Monday's cartoon

I wonder why I never learned this in Sunday School?

End of the year regrets...

I was thinking this morning about how quickly this year has gone. In less than a month most of us will be making the traditional "New Year's resolutions." Even the most jaded of us will turn over a new leaf and promise to do better this year...even though we all know we won't keep these resolutions for more than a few weeks.

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Let's start a new tradition. It will be much easier to do and much more fun. No guilt involved, really, because there's nothing we can do now to fix what we have already done. Let's start something new called "END OF THE YEAR REGRETS." I think this could really catch on. It will start this way, "In this last year I wish I would have....." Here's where we can be really honest and probably do more good for ourselves looking back with regret than looking ahead with intent.

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Let me get this started with my own short list to begin. I invite you to contribute your own list as well.

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In this last year I wish I would have....

....prayed more

....taken more walks with no destination in mind

....slowed down and enjoyed the day

....slept in once in a while

....read more books

....been a better planner

....lost weight....I think I will always be working on this one

....written more personal notes to people I care about

....spent more time with the grandkids

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Ok, there's a start with a very quick list from me. As I think about this for my life I realize this might actually do me more good than making promises I won't keep in the new year ahead.....maybe this might actually work....

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Faith and compromise

As I read Daniel 3 this morning I came to one of the classic stories of God's amazing deliverance of his people. It's a story that is taught in Sunday school because it clearly shows both God's great power to deliver and three men's trust in him whether he delivers them or not.

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As I think about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego it strikes me that what we don't see in their lives are the little decisions that led to this big one. None of us are strong enough for this kind of test if we haven't already battled and won a dozen smaller challenges to our faith. For these three men this was a life and death test of their faith and it was a test I'm sure they had prepared for by many smaller tests over time. If they had compromised their faith for the easy way in the past they would have done so when faced with the furnace of fire, but what we see are three men resolute and willing to die rather than compromise. What we see is the final exam. What we don't see are the hundred small tests they had already taken to prepare for this day.

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It's those small, seemingly insignificant tests of faith that prepare us for the bigger ones ahead. If we are willing to compromise now in the small things we won't be ready to stand if the test demanded a life or death decision. Faith is built one test at a time and so is compromise. This story of these men and their bold test of faith has lived on for more than 2,600 years because of their trust in God and his amazing deliverance. What you don't read about are the many other Jews in Babylon at this same time who had already bowed their knee to the king's demands. They have disappeared with the millions forgotten who stood for nothing and so were remembered for nothing.

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Our tests will probably not be this severe. I doubt any of us will face the furnace for our faith, but we might. What you need to know about this story is what you can't read in the text...a big "risk it all" faith is built on a hundred little decisions of faith over compromise. At the time these small decisions might seem uneventful choices, but they are choices that build our faith or weaken it. Trust God in the little things and you'll be ready for the big things. When you have seen God faithful with the small things your testimony and faith will stand when the fiery furnace is warmed for your welcome. Faith is built when no one is watching and revealed when everyone will see it.

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I look forward to asking these men about their experience and the fear they must have felt as they chose to obey God rather than man. Their faith, built over many small choices, prepared them to handle the test that might cost them their lives. Their example has given us a wonderful story of faith and trust to guide us when our faith is tested.

Saturday's cartoon

Yes, it's a silly cartoon, but it's about coffee so I had to post it. Although it makes me wonder...will there be coffee in heaven? Will we have some of the blessings and treats we enjoy here or will heaven be so beyond our thoughts and expectations that none of this will matter?

What am I thinking? Of course there will be coffee there...

Divine detours

"The best things that have happened to me in life were those things that I didn't plan" -Hank Cooper, a PhD and the "Starwars Defense Initiative" architect in the Reagan Administration.

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"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

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I'm reading through the book of Acts right now and traveling with Paul as he evangelizes the Roman world. This morning I'm reading chapter 17. It's interesting to see how flexible Paul is as his plans are directed by God. If he is run out of one city then off to the next. If one town welcomes him then he stays for a while. It's not a life that a person who must be in control would enjoy because it's clear that Paul's journeys and life were completely in the hands of God. In a moment of time he may be redirected to a different destination than he had planned and Paul had to make the course corrections. It's as if we have a divine GPS always on and working in our lives. We might have our route planned, but then we hear his voice, "turn left NOW." and our course is changed. It's a scary journey at times, not knowing where I'm going or when, but it's a restful one at the same time knowing who is directing the path. Because I really believe God is directing my life and my route I can sit back and enjoy the ride. What will be the next great adventure? Only God knows and won't it be fun to find out what it is?

