What I learned from washing dishes (right after use)!

Anyone that has known me for long can confirm that I am a serious procrastinator.  It is a part of me that God has been working on for some time, and has made lots of progress on since my lazed college days.  However, there are still bounds of room for improvement.  Planning ahead has never really been my forte’, especially since well, Jesus may come back before it needs to be done anyway.  Don’t get mad at me I know that is a wrong way of thinking (Paul dealt with it back it 2 Thessalonians chapter 3).  Most recently me and my wife have been diligent to do the dishes right after the meal instead of letting them pile up (like we formerly did).  Here are a few things I have learned.

1.        Dishes are easier to wash when you just get finished dirtying them. Once the gunk has set on and hardened it is a lot more difficult to get off and it takes a lot more work and frustration. 

2.       You don’t have an overload of dishes to do when you “get around” to doing them. 

3.       You never have to worry about people popping in on you and seeing your dirty dishes all piled up and gross.

4.       There is no weird smell coming from the kitchen that you have to go looking for to correct.

5.       You always have clean dishes to use.

6.       You can put your focus on more important things, rather than dwelling on how long it will take you to do the dishes and how much you don’t want to.

Ok I admit it; my reason for writing this blog is not really about washing your dishes.  It is about keeping your life clean!  It is about taking care of those bad choices/sins before they grow to bad habits.  It is about clearing out the old bad habits and not letting them creep back in.   How can I do that?  I know you are thinking what I have thought so often, “I have tried so many times and failed, so there is no use trying!”.  Now that is some destructive thinking and you need to get rid of it!  First off if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ you can do all things through His strength (Philippians 4:13)! If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus then we have identified your biggest problem and we should remedy that first.  

Second, God does not want you bound by your sins and bad habits. He wants you to be FREE from them!  Seek His help and strength, believe you can break these bonds, seek out friends who will be helpful and not judgmental, and start today! 

Oh and don’t forget that if you slip and fall, you are only a failure if you don’t get back up! So, go wash some dishes!

 –  Philippians 2:12-16, 1 John 1:9, Hebrews 12:1-

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Winter - Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov. 3:5-6 (NIV)

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, tothose who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASB)

When I am looking at a book that I might purchase I have a tendency to turn somewhere in the book and start reading.  If what I read interest me I classify it as a good book and I might purchase it. However, if I am not impressed by what I read I will put the book down and go to the next.  Surely along the way I have misjudged some books that would have been helpful to me simply because I only saw a small part of what the book was about.  I am willing to admit that this is probably not the best way to search for a book; it’s just my way. 

Many of us tend to take the same kind of philosophy when it comes to a ministry.  We want to come in one week or attend one event and judge the effectiveness of the ministry on that event.  Maybe as teachers or preachers we want to look at our last sermon or lesson and diagnose the health of our ministry based on its estimated effectiveness.  When we take a small sample of the life of a ministry or look at one event we are doing that ministry a serious injustice.  For us to understand the effectiveness of a ministry we must look at it over time.  We must not look at sheer numbers but more so we must look at the impact it has in the lives of those who are being ministered to. 

When looking at a ministry’s effectiveness we must also consider that ups and downs are a given.  There will be times when the numbers are down or the message is dry.  Maybe there will be a time of great struggle for the ministry to simply stay alive.  We must not consider this a reason to abandon the ministry or give way to being distraught and disheartened.  We must embrace God’s word and His wisdom and continue on when and where He leads us.  

Think about this every year we go through four seasons: Spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Spring brings us renewal and hope, summer brings us warmth and sunshine, fall brings us change, and winter brings us cold, darkness and ice.  Sometimes we wake up in a ministry and we find ourselves in the midst of a great winter.  The numbers are small, the desire seems low and we think of giving in or giving up.  Winters can be tough; after all not much grows in winter.  We must remind ourselves then, that even the deepest, darkest winter is followed by a beautiful spring of renewal.

If God has brought you to a ministry and you are obedient to Him, He will use you in a mighty way.  Keep pushing on past despair and cling to Him. Do your very best and rely on Him and He will give the increase.  One more thing… Never forget that He is always working, even when we cannot see it or perceive it!  

Are You Facing Jericho? – Joshua 5:13-15

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" 14 So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" 15 Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15

Joshua found himself standing before the great wall of Jericho.  I imagine as he was sizing up the city he began to think, “how can we compass this great wall to destroy our enemy?”.  Maybe he was like me when faced with a large obstacle and he began to get nervous, fearing the task would prove too much. After all, that wall was big and strong and it sure wasn’t going anywhere!

