"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28
My devotion this morning was titled "Pieces". The author talks about certain days making sense as to how they fit in the puzzle, while others just do not make sense. However, if we reflect on the passage from Romans above, we know that God has a purpose for every piece of our lives, each one working together for good.
How often do we question the purpose of an event when it happens, only to later see the "big picture" of how that event became an important part of our lives. We do not have the box top to the puzzle of life, only God knows how all the pieces are supposed to fit. What we do know is that through the love of Christ, every waking minute of every day is the placement of another piece of the puzzle that brings us closer to eternal life with Him in Heaven.
Think about a tragic event; a death, terminal illness, accident that impacted your life. I am sure that at the time you asked why. What good could come from this horrible event. Yet, look around in these situations, watch people as their compassion shows, watch as people pray, lifting each other up for faith and strength. Watch as people start playing back in their heads the lives of the people impacted, remembering the good times God has given them.
That is God placing the pieces to the puzzle. An illness or death may bring another to know Christ, part of God's plan to allow the Holy Spirit to work within individuals. Remember that without your pieces to the puzzle, it will not be complete. God has a plan for each and every one of us. Pray to Him and allow Him to work in your life.
So, move forward, look at each day as another piece to God's wonderful puzzle. Think about the day when we will all look down from Heaven and see the marvelous puzzle of love put together piece by piece through many years. Bask in the knowledge that through your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior you life is a piece of that wonderful puzzle.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Best laid plans
Well I had great plans for today. I am in the middle of an intense job search. I'm waiting on either a phone call or an email to set up a Friday morning interview.
But to my surprise I woke up to a total FIOS outage. No phone, no internet, a definite wrench thrown into my plans. Verizon says they are committed to having the service back up by 11:30PM. So today I'll have to go back to the old manual way of doing things.
Then I started to think that this is God telling me to take a breath and talk to Him.
I find myself planning again and then asking for success. I need to remember to ask to be shown the plan and then act on the plan.
God bless your Thursday.
But to my surprise I woke up to a total FIOS outage. No phone, no internet, a definite wrench thrown into my plans. Verizon says they are committed to having the service back up by 11:30PM. So today I'll have to go back to the old manual way of doing things.
Then I started to think that this is God telling me to take a breath and talk to Him.
I find myself planning again and then asking for success. I need to remember to ask to be shown the plan and then act on the plan.
God bless your Thursday.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Count your blessings
"...see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Malachi 3:10
How many times as a kid did you hear you mom tell you to count your blessings? I know that I heard that a lot growing up. It is an important phrase, especially when raising up children. We all tend to take that one negative occurrence and magnify it in our eyes, making it totally outweigh the many good things (blessings) that occur in our lives each and every day. Keeping your focus on the blessings helps you keep in perspective the bad things. Keeping your focus on the blessings keeps you from comparing yourselves to others which will always lead to jealousy or envy.
God loves each and every one of his children equally. No one is more loved or more blessed than another. God knows what is best for us and gives us what we need on a daily basis. There is no need for comparison to others as we can be assured by His Word that He will provide everything we need.
I recently read a story about a group of sisters that upon the passing of their mother each felt it necessary to confess that they felt bad for being treated better than the other sisters. Each felt that their mom had gone out of her way to favor them. Each thought that the gifts their mom gave them were more treasured than those given the other sisters. Each felt they were more special.
This is true in most families. I am sure many moms with multiple children have heard "You like him better than me!". It is interesting how the devil works, putting these thoughts in our heads, making us believe that we are not loved as much as someone else. But rest assured, God loves all of us infinitely, not favoring one over the other, just like a parent loves all of their children. While sometimes it appears that we or another is being favored, remember that is the devil doing his work.
Pray early and pray often. Thank God for His blessings. Keep a log of all your prayer requests. Prayers of thankfulness, prayers of petition, prayers asking forgiveness, prayers of intercession. If you do this, you will see the many blessings God is putting in your life on a daily basis.
God Bless you!
Malachi 3:10
How many times as a kid did you hear you mom tell you to count your blessings? I know that I heard that a lot growing up. It is an important phrase, especially when raising up children. We all tend to take that one negative occurrence and magnify it in our eyes, making it totally outweigh the many good things (blessings) that occur in our lives each and every day. Keeping your focus on the blessings helps you keep in perspective the bad things. Keeping your focus on the blessings keeps you from comparing yourselves to others which will always lead to jealousy or envy.
God loves each and every one of his children equally. No one is more loved or more blessed than another. God knows what is best for us and gives us what we need on a daily basis. There is no need for comparison to others as we can be assured by His Word that He will provide everything we need.
I recently read a story about a group of sisters that upon the passing of their mother each felt it necessary to confess that they felt bad for being treated better than the other sisters. Each felt that their mom had gone out of her way to favor them. Each thought that the gifts their mom gave them were more treasured than those given the other sisters. Each felt they were more special.
This is true in most families. I am sure many moms with multiple children have heard "You like him better than me!". It is interesting how the devil works, putting these thoughts in our heads, making us believe that we are not loved as much as someone else. But rest assured, God loves all of us infinitely, not favoring one over the other, just like a parent loves all of their children. While sometimes it appears that we or another is being favored, remember that is the devil doing his work.
Pray early and pray often. Thank God for His blessings. Keep a log of all your prayer requests. Prayers of thankfulness, prayers of petition, prayers asking forgiveness, prayers of intercession. If you do this, you will see the many blessings God is putting in your life on a daily basis.
God Bless you!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
What am I thankful for?
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Everyday is a new day to give thanks to God. Today I thought I would list a few things I'm thankful for on this Tuesday morning.
Baby Jeffrey, born to friends from church on December 28, 2009 at only 1 lb 9 oz, came home yesterday after 211 days in the hospital. What a wonderful blessing it has been to watch God's hand as He protected Jeffrey, provided comfort to the family through all the trials and tribulations of the last 7+ months. God is great! The power of prayer is incredible.
For my parents and siblings who provide so much support for me when I need it the most.
For my wife and children, without their support I could not have come this far. I know that God's hand keeps them close.
For waking up to a new day.
For sharing faith in the Lord with an old friend on Sunday.
For the wonderful talents God has given me and continues to give me.
God is truly great!
God Bless your Tuesday.
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Everyday is a new day to give thanks to God. Today I thought I would list a few things I'm thankful for on this Tuesday morning.
Baby Jeffrey, born to friends from church on December 28, 2009 at only 1 lb 9 oz, came home yesterday after 211 days in the hospital. What a wonderful blessing it has been to watch God's hand as He protected Jeffrey, provided comfort to the family through all the trials and tribulations of the last 7+ months. God is great! The power of prayer is incredible.
For my parents and siblings who provide so much support for me when I need it the most.
For my wife and children, without their support I could not have come this far. I know that God's hand keeps them close.
For waking up to a new day.
For sharing faith in the Lord with an old friend on Sunday.
For the wonderful talents God has given me and continues to give me.
God is truly great!
God Bless your Tuesday.
Monday, July 26, 2010
John 17 - The Best Networking Possible
In the Gospel of John, chapter 17, we see Jesus praying for himself, for his disciples and for all believers. Isn't it wonderful to know that our Lord and savior prayed to His Father on our behalf, every one of us.
