Be Content

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, in part, to thank them for their support for supplies needed for his imprisonment. The Philippians were the only church that shared to meet Paul’s physical needs and he expresses his gratitude. But Paul also expressed that he had learned to be content in whatever situation he was in (4:11). This is a lesson that I must continue to learn. Life is not always easy and there will be obstacles along the way, times of testing and difficulties. A part of the response that we need to have is one of contentment but also the key is “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (4:13)

We all face adversity. We all face trials. How do we respond? Frustration? Anger? Resentment? I have been guilty of responding those ways and it got me nowhere. It was not beneficial for me and nor my family. The answer is to rest in Christ and allow his power and strength to sustain us through the storms of life.

What's Most Important?

There are many things that clamor for our attention. There are careers to be completed, finances to tend to, children to raise, grandchildren to "spoil", and a life to be lived. The world would have us believe that it is all about the party or the car or the house. Television ads only show people smiling, with the latest kitchen equipment, the newest car and well groomed yards. I think they are trying to promote a better life while all the while those of us who live in the real world know that life is not always so pretty.

Now, if we have a nice car, nice appliances, a well groomed yard, etc. it's OK. There is nothing wrong with those things but those things will never satisfy. Material possessions are nice to have but try having a deep conversation with your LG high efficiency washer and dryer. How about taking a relaxing walk on the beach with your 52" flat screen HD Blueray ready TV. It would be awkward to carry not to mention what people would think. Things are things. That's all they are.

The relationship we have with God is the most important relationship we can have. And our relationship with God comes through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John records in John 1:12-13 "But to all who did receive him (Jesus), who believed in his (Jesus) name, he gave the right to become the children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God". It is from this this relationship that all others have value and worth. My relationship with Christ will affect my relationship with Shelly, my kids, my church family and my friend.

We are to love the Lord God with all that we are and our neighbor as ourselves. We are not to love the things of this world. Things break, rust, wear out and go away. We must have a proper understanding how important our relationships are. When everything around us is gone, who do we have?

Worship: What Is It All About?

As a "worship" leader, I am given the task of planning, coordinating and then leading our music for Sunday services.I have been in the ministry of music for over 25 years. Through the years I have grown to better understand my role and the meaning of worship. In the past few weeks I have read one book on worship and I continue to read a blog on worship. This led me to wonder more deeply what worship really is. Is worship the songs we sing? Is it the sermon? Is it the praying and giving of tithes and offerings? Is it the children's story? Is it possible that announcements are worship? It seems the older I get the more I don't know or understand. For way to long I have assumed much about worship and have gone through the motions of worship too often to admit.

One passage of Scripture that I have been focusing on is John 4. The encounter that Jesus has with the women at the well has helped to better clarify worship. True worship is done in spirit and truth. Although this does take a form, the form is not the point. Worship is internal, from the heart and not based on external conformity to ceremonies and rituals (MacArthur commentary). No worship leader can make people worship by the songs he selects. Its a heart thing and not a form thing. The other aspect that is critical to worship is that worship must be in truth. Again, truth is a heart is and is consistent with scriptural teachings and is centered on the incarnate word (MacArthur commentary). It is worship that is centered on the Father and not man.

Jesus said "...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." That is an amazing truth. The Creator of all things, the Sovereign God is seeking true worshipers who will worship him in spirit and truth.

With this understanding, it is imperative that worship leaders (song leaders, pastors, etc) be about truth. The songs we plan, the prayers we offer, the sermons that are preached, the offerings we bring all must be centered on the truth. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life." John 14:6 (emphasis added)

All that I do, as a worship leader at the church I serve, must be about the truth of Jesus Christ. As my friend who writes the blog I read has recently stated, the truth of Christ is the gospel and it is found in His life, death, burial and resurrection.

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" John 4:24

Blessings to all who read this blog. MEM

It's Really Not About Me

Our sabbatical was a great time to get away from the regular routine of life. To be "free" from my ministerial responsibilities for 30 days allowed me to take the proverbial 30,000 foot view of life and calling. The view of things from 30,000 helps to clarify the world as you know it. You see things that were once large and menacing as small and insignificant. You realize your own smallness from that vantage point as well. The other thing I realized was that there are a lot of people in this world. Everywhere we went there were people. Back in Salina, it's easy to get tunnel vision and only see what you want and ignore the rest. You realize that God has created everyone in his own image and that this life is really not about you.

