Staccato: The Personal Blog of John J Frady

Thanksgiving

2011-08-15T06:03:00.001-07:00

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. Psalm 100:4 HCSB

When I was a young child, it was hard for me to distinguish the concepts of having thanksgiving in my heart and having thanksgiving dinner with my family. Whenever I heard that I was supposed to enter His gates with thanksgiving, I pictured my entire family carrying turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie through the front gate of the Lord’s house, and then sitting down with Him, Pilgrims, and Indians for a giant feast at an enormous table. Then, before we ate, instead of bowing our heads, we simply turned to the Lord and thanked Him face to face. In my mind, He always nodded graciously in a noble and righteous way. Even now as I remember it, tears come to my eyes.

Even though I misunderstood the meaning of thanksgiving as a child, I think I had a big part of it right. When we come before the Lord, we are to thank Him for His many blessings. We should never forget to thank Him and to praise Him in response to all He has given us.

God, may we always come before You with thanksgiving.

Above All

2011-08-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

Above all, fear the Lord and worship Him faithfully with all your heart, considering the great things He has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24 HCSB

Sometimes it’s just hard to get excited about worshiping the Lord. I get so consumed with everything that’s going on around me that it’s hard for me to shift my mind to the goodness of the Lord. I know that I need to lift Him up regardless of my circumstances, but often I just don’t feel like it.

One thing that has helped me overcome this is remembering everything that the Lord has done for me. Sometimes, I even have to run through them verbally or mentally.

1. He died for me.
2. He is always there to offer me counsel.
3. He loves me more than I could ever imagine.
4. He’s provided for me time and time again.
5. He’s given me an awesome wife.
6. He’s given me a home.
7. He allows me to serve Him.

Somehow, counting my blessings reminds me of how faithful He’s been to me. That, in turn, helps me to worship Him faithfully.

Thank You, Lord, for all that You’ve done for me.

Remember

2011-08-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith…
Hebrews 12:1-2a

Being the son of a career Marine, many of my formative years were spent on or around military bases. Even as a child, I was always impressed by the meticulous upkeep of military cemeteries. The seemingly endless rows of neatly manicured identical graves made an imprint on my memory. The men and women buried in those places served our country well. They deserve to be remembered as heroes.

As Christians, we should have an even greater tenacity in remembering the faithfulness of those who have gone before us. We should never forget how we could not be where we are today if they had not remained loyal to Jesus. These Christian leaders, pastors and laymen alike, deserve to be remembered as heroes.

Lord, thank You for the faithfulness of Your people over the years. Help us to remember them and to allow them to serve as a never-ending example to us.

True Faith

2011-08-06T05:43:00.000-07:00

If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up. Daniel 3:17-18 HCSB

When I was a child, I played the part of Nebuchadnezzar in a musical, which told the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I enjoyed getting to rant and rave in church because these three men would not worship my gods.

Several years later, I made Jesus my Lord. Suddenly, I realized that the Bible stories I had learned growing up in church were true and that there really were three men who stood before a hateful king who ordered them executed because they refused to worship his idols.

Now, as I remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I see three men so full of faith in God that they were willing to give up their lives. In their refusal to worship the gods of the king, they truly worshiped the one true God.

Lord, help us to always faithfully worship You.

Reflect

2011-07-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions. Psalm 77:12 HCSB

This is my Father’s world; O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. Mark Babcock*

Often, when I come to God in worship, my mind is filled with thoughts of horrible things that are happening around the world. I think of terrorists wreaking havoc, financial institutions crumbling, devastating natural disasters, orphans crying out, and people living in hunger. When this happens, I can’t help but echo the words of Asaph: Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He is anger withheld His compassion? (Psalm 77:9 HCSB)

However, as I begin to worship, God reminds me of how often He has provided for others and for me. He reminds me of how it’s only by His mercy that the world is not consumed. He reminds me of how He offered His Son as a sacrifice to pay the price for our sins. Then, I remember the further words of Asaph: I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions. (Psalm 77:12 HCSB)

Lord, when we remember Your faithfulness, help us to worship You?

*This Is My Father’s World

Loyalty

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man? Proverbs 20:6 HCSB

Many years ago, I learned a song about faithfully praising God during difficult times. I sang it whenever I had the opportunity. I wanted it known that I was extremely loyal to Jesus.

But then, life happened. My car was stolen, twice. Bills and taxes became a reality. My metabolism slowed. I gained weight. Church business meetings wounded my heart. I lost my ministry position. And then came the miscarriage. It took me lower than I ever thought I could go. I considered leaving the ministry and abandoning my faith.

But then, I remembered all that the Lord had done for me. I remembered how He had always provided for me. I remembered the love that He had for me. And then, I remembered that He died for me. How could I turn away from Him when He had been so faithful to me?

I still want to praise the Lord, no matter what happens. But now, I understand that it’s more reflected in the way I live my life through difficult times than in the songs that I sing about them.

Lord, help us to be faithful to You, always.

Return

2011-07-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” Genesis 22:5 HCSB

Abraham never thought that he would be a father, but there he stood, on a mission of faith, with his son Isaac beside him. The Lord had told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as an act of worship. Can you imagine how Abraham must have felt upon hearing God’s request? As an old man, he had finally seen the beginnings of everything that he had been promised by the Lord and now he was being asked to willingly offer it all back to God in worship. Talk about a crisis of belief! What was God thinking? Didn’t He remember His promise to Abraham? Didn’t the Lord know how much Abraham loved Isaac? Surely something inside Abraham encouraged him to disobey the Lord and spare the life of his son. But, that didn’t happen. Abraham obeyed God, but he also had faith that somehow he would return from worshiping with a live Isaac beside safely beside him.

Lord, help us to have the faith of Abraham as we worship You.

Harry, Larry, and Fluffy: A Tale of Great Sacrifice

2011-07-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy this youth drama I wrote for my friend's Steven's church. It was presented at the Arkansas Assembly of God drama contest in 2010. Thanks for reading.

Larry is a nervous overachiever. Harry is his calm friend. Fluffy is a stuffed animal, preferably fluffy and white.

(Larry nervously enters, grabs stuffed cat by the tail and raises toy sword over his head. Harry enters, is shocked by what he sees, and runs to Larry.)

Harry: Larry! What are you doing?

Larry: Something that I should have done a long time ago.

Harry: What are you going to do with that knife?

Larry: Stand back, Harry! This could get ugly.

Harry: But what are you doing?

Larry: I (long dramatic pause) am going to sacrifice Fluffy’s tail!

Harry: You’re gonna do what?

Larry: Yes, Larry. (Melodramatically) I am going to sacrifice my dear beloved cat Fluffy’s tail!

Harry: Why would you want to sacrifice your cat’s tail?

Larry: It’s what I must do, Harry. We all have to sacrifice something sooner or later. And don’t you dare try to stop me…

Harry: But…

Larry: Like I said, you had better not try to stop me! Don’t you dare try to stop me.

Harry: You’re not seriously…

Larry: Harry! Don’t try to stop me! Don’t you dare try to stop me!

Harry: All right, I won’t try. What’s one less cat’s tail, anyway?

Larry: Harry?

Harry: What?

Larry: (changing his tone) Try to stop me. Please try to stop me.

Harry: Well, I, uh… (Ponders for a moment, then adds nonchalantly) No, I won’t do it. You seem to know what you’re doing. You must have thought this through. Just try not to make a mess. You know how your mom hates a messy room.

(Harry starts to leave. Larry drops the knife, grabs Fluffy and runs after Harry.)

Larry: Wait, Harry! Wait!

Harry: (Turns to face Larry) What?

Larry: Didn’t you hear me? I said that I was going to sacrifice Fluffy’s tail!

Harry: Yeah, I heard you.

Larry: But you didn’t try to stop me!

Harry: You asked me not to.

Larry: Yeah, but then I changed my mind. Why didn’t you stop me?

Harry: (smiles) It looks to me like I did stop you.

Larry: (drops jaw) You did stop me! Oh, thank you!

(Larry and Harry sit)

Harry: Larry?

Larry: Yeah.

Harry: Why were you going to cut off your cat’s tail?

Larry: Well, I’ve been reading through the Bible this year and I’ve been in the Old Testament for weeks now, and all that they talk about is how you’ve got to make some type of animal sacrifice to atone for your sins.

Harry: Yeah, Old Testament people did have to make animal sacrifices, but…

Larry: (interrupts) You know that the only animal I have is Fluffy.

Harry: Okay, I see where you got the idea, but…

Larry: I thought about sacrificing Fluffy all the way, but I just couldn’t bring myself to kill her because she’s just so, uh, uh…

Harry: Fluffy?

Larry: Yeah, so instead I thought that I would cut off her tail as a sacrifice.

Harry: (shakes his head) I can’t believe you.

Larry: What?

Harry: First, you know that Jesus died on the cross to atone for your sins?

Larry: Yeah, I know that and I asked for forgiveness for my sins.

Harry: Then why were you going to cut off your cat’s tail?

Larry: I guess I was still feeling guilty and far from God.

Harry: (Shakes his head in disbelief) It doesn’t matter how you feel, Larry. It matters that you’re forgiven. You said that you asked for forgiveness, right?

Larry: Yeah.

Harry: Then God forgave you.

Larry: (Starts to cry. Speaks to Fluffy) Did you hear that Fluffy? You get to keep your tail!

Harry: Secondly, if you cut off Fluffy’s tail, she would have been the one making the sacrifice.

Larry: (Raises one eyebrow) Oh yeah.

(Harry and Larry Exit. Larry runs back, picks up Fluffy and exits, holding Fluffy close.)

Beautiful Feet

2011-07-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I created for Kathy for last year's Minister's Wives Retreat at Tall Timbers Retreat Center. I thought you might enjoy seeing it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnJFrady#p/a/u/0/ZW-vQxAduNI

Have a great day.

John

World's Largest Pyramid

2011-06-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

Sometime around the 200 BC, construction began on a massive pyramid in what is now the state of Pueblo in highland Mexico. It was built with the snow topped Popocatépetl volcano as its backdrop and was dedicated to the deity Quetzalcoatl. The base of the pyramid, known as the Great Pyramid of Cholula, was greater than that of the Great Egyptian Pyramid and has been called by some to be the largest ancient pyramid ever constructed. Over the years, the original pyramid was either built upon or neglected by various conquering people groups. By the time the Spaniards conquered the area, the Pyramid of Cholula was so neglected and covered with vegetation that it was believed to simply be a natural hill.

Today, on top of the ancient pyramid sits the Nuestro Senora de los Remedios (Church of our Lady of Remedies). Visitors from all around the world come to the small city of Cholula to see the largest pyramid ever constructed, climb its steps, explore it tunnels, and visit the church building at its summit. It is truly a wonder to behold.

As I now view the pictures of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, however, my mind is not drawn to the ancient Mayan or Toltec people, although they certain did achieve much in their civilizations. What I actually think about is another ancient structure, the Tower of Babel, described in Genesis chapter 11:

At one time the whole earth had the same language and vocabulary. As people migrated from the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let us make oven-fired bricks.” They had brick for stone and asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Then the Lord came down to look over the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, “If, as one people all having the same language, they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name is called Babylon, for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Hopefully, sometime in my life, I will have the chance to visit the Pyramid of Cholula and the Nuestro de los Remedios. To me, it is a monument that communicates to the world that no matter what man achieves that it will eventually be nothing more than a footstool to the glory of the Lord. Every structure, every achievement, every performance, every talent, every known thing is subject to Him.

The apostle Paul wrote the following words to the Philippians:

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even to death on a cross. For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow-of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus, You are Lord of all things! We give You glory and declare that everything and everyone is subject to You.

Unique

2011-06-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

This blog entry has been reposted by request.