It is like going into a job interview where someone has already put a good word in for you before you get there. You have a leg up on the competition. You have been referred by someone with a respected opinion. You just need to confirm that you are who others say you are, and you can do the job. I know, being in the business long enough, that a job candidate that comes from the referral of an established, good employee, is much more likely to be considered for the job, then someone off the street with no "in" into the company. Networking is so important when searching for a new job. Knowing the right people can lead you to the ultimate job.
Is not this similar to what Jesus did for us in John 17.
After praying for His disciples, Jesus goes on to pray "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me." John 17:20-23
What better referral could we possibly have? Jesus has gone to bat for us with God, that through Him we are righteous. That is the best referral we will ever get, a referral for eternal life in Heaven.
God bless your week.
It is like going into a job interview where someone has already put a good word in for you before you get there. You have a leg up on the competition. You have been referred by someone with a respected opinion. You just need to confirm that you are who others say you are, and you can do the job. I know, being in the business long enough, that a job candidate that comes from the referral of an established, good employee, is much more likely to be considered for the job, then someone off the street with no "in" into the company. Networking is so important when searching for a new job. Knowing the right people can lead you to the ultimate job.
Is not this similar to what Jesus did for us in John 17.
After praying for His disciples, Jesus goes on to pray "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me." John 17:20-23
What better referral could we possibly have? Jesus has gone to bat for us with God, that through Him we are righteous. That is the best referral we will ever get, a referral for eternal life in Heaven.
God bless your week.
Friday, July 23, 2010
With age comes wisdom
Reading through Proverbs 16 and 17 this morning as part of my daily devotion, I came to chuckle a few times. It also reminded me of how the vision of my dad has changed as I have aged, having a family of my own, and realizing just how right he was so many times.
It is funny how a son's relationship with his father changes. As a very young child, we look up to our fathers as ever powerful, all-knowing, the protector. Then we become rambunctious teens and we are embarrassed by our dads, we think we know more than they do and we start to take on our own masculine role, attempting to prove that we ready to lead.
Eventually, after years of sowing our wild oats, we settle down, have families, and slowly start to come to the realization of just how incredible our dads are. We find ourselves saying things to our children that we swore we would never say. I constantly find myself stopping and uttering the words "I sound just like my dad".
But I am here to say that it is not a bad thing, becoming our dads. It is what God prepares us for. We learn life's lessons by experiencing first hand the trials and tribulations of life. If we knew how smart our dads were and did everything they said, what would we learn. I know my dad let us learn from mistakes. Oh, he wanted to step in on many occasions, but instead let me fail and then would begin to show me how to learn from that failure. I fear that today's fathers may not be doing that, afraid to let their kids fail. But know that we learn so much from failure, much more than we do from our successes.
"Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained by a righteous life."
(Proverbs 16:31)
I love this verse, but I do have to ask, what does it mean if I am losing my hair faster than it grays?
God Bless your Friday.
It is funny how a son's relationship with his father changes. As a very young child, we look up to our fathers as ever powerful, all-knowing, the protector. Then we become rambunctious teens and we are embarrassed by our dads, we think we know more than they do and we start to take on our own masculine role, attempting to prove that we ready to lead.
Eventually, after years of sowing our wild oats, we settle down, have families, and slowly start to come to the realization of just how incredible our dads are. We find ourselves saying things to our children that we swore we would never say. I constantly find myself stopping and uttering the words "I sound just like my dad".
But I am here to say that it is not a bad thing, becoming our dads. It is what God prepares us for. We learn life's lessons by experiencing first hand the trials and tribulations of life. If we knew how smart our dads were and did everything they said, what would we learn. I know my dad let us learn from mistakes. Oh, he wanted to step in on many occasions, but instead let me fail and then would begin to show me how to learn from that failure. I fear that today's fathers may not be doing that, afraid to let their kids fail. But know that we learn so much from failure, much more than we do from our successes.
"Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained by a righteous life."
(Proverbs 16:31)
I love this verse, but I do have to ask, what does it mean if I am losing my hair faster than it grays?
God Bless your Friday.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Pray or Plan?
"One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles..." Luke 6:12-13
Lou Gerstner was chairman and CEO of IBM when I was working for an IBM business partner in the early '90s. I read where he attended mass every morning, without fail, before heading to work. I thought about that as I read the passage above. I wonder if Mr. Gerstner was looking for guidance on who to promote, what plans to implement, decisions that needed to be made.
I always admire when leaders do not hold back their faith. Sometimes you just know they are Christians by the way they act, the way they treat others, the way they lead. But you will not find discrimination against non-Christians in these organizations. No, God instructs us "...in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12).
So we come back to the question I pose in the title, should we pray or plan in our daily lives, whether for business or personal guidance? I believe we must do both, but the order in which we do them is the important key. If we plan and then pray to God to help us make that plan successful, we are not asking God to guide us to His will, but rather asking Him to confirm that we know what we are doing. Instead we should always pray to God for guidance, asking for His plan for us and our lives. Only then should we plan for how to implement what God is leading us to.
But I must admit, it is hard to always discern what is God's plan and what is the plan being injected by the devil. We are human beings, and therefore sinful by nature. And the devil has ways of disguising his evil with the words of the Bible, justifying by taking words of the Scripture out of context. So how do we combat this and see more clearly God's plan for us? The answer is to continuously pray, continuously read and learn the Bible, learn how to combat the devil by exposing his lies with God's truth from the Bible as Jesus did when being tempted by the devil in the desert. With every temptation the devil put in front of Jesus, masked with scripture taken out of context, Jesus combated by quoting God's true word.
I also find that sometimes it helps to ask one who has spent many more hours devoted solely to learning the Word in order to preach. Talk to your priest, minister or pastor if you are having trouble discerning answers to prayer. They surely will show you where to look in order to be in a better position to hear God's answers.
May God Bless your Thursday!
Lou Gerstner was chairman and CEO of IBM when I was working for an IBM business partner in the early '90s. I read where he attended mass every morning, without fail, before heading to work. I thought about that as I read the passage above. I wonder if Mr. Gerstner was looking for guidance on who to promote, what plans to implement, decisions that needed to be made.
I always admire when leaders do not hold back their faith. Sometimes you just know they are Christians by the way they act, the way they treat others, the way they lead. But you will not find discrimination against non-Christians in these organizations. No, God instructs us "...in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12).
So we come back to the question I pose in the title, should we pray or plan in our daily lives, whether for business or personal guidance? I believe we must do both, but the order in which we do them is the important key. If we plan and then pray to God to help us make that plan successful, we are not asking God to guide us to His will, but rather asking Him to confirm that we know what we are doing. Instead we should always pray to God for guidance, asking for His plan for us and our lives. Only then should we plan for how to implement what God is leading us to.
But I must admit, it is hard to always discern what is God's plan and what is the plan being injected by the devil. We are human beings, and therefore sinful by nature. And the devil has ways of disguising his evil with the words of the Bible, justifying by taking words of the Scripture out of context. So how do we combat this and see more clearly God's plan for us? The answer is to continuously pray, continuously read and learn the Bible, learn how to combat the devil by exposing his lies with God's truth from the Bible as Jesus did when being tempted by the devil in the desert. With every temptation the devil put in front of Jesus, masked with scripture taken out of context, Jesus combated by quoting God's true word.