Jesus came to give of himself, not to be served but to serve, to die on a cross, to pay the penalty of sin, to provide a way to God and abundant living. Jesus' life was about loving the Father, obeying him and helping others to come to know him. Jesus was about bringing glory to God and not about making it easy on himself. Jesus had none of the comforts we have today nor did he have much for his day. The joy and peace came from pleasing the Father and doing his will. It was in this sacrificial life that true life was demonstrated. Denying my selfish wants and desires and following Christ is most important.

It's really not about me but about God and Jesus and living a Christ-centered life in the power of the Holy Spirit. It's about the glory to God.

Opportunity of a Lifetime

Nothing in all the world will ever compare to knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. The relationship with the Creator of all things is one that is full of love, hope, mercy, grace, kindness, power, riches, correction and life. Everything else pails in comparison, to say the least. The Apostle Paul counted everything as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus (Philippians 3).

There are a few things, in our human minds, that we would consider an "opportunity of a lifetime". For some, it might be jumping out of a perfectly good, function plane for the thrill of skydiving. Others might think of deep sea diving or visiting a foreign country or driving a NASCAR race car as that opportunity of a lifetime.

The church that I have the privilege to serve in is giving me a 30 day sabbatical with pay.They have also collected a love offering to help offset our expenses for the various activities we will be engaged in during the sabbatical. For me, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. Never have I had the opportunity to have an extended time away to refresh, renew, retool and rest. I am amazed each time that I think of what the Lord has provided through this church family, to realize the great opportunity this is for me and my family.

One thing is for sure, I will not waste this opportunity. I hope that whatever opportunity the Lord gives you, that you will not waste a moment of it. If it is an opportunity to share the hope of Jesus, to meet a physical need, to pray with someone, to do some random act of kindness, whatever the Lord gives you to do in his name for the glory of God and the good for others, do it. Don't waste the opportunity.

On the Road

There are times in our lives that this road we travel, as believers, is filled with hills, stops, curves, smooth sections and rough sections. There are those roads that are wide-open and you can see what is coming for miles in all directions. Then there are those roads that are lined with trees and you cannot see what is around the next bend. Sometimes the sun is shining bright and other times the moon is not even out.

No matter what section of road you may be on today, there are promises that we can claim to give us confidence to keep going and to not give up. In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul gives us a wonderful promise of God’s love and the promise of Christ’s presence in our lives.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  

As it is written

 “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we               are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Those who would want to separate us from God cannot, life and death cannot; nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of Christ. So, in light of this truth and promise, what is there to fear? What part of the road, no matter its condition, should discourage us? With the wonderful promises of God, we should face each situation with the confidence of “conquerors” and not give into fear or the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6) or his desire to devour us. (1 Peter 5:8).

To borrow a term from the 70”s; “keep on trucking” with Jesus!

No Rejoicing Here

The events of this week have been incredible. Our national leaders and our military have done a great job in seeking justice for all the lives lost on September 11, 2001 and those lost before and after, that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for taking. I am grateful that our Navy Seals were not injured or killed during the recent mission to find Osama Bin Laden.
What saddens me is the unfortunate reaction of some Christian in "rejoicing" at Bin Laden's death. Whether he was deserving of death or not, we should not rejoice in it. There is only one reason that we should not rejoice in the death of the wicked and that reason is because God does not rejoice in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11 states "Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'"
The principle here is that God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that all would come to repentance and faith in Him. We know that not everyone comes to faith in God through Jesus Christ our Lord, but we should not rejoice in their death.

Get Familiar

I recently switched laptops and it has taken me awhile to become familiar with all the buttons and what they do. My other laptop was more basic and I was more comfortable with it due to my being more familiar with it's operation. Now, don't get me wrong. I really liked the other laptop but this new one is faster, a little smaller and weights a little less.

