71%
% of People in Poverty: 50%

Location:
Eritrea is a country situated in northern East Africa. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south and Djibouti in the southeast. The east and northeast of the country have an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands are part of Eritrea. The country is virtually bisected by one of the world's longest mountain ranges, the Great Rift Valley, with fertile lands to the west and the descent to desert in the East.

Terrorism:
The United States said in August 2007 that it was considering putting Eritrea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism for allegedly funneling weapons to insurgents fighting the Ethiopian-backed government in Somalia. A U.N. monitoring group said in July 2007 that large quantities of arms, including surface-to-air missiles, were flowing from Eritrea to Somalia. Eritrea has denied sending the weapons. Diplomats say Eritrea and Ethiopia have been waging a proxy war in Somalia since last year, when Eritrea backed a hard-line Islamist movement against the country's government.

Religion:
The religious population of Eritrea is comprised of 48% Muslims and just over 47% of the population are Christians. Following a 2002 government decree that religious groups must register, the government closed all religious facilities not belonging to the country’s four principal religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church of Eritrea, Islam and the Roman Catholic Church.

Challenges for Christians:
Eritrea is ranked No. 13 among nations that are the worst persecutors of Christians based on Open Doors 2007 “World Watch List.” On August 19, 2007, 10 members of the Full Gospel Church were arrested as they worshipped in a house in Asmara. Some 2,000 Eritrean Protestants are presently suffering for their faith under appalling conditions in prison. Recently, a group of 10 single Christian women who had been in prison for some 18 months were separated from other prisoners and taken to the Weaa Military Training Centre. The women were then ordered to recant their faith and were tortured when they refused. On September 5, 2007, Nigsti Haile, 33, was tortured to death. She is the fourth Christian to die in custody due to torture. The systematic persecution of Protestants began in mid-2002. Some Eritrean Catholic and Orthodox churches also have since come under attack for resisting the government's attempts to control them. On August 16, 2007, the government ordered that all schools, clinics, orphanages and women's vocational training centers of Eritrea's Catholic Church be turned over to the government's Ministry of Social Welfare and Labor. The government routinely dismissed U.S. government concerns, citing the absence of conflict between Christians and Muslims within the country and its concerns about disruptive practices of some religious groups that it feared would disrupt the country's “social harmony.” In November 2006, the U.S. Secretary of State again designated Eritrea as a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Prayer Points:
Pray Eritrea to stop supporting hardline Islamist numerous terrorist groups.
Eritrea is one of the world's most violently repressive states and religious liberty continues to deteriorate. Pray that God will bring change to Eritrea.
Pray that even amidst their suffering, Eritrea’s Christian prisoners may experience the presence and love of Christ and be strengthened and enabled by the Spirit of God to both endure suffering and radiate grace. Pray that God would bless and comfort the Church in Eritrea.
Pray for Christian solidarity, empathy and brotherly love to take root in the Eritrean Church across denominational lines so that spiritual unity may be a fruit of this persecution.
Pray that God will awaken more European leaders to the great need for religious liberty advocacy in Eritrea.
Pray that there will a genuine end to the hostility between Eritrea and Ethiopia and humility and trust between the two countries’ leaders.
Government restrictions have stopped Christian organizations from bringing help and aid into Eritrea and made it hard for any Christians to go and live or work there. Pray that these restrictions would be lifted.
A third of the population are Tigre, who are almost entirely Muslim. Pray for the few Tigre who are Christians that they can be a powerful witness in their lives.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Wikipedia, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, Reuters, World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty.

Wednesday, November 7

Window Wednesday

Today we focus our thoughts on the area of the West Bank located in the Middle East in the 10/40 Window and request your prayers for the people of this region. As always, nothing political, just a request to lift up to God some prayers for some folks in need. Thanks for your help.

West Bank, Middle East

Population: 2,535,927
Political Leader: President Mahmoud Abbas
Religions: Islam 75%, Judaism 17%, Other 8%
Persecution Ranking: Not Ranked
Number of Known Terrorist Groups: 35 (Includes both Gaza Strip & West Bank)
Acts of Terrorism: 2,032; Casualties: 560 (Includes both Gaza Strip & West Bank)
Percent of People in Poverty: 45.7%

Location:
The West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, is a landlocked territory on the west bank of the Jordan River in the Middle East. Since 1967, most of the West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation. Most of the residents are Palestinians, although large numbers of Israeli settlements have also been built in the region.

Terrorism:
Israeli security sources expressed concern that Al Qaeda and other external Sunni extremists were attempting to infiltrate the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On March 21, 2006, an Israeli military court in the West Bank charged two Palestinians with conspiracy to cause death, active membership in Al Qaeda, illegal assembly, and other charges. According to the charges, the two men created an Al Qaeda cell in the West Bank city of Nablus, were recruiting to form other Al Qaeda cells in the West Bank, were preparing to carry out large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel, and were receiving funds and instructions from Al Qaeda in Jordan. One of the two men had also been a member of Hamas and Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

In response to continuing threat information, Israeli security forces have launched frequent arrest and detention raids throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, conducted targeted killings of suspected Palestinian terrorists, imposed strict and widespread closures and curfews in Palestinian areas, conducted aerial attacks on buildings affiliated with designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations in the Gaza Strip, and continued the construction of an extensive security fence in the West Bank. Israeli security forces arrested and held without trial or charges Hamas and other Palestinian lawmakers and Palestinian Authority ministers from the West Bank.

On numerous occasions in 2006, Israeli security forces raided the West Bank offices of Hamas' Dawaa organization, charging that the offices were providing financial support to families of suicide bombers and imprisoned terrorists under the guise of charity. Israeli security forces also raided foreign exchange bureaus in the West Bank, confiscating millions of counterfeit shekels that Israeli security sources suspected originated in Iran, were transferred by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizballah offices in Syria and Lebanon, and were earmarked for terrorist acts.

Religion:
75% Muslims and 17% Jewish. A small percentage are Christian.

Prayer Points:
Pray that God would defeat the work of terrorist groups Hamas, Al Qaeda, Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizballah in the West Bank.
Pray that the Lord will contend with those who contend with non-combatants Hizballah in the West Bank, and that the Lord will fight against those who fight against the innocent. (Exodus 14:21-31)
Ask the Lord to overrule decisions which may divide Israel. Pray that decisions may be taken out of man’s hands. (Proverbs 19:21)
Ask the Lord to give the “West Bank” (Judea and Samaria) settlers wisdom and strength to present their case to the nation, and give the rest of the nation a heart for the settlers.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, WorldNetDaily.com, Wall Street Journal, Intercessors for Israel.