I also find that sometimes it helps to ask one who has spent many more hours devoted solely to learning the Word in order to preach. Talk to your priest, minister or pastor if you are having trouble discerning answers to prayer. They surely will show you where to look in order to be in a better position to hear God's answers.
May God Bless your Thursday!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What's my purpose?
"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 139:23-24
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah 1:5
We are not all meant to be prophets like Jeremiah, but it is certain that God has a purpose for each and every one of us. I have struggled throughout my life with exactly what is my purpose. Even more so over the last 4-5 years. For over 25 years I have been and IT guy. Every day going to work creating, maintaining and managing projects and products that allow our technological advances to solve business challenges. But I struggled to see God's purpose for me in those roles. I guess that is why I decided to opt for the voluntary separation plan from my last employer. I saw this as an opportunity to stop and think about what it is that God really wants me to do. Into my 7th month of thinking it is becoming clear.
Am I a prophet? No. Am I destined to go into the ministry? No. Am I to share the love of Christ through my words and actions every day for the rest of my life? Absolutely yes. Does this mean standing on the street corner preaching to everyone and anyone who will listen? I do not think so. But it does mean that I can have a very positive impact on each and every person that my life touches.
You see, what I have come to realize is that God has been using me all along in exactly the way He intended. I have always been respected for my management skills, known as being empathetic and compassionate, knowing how to motivate individuals to assure that a quality job gets done. God gave me the gifts of being very analytical, with innate abilities to quickly assess the root cause of any problem and put a plan of action in place.
I have been able to use my technology background to provide a tool to help people keep their promises to pray utilizing their Blackberry, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. But I know that God wants me out amongst the masses, sharing His love across many boundaries. He has given me new challenges that test my anxious thoughts, as the quote from Psalm 139 says. He has made me a stronger person and shown me a glimpse of His purpose for me. I know there is much more to be revealed and I am excited to learn more details.
So what happened in the last 6+ months? I learned how to pray more effectively, with God's will in mind. I learned how to better study the Bible, using God's word more effectively in my daily life. I received reassurance of God's love for me and for every person on Earth. I learned that God had a purpose for me, as He does for everyone, before I was even conceived.
Please keep this last thought in mind and prayerfully consider supporting the Manhattan Declaration. Go to the website, read the declaration, watch the videos and pray for God's will to be done.
May God Bless your Wednesday.
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 139:23-24
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah 1:5
We are not all meant to be prophets like Jeremiah, but it is certain that God has a purpose for each and every one of us. I have struggled throughout my life with exactly what is my purpose. Even more so over the last 4-5 years. For over 25 years I have been and IT guy. Every day going to work creating, maintaining and managing projects and products that allow our technological advances to solve business challenges. But I struggled to see God's purpose for me in those roles. I guess that is why I decided to opt for the voluntary separation plan from my last employer. I saw this as an opportunity to stop and think about what it is that God really wants me to do. Into my 7th month of thinking it is becoming clear.
Am I a prophet? No. Am I destined to go into the ministry? No. Am I to share the love of Christ through my words and actions every day for the rest of my life? Absolutely yes. Does this mean standing on the street corner preaching to everyone and anyone who will listen? I do not think so. But it does mean that I can have a very positive impact on each and every person that my life touches.
You see, what I have come to realize is that God has been using me all along in exactly the way He intended. I have always been respected for my management skills, known as being empathetic and compassionate, knowing how to motivate individuals to assure that a quality job gets done. God gave me the gifts of being very analytical, with innate abilities to quickly assess the root cause of any problem and put a plan of action in place.
I have been able to use my technology background to provide a tool to help people keep their promises to pray utilizing their Blackberry, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. But I know that God wants me out amongst the masses, sharing His love across many boundaries. He has given me new challenges that test my anxious thoughts, as the quote from Psalm 139 says. He has made me a stronger person and shown me a glimpse of His purpose for me. I know there is much more to be revealed and I am excited to learn more details.
So what happened in the last 6+ months? I learned how to pray more effectively, with God's will in mind. I learned how to better study the Bible, using God's word more effectively in my daily life. I received reassurance of God's love for me and for every person on Earth. I learned that God had a purpose for me, as He does for everyone, before I was even conceived.
Please keep this last thought in mind and prayerfully consider supporting the Manhattan Declaration. Go to the website, read the declaration, watch the videos and pray for God's will to be done.
May God Bless your Wednesday.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
We are not deserving, but He answers us
"Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me."
Psalm 27:7
We surely are far from perfect children...very far. Think about the times when your children fight or are whiny and how that makes you feel and how you react (if you are a child think about when you get whiny or fight with your siblings how that makes your parents feel and how they react).
Do you make it a habit of whining to God when things do not go as you plan? How many times have you uttered "Why me God?" What about the arguments we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ? Are you seeing the point?
God is merciful to us, poor miserable sinners because of the love He has for us. He instructs us to continue to call on Him and He will answer if we call in His Son's name.
Now, think about you children again. I know our temptation is to send them outside or to their rooms when the whining or quarreling take us to the brink. But think about how our Father treats us when we are whiny and quarrelsome. He wants to bring us closer to Him, sending His Son to die on the cross to make sure to draw us closer.
Pray that you will have the strength to ask for forgiveness and forgive others as He has forgiven you.
be merciful to me and answer me."
Psalm 27:7
We surely are far from perfect children...very far. Think about the times when your children fight or are whiny and how that makes you feel and how you react (if you are a child think about when you get whiny or fight with your siblings how that makes your parents feel and how they react).
Do you make it a habit of whining to God when things do not go as you plan? How many times have you uttered "Why me God?" What about the arguments we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ? Are you seeing the point?
God is merciful to us, poor miserable sinners because of the love He has for us. He instructs us to continue to call on Him and He will answer if we call in His Son's name.
Now, think about you children again. I know our temptation is to send them outside or to their rooms when the whining or quarreling take us to the brink. But think about how our Father treats us when we are whiny and quarrelsome. He wants to bring us closer to Him, sending His Son to die on the cross to make sure to draw us closer.
Pray that you will have the strength to ask for forgiveness and forgive others as He has forgiven you.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sometimes its hard to focus on the good stuff
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I added the emphasis in the above Bible verse taken from Paul's letter to the people of Thessalonica. At the time, Thessalonica was full of wealth and included the corruption and excesses that come with it. Paul was instructing the people to keep their focus on the Truth, the Word. The emphasis I added was due to an experience over the weekend where I let a simple comment from a 10 year old overtake about 24 hours of my life. I focused on the negative and forgot about all the positive blessings God has showered upon me.
The comment was innocent enough, coming from my daughter's friend while we were at the pool club Saturday evening. But we all have an attribute about us, physical or emotional, that we tend to be more sensitive about. For some it is weight, for others it may be a perceived defficiency in education, and others it is excessive hair growth or the thinning or loss of hair.