So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. Genesis 1:27 HCSB

But hold up and let the river rush in, you can turn around and start livin’ again, Cause your life is a beautiful bloom in the image of the One that created you. Toby McKeehan*

To my dismay, I was not selected to be the soloist with the choir at a conference I attended in college. Sitting in the choir, I allowed myself to feel miserable and defeated during the evening of worship. Following the service, an older lady approached me and said, “When the choir sang, I watched you. You are unique and loved by God. You were created in His image and you are valuable to Him.”

Do you ever feel worthless? Do you ever feel of little value? Remember that God made you in His own image. Remember that He made you for a purpose. Remember that you are unique and loved by God. You are valuable to Him.

Lord, I know that You adore me. Thank You for creating me in Your image.

*Atmosphere

The Glory

2011-06-02T06:26:00.001-07:00

So, on an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a public address to them. The populace began to shout, ‘It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!’ At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he became infected with worms and died. Then God’s message flourished and multiplied. Acts 12:21-24 HCSB

It’s written right there in the Bible. Herod died because he didn’t give God the glory. He accepted the praise of the people as if he were the God who deserved their praise and adoration. The Lord did not appreciate Herod’s actions, so, He caused Herod to be infected with worms to the point that he died. It’s interesting to note that after this happened, that God’s message flourished and multiplied (vs. 24). God will ultimately get the glory.

God deserves our worship. He deserves our praise. There is nothing that we have done that could have possibly been accomplished without Him. He deserves all of the glory and honor and praise for anything good that has ever happened. Because He is the Lord of all and creator of all things, God is serious about receiving the glory. He does not appreciate it when we try to steal the glory that ultimately belongs to Him.

In Philippians 2:10-11, Paul wrote, So that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow-of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (HCSB) This scripture even indicates that when we give praise to Jesus, it is to the “glory” of God the Father.

All the hard work that we’ve done, all that we’ve accomplished, all that we own or ever will own, all of the beauty in the world, every good thing that ever has or ever will be, all of those we lead to Christ or lead in worship or disciple or mentor, all of our families, friends, small groups, marriages, education, and vocation – everything – absolutely everything – is because of the Lord and all of the praise, honor, and glory belongs to Him.

Lord, help us to give You the glory in all that we do and in all that we say. It all belongs to You alone.

Hog Island

2011-05-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow-of those who are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 HCSB

Hog Island is a short distance from the Port of Nassau. For years, it was a farming island where many Bahamians raised their hogs. When investors purchased the island, hoping to convert it into an upscale tourist destination, they realized no one would want to spend money to stay on “Hog” Island. So, in 1962, the Bahamian Parliament changed the name to “Paradise” Island. Today, it is home to the world-renowned Atlantis resort.

Sometimes, a name changes everything.

The name of Jesus is powerful. There is salvation in His name. Saying His name adds power to our prayers. When we speak it aloud or sing it in a praise song or hymn, everything changes. His name is a strong and mighty tower when we are under spiritual attack. When we are weary from the battle, the name of Jesus is a refuge where we can rest. His name transforms lives forever.

Jesus, Your name changes everything. We worship You.

Midnight

2011-05-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26 HCSB

The day could have been better for Paul and Silas. They were dragged to the authorities, accused of disrupting the peace, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison with their feet secured in stocks. Most people would call that a very unproductive day. However, Paul and Silas reacted quite differently. In fact, in a moment that should have been filled with despair, they opted to spend their time in prayer and worship.

If it had been me, I probably would have said, “What? Pray? Excuse me! My arms are bruised from where they dragged me, my back is covered with welps from the rods, and these stocks are very uncomfortable on my feet. You go ahead. And by the way, it’s midnight. I just don’t feel like praising Him right now.”

No wonder I haven’t experienced many earthquakes lately.

Lord, when we find ourselves in pain and in trouble, remind us that it’s time to worship You.

This Cup

2011-05-13T19:00:00.001-07:00

Then He said to them, "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me." Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:38-39 HCSB

According to the above scripture passage, before Jesus was arrested, He was overcome with sorrow. He knew the beatings and the cruel death that awaited Him. The stress He was experiencing must have been overwhelming. So, Jesus did the right thing. He cried out to His Father.

Jesus’ prayer showed His humanity, but it also showed the ultimate act of worship – obedience. He fell before God and asked to be released from the task before Him, but immediately responded in obedience and agreed to do the will of the Father.

Jesus continued to worship the Lord in obedience as He was arrested, tried, flogged, beaten, spit upon, and crucified. His extraordinary act of worship was enduring the pain of death on a cross so that you and I could one day have a relationship with Him.

Lord, help us to worship You through our obedience to You.

Front Line Worship

2011-05-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness. When they went up in front of the armed forces, they kept singing: Give thanks to the Lord, for His faithful love endures forever. 2 Chronicles 20:21 HCSB

I don’t know about you, but when problems arise in my life, my first thought is not usually worship and praise. Unfortunately, most often I try to “fix” these situations in my own strength and ability, only to later come crawling to the Lord when I’ve come to the end of myself.

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, tried a better technique when the people of Judah went out to battle with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Meunites. Instead of assigning his largest and fiercest men to the front lines, he placed several worshipers who sang continually about the faithfulness of the Lord.

Fighting battles through strategic praise and worship is not a strategy that has caught on with most modern armies in our world. However, it is the best strategy for Christ followers when we are preparing for our own battles.

Lord, when we are faced with seemingly insurmountable situations, help us to respond with worship.

Position

2011-05-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 20:17 HCSB

When I was in first grade, I played t-ball for the Sherwood Sharks. On the first day of practice, our coach watched us catch, throw, hit, and run. On the second day of practice, he assigned us our positions. Much to my dismay, I was placed in left field. Left field doesn’t see a lot of action in first grade t-ball. I hated it and thought about quitting. However, as the season continued, I realized that left field was the best position for me and for the entire team.

When the inhabitants of Judah were about to be attacked by a massive army, the Lord instructed them to position themselves for battle by standing still and watching. This assigned position certainly did not seem appropriate for the nation on the eve of their destruction, but it was the Lord’s instructions for them, which meant it was the best position for Judah at the time. Therefore, when they heard the Lord’s instructions, they fell before the Him in worship.

Lord, when we don’t understand Your instructions, help us to worship You all the more.

God's Fight

2011-05-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15b HCSB

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was afraid, so he called his people together for prayer. The Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites had joined forces against the people of Judah. All seemed hopeless as the massive army came closer. So, Jehoshaphat led his people to seek the Lord. As they were praying, the Lord spoke to them through a Levite named Jahaziel and told them not to be afraid because the battle they were about to fight actually belonged to God.

So many times, life seems overwhelming. Troubles come and multiply on our doorsteps. Enemies come out of nowhere to accuse us. When we focus on the problems, all we can see is the enormity of our hopelessness to endure. However, God doesn’t want us to focus on our forecasted disaster. He wants us to focus on Him. He doesn’t desire for us to be dismayed by the bad things happening around us. Instead, He desires for us to seek Him and worship Him through the battle.

Lord, help us to worship You even when it seems that all is lost.

What To Do When You're Afraid

2011-05-06T05:43:00.000-07:00

Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he resolved to seek the Lord. So he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him. 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 HCSB

What would you do if you heard that someone wanted to hurt you? What if you discovered that it was your neighbors joining forces to attack you? Would you be afraid?

When Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, heard the reports that the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites had come to fight against him, he was afraid. However, he chose not to run, hide, or to attack them. Instead, he chose to seek the Lord. He declared a fast for the entire nation and residents from every city of Judah joined him in seeking the Lord.

What should we do when we are afraid? Should we run away? Should we hide in our closets? Should we rush out to face the source of our fear? Or should we seek the Lord?

When evil comes our way, we should pray. When we are afraid, we should pray. When it seems that all is lost, we should pray.

Lord, remind us to seek You when we are afraid.

Fight

2011-04-14T06:34:00.001-07:00

For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. Ephesians 6:12 HCSB

I wasn’t prepared for a fight, but I had offended the fifth grade bully. When school let out, I walked home paranoid. Every sound made me jump. Suddenly, I heard a noise in the bushes behind me. I turned and saw the bully standing two feet away. Not knowing what to do, I ran home as fast as I could. There was no way I was going to let Elizabeth Zenkman lay a hand on me!

I escaped from the fight that day, but there’s another fight that Christians encounter daily. Satan, the enemy, wants to destroy our lives. He wants to steal our joy. He wants to kill our Christian witness at any cost. We must realize that he is looking for every opportunity to launch a spiritual attack against us.

We must be prepared for these attacks. We must realize that Satan wants us to conform our thoughts and our actions to those of the world around us. We must clothe ourselves in the armor of the Lord.

Father, help us to daily prepare for the attacks of Satan.

Transformed

2011-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 HCSB

I like the show The Biggest Loser. It features teams of overweight members, competing over a series of weeks to see who can lose the most weight. What I enjoy most is not the competition, but the stories shared about the transformed lives of the team members after their involvement in the show. Most often, the bodies of the participants have been radically altered because of the positive diet and exercise habits they have developed.

As Christians, we should strive for a different form of transformation. The change that we need comes from the daily renewing of our mind. The actions we take, whether positive or negative, are first conceived in our minds. If we want our actions to be more Christlike, our thoughts must be more Christlike. The Holy Spirit certainly helps us, but this renewing process also requires discipline in our thoughts, not accepting anything ungodly, but forcing ourselves to think like Jesus thinks.

Lord, help us to think like You. Help us to renew our minds.

Being a Worshiper

2011-04-12T06:04:00.000-07:00

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 HCSB

Recently, I was invited to facilitate a class on living a life of worship. Before the class began, one of the participants nervously raised his hand and asked, “Do I need to be a musician in order to take this class?” I assured him that he did not.

Worship is not about music. It’s not about being contemporary or traditional. It’s not about whether your choir wears robes or if you even have a choir. It’s not even about whether your pastor preaches an expository or topical message.

Worship is not about doing something. Worship is about being someone. We don’t just do worship. We are worshipers. We are worshipers when we commit ourselves to the Lord with all of our hearts. This way of life is a daily choice that we must make in order to totally ascribe worth to Him. When we make that choice, God is pleased.

Lord, we want You to be pleased with us. Help us to daily present ourselves completely to You as an act of worship.

How to Be a Good Worship Leader

2011-04-08T06:23:00.001-07:00

The band is ready. The sound check is complete. Visuals are a go. Joe, the worship leader steps out on stage and begins the set. Hundreds, maybe thousands of congregants, either sing along or at least bob their heads to the music. Everything planned is presented flawlessly. However, as the worship team leaves the stage and the pastor brags on the musical presentation, Joe realizes that worship never really took place.

Determined not to have another bad experience, Joe throws himself into the planning and preparation for the next week. He programs the lights, checks and rechecks the lyrics, and broods over his song selection. The next corporate worship time passes with no change and he feels like a failure.

Joe attends a few worship conferences, updates his song list, and learns a few really cool guitar rifts. Sadly, after implementing what he has learned, none of these things help Joe feel successful in his worship leadership.

After a few months, Joe decides that he must not have what it takes to be a good worship leader. He meets with his pastor about his internal struggle, intending to resign at the end of their conversation.

After listening intently, the pastor leans toward Joe and asks, “Are you having the same trouble in your times of personal worship?”

A wave of realization sweeps across Joe’s face as he admits to his pastor and to himself that his personal times of worship have been virtually nonexistent.

“Joe,” said his pastor, “You need to consistently practice the presence of God. There is no other option if you want to be a good worship leader.”

Joe’s pastor is correct. If we are going to be good worship leaders, then we have to be good worshipers. This is more important than our musical ability, than our song repertoire, than our physical appearance, than our knowledge of all things technical, and even more than our personal charisma.

In John 12:26, Jesus said, Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am.

As worship leaders, we are tasked with bringing people into the presence of God. In other words, we are to lead people to where He is.

