In my study tonight, I am examining the 15th chapter of Matthew. The chapter basically begins with the Pharisees judging the activities of Jesus and his disciples, trying to find wrong doing. They asked why the disciples did not wash their hands before eating, claiming that they were defying age-old traditions.
It seems to me that many of our "churches" today are doing the same - acting like the Pharisees. Traditions have been practiced and elevated to the status of commands from God. Now, there is certainly nothing wrong with having traditions - social groups have them, religious groups have them, and even many families have them. My own family has certain traditions. However, we need to be careful not to elevate these traditions to a point where undue importance is assigned to them, much less to the point where they are considered commandments from God.
Further in the chapter, in verses 10 through 16, Jesus is trying to explain a simple concept to his disciples. There were many "laws" about what could be eaten and drank, and Jesus explained that it is not what we eat or drink that defines us - but what is in our hearts. In verse 17, Jesus states, "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer." (NLT). If we stop to think about this, we see how true this is. It may raise our blood sugar a bit or add a little weight to our bodies on that journey, but that is about all.
However, as Jesus explains in the verses following that statement, the words we speak - the actions we perform - reflect what is in our hearts. And, what is in our hearts is what is important. If our hearts are full of evil thoughts, then there is no room left for Jesus. And - our words and actions will reflect those evil thoughts.
Verses 8 and 9 highlight this, as Jesus quoted what was written by Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God." (NLT)
I have heard many people make the claim that, to a great extent, the "church" has become the greatest earthly enemy of true Christianity. I fully agree with this statement. "Organized religion" places so much importance on "traditions" and "rituals" that they have drifted far from actually following the examples and commandments of Jesus.
Have any of you experienced this type of experience with Christian worship? Do you know a religious organization who has placed such undue importance on "traditions"? I would love to hear from you!!
Monday, May 4, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Did You Get Everything Done Today That You Wanted To?
That may seem like a silly question, and I imagine that a good 90% of people would have to answer "No". I just finished reading a devotional entitled "How Can Reflecting on Heaven Help Me Escape the "Tyranny of the Urgent:?"
Now, when I first read the title, I had little to no doubt what it was talking about. Like most of you, I never seem to have enough time to get everything done that I intended to do each day. Most days I feel like I go ninety miles per hour all day and at the end of the day, usually close to midnight, I look around and think of all the things that I "meant" to get done - but didn't. This brings on a mixture of feelings - depression, failure, disappointment in myself just to name a few.
In the devotional that I read there was an excerpt from a book, "The City of God", written by St. Augustine, then translated and published in 1958. This excerpt explains St. Augustine's view on the meaning of resting on the seventh day and the bliss of the Sabbath. We can all agree that when Jesus returns and we are united with God in heaven, that will be our ultimate Sabbath. But reading this excerpt from that book brings out some questions to ponder, as pointed out at the end of the devotional.
What can we do now to bring rest into our lives? The devotional suggests that we make a list of all the things we "think" are dominating our time and then, reviewing the list, determine which of these items are actually necessary. It suggests that we should simplify our lives as much as possible. It also points out that the urgent is not always important. It concludes by stating that we should not try to make ourselves do what we cannot do.
In conclusion, I have a suspicion that this devotional is very much correct. I suspect that if I make a list of what all I feel "has" to be done each day for a week, then review that list, I will find that there are things that are not earth shattering if they are not accomplished. I also suspect that if I actually keep a log of my activities each of these days, I will then find much more "wasted" time than I would like to admit.
So - the Tyranny of Urgency? In case you are still wondering - the tyranny of urgency is simply the pressure we put on ourselves by thinking there are a certain number of things we absolutely must accomplish each day without actually determining if all those things are all that important.
The "How Can Reflecting on Heaven Help Me Escape the Tyranny? If we make our lists, and while reviewing them, determine if each thing is actually important, we need to realize that many times what we think is of great importance is actually something we can simply turn over to God. However, when we, ourselves, try to play God - and we all tend to do that from time to time - thinking we can handle everything on our own - we find that we are attempting to do or control things that we should not have been trying to do or control to begin with.
So - how can we simplify our lives? Accomplish only those things we can actually control. Turn over to God all those things we actually have no control over. Trust God to take care of those.
Let me know if you ever have to deal with the Tyranny of Urgency, and if so, how do you deal with it?
Now, when I first read the title, I had little to no doubt what it was talking about. Like most of you, I never seem to have enough time to get everything done that I intended to do each day. Most days I feel like I go ninety miles per hour all day and at the end of the day, usually close to midnight, I look around and think of all the things that I "meant" to get done - but didn't. This brings on a mixture of feelings - depression, failure, disappointment in myself just to name a few.