The point I want to make is that in times like these, we have to reach out to God and pray, as Paul instructed the Thessalonians, giving thanks for everything we have and asking Him to help us remove the perceived bad from our minds and instead open ourselves to seeing the many blessings being provided on a daily basis. We must not dwell on the negatives; the bad day at the office, not getting to do your favorite activity because of something else coming up, but instead focus on the blessings God gives us every day, every hour, every minute. Remember that all this is God's will for you. Embrace it and be thankful for it.
So as you start this new week, take Paul's message to heart. Pray early and pray continually. Continue to seek God's guidance in your life and continue to thank Him for what He provides. It will surely help you keep things in perspective and focus on all the good being provided in your life.
God Bless your Monday.
I added the emphasis in the above Bible verse taken from Paul's letter to the people of Thessalonica. At the time, Thessalonica was full of wealth and included the corruption and excesses that come with it. Paul was instructing the people to keep their focus on the Truth, the Word. The emphasis I added was due to an experience over the weekend where I let a simple comment from a 10 year old overtake about 24 hours of my life. I focused on the negative and forgot about all the positive blessings God has showered upon me.
The comment was innocent enough, coming from my daughter's friend while we were at the pool club Saturday evening. But we all have an attribute about us, physical or emotional, that we tend to be more sensitive about. For some it is weight, for others it may be a perceived defficiency in education, and others it is excessive hair growth or the thinning or loss of hair.
The point I want to make is that in times like these, we have to reach out to God and pray, as Paul instructed the Thessalonians, giving thanks for everything we have and asking Him to help us remove the perceived bad from our minds and instead open ourselves to seeing the many blessings being provided on a daily basis. We must not dwell on the negatives; the bad day at the office, not getting to do your favorite activity because of something else coming up, but instead focus on the blessings God gives us every day, every hour, every minute. Remember that all this is God's will for you. Embrace it and be thankful for it.
So as you start this new week, take Paul's message to heart. Pray early and pray continually. Continue to seek God's guidance in your life and continue to thank Him for what He provides. It will surely help you keep things in perspective and focus on all the good being provided in your life.
God Bless your Monday.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Let go.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
It is funny how we find ourselves worrying about just about everything. I had a routine procedure done yesterday that I have done every two years, yet I still went to the center with great anxiety. I had to keep saying this verse over and over in my head to calm my nerves.
But this verse refers to everything and anything thrown our way. A new challenge at work, a new challenge at home with a teenager, a conflict with a spouse. The anxiety caused by all of these things can be tremendously overbearing. However, if we take our concerns and troubles to God in prayer, He will take on our burdens, just like He did when He sent His Son to die on the cross for all of us.
Do not let your anxieties eat at you, they will cause stress in your life that God does not want you to have. It is easy for me to say this, much harder for me to put this into practice. I believe I have mentioned here before that I have the worry gene from my family. But when I do practice what I point out here, it is amazing the sense of relief that overcomes me.
Pray early and often, pray with God's will in mind, and always keep your promise2pray.
God Bless your weekend.
It is funny how we find ourselves worrying about just about everything. I had a routine procedure done yesterday that I have done every two years, yet I still went to the center with great anxiety. I had to keep saying this verse over and over in my head to calm my nerves.
But this verse refers to everything and anything thrown our way. A new challenge at work, a new challenge at home with a teenager, a conflict with a spouse. The anxiety caused by all of these things can be tremendously overbearing. However, if we take our concerns and troubles to God in prayer, He will take on our burdens, just like He did when He sent His Son to die on the cross for all of us.
Do not let your anxieties eat at you, they will cause stress in your life that God does not want you to have. It is easy for me to say this, much harder for me to put this into practice. I believe I have mentioned here before that I have the worry gene from my family. But when I do practice what I point out here, it is amazing the sense of relief that overcomes me.
Pray early and often, pray with God's will in mind, and always keep your promise2pray.
God Bless your weekend.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Forgiving Our Brothers - How Far do we go?
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?'
Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times...'" Matthew 18:21-22
My friends today's devotion focused on the above passages. It focused on forgiveness of our brothers. But was Jesus concerned only with the treatment of our siblings when he says brothers? No, brothers is a broad term that represents everyone we come in contact with. We are to forgive anyone who harms us or does wrong by us. Also, seventy-seven really should be translated to seventy times seven, in essence never stop forgiving.
Sometimes, okay a great many times, this is hard to do. We want to hold on to that grievance against another, that hurt that was done against us. We feel we are justified to do so because of the hurt inflicted upon us. But think to yourself what God has done for you. The wrongs done against us are nothing compared to the sins we commit as we turn our back on God.
The author of my devotion titled today's entry "Oh, Brother". He tells a story of being a kid and having his older brother carefully take the hinges out of his bedroom door so that the next time it was opened it would fall on his head. He prefaces this comment with that fact that now you would never know how devious his brother was as a youngster. We all do mischievous stuff as kids. Some of us more than others, and some of us take the brunt of those activities.
This brought back fond memories of my childhood. How, you might ask, could mischief committed against me as a child trigger fond memories? Shouldn't I be bitter and angry, holding resentment towards my brothers? Here are just a few examples that really stick out in my head of the mischief my two older brothers committed as we grew up:
I got picked on a lot as a kid. I was scrawny and shy, a perfect mix for others to take advantage. My mom always told me I was picked on because they loved me. I always wondered how that could be, but looking back it is true. And without those incidents I may not have been able to learn the lesson of forgiveness as quickly and easily as I did.
I love my brothers and consider them amongst my best friends. Along with my younger brother, the four of us have some great times. We get together twice a year for charity golf tournaments, not because we love golf or are even that good at it, but because it gives us an opportunity to be together. We share emails with each other and a lot of inside jokes. We have a bond that will never be broken, even in times of great stress we may get angry but we always forgive and move on.
If I were still holding a grudge for the mischief my brothers did when they were younger I would be missing out on so much happiness now.
Our life here is short, forgive and forget as God does for us over and over again. Share that gift of forgiveness with others and see how much joy it brings to your life. Pray often for God to give you the strength to forgive and move on. Prayer for your brothers to do the same. Pray that you will continue to be blessed with love and good times without past grudges getting in the way.
God Bless you on this Friday!
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?'
Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times...'" Matthew 18:21-22
My friends today's devotion focused on the above passages. It focused on forgiveness of our brothers. But was Jesus concerned only with the treatment of our siblings when he says brothers? No, brothers is a broad term that represents everyone we come in contact with. We are to forgive anyone who harms us or does wrong by us. Also, seventy-seven really should be translated to seventy times seven, in essence never stop forgiving.
Sometimes, okay a great many times, this is hard to do. We want to hold on to that grievance against another, that hurt that was done against us. We feel we are justified to do so because of the hurt inflicted upon us. But think to yourself what God has done for you. The wrongs done against us are nothing compared to the sins we commit as we turn our back on God.
The author of my devotion titled today's entry "Oh, Brother". He tells a story of being a kid and having his older brother carefully take the hinges out of his bedroom door so that the next time it was opened it would fall on his head. He prefaces this comment with that fact that now you would never know how devious his brother was as a youngster. We all do mischievous stuff as kids. Some of us more than others, and some of us take the brunt of those activities.