If we are going to lead people into God’s presence, we must know the way. That means that we have to be worshipers of the Lord personally, when we’re not on stage, when no one else is around, when we’re alone with the Lord, and when someone else is leading worship. We have to be worshiping disciples of Jesus.

We can’t lead people somewhere we haven’t been. There’s no corporate worship GPS system that will guide our congregations of people to encounter and experience God other than us. If we haven’t been in His presence, it doesn’t just affect us. It affects the weekly spiritual walk of hundreds, perhaps thousands of people.

We’ve practiced our instruments. We’ve practiced the songs. Now, let’s practice the presence of God.

2011-03-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise-dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 HCSB

I once heard a comedian say, “Whatever you eat, you’re going to be. If you eat a lot of fat, greasy food, you become a fat, greasy dude.” Over the years, and many hamburgers later, I found that there is wisdom in that statement. The food that we eat doesn’t just provide us with fuel for that day. It stays with us and changes our bodies, sometimes forever.

The same is true regarding our thoughts and actions. What we do and what we think about can change our very natures. Everything impacts everything. If a teenager gives away her virginity for a night of pleasure, everything in her future is impacted. If a dad in a midlife crisis blows his retirement fund at the casino, it changes the financial future of his family. If a minister is overwhelmed with stress and commits adultery for relief, it can literally impact the spiritual walk of thousands of people.

Lord, may You be pleased with our thoughts and actions.

Conform Vs. Transform

2011-03-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 HCSB

Make room within in heart, O God, That You may form in me
The image You have shown in Christ, My very life to be.
Bryan Jeffery Leech*

The definition of conform, according to Freedictionary.com is To act or be in accord or agreement. In other words, comply. Living a life of compliance can be extremely draining, especially when you have to spend so much of your time remembering how you are supposed to act.

However, the definition of transform from the same source is To change the nature, function, or condition of. In other words, convert. Transformation means to be changed completely. When I become something, I don’t have to remember to act a certain way. I am a certain way because of what I have become.

Lord, I no longer want to conform to the world. Help me to transform to Your likeness. Help me to renew my mind and continually become like You.

*Make Room Within My Heart, O God

Cesspool of Plasticity

2011-03-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, I attended a worship service at a large church in another city. The
music was very majestic, the message was somewhat moving, the building was reasonably clean, the people were semi-friendly, and many people responded during the decision ministry time. However, by the end of the service, as I met members, leaders, staff, and the pastor of this church, I felt uneasy and a little bit phony. One thought kept coming to my mind…

This place is a cesspool of plasticity.

That afternoon, I shared my thoughts with my friend Steven, who laughed and
asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines plasticity as:

1 : the quality or state of being plastic; especially: capacity for being molded or altered 2 : the ability to retain a shape attained by pressure deformation
3 : the capacity of organisms with the same genotype to vary in developmental pattern, in phenotype, or in behavior according to varying environmental conditions

When I look at the first definition, I shudder just a bit. Ever since my post
secondary education began, I have been afraid of becoming what some people call a cookie cutter Christian, sputtering out memorized phrases that have nothing to do with the way that I feel. After a few semesters at my Christian college, many of the ministry students, in my opinion, seemed to allow themselves to be replicated or altered into inexpensive imitations of some pasty looking and rigid thinking denominational professor.

As I read the second definition, I realize that I have made many mistakes in my life while trying to escape becoming a shape obtained by pressure deformation. I have been running from it since my early college days. There were musical groups and ministry teams that I probably would have enjoyed participating in except that I could not bear to think of myself as a becoming a part of them. They all seemed so fake to me. I sought relief from Christian college plasticity by deciding to attend a different seminary than most of my college classmates. To my dismay, the pressure deformation was even stronger in seminary than it had been in college. I switched degree programs early in my seminary career in order to graduate sooner and I spent a year teaching school in Central Asia, an entire planet away from my perception of the ever present plasticity monster of the organized church in the United States.

I now understand that what I longed for was a strong sense of authenticity in a local body of believers. Authenticity is a word that has been tossed around so much lately that it might actually be losing it’s effectiveness as a word. Remember what happened to the word contemporary a few years ago? It seemed very clear when it first began to be used. Over time, however, it became terribly confusing as to what the word really meant. I really don’t hear many people use the word today, unless their conversation is dated and/or out of touch. To avoid this happening to the word authenticity, let’s explore its definition.

So, what does it really mean to be authentic? According to the Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus, synonyms for the word authentic are:

bona fide, genuine, real, right, and true.

It further defines the word with the following definitions:

1. being exactly as appears or as claimed.
2. following an original exactly.

I suppose it might help to understand authenticity in a deeper way by stating what it is not. The antonyms of authenticity listed in the same source are:

bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, unauthentic,
unreal, artificial, man-made, unnatural, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive,
and might I add my personal favorite, plastic.

But does anything that is the opposite of these adjectives actually exist in today’s postmodern world?

To search for the answer, I did a Google image search on the word authentic.
I was presented with 471,000 images. Here are a few of the text descriptions of my favorite images that appeared:

Authentic Beauty, Authentic Skis, Exciting Authentic Clothing,
Authentic Hawaiian Music, Authentic Looking Cafés,
Authentic Columbian Coffee, Authentic Thai Cuisine, Authentic
Morrocan Dinner, Authentic Greek Food, and An
Authentic Taste of Texas Heritage.

I must be wrong for it seems that we are completely surrounded by some form or fashion of authenticity.

The other evening, as I sat in an authentic Mexican restaurant, my wife Kathy and
I had a conversation with our friends about the difference between an authentic Mexican restaurant and a Tex-Mex restaurant. The argument is that authentic Mexican restaurants serve food that is much less Americanized in its taste and presentation. Later that night, as I lay in bed and reflected upon the wonderful authentic Mexican meal that I had devoured, I realized that we Americans have taken the word authentic, compartmentalized it, and turned it into a style that we can understand and reproduce quickly. Just think, you can now go into malls and department stores and purchase strategically damaged faded blue jeans with pre-frayed hems that can be worn with specifically over-faded t-shirts with pre-cracked lettering and dirt encrusted Chuck Taylor high top (or low top) tennis shoes. Surely this can’t be the extent of true authenticity.

Are we, as the 21st century worship leaders of the Christian church, following the
same pattern of making authenticity a stylistic choice? Have we turned the word authentic into a word that we won’t be able to stand hearing in a few years? Do we
think that being authentic simply means coming to church in our worn out jeans, raggedy t-shirts and dirty high tops, lighting soft white candles in dark cavernous worship centers, and singing Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, or Jesus Culture songs? Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I prefer jeans and t-shirts and high tops to other types of clothing. I think candles and symbolic icons are great for use in worship. I absolutely love Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and Jesus Culture worship songs. But clothing, shoes, candles, and popular songs cannot and do not inherently exhibit true authenticity. They are simply forms of expression.

Authenticity is about the heart. The heart does not concern itself with clothes,
music or candles. The heart reveals what is inside a person. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus
told the Pharisees,

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Earlier in Matthew 5:8, as Jesus sat with His disciples on a mountainside, He told them,

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Notice that Jesus didn’t say that our music, candles or clothes should be pure, but that our hearts should be pure in order for us to see God. He didn’t say that we had to accomplish great things, have a hit worship song, or even be successful in order to see Him. He said that we had to be pure in heart.

Perhaps authenticity should be equated with being pure in heart. Samuel spoke
of just such a pure hearted person as he was rebuking Saul in 1 Samuel 13:14 when he
said to him,

But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after
his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have
not kept the Lord’s command.

David was the man he was speaking of, a man after God’s own heart.

In Psalm 139:23-24, David wrote,

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.

David made mistakes in his lifetime. For some reason, knowing
this makes me feel better. It’s not because he made mistakes, but because I make
mistakes. For example, knowing that he had anxious thoughts helps me get over my
anxious thoughts. If a man with so many faults and problems can be considered by God
as a man after His own heart, then maybe I might have a chance to be a person of
authenticity, someone after God’s own heart.

This is where the third definition of plasticity comes in:

3 : the capacity of organisms with the same genotype to vary in developmental pattern, in phenotype, or in behavior according to varying environmental conditions.

Somehow, David, even with all of his faults, managed to vary enough from the
plasticity of his day to be a truly authentic person. The only form of plasticity or pressure deformation that he experienced was becoming more like his Heavenly Father. God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, The Lord Almighty, Invisible, Immortal, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, He is the only One who is truly authentic, the only One truly free from the cesspool of plasticity. I want to be like Him. I want to be totally authentic.

2011-02-12T11:56:00.001-08:00

From ancient times no one has heard, no one has listened, no eye has seen any God except You, who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:4 HCSB

It’s amazing to me that God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, the Author of salvation, and the Designer of life and light, would care about what happens in our lives. It blows me away that a Supreme Being who lowered Himself to become human in order to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins would be merciful to us as we come before Him covered with the stains of iniquity. It’s surprising, in a certain way of thinking, that the Lord chooses not to destroy us right here, right now for our rebellion.

This God, who is all-powerful and is the great King of everything, chooses to act on our behalf. If He is willing to work for our good, we should be willing to wait for that good to happen and to worship Him wholeheartedly in the meantime.

God, I am honored that You would be willing to act on my behalf. You alone deserve my worship and my praise.

All Things

2011-02-08T20:29:00.001-08:00

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 HCSB

Do you feel like God has something more for you? Do you feel a stirring down deep in your bones that if you don’t get to experience “it” soon that you’ll simply burst? Do you wonder why others that you know seem to be moving on to bigger and better things while you seem to be descending into oblivion? Does it drive you absolutely nuts?

If that’s the case, then you should know something. You are not alone.

I feel that way all the time.

I used to think that feeling happened when God wanted me to either change locations or ministries. Now I know that I was right, but not in the way I was thinking. It turns out that God is always interested in our good. And I’ve learned that most of the time He is not telling me to move from one place to another. He does want me to move, but He wants me to move closer to Him.

Help us remember, Lord, that the best good we could ever have is close to You.

Patience

2011-02-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and late rains. You also must be patient. James 4:7b-8a HCSB

When I was in elementary school, I grew a bean plant. My teacher gave each student a Styrofoam cup, some potting soil, and a bean. I broke up the soil, planted the bean, watered it slightly, wrote my name on the side of the cup, and set it in the window. However, instead of returning to my seat, I stood there watching.

“What are you doing?” asked my teacher.

“I’m waiting for it to grow.”

“It’s going to take time for it to grow. In the meantime, we have work to do.”

I obeyed my teacher, did my schoolwork, and watered the plant, just a little, everyday. The day it sprouted, I almost wet my pants.

After a farmer plants his crops, he doesn’t just kick back. He still has plenty of farm work that needs to be done. As we wait on the Lord, we should continue to worship and serve Him with diligence and anticipation.

Lord, as we wait, help us to worship and serve You.

2011-02-03T06:34:00.001-08:00

When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy. Psalm 94:19 HCSB

An hour before the worship service, I remembered that I had forgotten some important papers in my office, which was temporarily located five miles away. My wife had my care, so I borrowed one from a friend. Halfway there, I noticed that the car was running on empty and was also overheating. Somehow, I made it to the office, found the documents, put a gallon of water in the radiator, and headed back. On the way back, I stopped at a gas station and pumped in $5 in gas. I found a bottle of water, poured it into the radiator and continued driving. My heart raced as I gripped the steering wheel. “Please, Lord, let me make it back.”

Suddenly, I found myself singing hymns and praise songs. My pulse slowed, my shoulders relaxed, and I remembered that Jesus loved me so much. I made it back in time for the service, but more importantly, I learned a lot about the comfort and joy of the Lord.

God, next time I am filled with cares, help me to come to You for comfort and joy.