As Joshua stood their in deep thought he noticed a man standing with a drawn sword.  He approached the man, perhaps with his hand on his own sword and asked, “are you on our side, or their side?”.  It was with the man’s reply that Joshua realized who he was talking to, “captain of the Lord of host” none other than the pre-incarnate Christ.  As God had come down and appeared before Moses with a burning bush and given him commands, now Joshua was being commissioned with a task by God Himself.  What great trembling and joy it must be to physically stand before the mighty God of the universe.

Now I want you to take note that the Lord did not say to Josh, “yeah, I’m on your side!”.  Instead with the Lord’s response Joshua realized that He did not come down to play on a side and be a team player; the Lord was the Captain and it was His side that Joshua must be on, not vice verse.  The Lord gave Joshua instructions to defeat Jericho; when the orders where carried out the Lord struck down the wall of Jericho to rubble and Joshua and the army of Israel defeated their enemy.

Have you come up against a large, unmovable wall in your life? Are you standing there thinking about how there is no way to overcome this obstacle?  Look to the Lord!  If you are on His side and obediently walking with Him and seeking His will then He will take down that wall.  Don’t get caught up with how God is going to do it, just be obedient to His direction.  Remember Joshua never touched the wall of Jericho; he didn’t strike it at its foundations nor strategically plan out its fall.  No, Joshua simply was obedient and allowed God to tear down the wall.  Great was the fall of that wall and great will be the fall of any obstacle that stands between you and the will of God!  Expect the miraculous! 

The Value of Good Council – Exodus 18:23-24

If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace." So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Exodus 18:23-24 (NKJV)

I have always been very independent; to a fault.  When I was younger and I was working on a school project I didn’t want any help. I wanted to do things all by myself and figure them out all alone. Otherwise I felt like I was cheating or else proving that I wasn’t good enough to do it on my own.  I have since learned (well to an extent) that it is unwise to try and conquer ever battle alone.  I praise God that in my own life, He has surrounded me by a plethora of mentors and guides to help me along the way.

If you are like me you don’t like to admit you need help or even correction.  It’s a pride issue.  For a long time I based my self worth in what I could do, in how much I could accomplish, and how I didn’t need anyone to help me.  Even after I became a Christian I took on the idea that I was God’s wingman; together we could accomplish any task.  It didn’t take long for me to realize the value behind good advice and council. 

Turns out that God’s, self proclaimed “wingman” is an A+, top notch, protos if you will: screw-up!  The boy who didn’t need any help found himself confused and afraid.  Thankfully to God I had a wonderful father who always took me to God’s word and said, “Let’s see what God has to say about it!”.  He would then discuss with me the issue at hand; I always felt better and more equipped to handle whatever was going on after a good “God Talk” with my dad.   Since I lost my dad, God has placed many other people in my life that have helped me to learn and grow in Him.  I too like Moses have been blessed with a Daddy-in-Law whom is full of Godly wisdom and love for me.  Thanks David!

Do you have mentors who are helping you through the day by day?  If not you need to find some now! Don’t worry the best ones are always willing to be there for you and advise you in Godly wisdom.  Just make sure that you remember this wisdome I picked up from a Biblical Leadership conference in college with Kevin Greer.

A Christian mentor is an older more mature friend, one who is dedicated to God and is growing in their own faith in Jesus Christ.  He or she is an encourager, as well as one who can be trusted.  A good mentor is one who is in love with Jesus and desires to help others to become more like Him.  

A Monster’s Focus! Philippians 3:7-8

I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ. Philippians 3:7-8 (NLT)

In the movie "Monsters Inc" Sully finds himself in a tough spot.  He and Mike have been banished to the Himalayas.  Sully realizes that the only thing that is important is to save Boo. Everything else they have worked for no longer matters.  Mike however just wants to go back to his life; he wishes they never met Boo.  Sully finds a way down the mountain and Mike tells him he is on his own if he is going that way. Sully makes the hard decision and leaves to save Boo alone.

There will be times in your walk with Christ when the direction God is calling you may seem strange or even foolish to those around you.  Do not be surprised when even some of your closest friends can not understand and will turn away when you follow this path.  Do not let them deter your focus toward God's plan. Remember, everyone else may abandon you but God will always be with you!  I am happy to say that Mike in the movie finally realized Sully was right and got on board. Unfortunately in life this may not always be the case.

Paul came to a revelation much like Sully, that everything that was not beneficial to the cause of Christ was garbage!(Phil. 3:7-8)  He decided that he must lay aside every weight and run furiously in the direction of God's will!  Several of his closest friends begged him not to go to Jerusalem where God was leading. They feared for Paul's life. Paul realized that God was calling him to Jerusalem where he would be turned over to the Romans. He went anyway and was able to spread God's message further. Although it did cost him his physical life, it opened the door for so many to follow Jesus and to find strength in his obedience. (Acts 21:10-14)

Is God calling you to something that is not comfortable? Maybe others doubt your sanity or think you are going way overboard. If God is leading you there, you follow! My dad once told me that God would not lead me out on a limb and then cut off that limb from beneath me. Know that God will always lead you down the best path! Fear not!