In the devotional that I read there was an excerpt from a book, "The City of God", written by St. Augustine, then translated and published in 1958. This excerpt explains St. Augustine's view on the meaning of resting on the seventh day and the bliss of the Sabbath. We can all agree that when Jesus returns and we are united with God in heaven, that will be our ultimate Sabbath. But reading this excerpt from that book brings out some questions to ponder, as pointed out at the end of the devotional.
What can we do now to bring rest into our lives? The devotional suggests that we make a list of all the things we "think" are dominating our time and then, reviewing the list, determine which of these items are actually necessary. It suggests that we should simplify our lives as much as possible. It also points out that the urgent is not always important. It concludes by stating that we should not try to make ourselves do what we cannot do.
In conclusion, I have a suspicion that this devotional is very much correct. I suspect that if I make a list of what all I feel "has" to be done each day for a week, then review that list, I will find that there are things that are not earth shattering if they are not accomplished. I also suspect that if I actually keep a log of my activities each of these days, I will then find much more "wasted" time than I would like to admit.
So - the Tyranny of Urgency? In case you are still wondering - the tyranny of urgency is simply the pressure we put on ourselves by thinking there are a certain number of things we absolutely must accomplish each day without actually determining if all those things are all that important.
The "How Can Reflecting on Heaven Help Me Escape the Tyranny? If we make our lists, and while reviewing them, determine if each thing is actually important, we need to realize that many times what we think is of great importance is actually something we can simply turn over to God. However, when we, ourselves, try to play God - and we all tend to do that from time to time - thinking we can handle everything on our own - we find that we are attempting to do or control things that we should not have been trying to do or control to begin with.
So - how can we simplify our lives? Accomplish only those things we can actually control. Turn over to God all those things we actually have no control over. Trust God to take care of those.
Let me know if you ever have to deal with the Tyranny of Urgency, and if so, how do you deal with it?
Monday, January 19, 2015
Power of Remembering by Guest Writer - Jason Elam
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter had grown
disheartened and given up on ever being able to fulfill the call of God on his
life.
It’s not hard to understand why.
Just a few weeks earlier, Peter had promised to stand by Jesus
no matter what. Later that night, Peter was swearing (using actual swear words!)
that he didn’t even know Jesus. On the night that Jesus needed Peter the most,
Peter let Him down. The scriptures say that when the rooster crowed that third
time, Jesus locked eyes with Peter.
Imagine the pain of letting down your best friend, and Savior,
on the night He needed you most.
A few hours later, Jesus was dead, and Peter was sure Jesus
must have gotten it wrong when He called him into a life of ministry.
Even after the resurrection when Jesus appeared to the
disciples, Peter was still struggling with doubts about whether he was worthy
to carry the miraculous message of God’s grace. Jesus finds Peter back at his
old job, pulling nets around the sea, hoping for a catch. Jesus calls him to
the shore, cooks him breakfast, and reminds Peter who he really is and what he
was born to do. Peter’s heart, hardened by self-doubt melts and Peter goes back
to work as a fisher of men. A few days later at Pentecost, Peter preaches the
Gospel and thousands of people come into the Kingdom of God.
Just like Peter needed Jesus to remind him who he really was,
every prodigal needs someone in their life who knew them before their “fall” to
remind them who they really are and who God is still calling them to be.
One of the easiest things for a prodigal to do is to allow their personal failure to become their identity. Many prodigals never find their way to wholeness because they believe they have been permanently disgraced. They desperately need someone to look past their failures and see them as they really are. Or at least, how they were before.
One of the easiest things for a prodigal to do is to allow their personal failure to become their identity. Many prodigals never find their way to wholeness because they believe they have been permanently disgraced. They desperately need someone to look past their failures and see them as they really are. Or at least, how they were before.
Before the drugs.
Before the abuse.
Before the affair.
Before the long string of broken promises.
Before the abuse.
Before the affair.
Before the long string of broken promises.
Every prodigal needs at least one person who can look beyond
all of the pain they have inflicted and remind them who they really are.
1. Remind Them of God’s Love
Many prodigals feel that God is disappointed in them. It’s our job to remind them that God knew that they would make the poor decisions long before they actually did. God has never had an unfulfilled expectation of them. He never had any delusions of their grandeur. Our Father in heaven has always known the paths we would choose but chooses to love us anyway(see Romans 5:8). Even when we break His heart by choosing our own way like the prodigal son in scripture, our Father in heaven waits for us to take one step towards home and then He rushes to our aid, covers us with kisses, and throws us a party(see Luke 15).