Anxious

2011-02-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 HCSB

Many years ago, as I was preparing to move to Central Asia, I purchased a cd of various scripture songs, which were supposed to help people overcome their anxieties and fears. Not knowing what life was going to be like on the opposite side of the world, I thought this might turn out to be a wise investment. Turns out, it was the best $12.95 I’ve ever spent.

One of the songs was entitled Do Not Be Anxious and was based on Philippians 4:6-7. I quickly learned the song and found myself singing it whenever the stresses of living with culture shock began to overwhelm me. I took comfort in the fact that God doesn’t want us to be anxious, but instead He wants us to have peace. He wants us to talk to Him about every part of our lives, giving Him thanks as we share our inmost thoughts, hopes, and fears.

Lord, help us pray to You regarding everything in our lives.

Gifts of Faithfulness

2011-02-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

God is faithful; by Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! Thomas Chisholm*

Pardon: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Peace: For He is our Peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14
Presence: I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
Strength: I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Blessings: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

Thank You, Lord, for Your Pardon You’ve granted me, Your Peace which passes all understanding, Your Presence in my life, Your Strength which helps me through, and Your Blessings You’ve given and will give to me. Your faithfulness, indeed, is great!

*Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Faithful

2011-01-29T05:57:00.000-08:00

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 HCSB

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not. As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. Thomas Chisholm*

No matter what you are going through, God is faithful. Even when your best friends and your family members turn away from you, He is still there.

Even when you do not sense His presence in your life, He is faithful. People change. Their thoughts and purposes blow here and there with the changing of the wind. But Jesus is not like that. He is constantly faithful.

Husbands and wives sometimes stop loving each other. But God is Love. And He will never stop loving you.

People can be untrustworthy. Even the best person, sooner or later, will be unable or unwilling to keep all of his promises. But God is always faithful. What He promises to do He will do.

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

Lord, Your faithfulness is certain.

*Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Waiting

2011-01-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

Wait for the Lord; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Psalm 27:4 HCSB

Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. Adelaide A. Pollard*

There I stood, in line at the DMV, waiting. I rolled my eyes as the line inched slowly forward. I texted dozens of people, read two chapters in a book, and counted all of the ceiling tiles in the building. Finally, it was my turn. I stepped up from behind the yellow line to the counter where I presented the necessary documents and payment with a smile.

“Everything seems to be in order,” said the clerk. Please take a number, have a seat, and wait until they call your name.”

Do you ever get tired of waiting? I do. I think it’s because I usually see the waiting as a time of inactivity instead of as a time of opportunity. How would my life be different if instead of complaining, I used my time of waiting to celebrate and worship the Lord? How much closer to Him would I be today if I had done so?

Lord, in times of waiting, remind me to worship You.

*Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Situations

2011-01-18T06:13:00.000-08:00

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. Hebrews 4:15-16 HCSB

“What seems to be the problem today?” asked the Emergency Room nurse impatiently.

I couldn’t answer. Kathy, my wife, tightened her lips and slowly said, “Miscarriage.”

The nurse directed us to the waiting room where I began filling out the paperwork. After a few minutes, I noticed that Kathy was nodding her head and moving her lips through her tears as she watched a nearby television. I turned and noticed that it featured an African American choir swaying back and forth singing Lord, You are good and Your mercy endureth forever. There, in the midst of her pain, Kathy was in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, we know that You understand the situations of our lives and that You understand exactly how we feel about them. Help us to worship You even when we don’t understand what is happening around us.

A Wonderful Life

2011-01-11T06:44:00.001-08:00

Wait for the Lord; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Psalm 27:14 HCSB

I love the old movie It’s A Wonderful Life. George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, waits throughout the entire movie to be able to leave his hometown of Bedford Falls. Once, he even tells his father that he feels that if doesn’t get away he’s going to burst. However, through a series of circumstances, George isn’t able to leave the town. He discovers in the end, however, that the work he did while waiting to leave was extremely valuable to himself, his family, and the entire town.

There have been many times in my life and ministry when I’ve felt like George Bailey. I’ve watched others go here and there and it all looks so wonderful from the spot where I’m waiting. In those moments, I sit and wonder, “Why can’t that be me?”

Fortunately, the Lord has His ways of pulling me away from my own personal pity party and helping me to realize that He has personally positioned me to be where I am to fulfill His purposes. My only appropriate response to Him is worship.

Lord, help me to worship You while I’m waiting.

Smooch

2011-01-06T06:34:00.001-08:00

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! Romans 5:8 HCSB

It was in the back corner of a small town skating rink that I experienced my first kiss. My hands held tightly to the rail as my lips moved ever closer to hers. After what seemed like an eternity, she took charge and finally sealed the deal by laying one on me.

On the way home that evening, one of my friends said, “I saw you kissing that girl in the corner. I guess you’re in love with her, huh?”

I thought about it for a moment and answered, “No, I don’t think so, but I liked it.”

Years later, I stood in my college chapel with tears streaming down my face and kissed my wife in front of God and everybody.

At the wedding reception, one of my college buddies showed up and said, “Man, you two sure do look like you’re in love!”

Without hesitation, I replied, “Without a doubt, man. Without a single doubt!”

So, what’s the difference? Where does the love come from? Love has been described in many ways, but is really only defined in and through our commitments.

Jesus showed His love and ultimate commitment to us when He died for us on a cross while we were still sinners. If He did this for us, we should be willing to demonstrate our love for Him by being totally committed to Him.

Guarding and Waiting

2011-01-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Proverbs 4:23 HCSB

How much of human life is lost in waiting. Ralph Waldo Emerson*

It’s happened time and again. A man with a pure heart prays to the Lord for direction in life or career or ministry and sits down to wait. At first, he is full of faith and has a spirit of perseverance that is contagious. However, time passes, as it always does, and it seems that God has not spoken, at all. The stuff of this world becomes extremely interesting and waiting on the Lord and His purposes ceases to be appealing. One morning, instead of praying, he wonders, “Maybe it’s not so bad to try out what the world has to offer. It can’t hurt, can it? I mean, if God hasn’t spoken yet, He’s probably not going to speak today.” So, he dabbles in alcoholism, pornography, gossip, vicious thoughts, gambling and profanity, just to pass the time. Suddenly, the pure heart ready to serve the Lord is no longer pure and the determination to serve the Lord has vanished.

Lord, help us to guard our hearts as we wait on You.

*thinkexist.com

By Grace

2010-12-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

For by grace are you saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift-not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 HCSB

I am extremely fortunate to work with talented musicians and artists everyday. I love interacting with these creative people who are so passionate about communicating their feelings to the world in various ways. Over the years, I’ve heard glorious music, viewed breathtaking art, read heart-wrenching poems, and watched realistic drama. I’m constantly amazed and often overwhelmed by the tremendous talent that God has given to His people.

However, it’s not through the artistic gifts of people that we are redeemed. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. It’s comforting to know that our salvation doesn’t rely on how high we can sing, how beautifully we can paint, how perfectly we can act, or how wonderfully we can write. There is no one who can brag, “It’s because of my amazing vocal abilities that I am saved.”

Sooner or later, even the super talented must realize that we are not the source of our salvation. It’s only by the grace of Jesus.

Lord, thank You for Your grace.

Joy

2010-12-13T05:40:00.000-08:00

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 HCSB

I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to embrace the great joy that I’m supposed to find in the trials of life. You won’t normally find me saying, “It looks like I’m getting ready to go through some hard times! Isn’t it wonderful! I’m so glad that my faith is being tested because I know that faith produces endurance! Yippee!”

However, going through times of faith testing is good for us. It helps build up our spiritual endurance for future situations in which we will find ourselves. When a runner trains for a marathon, the rigorous training time is important to build up the endurance he needs to make it the full 26 miles on the day of the race. In a similar fashion, we must view our spiritual trials as a positive experience, meant to help us increase our faith to higher levels of endurance.

Lord, help us see the joy that can come from the struggles of life.

Cost

2010-11-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 HCSB

There is no victory at bargain basement prices. Dwight D. Eisenhower*

My wife is always looking for a bargain. In fact, if what she’s looking for isn’t on sale, she’s most likely not going to buy it. We live across the street from a mall and she walks through it all the time, but she purchases most of her clothes from discount department stores, at thrift stores, and even garage sales. She has one pair of shoes that she purchased for $2.50 at a discount shoe outlet. When I asked her how much the shoes were, she answered, “They were only $1.25 each.”

Fortunately, when God saw that we needed redemption, He didn’t go looking for a bargain. He offered the most valuable thing that exists, Himself, to purchase our salvation. He lowered Himself to become a man. Then, substituting Himself for us, He died an excruciating death on a cross, after being beaten mercilessly. The cost was greater than that of anything ever purchased.

Lord, thank You for paying the full cost of the penalty for my sin.

*brainyquote.com

Fall Short

2010-11-17T06:34:00.001-08:00

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24 HCSB

Once, when I was leading worship, I made a very embarrassing mistake. I was doing a spoken transition from one praise song to the next while the piano played softly behind me. What I meant to say was that “Jesus was the only person who ever lived who was able to live a totally sinless life.” However, when the moment came to speak those words, I accidentally said, “Jesus was the only person who ever lived who was able to live a totally sinful life.” Fortunately, my pastor informed me of my error during the offering and I was able to reaffirm my theological stance to the congregation later in the service.

Jesus did live a sinless life. No one else who has ever lived can make that claim to fame, not the Apostle Paul, not John Calvin, not Mother Theresa, not Billy Graham, no one. When I reflect on this, I remember that it’s only by the grace and mercy of God that we are saved.

Lord, thank You for Your grace and mercy.

Shall Not Perish

2010-11-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 HCSB

And now let me address all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to accept the mercy and grace while it is offered to you; Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. George Whitefield*

I was sixteen when I made the best decision of my life. I had been studying the Bible and came to the realization that there was a God who loved me. In fact, He loved me so much that He left Heaven and lowered Himself to live as a man so that He could live a perfectly sinless life and then die a horrible death on a cross to pay the price for the bad things that I had done. Once I came to the realization that I could know this God personally, I jumped at the chance. I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and to become the Lord of my life.

Lord, thank You for dying on a cross for me. I love You.

*brainyquote.com

New Creation

2010-11-08T05:56:00.001-08:00

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive. Albert Einstein*

I like to see new places. I like to experience new things. I like to try different types of foods. However, I’ve noticed that when I travel, I most often look for familiar restaurant chains when choosing a place to eat instead of embracing one of a kind local cuisine.

Why do I do that? Doesn’t it make sense that trying new restaurants would enhance the adventure and excitement of my journey? However, most often, I’m simply not willing to risk it. It seems that even when I am seeking adventure, there’s a part of me that wants security. I suppose that’s something that’s built into all of us.

Fortunately, when we come to Christ and become a new creation, we not only get to experience the new that comes with knowing Him, but we gain the greatest security that has ever been and ever will be.

Lord, help me to embrace the adventure and security that comes with being a new creation through You.

*brainyquote.com

2010-11-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

For by grace are you saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift-not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 HCSB

Grace is what God gives us what we don’t deserve and mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve. Anonymous*

I don’t know about you, but I often forget about the extreme grace that the Lord has bestowed upon me. I mean, I’ve received the salvation that He has to offer, but in my day-to-day life I often don’t reflect on His mercy towards me. Instead, I get caught up in all of the things that I have to do, things that I tend to believe make me more spiritual or holy or righteous. Those are all good things, but they all pale in comparison to the righteousness that comes upon me because of the grace and mercy of Jesus. He loves us so much even though we don’t deserve His love. His grace truly is amazing.

Lord, thank You for Your grace and thank You for Your mercy. Help us to always remember what You have done for us and how much that you love us.

