Recalled for Repair

Read Ezekiel 18:26-32

We purchased a car in 1996. It was a Dodge Intrepid. It had been a very good vehicle. After a decade of driving, we received a notice in the mail. It stated that the manufacturers had made a recall to fix something that had gone wrong in other Intrepids. After ten years, it was amazing that they were still putting out warnings about defective instruments.
During the past year, cars, trucks, tires, window blinds, and toy xylophones have been recalled by their manufacturers. In every case, the message was similar: “This product is defective or dangerous and could cause serious injury or even death. Return it to us and we will correct the problem.” Nevertheless, it is up to the consumer to heed the warning and return the dangerous item.
Suppose God put this warning on the heart and soul of every person: “Because of a fatal attraction to sin and willful misuse, this item is defective. Failure to correct this problem will result in certain spiritual death.” How many “consumers” would be quick to take that defective instrument to the manufacturer?
Honestly, our Intrepid had never needed to be taken into the dealer for the warning that we received. Fortunately, we had no problems (at least in that area) with the car. Our hearts are deceitfully wicked above all things, and unless we deal with it at the cross of Calvary, it will become defective and cause us to fail. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God said that the hearts of His people had become adulterous (Ezekiel 6:9) and as hard as a rock (11:19). Yet, the Lord longed for their hearts to be softened, and for them to come back to Him. He made this impassioned plea: “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin . . . Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies . . . Therefore turn and live!”
Tallulah Bankhead stated what we all are very well when she said, “My heart is as pure as the driven slush.” However, if you could just take your heart back into the Dealership, the Great Physician will do open heart surgery and draw you into His arms and embrace you like you were never broken in the first place. Look at this poem:

The power of God can turn a heart
From evil and the power of sin;
The love of God can change a life
And make it new and cleansed within. —Fasick

The exciting thing about salvation is that it is not turning over a new leaf, but receiving a new life. How’s your heart today?

“If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate.”
- Francois Fenelon

Seeking for Wisdom

Read James 1:5

I love to read. In fact, I usually have about three different books going at one time. I also love cross-word puzzles because it helps me exercise my brain. I love obtaining knowledge. Games like Scrabble, Trivia Pursuit and other games that have to do with facts and knowledge are my forte. My uncle used to be amazed because I could rattle off all of the statistics of any Minnesota sports team. I could do that because I spent time absorbing knowledge about those statistics. One of my favorite pages in the paper is the sports statistics page.
I read this account of someone that walks the same road for knowledge as I do. Brewster Kahle has a vision for the Internet. He dreams of universal access to all human knowledge. As Digital Librarian and Director and co-founder of Internet Archive, Kahle believes we have only begun to tap the vast potential of the Internet to change and improve our world. “My interest,” he says, “is to build the great library. . . . It is now technically possible to live up to the dream of the Library of Alexandria.” He’s referring to a huge vault of writings in ancient Egypt that was said to house all of the world’s knowledge.
But knowledge is not the same as wisdom. I have known people that were brilliant in a classroom setting, but they couldn’t find their way out of a parking lot if their life depended on it. There was a guy in college that would literally sleep through almost all of his classes and still get straight A’s because he had no problem with absorbing and reciting knowledge. However, he did not have the common sense to throw the previous week’s pizza away, but rather, let it fester in his dorm room. There are many a times we went looking for that dead animal stench.
King Solomon was a man of vast knowledge. In his better moments, he used his God-given capacity to collect information and insight from every corner of life. In unguarded moments, however, he showed that all the knowledge in the world does not keep a person from missing the purpose of life. In spite of his knowledge, Solomon married many women, and when he was old he built altars to their gods. His foolishness eventually led to his downfall.
Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Don’t get caught in a web of knowledge without true wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). I would rather have the fear of the Lord that begins my road to wisdom than all the data that knowledge can carry. Yes, we need knowledge, but more than ever, we need wisdom to handle that knowledge properly. Remember James told us to ask God for wisdom, not knowledge, and when asked, the Lord will give liberally.

“In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool.”
- Lord Chesterfield

Are You A Success Story?

Read Joshua 1:8

Success seems to be a fleeting concept. People have defined success in many different ways, and yet it sometimes is still difficult to comprehend, let alone attain. I want to throw my two cents in today because I feel there are those that do not feel they are successful even though they are.

