Valentine's Day!

I had to run by the store tonight on my way home and stumbled into the funniest site! In the store were roses and cards on display for Valentine's day and hovering around them were dozens of men, glazed looks in their eyes staring at cards, flowers and candy. They looked lost and confused. It almost made me laugh until I realized I had joined them. And like the other devoted men in line I paid way too much for my dozen roses and went home to my wonderful wife. Happy Valentine's Day!

Deep thoughts, part 3

Ok, now for some deep thoughts from a shallow mind. Realize that profound is just a word to me, and I live in the world of application (so what do I do with that?) So my thoughts will not stir you to great heights, but I do hope they will encourage you.

I am amazed at how God works. He sure does things differently than I would do them! I'm the kind of person that just does it, gets it done...I like the comedian who says, "get 'er done!" I think that's funny. (I know, I'm strange.) But God works in such a different way. He has a grand plan for man and the universe, but to do it he uses the fallen men and women he came to save. He saves us, gives us gifts, then gives us a mission. We use his word, his gifts, his spirit, his resources, and his leading to reach those around us. He provides everything, and all I provide is me. Available...that's the key. Everything else is from him. What a strange way of doing things! But it works, and out of it all he gets all the glory. I'm amazed at the way God works- His gifts, his spirit, his word, his power, his leading, his glory.....and all I bring is me. I think I get it....it's all about him, by him, through him and for him. It's an amazing kingdom....this kingdom God has invited us to participate in.

Monday's cartoon

You know you're getting old when...

Ok, I'm sitting with my coffee this morning and thinking....

I'm getting old!

I realized it more clearly last night as we did worship with music that was much too loud for me. To my surprise and delight a number of people told me they loved it!

So, today here are some thoughts on the subtle aging dynamics that sneak up on all of us....it goes like this- "You know you're getting old when...."

Here are a few of mine to get started:

You know you're getting old when you suddenly realize you are completely out of step with culture and didn't even know it had happened.

You know you're getting old when the youth pastor has to remind you to change your illustrations because young people won't get them.

You know you're getting old when you get up in the morning and forget what you ate last night.

You know you're getting old when you wake up at 3 am, and consider that a great nights sleep (compared to most!)

You know you're getting old when you don't have to comb your hair anymore...why bother, there isn't enough to worry about.

You know you're getting old when you forget things, and when you finally realize it you don't care! (That's a great day!)

Ok, there are a few...let me invite you to add you own to the list. I had more, but I forgot them...is that a sign of getting old too?

Building a life that will last

Years ago, while we lived in Tulsa, Ok., I had the priviledge of watching the building of a 50 story building. They dug a deep hole in the earth. I would watch each week as I went by the site to see their progress. It seemed that it took forever before they got to ground level. They literally worked for about a year below the ground. I have the sense that building 50 stories of the building was quicker than the work to dig the foundation. By the way, I have been on the 50th story of that building having lunch on a very stormy day. The winds were blowing 50-70 miles per hour as we sat near the windows enjoying our lunch. I looked up and saw the lights in the room swaying as the wind blew the building, but I really didn't feel any movement. The foundation made it possible for the building to weather a storm, and not be damaged.

How's your foundation? We live in a culture that's more interested in visible growth than in foundation building. I think Jesus would have frowned on how the church looks today. Most people I meet have great "buildings", but no foundation...any little storm nearly tips them over in their faith.

What does foundation work look like? It's sure isn't pretty. It's not easy. It takes time. It's messy. I had a friend who bought a large home built in the early 1920's. It didn't have a crack anywhere in the house! He told me they took a year to build the foundation. Not a year to construct, but when they had finished the foundation they let it sit for the rest of that year....no construction, no work to be seen. But when they started building they had a foundation that could weather the storm. What does foundation work look like? It's getting to know God, getting to know who he is, spending time wth him through his word and prayer. It's not getting to know "stuff"...that will come later. It's getting to know HIM...that's foundation building. Seeking his face...knowing he father.

Cracks only show up in houses that don't have good foundations, like our poor little house, full of cracks. We can fix the cracks, but they will return, because we have to fix the foundation first.

The cracks are just signs that something is wrong somewhere else....foundation problems.

In our lives the "cracks" are simply signs of foundation problems. They are signs of our need for a more intimate relationship with God.

Here are two passages that give direction to those of us who need foundation work-

Psa 27:8 When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek."
Psa 27:9 Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!
Psa 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up.
Psa 27:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes.
Psa 27:12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
Psa 27:13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Psa 27:14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Mat 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Mat 7:25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
Mat 7:26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Mat 7:27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

Foundation work is a muddy business, and shows little results for a long time, but you will have great joy with the results, and you will know the Father! The "cracks" of life wouldn't dare come near a life like that!

Crazy Indian Music Video

Now for something completely different!

Don't ask why, just enjoy.

Running for the prize

1Co 9:24 You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. 1Co 9:25 All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. 1Co 9:26 I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! 1Co 9:27 I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (THE MESSAGE)


I have lived long enough to watch the lives of many men and women, and am very aware of the challenges of living a life for the glory of God. I've seen a lot of men I looked up to fail in their quest for the finish line, or worse yet, simply quit the race before the end. I don't want to fail in my quest for the victory. I want to run across the finish line with my hands held high and a smile on my face. I want to finish well. But I know that to get that done I have to live intentionally. This kind of life doesn't just happen, you have to "train" for it.