*thinkexist.com

Walter

2010-11-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 HCSB

The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation. Charles Spurgeon*

Whenever Walter was naughty in school, his teacher punished him by making him miss recess. As the other children played, Walter would have to stand in time out with his arms folded, watching the other children have fun. One day, when Walter was being especially stubborn, he started mumbling, “I hate time out, I don’t want to be in time out, I’m not in time out…” However, after a few minutes, Walter stopped mumbling. He finally came to the realization that his situation wasn’t going to change simply because of his words and beliefs.

Many people are just as stubborn as Walter. They believe that as long as they are sincere in their beliefs that they will still be able to live in Heaven with God when they die. However, Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Jesus, help us to accept the fact that You are the only way of salvation.

*brainyquote.com

Complaining

2010-10-07T06:29:00.000-07:00

Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. James 4:9A HCSB

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. 1 John 3:14A HCSB

When any fit of gloominess, or perversion of mind, lays hold upon you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaints. Samuel Johnson*

Several years ago, I attended a knock down, drag out, nail biting, back biting, pull out all of the stops, bring your own bullet proof vest church business meeting. Personal complaints were verbalized which prompted vicious rebuttals. People pointed fingers, assigned blame, and even cursed. Even those called upon to pray had the audacity to complain about specific individuals in their prayers. I went home that evening extremely discouraged and seriously considered leaving the ministry altogether.

There’s a fine line between constructive criticism and critical complaints. As followers of Jesus, we must remember that we are His representatives. When we openly spread negative comments about fellow believers, we are damaging the validity of our own testimony while demeaning the value of their Christian witness and ministry.

Lord, help us to be people who lift each other up with the words that we say.

*quotegarden.com

Do Good

2010-10-04T07:02:00.001-07:00

Trust in the Lord and do what is good; Psalm 37:3a

True holiness consists in doing God’s will with a smile. Mother Theresa of Calcutta*

There have been times in my life and ministry when I have said to God, “Surely this is not Your will for my life. Surely You didn’t provide me with all those years of education for me to be doing what I am doing right now. What’s the deal?”

God has always placed people in awkward situations. Stephen testified as to the divinity of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, but was immediately stoned to death. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? However, we later learn that because of this, Christians were scattered throughout all of Judea and Samaria. As the believers traveled, settled, worked, and lived, they spread their newfound faith to people throughout the entire land. God’s purposes were fulfilled because Stephen was obedient in a difficult situation.

God places us where He wants us to be. It’s not truly for us to understand why, but to be obedient to Him, doing good where He has placed us, serving Him with a smile.

Lord, help us to always faithfully serve You, no matter where that may be.

*thinkexist.com

Humble

2010-09-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 HCSB

Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble. Ralph Waldo Emerson*

Humble, Texas is a city in southeast Texas. Contrary to popular belief, the city was not named for its humble beginnings, but was so designated in honor of Pleasant Smith Humble, one of its original founders. Some of the business names in Humble are Humble Landscaping, Humble Instruments, Humble Geothermal Systems, Humble High School, Humble Computers, and (my personal favorite) the Humble Girl’s Softball League. Even though these organization names begin with the word “Humble,” we understand that it’s just a name and does not attribute the quality to them.

Worshipers of Jesus are considered by many to exhibit humility because of our relationship with Christ. However, humility must be more than a designated title or perceived characteristic to us. We must make our attitude like that of Jesus. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8 HCSB).

Lord, help us exemplify humility in our lives as we strive to become more like You.

*thinkexist.com

Polaroid

2010-09-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

Above all, keep your love for one another at full strength since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 HCSB

The only way to have a friend is simply be his friend. Ralph Waldo Emerson*

It was 1979. I was in fifth grade on a school field trip when my friend Brian pulled out his Polaroid instant camera and started taking pictures. Trying to be funny, I threw my left hand in front of the camera just as Brian snapped a picture. As the picture slowly came into view, my hand was the only image that could be distinguished.

Brian was furious and yelled, “Do you know how much this film costs? You owe me a dollar!”

Ashamed of what I had done and embarrassed that I didn’t have a dollar, I ran away and tried to avoid Brian as best I could. After a few weeks, he stopped asking me about the dollar, but I didn’t stop avoiding him. I wanted to apologize, but I never did. Brian and I never did anything together again.

Looking back now, I realize that I gave up a friendship because of fear, pride and money.

Lord, help us to treasure our friends.

*brainyquote.com

All Things

2010-09-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 HCSB

If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. Dale Carnegie*

Someone once told me that if you rush a miracle man that you get rotten miracles. I wouldn’t consider myself a miracle man, but I often feel rushed when called upon to produce something of extreme quality in a short amount of time with seemingly substandard materials. During those moments of anxiety, I’m often tempted to simply give up.

But then, in a moment of personal revelation, I remember that the Lord is with me. I remember how He saved Noah during a world wide flood, how He helped David conquer the giant warrior Goliath, and how He kept Daniel safe as he spent the night in a den filled with hungry lions. Finally, I remember how He has helped me through countless of other seemingly impossible situations.

Lord, as we’re faced with insurmountable challenges, help us to remember that You can help us do everything that needs to be done.

*thinkexist.com

Taste

2010-09-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8 HCSB

You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside. Oswald Chambers*

There’s a new frozen yogurt place in town. It’s a self-serve operation where you have multiple flavors to choose from. Recently, my wife Kathy and I visited and I filled my cup with strawberry and blueberry yogurt and then topped it off with fresh strawberries and blueberries. It was incredibly delicious. I was just about to purchase another cup when I saw the woman who soured my experience. She walked up to the first machine, stuck her finger up the nozzle so that it was covered in yogurt, licked her finger clean, and then repeated the process for each of the machines. Needless to say, it put a bad taste in my mouth towards that yogurt place, even though she was just another customer.

Sometimes, other Christians put a bad taste in our mouths regarding the Lord. When we finally turn our lives over to Him and experience His life changing salvation, we taste and see that He is good. As we continue to grow in Him, we often find ourselves enjoying His presence when suddenly, we are completely distracted by someone who is rude, selfish, condescending, hurtful, arrogant, or obnoxious. However, we shouldn’t let them interfere with our understanding of the Lord. He is holy. He is righteous. He is faithful. He is loving. He is awesome. He is good.

Lord, thank You for being so good. When the actions of others put a bad taste in our mouths, help us remember Your goodness.

*thinkexist.com

This Christmas

2010-09-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

(I've been thinking about Christmas this morning. Here's a poem I once submitted for a greeting card. I hope that you like it.)

This Christmas,
I want to get up way too early in the morning
And watch excited children rip open their presents.

This Christmas,
I want to visit our crazy families
And eat enormous meals at crowded dinner tables.

This Christmas,
I want to sing carols with our old friends
And laugh at all their familiar stories and outdated jokes.

This Christmas,
I want to doze while watching the same old Christmas movies
And smile as we quote them line for line.

But this Christmas,
When everything else has been said and done,
I want to spend an hour with you,
Your hand in mine,
Enjoying the gift we have in each other.

I love you.

Merry Christmas

Essential

2010-08-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

“He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.’” Luke 11:1

“We must pray. Prayer is essential to our life, like breathing. Without it, we die.” Kyle Lake*

Isn’t it interesting that one of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray? Here, the group of men who spent all day, every day, with Jesus, who had seen Him perform miracles of every kind and heard Him preach to thousands, made the simple request for Jesus to teach them how to pray. They did not ask for Him to teach them how to perform miracles. They did not ask for Him to teach them how to attract large crowds. They must have somehow understood that Jesus’ prayer life, His one on one communication with His heavenly Father, was essential for His supernatural power.

As you pray today, ask the Lord to help you strengthen your prayer life. Tell Him that you desire for your prayer life to be more vital and vibrant than it has ever been in the past.

*(re) Understanding Prayer, foreword

Words

2010-08-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 HCSB

Live so that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip. Will Rogers*

Have you ever said something about someone to someone else because you knew the first someone would never know what you said to the second someone and even if the first someone found out what you said to the second someone they still wouldn’t know why you said it and what you really meant by saying it in the first place? Even trying to read the previous sentence is confusing because somewhere along the way, you get your “someones” confused.

God hears every word that comes out of our mouths and knows the thoughts we had about them before we say them. As much as we might try, there’s no possible way that we can sneak around Him and say something without Him knowing the content and the
intent. Therefore, we should try our best to please Him with the thoughts that we have and with the words that we say.

Lord, be pleased with my words and thoughts today.

*thinkexist.com

Field

2010-08-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. Luke 10:2 HCSB

My house is full, but my field is empty, who will go and work for me today? It seems my children all want to stay around my table, but no one wants to work in my field… Lanny Wolfe*

When I was eleven, my family moved to a farm in the country where I encountered real farm chores and consistent farm food for the first time in my life. I must confess that I was more enthusiastic about the food than I was the chores.

In the church, most of us enjoy the benefits of being a part of the family of God more than we desire to serve Him and His people. And when we come across a scripture like the one above, instructing us to pray that God would send out people to work for Him, we skip over that prayer because secretly we’re afraid that it might He might send us.

Lord, send out workers to minister and help us be willing if it is us that You call.

*My House Is Full

Skillful

2010-08-02T05:03:00.001-07:00

Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. 1 Chronicles 15:22 HCSB

Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives. William A. Foster*

When King David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, he instructed the leaders of the Levites to appoint from their relatives singers and instrumentalists to lead the musical worship. The primary worship leader of the Levites was named Chenaniah. He was selected to lead the people because he was skillful.

It’s interesting that Chenaniah wasn’t selected because he was handsome, friendly, well connected, or super spiritual. He was selected because he was skillful. When my home had severe plumbing problems, I called the best plumber in the area. When there’s a task to be accomplished that really matters, the best person for the job is someone who is skillful.

What skills do you have? How are you using them? What can you do to develop them?

Lord, thank You for the skills You have given us. Help us develop them in order to serve You better.

*thinkexist.com

Instead

2010-07-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

I will praise You, because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14A HCSB

Before God created you, He decided what role He wanted you to play on earth. Rick Warren*

Before Caleb was born, God carefully molded him into a unique shape that He designed specifically for him. He wired Caleb’s inborn creative talents with his future artistic ministry in mind. Caleb was fearfully and wonderfully made.

But, then Caleb was born. As he child, he tried living in his unique creative form, but his parents pushed him towards sports instead. He needed to learn discipline. As a teenager, Caleb signed up for the art club at school, but his friends pressured him into playing football instead, so he changed his schedule. Besides, football would be fun. In college, Caleb wanted to major in art, but his advisor steered him towards accounting instead. It was, of course, a much more practical vocation.

Now, Caleb has his own business, a nice home, and a great family. However, he
constantly doodles and daydreams of a different life, one that feels more natural to him.

Lord, give us the boldness to be who You created us to be.

*The Purpose Drive Life

Accident

2010-07-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. Psalm 139:16 HCSB

God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame. Elizabeth Barrett Browning*

I watched as the teenage girl silently looked at the pictures of her family on the wall. Her brothers and sisters were much older than she and had long since started their own families. Many of their awards still graced the picture wall. She turned and said, “I don’t fit into my family. It’s easy to see that I was an accident.”

My young friend may have been a surprise to her family, but the Lord had plans for her before she was ever conceived. He knew the ins and outs of each day that she would live. He saw the happiest moments of her life and he already knew the number of tears that she would ever cry. He gifted her with talents and abilities that would make her unique and special. As she was being formed, He turned to the angels and said, “She sure is precious to me.”

Lord, thank You that none of us are accidents.

*Sonnets From the Portuguese, 26

Gifts

2010-07-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of faith; if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8 HCSB

Everyone is gifted – but some people never open their package. Anonymous*

Even though I love my church, because of the growing demands of the worship ministry, I most often find myself in the role of producer as opposed to worship leader, praise singer, or instrumentalist. Yesterday, it hit me hard that it had been a long time since I had been able to use my gifts and talents in these areas. “Lord,” I prayed. “Please show me somehow that You have still called me to lead people into Your presence.”