A man or a woman is a success:
-When they can make steppingstones to higher experiences out of defeats,
-When they can see a silver lining on the edge of a dark cloud that left desolation in the path of life’s prospects,
-When they have a great concept of God and a true sense of their own smallness,
-When their faith and courage are as unwavering when things look bright and lovely as when they appear dark and fearful,
-When they place a higher value on service and efficiency than on money and expediency.

We will look at more ways people are successful over the next few days, but I encourage you to look at the previous list and go beyond the phrase to real applications in your life. Have defeats in your life been used to advance your family? Then you are a success. When everything seems to have been destroyed and you are even fearful to dream, can you still see that ever so faint glimmer of silver on that cloud? Then you are a success. Do you understand how big God is and how small you really are? Then you are a success. It is sometimes easy to lean on God when everything seems to fall apart because it seems no one else can help, but what about when everything is well? Do you still have your faith in Him, or do you begin to trust your resources in good times? If you continue to trust in Him, you are a success. When you can get to the place in life where your heartbeat focuses on helping others rather than yourself, you have become a success.
Just think, you have every opportunity to be successful today. Why not give it a try?

“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.”
-George Edward Woodberry

Read Psalm 66:4

“Keep on traveling on. Keep on . . .” sang the sanctuary choir. They had just sung the first five words of their Sunday evening concert when everything went dark. All power was gone. Well, not all power. Not true power.
The choir kept singing. Flashlights were found to shine on the chorale as they sang their entire repertoire without accompaniment. Midway through the concert, the director asked the congregation to sing along. It was goose-bump time as God’s name was lifted high in that darkened church. “Hallelujah” never seemed so heavenly.
When I read the above story, it reminded me of a phrase that I heard in Bible College. It was, “Power cannot go from the rushing water to the high tension wire without first going through the power house.”
I am sure, as any group would, before the concert; everyone had worked hard to make sure all the electrical equipment was working. There were probably sound checks upon sound checks. Lights were triple-checked to make sure everything was operating at an optimum level. However, I think that the best thing that may have happened was for that power to go out. As a result of a lack of natural power, God’s power was highlighted. God’s light, not electric light, shone through. Jesus was praised. It was probably not the ideal situation, but because God was present, there was more power present than ever needed.
Sometimes our plans break down and our efforts fall short. When things happen that we can’t control, we must “keep on traveling” and remember where the real power for godly living and true praise comes from. When our efforts falter, we need to keep praising and lifting up Jesus. It’s all about Him anyway. God’s great power deserves our grateful praise.

“What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room.”
- Ray Charles

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Dream and Soar

Dream and Soar

Read Psalm 16:8

Yesterday, I took Declynn to the park while we were waiting for Owen to get out of school. He loved everything about the park. He would climb all over the jumbo gym set with the ladders and the slides. It seemed that he really enjoyed everything. However, the trip would not have been complete if he had not been able to soar through the air upon the swing that Dad pushed.
Swing sets have come a long way since I was a kid. I remember the one that we had in our backyard. It was one of those hollow steel sets that when you got to a certain height in swinging the legs would come out of the ground and you thought your life was surely coming to an end every time you experienced the thump of the legs hitting the earth once again. Today, swing sets are riveted to the ground so that tiny human armies are unable to move them. The swings, for just a moment let you defy the laws of gravity, and for a brief second you are able to fly.
Dreams do much the same thing. As we dream, we press past the confines of what is and what has been. As our minds dare to see the unseen, our imagination fuels our faith and we begin to trust God for something more. Many people gave up dreaming years ago because the process became too dangerous. Just when they would let themselves get a little air under them, the legs of the dream would seem to come out of the ground and strike terror into their hearts. However, God is not like the old, hollow steel swing sets that move when you get too high. God is immovable and if we allow ourselves to get connected to Him, we are safe to dream and soar once again.
How long has it been since you dreamed? When was the last time you jumped into the swing set of life and allowed the soaring Spirit of God to push beyond your wildest imaginations? Today, I believe that God is calling all dreamers everywhere to either begin, restart or make our dreams bigger. The bigger the dream, the more glory He gets when He makes that dream come true!! Go ahead, try it!