The other day, I could not get my internet to work. When I clicked the troubleshoot button it indicated that my switch was off for the internet. Well, due to my unfamiliarity with the newer laptop, I could not find the switch. I searched all over the laptop for a switch, but to no avail. Then, I noticed a little button on the right side of the laptop and lo and behold, there it was. I slide it the other direction and "bam" I had internet. Then I pushed this other button and out came a little remote control/mouse. I thought, "what is this?" So, I have discovered a couple of things with my different laptop and I am now more familiar with it than ever.

I have found this to be true when it comes to my Bible. I've had one for along time. I even use to carry a KJV. I've read most of the Bible over the years and am somewhat familiar with where most books are. But, I want to be even more familiar with the Bible. I want to know what God says about himself, us, his will, his plan, his love, his glory, etc. The only way I know to be more familiar with God's word is to read it, meditate upon it and study it. When things aren't going well, I want to know where to turn for encouragement. For this to happen, I must be familiar with the Bible's content. The Psalmist states "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." PS 119:11 (ESV) He goes on to state in Psalm 119:105 "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (ESV)

My prayer for me and for all of us would be that we become so familiar with God's word that there isn't a situation we face that we won't know where to turn for instruction, wisdom, correction, rebuke, teaching and training in righteousness. Let's get familiar!

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...

If I had a favorite actor it probably would be Tom Hanks. His character, Forrest, Forrest Gump, is one of my favorites. His honesty, integrity and willingness to be open and honest with who he is, is remarkable. This is easier when you have a script to follow and you can "control" every word that the actor says.
Forrest Gump's most famous line is "mama always said 'life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you gonna get'" In most cases it seems, there is some wisdom to this statement. Each day we awake, we experience things that we were not expecting. Maybe one day we get a report from the doctor saying "I need to see you right away". Maybe we get a call about a loved one who has just died or we have child that is in trouble. The human wisdom of Forrest Gump may be right to a point but it seems that life should not be lived in such a hap hazard way.
We cannot see nor predict the future. But for those who follow Christ, we have one Who sees it clearly and He reveals it to us one day at a time. I am sure that if we were given a chance to look into the future of our lives and to see what was coming we would surely be overwhelmed - maybe for the good or maybe for the bad. God is wise in only allowing us one day at a time. We hope to have learned to trust Him in the past so that as we look forward to the future, we will trust Him today and everyday we have life.
Paul states in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." If this life is really to be lived in Christ, then what is there to fear? I need to remember this teaching on a daily basis. I am prone to try and do things my way and live the way I want. But this life is not mine to live. It is Christ's life to be lived in and through me. Oh, may I get out of the way and truly let Christ live through me.

Don't Take Things for Granted (and other thoughts related to it)

"To take someone or something for granted"



"to expect someone or something to be always available to serve in some way without thanks or recognition; to value someone or something too lightly".
 
We all do it at some point in our life. We take things for granted. If you are over forty you are probably realizing the truth of this idiom. When we are young the world is full of promise, hope and "security". We take our health, relationship and our futures for granted. We value them all too lightly. It is only when we are faced with illness, death or loss of job that we better understand our attitudes towards the things and the people in our life.
 
I sometimes wonder if we take God for granted. If you are a follower of Jesus then you probably are familiar with the promises of God. Promises like "I will never leave you or forsake you" or "My God will supply all you need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus". The Bible is full of the promises of God.
 
Do we take those for granted, do we truly value his promises and our relationship with God? I know in my own life that there have been times that I have carelessly lived for my own interest with no thought of what God would have me do. In my pride and arrogance, I would reason in my mind that since I am a Christian and have God in my life that any and all decision I make must be right. WRONG! Even as a follower of Jesus I must second by second, moment by moment surrender my will to His. I am nothing on my own and my strength is only found in Jesus.
 
Let's not take the things and relationships around us for granted. Let's not take our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for granted. May we live each day intentionally giving value to the things God has given us.

Sin ~ Missing the Standard

The subject of sin is never fun or entertaining. We see the effects of sin all around us in lives that have been shattered and broken by the destructive nature of those who choose to live ungodly, selfish lives. There is a standard that God has set and each day we fail at some point to live up to that standard. We try to be good and do the right things but our efforts fail to hit the target of God's standard.

