Guaranteed

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:17 ESV)

How many of us set goals throughout our lives? We have goals around our careers, goals around a family, goals of purchasing a house or a car or some new gadget. All of these earthly goals are just that, something we work to attain, but never guaranteed.

But what if your goals were guaranteed if you just had to do one thing? Do one thing, believe that it will happen, and that promotion will come. You have to do nothing, but it is a gift. Sounds very unrealistic unless you are in the family business, and even then you can still do something to remove the guarantee.

God's Word assures us that our eternal life is guaranteed if we believe that Jesus Christ is our savior. Nothing else is needed and as the verse above indicates God will wipe every tear away. Isn't that something we should set a goal for? Wouldn't you believe given this wonderful guarantee? Yet sadly, not everyone does. Share this promise of eternal life with those that either don't believe or who don't know so that more may know of His grace.

A prayer of thanks

Dear Heavenly Father,
I am not worthy to recieve your grace, yet You sent Your Son to die on the cross so that I may have eternal life in Your Kingdom.
Thank you for the grace bestowed upon me, a sinful human being.
In your precious Son Jesus' name
Amen

Pray for everyone

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV)

When someone tells you about a problem they are having, an illness they are experiencing, or some other challenge, what do you tell them? I see so many times the response is "my thoughts are with you". But we are instructed to take these things to God through prayer. I dont believe that at any point in my life that my thoughts did anything to help someone else. I do however have many instances where asking God to intercede for others has brought about miraculous results.

One instance in particular was when my youngest brother caught some very rare illness. I remember praying for him, asking others to pray for him. Day and night we prayed. It was a Sunday afternoon, I had run some items over to our new house. When I returned, my wife came outside and told me my dad had called. My brother had taken a turn for the worse. The doctor wanted the family at the hospital to say our goodbyes. It was a horrible experience, walking in and seeing my youngest brother struggling to hang on. I said my goodbyes, but also told him I was continuing to pray for him.

I must admit, it was extremely hard to pray for God's will to be done, for what if His will was to bring my brother home?  Amazingly, my brother recovered fully from that illness. The doctors had no logical explanation. I know that it was many people interceding for my brother, asking for more time for him to impact others lives, and God's response that saved my brother.

The power of prayer is incredible. But not just because my brother lived. It is incredible because God tells us to do it. After all, Jesus prayed continually. If the only perfect one to walk this earth felt it necessary to pray, shouldn't we all follow? Surely we need God's helping hand and surely we should be thankful for everything He gives us. Isn't it right to say thanks?

The Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17 ESV)

The Word is how God talks to us, how He answers our prayers. Stay in the Word in order to hear God's voice.

I know that when I am in the Word daily things just seem to fall in place. I am not saying life is easier, but it certainly is easier to rely on God to help me if I hear His voice in the Word. So many times I read a passage, or hear a sermon that I just needed to hear. That is God working through His Word. Without hearing, I would continue to struggle.

Blessings

In Laura Story's song "Blessings" she gives thought to what blessings from God are. We tend to thank God for the things we see as blessings, positive events. Yet as Christians who read the Word, we know that God knows whatnis best for us, He knows the true meaning of what a blessing is.

We don't always see God's blessings in our everyday life. As we sat yesterday watching the torrential downpours on yet another vacation (I am certain we could solve the droughts around the world if we were able to vacation year round) the first words of the chorus came to mind. "'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops" reminds us that God sends blessings in many forms. If we don't take the time to pray and think about them we fail to see God's wonder.

One more challenge

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me. (Psalm 138:7 ESV)

As we worked to clean up the mess created by a spilt bottle of laundry detergent, m
oving furniture, moving the washer and dryer, my wife cried out "God why, why?"

As mentioned yesterday, we leave today for vacation and we had a lot of challenges this past week as we prepared. This seem to be the final straw, pushing my wife to question why? An hour and a half later, we chuckled as we looked back at the events of the evening. The intent for our next cleaning project was moving the stove in the kitchen to clean out all that has dropped back there in the last year. Obviously,  we were meant to clean behind and under another appliance first...and sooner rather than later.

So what does this have to do with the bible verse I chose today? Well, troubles come in many shapes and sizes and last night's was an example. In that hour and a half that we spent cleaning, we spent some quality time joking and laughing as we cleaned up the mess. What started as frustration and aggravation ended up with us looking back and saying "oh well, we handled another one with God's help.

So as we head down the road in a few hours, I am sure there will be that moment that we turn to each other and realize once again the gifts God has given each of us, that perfect complement. And of course we will laugh about this when we think back at the week before vacation.

God bless!

Seeing us through

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19 ESV)

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 ESV)

God is always there, you can always depend on Him. He never promised us an easy life without any afflictions.  When Adam and Eve ate the apple, our fate was set. Hard work, difficult times were ahead for us all. Sin was introduced into the world along with disease and all the other afflictions.

But Jesus' message in Matthew assures us that while times may get rough we should stand steadfast in the knowledge that He is always there.