This brought back fond memories of my childhood. How, you might ask, could mischief committed against me as a child trigger fond memories? Shouldn't I be bitter and angry, holding resentment towards my brothers? Here are just a few examples that really stick out in my head of the mischief my two older brothers committed as we grew up:
- Many a Easter morning I woke up to only black jelly beans in my Easter basket while the other kids had all the flavors. Why was I treated differently by the Easter Bunny I wondered. Years later I found out that my brothers would go down early and take the good candy from my basket and pass it to their basket.
- My parents had gone out and my older brothers decided to play some football in the house. Well, a pass sailed over the dining room table and one of them made a spectacular dive to attempt to grab the ball. Boom, table on the floor broken. But my brothers were masters of planning. They crafted a plan to have me drop my books on the dining room table the next day after school (as I always did) and have the table crash to the floor as they meticulously set up the scenario, placing the legs just right to hold the weight of the table top until this occurrence. The would have successfully implemented this plan had my parents not gotten back early from their outing.
- We lived next door to my aunt and uncle and on occasion my grandmother would babysit my cousins at their house. Grandma was always good for a dollar for every good report card we brought home and so my mom thought we should head over to my aunt's house to thank my Grandma. So I started running down the hill on our street. Unbeknown to me my older brother had hopped on my sister's bike and decided to play a little game of chicken with me. Only he didn't let me in on the fact that we were playing. Yep, head bleeding, my back littered with cuts and bruises, I looked for my dollar that I dropped never to find it. Years later (in our twenties) my brother finally fessed up to grabbing my dollar.
I got picked on a lot as a kid. I was scrawny and shy, a perfect mix for others to take advantage. My mom always told me I was picked on because they loved me. I always wondered how that could be, but looking back it is true. And without those incidents I may not have been able to learn the lesson of forgiveness as quickly and easily as I did.
I love my brothers and consider them amongst my best friends. Along with my younger brother, the four of us have some great times. We get together twice a year for charity golf tournaments, not because we love golf or are even that good at it, but because it gives us an opportunity to be together. We share emails with each other and a lot of inside jokes. We have a bond that will never be broken, even in times of great stress we may get angry but we always forgive and move on.
If I were still holding a grudge for the mischief my brothers did when they were younger I would be missing out on so much happiness now.
Our life here is short, forgive and forget as God does for us over and over again. Share that gift of forgiveness with others and see how much joy it brings to your life. Pray often for God to give you the strength to forgive and move on. Prayer for your brothers to do the same. Pray that you will continue to be blessed with love and good times without past grudges getting in the way.
God Bless you on this Friday!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sharing is good
If you had information that would guarantee success to anyone who knew this information would you share it with others? If you knew that there was an unending supply of good fortune would you share it with others? Would you share investment advice with others if you knew it was a sure thing?
The answer to the questions above when we are talking about earthly possessions in all likelihood is yes. Who would not want good fortune for our friends and families? Now, do you believe that you are saved by grace alone from God our Father? Do you agree that this love from God is never ending and more than plentiful? Are you sharing with others?
My daily devotion discussed Paul admitting to the people of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 2:3 "I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling." What a powerful passage. Here we have Paul, hand picked by God to share the good news of Jesus, and he is scared and feels weak. If you feel scared to share your faith with others, think about Paul and think about the fact that you are not alone. But also think about the wonderful news you are sharing. Do you really want to keep that news to yourself?
I have to admit, I really love talking in public on topics that I feel I am an expert on. But when it comes to the good news and the Word I do feel somewhat challenged. The Bible is a huge book with so much interrelated information. Our pastors and priests spend years in seminary learning and reviewing the Word so that they may be educated in their preaching. How can we be expected to share the Word with others when we have not had this same training?
I say preach with your actions. Show others the saving grace of God with what you do, especially what you do for others. I am not just speaking of your friends or those you are comfortable with, but perfect strangers as well. Do something nice for someone you have never met, showing the love of Christ, and watch the reaction of the other person. You will be amazed at the impact one simple gesture of kindness and love can provide. And that will possibly open the door for you to share you faith and allow you to be more comfortable in doing so.
But even a kind act for a stranger that you will never see again is sharing your faith, for good works in the eyes of God are those that come from the love of Christ. That is what we are called to do as we go about our daily lives. Think about this as you contemplate your words and actions throughout the day.
There was a period of time where the initials WWJD, meaning what would Jesus do, were popping up all over, especially among the young. I do not see this as often as I used to and I think to an extent it was a fad. However, we should always think this way in our daily lives, especially when we are dealing with others.
My first "real" job out of high school was as a bank teller. I learned a lot as a bank teller, both about myself and about others. At the time, I was a man in a woman's job (not my words but the words of a customer). One thing I learned from that job was that you can take any situation that is out of control or somehow bad and turn it around with simple kindness. It is very hard for people to stay angry, stay depressed when faced with acts of kindness towards them. Think about this the next time you want to snap back at someone who has angered you.
Pray for all those that are lovingly sharing the Gospel of Christ with others, both verbally and through actions. Pray that more and more will learn and accept the grace and love of God.
The answer to the questions above when we are talking about earthly possessions in all likelihood is yes. Who would not want good fortune for our friends and families? Now, do you believe that you are saved by grace alone from God our Father? Do you agree that this love from God is never ending and more than plentiful? Are you sharing with others?
My daily devotion discussed Paul admitting to the people of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 2:3 "I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling." What a powerful passage. Here we have Paul, hand picked by God to share the good news of Jesus, and he is scared and feels weak. If you feel scared to share your faith with others, think about Paul and think about the fact that you are not alone. But also think about the wonderful news you are sharing. Do you really want to keep that news to yourself?
I have to admit, I really love talking in public on topics that I feel I am an expert on. But when it comes to the good news and the Word I do feel somewhat challenged. The Bible is a huge book with so much interrelated information. Our pastors and priests spend years in seminary learning and reviewing the Word so that they may be educated in their preaching. How can we be expected to share the Word with others when we have not had this same training?
I say preach with your actions. Show others the saving grace of God with what you do, especially what you do for others. I am not just speaking of your friends or those you are comfortable with, but perfect strangers as well. Do something nice for someone you have never met, showing the love of Christ, and watch the reaction of the other person. You will be amazed at the impact one simple gesture of kindness and love can provide. And that will possibly open the door for you to share you faith and allow you to be more comfortable in doing so.
But even a kind act for a stranger that you will never see again is sharing your faith, for good works in the eyes of God are those that come from the love of Christ. That is what we are called to do as we go about our daily lives. Think about this as you contemplate your words and actions throughout the day.
There was a period of time where the initials WWJD, meaning what would Jesus do, were popping up all over, especially among the young. I do not see this as often as I used to and I think to an extent it was a fad. However, we should always think this way in our daily lives, especially when we are dealing with others.
My first "real" job out of high school was as a bank teller. I learned a lot as a bank teller, both about myself and about others. At the time, I was a man in a woman's job (not my words but the words of a customer). One thing I learned from that job was that you can take any situation that is out of control or somehow bad and turn it around with simple kindness. It is very hard for people to stay angry, stay depressed when faced with acts of kindness towards them. Think about this the next time you want to snap back at someone who has angered you.