That’s when an elderly lady entered my office with a smile.

“Can you help us?” she asked.

Thinking that she probably wanted something moved, I sighed and said, “Sure, what do you need?”

“Well,” she said. “Our small group is meeting and we need someone to lead us in worship. Can you help?”

“Certainly,” I replied.

Lord, thank You for opportunities to serve You with our gifts.

*thinkexist.com

Plans

2010-07-08T06:01:00.001-07:00

For we are His creation-created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 HCSB

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. Mother Theresa*

All my life, I’ve been taught that Jesus loves me and has great plans for my life that will change the world for His glory. I believe that with all my heart. However, I often lose sight of the purposes that He has for me. I sometimes even doubt that He has plans for me at all. But then I finally come back to His Word, and I read about how He created us in His image, how time and again He used His people, even ordinary, everyday people, to fulfill His purposes. That gives me hope. It helps me remember how God has used me in the past and builds my faith for what He will have for me to accomplish in the future. When all of these things come clear to me, I have no choice but to respond with worship.

Lord, thank You for giving my life purpose. I worship You.

*thinkexist.com

Nothing Compares

2010-07-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1-2 HCSB

Even as I was directing the short testimony film, I was convicted. In preparation for an upcoming patriotic service, I was filming an interview with an elderly veteran. Close to the end of the taping, I asked him if he had any advice for younger Christians today. He smiled, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “You’ve got to pray. You’ve got to pray when you get up in the morning, pray at your morning work break, pray at lunch, pray at your afternoon break, pray when you get home, pray before you go to bed. Then get up the next morning and pray again. If you don’t pray, it’s just like having vitamins sitting right next to you that you don’t take. You’ve got to pray. It’s a nourishing thing. It keeps you in contact with the Lord of the universe. Keep up Your relationship with Him. Nothing can compare to the mighty God we serve.”

God, it is You that I long for. Nothing compares to You.

no

2010-06-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

“If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up." Daniel 3:17-18 HCSB

People fashion their God after their own understanding. They make their God first and worship him afterwards. Oscar Wilde*

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, created an enormous statue of gold, nine feet wide and ninety feet high. Then, he summoned all of his government officials and told them that unless they bowed down and worshiped the image when the music played, that they would be thrown into a blazing furnace. Most of the officials, not wanting to lose their lives, obeyed wholeheartedly when the music played. However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were extreme worshipers of the Lord. They refused to bow down and worship the image, even after Nebuchadnezzar confronted them personally. They were thrown into the furnace, but miraculously were not even singed.

Lord, give us the courage to worship You by saying “no” to other idols set before us.

*thinkexist.com

Potential

2010-06-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b HCSB

“The others are very pretty children,” said the old duck, “all but that one; I wish his mother could improve him a little.” Hans Christian Anderson*

On February of 1932, an American couple living in London gave birth to a baby girl. Unfortunately, she suffered from hypertrichosis and her entire body was completely covered in soft black hair. After a few weeks, her parents were relieved when the hair fell away, unveiling their newborn baby’s exquisite beauty. She grew up to be Elizabeth Taylor.

Samuel had the task of anointing a new king for Israel. When he asked to see the sons of Jesse, no one called David in from the field. He was the youngest and had been selected to watch the sheep while the older brothers were presented to the prophet. However, when David arrived, the Lord said to Samuel, “He is the one.”

The Lord sees your heart. He knows your potential. Be faithful to Him and follow His plans for your life no matter what circumstances tell you.

Lord, help us realize the potential You see in us.

*The Ugly Duckling

Treasure

2010-06-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20-21 HCSB

Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed. Epictetus*

It was a great morning. Kathy and I were speaking and sharing at a small church in Arkansas. I had ended our session with a story about the dangers of getting caught up in physical possessions. Following the service, I was feeling pretty good about myself until I walked out to my car, my new car, which I had purchased, and saw what had happened. There was a small dent and a large scratch over the driver’s side bumper. I felt myself getting angry, but then I remembered what I had just shared with the congregation.

God knows what is important to us. He knows where and how we spend our money. He understands our motives. He sees what we cling to. He wants us to cling to Him. He wants to be our treasure.

Lord, You are more precious than any treasure we could ever acquire.

*thinkexist.com

Newlyweds

2010-05-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1 HCSB

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. Mother Theresa*

As a part of our 19th anniversary celebration, Kathy and I visited a park with several gardens. As we exited The Herb Garden, an elderly lady asked, “Is that garden worth visiting?”

Kathy answered, “Oh yes, it’s very nice!”

Humorously, I said, “She had to explain it to me. I kept looking for a guy named Herb.

The woman looked at me like I had stolen her hamburger before saying, “You better watch out or she might be looking for a guy named Herb.

We all laughed and I said, “Nope, she’s mine.”

As Kathy and I walked away, hand in hand, I saw the lady shaking her head and I heard her say, “Newlyweds.”

Just as we must keep our marital relationships fresh, we must continually renew our relationship with the Lord. We must tell Him that we love Him. We must sing to Him a new song.

Help us, Lord, to worship You in a new and fresh way.

*thinkexist.com

Restless

2010-05-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 HCSB

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation, Jesus provides a perfect salvation; “Come unto me,” O hear His sweet call, Come and He saves us once for all. Philip P. Bliss*

I have restless leg syndrome. When I am lying still at bedtime, without warning, one of my legs jerks involuntarily. It’s almost like there’s a mad puppeteer waiting for my wife and I to almost be asleep when he makes my legs kick and wakes both of us. Finally, a sleep specialist diagnosed my problem and gave me the appropriate medication. Unfortunately, I have to take it every night or the kicking resumes.

Fortunately, when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we are completely free from the law of sin and death. It’s not a temporary fix for us. It is permanent. We don’t have to be saved all over again tomorrow or the next day. Jesus provided a perfect salvation that gives us perfect freedom.

Jesus, thank You for the freedom that you give to us.

*Free from the Law, O Happy Condition

Anointed

2010-05-05T06:25:00.000-07:00

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19 HCSB

Lord, send the old-time power, the Pentecostal power! Thy floodgates of blessing on us throw open wide! Lord, send the old-time power, the Pentecostal power, that sinners be converted and Thy name glorified! Charles H. Gabriel*

As a child, I never learned much about the Holy Spirit. However, as I’ve studied the Bible, I’ve noticed that whenever the Holy Spirit is involved in anything, God’s presence is felt and lives are changed. Jesus was both anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the ministry that the Father had given Him. In a similar fashion, we must also be empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Lord has given us spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities that we might minister to others and serve Him. How much more effective we would be if the Spirit of the Lord was upon us.

Father, empower us with Your Holy Spirit.

*Pentecostal Power

Freedom

2010-04-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 HCSB

Freedom is not free. Korean War Veterans Memorial

When I hear the word freedom, many things come to my mind. I think of the freedom that I have as an American. I think of the Freedom Tower in New York City. I think of convicts or being released from prison and modern day slaves being released from bondage. But, I sometimes wonder what it really means to be free in Christ?

Merriam-Webster.com defines freedom as “the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous.” Synonyms for onerous include backbreaking, burdensome, crushing, cumbersome, demanding, embittering, excessive, grueling, intolerable, merciless, oppressive, severe, toilsome, and weighty.**

I can think of nothing more onerous than the eternal death penalty that we are all sentenced to as a result of our sin and rebellion against God. Jesus, our Redeemer, allowed Himself to be viciously executed for us so that we might be freed from death row where we all sat waiting for our sentence to be carried out.

Thank You, Lord, for granting us freedom from eternal death.

*Merriam-Webster.com
**thesaurus.com

Safe

2010-04-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about You. 2 Peter 5:6-7 HCSB

When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you. Civilla D. Martin*

It was an average Saturday in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Sixty-year-old Dale Thrasher was alone in the Hillcrest Baptist Church and was busy making copies when the building started to pop. He looked outside and realized that the building had been engulfed by a tornado.

Later, Dale recalled “As I passed the sanctuary, the doors were open and I felt the Lord leading me inside. I slid under the communion table. It was just like the Lord put his arms around me… Furniture started swirling around. I just covered my head and said, ‘Lord, please save me.’”**

The Hillcrest Baptist Church building was destroyed, but the Lord saved Dale’s life.

“The Lord saved my soul in 1970,” Dale shared with reporters. “On Saturday, He saved my natural life to do some work for Him.”**

Thank You, Lord, for saving us. May we, in turn, dedicate our lives to serving You.

*God Will Take Care of You
**http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=32808

Trading Places

2010-04-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 HCSB

I lowered the novel I was reading just in time to see Billy, Tommy, Scott and Albert wrestling around the back corner of the building.

“Those guys are going to get in trouble,” I said to myself. “They know we’re not supposed to wrestle or go back there.”

Ring…

Too soon as always, the bell signaling the end of recess sounded. I walked to the 5th grade line with my fellow students and waited to return to class. Instead of leading us back into the building, Miss Jones, the teacher’s aide in charge of recess, made an announcement.

“Everyone may go back to class except for Billy, Tommy, Scott and John. They were wrestling around the back corner of the building.”

All of the other kids, including Albert, said “Oooooooo!” as they walked to class.

“Miss Jones,” I cried. “It wasn’t me. I was by the tree reading this book.”

“No,” she answered. “I’m certain that it was you.”

“I’m telling you the truth,” I cried.

“Boys, you know that you are not supposed to wrestle or go behind the back of the building. As your punishment, each of you will write I will follow the rules during recess 500 times. And John will write it 750 times because he lied about it.”

“But I didn’t, Miss Jones!” I blurted out.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I meant that he will write it 1,000 times.”

When all was said and done, I ended up taking the punishment for someone else. I was mad at Albert, Miss Jones, and all of the other boys who said nothing.

Later in my life, I realized that Jesus took the punishment that was meant for me. However, unlike me, He willingly accepted the consequences for my sin. He so wanted me to have the opportunity to be righteous in the eyes of His Father that He made the ultimate sacrifice while I was still sinning against Him. And He did it all with a good attitude.

Jesus, thank You for becoming my sin so that I might become righteous through You.

Righteous

2010-04-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19 HCSB

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. Julia H. Johnston*

Adam and Eve had it made. They lived in a beautiful garden, there was plenty to eat, they had no clothing expenses, and sin was not a part of their lives. However, one day, they just had to taste the forbidden fruit. Through their disobedience, sin became the natural lifestyle of every person who will ever live. At that point, mankind was hopelessly abandoned to suffer the consequences of it’s rebellion against God. The wages of sin would certainly be death and we would all be found guilty. However, Jesus, the Lamb of God, intervened on our behalf, lowered Himself to be born as one of us, lived a perfectly sinless life, and offered Himself up for us all as an atoning sacrifice. He made a way for us to be restored to righteousness.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your Sacrifice. It made all the difference.

*Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Reserved

2010-04-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 HCSB

Politics ain’t worrying this country one-tenth as much as where to find a parking space. Will Rogers*

There are many things that I like about my pastor. He’s a godly man, a hard worker, and a worshiper of Jesus. But one of the things I admire most about him is that he parks as far away as he can from the building on days when we have worship services. He understands that people are much less likely to be eternally impacted by what is shared in a worship service if they are not able to find a decent parking space. I know many Christian leaders who spend thousands of dollars to travel thousands of miles in order to do evangelism and missions, but who are unwilling to park away from their church buildings in order to provide better parking for guests who desperately need the love of Jesus. Praise God for a pastor who evangelizes in the way he parks his car.

Lord, help us share Your love with all people, even in the way we park our cars.

*thinkexist.com

Miserable

2010-03-30T06:16:00.001-07:00

Lord, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides. Psalm 26:8 HCSB

Without worship, we go about miserable. A.W. Tozer*

I’m sure this never happens to you, but I have days when I feel like I just want to kill somebody. I walk around, tired and angry, snapping at everyone who even comes near me. I bark at my wife, snap at my coworkers, and even frown at young children and pets. Often, on the days when I go about in this rotten, miserable state, I realize that I haven’t spent any time in the presence of God.