Black Friday

(click on cartoon to enlarge)

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If you were like millions of other people the promise of a bargain drew you to the malls today. I know, we drove by several malls and most of you were there! I'm so glad my sweet wife hates the shopping madness as much as I do. For those who joined the maddening crowd I hope you survived and found that bargain. And, so with Thanksgiving behind us and black Friday nearly over, let me say, "Welcome to the holiday season!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends.

Thankful, day 7

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

.At the very core of this thanksgiving holiday is this simple truth- God is good. It's one of the most important things anyone can learn about the God of the bible...he's good. What does that mean for us? It means that his very nature, his very goodness influences everything he does, every word he says, every decision he makes. And here's the thing that's hard for some to understand- he's ALWAYS been good. It isn't just a New Testament goodness. God has been consistently good throughout eternity. Here's how James describes it:

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James 1:16-18 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

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The thing that has clouded our vision of him is sin itself. Not his sin, but ours! The very problems of our world, of our life, are our own making. But in the middle of all the evil we see there is a wonderful creator who is good and does good in our lives. It's his goodness the led a group of pilgrims to start this holiday so they could intentionally say "thank you" to a good God.

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So, as you enjoy your thanksgiving meal take a moment and lift this simple praise to God,

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"Thank you, Lord, I am so blessed and grateful that you are a good God. Because of your love and goodness I am blessed."

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Eyes on eternity

Frankly, we all need glasses. Most of the people I know are badly near-sighted. Our vision is only able to focus on "here" and "now". Our decisions and desires are all based on this life....taking care of retirement, saving for "the future" and making decisions to "make me happy." Our vision is on an amazingly small part of eternity we call "my life." Everything we do, every decision we make and even how we spend our time is based on our near-sighted focus on "my life" and "now."

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In the grand scheme of things, to be honest, "your life" is not even an event on the timeline of eternity. But, because our vision is so limited, we only see "now" and fail to focus on some amazing things that are important to our lives. Here's a short list of the important things that are blurry to our vision as a near-sighted race:

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1. God. Our vision of him is blurry because we rarely squint our eyes to try to focus on him. It's hard for us to get this most amazing God in focus and so for most of us our vision is quite blurry about who he is, what he's like, what he thinks about me. Not having God clearly in focus will make it hard for me to focus on everything else beyond my near-sighted world. It will make it hard for me to see my life and my situations clearly as well because if I can't get God in focus then I won't be able to see clearly what he's doing in my life.

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2. Eternity. One of the things we have trouble with is eternity. It's just so....eternal! Forever and ever and, well, you know where I'm going with that. Imagine we roll out a piece of paper that would go from coast to coast, 3,000 miles long in all, and we use this chart to try to get a glimpse of eternity. Let's begin in California to mark our chart in 1 inch increments. Here's our legend- 1 inch=1,000 years. Basically each inch will break down to 10 lifetimes. Your whole lifespan would be one of the 1/16 inch marks on the chart. Each mile would basically cover a million years. Here's how amazing this is....if we start at the water's edge in California and walk 30 feet we have covered the entire 6,000 years of recorded history that we see in the bible. 30 feet, did you get that? Now, as we move across the country, a million years per mile, we cover a period of 3,000,000,000 in our imagined timeline. Only 30 feet of it was man's recorded history, and only 1/16th of an inch was your life. Here is the amazing thing- That whole timeline we drew as we crossed the country is only a small dot on the timeline of eternity. It's amazing how big this is. I think that's why it's so blurry to our vision. We simply can't imagine it.

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3. Here's the part of this that must come into focus for us- what we do with Christ in this life will determine our eternal destiny. We have this "1/16th of an inch" of life to make decisions about him and those decisions will determine our eternity ahead. The very reason Jesus became a man was to provide a solution for our eternal problem. He said, "God loves you so much that he sent me to die for your sins. If you will believe in me I will give you eternal life." The implication is clear- if you don't beleive in him (trust him for salvation) then you have what every man has apart from faith in Christ- eternal death. It is the most important thing we could possibly do with our lives, the most important decision we will ever make and yet our focus is on "now" and "happiness" and "my needs." Sadly, the enemy of our souls has done an amazing work to keep our vision on the NOW to the eternal loss of many.