Pray

Holy Father I know Your way is best. I trust today in Your will and Your direction. Help me not to be discouraged when my friends do not understand the direction You are calling me to.  Give me the strength to follow You no matter what! I love You Lord and Your perfect will for my life! In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen! 

A Dead End – Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV)

While driving to my moms to pick up the kids (a road I have traveled many times) I became lost in thought and passed up a turn.  I did not realize I had passed up the turn and kept driving. I then made the wrong turn; thinking I had made the correct one.  I kept driving and anticipating getting to my moms house.  After several minutes I came to a dead end, which in turn brought me out of my delusion. I found myself in the wrong place; having no idea where I was or how I got there.  I did the only sensible thing to do: I turned around.

Saul found himself in a similar situation when he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. He had been going along very fervently believing he was doing God's will. He was doing his best to stomp out this blasphemous Jesus movement. His goal was to serve God and he thought he was doing just that until he came to a dead end; Jesus revealed Himself to Saul (Acts 9:1-6).

Saul could no longer go forward in the belief that he was serving God in the path he was taking. He found himself bewildered and not knowing what to do, so he asked Jesus for direction. He sent him to Damascus and then sent Ananias to give Saul back his sight, and to fill him with the Holy Spirit. God put Saul (whom became the Apostle Paul) on the correct road; only then did he reach his goal of doing God's will (Acts 9:17-20, 2Tim. 4:7-8).

Many times in life we are faced with different paths we can take.  If we lean on our own understanding, on what feels right to us, we will find our self away from our destination; we will be misguided in believing we are heading the correct way (Prov. 14:12).  However if we will seek Him (Prov. 3:6), He will bring our misconceptions to a dead end; He will show us our errors. Then we can turn and follow Him back to the correct path; where He can truly accomplish His purpose in us.

Whose direction are you following? Do you trust in yourself? Do you trust in someone else's words and teachings?  Or do you trust in God to direct your paths?  Fervently seek Him; He might just bring you to a few dead ends!

Pushing a Boulder - Gen. 6:13-22

I once heard a story about a man who prayed to God to give him physical strength.  Upon waking the next day he found a large boulder had rolled off the mountain and landed beside his house.  God spoke to him and told him every morning to get up and with his own strength to move the boulder. The man was obedient and for several hours everyday he pushed the rock and trying diligently to move it.  After a few years of pushing the rock God again spoke to the man and told him to look at himself. His body was physically strong and lean from pushing the rock.

Of course this story is fictional. However the Bible is full of stories in which God tells His servants to do something that may sound useless or even absurd so that He may prepare them for what is up ahead. God is not a teaser of men; His commands always have a purpose. Let us consider Noah for a prime example of being told to push a boulder.

God spoke to Noah and told him to build a giant boat, to house at least two of every animal because He was going to destroy the Earth with a flood.  Sure that was hard to grasp but add the fact that it had never before rained and you have yourself a true boulder. So what did Noah do? Did he fret and try to find another way? Did he tell God it did not make sense so he was not going to do it? No, he built the boat!

Has got placed a boulder in your life that you do not understand? Is it hard to continue pushing day after day? Do you feel like giving up? Just remember that God has a purpose for the boulder in your life. It may not make sense to you, but bear in mind you can not see the whole picture. So whether God has told you to run three miles every morning, study Mandarin Chinese, or physically push a large boulder in your yard; you can rest assured it is all a part of His great plans for you. Just keep pushing!
Pray

Great and omniscient God, I thank you for counting me worthy to be used for Your great purpose.  Help me to be obedient to Your will, even when I do not understand.  I know that Your ways are perfect and I can trust that I am not pushing a boulder for nothing.  I praise You for the things You are preparing me for and the lives that You will touch through my life! In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Pray Together - Acts 21:5

When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. Acts 21:5

I love this verse; it describes such a beautiful picture of Christian love and fellowship.  They all followed them to the shore where they would depart, and they prayed together.  Not because of obligation or an empty “going through the motions”, but a true deep care and concern for one another. What a powerful example of fellowship and prayer.

In life we face many trials and it is easy to become discouraged.  There are few things as encouraging as having a fellow believer pray with you. It can be an overwhelming experience when you know that someone is lifting you up, right then and there to the almighty God of Heaven.  It is an even more moving when several people gather together in love and fellowship to pray for you and your ministry in Christ. 

