Revival

If revival is to happen in our time it won't happen because we win the battle of the courts.  

It will happen when my heart yearns for God more than anything else.  

Revival, whatever that looks like, begins with me.  

It begins in me.  

It begins with you.  

Don't pray for a revival in our country.  Pray that God revives YOU.  

That's all we need.....God can do amazing things with that, with you....with me.  

Lord, work in me. Give me a passion for you that I have never known.  

Set me on fire for you.  

The Jonah Principle, part 2

I'm sure Geppetto's time in the belly of the whale was much better than what Jonah experienced.  Animation has a wonderful way of making the dark terrible places seem nice.

But Jonah knew no such setting. As he sat in the belly of the fish I'm sure it was dark, hot, smelly and silent.  It was not the destination he had imagined.

After we say "yes" or "no" to God the results are not always up to us.  Jonah's time in the belly of the fish was not his goal. He wanted to simply run away from God and not do what God had asked.  Now he sat....in stomach juices, black all around, silence that would deafen you and thought about his choice.

When we say no to God we find ourselves in a dark place.  It's the result of our choice, a place we would have never chosen if we had known that "no" would lead us here.  But here we are....now what?

For Jonah it took three days before he surrendered, before he said to God, "OK, I give up.  I will do what you ask. I will obey."  He was a stubborn man!  So are we.  We resist God, we say "no!" and endure the confines of our prison because we don't want to say yes to God....and so he waits.

Finally, when the silence of God had given Job time to think, he bowed his knee to the sovereign and surrendered.  It was only then that he saw light once more, but it had changed him.  He would never be the same again.  His rebellion has scarred him.  The scars of the whale's stomach would be seen by everyone.

Some of us yield and say yes to God.  We bow the knee and surrender to him.  Many never will.  They would rather die than surrender and so they live in darkness, angry at the God who put them there, but like little children with their arms crossed they will not surrender!  They will not give in.....

Where are you?  Where did your "no" take you?  Did you finally bow to the one who asked you to serve him?  Did you finally give him the glory he is due or are you still in the belly of the fish stomping your feet and refusing to give in?

The Jonah Principle #2 is this-  When you say "no" to God you will never win the battle of wills.  God has invited you to say "yes" to him and until you do you will find life a dark smelly place.  

Just ask Jonah.

The Jonah Principle, part 1

This is part 1 of a 4 part series on something I am calling "The Jonah Principle."  In the short book of Jonah God deals with a man and his response to God's invitation.  

Each of us make choices.  Those choices have consequences.  The consequences are not always up to us.  Our choices take us in one of two directions and after our choice the results aren't always in our control.  For Jonah the invitation was to serve God and speak for him to a people Jonah hated.  

He said no.  

Chapter 1 of Jonah is the story of Jonah's response to God-  HE RAN AWAY.  He said "NO!"  His response is systematic, intentional and in the opposite direction of the one God asked him to take.  Once we respond to God's invitation with a yes or a no we choose our path.  And on that path are consequences we may not like.

For Jonah the consequence was a big fish and a dark, smelly descent into the sea.  You can choose your response to God, but you can't choose what might be next.

Principle #1 of the Jonah principle is this- after you make your choice there are consequences you can't choose.

Jonah found himself in the prison of his own choice...the belly of a fish.  When we say "no" to God that isn't the end of our encounters with this one who invited us to say "yes".  Often we will find ourselves in a dark place as we contemplate our choice.

"How's that working out for you?"  God asks.  And there we sit as we ponder our rebellion, as we reconsider our response to the one who made us....the one who called us.

The Jonah Principle

The story of Jonah is one of the first you hear as a child.  The disobedient prophet being swallowed by a fish and all the excitement that follows is shared in graphic detail.

But is there a principle for us in this story?  Is there more than a disobedient prophet and a big fish?

In the days ahead I want to explore with you "The Jonah Principle."  

More to come.....