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I know, in my own life, I live most of my days with the distant horizon out of focus, but I'm praying for a vision for eternity, eyes that look into the days ahead and make decisions today because they will affect me for billions of years to come. I so wish we had our eyes clearly focused on eternity. I'm praying for eyes to see, so that I can make decisions for eternity and not just for today. I'm praying the same thing for you as you read my thoughts. Eternity awaits, your decisions today are important.....

Thankful, day 6

Day 6 in my personal project of thanks. It's been interesting to me as I have thought about what I want to say. These exercises have actually built my faith as I've thought about what I'm thankful for. It's been a fun project.

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Today, I'm working on a theory. It's based on something I'm thankful for. Here's my theory- I believe that the ability to taste is proof that we are created by a loving God. Sounds strange, doesn't it? But bear with me for a moment. Evolution speaks to a gradual evolving of life to the point we are now. Each "evolutionary stage," whether by accident or need, moved creatures forward to what we are today (a very simplistic overview of evolution, I know.) The one thing that is completely unnecessary for us to exist and survive is taste. The ability to taste things is an extra, a blessing that has nothing to do with survival, but I am so glad we are able to taste...it makes food so much more enjoyable to eat. It turns eating for survival into eating for pleasure. Why do we have taste buds? Why are we able to taste flavors? Sweet and salty? Bitter or savory? All of this tasting thing is completely unnecessary to survival itself, but is a wonderful blessing to us. I believe the ability to taste is proof that we are created by a loving creator who not only wanted us to survive, but wanted us to enjoy it as well. So, today I'm thankful for taste. The ability to taste sweet and sour, bitter and salty, and a thousand other flavors that make the necessary job of eating such a treat. I'm thankful for taste and God' s great creative nature that would give us this amazing gift to enjoy and remind us of his love for us. AND, it will come in mighty handy on Thanksgiving day!

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"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8

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Still more to discover!

Here are just two of a number of new discoveries from the oceans. It always amazes me when I see how little we know about our own planet. Imagine how little we really know about space and creation itself. It makes the claims of many scientists sound much like a science fiction writer when they tell us how the universe came into being while at the same time they don't even know about all that lives on our own planet....seems a little arrogant to me. I would rather rest on God's claims of origins. His descriptions seem much more plausible, especially since he was the only one there to tell us how this amazing universe came into being.

A newfound deep-sea species of gelatinous dumbo (Grimpoteuthis sp.) flap a pair of large ear-like fins to swim (above)

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Larry Madin, Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution

At 1.7 miles down (2,750 meters) in the

Northern Gulf of Mexico, scientists found this

transparent sea cucumber, Enypniastes (left)

Thankful, day 5

Today is day 5 in my week long project on being thankful. As I think about these ideas it becomes clear that a week might not be enough to do this theme justice. Giving thanks for a long list of things isn't the solution to this discussion either. To thank someone for a gift or for doing something for you is a simple expression of appreciation for a gift given. It might be a service, a gesture or an actual gift of some kind that generates a "Thank you!" from another person. God is so gracious to us that a daily diet of appreciation is probably the only way to correctly deal with this theme. God daily loads us with blessings we simply must say thank you for. He daily gives us all things to enjoy. He faithfully meets our needs, loves us, forgives us, gives us provisions we take for granted. All we have and all we are is because of the kind and gracious hand of God, so today may I invite you to begin the daily habit of thanking God for his work in your life and all that he provides? If you intentionally think about it all you might be surprised by how much we have to thank God for.

Thankful, day 4

This is day 4 in my week long project of thanksgiving. It's amazing how much I have to thank God for...food, provision, family, his love, direction, compassion, patience....I need that one a lot! But today I want to thank the Lord for forgiveness. I am constantly failing, sinning, saying the wrong thing, thinking the wrong thing, not forgiving others, mad about this, prideful about that, selfish, fearful, irritated at someone....well I could go on, but I think you understand. We NEED forgiveness. The load of sin and regret we carry would crush us if not for God's amazing forgiveness. In one amazing act of love on a cross more than 2,000 years ago God dealt with my sins once for all. That phrase...once for all....is a profound one to me. One sacrifice for all people, for all sins, for all time! It's scope and work is beyond my comprehension and I'm blessed daily that God has forgiven me. It's his mercy and grace that makes my relationship with him such a blessing. I never come to an angry God waiting to punish me, but I come to a loving Father who has already forgiven me. Today, especially today, and every day I'm most thankful for God's amazing forgiveness.