We know that as believers God hears our prayers and is moved with compassion toward us and our petitions; when we agree in prayer, mountains will be moved and lives changed forever. If we will humble ourselves, lay down our sins and pray, I firmly believe we will see “impossible” prayers answered. Many things are impossible with man, but with God all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Prayer is simply direct communication with God; just remember it is a conversation, not a monologue: speak and listen!

When is the last time you stopped and prayed with someone?  There are few gifts as great as a personal prayer; you will find it will strengthen both the giver and receiver.  I challenge you to pray with someone today!

Help my unbelief – Mark 9:23-24

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Mark 9:23-24 (NKJV)

We know that with God all things are possible. We know that God loves us and that He has good plans for us. We know that no matter what happens, surprising us, it never surprises God.  We believe and know that God is in control. However sometimes when times are tough, when things aren’t working out the way we planned, or we are just overwhelmed, we start to doubt.

We start to think that our situation is impossible. We’ve tried everything, exhausted our resources and we look around seeing our hopelessness.  We start to think that either God can’t help us, or else He must not care enough to.  We find our self desperate in the valley of doubt.  At this point we have but two options; we can give up and wallow in our self pity, never seeing things changed, or we can cry out to God like the father in Mark 9, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”. 

God will honor our faith in Him.  Remember, the Bible doesn’t teach that great heaps of faith causes Heaven to be moved and things to be changed. Instead it tells us that it takes just a little faith; mustard seed faith!  Put your belief and faith in God with all you have and He will help your unbelief.  Then one day He will say to you, “Enter in my good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over few things, I will make your ruler over many.”.   

Live for today, plan for tomorrow- Matt. 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34 (NKJV)

I had a high school teacher of mine say something in class that has stuck with me ever since.  She began talking about how everyone was always looking forward to something; trying to get to that next big event.  When prom gets here, when I graduate, when I’m in college, when I get a job, when I get married, etc then I’ll be happy.  They follow so much after being happy that when they get to that big event it lets them down and they start seeking the next big event.  She then said, “If you can’t sit down and just enjoy a simple cup of coffee, you will never be happy.”  I took that to heart; maybe it is why I love coffee so much. It taught me to take the time on a regular basis to just enjoy the gifts God has given us and “chill out”.

When we are always looking to the future, waiting on that next event or worrying about how things are going to work out it becomes a great burden.  We get so caught up in catching happiness that we fail to realize it is all around us.  Now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t plan for the future, in fact God wants us to seek His will and make plans. We need to be ready for tomorrow, we just don’t need to be worried or overwhelmed by it.  We need to get up in the morning and converse with God; we need to be ready to change any plans we have to be aligned with the plans that He reveals to us.  We need to trust Him to take care and provide for all our needs; He will do just that.

So seek to bite off no more than today. Focus on the things you can accomplish today and put tomorrows cares and worries on the back burner.  Seek opportunities to touch lives for Christ today, and enjoy the chance for happiness today.

Happiness is…

A smiling child

A fresh spring day

A hot cup of coffee

A small victory

A new rain

A goofy laugh

A loving kiss

A __________

Fill in the blank. God desires to give you peace all the time; happiness may come and go, but you will find it a lot more often if you take the time to realize it is found most often in the simple things.

Talking to a Friend- Exodus 33:11a

So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Exodus 33:11a (NKJV)

Often we treat God as if He is far away.  We feel like when we talk to Him we need to make sure we say the correct words and talk in the right manner.  While it is true we need to show God reverence, we need to remember that we are also to give our earthly fathers similar reverential respect. God does not want us to be cold in our prayers; He wants us to be forthcoming and intimate. We should remember that we are talking to our Father, and He is our friend.

When discussing prayer I often encourage people to talk to God like they would talk to their earthly best friend. Let your guard down, open your heart and be brutally honest.  If you are mad a God you might as well tell Him; He already knows.  Holding that in will only cause you to harbor those feelings in your heart, which can lead to hatred and spite. If you are honest with God, it opens the conversation for Him to be honest with you.  He is always right and you will have to eat some crow, but getting it in the open is the first step to fixing the issue.

God loves you with a fatherly passion that surpasses our capacity to love: unconditionally.  Just like a good earthly father, He desires to hear from you often.  God knows what is going on and He knows the thoughts and dealings of your heart, but He would really like to hear it from you.  He desires a close personal relationship with you, and He cares about you.  So do not be afraid to talk to Him, if you are off key with your conversation I assure you He will let you know. If you try to hide feelings and thoughts from God you will only stop Him from being able to fix the problem and cause your relationship to suffer.  