“I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
- Henry David Thoreau

Happy Mother's Day - My Tribute

Read I Samuel 1:1-28

I remember how we felt. The excitement and the anxiety were intense. The questions and the supposed answers just seemed to line up after years of emptiness. My wife and I wanted to have children desperately, but because of medical reasons were unable to do so. The phone rang one day, and an opportunity to adopt seemed very real. We bought baby boy items such as clothes and toys, all the things that expectant parents do when a new baby is on the way. We had been married for eight years and really wanted to have a child. Then the other call came. Instant devastation. Heart breaking, red-hot tears. Not understanding why God had allowed the boy we were to adopt to be still-born. There is something special about mothers. It does not matter what kind of mother she is; moms are just special people. So here is my tribute to mothers.
For those we call moms: biological, adoptive, foster, and spiritual mothers, whether mothers by birth, by marriage or by choice, I say, “Thank you for making sacrifices that were never seen; for taking risks that were never recorded, for loving more than we deserved.” It is because of you we are here today, and I honor you.
For those who long to be mothers: the path of obedience thus far has not led you into marriage or motherhood. For those who ache each Mother’s Day, taking a handkerchief to the cheek as you listen to the steady rhythm of a biological clock rounding past midnight again as you continue to believe that God is indeed good. I offer my honor to you.
For those who risk hope month after month waiting for God to give you a child, riding the roller coaster of hope and disappointment, excitement and despair, faith and fact, I pour out my heart to you.
For those who have held a child in your womb, or in your arms and later committed them to God’s eternal embrace, or for those who have walked through the valley of the shadow of death with our heavenly Father who also knows what it is like to bury a son, I give honor to your strength.
For those who were faithful to nurture a child in your womb and then in love placed your baby in the arms of another, on behalf of all adoptive mothers and adopted children everywhere, thank you for your courage and thank you for your sacrifice.
My story did not end in the pain of that loss. We received news about a year later that my wife was indeed pregnant. Now, my sons and I, along with millions of other husbands and children, say thank you to the mothers that have changed our lives. Make sure that “Mom” knows you are thankful for her today.
It was Washington Irving that said, “A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

Isaiah 45:13 “I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Navigating past the camels and the sheep, the young man found the elder. John was leading his household toward the setting sun, his staff crunching a steady rhythm in the dirt and sand. For several minutes the youth hesitated. John seemed lost in thought, like he was remembering some conversation with a dear friend. Matthew was only a servant, but the master had always taken time to speak with him. Taking a deep breath, the youth asked the burning question in his mind, “Master, I was wondering, didn’t God give you any details?”

“Details? Let me see. He said, ‘Follow’, what more do I need?” as a smile began to form upon his lips.

Matthew was astonished and threw up his hands, “With all due respect master, we need directions. We need to identify our ultimate destination and map out a route.”

“Our ultimate destination is wherever God leads. Our route is clear: obedience,” John said. “It is difficult for you Matthew because you are concerned with where we are going, but I am concerned with who we are following.”

We often times get wrapped up in where we are going instead of who we are following. God will lead us wherever He pleases, but are we willing to follow. It is not important where we go, but who we follow to get there. Our true home is not a place, but it is a person, Jesus Christ.
Today, we do not need to be anxious about how we are going to get there, the cost or any obstacles. We need to look no further than who we are following.

"He who is to be a good ruler must have first been ruled." Aristotle

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for visiting me on this site. You can find updated blogs on our new site at www.spiritofgracechurch.org under "from the Pastor" section. We hope our words have been and will continue to be a blessing to all!!

Tim

The Power in Thankfulness

Read I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 92:1-2

The death of a child. The abuse of a loved one. The report of cancer. The betrayal of a friend, the closest friend. A rebellious child. The searing pains of life that leave us marred and overflowing with depression. The phone call relaying the message that a loved one is not returning from war. What emotions well up? Anger. Resentment. Fury. Self-pity. Despair. Hopelessness. Thankfulness?
Many divine commands seem perfectly reasonable—for example, no adultery, no idols, and no murder. However, the Lord also gave some instructions that ostensibly make little sense. One of those commands is the seemingly impossible task of giving thanks in everything. The Scriptures clearly teach that giving thanks is meant to be a way of life, not just a seasonal event. The problem is that we often do not feel appreciative, particularly when facing painful circumstances or tests of our faith. In fact, expressing gratitude for bad news seems irrational. Our limited claim to rationality, however, cannot compete with God's greater knowledge of what is best for His children. Just like the natural parent realizes that the struggle a child has to learn their “ABC’s” will one day allow that child to read, God knows that sometimes the struggle and disappointments of life prepare us for future blessing. As a result, we live a successful Christian life only by choosing to thank Him for everything He sends or allows across our path.
What the Lord knows is that gratitude powerfully impacts the believer. Tribulation can leave us feeling isolated, but thanking God for His ongoing care or provision reminds us of His constant presence. Equipped with the knowledge that He is in control, we can submit our will to His. Though our circumstances remain the same, our attitude is divinely changed through trust. In God's perfect time, the divine plan is revealed, and we can tell Him with sincere hearts, "Lord, thank You!"