Many prodigals feel that God is disappointed in them. It’s our job to remind them that God knew that they would make the poor decisions long before they actually did. God has never had an unfulfilled expectation of them. He never had any delusions of their grandeur. Our Father in heaven has always known the paths we would choose but chooses to love us anyway(see Romans 5:8). Even when we break His heart by choosing our own way like the prodigal son in scripture, our Father in heaven waits for us to take one step towards home and then He rushes to our aid, covers us with kisses, and throws us a party(see Luke 15).
2. Remind Them That God Still Has a Plan for Their Life.
Many people will write off the prodigals in their lives when a tragic failure happens. Prodigals need to be reminded that failure isn’t final. They need to hear that God’s gifts and callings are without repentance(see Romans 11:29). Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. He still has a plan. He still has good plans for them. God will never write them off.
Many people will write off the prodigals in their lives when a tragic failure happens. Prodigals need to be reminded that failure isn’t final. They need to hear that God’s gifts and callings are without repentance(see Romans 11:29). Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. He still has a plan. He still has good plans for them. God will never write them off.
3. Remind Them of Who They Were Before the Fall.
When a prodigal’s self-identity becomes clouded by personal failure and the disappointment they feel in themselves, they need someone to remind them of the person they were before the pain. No child is born wanting to be a drug addict. Remind them of the person they were before the catastrophic choices were made. Remind them of the plans they had and the future they wanted. Remind them of their best characteristics, the good things they did, and the meaning to be found when they get the focus on helping others and making a positive contribution in the world around them(see Hebrews 3:13).
When a prodigal’s self-identity becomes clouded by personal failure and the disappointment they feel in themselves, they need someone to remind them of the person they were before the pain. No child is born wanting to be a drug addict. Remind them of the person they were before the catastrophic choices were made. Remind them of the plans they had and the future they wanted. Remind them of their best characteristics, the good things they did, and the meaning to be found when they get the focus on helping others and making a positive contribution in the world around them(see Hebrews 3:13).
4. Remind Them That You Believe in Them and Will Always Be
Cheering Them On
Finally, every prodigal needs to know there is someone who sees the best in them and hasn’t stopped believing in them. Time after time, I’ve seen hard hearts melt when someone steps up to cheer a prodigal on. It’s harder to doubt yourself when someone else is rooting for you and expecting great things.
Finally, every prodigal needs to know there is someone who sees the best in them and hasn’t stopped believing in them. Time after time, I’ve seen hard hearts melt when someone steps up to cheer a prodigal on. It’s harder to doubt yourself when someone else is rooting for you and expecting great things.
Most prodigals I know can’t remember who they were before they
fell from grace. So we have to remember that for them and remind them often.
They may be afraid to allow themselves to feel valued and accepted again, so be
persistent and relentless in your lavishing of grace upon them. By reminding
them that God loves them, has a plan for their life, sees past their failures,
and has placed you in their life to cheer them on, you might just get to
witness a miracle as God raises grace from the ashes of a broken life.
Yes, life is hard and some mistakes are hard to recover from.
But grace happens.
Jason Elam is Pastor at Freedom Night Pinson, a Jesus centered,
kingdom driven ministry whose mission is to help people experience the freedom
found only in God’s presence. They offer community groups for those addicted to
pornography, for families of addiction, and a (12 step approved) class “Healing
the Wounded Heart”.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
New Testament Reading
As I was reading in John 1 tonight, specifically verses 35 through 42, and read the accompanying study notes, I ran across an interesting question. One that made me stop - and will stick in my mind until I have more time to think it over.
Here's the question: Why are you following Christ?
Simple question - right. Wrong!! Are we following Christ for the right reasons? If we are following Christ for our own purposes, i.e. His blessings, His favor, etc., then we are following Christ for the wrong reasons. If this is the case, we are actually asking Christ to follow us - to bless and support us - to advance our own causes instead of His.
Do we seek Christ's glory - or our own? When we perform a good deed, do we expect or want to hear praise for it? If so, then did we perform that deed to show God's love or to make ourselves look good? I actually experienced a good example of this myself. I became involved with a group who feed the homeless in our area monthly. The first time I went, it was amazing that we fed over 100 people and each person who came through the line said close to the same thing, "Thank you for coming and feeding us." My friend who accompanied the group also mentioned afterwards that there was something we did not do correctly. I thought things went well, so I questioned that statement. Of course, my own answer to these people, along with everyone else who was there, was the standard "You're Welcome." This was what we did wrong that night.