The captain's face

A number of years ago I had the opportunity to go sailing with a good friend of mine. Ray was an oil man who had literally gone from struggling to pay the bills to millionaire overnight. In the 80's it happened to a number of guys, but Ray was a Christian and a friend, so we talked about our faith, God's provision and his blessings often. After his new fortune Ray bought a boat he had always wanted, it was a 38' sailboat. He had it delivered to Grand lake in eastern Oklahoma. It's a large lake and a great place to sail. There was a day one spring when we both had some time and Ray asked me to go sailing with him. I was thrilled to join him. I had never sailed before and looked forward to the experience. We met at the lake and got on the boat to get underway. Slowly we motored out of the inlet into the lake and then put up the sails. It was a great experience! I loved the sounds of the wind in the sails, the waves on the boat and the experience of sailing by wind power alone. We had a great time and a wonderful visit. ... Then it happened. Suddenly, and really without warning, a storm came up. It was a big one. 50-60 mile per hour winds and gusts, 3-4 foot waves, black clouds moving overhead. Quickly the lake cleared of other boats. Within minutes we were in a storm I can imagine the disciples experienced on the sea of Galilee when they woke Jesus and declared, "Don't you care that we are drowning?" I think I understood the fear they experienced. Our boat was leaning with the storm winds at 50 degrees or more. The waves were washing over the deck. The skies were black. The rain was intense. I WAS AFRAID! But then I turned around and looked at Ray as he steered the boat across the lake. HE WAS SMILING! I couldn't believe it. Didn't he see what I saw? Didn't he know this was bad? In my amazement I yelled through the storm, "How can you smile in this storm? Don't you see the wind and the waves?" I heard the disciples in my own voice as I said, "Don't you care that we might drown?" Ray smiled back and said, "You don't understand. I know my boat. It has a 9,000 pound keel. This boat was built for the oceans. This storm is nothing! We are fine! Relax, enjoy the ride." Suddenly, my fear subsided. I had looked at the captain's face. He knew things about our boat that I didn't. He knew we were fine. Within a few moments my fear turned to calm. Because I trusted the captain I began to enjoy the ride. Nothing had changed....the wind still blew, the rains still came, the waves still washed over the deck, but something was different....I had seen the captain's face. ... The Christian life is much like this little adventure of mine. We are often caught in the storms of life and fear for our lives, our finances, our health. This life is often overcome by a storm when we least expect it. Fears overwhelm us. Death feels close. Panic is in our voices.....but then, with fear growing, we look at Jesus and discover that he is smiling! How can he smile in this storm? Doesn't he know we are about to go down? And he replies, "You don't understand. I know this boat. I know what I have planned for you. We are fine. I'll bring you safely home. Enjoy the ride." It's funny how a glance at the face of our captain, Jesus, can change a fearful storm into an exciting adventure. A look at the captain's face makes all the difference! ...

Jesus Messiah

Thank you

Thank you

Two words in response to

a gift

a kindness

a phone call

a caring hug

Thank you

We say it often

 to express gratitude

When I read Psalms

I see "thank you" everywhere

Nothing I say will be that inspired

But let me say thank you as well

Thank you, Father

Thank you for being God

For being a good God

A loving God

A compassionate God

Thank you for creation

For the colors

The shapes

The smells

The sounds

What a glorious creation you have made!

Thank you for your nature

For your care for me

Your love for me

You patience with me,

I need it a lot

Thank you for your gifts

There are so many

Thank you for work to do

Thank you for health to do it

Thank you for all you give

And most of it I don't deserve

Thank you for family

for loved people who love me too

Thank you for your family, the church

Thank you for your care for each one

Thank you for Jesus

For his life that shows us what you are like

Thank you for his compassion

for his heart for people

for his love for food

for his love of me

Thank you for the cross

and thank you for the resurrection

Thank you for the promise of life with you!

Eternity would be a long time

without you in it

Thank you for the promise 
for the hope

for the joy
for your book
for your Spirit

There is so much

I haven't even mentioned

All the things you endure with me

You never give up on me

If I were you, I would have given up

on me years ago

Thank you

There is so much

Maybe that's what eternity is about
 a time to know all that you have done

simply because you love us

Thank you.

In God we trust?

This topic has been on my mind for a while.  It comes from friends who have referred to the slogan on our money as a sign we are a Christian nation, one nation under God.  

We aren't!  In fact I really doubt this little four word slogan is true of most Americans.  We trust our money, our savings, our ability and a hundred other things, but trust God?  I doubt it.

In the prophets of old one spoke for God and said, "You say, 'the temple, the temple, the temple' as if it were a lucky rabbit's foot, thinking that because you have the temple all will be well." Then the prophet, speaking for God says, "It will not be well because you aren't trusting me!"

In God we trust?  Not really.  I must be honest as I look around our culture to say many use God rather than trust and worship him. As the prophets lamented, "Oh that you had a heart for God!"

But I fear that is gone and all that is left is a nice slogan on a piece of paper.

Important things

A friend posted this on another site-

"I fish not because I regard fishing as being terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant, and not nearly so much fun." ~ John Volker


It struck me as humorous and far too honest.

My thoughts began to wander to what really is important.  What really makes a difference, what matters in life and I realize most of us make the little things important because we can do them, we can measure them, we can succeed at little things.  But the important things, the really important things are left undone....like fishing, being still in the woods, taking a nap, enjoying a day with nothing going on, turning off everything and simply enjoying God.

What is really important?  That's the question for me today.  I'll let you know what I discover.

How little we know

In the car with my two grandsons, one 8 the other 6. The discussion about when a birthday party happened-

V. "It was a month ago."
G. "No, it was a year ago."
V. "No, IT WAS A MONTH AGO!"
G. "IT WAS A YEAR AGO, V."

and on it went. I thought as I listened, they are arguing about concepts neither of them understand.

It suddenly struck me...I wonder how often do we sound like this to God?

Encourage

I've started to do something you won't see. Daily I am sending a personal note of encouragement to someone.  It's a different person each day and in a year I will hopefully encourage 365 people.  (Do I know that many people???  Makes me worried for year two.)  