Monday, November 5

Keep It Fresh - Sorry It's Long

If you have hit a snag in your life of prayer, try shaking things up during your personal time with the Lord a bit by altering your style. Here are just a couple very easy changes that might help you get a fresh perspective on your much needed prayer time.

Pray out loud. If your personality is to be quiet and you have a propensity to pray silently, forcing yourself to pray out loud will add a fresh dynamic to your prayer. Don't let the sound of your own voice in prayer intimidate you. There is nothing to fear. You have not been given a spirit of fear. Rather, you have a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. Nothing less!

Or, you may need to be quiet. "Be still and know that I am God." Let Him tell you that He is God. If you are inclined to talk to God more than you listen, be silent and allow God to speak back to you! [You know the old reminder – two ears and one mouth . . .] Sometimes silence is scary. Don’t be afraid to sit and listen.

Memorize the Scripture. Turn the Word over in your mind. Mull it over. This means to be deliberate about bringing it back into your mind during the day. The more the Word gets into your mind, the more it will be in your heart.

Take memorization of the Bible a step further and meditate on the Word. Moses told Joshua to meditate on the Law day and night. Get a portion of scripture and personalize it. Put your name [or someone else’s name] in there. Allow yourself to spend time thinking about each phrase and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Word.

Use a simple guide or a pattern like A-C-T-S in your prayer time – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Adore the Lord - Worship Him. Confession - Confess your sins, weaknesses, fears, short-comings, etc. Thanksgiving - in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you. Supplication - ask the Lord for those things that you might need. This is merely an often used idea. Make up your own acrostic and keep it fresh.

Saturday, November 3

Youth Convention

My older two kids just returned home from Momentum Youth Convention. They went with 47 others from our church here in town. They also met up with several friends from where we pastored up in the suburbs.

I definitely like these kind of events as they allow the kids a venue to be with thousands of other Jesus loving teenagers. This helps to affirm their faith and encourage them as they walk the walk. My daughter was talking a mile a minute about the different friends she saw. Several kids from camp, a girl from PK retreat, another girl from convention last year, her counselor from camp, etc. She even ran into a boy from her algebra class.

There was great worship, solid seminars, and challenging preaching. I am looking forward to hearing their testimonies in church tomorrow PM. I am thankful.

If they'll give me a picture or two, I will post them here.

Keeping Christmas by Henry Van Dyke

Tonight we change our clocks - fall back. Christmas is seven weeks and two days away. That's not too early to begin to think about how you will keep Christmas. You will remember that Mr. Scrooge did not keep Christmas. The following is a quite old (1924?) writing by Henry Van Dyke about "keeping" Christmas.

Keeping Christmas

Are you willing...

to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you;

to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;

to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;

to see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy;

to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;

to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness.

Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;

to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old;

to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;

to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;

to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;

to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;

to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open—

Are you willing to do these things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—

stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—

and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

Thursday, November 1

Just One Will Do

In the twenty-second chapter of Ezekiel, there is a serious accusation leveled against Israel for their sins. The religious leaders were guilty. The people were guilty. The prophets were using their position for personal gain.

God looked for an intercessor. If God could have found an intercessor, the situation would have been turned around. Things could have changed. God didn’t just glance out the window for a quick look. He sought for an intercessor. Nobody could be found.

The history of God’s people in the scriptures and up to the present day, including your history and mine, is the account of many individuals who have made a difference in the Kingdom. We are too slow to take hold of what one prayer can do for the cause of Christ. We live in a time when it seems polls and statistics and approval ratings are very important. Everyone wants to be in the majority. People don’t want to be seen as being against popular opinion.

God is not looking for celebrities, or stars. He is looking for just one man or one woman who is committed to Him. God wants the individual that will give himself or herself to the kind of intercessory prayer that will turn back the influences that are destroying our society. It is time to stand up.

Brothers, Pray For Me

It seems that the ministry of intercession is becoming a lost ministry in the church today. Maybe we are busy. Maybe we do not have time to spend in prayer. We should not and cannot allow admittedly busy schedules to keep us from this important act of kingdom work.

Intercession takes time but it is also rewarding. When we see God answer our prayers for others, we are encouraged all the more to pray and to go before the throne on behalf of another.

God calls and God equips intercessors. Daniel’s life shows us an example of intercessory prayer. Daniel’s example is extraordinary because he lived and prayed in a time that was not safe to be an intercessory pray-er.

He was surrounded by a heathen and pagan people, yet he never let up in his prayer. Intercessory prayer can be a struggle that requires deep commitment and persistence. I pray that we will all see the value of this ministry and allow the example of Daniel to impact us. Pray.

Wednesday, October 31

Window Wednesday

Today we focus our thoughts on the nation of Kazakhstan located in Central Asia in the 10/40 Window and request your prayers for the people of this nation. Again, nothing political, just an effort to lift up to God some prayers for some folks in need.

Population: 15,284,929 - Kazakhs, a Turkic-speaking people who are the region's original inhabitants, make up more than half of the population; Russians constitute nearly one-third, as do small minorities of Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans, and others.

Political Leader: President Nursultan Nazarbayev

Location: Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is drawn out over a enormous area of northern and central Eurasia. As the ninth largest state in the world, it is bordered by Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China. The country also borders on a significant part of Caspian Sea. Even though it is huge in size, much of the land is made up of semi-desert terrain.

Terrorism: Kazakhstan continued to face a growing problem with the Islamic extremist group Hizb’ut Tahrir, which remained outlawed as an “extremist” organization through the Law on Extremism and continued to be the only group so designated under this law.

Religion: Muslims comprise 60.5% of Kazakhstan’s population, while Christians make up 24.7%.

Prayer Points:
Pray that Kazakhstan will continue to aggressively combat terrorism and extremism locally.
Pray that members of terrorist organizations Hizb’ut Tahrir, the East Turkistan Liberation Organization and Aum Shinrikyo will be caught and properly dealt with for their continued violence against innocent people. (Mark 4:22)
Pray that the influence of Al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Taliban and other terrorist organizations will not spread to Kazakhstan. (2 Timothy 2:24–26)
Thank God that only several years ago there were hardly any Christians in Kazakhstan, but now there are more than 6,000 in over 40 congregations. Pray that the Church will continue to grow among young people.
In 2000, more than 20,000 Christians from across Central Asia gathered in Kazakhstan for a prayer event held in a stadium. Pray for continued blessing and unity for all those who were there.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors.