In Romans 6 Paul teaches extensively on our relationship and attitude with sin, Him and grace. Our relationship to sin is a dead relationship. We are not alive to sin and it's desire to master us or rule us in our mortal body. We are no longer slaves to unrighteousness, nor should we offer our body as instruments of unrighteousness. Sin not dealt with will only bring about spiritual death. In Christ we are dead to sin.

Yet our attitude toward sin is sometimes at conflict with the reality that we are dead to it. If we are not careful, we will fall into the trap that since there is grace we can sin all we want. That is false thinking and presumes upon the grace of God. If we are dead to sin how can we live a lifestyle of sin and wickedness toward God? The other fallacy in verse 15 of Romans 6 is to say we can sin all we want because we are not under law but grace. If we sin, there are consequences we will face. Who are we going to be slaves too? Sin or God? In verse 21 Paul asks this question "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" The payment for a lifestyle of sin and rejecting the grace of God is spiritual death. The other side of that same coin is an invitation to receive the free gift of eternal life found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Anything we do in word or deed or thought that fails to meet the standard that God has set is sin. In my next post I will be looking at our relationship with Jesus and the necessity of being like God.

Proper Perspective

"The proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it; objectivity"
                                                                        Dictionary.com

Looking at life and all it's various situations properly takes a proper perspective. That perspective is sometimes skewed by wrong ideas, thoughts, beliefs, theology, and or illness. Each day we live, we get that one day to view the world and our current circumstances, whatever they may be. Sometimes our perspective is bright and full of hope. Then there are days where it seems our perspective is only doom and gloom. So, how is that we can have a proper perspective?

The Apostle Paul seem to "always" have a right perspective of his life and the things going on around him. In 2 Corinthians 4 he writes
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (emphasis added) (verses 7,8 & 9)

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (emphasis added) (verses 16, 17 & 18)

No matter the situation, Paul found himself in, he had the right proper perspective. He understood that life was not about him but rather the glory of God and the unseen. He understood that the unseen was eternal and his eyes were squarely on that truth.

Often I find myself being overwhelmed with life's issues and circumstances and I fail to keep that proper perspective that the Lord is in control. I fail to remember that I need to keep my eyes on Jesus and the unseen things rather than on my circumstances. I sometimes wonder why it is that I struggle with this area of my life. I think a part of the issue is that I want to control everything and I want everything to be easy. Well, that is not going to always be case and so I must strive everyday to keep things in proper perspective so that I will see things the way God sees them and I won't become distracted from the calling that God has on my life.

My prayer for myself and you is that we would keep that right perspective and not waste time being anxious over things we cannot control.

Take care

Merry Christmas

To all of you who have read my blog, thank you. I hope that I have written something that has encouraged you and helped you along your journey.
2011 is fast approaching. Only God knows what is coming, so I hope that together we can all just walk with Him one day at a time and keep our eyes on Jesus.
I remember as a boy that when I was with my grandfather, grandpa Burkart, there was never anything to be afraid of. He was there to protect me and provide whatever it was I needed. He knew how to give good gifts. God is so more infinitely able to protect and provide I should have no fears for today and the days to come.
I also want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I hope that we will truly celebrate Jesus' birth and thank him for the gift of salvation that He has made available for all who will believe and receive it.
Merry Christmas!

Little Did I Know

When I begin this blog I had no idea, obviously, what the future would hold. I know that life can be challenging and sometimes difficult but we can live through most of the things that happen to us and around us. I believe, in a wonderful way, God led me to begin this blog as a way of preparing for some difficult things in my life.

We can't always see at the moment what God is doing but once the "event" or circumstance has passed we look back and we see God right there; always walking beside us and in some cases carrying us through.

I have experienced another realization - God doesn't always remove us from the circumstance. Jesus went through a time of temptation. Peter fell to temptation twice (that we know of). Paul was unforgiving toward John Mark. God has the power to take us out of the difficulties we often face but more often then not He allows us to remain in the difficulty rather than remove us from it. It seems that sometimes He doesn't heal some folks until death. It seems that we hit "bottom" before things begin to improve.