Receiving all the "thank yous" and responding with "you're welcome" simply took the praise and glory for ourselves. Our response should have been, "Jesus loves you." This would have put the praise and glory where it belonged. It was most certainly through God's provisions that we were able to purchase the necessary supplies and food to feed that many people. But, instead of directing the praise and glory in the proper direction, we simply took it for ourselves.
In verse 38 of John 1, it states that when when Jesus saw John's two disciples following Him, He asked, "What do you want?"
So, I will now take some time and think this over - specifically that question - what do I want? Do I want to follow Jesus for the right reasons or do I want to follow Jesus for the wrong reasons? Do I want to advance His cause or my own?
Here's the question: Why are you following Christ?
Simple question - right. Wrong!! Are we following Christ for the right reasons? If we are following Christ for our own purposes, i.e. His blessings, His favor, etc., then we are following Christ for the wrong reasons. If this is the case, we are actually asking Christ to follow us - to bless and support us - to advance our own causes instead of His.
Do we seek Christ's glory - or our own? When we perform a good deed, do we expect or want to hear praise for it? If so, then did we perform that deed to show God's love or to make ourselves look good? I actually experienced a good example of this myself. I became involved with a group who feed the homeless in our area monthly. The first time I went, it was amazing that we fed over 100 people and each person who came through the line said close to the same thing, "Thank you for coming and feeding us." My friend who accompanied the group also mentioned afterwards that there was something we did not do correctly. I thought things went well, so I questioned that statement. Of course, my own answer to these people, along with everyone else who was there, was the standard "You're Welcome." This was what we did wrong that night.
Receiving all the "thank yous" and responding with "you're welcome" simply took the praise and glory for ourselves. Our response should have been, "Jesus loves you." This would have put the praise and glory where it belonged. It was most certainly through God's provisions that we were able to purchase the necessary supplies and food to feed that many people. But, instead of directing the praise and glory in the proper direction, we simply took it for ourselves.
In verse 38 of John 1, it states that when when Jesus saw John's two disciples following Him, He asked, "What do you want?"
So, I will now take some time and think this over - specifically that question - what do I want? Do I want to follow Jesus for the right reasons or do I want to follow Jesus for the wrong reasons? Do I want to advance His cause or my own?
Sunday, December 21, 2014
The Reason for the Season??
At this time of year, most of us, when we hear the phrase, "The Reason for the Season," think of the birth of Jesus. After all, everyone agrees that Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - even those who disagree. But, is that the "real" story? Should that be the "real" story?
So, let's take a look at this. Obviously we do not still use the same calendar that was used back in those times - but we do seem to universally agree that December 25th has been set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Even though this has become a highly commercialized holiday, with much of the focus on giving and receiving gifts, family dinners, and even "light" wars to see who has the biggest, brightest, best holiday decorations.
Christmas programs are rampant - each telling the story of the birth of Jesus in their own style. Even those who lack the flexibility (or maybe maturity) to allow religious freedom, rigorously oppose the idea of celebrating the holiday - oppose the term "Merry Christmas" - oppose nativity displays, etc. In short, they oppose the telling of the story of the birth of Jesus and oppose that birth being the central point of the Christmas holiday.
So, we all make the association: Christmas equals the birth of Jesus. This is the reason for the season. This is what we celebrate on December 25th. That makes December 25th - Christ's Day. Again, is that entirely correct?
Adolph Hitler was born on April 20th. Does that make April 20th "Hitler's Day"? Of course not!
My point is simply this - if we narrow the meaning of December 25th to the birth of Jesus - we are missing most of the meaning!!
I think if you will take time to watch the video below, you will understand what I am saying. The video is a bit lengthy - but it is well worth the time to watch it.
As you can see from the video, if all we are celebrating - if our only focus is on the birth of Christ - then we are missing quite a bit. Christmas is not simply about the birth of Jesus - it is about the love of God. The kind of love that caused God to send His own Son to this earth - to live among the people - face temptations - be shunned, persecuted and killed. This is a depth of love that we have a hard time wrapping our heads around. But it is real love - and the kind of love that Jesus commanded us to show for each other and that we show for Him.
So - what would our world be like if we really celebrated the true "Reason for the Season" - the love of God? And what would happen if we carried this "Reason" in our hearts and lives all year long?