Saturday, October 27

Get Outta Town

There are several very interesting points about the story of the blind man in Mark chapter eight. You know the story; it’s the one wherein Jesus spit on the blind man’s eyes. Probably not covered by too many HMO’s.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this story for me is that it seems our blind friend was in a place, the village of Bethsaida, where he did not belong.

When I was a young boy, the boundaries were set – Wood Street to the north; the grade school to the east, the empty lot to the south, and the park to the west. They were generous boundaries, but still boundaries. There were some places I did not belong and was not allowed to go.

Read this story starting in verse twenty-two. First, Jesus took him by the hand and led him outside the village. Do your own study on Bethsaida and you’ll see several possible reasons that Jesus did this.

Secondly, after Jesus healed the man (there is a lot in the healing itself that we’ll save for another day), He sent him home, telling him to not return to the village.

God has boundaries; there are places that His children do not belong.

Where are you? Not just physically, but spiritually. Where is your heart? What are you doing? Where is your focus? What are your hopes, desires, and expectations? If you are not totally centered on Jesus Christ, you must make a choice.

Leave the place where you are and go home to the place where you belong. Allow Him to take you by the hand and lead you away from where you are. Let Him touch you and restore your life to you. Then do not return to that former life. And everything will all be very clear to you.

Friday, October 26

Do You Have the Time?

I believe Albert Einstein said it like this, “God doesn’t play dice.”

What the Creator of the Universe does is exercise a providential oversight in our lives which infinitely surpasses our awareness and ability to understand.

God is never off in His timing. His timing is superlative. I believe that from time to time God allows us experiences that we would rather not share to permit us to see, as they say “the Big Picture.” He wants to remind us that His timing is always perfect, in every aspect of our lives.

As humans, we instinctively doubt the timing of God, and this failure to trust is the basis to much of our worry. If we were to take a close look at our experience, we truly would see how perfect His timing actually is. Thanks to the benefit of hindsight (which is often 20/20) we are able to see that His timing has always been right on the bulls-eye in the daily events of our lives.

To repeat Pastor Jerry from several posts earlier, “God always has the right man in the right place at the right time.”

Wednesday, October 24

Window Wednesday

Tonight I will begin Window Wednesday, whereby I will focus on one nation in the 10/40 Window (see below) and solicit your prayers for the people of said nation. Nothing political, just an attention to prayer for some folks in need. I’ll start with Chad as my friend Thomassin lives in Chad. Thomassin is a strong believer. Chad has many camels.

Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the “Dead Heart of Africa.” Chad is divided into three major geographical regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south.

Terrorism in Chad has been used by rebel groups a means of opposing the successive dictatorships since Chadian independence in 1960. Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno has said that his ongoing battle against rebels and Janjaweed militiamen based in Sudan is a war against Islamic extremists. In August 2004, United States troops were in Chad training some of the country’s elite forces in how to fight Al Qaeda or any of its allies in the region.

Religion: Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. French and Arabic are the official languages. Islam is the most widely practiced religion. Christians make up 27.8% of Chad’s population.

Challenges for Christians: Many Chadian Muslims have been recruited as mercenaries to attack and kill Christians in Nigeria. The country is almost equally divided between Muslim northerners, who are politically more powerful, and increasingly more marginalized Christian/ethnic religion southerners.

Pray for the government of Chad to continue to combat terrorism.
Pray that the country won’t become a breeding ground for terrorism.
Pray for God to thwart any work of Al Qaeda and Janjaweed militiamen in Chad.

With 200 people groups and 120 languages, Chad is one of the most unreached countries in Africa and presents a challenge to the Gospel. Pray for laborers to be sent to this harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38).

Chad is one of 10 poorest countries in the world. It lies in the heart of the African continent and suffers from low rainfall and severe droughts. Pray for Christian humanitarian groups to come and minister in Chad.

People from a Muslim background are starting to respond to the Gospel. Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to more and more Muslims.

Pray for continued peace and freedom in all ethnic and religious communities. Islam is growing in influence and numbers in Chad. More and more Muslim nations are sending missionaries to Chad and more mosques are being built.

Pray that Christians might be equipped to witness to this community. Pray that the churches in Chad would grow and mature in their faith and discipleship. Many congregations mix Christianity up with other ideas and beliefs and can be legalistic. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be working to bring true freedom in their lives.

There are more unreached peoples in Chad than anywhere else in Africa. Pray for ongoing support and protection for missionaries already working here. Pray also that God would call many to dedicate years to learning the languages and building the Kingdom in Chad.

Sources: Window International Network, 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Wikipedia, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, BBC

The Biggest Loser

Be a part of the NBC phenomenon. Drop weight and change your life. I know a lady whose sister, Sharon, lost over 200 pounds. That’s what I weigh. Total. Our society is completely caught up in this – it really is a – phenomenon. So much effort is put into getting and staying in shape. Hey, round is a shape. Seriously, huge amounts of time and money are thrown into the fitness industry in an attempt to keep the physical man alive a little longer. What about the spiritual man? What would the church look like if we put the energy into our spirit man that we put into our physical man? We're talking some buff disciples.

From Hebrews chapter twelve: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Not too much in life is easy. We often have a rough road to travel. This is not complaining, it’s just the truth. I see two words in the above scripture that are important. First word: Endure. Suffer and continue and carry on. When was the last time you sweat it out spiritually?

Second word: Later. Afterward. In a while. Not right now. Not instantly. The harvest comes later. The reward comes later, after we have endured. Sometimes the reward comes much later.

Once again the challenge is keep it up. Don’t quit now. Today is a good day to not give up.

Tuesday, October 23

This Is Gonna’ Hurt (More Than) A Little

It is not likely any of us will pass through this life without getting hurt. After all most of us did come into this world screaming. Pain and disappointment are unavoidable as we travel on this ball of dirt. It is how we handle the inevitable setbacks that builds our character and prepares us for eternity. This is not about mind over matter, but our mindset and outlook will help to determine the level of our resistance to trouble.

In spite of of the hardships we face or the mistakes we make, the end of our lives can either be full of praise and thanksgiving to God for all we had – or full of moaning and complaining and griping about what might have been. In the final breakdown, what we have experienced in life can be as rich as the dreams we have seen fulfilled or as agonizing as the regrets we lament.