Saturday's cartoon

Thankful, day 3

Today is day 3 in my 7 days of thanks. Today I'm thankful for the body of Christ. It's amazing to watch our church family care for its members. A few weeks ago we told our church family that we were going to give gift baskets to those in our family in need during this Thanksgiving holiday, and the response to this need was amazing. Giving for others in need was twice what had been given last year, so this year we are able to really help many who are in the midst of difficult days. I'm so thankful for the church family I'm part of....it's great to see God at work among us.

Thankful, day 2

This is day 2 in my week long project leading up to Thanksgiving day. Today I'm thankful for dogs and babies. Strange combination, isn't it? But they do go together. Both are glad to see you, neither one will talk back, both dogs and babies will slobber all over you and you're glad about it. They both demand food and attention and we are glad to give them not really expecting much back. In fact, we often only get a wet nose or a dirty diaper for our troubles, but we do it gladly. It's funny how God provides little blessings like dogs and babies to ease the difficult days. So, today I'm thankful for dogs and babies....knowing that as I go home today I will come face to face with both. Isn't God good?

Thankful

We have a strange holiday in our country. We have a day each year when we thank God for all he has provided for us. Now, I must admit that this original intent has changed considerably in the years since its first celebration by the pilgrims. This day of thanks to God has now become a day of family reunions, big dinners and football. Much of what this day was meant to be has been lost, but I want to use this opportunity to once more say "Thank you, Lord" for what he has done. What I would like to do is give thanks for one specific thing each day in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. I invite you to join me each day with a "thank you" of your own.

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Today I'm thankful for God's faithfulness. He never changes. He faithfully cares for us, provides for us and keeps his word to us regardless of what we do. God's faithfulness gives us great hope and confidence for the days ahead. It's his faithfulness that we take for granted as the sun rises each day, as rain falls to feed the land, as he provides what we need for life. I'm thankful that I can trust God to be the same tomorrow as he is today. He never changes and that's wonderful for us. Thank you, Lord.

Wonderful surprises

Looking back over the few years of my life so far I see God's fingerprints all over the place. He has put his hand on my life in a thousand different ways. I know he has done that same thing in your life as well. Most of us simply don't see what he's doing at the time we are going through it, but then...one day....we see it.

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For me, this day 36 years ago was a Sunday morning at church as we prepared for the services of the day. I was working with a friend of mine pastoring a little church in Arkansas that had suddenly began to grow very quickly. He had called me two months earlier and asked me to come and help him. I was about to have my life changed that morning in 1973. In a series of amazing little miracles God had led me to this place and this time for one purpose...to meet my wife. He had led her there as well and that morning in church I met this beautiful young lady named Joye. I didn't know it then, but my life would never be the same again.

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So, today I'm celebrating one of God's wonderful surprises- the day I met my sweet wife. Thank you, Lord, for working all things for our good and for your glory! And, now, after all these years most people know me as "Joye's husband." Isn't that great?

Elk Calf plays in the puddle!

Just for fun....I hope you enjoy your "puddles" this much.

Walking in darkness

I have been thinking about a part of a message I heard another pastor teach a few weeks ago. Podcasts are a wonderful thing! Anyway, in his message he was describing the problems a person has who has not trusted Christ as savior. He drew his comments from the books of John and 1 John, and here is what he concluded regarding the problems of those who are still without Christ. He said, simply, that the man without Christ has 3 core problems, 1. He is in darkness (more on that in a moment), 2. The darkness has blinded his eyes, and 3. He loves the darkness.

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I have been thinking over his observations for a while and then, this morning, remembered a situation that happened to me in my early 20's. I was living in an apartment complex and two doors down from me was a young man who was blind. We became acquainted and would greet one another when we ran into each other in the halls. The events I'm about to describe really happened and as I relate them they are quite funny on their own, but they bring truth to the comments the pastor I mentioned was describing.