When you spend time worshiping the Lord, troubling situations in life are put back into their proper perspective. God’s presence lifts you above your circumstances and helps you understand the next step of your life’s journey. If that isn’t enough, the Holy Spirit then helps you remember all that the Lord has done for you and as a result you begin to smile or even weep with joy.

With this in mind, what reason could there possibly be for me to ever neglect His presence?

Thank You, Lord, for the restoring, rejuvenating power of Your presence.

*experiencingworship.com

John the Baptist

2010-03-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:6-9 HCSB

I have always admired John the Baptist, living in the desert, eating locusts and honey, and baptizing people left and right. John preached that someone was coming who was far greater than he could ever possibly be. And when he saw Jesus, he proclaimed loudly, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 HCSB) Later, John told his followers, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 HCSB)

John uniquely prepared the way for Jesus to come, boldly announced the arrival of Jesus, and then quietly humbled himself as Jesus took center stage. We have the same responsibility today, no matter if we are leading in worship or witnessing to our friends and coworkers.

Lord, help us prepare the way for You, testify about You, and then get out of Your way.

Eggshells

2010-03-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

The one who searches for what is good finds favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him. Proverbs 11:27 HCSB

Being offended is a natural consequence of leaving the house. Fran Lebowitz*

As a sensitive artist in the church, I am sometimes guilty of making issues out of statements that were not really meant to be issues. I have been known to walk around with a big chip on my shoulder from time to time. I sometimes plunge into despair over the smallest amount of negative feedback that I receive. Even though God created me to be a tender person, He didn’t mean for me to walk around angry or offended all of the time.

Sometimes, negative criticism comes to us because we go out looking for it. We wake up and wait to be dumped on by the world. I’m tired of always looking for the bad in everything. I want to see what is good. I want to find favor and hear positive feedback. If I allow myself to be offended by every little thing, there’s too much good that I could possibly miss.

Lord, help me to search for what is good.

*thinkexist.com

Great Work

2010-03-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?" Nehemiah 6:3 HCSB

He who has why to live can bear almost any how. Friedrich Nietzche*

When Nehemiah was coordinating the building of the wall around Jerusalem, Satan used those who opposed him to distract him from the work he was doing. Sanballat and Geshem sent Nehemiah a message asking him to meet with them in another part of the country. He refused to do so because that would take him away from the work that was taking place.

Often, when we try to do something great for the Lord, Satan tries to distract us however he can. Sometimes, he uses other people as he did with Nehemiah. At other times, he may tempt us with some sort of secret sin. However he comes at us, we must strive to remain true to the Lord and to His calling for us.

Lord, show us what great work You want us to be a part of. Help us stay committed to You and to what You’ve called us to accomplish.

*thinkexist.com

Names

2010-03-09T05:39:00.000-08:00

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

Once, when I was in Indonesia, I went to a Bible study where I noticed a young boy sitting by himself. I asked his name and was surprised when he answered, “John.” I smiled and told him that we shared the same first name. John must be a teenager by now, but I still pray for him when he crosses my mind.

During that same trip, I noticed a young girl on a downtown street begging for money. Her face was dirty, her clothes were torn, and she looked sleepy. I turned away, not knowing what to do. When I regained my composure and turned back, she was gone. I never had the chance to learn her name, but I still pray for her.

Fortunately, God knows the name of that little girl. He knows the names of all the children, teenagers, and adults who have ever lived and ever will live. He cares about children in Indonesia and he cares about our neighbors and family members who are hurting.

Lord, thank You for loving us so much. Thank You for knowing our names.

Don't Be The Cause

2010-03-03T20:35:00.000-08:00

Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall. 1 Corinthians 8:13 HCSB
Growing up, I had to ride the bus to school. The ride didn’t bother me, but the Parsley brothers did. They threw paper, smashed sandwiches, and thumped ears. Once, as the oldest Parsley boy thumped my ear, I decided to publicly embarrass him. The next morning, as he was running down the aisle, I tripped him. He hollered, fell to the floor, and smashed his own sandwich. Everyone laughed, he was humiliated, and I was glad. But when I saw his tears, I apologized.
Those of us involved in worship arts have the tremendous responsibility of leading people into the presence of God. Therefore, our actions and words offstage are just as important as our actions and words onstage. Wherever we go, people see what we do and hear what we say. We must be careful not to be the cause of them falling into sin.
Lord, help us to live for You at all times so that we do not cause our brother to stumble.

Not To Us

2010-03-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your faithful love, because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1 HCSB

How quickly we forget what it’s all about. We can get so strategic that we worship so our church will grow, not because He is worthy. But we’re doing this because God is worthy and we want to worship Him. Tommy Walker*

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I have to evaluate my motives for the times of worship that I produce. Do I secretly want people to engage in worship so they will invite all of their friends so that there will be bigger crowds so that everyone will give more money so I will get a really nice raise? Engaging in worship is necessary, inviting friends to worship is a good thing, and bigger crowds and larger offerings are great. There’s not even anything wrong with pay raises. However, when we see these items as the main reasons for worship, something is out of balance. The glory doesn’t belong to us, but to the Lord.

Forgive us, Lord, for the times when we selfishly try to steal your glory.

*experiencingworship.com

Far

2010-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.” Mark 7:6-7 HCSB

When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart. Lamar Boschman*

Every weekend, in churches all around the world, Christians gather to worship God. The parkers park, the greeters greet, the coffee brews, the music plays, the teachers teach, the singers sing, the cameras roll, the dramatists act, the videos play, and the preachers preach. However, when all is said and done, people often venture home no different from when they came. Traditions and procedures are followed and services are produced technically without a single flaw, but no one really engages in the worship of Jesus.

When we come together to worship the Lord, we should come prepared to experience the presence of the Lord. We should come ready to engage in worship that surpasses the routines and understanding of men. We should welcome Jesus as our Guest of Honor.

Lord, may our worship always be focused on and indwelled by You.

*experiencingworship.com

Questions

2010-02-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Who should I send? Who will go for Us?” I said: “Here I am. Send me.” And He replied: “Go!” Isaiah 6:8-9a HCSB

If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. C.T. Studd*

Whenever I read the scripture above, I am faced with questions that demand answers. Here are just a few:

1. Am I really willing to do whatever God wants me to do? What if it’s not fun?
2. Am I really willing to serve God however He wants me to serve Him? What if He wants me to mow my neighbor’s yard?
3. Am I really willing to go wherever He wants me to go? What if it’s around the world?
4. Am I really willing to go whenever He wants me to go? What if it’s right now?
5. Am I willing to follow Him no matter what the cost?

Lord, help us to be willing to do whatever You want us to do however You want us to do it wherever You might call us to go whenever You want us to do so.

*thinkexist.com

Yoke

2010-02-19T07:19:00.001-08:00

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 HCSB

It’s an interesting paradox. When we are weary and burdened, we come to the Lord and put on the yoke that He has for us to wear and through that He will give us rest. But a yoke is what oxen wear when they are working in the field. That seems as if we are actually adding burdens and extra responsibilities to our already hectic lives, doesn’t it? Where is the rest in that?

Fortunately, Jesus wants us to put on His yoke so we can live and work with Him. While we want to dump our pile of trash at His feet and run away, He desires a relationship with us where we learn from Him how we can respond to our weariness through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us. That is where we find rest.

Lord, Your yoke is best for me.

Community Project

2010-02-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 HCSB

What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful. Mother Theresa of Calcutta*

Like many Christians, Romans 8:28 was one of the first verses of scripture that I memorized after I came to know Christ. It was extremely comforting to know that all things, no matter how difficult, were working together for my good. However, after many years of following Christ, I’m finally beginning to realize that I’ve looked at that scripture from a very selfish perspective. I never realized that the good is for those who love God and not just for the me who loves God. Something I endure may be for the good of someone else who loves God and vice versa. This Christian life and ministry is not an individual test. Instead, it’s a community project.

Lord, thank You that all things work together for our good.

*thinkexist.com

Bright Eyes

2010-02-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones. Proverbs 15:30 HCSB

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Mother Teresa*

People are mean nowadays. They honk at each other in traffic. They yell profane words at sporting events. They say hurtful things to their family members.

People are mad nowadays. You can see it in their eyes. They’re angry. They want others to be as miserable as they are. If looks could kill, there would be dead people all over the highways, grocery stores, schools and churches.

However, smiles are contagious. They are gifts of love that brighten the room and the soul. Bright eyes cheer the heart but they also lift the spirit. Good news is heard through the ears but goes deep down into the inmost parts of the bones and strengthens them.

Some people have gone through terrible things and may not have a smile to give. Give them one of yours. Don’t worry about running out. You’ll have plenty to spare.

Lord, help me to spread Your joy to others through the look on my face.

*quotegarden.com

We Need Friends

2010-02-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. Nehemiah 4:13 HCSB

Steven is my good friend. I sang in his wedding. He ushered at mine. When he developed Hodgkin’s Disease, he called me. When Kathy and I lost a baby to miscarriage, I called him. When the foster child he was trying to adopt was taken from he and his wife, I prayed with him. When I returned to my New Orleans home after Hurricane Katrina, he came with me. He’s my good friend.
Nehemiah stationed those working on the wall to stand guard by families. He knew that people needed to be with others with whom they have a relationship. He realized that it is easier for people to overcome discouragement when they know that somebody “has their back.”

Today, remember to make contact with your friends. Remember that God gave you your friends to help you go through difficult times. Remember also that God gave you to
your friends to help them go through difficult times.

Lord, thank You for the friends that You have given me.

All Things

2010-02-09T06:18:00.000-08:00

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 HCSB

God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them. Stanley Lindquist*

The softball was flying straight towards me. I was determined to catch it and make the final out of the game. However, I missed it altogether and it hit me firmly in the face directly above my right eye. I stammered a bit then fell to the ground. Both teams ran to see if I was o.k. Jokingly, I picked up the ball, tagged the batter out, and said, “Hey, all things do work together for the good of those who love the Lord.”

Most of the times in my life, however, I do not joke when I am faced with struggles. I whine and complain when I should be looking for the good.

Lord, help me to remember that You are always working for my good.

*thinkexist.com

Whatever He Pleases

2010-02-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

The Lord does whatever He pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths. Psalm 135:6 HCSB

I gave in, and admitted that God was God. C.S. Lewis*

After all these years of having a personal relationship with Jesus, I can’t believe that I am still so selfish when I come before Him in prayer. I must seem to Him like some little spoiled brat who runs to Him and says, “Hello, God! I want these three things for my birthday and these four things for Christmas and these two things just for being me!” What must go through His mind when I’m busy praying, “My kingdom come, my will be done on earth as it is in heaven?”

He alone is Lord. He cares about my wants and needs, but it is His purposes and plans that will come to fruition whether or not they are on my wishlist. The Lord can do whatever He wants wherever He wants whenever He wants however He wants. He is God. I am not.

Lord, You are God. You do whatever You want. Help me to always remember that when I am speaking to You.

*brainyquote.com

Yours, Lord

2010-02-04T06:10:00.000-08:00

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. In Your hand are power and might, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 HCSB

I learned a secret a long time ago that I’ve forgotten many times over. I learned it as a teenager, but forgot it as I was studying hard and applying for scholarships. You see, I had to make something of myself. I learned it before I bought my first home, but soon forgot it as I was saving for my down payment and touring potential homes. You see, I had to have a nice home. I learned it as I began to save for my retirement, but again forgot it as I shoved money into IRAs and 403bs. You see, I had to provide for myself.

What’s the secret that I forgot? It’s not us. It’s Him.

In You, Lord, is everything I need.