If you will read in the Bible you will find that the people who were the closest to God, were the ones who were the most honest with Him; if they hurt they told Him, if they did not like His way they told Him, if they thought He was being unfair they told Him, etc. They held nothing back in their relationship with God. 
I urge you to pour out your heart to God today. If you have been holding back hurt, anger, or anything else, get it out in the open with God. Tell Him exactly how you feel; do not be afraid, for He loves you. 

A Hacking Cough – 1Thess 5:17

pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

If there is one thing I hate about getting sick; it is coughing. It seems like no matter how hard I try, no matter how many cough drops I suck on, I just keep coughing. It will keep me up at night and continue long after my other symptoms are gone. I just cannot stand that continuous hacking cough! I just keep coughing intermittently all day and night, so much that even when I am not coughing I can feel a cough on its way!

It was not until I was reading a commentary (I cannot source because I do not remember which one) that I understood 1Thessalonians 5:17 in a whole new way. “Pray without ceasing” (1Thess 5:17). I had often thought, how can I pray all the time? That is impossible! The commentator explained that the phrase that was translated “without ceasing” had been used in secular writings at the time to describe the symptoms of a hacking cough. The light bulb turned on and I saw clearly the point Paul was trying to make to us. Pray like a hacking cough; continuously, sporadically, all the time!

Prayer is an important part of our walk with Jesus. It is the opportunity for us to praise God, share with Him our needs, the needs of others, as well as have a conversation (two way discourse) with God. We know that we can go boldly before the throne of grace (Heb 4:16), and God hears us and will answer our prayers. Although, (and I am thankful that) He does not always say yes! So if we are to have a living fellowship with God, we must learn to pray without ceasing. We must learn to pray like a hacking cough; always in our throats, naturally occurring and without the ability to hold it in. Remember that you do not have to pray with your eyes closed, or even on your knees, (these are good ways to show reverence which is another lesson) you can talk to God anytime and anywhere! As a matter of fact when someone shares a prayer request with me I often begin to petition God before they are even finished talking.

Have you learned to pray without ceasing? Are you comfortable talking to God? I challenge you today to pray about everything. Share with God how you are feeling, what you are doing, what you see, praise Him for the beauty around you, and ask that He touch those you pass by (be warned He will probably want to use you), pray about absolutely everything. He will not tire of hearing your voice; chances are He has been longing to hear it more often! Practice today the art of praying like a hacking cough; it may just change your life!

Give them more - Acts 3:6

But Peter said, "I don't have any money for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"  Acts 3:6 (NLT)

Many times in my life I have come across people begging for hand outs, and I am sure you have seen your share of cardboard pleas for money or food. I usually drive right on by due to the many con artist and lazy people out there. However, occasionally my heart is pricked and I will go through the McDonalds drive through and buy a value meal in hopes that it may actually make a difference in the life of someone who is genuinely going through a hard time. How many times have I earnestly ask God if I can help this person? How many times have I gone the extra mile to see if I can really help them to find a job, or a warm bed…or a Savior?


In Acts 3 a man who truly had a physical need was brought daily to the temple to beg for money at the temple’s gate which was called “Beautiful”. People going into the temple to pray had to pass by him and his constant pleas. How many religious people walked by him every day? Surely some of them were disgusted by him, while others felt sorry for him and gave him a little money or food. How many ever sat down to get to know the man? How many prayed for him in the temple? How many ever tried to help him? Few if any I am sure. Why? There was no hope, he had always been crippled. He would always be crippled! Until one day Peter and John passed by the man, he begged for a little money but got more than he ever expected to receive; instead of money he received a new life.

Countless are the people we pass by everyday who are begging to be filled. Sure they are crying for money or status, but what they truly want is fulfillment and peace; something that is impossible for them to obtain without a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Christians we need to stop simply taking the easy road and tossing them some spiritual pocket change. It is time that we give them more than they are asking us for, time to go the extra mile. We must give them more than a temporary fix; we must give them an eternal solution! “…such as I have, I give to you…” (Acts 3:6)

Who do you come in contact with everyday that needs more than your kind words or your pity? Does someone spring to mind that is in true need of more than you have been giving? Make today the day that you start reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. Jesus has given us much more than we could have ever imagined or asked for, we must share this gift! (Matt. 10:8)

I Have a Testimony? 2 Corinthians 5:17

What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

From the time I was two I was a sick child.  The doctors had my mom and dad convinced that if they let me lead a normal life (i.e. playing outside) that I would die.  My tonsils were oversized and I was underweight, among other health issues.  I was an over-diagnosed child on the way to becoming a bubble-boy!  By the time I was seven my tonsils were so big that if I laid down flat it would cut off my windpipe.  Soon these ailments and treatments caused my spleen to follow suit. I ended up in the hospital with a quack doctor who wanted to remove my spleen and ignore everything else!