The painful disappointments in life have a way of never leaving us. I heard someone recently say that disappointments “enter our hearts like fire and then harden into our nature like lava.” Difficulties can leave us hesitant to take new risks and cause us to be suspicious of new friends. If we have been wounded, we are often less likely to be transparent in the next relationship. We are understandably fearful about being hurt again. Gradually, unless we learn to handle sorrow and sadness appropriately, we become resentful and skeptical, even cynical. We lose our joy.

We were made to praise God. Try to keep an attitude and a life-style of praise. Paul said to “Rejoice evermore.” He also said, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you.” There’s no promise of an easy road here. Let the joy of the Lord strengthen you and you will find the journey to be more bearable. Keep walking and looking up.

Monday, October 22

Ship of the Desert

Camels are able to travel immeasurable distances in the desert. They can drink from waterholes far too bitter or brackish for humans or other animals. They can and will eat almost anything. People have been known to survive on what is in a camel’s stomach. Camels provide milk. The animal’s dry dung can easily be burned as fuel. "Hey Ned, what's that on the barby?"

A camel has a extremely leathery mouth and tongue and very strong tooth enamel, enabling it to eat thorny desert plants. These beasts can drink 100 liters of water within 10 minutes and store it in its hump for future use. They can live without taking in water for several days.

Their hide allows excess body temperature to emanate out and protect them from cold night air. Camels also sweat to dissipate heat but the sweat is not seen. They will tolerate up to 25% weight loss (which is double the dehydration level in most mammals) without the thickening of the blood that would cause death in other mammals.

They have multiple tear glands and double rows of long, curled eyelashes to protect their eyes from blowing sand. They can close their noses during sandstorms. Their wide, padded toes are insulated to protect against the extreme heat of the sand. The tough yet flexible web of the toes prevents them from sinking into the sand.

The camel is an amazing animal. Awesome work by our God.

Sunday, October 21

Location, Location, Location

In this Psalm of ascents, we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The City of David is such a critical location. It is in the Scriptural heart of what many prayer warriors call the 10/40 Window - that geographic area from north Africa east to Japan that is 10 degrees north to 40 degrees north of the Equator.

I say Scriptural heart of the Window because so much of what is happening in Jerusalem impacts the rest of the Window and the entire world.

There is a great need for prayer for Jerusalem. Pray for peace, for security, and for the true and living God of the Bible to be glorified in the City and out to every nation in the 10/40 Window.

Saturday, October 20

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."

8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Thursday, October 18

Pray Every Day - It Is Important


Jesus taught us the critical significance of regular daily prayer. He said, “Always pray, never lose heart” – Luke 18:1. He also said to talk with the Father day and night – Luke 18:7. When He taught His disciples to pray as recorded in Luke 11:3, He told them to ask God for their daily needs.

Jesus set an example of daily prayer by praying during virtually every kind of circumstance we might face:

He prayed at His baptism.

He prayed all night long before He chose His disciples.

He prayed when He broke bread and gave it to others.

He prayed during sad times such as while at the tomb of His friend Lazarus.

Jesus prayed while in deep agony.

He prayed as He neared His death by crucifixion.

He prayed while on the cross.


By His example, we see that Jesus undoubtedly made it a priority to pray. Luke 5:16 reads "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed". He sometimes sent the crowds off to their homes and “went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray” – Matthew 14:23. We also read in Mark 1:35 that Jesus got up and got out of the house "very early in the morning" and "went off to a solitary place where He prayed".

The meaning cannot and must not be lost. Prayer is important. Prayer was important to Jesus. We should have the same mind-set.

Tuesday, October 16

Do You Pray?

We should always pray and not get tired (faint) because prayer does make a difference in our world and in our own lives. God answers prayer. He works in our lives to bring answers to the needs and problems we experience. I can’t tell you exactly how He “works” but I do know that circumstances and situations change when people pray. God hears, listens, and responds. Difficult situations are reversed when people pray. Obstacles are removed when people pray. Diseases are healed, strength is received, guidance is given, hearts are softened, needs are met. I know that when I pray for others it helps them. But I also know that when I pray, I am changed.

Keep on praying. If you have nothing else to pray for, pray for me.

Friday, October 12

It's A Delight to Do

I wrote earlier that when we release our will to the Father we will be released from ourselves. In submitting, we are willingly (and rightly) yielding to Him and His Lordship.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart – Psalm 34:7.

Delight yourself also in the Lord – expect all your happiness from Him, and seek it in Him. Too many people are unhappy because of unrealistic expectations in life. He will give to you the desires of your heart. The godly man or woman never indulges a desire that he or she cannot speak as a prayer to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him – Colossians 3:17.

Whatever you do in word or deed – let your words be right, and your actions upright. It is not possible to sin while considering His name and all that it means. Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus – begin with Him, and end with Him; call upon His name, and pray for His direction and support, in all that you do; and then every work of your hand will be crowned with the success of heaven. Doing every thing in the name of the Lord, and submitting every thing to His glory, is as logical as it is righteous. In yielding to God, you will find forgiveness and freedom. And that, my friends, is a great thing.

I am looking forward to heading north to Industry this Sunday to preach for Pastor Jon. Thanks for your prayers.

Wednesday, October 10

In the Garden


Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go off and pray over there.” – Matthew 26:36

To a place called Gethsemane. The word means “oil-press,” and would signify that a press for making oil out of the olives, which grew in abundance on the mountain, was built there. This was on the western slope of the Mount of Olives.

It was here in Gethsemane that Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”

His anguish and sorrow can be explained only in this way – He suffered, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.

The weight of grief and despair was literally crushing the life out of Jesus’ body. We see the depth of our Lord’s commitment. This prayer was preparation for the cross. We contrast this to the superficial religion of the Pharisees. They were hypocritical: excellent talk but pitiable walk. They were shallow and insincere. Will we persevere in our devotion?

He found them asleep

It is so easy to give in to the flesh – The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak – and their eyes were heavy.

Others will likely fail us. What will we do? What did Jesus do when His disciples failed? He went back and prayed a second time. He went back and prayed a third time. We must remain faithful to Him when others fail.

Tuesday, October 9

My Way - Amended

I think it was C. S. Lewis that said there were two kinds of people:

1) those that say to God "Thy will be done."
2) those to whom the Lord must say "Have it your way."

At Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”

To pray this requires a surrender of the soul. Four verses earlier in this John 19 passsage, Jesus said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death." He had given His soul over to the Father. Jesus had called the twelve to full surrender and today He calls you and me to full surrender.

What do you think?

To pray this requires a surrender of our will. Jesus prayed, “Not as I will, but your will be done”

We do have stubborn wills. We are born with stubborn wills. Paul struggled with his own will. Men and animals have stubborn wills. Have you ever tried to lead an animal where he didn’t want to go? James reminds us that we put bits in horses’ mouths to control their will.

Do men and women refuse to come to Christ because of their stubborn will? Have you refused to forgive because of your will? Yield to God and make His will your own. You will experience great relief and peace. When we release our will to the Father, we can expect release from ourselves. We are giving ourselves over to Him and His Lordship.

BTW, Sunday I was privileged to preach twice at Collinsville. Thanks to Pastor Jeff for his confidence.

Thursday, October 4

Keeping It Real

Last night I drove over to St. Charles to see my brother. Mark was in a meeting so I went into the Bible study. Pastor Jerry was in the sanctuary teaching from and about Hosea. One of his opening remarks was "God always has the right man in the right place at the right time." Yeah, that was a good line the Pastor gave. And it's more than a line, it's true. God always knows what He is doing. And He always gets it right.

Tuesday, October 2

This, My Friends, Is A Picture of Persistence in Adversity


Luke was a sophomore percussionist in the marching band full of prima donnas who thought their efforts were like something out of the movie "Drum Line". Every day he battled. Then after the above pictured parade, the director handed him his varsity letter. "That, was worth it" said Luke.

James wrote: "Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Of course, a varsity band letter is not the crown of life. Yet the reward for endurance in the test cannot be lost. Keep moving toward the goal. You will be rewarded.

We're Having Fish Tonight!

This is what I actually saw today - live. Not a Discovery Channel Bird Show, but a Fish Hawk - an Osprey, diving for dinner. I was outside painting and woosh here comes this giant bird of prey swooping down into the lake and snatching a fish. And it was less that thirty yards away. It appeared that the bird actually dove into the water and struggled somewhat to reverse its thrusters to get airborne again. Amazing to me was how fast it dove and how hard it struggled to get back into the air with its catch. Very cool for sure.

Uh, obviously I did not take the above picture. I borrowed it from the BLM.

Monday, October 1

Google Map It!

There are probably several routes through your wilderness. The decision you make regarding the path you will take ultimately determines the amount of warfare you will experience. Sometimes the best route is not what seems to our mind as the “best” or shortest route (Exodus 13:17).

How we submit ourselves to God in the wilderness many times determines how long we will wander or stay in that wilderness.

Jesus is our best example of overcoming wilderness wanderings. When He entered into the wilderness He immediately submitted Himself to God. From this position of personal willing submission He was able to resist the enemy. He resisted presumption. He resisted pride. He resisted the lust of the eyes. He resisted the promise of greatness.

His resistance was rooted in a willingness to resist. He was able to move through His wilderness time in 40 days.

He resisted everything that we will ever have to resist. He entered the wilderness filled with the Spirit, but He came out full of power.

We will all at some point enter a wilderness season, but we have confidence we can overcome as our Lord did and we can move into a new level of power.

I preached yesterday at Maryville. Please pray for the congregation to remain faithful and to grow in strength and numbers.

Sunday, September 30

How Long You Gonna Be In There?

We find in the Bible that a wilderness season had a specifically determined time.

The wilderness period when God’s covenant people – Jacob and his family – left Canaan and went to Egypt was 400 years. Yet, God had promised a release.

God’s covenant people wandered in the wilderness 40 years. However, God had a time of release.

When God’s people left His purpose to follow after idols, they went into a Babylonian wilderness for 70 years. Again, God promised a release.

Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and then entered into a 40-day wilderness period. Then the Father had a release. The wilderness wasn’t His ministry.

We help determine the length of time we stay in our wilderness. The wilderness is not your ministry. It can be a training time for ministry but not your ministry.

Wilderness wanderings are complex. Many times people cannot understand what you are going through. It is difficult to understand. Yet when we realize God is God in the wilderness as well as God in the green pastures, we will be strengthened for the work.

Saturday, September 29

“I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice” Psalm 55:16-17.

Where The Wild Things Are (with respect to Maurice Sendak)


We all can be certain that we will have wilderness seasons. This is no doubt a Biblical principle.

We do see that Biblical wilderness seasons had a specifically defined time period. We usually think of the wilderness in the context of our word for desert. In Biblical times the wilderness was usually a rocky, dry wasteland. A place in which people did not desire to be.

We also find in the Bible that wildernesses included places of refuge or sanctuary – an oasis if you will. Even though we may at times find ourselves in a wilderness season, in the midst of this season we can usually find a time of revitalization and a refreshing cool drink from the Lord.

Biblically, the wilderness could also be a place of refuge. Remember, David was forced to flee Saul and then entered a wilderness time and place. Even though his promise (from God) was not fulfilled during this time in the wilderness, the call of God on his life was not removed. It was protected. Saul did not and could not define who was David was or was to be.

You may be facing the wilderness. Remember this, God has not removed His hand from your life.

Tuesday, September 18

Albert and Me

Last night I went to the Cardinals - Phillies game. The Cards lost 13-11. In the top of the fifth inning the Phillies scored their seventh run (zip for the Birds). Most of these were on homeruns - the Phils hit five on the night. Immediately after Philadelphia scored their seventh run, there was a mass exodus of Cardinal red from Boosch Stadium. I heard some of these fans groan and say "we're not really baseball fans anyway".

My point: the Cardinals will probably not play in the NLCS this year. But the fans bailed after only half the game. Half the game. Four and a half innings is only half a game. It really did get much worse in the top of the next inning. One fan said as he left: "they have a ten run rule in little league".

But the Cardinals started hitting back in the bottom of the sixth. They scored three in the sixth, six in the seventh, and two in the eighth. It actually became a ball game.

Question: Do we as Christians bail out in the fifth inning? If I could mix metaphors, I would say that this walk of faith is not a sprint. It is a marathon. Gordon MacDonald said it doesn't matter how fast you can run 100 meters if the race is 400 meters long.

Press on, keep it up, persevere, don't quit now.

BTW, the picture above is Albert Pujols and me in the bottom of the seventh inning. Albert is the guy in the red helmet toward the lower left.