Ways

2010-02-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:7-8 HCSB

Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. Robert H. Schuller*

“Pastor,” my mother said as she pulled out a big wad of folded bills in front of me. “I’ve got this extra money and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it, so will you take it and give it to someone who really needs it?”

“I certainly will,” he replied with a smile. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

Later, when we were alone, I told her, “I could have told you what to do with that extra cash. I could have spent it on jeans and tennis shoes.”

“Well, I did with it exactly what I thought God wanted me to do,” she responded. “And if you don’t like it, you can take it up with Him.”

Lord, help us to always remember that You have supernatural purposes for the resources that You have entrusted to us.

*thinkexist.com

Jonah

2010-01-29T15:55:00.001-08:00

Jonah set out on the first day of his walk in the city and proclaimed, “In 40 days Ninevah will be overthrown!” The men of Ninevah believed in God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth-from the greatest of them to the least. Jonah 3:4-5 HCSB

It may be thro’ the shadows dim, Or o’er the stormy sea, I take my cross and follow Him, wherever He leadeth me. B.B. McKinney*

As a child, I was captivated when I heard that Jonah refused to preach to the Ninevites, that he ran from God, was thrown into the sea, swallowed by a large fish, somehow managed to survive for three days, and was then vomited by the fish onto dry land. Now, I am amazed that it took Jonah three days to pray for help. He must have either really hated the Ninevites or had a serious death wish.

Jonah, even while he stood to preach, hated the Ninevites with a passion. I can imagine him simply quoting the verse above as his entire sermon. However, God used that simple message to save an entire city from destruction.

It’s easy to be hard on Jonah. But how many times are we guilty of not obeying God because of our own hatred, selfishness, or laziness?

Lord, help us to do what You want us to do when You want us to do it.

*Wherever He Leads I’ll Go

Guard Your Heart

2010-01-27T06:33:00.000-08:00

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Proverbs 4:23 HCSB

As a payment for pleasure, it’s a high price to pay. For a soul that remains sincere, with a conscience clear, guard your heart. Steve Green*

When I was in college, I made a white tissue heart for a girl that I was dating. She smiled when I gave it to her, but later it she used it to blow her nose and tossed it into the trash. That evening, I decided to guard my tissue hearts more carefully.

Many of us today are careful to guard our investments, our families, our creativity, our homes, our ministries, and our friends, but if we are not careful to guard our hearts, we are in danger of losing everything. The values that we set our hearts upon will be the determining factor in the course of our lives. Just as a slightest move of a rudder can change the course of a ship, so the smallest indiscretion can change the course of our lives and ministries.

Lord, help us always guard our hearts.

*Guard Your Heart

White Lexus

2010-01-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man holds it in check. Proverbs 29:11 HCSB

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. Ralph Waldo Emerson*

Well, I was on my way to work today,
Driving along the usual way,
When I stopped at a light before I turned right,
But before I could peer to my right did I hear
A honk from a man with a phone in his hand
In a white Lexus car and he did by far
Anger me much more than I’d been before
When driving to work, but, I tell you, this jerk
Made me want to curse, but what was much worse,
I threw caution aside because I did decide
To not let it go and to sure let him know
That the honk from his horn had caused a right storm,
Right inside my head and I wished he was dead.
I slammed the gas to the floor and peeled out before,
I even could see what was coming for me:
It was a giant Mack truck and I had no luck
In veering away on this my last day.

Lord, help us control our anger.

*thinkexist.com

Cut It Off

2010-01-25T05:20:00.000-08:00

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. Matthew 5:30a HCSB

What you allow in your heart is serious business. So take it seriously. Be willing to say, “I will do anything it takes to ensure that my heart is in the right place.” Tom Holloday*

When I was younger, I was frightened of the scripture above. I used to think, “If I cut off one of my hands because of my sin, then I might as well cut off both of my hands and both of my feet, pull out my tongue, shove cotton down my ears, and gouge out my eyes. At different points in my life, all of these body parts have caused me to sin.

Jesus wants to radically transform our lives. He knows that sin in our lives prevents that transformation from taking place. He doesn’t so much want us to literally cut off our hands that sin as he wants us to take serious measures to guard our hearts from anything that would cause us to sin.

Lord, help me to guard my heart and fight to keep it pure.

*The Relationship Principles of Jesus

Goop

2010-01-23T05:58:00.000-08:00

Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. Psalm 51:1-2

9 Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from Your presence, and don't take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me again the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You. Psalm 51:9b-12

Have you ever accidentally spilled gasoline on yourself? It’s irritating, isn’t it? Last time it happened to me, I was at a gas station filling my tank. I pulled the pump out too fast and gasoline drenched my hands. I ran into the station to wash them but the restroom was out of order. So, I wrapped some napkins around my fingers and drove home. At home, I ran into my bathroom and scrubbed my hands in white foamy soap. But when I rinsed my hands, the smell was still there. Frustrated, I drove to the hardware store where I learned about a hand cleaner called Goop. Right there in the store, I rubbed it on my hands and was finally free of the stench.
In many ways, sin is like the smelly gasoline that spilled on my hands. We don’t mean to get so involved with it, but somehow, we find ourselves soaked completely with its stench and realize that is noticeable to everyone around us. We try to cover it up with temporary fixes, but they don’t last. Finally, at the end of ourselves, we come to the realization that the only sin cleaner that totally frees us from the stench of our own sin is the cleansing blood of Jesus.
When sin completely overwhelms you, cry out to the Lord. Confess your sin to Him. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin, to create a clean heart within you, and to remove the stain of your guilt.

Vulnerable

2010-01-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

Love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 NIV

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one. C.S. Lewis*

Kathy and I were friends before we started dating. When I realized that there was an attraction between us, I was nervous. I didn’t want to do anything that might hinder our friendship, so I took things really slow. She had patience with me and I finally mustered up the courage to risk beginning a romantic relationship with her. A year later, I got scared and broke up with her. I spent a miserable summer in another state wishing I hadn’t done it. When I returned, I chased after her fiercely until she was not only my girlfriend, but my wife. Why? Because I knew she was worth the risk.

Jesus commanded us to love others as ourselves. He knew that loving our neighbors would be risky for us. He knew that we might even get hurt. He also knew that the risk was worth it.

Lord, help us to risk loving our neighbors as ourselves.

*The Four Loves

Naked Baptism

2010-01-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

But everything must be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40 HCSB

Modesty is my best quality. Jack Benny*

I never would have believed it, but apparently there is evidence that some seventeenth century Baptists immersed their converts completely nude. According to H. Leon McBeth, some early Baptists were charged with immodesty during certain baptism services. He writes that Baptists were repeatedly accused of baptizing men and women together naked and of baptizing women in immodestly flimsy garments. Fortunately, in their 1644 confession, the Baptists added an explanatory note which states that immersion should be performed with convenient garments both upon the administrator and subject.**

I’ve heard it said that part of a worship leader’s job is to remove as many distractions as possible so that people might more readily encounter the presence the God. Certainly, nude baptisms would cause a person’s mind to drift away from the Lord. However, inappropriate clothing, on either male or female worship leading participants, can also be distracting and keep many from entering the presence of God.

Lord, help us to make appropriate attire choices. Help us always to remember that we are representing You.

*brainyquote.com
**The Baptist Heritage, pg. 48

Personal Worship

2010-01-20T05:52:00.000-08:00

Like many men, I am extremely goal oriented in almost everything that I do. Regarding my career, I set work related goals at the beginning of each quarter and work hard throughout the quarter to achieve those goals. Regarding my physical health, I set fitness goals at the beginning of each year and strive to find the time to exercise regularly in order to meet those goals. Regarding my financial savings, I set savings goals at the beginning of each month and pinch pennies throughout the month in order to meet those goals. Regarding my personal worship, I, uh, well…
Even though my job is crafting dynamic, creative worship experiences for large groups of people, I must admit that one of areas in my life in which I struggle the most is personal worship. This disturbs me greatly because I am a Christian leader. I am called by God to make a difference in this world. I am someone who stands before people and asks them if they are sure that they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And all the while, I struggle in keeping my relationship with Jesus Christ strong, pure, and consistent.
What type of goals have I set about who I worship? If I am honest with myself, I realize that I have set none. I have stood with thousands of people and sang “Lord, I give You my heart, I give You my soul, I live for You alone. Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake. Lord, have Your way in me.”* But in my personal life, when the crowds are gone and it’s just He and I, am I missing the mark? Am I truly worshipping Him or am I living for myself? Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.”** So what type of goal can I set for my personal worship? If I had to wrap it up in one word, it would be “Remember.”
First, in my personal worship, I must have the goal of remembering who God is. Doing so puts everything else in its proper perspective. Remembering who God is takes my eyes off of myself and puts them on the One who is truly worthy of my praise and worship. It lifts me above the circumstances of our lives and helps me to focus on who it is that I are worshipping. On the day that David was rescued by the Lord from all of his enemies, including Saul, he wrote, “I love You, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:1-2).”
Second, in my personal worship, I must have the goal of remembering what God has done. Remembering what God has done helps me to stand strong in faith, knowing that the God who has worked on my behalf in the past is the same God who will work on my behalf in the future. When Jehoshaphat stood before the people of Judah as Jerusalem was about to be attacked by the combined armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites, he prayed “Lord God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You. Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? (2 Chronicles 20:6-7).”
Third, I must remember that I am dependent on Him. Doing so in my personal worship shows God that I am completely dependent on Him for absolutely everything in my life. It reminds me that I can do nothing without Him. It takes the burden and worries of ministry off of my back and helps me to accomplish more. During the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples, “Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me (John 15:4-5).”
Fourth, I must remember that I have a relationship with God. This means that I have to communicate with Him in order to foster that relationship. It means that I must read the Bible and listen to what He is saying. It means that I must do what is best for Him and not for me. It means that I must love Him with all that is within me. Once, a Pharisee asked Jesus to name the greatest commandment. Jesus answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).”
Finally, I must remember to press onward with my remembrance goals. I must take the time in my personal worship to remember who God is, remember what He has done, remember that I am dependent on Him, and remember that I must foster my relationship with Him. Paul once wrote, “I want to know Christ… (Philippians 3:10A).” That statement summarizes the purpose and benefit of all that I am and believe.

*Reuben Morgan, Hillsongs Music. I Give You My Heart.
**Ralph Waldo Emerson Wisdomquotes.com

Prowler

2010-01-19T05:58:00.000-08:00

Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 HCSB

I’m sorry if I’m the one to break this news to you: you were born into a world at war, and you will live all your days in the midst of a great battle, involving all the forces of heaven and hell and played out here on earth. John Eldridge*

When I was a child, I had a very distinct idea of the identity of Satan. I knew that Satan was pure evil, opposing God in everything. I knew that he was out to destroy me, so I tried to stay as far away from him as I could.

I think I need to get back to my childhood picture of Satan. I need to remember that he only wants to tempt me, deceive me, accuse me, and devour me.

Lord, give me the wisdom to know when Satan is attacking me and the boldness to resist him.

*Waking the Dead

Full Vent

2010-01-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man holds it in check. Proverbs 29:11 HCSB

A man is about as big as the things that make him angry. Winston Churchill*

The grocery store was packed. Somehow, my wife Kathy and I managed to squeeze through the crowd and find the cases of bottled water. I paid for one at the checkout and we walked out of the store and towards our car when a large Cadillac suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The driver of the car obviously wanted all of the pedestrians to yield to him so he honked his horn for an extended period. For some reason, this made me absolutely furious. I stepped out of the car’s path, but raised the case of water over my head and acted as if I was going to slam it onto the trunk of the Cadillac.

“Did you see that jerk?” I asked Kathy as I loaded the water into the car.

“Oh,” she replied. “Do you mean that man who was honking his horn or you acting like you were going to throw your water bottles on his car?”

Lord, help us always to keep our anger in check.

*thinkexist.com