There's something else you need to know that I have found out....it's hard work! It takes discipline. You won't simply finish the race without an idea of where the finish line is. A race is intentional- it involves training, preparation, pain, patience and knowing the course, and one more thing...at times it's lonely. We each run the race individually. Although the Christian life is done in community, the race is a solo event. So it's vital that we have our time with the family of God to give us strength for the solo portions of the race. Community is like coming to a rest stop- water, bananas, fruit, a smile, a pat on the back, and off we go again....alone. But in those moments of community we were bolstered to continue the race. We got the help we needed to continue to the end.


There is the race- your walk with God. You must run that by yourself, but realize you are on the course with millions of others heading for the finish line as well. Help those who are tired, encourage those who want to give up. Smile at those who are discouraged. Community means we, in our own races to the finish, are running with others on the road as well. It's a strange life- a solo race done in community. We must do part of it by ourselves, but we can't do it well without others in community with us.


Run in such a way that you will get the prize, and help others reach their prize as well.

What a race!

Difference between Believing and Knowing!

From: Anitha @ Fidelity (Bangalore)


Several years ago, a small farming community was experiencing a terrible drought. The leaders of the community called a prayer meeting in hope of everyone attending and holding a group prayer for rain.One man was in attendance with his small son. As everyone was praying, the small boy reached up and tugged his father's shirt to ask, "Daddy, what is everyone doing?" The man explained that everyone was praying for rain and then went back to his prayer.The boy looked around for a few more minutes and was puzzled. He tugged again on his dad's shirt and asked, "Daddy, if everyone is here to pray for rain, why didn't anyone bring an umbrella?"

(borrowed from http://sixfaces.blogspot.com/)

Monday's cartoon

Beginning a book study

We started a study in the gospel of John yesterday. I'm really excited about the study. I have studied John since I became a believer, and am still learning new things. One writer put it this way,

"it's simple enough for a baby to wade in, but deep enough for a mature Christian to

swim in."

It's such a rich book I don't know what to put into the study and what to leave out.

The thing about John that is so amazing is that in this gospel Jesus clearly claims to be God.

There is no doubt about that claim. It is not in doubt that he claimed it more than once in the book, and each person must make a decision about that claim because he also said, "noone comes to the Father but through me" so Jesus has created a challenge for our religion saturated world- either he's God and the only savior or he isn't, and you can't make that choice lightly until you read John.

One other thing I have found in John is that John is completely focused on this one thing- Jesus Christ himself. He forces the reader to almost literally come face to face with Jesus and his claims and make a decision.

There is no one like Jesus Christ in time or history who has so impacted our world, and still does today. I guess that's easy for him....because he's God.

It's a new world!

Less than 100 years ago this truck was the latest thing in technology! What a change 100 years has made. I thought about this today as I sat in my chair, reading. In the last 24 hours I have received phone calls, via the internet, from missionaries in Europe and Haiti. It hasn't been that long ago that the missionaries in Haiti were doing e-mail by shortwave radio! Even in the last decade communication and technology has "warped" into the future. I think it's great! How exciting to see the way God is working everything together to get the gospel to a world that needs a savior!

Mission trip in progress, pray!

At this moment we have a group from our church in Kenya training pastors and equipping them for their ministry. This is really exciting to me. I think it's great that we can come to the aid of those who are the pastors in these countries and help them. It's the key to missions in the future.

They are on the edge of the religious hot spot in North Africa. Although most of Africa is Christian the Muslim faith is on the move. Pray for the ministry and safety of those serving Christ in Africa. Pray for our team, that God will work through them this week.

Over committed or overcoming?

Is it a matter of over committment or simply a matter of balance? I have experienced in my own life, and watched it in others, this trend towards trying to do everything. Are we trying to do too much? Or, are we getting better at our "balance" of all of this stuff? The problem is that we all need down time, time alone and a chance to "unwind." But in our culture that is less and less available, less and less encouraged. I know I need some time to do nothing, but where do I fit that in? I must have some time to spend with God, pray, read the word, but when can I possibly do that!?

The next question is the big one- who's in charge of my life? Is it me, the schedule, the stuff I have to do, or the balancing act? The bible makes it clear I'm in charge, and that's my blessing and my curse. For the Jews of the Old Testament the message from the prophets was, "you have chosen badly, REPENT!" All through the bible our live are a matter of our choices, good or bad, and we get to live with the results.

Have you become good at the "balance" or do you realize, as you look behind you, that you are overloaded? Make some choices, cut some ropes, dump some of the load, stop, get off the ride for a while, and just do nothing....it's called rest. Do you remember that?

Here's David's instructions:

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Psa 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psa 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Psa 37:6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
Psa 37:7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Psa 37:8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

As pastors in the old days would say it, "are you over committed or are you overcoming?"

Good music for a cold winter night

My dear wife has already mentioned this, but let me add to her commentary. We recently got Norah Jones new album, "Not too Late." It's a great album for a winter night, well done and very "Norah." Good jazz, very much like her first album (I didn't like her second album.) If you're looking for some new music get a copy of this one.

Coming and going

It's interesting how similar our entrance and exit from this life appear.

At both ends of life we are in need of the love and care of others.

The truth is that life is a "team effort." People caring for each other.

Somewhere in the middle we seem to think that we can do this thing called life on our own, but it's not true. We are in need of others all the way through.

Pave your road ahead by caring for others around you. There is a day when you will need someone to help you....help them first.

Wasn't there a movie about this? I think they called it "Pay it forward." The truth is that this movie was based on a biblical concept-

1Ti 6:18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
1Ti 6:19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.