Sunday, September 16

Inquiring Minds

Today I had the honor of preaching the Word of God. My text was 2 Kings 3 - the story of the revolt of Moab against Israel and the subsequent attack mounted by the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom against Moab. In the desert of Edom, the three kings have found themselves stranded with no water for their troops or their animals.

Jehoshaphat wisely asks "Is there no prophet that we might inquire of the Lord?"

It is always the right thing to do to inquire of the Lord. See what God thinks about the situation. Ask Him if He has a specific perspective to give to you. Go ahead, ask the Lord.

Thanks to Pastor Rich for allowing me to share his pulpit today. He is building a great church.

Friday, September 14

Are You Standing?

In Ezekiel 22:30-31, the prophet warns us of what happens when God cannot find true men and women of broken-hearted prayer and obedience.

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one.”

Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads, says the Lord God.”

Who among us will stand in the gap and pray, and then pray again until heaven comes down to earth?

Tuesday, September 11

Why Pray?


John Preston, the Puritan, spells it out very plainly:

"Prayer is a privilege purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ died for this end, it cost him the shedding of his blood, so that we, through him, might have entrance to the throne of grace. And will you let such a privilege as this lie still? If you do, so far as is in you, you cause his blood to be shed in vain. For if you neglect the privileges gotten by that blood, you neglect the blood that procured them." [The Puritans on Prayer p.17]

Monday, September 10

Painting by Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamin

Do You Know?

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him" 1 John 5:14-15.

Easy to Say and Hard to Do

It is easy to talk the talk and harder to walk the walk. Most of us want to have a fruitful prayer life. Yet sometimes it's really hard to pray. Here are some practical suggestions to help you see greater effeciveness in your prayers.

1) Set aside a specific time for prayer. Get up early. Block off a certain time. Find a quiet place. Give prayer a place of priority in your schedule.

2) Discuss your life with the Father. Too many times we say our prayers and then move on. We have taken care of our guilt but we have never really gone into the throne room. Make your prayer time personal. Talk honestly about your struggles, your fears, your days and weeks. And then listen carefully when He answers.

3) Start with the Bible - God's Word. Read through a portion of Scripture and then make an effort to apply that specific Scripture to your life. When you read a command to “forgive others” ask God to help you release the bitterness and the hurt that makes you resist that command. Forgive them. When you read about the importance of “thinking pure thoughts” confess the areas where your thinking is polluted and ask God for help to think better. This practice will help you focus on the deeper issues rather than the superficial.

4) Keep a prayer list. Write a list of the people for whom you pray (you can add me). Be specific. What needs do you want to help carry for your friend? When someone asks you to pray for them add them to your list. Then make it a point to connect with those people and tell them you are praying for them regularly. This is important because the next time you are tempted to skip your prayer time you will remember that you told someone you were praying for them and then hopefully in your desire to be faithful you will make time to pray.

5) Remember to notice God’s answers to prayer. God answers in many ways. Sometimes He gives us what we expected. Sometimes He answers in unexpected ways. Sometimes He removes a burden. Other times He gives strength to bear up under the burden. Sometimes He gives to us the things we want. Other times He changes our wants by teaching us to be content. Sometimes He answers right away. And then other times He waits until we are ready. Notice the answers and when you notice His answers take the time and energy to thank Him.

6) Read some books on prayer and the biographies of people who prayed Prayer Hyde or Hudson Taylor are good). I don't mean that you should do this instead of praying, do it as an encouragement to prayer. These books and resources remind us of the things the Devil hopes we forget. They will as Hebrews says, spur us on.

What I don't want to do is to make you feel guilty or condemn you about your lack of a prayer life, rather, I want you to feel hungry for a greater prayer life. I don’t want to beat you up spiritually, I want to spur you on. I want you to see prayer as a chore that you dutifully peform every day but as an awesome privilege to spend time with the Father.

Keep going, you can do it.

Who Are You, Who, Who, Who, Who


I heard Peter Townshend and his WHO buddies howling that out that this morning on the 50,000 Watt Voice of St. Louis - KMOX. I changed the words in my mind.

"Who are you? Who, who, who, who are you praying for?"

Not very good grammer, but a very good question. Jesus told us to pray. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Paul told us to pray. He also asked his readers to pray for him.

So the question is still: For whom are you praying?

Thursday, September 6

Today is the Day


Jesus said: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

In a similar vein, Charles Schultz said, "Don't worry about the world ending tomorrow, it's already tomorrow in Australia."

With that in mind, another quote whose author I am unable to acknowledge goes like this: "In case today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope you never forget."

Consider It Pure Joy


We already know that James wants us to consider it pure joy when we face trials of various kinds. This was thrown at me in a little different way yesterday. Sam is in the second grade. He has been in school now for three weeks. Incidentally, he is at the same grade school his mom attended more than a few years ago. I love to pick him up after school. He is probobly the smallest second grader and he comes happily out of the schoolhouse door with his SpiderMan backpack on his shoulders and a smile on his face. That's great to see.

Anyway, yesterday we were talking and I asked him, "what is your favorite part of school?" He never missed a beat and piped right up, "the tests!" he said.

Whoa. First I thought, "that's weird".

Then I thought, "that's what we are supposed to say".

I hope he never changes his perspective.

Cross Over

I don't have a credit line for this. Thanks to friends Glen and Karen for sending it to me.












Wednesday, September 5

Living For the Lord in Times of Temptation

Would you like a blessing? There is a blessing for those who endure temptation. James writes:

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Perseverance brings blessing. This sounds like Jesus when He was giving what we call the Beatitudes (blessings) from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). In those pronouncements of blessing, Jesus didn’t give an all inclusive blessing list. Here in James we learn we can also be blessed as we endure temptation.

Temptation is one of the various trials (James 1:2) we face as Christians. As we keep on in faith all the way through temptation, we are approved by God, and we will be rewarded as the work of God in us is evident through our struggle with temptation.

It really is worth it to stay faithful and strong under the temptations we face because James says we will receive a crown of life. This is not a small incentive. Our steadfastness will be rewarded as we live out our love for Jesus by resisting temptation.

Don't quit. Don't back down. Keep running.

One Minute Each Night

In WWII, there was an advisor to Prime Minister Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central, 7:00 PM Mountain, 6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for peace in the world.

Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless, but our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.