Pray for all those that are lovingly sharing the Gospel of Christ with others, both verbally and through actions. Pray that more and more will learn and accept the grace and love of God.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Getting old and preparing
It is funny how something you read can trigger the most interesting thoughts in your mind. Reading my daily devotion, it compared our bodies here on earth to the skin of a cicada that we start to see as the summer winds down. The cicada sheds its skin to move on to better and greater things.
We too will shed our skin and move on to a greater place, our heavenly home.
This got me thinking about getting older, feeling more aches and pains, not being able to physically do the things I was able to in my teens and twenties (okay and thirties as well). It reminded me of the sharp pains, the dull pains, and also of the pain my wife has been living with for a while now in her back.
I wonder if it is God helping us to realize our mortality here on earth, helping us to prepare for our departure from our earthly home to take our spot in heaven. Some in my family might say to stop thinking about that, but I think more and more about what I will experience when I leave this earth and what I will leave behind.
Now I am not advocating my early death. Just as we don't know when Jesus will return and we must prepare for His return, so must we always prepare for our own death. Will we be ready to enter God's kingdom? I have seen it way to often to think that I may be immune to an early death. And what exactly constitutes and early death these days? It seems the average lifespan has increased, but I do not know whether God's plan for me will include many years on earth, or just enough to get my kids on the right track. I do know that reading about heaven and hell I know exactly where I want to be, and I know exactly how to get there. For I know that Jesus died for me and that through Him God sees me as perfect, no matter how much I mess up here on earth.
Rejoice in the knowledge of everlasting life with God. Do not fret over aches and pains here on earth, but instead look at them as increasing your desire to shed this human body and live forever in heaven, awaiting the last day when you will receive your perfect body.
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1
God Bless your Wednesday.
We too will shed our skin and move on to a greater place, our heavenly home.
This got me thinking about getting older, feeling more aches and pains, not being able to physically do the things I was able to in my teens and twenties (okay and thirties as well). It reminded me of the sharp pains, the dull pains, and also of the pain my wife has been living with for a while now in her back.
I wonder if it is God helping us to realize our mortality here on earth, helping us to prepare for our departure from our earthly home to take our spot in heaven. Some in my family might say to stop thinking about that, but I think more and more about what I will experience when I leave this earth and what I will leave behind.
Now I am not advocating my early death. Just as we don't know when Jesus will return and we must prepare for His return, so must we always prepare for our own death. Will we be ready to enter God's kingdom? I have seen it way to often to think that I may be immune to an early death. And what exactly constitutes and early death these days? It seems the average lifespan has increased, but I do not know whether God's plan for me will include many years on earth, or just enough to get my kids on the right track. I do know that reading about heaven and hell I know exactly where I want to be, and I know exactly how to get there. For I know that Jesus died for me and that through Him God sees me as perfect, no matter how much I mess up here on earth.
Rejoice in the knowledge of everlasting life with God. Do not fret over aches and pains here on earth, but instead look at them as increasing your desire to shed this human body and live forever in heaven, awaiting the last day when you will receive your perfect body.
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1
God Bless your Wednesday.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Praying helps in rejecting sinful ways
We are all sinners, incapable of breaking the chain of sin on our own. That is why God sent Jesus to die for all of us on the cross. But if Jesus took the punishment for our sins, does that mean we should give up on trying to defeat sin? The answer is no. One way that helps is to talk to God, ask Him for constant guidance in all situations. Read the Bible and know what we are instructed to do, know what Jesus would do in each and every situation. Ask yourself before you act or speak if Jesus would do the same if He were in your body?
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3: 13-14
Paul wrote these words to the believers in Colosse during a time when other religions were trying to undermine their Christian faith. These are important in that we must remember that if we aren't willing to forgive each other, hostility will continue to fester inside of us. With that it is impossible to be at peace with brothers and sisters. While God created us in His image and we are all created equal we are also all very unique. We each have our own quirks and ways of doing things. We are not always going to agree with each other. But if we let that get in the way of being united in Christ, we invite Satan into our lives and allow him to pit ourselves against each other. If we do not truly forgive each other, we allow those things to continue to rise to the surface.
Remember that Satan goes after those strong in faith. Prepare for this as you grow in faith. Many feel that coming to faith, reading the Bible, knowing God's Word will miraculously make everything right. Just like in sports, teams try to take the best players out of the game, their only shot to win, Satan looks to take out those strong in faith. Those that can help "win" the game.
Keep praying for God's help in fighting off Satan and the evils of sin. Pray for your friends and your enemies to come to know Jesus. Pray and be closer to God, lean on Him to help you fight the temptations of Satan.
God Bless you!
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3: 13-14
Paul wrote these words to the believers in Colosse during a time when other religions were trying to undermine their Christian faith. These are important in that we must remember that if we aren't willing to forgive each other, hostility will continue to fester inside of us. With that it is impossible to be at peace with brothers and sisters. While God created us in His image and we are all created equal we are also all very unique. We each have our own quirks and ways of doing things. We are not always going to agree with each other. But if we let that get in the way of being united in Christ, we invite Satan into our lives and allow him to pit ourselves against each other. If we do not truly forgive each other, we allow those things to continue to rise to the surface.
Remember that Satan goes after those strong in faith. Prepare for this as you grow in faith. Many feel that coming to faith, reading the Bible, knowing God's Word will miraculously make everything right. Just like in sports, teams try to take the best players out of the game, their only shot to win, Satan looks to take out those strong in faith. Those that can help "win" the game.
Keep praying for God's help in fighting off Satan and the evils of sin. Pray for your friends and your enemies to come to know Jesus. Pray and be closer to God, lean on Him to help you fight the temptations of Satan.
God Bless you!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Who is your neighbor?
God Bless you as you start your work week.
Yesterday, we had a guest preacher, a pastor that grew up in our church and now is the pastor of a congregation in Connecticut. He preached on the Gospel of Luke, the 10th chapter, verses 25-37. This is the parable of the good Samaritan, a story we have all heard many times, but we still need reminding often.
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37)
The sermon yesterday challenged us as faithful servants of God to look inside and decide whether we truly treat all of our neighbors as we would want to be treated. Or do we only treat those we feel are worthy? So who do you consider your neighbor? Is it the person that was your personal nemesis when you were growing up? How about the cranky old neighbor that yells at your kids when the ball goes in their yard? What about those that attack you for your Christian beliefs? Do you pray for them? Would you stop to help them as the Samaritan did to help the Jew if they were injured or abused?
The answer to all of the above my friends needs to be yes. Look at things from God's perspective for a minute. He gave us free will and with it we are sinful by nature. We sin constantly, with no sin greater or less than another. Yet, He loves us all so much that He sent his only Son to die on the cross for us. He sees us through Jesus as pure and clean, without sin. This is how we must view others, our neighbors. We must look at everyone through the eyes of Jesus and treat them how Jesus has treated us, with great love and compassion, willing to give up his own life for us.
Pray that you will have the strength and the faith to make the right decisions when you encounter others. Think about what Jesus would do if in your situation.
God Bless you!
PS - Do you own a Blackberry mobile device? Do you want an awesome way to log and remember your prayer commitments? Wouldn't it be great to have that capability right there on your phone? Well, look no more. PrayerSteward for Blackberry is now available at http://www.mobihand.com/product.asp?id=69261&n=PrayerSteward. Enter coupon code WEBREFAUG2010 for 10% off the retail price of $3.99.