“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Perhaps the most used words by a parent are, “Because I said so.” Do you agree? When that darling young child finally learns the famous question, “Why”, very soon you can hear the response, “because I said so.” If things got really intense between child and parent, the response might grow into this; “because I am you MOTHER, and I said so.” How many remember hearing those words in your lifetime. I remember them plenty.
Have you ever thought about God in those terms? I think that there are times when God just finally must say, “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to love my enemy?” “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to fast and pray?” “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to tithe and give?” “Because I said so.”
“Why did my father have to die?” “Because I said so.”
There are so many instances when the only answer to our question is, “Because I said so.” The problem that we have with that answer is that so many of us are more educated than our level of obedience. What I mean by that is we are trained from childhood to figure out and find the truth in everything. Think about it. All through grade school, we are taught math and science and English, and we are taught by equations and methods and sentence structures to the point that everything has a nice, tidy answer to it. Unfortunately, I have found since graduating the third grade, that life does not supply many nice and tidy answers. There seems to be more gray areas than an old black and white photo.
It is when we are wandering through those gray areas that we must learn to accept His answer of “Because I said so,” and be obedient without understanding it all. Why do some people pass away and others live? I don’t really know, but I trust that He does, and I must continue to be obedient to him. Why do institutions of ill repute flourish, and churches struggle to pay the bills? I am not always sure, but I still am obedient to Him.
Is your day warm and sunny, or is it cloudy and cool? Either way, the best advice anyone can give is; obey, “Because He said so." Like the old song says, "God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind, so when you don't understand, when you don't see His plan, when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart."

We are having a wonderful vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and when I awoke this morning and looked out from our deck, I was reminded of the wonderful creative love of God. It seems that just as we begin to wonder how bad this world may seem to be getting, He has this beautiful tendency to walk me above the clouds and give me a different perspective. When I looked out today, I saw the picture that I have attached to this post. While the picture doesn't do you justice - it is amazing in person.

What I am so grateful for today is that from God's perspective, all things are quiet and in control. As I looked from the deck, I couldn't see the "rat race" that was happening below the tree level. All I could see was the calm, glorious view of His creation. When He looks at us, He doesn't have to dwell on our stress, busyness, worry or any of the other things we have to constantly "think" about. He just sees His creation and when He sees us, He sees His creation and declares that He did a pretty good job? When we can get to the point that we agree with the Master Designer, we will become everything that He wants us to become and stop fretting about "not being enough"! After all, He is the Creator!

The Intersection of Hunger and Desire

I felt the Lord minister a word to me yesterday. It was one of those things where my mind began to jump when I realized the key to a move of God.

It is found in the story of the blind beggar in Mark 10:46 - 52. Bartimaeus when he heard that is was Jesus (Dare I say he heard the Word) and faith came by his hearing of Jesus. Most of us stop there and think that if we hear the Word of the Lord, then we can expect a miraculous move of God. The blind man didn't settle for just hearing about the Lord, he wanted an experience with the Lord. He realized two things: what he needed and what he wanted! What he was hungry for and what he desired!

You see, he knew that he needed the mercy of the Lord, thus that is what he shouted. Need is expressed through hunger, and Jesus promised that the hungry would be filled. However, I noticed in this story that his hunger is what stopped Jesus in his tracks. Now I believe that Jesus knew what was getting ready to happen, but nevertheless, he asked this man what he desired. It is at this point that the miracle of God takes place. It is at this intersection of the blind man's hunger and his desire that the power of God would be made manifest! His hunger was for mercy, but his desire was his sight, and when these two things collided, Jesus responded by not just meeting his desires, but also feeding him by making him WHOLE! He didn't just receive his sight, he was made whole!!!!