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One day, passing each other in the halls of the apartment, my neighbor asked me to come over for dinner the next evening. I was glad to get some time to visit with him on a more personal level. I went to his apartment about 6pm the evening of our dinner, knocked on the door and was welcomed to his simple apartment. We had a good visit as he deftly prepared dinner for us. Then we sat as he served the meal, but something happened that I didn't expect. It began to grow dark outside. The one thing I didn't think about is the fact that a blind person doesn't know or care when it gets dark, it's always dark for them. But as we visited it grew darker and soon became hard for me to see my friend or the food on my plate. My friend didn't use the lights and probably had never turned them on. He didn't even think about my need for light, and so we visited in the dark. I did my best to find the food on my plate and navigate an evening of blindness.

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Here's what I realized- a blind person is in darkness and doesn't know about light. He only knows the dark. There is much he misses and is completely unaware of. This is the lost man. All he knows is darkness. He has no idea what is out there. But there is something even sadder- the darkness has blinded him to what is really available. He cannot and does not see what God has done for him. He's missing out. And lastly, most frankly, those who are lost love the darkness. It's comfortable to them. They fear the light for a hundred different reasons and so stay in the darkness.

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My evening of dinner in the dark was very enlightening. In these last few weeks I think I better understand a lost man's dilemma. Those who don't know Christ are walking in darkness. There is much to see, but they see none of it. There are rich rewards from seeing, but they see none of them. Because of their darkness they can't see all that God has provided. Seeing my friends without Christ in this way gives me a new compassion for their problem that I don't think I had before. I pray for those in darkness that they might see the light of Christ and really see for the first time. Walking in darkness was never God's plan for us.

Monday's cartoon

Isn't it amazing what we will do so we can avoid doing what we need to do most?

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Reflections on God's leading

Prov. 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

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This morning I woke with thoughts of many years ago. Thoughts of hopes and dreams that all of us have as we begin our lives in the world. Like most of us I had hopes of love, marriage, finding that pretty young bride and living happily ever after.
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36 years ago I had made some decisions about those hopes...I gave them all up. I remember the time well. My dreams of how things would work out in my life had not happened. I didn't find the girl. I was alone and was starting my career in ministry. I was lonely. But there was a day when God and I had a visit. I came to the end of myself and told God, "Ok, I give up. If you want me to be a single man the rest of my life and serve you I will gladly do that. I give you all my hopes and dreams of what I wanted my life to be like. I give up." And I really did. I let go of my dreams, my hopes, what I thought my life should be like and let God have it all. I gave up.
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As one man said, "I feel much better since I gave up hope." And I did! It was a time of really trusting God. I think I rested, for the first time in many of my early years, in God's provision and care for me. It was a wonderful time of peace that came with God's final defeat of my will and what I wanted for my life. I would fight this battle many more times in my life, but for those days the issues had been settled and I had, maybe for the first time, put all of my life in God's hands. I had given all my hopes and dreams to the God who loved me and it brought a wonderful peace I hadn't known before.
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It's funny how God directs our paths. He has an amazing route planned for our lives and when we finally let him lead he takes us on a most wonderful journey. Two weeks after my meeting with God I met my wife, Joye, for the first time. It's as if God had all of this lined up for me, but was waiting for me to let him be Lord even over my singleness. He has such a wonderful and tender way of making us smile.
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On November 18, 1973, a Sunday morning, I met this beautiful young brunette in church. I was instantly captivated. But I was a pastor. It was Sunday morning, so I shook her hand, greeted her and went on with my morning. Without my knowing it at the time this was a turning point in my life. God has such a great sense of humor. He was waiting for my surrender to bring about the very thing I was wrestling him to get. He wanted to give it to me HIS way. Two weeks after I gave up God gave me what I had wrestled him to obtain. I'm so glad that God determines our steps. He has an amazing way of working in our lives if we will let him lead us down his paths. His paths, twisting as they seem at the time, always tell a much more interesting story in the end....

The great adventure begins

Our amazing son-in-law, Zach, has started a new blog where he's writing of the adventures he is having with our granddaughter. He's a great writer and his whimsy as a story teller is fun to read. If you want to follow their adventures I invite you to join them on their adventures in Pickneyville.