Yesterday, we had a guest preacher, a pastor that grew up in our church and now is the pastor of a congregation in Connecticut. He preached on the Gospel of Luke, the 10th chapter, verses 25-37. This is the parable of the good Samaritan, a story we have all heard many times, but we still need reminding often.
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37)
The sermon yesterday challenged us as faithful servants of God to look inside and decide whether we truly treat all of our neighbors as we would want to be treated. Or do we only treat those we feel are worthy? So who do you consider your neighbor? Is it the person that was your personal nemesis when you were growing up? How about the cranky old neighbor that yells at your kids when the ball goes in their yard? What about those that attack you for your Christian beliefs? Do you pray for them? Would you stop to help them as the Samaritan did to help the Jew if they were injured or abused?
The answer to all of the above my friends needs to be yes. Look at things from God's perspective for a minute. He gave us free will and with it we are sinful by nature. We sin constantly, with no sin greater or less than another. Yet, He loves us all so much that He sent his only Son to die on the cross for us. He sees us through Jesus as pure and clean, without sin. This is how we must view others, our neighbors. We must look at everyone through the eyes of Jesus and treat them how Jesus has treated us, with great love and compassion, willing to give up his own life for us.
Pray that you will have the strength and the faith to make the right decisions when you encounter others. Think about what Jesus would do if in your situation.
God Bless you!
PS - Do you own a Blackberry mobile device? Do you want an awesome way to log and remember your prayer commitments? Wouldn't it be great to have that capability right there on your phone? Well, look no more. PrayerSteward for Blackberry is now available at http://www.mobihand.com/product.asp?id=69261&n=PrayerSteward. Enter coupon code WEBREFAUG2010 for 10% off the retail price of $3.99.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Stay humble my friends
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" Luke 14:11
These are truly words to live by. However, this is not the message being broadcast from all of the different outlets we encounter throughout our day. No, we are constantly being told to put ourselves first, we deserve it. But that is not what we are taught in the Bible. We are to give freely to the weak and poor.
As you are bombarded with advertisements telling you what you deserve and what you want, remember what it is you need. Remember that God will provide everything needed to the faithful. Especially remember that you will be judged on how you treat others. Because how you treat others is a direct reflection on your faith and humility. It shows others that you understand that you are utilizing talents given to you by God and that you must reflect Christ in your actions and words.
It is amazing how many "leaders" attempt to direct all the attention to themselves. Not just leaders, but our so-called role models. They reel us in only to disappoint later. But true leaders are servant leaders, deflecting attention away from themselves and instead directing it to those around them. They understand that to be a great leader you must serve those that you lead and not just dictate. Our politicians could use a course in how to be servant leaders. They need to realize that they are to serve us, not themselves, not the lobbyists and not their political party leaders.
We are coming full swing into election season and let us all remember to look for candidates that show integrity, honesty, and most important are humble and understand who they are serving. Let us pray that the candidates will focus on what they can do and not focus on mudslinging at their opponents. For that has become the norm and that is very saddening. As a country founded on Christian principles, we need to right this ship, get back to respecting others and praying for our country to be great once again.
God Bless America and God Bless you.
These are truly words to live by. However, this is not the message being broadcast from all of the different outlets we encounter throughout our day. No, we are constantly being told to put ourselves first, we deserve it. But that is not what we are taught in the Bible. We are to give freely to the weak and poor.
As you are bombarded with advertisements telling you what you deserve and what you want, remember what it is you need. Remember that God will provide everything needed to the faithful. Especially remember that you will be judged on how you treat others. Because how you treat others is a direct reflection on your faith and humility. It shows others that you understand that you are utilizing talents given to you by God and that you must reflect Christ in your actions and words.
It is amazing how many "leaders" attempt to direct all the attention to themselves. Not just leaders, but our so-called role models. They reel us in only to disappoint later. But true leaders are servant leaders, deflecting attention away from themselves and instead directing it to those around them. They understand that to be a great leader you must serve those that you lead and not just dictate. Our politicians could use a course in how to be servant leaders. They need to realize that they are to serve us, not themselves, not the lobbyists and not their political party leaders.
We are coming full swing into election season and let us all remember to look for candidates that show integrity, honesty, and most important are humble and understand who they are serving. Let us pray that the candidates will focus on what they can do and not focus on mudslinging at their opponents. For that has become the norm and that is very saddening. As a country founded on Christian principles, we need to right this ship, get back to respecting others and praying for our country to be great once again.
God Bless America and God Bless you.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Overcoming Frustration
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I really need to just keep reading this passage over and over this morning. Yesterday, I got a message on my main computer that I use for my business indicating I was running low on space on my C: drive. Now you need to know that this machine is about 5 years old, running XP and I upgraded the memory about 5 months ago to be able to use the machine in my business. I am trying to limit my total expenditures while in start up mode.
I un-installed some software that I don't use anymore, cleaned up the hard drive, moving some things to my network drive and others just deleting. Great, I now had a little over 3GB of space free on my C: drive. Things were moving well again, I was able to work.
To my dismay, I logged on this morning to find the dreaded message box telling me the C: drive was low on storage. I looked at the status of the drive and only 18MB available. What is happening to my drive I thought to myself.
Right now I have a scan running on that machine. Thankfully, I've got all my code backed off to the network and can do some work on the family laptop. But I am frustrated because in searching the web for possible solutions to the disappearing hard drive space I am not pleased with what I am finding. It appears my drive may be toast, done in by some malware. Now the decision will need to be buy a new machine or a new hard drive. A tough question based on a) the age of the machine and b) the limited cash resources available right now.
Add to that the frustration that I feel as I am just days from the full general release of PrayerSteward for Blackberry devices. I am praying continuously for a solution to allow me to be able to release on time. I also keep coming back to the passage from John 16. I know that God has a plan for me and this is just a step in the journey within the plan. But it is mighty tough to keep smiling in the face of such adversity.
God Bless your Wednesday!
I really need to just keep reading this passage over and over this morning. Yesterday, I got a message on my main computer that I use for my business indicating I was running low on space on my C: drive. Now you need to know that this machine is about 5 years old, running XP and I upgraded the memory about 5 months ago to be able to use the machine in my business. I am trying to limit my total expenditures while in start up mode.
I un-installed some software that I don't use anymore, cleaned up the hard drive, moving some things to my network drive and others just deleting. Great, I now had a little over 3GB of space free on my C: drive. Things were moving well again, I was able to work.
To my dismay, I logged on this morning to find the dreaded message box telling me the C: drive was low on storage. I looked at the status of the drive and only 18MB available. What is happening to my drive I thought to myself.
Right now I have a scan running on that machine. Thankfully, I've got all my code backed off to the network and can do some work on the family laptop. But I am frustrated because in searching the web for possible solutions to the disappearing hard drive space I am not pleased with what I am finding. It appears my drive may be toast, done in by some malware. Now the decision will need to be buy a new machine or a new hard drive. A tough question based on a) the age of the machine and b) the limited cash resources available right now.