How about you? Have you been looking for a move of God in your life? If so, has your hunger intersected with your desire? If it has, get ready for the miraculous power of God. If it hasn't, you now know where to begin your prayer - Lord, lead us to the intersection of hunger and desire!!!

"Everyday holds the possibility of a miracle."                               Elizabeth David

 Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Those who belong to Him learn to recognize His voice and listen carefully to it. God’s goal in speaking to us include that we--Comprehend the truth. God wants His perfect Word to take root in our mind and become a permanent part of our thinking. Scripture is central to God’s plan to understand who He is and what His purposes are.
Conform to the truth. His objective is that biblical truth will be reflected in our daily choices and lifestyle.
Communicate the truth. God not only wants us to assimilate His Word and be transformed by it; He also desires to work through us to impact others’ lives. If we are not submitted to the truth and been changed by it, our words will lack divine power and have little effect on the listener. If we are absorbing the Scriptures and allowing God to mold us, then His divine “fingerprints” will be visible in our plans, schedules, thoughts, and attitudes. As a result, our conversation will reflect His viewpoint and include topics important to Him.
When we comprehend the truth, conform to the truth and communicate the truth, we become a force that the prince of darkness does not want to deal with. If these three attitudes are evident in our lives, submission to God is easy. When we are submitted to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee.
Achieving God’s goals requires a teachable heart, a cooperative spirit, and a listening ear. Do you have all three? God desires to be intimate with us; to whisper with His still small voice into our lives. He does not want to have to yell through the whirlwind. Are you ready to listen?

"Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen."
John Muir

Nature's Beauty - God's Gift to YOU!

I am amazed by God. The beauty that was available today as the sun shined and the trees began to show their buds was something to behold. After so many months of winter, it was just a treat to have such a wonderful day today.

I have found life that way at times. Just when the winter of your life seems like it is going to overwhelm you, spring shows up just in time. Jesus knows exactly what we need and

He knows just when we need it. The power of God demonstrated in the awesome wonder of His creation is something that leaves me speechless. He does that just for me! He lets me see the beauty and the power of the rushing river, the majesty of the snow-covered mountains, the peaceful lapping of water along the lakeshore and He even declares His beauty in the middle of the valley when we cannot see our own way.

I trust that you can see the beauty of the Lord and His majesty in all things today. Truly, He loves you like no one else - you are His beloved, the apple of His eye and just to show you how much He loves you - take a look outside and behold the beauty that He made for you!!!

"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority."
E. B. White (1899 - 1985)

Of Mice and Men...

Todays devotion comes from a dear saint of Spirit of Grace Church. Thank you Verna for reminding us of a wonderful Savior!!

MICE AND MEN
By Verna Anderson

It was already a crazy day and it was only 8 am. I was running around, making a shopping list for last minute items prior to the preschool Christmas party.

Then, I remembered that I needed to wrap the little truck that Noah picked out to give to another boy in the class. All the wrapping paper was still in the garage in a huge box that remained unopened after our summer move. The box sat just outside the mudroom door, needing to have the packing tape cut so that I could get to the contents. As I stood next to the box, realizing that I had no way to cut the tape, I could hear some rustling over by the deep freezer.

The sound was easily recognizable to me because I knew Keith had been catching mice out there, probably hungry little ones who had found our buckets of corn that we had planned to use to feed squirrels. Yes, I knew that was a mouse, caught in the trap, struggling to get free. I said to myself, that’s fine but just stay over there. I’m not a fan of mice. They are cute but I always think of the times people have had them crawling in their clothing—sends shivers up my back.

I went back into the house to get the paring knife to cut the packing tape. As usual, I got distracted. It happens often. Children need dressing. Lists need one more item added. Those things got me sidetracked and a bit of time passed before I noticed the still unwrapped truck. Must get that knife and dig out the paper and get that done. Once again I went into the garage, this time ready to open the box holding the wrapping paper.

Much to my surprise, the little mouse had made the long trek from the freezer to the mudroom step. The poor little guy stuck by only his front paw. He was working frantically to pull free. Yuck, was my first thought. Keith would kill him and toss him in the garbage but I hate killing things. As I looked down at him, my gaze met his beady brown eyes, his fur was silky smooth and he was actually quite cute, as mice go. In and instant, I decided that I could not kill him. I would set him free but how? I definitely did not want to pick up the trap for fear that he would flip around and crawl on me.