We leave tomorrow for a week of vacation. This past week has been nothing less than hectic, with many hurdles thrown our way including the loss of our van for 4 days for major maintenance and culminating with the notice yesterday that the roads in our neighborhood will be repaved today making those last minute errands difficult at best. But through it all we lean on God's promise that he will always be there to help us get through.

Do the right thing for your brother

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (Matthew 18:15 ESV)

Have you ever had a good friend do something you knew was wrong, either against you or someone else? Did you confront them as we are instructed in Matthew 18 or did you stay silent for fear you would lose the friend? Or maybe you thought others would think you weren't "cool" if you pointed out a wrong.

Many a time in my life I have looked the other way, fearful of losing a friend. But in reality, not saying anything causes you to lose more. You lose the opportunity to help with someone else's reconciliation with the Lord.

Wouldn't you be upset if your friend didn't help you?

Humbleness

He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)

This verse really touched me as there have been many times in my recent career where I've been told "You are too nice ". I think in a lot of ways, people mistake my humbleness as being passive, too nice. But I have always known that no matter how smart I think I am, there is always one smarter. Who am I to say that I am any better than another. I certainly can sell my talents and skills in the pursuit of a job or activity, but I will not act like I know it all. Only one knows it all.

No fad here

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise. (Psalm 51:15 ESV)

Does this verse from Psalm 51 tell us to walk around with our Bibles reading aloud all day long? One could interpret it in this way, but my interpretation is that if we in the Word and understand how God wants us to behave, then when we open our mouths, no matter what the topic, others should know we are Christians. But as we are sinful by nature, it does not always happen.

But what if we were to post this single verse on our cube or office wall at work. Each work day, it would be right there reminding us as we progress through the day. Imagine if everyone posted this on their wall. Maybe more would think before lashing out at a colleague or employee. I remember a few years back the WWJD campaign. People, especially the young, carried around the message to remind them to constantly think about "What Would Jesus Do? ". Unfortunately, like many other things, it was a fad that has faded.

But the true Word of God, as written in the Bible, is no fad. It is dependable, never changing, and important for us all to keep close.

Never forget

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy! (Psalm 130:1-2 ESV)

September 11, 2001

Do you remember where you were when it happened, when each of the twin towers fell? What I remember most was not necessarily the events of that day (of course I will never forget), but what happened immediately after and the days following. People prayed together, people returned to church, there was a sense of all coming together to stand strong against evil.

What has happened in the 10 years that have followed? This is just one man's opinion, but it sure appears that the world's population is going backwards.  Instead of using those events to bring more to Christ, Christianity is being attacked, Christians are being persecuted and labeled intolerant.

It is time to stand up and proclaim that our strength comes from the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Only can we attain eternal life through Him. The government sure cannot provide that, yet so many put their faith in humans instead of where it belongs.

For a period, we all saw how vulnerable we are as humans. I pray that on this 10th anniversary of such a great tradgedy that all will realize how strong God's presence was in the minutes, hours, weeks and years since. It is only through Him that we can have true peace in the knowledge of eternal life.

All that is important

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10 ESV)

This says a lot in terms of how great God's Kingdom is compared to anything else. It is not important how far up the corporate ladder we climb, how many earthly riches we aquire or how many selfish acts of good we do. All that is important is having eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Do not reject the great gift of Grace. Stay in the Word. Your Heavenly Kingdom awaits.

My true deliverer

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure. (Psalm 40:2 ESV)

I know that I have written in the past about my "wild" period. It was my early twenties and I was on top of the world. While all my friends were in college, working part-time jobs to get by, I had a job in Information Technology. I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread. I also thought that I didn't need church. Translation: I turned away from God.

All was great...for a while. But battles with alcohol, and a feeling of loneliness settled in. I could not find the happiness I was looking for...anywhere. Then one day, I just stopped. I realized my lifestyle had become destructive. I stopped drinking, cold turkey. I bought a house, things were looking brighter. But I was still missing something in my life. I still thought I could do it all without God.

Then something amazing happened. I met my wife, and she laid down the law. I remember telling her that I had made an appointment for a flying lesson on Sunday morning. She told me that if we were going to have a relationship, I needed to go to church.

Well it's a good thing I listened. And I am thankful that my parents instilled Chritian beliefs in me. The combination of the two allowed the Holy Spirit to work in me. Since that time, I have had many challenges from career issues, going back to school, raising kids, health issues. And through them all, my rock and salvation allowed me to face them head on.

I thank God everyday for everything He has given me and the opportunities He has provided.

God bless you.

Rain, rain go away

I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (Genesis 9:11 ESV)

Driving into work this morning, I thought to myself "where could I get an ark? "

Then I read the story of the great flood and God's covenant established with Noah. No need for the ark. God sent His only Son to die for our sins. So there is no need to destroy the living creatures until the day of judgement.

For those facing the massive rains and flooding as we are here in Maryland, I pray for your safety as you go about your travels. Slow down, keep your distance, and watch out for fallen trees, branches and especially for pedestrians.