Add to that the frustration that I feel as I am just days from the full general release of PrayerSteward for Blackberry devices. I am praying continuously for a solution to allow me to be able to release on time. I also keep coming back to the passage from John 16. I know that God has a plan for me and this is just a step in the journey within the plan. But it is mighty tough to keep smiling in the face of such adversity.
God Bless your Wednesday!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Finding your purpose
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
How true is this verse from Proverbs? There are too many times to even count in my life where I set out with a plan in mind, a to-do list if you will, only to have an unexpected change that totally derailed my plans. Usually when I look back I realize how the unexpected change was really the priority item. Most of the time for me it is attending to something with my family.
You see, I am a workaholic. I know it, my wife knows it, and we try hard to keep it under control. However, it is always there, lurking in the wings just waiting to rear its ugly head. This is the reason that I created my current business, to at least use my talents and my heavy desire to constantly work for a better purpose. In doing so, I have discovered a part of me that I knew existed, but that I would tend to suppress. I am talking about my faith. I believe that was God's plan for me when I set out over six months ago on my current life journey. While I was planning on making a life changing move that would better provide for my family, God was planning to touch my heart, to allow me to see my faith in a different light.
I now have a business established that allows me to have fun, explore my faith and share with others. It also allows me to go back to the office knowing that there is a part of me, a new part, that will continue to use my talents to touch others and share the good news. I have established a pattern or habit that allows me to be a better husband, father, son, brother, friend, elder. A better person, living more for what God has planned for me than for what I had planned. I want to share with others the power of prayer. I want to find ways to show others how to enhance their prayer life. Prayer is not easy, but it is essential in our relationship with our Creator.
God Bless you on this hot (at least in my neck of the woods) Tuesday.
How true is this verse from Proverbs? There are too many times to even count in my life where I set out with a plan in mind, a to-do list if you will, only to have an unexpected change that totally derailed my plans. Usually when I look back I realize how the unexpected change was really the priority item. Most of the time for me it is attending to something with my family.
You see, I am a workaholic. I know it, my wife knows it, and we try hard to keep it under control. However, it is always there, lurking in the wings just waiting to rear its ugly head. This is the reason that I created my current business, to at least use my talents and my heavy desire to constantly work for a better purpose. In doing so, I have discovered a part of me that I knew existed, but that I would tend to suppress. I am talking about my faith. I believe that was God's plan for me when I set out over six months ago on my current life journey. While I was planning on making a life changing move that would better provide for my family, God was planning to touch my heart, to allow me to see my faith in a different light.
I now have a business established that allows me to have fun, explore my faith and share with others. It also allows me to go back to the office knowing that there is a part of me, a new part, that will continue to use my talents to touch others and share the good news. I have established a pattern or habit that allows me to be a better husband, father, son, brother, friend, elder. A better person, living more for what God has planned for me than for what I had planned. I want to share with others the power of prayer. I want to find ways to show others how to enhance their prayer life. Prayer is not easy, but it is essential in our relationship with our Creator.
God Bless you on this hot (at least in my neck of the woods) Tuesday.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Will you follow?
"But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 19:30
In Matthew 19:16-30, the Bible passage for my daily devotion, Jesus interacts with a rich man who asked what he must do to gain eternal life. He said that he followed all the laws and asked what he still lacked. Jesus told the man that if he wanted to be perfect "sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21
Does this passage tell us that we must sell everything we own? No, but Jesus saw in this man that he was clinging to his wealth, trusting it too much. He wanted the man to let go of the trust in wealth and instead trust in Him.
He wants the same from us. He wants us to trust in Him because through Him God sees us as perfect. This is our ticket to eternal life. But will you reject it or embrace it?
God Bless you on this Friday. For those in the US, Happy 4th of July. My next post will be Tuesday, July 6th.
PrayerSteward for Blackberry - Release date: July 12th. Check www.prayersteward.com for information on where you can purchase.
In Matthew 19:16-30, the Bible passage for my daily devotion, Jesus interacts with a rich man who asked what he must do to gain eternal life. He said that he followed all the laws and asked what he still lacked. Jesus told the man that if he wanted to be perfect "sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21
Does this passage tell us that we must sell everything we own? No, but Jesus saw in this man that he was clinging to his wealth, trusting it too much. He wanted the man to let go of the trust in wealth and instead trust in Him.
He wants the same from us. He wants us to trust in Him because through Him God sees us as perfect. This is our ticket to eternal life. But will you reject it or embrace it?
God Bless you on this Friday. For those in the US, Happy 4th of July. My next post will be Tuesday, July 6th.
PrayerSteward for Blackberry - Release date: July 12th. Check www.prayersteward.com for information on where you can purchase.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Thy will be done, not my will be done
My daily devotion today was titled Answers. An interesting topic. We all look for answers all the time.
Why did that happen? What if? When? If we are faithful to God then the answer should remain that it is God's plan for us. But do we always follow God's plan? The answer is no, we often reject God's plan, thinking that we know what is best for ourselves. It is our human nature, what God gave us with free will.
But we can help make decisions that will keep us on track with God's plan for us. If we read His Word and pray faithfully and continuously, God will answer us and lead us to His plan. We must, however, remember to pray for His will to be done, not our will to be done.
I must admit, I struggle with this constantly. I worked with a personal coach who based on our many conversations helped me to realize how important my faith had become in who I am and what I want to be. One morning at 6:30 am, he sent me an email because he thought of me that morning. He sent me a prayer that he had read. The author is unknown, but I thought I would share it today as I am in a period of struggling with this very thing. When I struggle, I turn to this prayer that I keep in my daily planner.
God, I offer myself to Thee - to build with me
And to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the
Bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take
Away my difficulties, that victory over
Them may bear witness to those
I would help of Thy power, Thy love, and Thy way
Of life. May I do Thy will always.
When you struggle as I do with trying to do it all without His help, I hope you will find comfort and strength in this prayer as I have over the last couple of years. Thank you Bill for sharing it with me.
May God Bless your Thursday.
Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!!
Why did that happen? What if? When? If we are faithful to God then the answer should remain that it is God's plan for us. But do we always follow God's plan? The answer is no, we often reject God's plan, thinking that we know what is best for ourselves. It is our human nature, what God gave us with free will.
But we can help make decisions that will keep us on track with God's plan for us. If we read His Word and pray faithfully and continuously, God will answer us and lead us to His plan. We must, however, remember to pray for His will to be done, not our will to be done.
I must admit, I struggle with this constantly. I worked with a personal coach who based on our many conversations helped me to realize how important my faith had become in who I am and what I want to be. One morning at 6:30 am, he sent me an email because he thought of me that morning. He sent me a prayer that he had read. The author is unknown, but I thought I would share it today as I am in a period of struggling with this very thing. When I struggle, I turn to this prayer that I keep in my daily planner.
God, I offer myself to Thee - to build with me
And to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the
Bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take
Away my difficulties, that victory over
Them may bear witness to those
I would help of Thy power, Thy love, and Thy way
Of life. May I do Thy will always.
When you struggle as I do with trying to do it all without His help, I hope you will find comfort and strength in this prayer as I have over the last couple of years. Thank you Bill for sharing it with me.
May God Bless your Thursday.
Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!!
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