I went back into the house, this time to get a tongs. Then, back out into the garage to pick up the trap with the tongs, walk to the end of the driveway and free our little intruder. He struggled the whole time. How would you feel if you were trapped in a vice and a giant picked up the vice, dangling you in the air? Must have been terrifying. When I set the trap down, he tried again to run away, pulling the trap with him. I caught the trap with the tongs and released him, jumping back to keep away, still thinking of a mouse running up my pant leg. He ran onto the snow and for a moment seemed to head toward the garage. The thought came to mind that he would return to the garage, which would mean his rescue was a total waste of time. Thankfully, he turned and headed toward the flowerbed. The last I saw him, he was hiding in a deep footprint in the snow, catching his breath and contemplating his next move.

My day went on from there, kids to school and party time and even a bit of shopping. I forgot about that mouse until my husband asked why the trap was on the mudroom step. I didn’t tell him I had let the mouse go. He would have thought I was crazy.

I thought of that mouse again this morning and realized that his story was similar to so many of us. We spend our days just living life; not realizing we need a Savior. Then, we get into a spot we should not be and sin traps us. If we are lucky, it does not kill us. We struggle to get free. The fight is hard. The trap is tight on us. We drag the weight of our sin all around our world. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a giant comes and picks us up. Who is this giant? We fight some more because we are afraid of this giant. We don’t know him. Will he kill us? What are his intentions? Thankfully, that giant is a loving God who reaches down and sets us free from our sin. He watches us carefully to see what we will do with our freedom. Will we return to sin or will we set out on a new course? If we are wise, we will take the new path and always remember what he has done for us. We will desire to stay free and out of sin.

Where are you today? Are you wandering around in search of something? Have you strayed into sin, getting caught in its trap? If so, a giant God is waiting patiently for you to look up from your trap, into his loving eyes and accept his gift of freedom.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Loving Obedience

Read Deuteronomy 5:23-33

Thankfully, I have had only one speeding ticket in years. This one was about twelve years ago and it was because I was going twenty-nine in a twenty-five school zone. Can you believe that? Speed was such a concern for one mother in Colorado that she would go and sit in her car in front of an elementary school every weekday afternoon and point a hair dryer out her window at passing vehicles. Many drivers mistook the hand-held dryer for a radar gun and slowed down. Mission accomplished! The speed limit is posted in the school zone but it often takes the threat of punishment to make drivers obey the law.
Now, think about how you discipline or disciplined your child. Often, it is the threat of punishment that keeps us straight. I have been labeled a “goody-goody” when I was growing up. I was. I was that way, not because my sense of right and wrong was perfect. I wasn’t that way because I loved God so much that I never wanted to disappoint Him. I was that way because my dad has big hands and an even bigger belt. I was not one that needed several reminders of the pain inflicted to my hind parts in discipline. My cousin Dan – not so much – he was a little stubborn. Me, I was a wimp. I avoided punishment at all cost!!
Now, think about you and God. That's a sobering picture of us all, even in our relationship with God. Instead of an inner willingness to follow God, it may take the force of difficult circumstances to turn us toward Him. But that's not how our heavenly Father wants it to be. The Lord has always longed for His people to obey Him from their hearts. When the Israelites were poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments and then told them God's response to their intention to keep His law: "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29).
God doesn't want us to obey Him just because we're afraid of punishment. He will honor obedience at whatever level, but He really longs for loving obedience that comes from our hearts. How about it? Are you trying to serve God just because you are afraid of His punishment because, like my dad’s love, He will chasten us from time to time, or do you obey because you love? Take a moment right now and measure your love for Him. As the old song says, “I keep falling in love with Him, over and over again.”