What if Starbucks Marketed Like a Church? A Parable.

Then they will know...

I'm reading through the book of Ezekiel right now. It's a long and often difficult book to read. It was written while Ezekiel was in captivity. It was written to those in captivity to warn them, to direct them and to encourage them.

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One thing I have noticed as I read the bible is that there is often a repeated word or phrase that is meant to capture your attention and is the theme of a book. In the book of Ezekiel this is visibly true. The phrase that appears in this book more than 60 times is, "Then they will know that I am the Lord."

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Even in captivity, even in a time of punishment for their idolatry, even when God seemed distant to them he was working that they might know him and know that he is God. He's working on that now as well. His desire is that each of us know, really know, that he is God and that there is no other. For the Jewish people listening to Ezekiel this brought guilt over their sin that caused their captivity and hope that God would forgive them and once more make himself real to them.

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The great passion of God is that we know him. Those in the world want nothing to do with God, but talk to one of his children and you will hear them say, "I want to know God, really know him!" Our desires line up with God's when we want, more than anything else, to know him. It's a clear sign in our lives that we are on the right track when we want, more than anything else, to know HIM. It's a desire he will honor. It's a knowing we can experience. It's the cry of the prophets, "Seek the Lord!" (Amos), and the kings, "Seek my face, says the Lord" (David.) God wants us to know him. God wants us to know that he is Lord. When knowing him is our #1 passion then everything else will fall into its proper place in our lives.

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Saturday's cartoon

(It's a common problem for the human race.)

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Sparrow theology

The truth about God and our world is much simpler than we make it. There are some basics that are revealed by nature itself, so let me call these basics "Sparrow theology." If the birds of the air understand these things we should be able to as well. Here are a few. I invite you to add to my list if you wish....this could be quite fun.

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1. I am amazingly well designed. In fact, every part of me has a purpose. If this is true about me then how much more amazing is the one who made me? I am too complex, too well designed to have just happened. I was designed and so I must have a wonderful designer.

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2. The one who designed me has taken on the task of caring for me. I don't need to worry. I have a creator who is caring for my needs.

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3. I was designed to enjoy what my creator has made. It would be wrong not to enjoy his provision for me, so I'll sing and celebrate him at the top of my lungs....just because I can.

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4. If I'm precious and purposeful to the creator how much more the man he has made? I'm fulfilling what I was designed to be, are the men I watch living the same way? If not, could it be because they don't know the creator I know?

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There's a start. Fun, isn't it? Let me invite you to add to our "Sparrow theology" list. What would you add?

Keeping your tank full

We all have the challenge of keeping our "tanks full" spiritually. Most people I know are running on empty most of the time and just trying to get through the days.

What do you do to keep your tank full in your relationship with God?

Music?

Prayer?

Bible study?

Fellowship with others?

What helps you the most to refresh yourself in your walk with God?

The love of many will grow cold

The H1N1 flu virus is nothing compared to what I'm seeing in marriages these days. Divorce has hit epidemic levels among people in the church. These are Christians who know God's word, but the culture around them, the financial problems of our day and the cooling of commitment to promises has brought us to a time when I am really concerned about what I am seeing. Other pastors I know tell me the same thing. It's a serious problem. When the home crumbles the faith of those in those homes will be in jeopardy as well. I know a number of pastors are working on ways to help couples keep their marriages alive, but many want none of it. I can't tell you how often I have has a couple in my office for counseling and one of them has their arms crossed with a frown on their face. They are done and they will not be swayed from their path regardless of what the bible says. I believe these are genuine Christians, so what is going on? Jesus talked about it in Matthew 24-25. He said that as we near the end of days "the love of many will grow cold". I think we are seeing this now. It means I must do everything I can to care for my marriage and help others do the same. These are difficult days, don't let the days we are in cool your marriage. Be extra careful...the enemy has all his guns focused on the home. If he destroys the home he undermines the culture and the generations ahead who will have no idea of what life should be like. Keep the fires of your marriage lit. The enemy has one major goal- the destruction of your marriage. The best way to win a war is to know what the enemy is doing. Now you know.

Thankful

Today is Veteran's day in our country. It's the day when we celebrate and say thank you to all those who have served and protected us. So, if you have served in the military in any way, thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice.