Then something dramatic and life changing happened.  A new doctor in town doing his rounds in the hospital came into my room.  He looked at my chart and asked permission to examine me.  My parents agreed and he quickly came to the conclusion that should have been evident to my other doctor all along; these tonsils need to come out! Push came to shove and he convinced my parents to trust him to remove my tonsils. My life was different from that point on; I began to live the normal life of a child.

When you accept Jesus into your life a radical change, even more than a tonsillectomy, occurs.  You become a new creation, never again to be the same (2Cor. 5:17).  You are the only person who can truly tell your story.  Were you a Christian killing Jew like Paul? Probably not, but that does not mean God has not done great things in your life.  Your testimony may not seem flashy enough for you, but it is not about you! It is about what Christ has done in your life. It is about His Grace, His Mercy, His Forgiveness, and His Righteousness.  That makes for one powerful testimony no matter how you look at it! (Eph 3:20-21)

So go and share with the world what Christ has done for you! Sounds pretty simple does it not? That is because it is simple!  You do not have to have a great degree or even be older than ten. You just have to have Jesus in your heart, and voila…Instant testimony.

Scripture Reading - Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;  and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)

Only Human - 1 Kings 19:2-4

Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."  And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"

I am glad that the Bible is full of men of faith who have been used by God to do great things.  I am more thankful that God also shows us the shortcomings of these “great” men of God.  It doesn’t take long if you really dive into God’s word to find God’s chosen people, God’s redeemed, God’s children messing things up.  It is reassuring to know that as I continue to stumble and stagger along trying to serve God and bring Him glory, I am in good company; the boldest and the bravest, faithful men of God were in fact only human.

One of my favorite examples is Elijah.  Now this man was a profound and still respected profit of God.  He really had it going on; he went head to head with the profits of Baal on Mount Carmel.  He taunted, teased and laughed at them when their god could not consume the sacrifice they had prepared for him.  To add insult to injury, Elijah had the sacrifice he had prepared for God be soaked (more like flooded) in water.  Then with a living faith, he called out to God and fire came down out of the sky and completely consumed the sacrifice. What a sight that must have been!  It gives me chills just thinking about the greatness and power of the Almighty God. 

After this great victory he killed the profits of Baal.  Word reached Jezebel and she put out a death threat on his life.  Now I know what you are thinking, “I bet he stood up ready to call out and bring more fire down from the heavens! He probably wasn’t even scared!”.  Wrong.  Elijah did what most of us would do when faced with threat of execution, he tucked tail and ran for his life. He even went as far as asking God to just let him die.  Just days ago he had stood with unshakeable, all consuming faith, and now he was practically shaking in his bones.  Turns out Elijah was only human too!

Take heart in knowing that the great men in the Bible who were used to do great, even miraculous things, were mere humans.  They were faced with the same fears, failures as you and me.  They sinned, and fell short of God’s glory often.  Yet because they believed God, trusted in Him, and turned back to Him after they had fallen flat on their face in failure, He worked mighty works in and through them; He will do the same in you, if you will surrender your life to Him.   Will you mess up? Yes, probably a lot.  Will you ever be good enough? Only by His grace! 

Don’t allow the fact that you are “only human” to hold you back; after all the Bible is full of remarkable men and women who are just like you!

Just Psalm 51

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise. 18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. Psalm 51 (NKJV)

Intercessory Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:25

Brethren, pray for us. 1 Thessalonians 5:25

Should we pray for others? Yes!  Does praying change things? It most certainly does.  Paul understood the importance and the power of the prayers of the righteous.  Many times in the scripture Paul urges his Christian brothers and sisters to pray for him or others.  Paul assured believers in his letters that he was interceding in prayer for them as well.

Intercessory prayer is so important that even Jesus Christ modeled it in John 17, as He prayed for the apostles, the disciples, and everyone that would ever believe!  If lifting up others directly in prayer to God was important to Jesus (who is God) then it should be important to us as well.  As we journey through this life we will face many ups and downs along the way.  We were not made to face these hardships alone; we are relational beings and it is necessary that we stand together, worship together, rejoice together, hurt together, and lift up one another in prayer to our glorious Father.

Who are you praying for today?  Has God placed someone on your heart?  Have you told someone you would be praying for them?   Be direct and diligent to make intercessory prayer a regular part of your conversations with God.  If you will commit to this practice you will see a change in peoples lives.

Godly Mothers – 2 Timothy 1:5

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)

A godly mother is a treasure that far exceeds choice jewels and fine gold.  Her worth is priceless, her lessons timeless, and her prayers move mountains.  Godly mothers work long and hard, while underappreciated. They go on day by day doing what needs to be done; juggling tasks and children like no other. Their prayers, their encouragement, and their loving scolding help us make it through this hectic life, be successful, and find true life in Jesus Christ.