“The greatest blessing of our democracy is freedom. But in the last analysis, our only freedom is the freedom to discipline ourselves.”
- Bernard Baruch

True Joy

Read Philippians 4:4

If you know me, I am not the most emotional person. Sentimental, yes. Emotional, not very. People that are constantly bouncing off walls irritate me as well as people always in the doldrums of life. Would you find a happy medium and just stay there!! No, really, I do not get very excited about too many things, but I am a happy person. I do have an abundance of joy. I just show it with a smile, not a jump and a dance.
I read a story of an eighty year old lady that had kept a joyful spirit throughout her life. During World War II, in spite of dangers and separations, she and her husband were still able to laugh together at home. She recalls a summer when their laughter was overheard by a cynical neighbor. "What on earth do you two find to laugh about?" she grumbled.
Author Colleen Townsend Evans has an idea about why some can maintain joy, while others can't. "This kind of tough joy can irritate those who might want it very much but, not knowing how it comes, choose to scoff instead." Evans continues, "Joy is okay, the world seems to say, if we have some excuse for it. Like when your favorite team wins or you get a raise in pay. If we have no obvious reason for our joy, we're likely to be judged."
For all of us, joy is a decision that we must make to possess. Everyone has cares in life. I heard one preacher say it this way, “If you have a mailbox, you have cares.” Isn’t that true? The Bible doesn't say joy is a fruit of circumstance; it clearly states that joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). To live a joy-filled life, we must "walk in the Spirit" (v.25). Then we can rejoice in spite of our circumstances. Paul was in prison when he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
Unfortunately we have made the Christmas season a time of stress, headaches, traffic jams and worry. What we spend today, we will have to pay for months. Guilt for not being able to supply a good Christmas to families drives many into depression and condemnation. In fact, a while ago in Kansas City, the two “all the time” Christmas music stations were trying to get people to help to give some things to those families that do not have.
I am thankful that the joy of the Lord is not predicated on my situation, but that His joy is evidenced in my life in the midst of my situation. Your choice to rejoice may irritate some, but it will encourage others and glorify God. In fact, see how many people ask you how it happens that you can smile and rejoice in the middle of chaos, and you can share with them, “Joy comes from the Lord who lives within us, not from what's happening around us.”

“Let my name stand among those who are willing to bear ridicule and reproach for the truth's sake, and so earn some right to rejoice when the victory is won.”
- Louisa May Alcott

Who Do You Look Like?

Read Galatians 5:1-6

It is interesting when a child is born. One of the first comments from anyone is that the baby looks just like so and so. One day, they might look like mom, dad, aunt or uncle. I remember (as of December 2, 15 years ago) just after my niece was born we were walking her in a stroller. Someone that should have known came up to us and asked my wife and I if we were walking our son. We told him that no, not only was it not our son, but it was my sisters GIRL. It just so happened that my niece looked a little like me when she was born. My oldest son favored me at first and now he is almost a picture of what my wife was at that age. My youngest son is an exact replica of his grandfather (Oh, NO!).
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Philippians 2:5-11. I find the underlying themes of all of biblical doctrines are the fact that we desire to be like Christ. The British novelist J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "Sheep get to be like their Shepherd, it is said, but slowly." The renewal of the inner person, becoming Christ-like, is not accomplished in a moment but a lifetime.
Augustine (354-430) observed that this process is like healing from a near-fatal wound. "It's one thing," he said, "to remove the spear, but quite another to heal the wound by long and careful treatment." This healing occurs gradually as our old ways of thinking and living are erased, and we become more like our Savior as we are renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). This renewal takes place not by self-effort alone but by faith. It involves reading, meditating on, and obeying God's Word. We must also fix our minds on the character of Christ and ask God to make us like Him.
Then we must wait, confident that God is working in us to accomplish His purposes. Every day has its mishaps and memories of something we should have done or not done, but we must not be impatient. Though incomplete, we are in process. Sin may frustrate us for a day, but God is at work—and on ahead lies perfection, which is "the hope of righteousness" (Galatians 5:5).
I don’t know about you, but there are days when I really wonder if I am being very much like Christ. The only consolation is that He understands and will, every day, take some time to mold and form me again. I also can live with the hope that one day I shall be like Him for I shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

“To become Christ-like is the only thing in the whole world worth caring for, the thing before which every ambition of man is folly and all lower achievement vain.”
- Henry Drummond