I'm also thankful this morning because I've arrived at another milestone in life. Today is my birthday....59 years old. It's strange to write that down. It really sounds old, doesn't it? But I must tell you that my mind still feels 20. I just wish my old body would agree. So, as Paul writes in Philippians, To live is Christ and to die is gain. I understand more clearly the impact of those words and am beginning to claim them as my own.

I am most thankful that I live in this time, this place and am part of God's work in the world. What an amazing time to live. I can't wait to see what the year ahead brings. Thanks, Lord, for your great mercy and kindness you have given to us who know you. Thank you.

Quote of the day

“There is nothing—absolutely no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him, and I accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, and I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is. That is the rest of victory.”- Dr. Alan Redpath

Thankful for God's provision

My friend and fellow pastor, Winston, sent me a photo of his new wheels. God has wonderfully provided the money for him to buy a bicycle which he needed for his ministry in Kenya. I'm so glad to see God work in his life and meet his needs and I am thankful to be his friend.
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Would you include Winston in your prayers? He's struggling with some health issues and I am praying for God to heal him. Would you join me in that prayer?
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Men like Winston are the unsung servants of God's kingdom who are reaching their part of the world with the gospel and serving God with what little they have. I love these guys! Men like Winston are my hero's of the faith!

Now for a little fun....

Oh that we would enjoy life like this....a little rock and some time to play.

The "elders" stopped by today

The "elders" stopped by to visit this afternoon. I sure love these guys, but get so frustrated trying to talk to them. They are so sincere, but believe a lie to their own eternal loss. They are extremely well trained to respond to almost any argument about faith and they each have experienced the "burning in the bosom" that is their witness that their faith is true (and mine is not). I always try to give time to visit with them, but it's so difficult. They are rarely open to truth. Their mission is to convert you and their defenses have been well built by their trainers. I will be praying for these guys. They are serving their god and they are sincere, but their god isn't the God of the bible. Their founder did a great job crafting this faith that looks so good and yet is so wrong. I feel bad for these young men, they really are trying to follow god, I just wish they knew the real God...the God of the bible.

Monday's cartoon

We are not orphans!

In my study of Matthew 6 in preparation for the message yesterday I came to a passage I have read hundreds of times before and always missed what Jesus was saying. Then it hit me....suddenly I began to weep as I saw it. Here's the passage and then let's talk,

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So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

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The portion of this passage that had eluded me were these words, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Then, this week for the first time, I saw it. The pagans don't have a heavenly Father! They are orphans! Orphans have to be worried about food, clothing and a place to stay because they have no one to watch out for them. They are responsible, but the Christian has a Father. We have someone who is taking care of us. We have someone who loves us and like a child in a home with a dad we don't even think about the house payment, the electric bill, will we have food...those are the things that Father takes care of. As his child I run into his house and take whatever I want from the fridge without a worry. Father takes cares of all those things so I can focus my attention on seeking HIM and his rule in my life. He has the rest taken care of. He cares for me. I have a father, I'm not an orphan. When I saw this the whole passage came alive for me. I wept over this amazing truth. Even as I tried to share it with my wife the next day I couldn't get through it without tears.....we are not orphans on our own, caring for ourselves, worried about how we will get food, clothing and somewhere to stay. We have a father. He loves us and is fully able and willing to care for us.

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So, today you can resign as general manager of the universe, you don't need to worry about all the things that take up your thoughts. You are not an orphan, you have a father and he loves to care for his children who will trust him.

Construction delays

It seems like they have been working on the roads near us for at least 40 years, but it's beginning to look like they might finish in my lifetime. It's taken longer than it should have because we do everything backwards. After an area has grown, business and houses built, THEN they fix the roads. It will be nice when they get all of this work done....until they begin "phase 2".....then it starts all over again.

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My christian life feels like that. God is always working on something and it's usually in an area that is already busy in my life. Then, suddenly bulldozers show up and God begins to work on me. My agenda is changed, my life is altered and I get frustrated as God works. And, I know that as soon as we fix this part of me he will start working somewhere else. I'm glad I'm a project under construction and not a demolition project.

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Saturday's cartoon

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What do you value most?