Here is what I believe a part of the point is - God uses these circumstances in our lives to help us to understand more clearly how dependent we are upon Him! What are we going to do if God does not provide? We will perish! The nature of God is love and He loves His children. He will not allow us to face adversity that He will not provide the strength to endure. Our response is to be one of faithfulness because He is faithful; our response is to persevere because Jesus endured the cross scorning it's shame. We are to be obedient to His word because Jesus was.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives within me. The life I live in the body, I life by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" Galatians 2:20

Good Intentions

I had good intentions on reading through and writing about Psalm 119. It is a great set of verses to read and think upon. It shares and states much of what the Word of God means and does in our life and we get a glimpse into the heart of psalmist. So, even though my intentions were good, I was unable to accomplish my goal.

What happened? I am sure most of us have asked this question when it comes to not doing something that we had intended to do. For me, it seems, that my only consistency is my inconsistency. But regardless of the reasons I could give for not following through on this project, it still didn't come together as I had hoped.

It seems to be a part of life. And when I realize that I have messed up or failed at something I intended to do, I have two choices; either have self-pity and whine about it or just move on and seek to do better next time or tomorrow.

I sort of see this when Jesus reinstates Peter in John 21. Peter has messed up royal and he knew it and had already repented from it. (Matt 26:75) Here we see restoration and commission on one who had good intentions of dying with Jesus but had denied him instead. I love Jesus! He does not condone our sin but is a gracious, kind, compassionate and forgiving Savior. If you notice, Jesus never said "See, I told you were going to deny me". Jesus never brings it up. It doesn't mean he didn't remember it, he chose to not bringing it up or bringing it to mind.

I want to be like Jesus. When others fail to live up to the standards God has set, I am not going to say "My, my, my, how you have failed". I want to respond in kindness and graciousness towards them. They already know they failed and messed up, they don't need me to bring it up. Jesus has been kind and gracious towards me and has forgiven me of all my sin; "Hallelujah, what a Savior!"

Let's "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14)

Psalm 119:25-32

The Psalmist continues to pray for the LORD to work and provide in and through His word. He prays for at least three things:

1. He prays for life (v25)

2. He prays that the LORD would teach him (v26)

3. He prays the LORD would give him strength (v28)

These three request are dependent upon God's word. It is from God's Word that we gain life. His Word preserves us and sustains us even when we feel alone and abandoned. It is through God's Word that we gain understanding and gain knowledge; it is our teacher through the working of the Holy Spirit. Lastly, the Word gives us strength. This strength is not ours but His. Ephesians 3:14-19, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers that God would "grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being" and that they would "have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge the you my be filled with all the fullness of God."

All knowledge or understanding or wisdom or learning, as it relates to the Word of God, has come from God and his word. I believe the repetitiveness of the Psalmist is a benefit for us. It is there to aid us to continually think of these things and to see the many benefits of God's Word.

Psalm 119

Over the past few days I have been out of town attending our annual state Baptist convention meetings. It was a great time and a time to get away and see come different scenery.

Because of that meeting and traveling, I was unable to continue my posts on Psalm 119. I should have said that for the next 22 post I would be writing and sharing about Psalm 119 and not for the next 22 days I would be posting thoughts about Psalm 119.

So, beginning tomorrow, I will once again be writing about Psalm 119.

See you then.

Psalm 119:17-24

In these verses it appears that the psalmist has gone from declaring intent (I have...I will) to praying a prayer.
His prayer is for God to deal or treat him good. The result of such treatment would then be living a life of keeping God's word. Often I wonder if we ask God to bless us or treat us well, not to live according to His word, but rather to have material blessings and ease of life. Obviously, this would not be the case of every follower of Jesus.
James says in James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions" (ESV). I want to pray and act like the psalmist, God treat me well so that "I may live and keep your word".
The next thing he prays for is for the LORD to "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" It is the Lord that gives light to the eyes. We were once in darkness until Christ shown his light into our lives so that we could see the truth of his word. Paul prays a prayer for the Ephesians believers that includes "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe..." If the Lord doesn't open our eyes, we will never see the truth nor realize the hope, inheritance and power we have in Christ.
The last thing I would like to highlight is verse 24 "Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors". A part of what he is saying is that the witness of God is his delight and that witness is where he gets his advice. It is critical that we see God through his word and take our advice from him and those who follow his word.
May these things that the psalmist has prayed for be a part of our prayers as well.