The Solid Rock

Read Matthew 7:15-27

The house that I grew up in started as a cabin and gradually my grandfather, uncle and dad added to it. I remember there was an opening as you went downstairs that led to a dirt foundation over the kitchen. If you spilled something in the kitchen it would roll downhill. Thankfully, dad waited until I had moved away to dig out the foundation and replace it with a strong foundation. I love that house and it is still in the family today. Now, my sister and brother-in-law will see that it stays standing.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, some people in the US are building houses stronger than ever before. Hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes have caused billions of dollars in property damage in states across the nation. So, at the urging of businesses, government, and hard-pressed insurance companies, some builders are constructing fortress-like homes with windows that can withstand 130 mile-per-hour winds, roof nails so strong they can only be cut off, and framing material that can weather the tremendous forces faced by a supersonic jet. In Bolingbrook, Illinois, a community damaged by a tornado in the 1990s, a company is constructing such a “fortified” house in hopes that the idea will catch on.
We who know the Lord Jesus realize that when it comes to building our spiritual foundation, it must be strong and secure. In today’s Scripture, Christ made it clear what that foundation must be when He referred to “these sayings of Mine” (Matt. 7:24), which included His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7). When we receive by faith Christ’s words and His work on our behalf, our spiritual lives are “founded on the Rock,” Christ Jesus. No matter what you accomplish in this life, eventually your foundation will be tested and when that test comes, what will you have built your life upon? I challenge you today that in order to survive the storms of life, be anchored to the Rock of Ages.

Cast Your Worries

Read Philippians 4:6-7

Let’s find out today how we go about worrying about nothing.
The key to finding peace in anxious times is to - pray about everything. In other words, instead of worrying about it, pray about it. That is how we release our worries, relieve our stress and put our trust in God. Turn your anxious thoughts into prayer requests. In so doing, you turn your eyes off the problem and on to God, who is the problem solver. Remember, “When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works.” When you pray about it you are taking your problems out of your hands and placing them in God’s hands.
I heard about a guy who worried all the time. He worried about his checkbook, his investments, his wife, his mortgage payments - he worried about the fact that he worried so much. Finally, one of his friends hit him with a question and said, “Man, why do you worry so much – you’re always so agitated?” “Not anymore,” the man replied. “How’s that?”, the friend inquired. The fellow explained, “I hired somebody to worry for me - I put an ad in the newspaper and offered $10,000 a week to somebody qualified to make me worry-free by doing all my worrying for me.” The friend laughed, “And how do you think you’ll pay him?” The man shot back, “Hey, that’s his worry!”
Don’t you wish it were that easy? Actually it is and we don’t have to hire anyone. We have a God that wants to handle our problems for us. I Peter 5:6-7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Giving God your worry, anxieties and cares is an act of humility. You are saying, “Lord, I can’t handle it, but you can.” A corollary verse can be found in Psalm 55:22. It says, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you.” Cast your burden on the Lord literally means to throw them down or slam them down on God. The way you do that is in prayer. In other words, whenever a worry filled, anxious thought comes to mind, instead of sitting and stewing on it, pray about it. Through prayer you can slam down your worries.
Try this exercise. Take several pieces of paper crumpled up with these words written on them; “family problems,” “health problems,” and “financial problems”. Let me show you what that looks like. An anxious thought comes, “My teenager has been acting rebellious.” “Well Father, you gave me that child and I have committed him to you. I took him to Sunday school, I pray for him daily, and I trust him into your hands. I’m not going to worry about it, he’s your responsibility.” (Crumple the paper and slam it down). “Yes, there have been layoffs at the plant but you’re the God that supplies all of my family’s needs according to your riches in glory. I’m going to continue to be the best employee I can be, pray for for my boss and company, and trust you. Even if I do get laid off, you’ll provide for me, maybe through another job. But I refuse to worry about it; I give it over to you.” (Throw the next paper). “The doctor’s report wasn’t good but it’s not my responsible to worry about. I’m going to take good care of myself, follow the doctor’s instructions, and claim the Bible’s promises of divine healing. Lord, I trust you with my health, in Jesus name, Amen.” (Repeat).
That seems to sound easy, and in principle it is. Now, pick one of those pieces of paper back up. Do you notice how quickly it came back? That’s because it’s your paper. Once you cast them on the Lord, don’t ask for them back by setting your mind on them again. If you do, He’ll give them back to you, because they’re your problems. So once you cast them on him, let Him handle them and don’t take them back. There are too many that spend the time casting them through prayer into the lap of the Lord but are yet determined to take them back and worry over them again. Once you place it in His hand, leave it there and the way to do that will come tomorrow.

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”
- Corrie Ten Boom