Godly mothers are always there to comfort their children when life is too much; whether from a skinned knee or a failed marriage, mom is always there.  Lifting her children up fervently in prayer to the God in whom she puts her unmovable faith.  She Weeps when she cannot console them, and picks them up (kicking them up if she must) out of the realm of despair, while always reminding them of God’s great love and plans for them.

A godly mother’s love reflects the unconditional love of the Heavenly Father.  She would soon lay down her life for her children then see them go through deep pain and despair. She goes through great lengths to assure they have every opportunity to succeed in life and be happy. More then anything she prays, hopes and directs her children toward a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. 

I pray today, on this celebration of Mothers’ day that you can reflect and appreciate the love of a godly mother.  Let her know how much you appreciate all the sacrifices she has made for you, and all the prayers she has prayed. 

Thank you mom, I love you!

There is no greater gift you can give a godly mother on mothers’ day than news that you have accepted a relationship with Jesus Christ!

What’s on your heart? - 1 Chronicles 29:17

O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. 1 Chronicles 29:17 (NKJV)

Many times since I have been a Christian, God has put a person, a group of people, or a specific action on my heart.  Sometimes I have simply prayed for the situation or person and other times I have felt led into action.  Looking back now at times God has revealed to me His purpose and why He placed the things He did on my heart; other times I am still not sure what purpose it served, only that I was moved to prayer and action.

When we direct our heart towards God and His will we find ourselves begin to change.  Our goals, our visions, our aspirations begin to move toward God and His purpose.  We start to look at people differently; we are moved with compassion that we have never felt before.  As our heart starts to look more like God’s, things that we overlooked and people that we took for granted before start to take priority. 

So what’s on your heart?  You will find as you edge closer to God that your heart will reflect His more and more.  Use these feelings and thoughts of your heart to glorify Him, lifting up, encouraging and furthering His kingdom.  If someone is on your heart, pray fervently, reach out to them if possible, and allow God to work in their life through yours.  Follow your heart, but only after it is fixed on Jesus Christ!

Are you thirsty? Come! – Revelation 22:17

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17

Everlasting life, an eternal home in Heaven, a one-on-one relationship with the almighty God, it sounds too good to be true!  These things must be reserved for the best, the brightest, and the most popular people of the world.  I can’t even get into the “kind-a-cool” club; so how can I expect to have all of this.  These things simply can’t be for me; but yet they are.

Jesus Christ, the God of the Heavens and Earth has made a way for all men to be saved, to be redeemed, to be accepted. He gave His life’s blood on the cross so that “whosoever” could come into His holy presence and live.  No matter how we look at a person, good or bad, cool or nerdy, black or white, male or female…they are invited to take of the water of life; Freely! It has been paid for by God and now it is readily available to all.  Are you thirsty? Then come!

The kingdom of Heaven is not exclusive, it is open to all who would accept Jesus Christ and serve Him.  So come, if you have never and take of the water of life; you will find that it is what you have been looking for all along. It will fill you up so that you are never thirsty again. 

But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Come!

God won’t fit in a box – Romans 11:33

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33 (NKJV)

I seek to grow closer and deeper in my relationship with my God.  He is my savior, my guide, my creator, lover of my soul, director of my paths, cleanser of my sins, and so much more! I was asked the other day in an interview, “Who is God?”; now they did not expect me to define God completely of course, but the question got me thinking that I could never truly answer that question with any true justice.  I know there is one true God; one in essence, while three in person (Father, Spirit, Son).  Yet I cannot wrap my mind around God, His ways, His triune existence, His omnipotence, etc; He is too big, too complex, and too limitless for my mind to fully comprehend.

Although many have tried to put Him in one, God won’t fit in a box! We are experiential and relational beings; we derive our understanding of everything from the information that we have come in contact with.  That’s why, I believe we have a hard time thinking of questions like, “Where did God come from?”, “When was God’s beginning?”, etc.  We have a beginning and we can trace our ancestry back, sometimes hundreds of years, so naturally and logically we try to give God these traits. The problem is that God is not a created being, unlike everything we know and see that has a designer, a former, and a beginning; God simply is, and was, and always will be.  God told Moses simply, “I am”, and later in Revelation He called Himself, “the beginning and the end, the first and the last”.  He is and He is unable to be boxed.