Psalm 119:9-16

As I continue to look at Psalm 119 it is important to notice the question of verse 9. "How can a young man keep his way pure? Obviously, this question applies to everyone. It is a question we all should ask ourselves.
In Psalm 24, David asks two other but related questions: "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?" A part of the answer to these questions are "He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." (emphasis added).
Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Purity is of most importance in our relationship with God. Warren Wiersbe understands this section to be teaching on holiness. So how does the Psalmist expect to have a pure life? Let me just list the things that the psalmist will do to keep his life pure:
1. He will guard his way according to God's word. (This is a subject that I am going to explore more in a later post)
2. He is going to seek the LORD with his whole heart.
3. He is not going to wander from the LORD's commands.
4. He is going to store up the word of the LORD in his heart.
5. He is going to delight, meditate, and fix his eyes upon the word's of the LORD.

This commitment to the Word of God ought to be the same for us. When we are committed to the Word to such a high degree notice the benefit:
1. Not sin against the LORD
2. Teach others the statues of the LORD
3. Declare the rules of the LORD
4. Not forget the word of the LORD

Both the discipline of study and it's benefits ought to spur us on to devote ourselves to its study. There is much to learn and understand so I hope as you read and study, that you greatly benefit from the process.

I am absolutely convinced and believe that the word of God is sufficient for all things. Here is a part of the reason that I believe this; 2 Peter 1:3 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Through God and our Lord Jesus Christ and knowledge and understanding we have the necessary power and strength to overcome anything that might come our way. This may include health issues, relationship issues, financial issues, etc. Jesus is our hope. His word is our counselor. The Spirit is our Teacher.

For the next twenty-two days I am going to be reading through Psalms 119 eight verses at a time. This Psalm has much to say and teach about Word of God, my response to it and the blessing that comes from obeying it. Would you join me on this journey? If so, please leave a comment and let me know.

Psalm 119:1 gives us the benefit of keeping his "statues" and walking "according to the Law of the LORD"; it is to be blessed and blameless. I want to live a blessed life and a blameless life. The only way to do such is to obey, meditate and keep the word, precepts, decrees and commands of the LORD.

I hope that you will join me on this journey and at the end we will know more of God's word and then live to obey it more fully.

A friend of mine had asked if I was no longer blogging and I explained that I had been busy with my family and the seminary class that I am taking and just had not made the time to write. This friend then texted me and basically reminded me that God is always at work around me and that I should share what it is that God is teaching me or showing me.

God is teaching me to wait and be still before him. I sang a song last Sunday, here at my church, entitled "Be Still and Know" by Steven Curtis Chapman. The NIV version translates Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth". Warren Wiersbe states the the phrase "Be still" or as in other translations "cease", literally means "Take your hands off! Relax!".

This song and understanding has helped me to understand my response to God in life. He is in control, I'm not. He has the plan, he reveals it day by day. If I do it all, I get the credit and not God. So I need to let God be God and let him do what it is he wants to do and then he will be exalted among the nations and the earth. He is worthy of me taking my hands off of my destiny and the control that I want to have. I need to let him have it all.

There is a responsibility I have. This verse doesn't speak of not doing anything. I must be about prayer, Bible reading and study, meditating on the Word of God and service. I also must be obedient and faithful to him and his word.

In all of life we need to be still, take our hands off and relax; rest in the Lord and let him do what it is that he desires to do for his glory and our good.

I have come to understand, in a more complete way, the phrase"one day at a time". The reality is that we only get one day at a time. The hopes of yesterday are gone and we have no guarantee of tomorrow. So, today is all we have.

What do we do with the day we have been given? For some it's lived like every other day they have had. Getting up, getting ready for work, making another dollar, spending it on whatever they wish and think they will do it again tomorrow with no regard to the fact that tomorrow may never come. I don't want to live this way and yet I sometimes forget and fall into the same routine and mindless pattern of just going through the motions of working, sleeping, eating, watching TV, etc.