I read this verse in my study this morning and got convicted. It's amazing what God uses to work in my life. A little verse I've read a thousand times suddenly hits me between the eyes and I have to make some decisions in my life. Here's the verse-

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Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

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What caught my eye was this, "in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Here is a man who has his whole value system changed in a moment of time and it's changed is a way that gives him joy to sell all he had valued before. Suddenly, all the "stuff" he had accumulated is set out for a garage sale. The stuff he spent good money to purchase....the living room set, the microwave, the flat-screen TV, everything! Everything goes and he sells it all with joy! Why? Because something happened...he found something so valuable to him that all that he valued before suddenly seems like junk. This is a story Jesus used to describe the kingdom of heaven. He describes this kingdom as a hidden treasure that will completely change my value system, that will bring me to the joyful disposal of all I have ever valued to get it. But I have never felt this way about his kingdom.....and so I'm convicted, I'm thinking....I'm challenged to consider....how important is this treasure to me? What would I give up to have it? Would I give up everything else WITH JOY to get it? What do I value most and what am I willing to give up to have it? I think I better talk to God about this....

An offering of thanks

I read this verse yesterday and have been thinking about it ever since. David writes these word, ...

Psalm 50:23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.

...I've been thinking about this verse because of several things in the verse. The first thing was this- to give thanks to God for something is an offering to him. We think of offerings to God as something to do with money, but thanksgiving is an offering of great value to him as well. The second thing I noticed was that to say thank you to God honors him. Thanking him is our verbal acknowledgement of his care and provision for us. I noticed one more thing....and this was something I didn't expect....that giving thanks to God moves him to "prepare the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." To say thanks to God, even in our darkest day, acknowledges his care for us. Shows our trust in him even when we can't see the way and it's that simple verbal expression of thanks that moves God to show us the road ahead. Now, I don't assume this is some magic formula by any means, but the verse has implications that challenge me to be more verbal and intentional about my thanks to Him. That simple demonstration of faith will pave the road ahead for me to see God's work of salvation in my life. So, this morning....in these early hours I want to say "Thank you, Lord!" for your great kindness and love. I'm so grateful that you are Lord of heaven and earth and I can't wait to see what you are going to do with the things that cause me to be up at this hour praying to you. Thank you for what you are going to do! Thank you that I can trust you with the dark road ahead. Thank you that you will illuminate that path for me. Thank you most of all that you are there and hear my every word, my every thought. Thank you.....

The reflection we see in the mirror

This picture has been e-mailed to me on a number of occasions. It's cute and is intended to communicate a message about this particular man, but what it said to me is that this is the painting we would all paint when we look in the mirror. We all see ourselves in much better light than others see us. We see our good deeds and how much we care for others. Those who know us would probably tell us they don't see the same thing at all. We, as humans, have a wonderful habit of being really good actors. The sad part of that is we are best at fooling ourselves. We think we are good-hearted, others see a mean person. We see a servant, others think we are always wanting to be served....You get the idea, don't you? The truth of this cute illustration is that no matter who sits down with a brush to paint what they see in the mirror is always much nicer, much better, much kinder, much sweeter than the reality. Our first challenge as Christ followers is to walk in the Spirit, knowing what we would do in the flesh, and let Christ live his life through us so that this picture really is what others see.

A book report

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I just finished Donald Miller's book, "A million miles in a thousand years" and enjoyed it immensely! I had tried to read his books before and didn't like his style, but this book was a joy to read and a bit of an eye opener for me as well. If you're looking for a book to read I would encourage you to buy, beg or borrow this one. You will thank me. And, no Donald isn't paying me to say this.

A little adventure

What do you want to do today?

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I don't know, what about you....what do you want to do?

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Have you ever had those conversations? We do often. Today we actually thought of something to do and found ourselves in the Farmer's market in downtown Dallas. It's an amazing place to buy fruits and vegetables. A wonderful display of color. A chance to taste a number of amazing flavors....although I did pass on the offer from one vendor who wiped her running nose with the back of her hand and then offered me a piece of fruit from the same hand. I thought better of that offer. We did make a number of colorful acquisitions and hope to be cooking fresh vegetables all week. It wasn't a great adventure, nor one with any risk (other than the runny nose).....just a little adventure that brought this commentary, "I really had a good time."

Monday's cartoon

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Quote of the day

"If you have trusted God for eternity can you trust him for today?"

-Mike Messerli