Anyway, my goal is to intentionally build up, encourage, lift up others around me.  None of us hear encouraging words as we should.  None of us are affirmed as much as we need. All of us wish someone would walk with us, even for a moment, to say, "you're awesome, keep going, I see you...I'm grateful for you."

Encourage.  What a simple idea and yet how rarely do we do it because we all struggle ourselves.  I wonder how a focus on others would encourage us as a side effect?  What would happen to us as we look out towards another?  I think we might discover encouragement ourselves.

And, just maybe, we could start something...so let me invite you to join me to be part of "Encourage."  Let's see what happens.

Imagine....

Have you ever wondered what went wrong with Christianity in America?  Have you ever imagined what could be if we did what Jesus told us?

Somehow we got it wrong and now, for many, we are considered judgmental, critical, narrow-minded.  It seems we have completely missed what Jesus called us to be in our world.

But imagine what could happen if we each, one by one, began to really live out our faith in small and simple ways.  Imagine what could change if we simply lived out one verse.  

1 Corinthians 16:14- "Do everything in love."  NIV translation

Four words. Pretty simple isn't it?  Imagine we just lived out these four words.  What could happen in each of our worlds?  What could God do with obedience to just four words, one verse?

Imagine we actually look for ways to love those we encounter daily, even those who don't know Jesus yet.  Imagine we were kind to them, asked about their kids, asked them how they were feeling and really listened!  Imagine we each send a note to just one person each day to encourage them.  Only one note a day!  In a year you will have touched 365 people!

Imagine giving a bigger tip to a waiter and asking about them as you encounter them.  Imagine actually turning off the TV and visiting with your wife, your husband, your kids.  

"Do everything in love."  What would happen if we lived out these four words?  How would our small part of the world change?

I remember, with a smile, a story (I'm sure it's made up) about a new young pastor in a church.  The first Sunday he preached on loving one another.  It was a good sermon and highly praised.  The next week he preached the same sermon.  The congregation gave him grace because he was young and new to the church.  The third Sunday he preached the same sermon again!  The church began to grumble a bit.  What did we do when we chose this guy for a pastor? On the fourth Sunday, yes, you guessed it, he preached the sermon about loving one another one more time.  After the service the elders pulled him aside and asked,  "Son, we know you are new, but don't you have any other sermons?"  He replied, "Oh, I have a lot of sermons and as soon as you get the first one down we will go to the second one."

I wonder....what could we do in our world if we became others focused and did everything in love?  Imagine what could happen in the kingdom of God.  Let's keep working on this one verse until we get it down.  Don't work on them all, just work on this one!

Here's what I'm going to do, beginning today.  I'm going to intentionally look for ways to share the love of Christ with everyone I meet, to do everything in love.  I'm going to send a note of encouragement to just one person each day.  I'm going to really listen to other people and care about what they are going through.  I'm going to do everything in love....with God's great help and grace.

Imagine what could happen.....

Home

We have been gone to visit family for about two weeks now.  It's been a great trip, but very tiring.  

About an hour ago we finally got home.  What a great word that is.....home.  It's messy, dirty, cluttered, the garage had flooded while we were gone, there's a musty smell in the air.....but it's home.

It's a place where we can be ourselves, relax, let our hair down and close out the world.  It's a place where no one cares about our mess and if they do they don't have to come over.  It's a sanctuary.  A place where you can be you.

I can't tell you the joy of sitting down in my recliner, putting the foot rest up and leaning back.  

Ahhhhh....what a great place.  Home.

I think God knows how much we need a place, a home, so he's planning ahead, construction is already underway for a home we will never have to leave.  A place of rest. A place we belong. A place where we can be ourselves...finally be who God meant us to be.

Home.  What a great place that is, what a great hope we have.

One thing

It's easy to get confused, isn't it?  We are so busy with so many things.  All around us there is noise and activity trying to grab our attention and time.  

For me, as I think about life and the distractions, it is very difficult to keep my eyes on the most important things.  

As I read the end of the book of Revelation this morning I noticed this same thing happened to John.  He was overwhelmed with visions of future things, words to write down, questions to answer, fears to deal with.  It must have been overwhelming at the least.

At the end of the book is this encounter,

"I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.  But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

With all that was happening around him John got his eyes on the wrong one, the wrong thing, and this angel quickly refocuses him on the one thing he most needed to do....worship God.

There are hundreds of things we can "bow down to" in our days, things to capture our passions, our time, our attention and ultimately our worship, but at the end of the bible one angel, with just two words, refocuses us on the one thing that is most important.

Worship God!

Have you found your passions, your time, your attention focused on the wrong things?  Have you found yourself worshipping, even if unintended, something other than God?  Take some time and brush away all the distractions.  Focus your attentions and time on just one thing- worship God.  

And when you do, everything else will find it's proper place.

Quote of the day

"You can't live in this world and expect not to get any of it on you..." -James Hinds