The way I want to live is to consciously understand that each day is a gift from God, a day to bring Him glory in how I work, spend time with family, interact with members of the community, drive my car, what I watch and listen too. All I have for certain is today and even in that, the day is uncertain as to how it will go. So, in reality, not only is it a day to day situation but truly a moment by moment existence.

When our hope is in the Lord, there is peace and not fear. I don't fear the future of this day or the days to come. My hope is securely upon the One who is Sovereign. This, I believe, is the realization of living one day at a time. We understand the importance of each day and thus don't take it or the things in our lives for granted. We value the day, family, opportunities to do good and bring God glory.

Another Adventure

As I wrote in my last post about Kara beginning high school and what milestone that is for us there is also another event happening in my life. After years of wanting to begin my masters degree, I am finally beginning it. This is my first week of "class". This masters degree will be a totally online degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) in Kansas City, MO. It already has proven to be a challenge in reading. There is a bunch to read.

I am really looking forward to completing this degree and gaining the benefit of knowledge and understanding from studying and reading the Bible and things related to it.

Sorry for the short post but in the words of one of my favorite people, Forest Gump "that's all I have to say about that".

The Beginning of the End

Today me and my family embark on a journey that will no doubt be exciting yet we have no way of knowing how it will all trun out. The future is uncertain, we have no idea as to exactly how things will go and yet we cannot stop time. Each day reveals a little more of what is coming and yet it is only in looking back do we have a more complete understanding of what has happened.

Today our youngest daughter began high school. The next four years will be filled with new experiences and joys. They also might be filled with difficulty and challenges. The reality is that every day is like the first day of high school, we never know for sure what will take place.

Like Forrest Gump's mama always said "Forrest, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Unless they have the diagram under the lid, then technically you would know what you were going to get by following the diagram but maybe in Forrest's day they didn't have that diagram...excuse me, I digress.

I am excited for her and pray the Lord will bless her, make His face shine upon her and bless her. I also pray this for my family.

When Kara graduates in 2014, I will be 48 years old and hopefully done with my masters in theological studies and will have some more grand kids. Jude will be almost 5 years old.

The future is full of promise and hope but I really don't know what is going to happen. So in the midst of my optimism, I set my heart on the Lord, who is the one who sees eternity past, present and future. He is my Rock, my sure foundation. He is my life.

I hope today that no matter what you are facing or thinking about, you will place your hope and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in Him. He will take care of us and provide for all we need and in the midst of it all, will bless us according to His riches in heaven. Only may we be found faithful and obedient to His will and word.

This past Saturday I did a 52 mile bike ride. The only problem was that it was supposed to be a 64 mile bike ride. So, why did I come up short? I came up short because I didn't have enough nourishment and time.

On Saturday mornings, my friend Mark and I and sometimes his wife Beth, ride bikes together. We often don't know where we are going until we meet up. This past Saturday, it was just Mark and me. We decided to head to Lindsborg, which is 19 miles away. I have made that trip many times so it was no big deal. We arrived in Lindsborg in good time. It was then I discovered that I had forgotten my debit card and I only had $6 in my jersey. This usually is not a problem except we decided to ride another 11 miles before we made the turn to come home. Mistake one is that I did not have the funds to buy enough food to keep my strength up. Oh, and the wind came up out of the NNE, which made it even more difficult to ride home.

Mistake two was that I thought I had most of the day to ride. When I stopped back in Lindsborg, on the way home, I had a text from Shelly that we were to be at Amanda's by 12 noon, it was 10:48 and I had 19 miles to go fighting a head wind all the way. Well, I tried but failed and Shelly had to come and pick me up 12 miles from town.

Here are some lessons I learned:

1. Be prepared, always be prepared. Even when you don't think you will need whatever it is that you might need, take it anyway.

2. Better to have more and not need it than not enough and wish you had it.

3. Know your limitations. When I discovered I didn't have the needed funds for food, I should have headed back home and not gone the extra 22 miles.

4. Make sure you have the time. If you don't have it, don't do it.

I hope that you will take what I have learned and benefit from my mistakes. In the future, I will more readily count the cost and to my best to have whatever I need to finish the course. Sounds like a spiritual lesson could be hiding in and amongst there! Maybe next time I will write about that.

Take care!