Tuesday, September 4

Cattle, Not Camels


No, I am not currently reading any Howard Hendricks books (but I am reading a Gordon MacDonald book - A Resilient Life if you care). The earlier story about Mel reminded me of another that I wanted to check the reference on before posting. Here's another Howard Hendricks story.

Shortly after [Dallas Theological] Seminary was founded in 1924, it almost folded. It came to the point of bankruptcy. All the creditors were ready to foreclose at twelve noon on a particular day. That morning, the founders of the school met in the president’s office to pray that God would provide. In that prayer meeting was Harry Ironside. When it was his turn to pray, he said in his refreshingly candid way, “Lord we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.”

Just about that time, a tall Texan in boots and an open-collar shirt strolled into the business office. “Howdy!” he said to the secretary. “I just sold two carloads of cattle over in Fort Worth. I’ve been trying to make a business deal go through, but it just won’t work. I feel God wants me to give this money to the seminary. I don’t know if you need it or not, but here’s the check,” and he handed it over.

The secretary took the check and, knowing something of the critical nature of the hour, went to the door of the prayer meeting and timidly tapped. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and president of the school, answered the door and took the check from her hand. When he looked at the amount, it was for the exact sum of the debt. Then he recognized the name on the check as that of the cattleman. Turning to Dr. Ironside, he said, “Harry, God sold the cattle.”

Howard Hendricks
Stories for the Heart compiled by Alice Gray (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1996), p. 272.

Exaltation and Humilation: Two Good Things

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits - James 1:9-11.

Let the lowly – or poor or simple or common – brother glory in his exaltation. Just as it is proper for this lowly man (or woman) to rejoice when he (or she) is lifted up by God, so it is fitting (but extremely more difficult) for the high – the rich or elevated – to rejoice when they are humbled by trials and difficulties.

I think we could find Biblical evidence to prove that the poor brother will in heaven forget his earthly poverty and the rich brother in heaven will not remember his material wealth. Faith in Christ and stepping over into eternity seems to be a great equalizer.

James says “as a flower of the field he will pass away.” Trials serve to remind the rich that though they are comfortable in this life, it is just that – this life, which soon fades away just like the grass that turns brown and the flowers that dry up and fall from their stems.

For nine years we lived Oregon. There were amazing flowers in the Beaver State. Local nurseries would send bulbs around the world. In the Willamette Valley, there are a variety of beautiful flowers that seem to explode to life when the spring rains come. The irises are probably some of the most remarkable; acres of rows upon rows of multi-colored flowers standing at attention. But they don’t last forever. After a while they begin withering away. On the scale of eternity, this is how quickly the rich man also will fade away in his fiscal pursuits.

The riches of this world will undoubtedly fade away – but James takes the picture to a whole new perspective when he says that the rich man himself (not just his riches) also will fade away. If we foolishly put who we are into things that fade away, we will eventually fade away also. It is so much better to put our life into those eternal things that will never fade. If a man is only rich on this ball of dirt, when he dies, he leaves his riches behind – to end up in the dirt. But if a man is rich before God, when he dies he goes to where his riches have been waiting. That, my friend, is a good thing.

Monday, September 3

Thus Thou Hast . . .

Have you ever heard the story Howard Hendricks tells of a young man who met Christ after many years of life in the world? After his conversion he went to his first prayer meeting. Everyone was getting up and uttering their flowery (and maybe showy) prayers.

Finally, this new convert stood to pray and said, “Lord, this is Mel. I’m not sure whether you remember me or not . . . I met you last Tuesday night. I just wanted to say . . . well . . . Thank-you for changing my life.” And then he sat down.

The simplicity and honesty of that prayer brought tears to the eyes of many.

I suspect it brought a smile to the face of the Father. What do you think?

How Do You Feel?

I heard the following today:

People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel.

Interesting. I will think about that.

Thursday, August 30

Pray For Me

This is not a new song. In fact it's several years old, but still is good. Does that mean it's a classic?

Pray For Me
by Michael W. Smith

Here is where the road divides
Here is where we realize
The sculpting of the Father's great design
Thru time you've been a friend to me
But time is now the enemy
I wish we didn't have to say goodbye
But I know the road He chose for me
Is not the road He chose for you
So as we chase the dreams were after

Chorus:
Pray for me and I'll pray for you
Pray that we will keep the common ground
Won't you pray for me and I'll pray for you
And one day love will bring us back around again

Painted on our tapestry
We see the way it has to be
Weaving thru the laughter and the tears
But love will be the tie that binds us
To the time we leave behind us
Memories will be our souvenirs
And I know that thru it all
The hardest part of love is letting go
But there's a greater love that holds us

Chorus

Words and Music by Michael W. Smith

Yours For the Asking

If we lack wisdom, we can ask for it from God!

God always does the right things right. So we can know for sure that He gives in the right way. Specifically, He has promised to give wisdom liberally – generously – abundantly – pressed down, shaken together and running over. And He will not scold us for making a request.

Have you ever received a gift that was spoiled because of the way it was given? Maybe someone gave with the idea of getting back more than he gave. Some givers give only to keep the recipient under obligation. These attitudes can ruin the gift. God does not give this way. He gives because He loves to give to us, His children. He has no ulterior motives when He gives.

Ask in the right way. We don’t necessarily mean using the right technical jargon to automatically get what we want. This means asking without doubting the ability and the desire of the giver to give. Are you confident of the power of God and His desire and willingness to give? James says if we doubt we are double-minded and unstable. If we doubt, we literally are like a man with two souls – one soul that believes and another soul that does not believe. Not a good thing.

In the Old Testament, Solomon’s request for wisdom was pleasing to God – 1 Kings 3:7-12. What exactly is this wisdom?

First, we should be careful to separate wisdom from knowledge. Knowledge involves information, facts, details, specifics about something. Wisdom is the ability or the insight to properly use those facts in the best way. Wisdom is understanding or perception that is helpful in using knowledge, but wisdom in itself is not knowledge. Failure to understand this distinction has led many into error. Some people believe that our current passage teaches that God will give knowledge concerning His Will in answer to prayer. But knowledge comes through His Word. If we want to know the Will of God we must carefully study the Word of God. He reveals Himself and His will through His Word.

Then, as we read His Word, the wisdom to properly use His Word can be received through prayer. Prayer will help the child of God properly face trials and turn difficulty into victory. How should the child of God pray? The true prayer is the prayer that is asked in faith with no doubt. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith, God will not answer prayer. Think about it; why should God listen to and consider answering our prayers if He knows we do not believe He is able or willing to answer them?