One last thing, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. What a great blessing and example your marriage is.

Seen through Christ

"You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade." (Son Lyrics - Tenth Avenue North - You Are More)

I heard these lyrics again this morning and I have to say that they really hit home. First because I had some pretty wild and rebellious years where I definitely made my share of mistakes. It is always good to hear, either in song or through the Gospel, that I have been remade. Christ dying on the cross at Calvary assured that.

Second, one of my siblings is going through a very tough time.  I run these song lyrics in my head when I talk to her. As humans we tend to not be able to look past past mistakes of others. That is our nature. However, we must always remember that we have been remade by God, through His grace alone. We must continue to share the love Christ shares with us, especially when we see someone trying to get back on their feet.

Short but oh how true

I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law. (Psalm 119:109 ESV)

The above verse sums up our life on Earth. We have the ability to determine how we live our life. It is only through the knowledge of God's Word that we know how to act, what to say and what differentiates right from wrong.

Labor Day - Give thanks

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalm 90:17 ESV)

It is Labor Day here in the US. A day set aside as a holiday to appreciate the worker and their efforts. But look around, look at all the businesses that are open today. Not only are they open, but they are having sales encouraging more traffic and more work for their employees.

God wants us to rest, he intended work to be easy until the advent of sin. But still, He wants us to rest. For those of us old enough, we remember the blue laws. Nothing was open on Sunday. Now, only car dealers are closed. You see, we have stopped glorifying God and thanking Him for the gifts we use in our jobs. We constantly tout our own accomplishments in getting to where we are in our careers. But we must always remember that it is the gifts from God that provide all those opportunities. He gave some of us greater aptitude to learn, gave some of us great skill to work with our hands. But make no mistake, He is the one responsible for everything we have.

I am a little afraid of what is to come. I see this current generation coming into the workforce with such an attitude of entitlement. That is what God originally intended, but once Adam and Eve sinned, we were destined for hard work. The young generation doesn't want the hard work, they just want the reward. I leave you today with prayers for all those that labor and with one last passage from Genesis.  Be thankful for God sending His Son to die for our sins, but also be thankful for His gifts to us and the hard work we are destined to do.

And to Adam he said,
"Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
'You shall not eat of it,'
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:17-19 ESV)

Our daily bread

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV)

When you wake up, what is the first thing you do? Do you think about the fact that all you have is what God has given you?

All that we have is given by God.  Yet how many times do we look to ourselves as the providers of what we have? How often have you heard someone say "I worked hard to get that "? In reality God has provided what you need.

I can only imagine

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20 ESV)

When you think about judgement day, are you scared or excited? Above is the second to last verse in the Bible and it is clear that we should be excited and welcome the day. On one hand I am excited, I want to see that day. I wonder what my reaction will be. I wonder what Heaven will be like.

When I listen to the words to "I Can Only Imagine " by Mercy Me it gets me really thinking about my questions.

"Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all?"

What will it be like? Will I recognize all who I have known? Will I be able to hug my grandparents again? Will my wife and kids still be with me? The answers to these questions, like those posed in the song aren't readily evident in the Bible. It is kind of like when we headed off to Cedar Point earlier this year. We knew there were a lot of roller coasters, but we fantasized about what we would feel as we went over the first hills, or as we accelerated to unimaginable speeds. Like our experience then, only better, we will not be disappointed by what we find when we enter Heaven. It surely will be more glorious than we can even imagine.

I, for one, am looking forward to that day.

God bless you.

Being content

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! (Psalm 98:4-6 ESV)

As we head into the holiday weekend here in the US, this verse reminds us of the importance of praising our Lord and Savior. This is not just telling us to go to church, but instead to participate in church.

Growing up I was always very self conscious about my singing ability. I played guitar on the alter for folk services and I always remember the group leader encouraging me to sing. I never would. It was not until I met my gift from God, my wife, that I realized it wasn't important what I sounded like. You see, we are all perfect in God's eyes because He sees us through Jesus. He does not see our sin as they have been paid for and wiped away in our faith.

I decided to take this even further, and today's reference passage really sums it up. When I sing praises to God,  whether sitting in the front pew at church, driving in my car and singing along with Shine-FM, or at home just singing the words to my favorite Christian songs, He hears perfection, for He created me to be exactly who I am. When I was holding back and not sharing this gift of who I am, I most certainly was not letting others know how special God  made me.

This can be said about anything that we may not do because we don't think we are good enough, or if we worry about what others might think.

Remember that God made each of us uniquely special and we bring Him joy when we appreciate that and show others the happiness that is had with contentment.

God bless!

Praying for guidance

Do you ever have times in your life where you are challenged by another to act with God's loving kindness? No matter what you do, the other person is in a positin of defense and in turn insults you and does everything possible to derail your positive progress. It is frustrating, to say the least.

I pray that I may stay focused on God's promise to me, continuing to act in kindness and love.