Some men decide that if they can’t explain God or with their logic define God, then there must not be a God.  I say that if they could do those things, they would be correct.  Fortunately for us they are terrible mistaken.  God is; furthermore He is good, loving, holy… the list goes on and on. Though, one of my favorite characteristics of God is that He is personal; although He is such a magnificent and indefinable God, He cares for each individual on a personal level and desires a personal relationship with each and everyone.

Sometimes God reveals pieces of Himself and His being to us, we are given the Bible to study and read so that we may have and grow in our relationships with the one and only true God.  Other times God’s ways, judgments, plans, etc. are hidden from us or beyond our understanding.  My dad quoted often to me when I would ask him a question He could not answer, “Deuteronomy 29:29, Son!”

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV)

 Stop trying to put God in a box; He won’t fit!

For some good reading on the Triune existence of God, check out God in three persons: A doctrine we barely understand

Another Good resource is  www.Jesus.org

Guilty by association- John 12:10-11

But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. John 12:10-11 (NKJV)

Lazarus was not recorded in the Bible as doing any great thing.  It never talks about his amazing faith or of him doing anything great.  It records him as a friend of Jesus, whom Jesus cared for dearly, and one who Jesus brought back from the dead. Lazarus’ life from that point on was a testimony of the power and deity of Jesus Christ; because of this the Pharisees wanted him dead.  Lazarus had done no great thing, his life was only witness to what to what God had done.

As Christians our lives should reflect God’s work in us.  We cannot do great things for God; he doesn’t need us or our help.  We can simply be obedient, allowing Him to do great works in and through us.  These works will bring Him glory, because they are of Him. Through the light of Christ that shines in us many will believe and follow Jesus Christ.  I hope that you will seek to live a life that reflects Jesus Christ so that you will be guilty by association; that others see you and are either moved by His love, compassion and Lordship or offended and convicted. 

If Christianity became illegal where you are today, would they come knocking on your door to arrest you? Or would they even be aware that Christ has done a work in you?   My dad said many times, “If they start arresting people in America for being a Christian, I hope they come get me first!”.  My dad had a desire to follow Christ so closely that other men would look at him and see Jesus Christ living and active in his life. How about you? 

Are you guilty by association?  

Taste and see! – Psalm 34:8

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8

I love cheese! I love to just wrap up some cheese in a flour tortilla, heat it up so that the cheese is all warm and gooey; it’s great.  You would never know that I wouldn’t even eat cheese on anything until I was about twelve.  I was a very picky eater and for some reason I convinced myself I didn’t like cheese.  Thankfully I tried it and it has become a life long love!

Many people think that they don’t need Jesus in there lives.  They know little to nothing about Him or they fear what they will have to change; they don’t know what they are missing. They look at “Christians” who walk around without joy, who are bound by legalism, or who are defeated.  They have a flawed view of Jesus and His love for them. 

We need to live our lives with Christ with joy and fulfillment. We need to be an example to those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus.  We need to make them hungry for a relationship with God; we need to show them what they are missing.  We need to encourage them to taste and see that the Lord is good so that they can be fulfilled, and have abundant and eternal life!

What will you do with the rain? – Matthew 5:45b

for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45b

When something bad happens to a person we start to ask or at least wonder, “what have you done?”.  It is easy to think that God must be punishing them, else they wouldn’t have it so bad.  Or my personal favorite, “if you just had enough faith” as if misfortune only falls on those who don’t walk close enough to Christ.  We are foolish!  If we would just read the scripture we would see very plainly; it’s going to rain.  Whether a person is good or bad, they will face trials and tribulation in their life.  No matter what you do in your life, you can anticipate rain. The question is what will you do with the rain?

Over the years I have had people confide in me with stories of trouble in their lives. I have come in contact with many people who are facing the same or similar “rains” in their lives, yet what they do and how they react to the situations are very different.  For example I have known people who have lost their job which put them into a financial crisis.  One man goes into a state of depression, gets angry with God and asks, “Why are you letting this happen to me, what have I done?”.  The other man, also with a heavy heart, realizes his misfortune and calls out to God, “Help and direct me to find a job and support my family, help me to overcome this obstacle and bring you glory.”.  The first man is focused on, controlled and defeated by his circumstances.  The second man has accepted His circumstances, and seeks God direction to make the best of and in spite of the rain. 

Some people look at a rainy day and think about what they cannot do today.  The wish the rain would go away; they forget in that moment that rain is important to the cycle of life.  Others accept the rainy day, its purpose and make the best of it.  Perspective in life is important.  It can cause us to be defeated or uplifted; it can make us curl up and hide, or stand up and march on; it can turn us from God, or it can draw us closer to Him.  God has a purpose for the rains in our lives; how we view the rain and what we do with the rain is up to us. 

I think the lyrics to this song by Laura Story really sum it up nicely:

Blessings

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

So what will you do with the rain?