Finally, when we have the correct information and the proper (Biblical) point of view of trials, we can see that good can come from a bad situation. We can understand that tough trials can bring good results. Instead of running from the bad situation, work through it. We often pray, “God, will you get me out of here?!” Maybe the appropriate prayer would be, “God, will you help me get through this?”

God’s desire is for us to grow and mature and be strong. He offers to us the right tools that we need to become mature and strong. Let’s use those tools to build what He wants. Then we’ll see that even trials can bring joy into the Christian life.

Let’s have a cold glass of lemonade. I’ll buy one for everyone. How you all share it is your problem. Ha ha.

Monday, April 30

Grace Grace Grace

We read of Paul speaking to the Ephesian elders, in Acts 20:24, of the ministry he had received from the Lord Jesus: “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

The word “gospel” means “good news”, and “grace” means “unmerited favor.” Paul was given the ministry to proclaim the good news that God has provided a way of salvation for sinners and that He had done this without requiring any merit whatsoever on the part of sinners!

To truly appreciate why the grace of God is good news, we must understand the need for grace. Everyone needs grace.

The Bible very clearly describes man’s true condition:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” - Romans 3:23

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” - James 2:10

“For the wages of sin is death...” - Romans 6:23

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” - Isaiah 59:2

“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is like filthy rags;” - Isaiah 64:6.

What do these passages really mean to us?

First, we must all plead guilty! Every person has sinned. We could never demand entrance into heaven because we are somehow good enough – let me in – you are lucky to have me. There is nothing we have to offer. Even the very best of us is without merit in God’s sight!

Secondly, our sins have alienated us from God! By our transgressions, we lose that precious relationship with God. We experience “spiritual” death, or separation from God; which if left unchecked, will result in eternal separation from God, which is known as hell. While we are in this state of “spiritual” death, we are dead to God; our prayers are not heard - see 1 Peter 3:12

Thirdly, as sinners, we cannot bring about the removal of our guilt on our own. We cannot run away from this guilt. We cannot work our way out of this guilt. We must not be self-deceived by notions of our own goodness. There is no good in us. We are sinners in need of salvation.

Once we acknowledge our sinfulness, we are in a position to appreciate the provision of grace.

Not only do we need grace, but also God has provided grace. God has provided His Son because of His great love.

Because God loved us, He sent His Son to die that we might have eternal life. Because God loved us, He made His Son a “propitiation” for our sins. Propitiation is a sacrifice designed to appease. God has offered His Son as a sacrifice designed to appease Himself, which leads to a related truth.

Because of His justice, God has provided His Son. To satisfy His justice, God provided redemption through the blood of His Son. God offered appeasement – satisfaction – when we could not.

God’s grace operates in this way: God’s justice requires an appropriate sacrifice for sin, and because He loves us, He provided His Son as a sacrifice for sin. As a result, God recognizes the death of Jesus on the cross as a suitable ransom for our sins, paid in full. So to satisfy both His justice and His love, God has graciously provided salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. What we cannot earn, God has provided.

But the provision of grace is not unconditional or automatic. We need to consider how we will receive God’s offer of grace. We must receive God’s grace. Receiving God’s saving grace requires obedience.

Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Freedom from sin comes when one is willing to obey from the heart. We must obey Jesus. Obedience to Christ involves:

Trusting in Jesus as the Son of God who died for your sins.
Confessing your faith before men.
Repenting of your sins.
Believing in Christ as Savior and Lord.

We must also remember that obedience to Christ has nothing to do with earning Salvation! Grace is only and always about God’s favor toward us.

Salvation is by grace, and “not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Because God’s mercy, He saves us.

What is the nature of your relationship to God? Have you received the grace of God? Are you living in the grace of God? Are you giving grace?

Saturday, April 28

Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel accounted for more aerial victories than any other Allied airplane during WWI. Called the camel because of the hump forward of the pilot and over the twin .303 Vickers machine guns, it was credited with shooting down 1,294 enemy aircraft. Due to a small 28 feet wingspan, this famous flying machine was also credited with nearly 400 non-combat deaths. Inexperienced pilots had to quickly master the difficult technique of low speed take-offs and landings in order to avoid the consequences of flipping the plane. Although the Sopwith Camel was undoubtedly a difficult plane to fly, its terrific agility made it very popular with the more experienced and talented fighter pilots.

Thursday, April 19

James's Directive to "Let Patience . . . "

Letting patience have its perfect work is not easy. It certainly requires wisdom, which enables us to see the value of our trials. We will talk about wisdom soon but first we should see the advantages of patience.

This letting patience have its perfect work imperative is necessary to turn trials into triumph that we read about is in verses five to eight. James wants the scattered saints is unswerving constancy. This characteristic will make us three things.

First. Unswerving constancy makes us perfect. It is related to being fit or appropriate.

The Greek word here is teleios – perfection toward a given end.

In the Old Testament, there were requirements for the sacrificial animal that made them fit for the offering. The animal was to be perfect. There could be no flaws, no discolorations in the skin, no broken limbs, no flesh wounds, etc. A perfect little lamb was necessary. The idea being that we do not offer something to God that is less that the best,

We are not perfect. We are not born perfect. We are each one born into sin as sinners. The way that we meet our life experiences will make us fit or unfit for the task which God has meant for us to do. Our life purpose.

Secondly. Unwavering faithfulness makes us complete.

Another Greek word here – holokleros – entire or perfect in every part.

This is also used in relation to the animal being offered to God. And also is regard to the priest in service to God. Again, it means that the animal or person has no disfiguring or disqualifying blemishes. The priest could not be crippled or maimed. Sin cripples us. We are disfigured by our sin nature, but faithfulness to God will perfect and complete us.

Gradually the unswerving constancy of the follower of God removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from the individual’s character.

Each day the individual conquers old sins, sheds old blemishes, gains new qualities, until in the end he or she is complete and entirely fit for service to and for God.

Thirdly. Steadfast faithfulness makes us deficient in nothing.

This Greek word is leipesthai. It is used to describe the army defeated, the giving up in a struggle, or the failure to reach a certain standard that should have been reached.

If the Christian meets his or her testing in the right way and doesn’t change direction, day by day he or she will live more victoriously and reach nearer to the model of Jesus Himself.

God’s goal for us is success. He wants us to be victorious. He desires that we remain faithful and true to the calling He has given to us.

Don’t quit now.