So, the next time you are tempted to think that the "Reason for the Season" is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, remember the story of John 3:16, what that means, and what the season is actually all about.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Organized Religion
I read a Commentary by by Tom Ehrich, an Episcopal priest in New York. This is one of the best descriptions of what I personally dislike most about "religion" these days. Kudos to Tom!!
Too often, going to "church" means going to that place on Sunday morning where we are supposed to receive instruction on God's word, inspiration in our spiritual lives and comfort from God himself. Instead, way too often, this is certainly not the case. Let's take a look at getting ready for church on Sunday morning: what am I going to wear. OK - I lay out an outfit, get my shower, get dressed and look in the mirror only to think "My goodness, I can't wear this!" It is too tight, or it is too old, or "I just wore this Sunday before last and they will think I have no decent clothes!" Then, back into the bathroom to make sure my hair is "just right." Otherwise, those ladies in my Bible study class will wonder why I can't seem to be able to afford to go to the beauty shop and have "something" done with my hair. OK - now dressed and hair done - to find a pair of shoes. They have to match my outfit and, wait, I have to make absolutely sure there are no scuffs on them. OK - finally ready to go. Strange - why am I now in no mood to go to church?
OK - finally out the door to the car. Oh my goodness - I've got to clean some of the kid's trash out of the car - I can't possibly let people walking through the parking lot see all this mess in my car! What will they think? So another 15 minutes cleaning out the car to make sure it, also, is presentable. Rush back into the house to get my Bible - wait - I need to dust it off - How in the world does it accumulate so much dust in just one week?
Got to make sure I've got cash for the offering plate. Heaven forbid I have to pass the plate and have "everyone" see that I put nothing in this morning. Oh dear - I only have a five dollar bill - oh well I will just have to take time to run by the ATM. I can't possibly be seen only putting five dollars in the collection plate. I will be a social outcast.
Finally, here I am. I am dressed, car is cleaned out, Bible dusted, been by the bank and I have my twenty dollar bill safely tucked away. So I enter the church building, five minutes late for Bible Study. I "sneak" into the room, somehow hoping I am invisible. I immediately realize from the several "snide" looks I get that I am, in fact, certainly NOT invisible. Oh well, class is only 55 more minutes.
Now, to the sanctuary. Tired, I take the first seat I come to - only to quickly realize that I have sat down where Miss Emily and her "friends" sit. So, I get up and move. Somehow I make it through the service and now it is time to go. Not many folks speak as I make my way to the door, but that it OK. I am tired, emotionally spent and just want to get to my car and get home - yes back home - where I can feel comfortable.
Am I the only person who sees a huge problem with this scenario? Does everyone really think what you have read so far is an exaggeration? Come on people! This is NOT the exception - it is all too often the real scenario for many people every Sunday morning.
Tom Ehrich got it right for sure - it shouldn't be this hard! The church - the very body of Christ - should be our place of refuge - our place to refresh - our place to be comfortable - our place to get energized. Our church should be a place where we can heal our spirits - not have them further torn down. Torn down by the "cliches" in the church - let down by a sermon dictated by the "influential" folks in the church instead of one inspired by the Holy Spirit. Torn down by the judgment we feel from those around us in the congregation. Just simply torn down!
No wonder church attendance is declining - many churches are simply not what they were designed by God to be - our place of acceptance, refreshment, comfort, a place to feel loved, a place to feel close to God, a place to receive spiritual energy.
Anyone else agree? Tell me your story!!
Too often, going to "church" means going to that place on Sunday morning where we are supposed to receive instruction on God's word, inspiration in our spiritual lives and comfort from God himself. Instead, way too often, this is certainly not the case. Let's take a look at getting ready for church on Sunday morning: what am I going to wear. OK - I lay out an outfit, get my shower, get dressed and look in the mirror only to think "My goodness, I can't wear this!" It is too tight, or it is too old, or "I just wore this Sunday before last and they will think I have no decent clothes!" Then, back into the bathroom to make sure my hair is "just right." Otherwise, those ladies in my Bible study class will wonder why I can't seem to be able to afford to go to the beauty shop and have "something" done with my hair. OK - now dressed and hair done - to find a pair of shoes. They have to match my outfit and, wait, I have to make absolutely sure there are no scuffs on them. OK - finally ready to go. Strange - why am I now in no mood to go to church?
OK - finally out the door to the car. Oh my goodness - I've got to clean some of the kid's trash out of the car - I can't possibly let people walking through the parking lot see all this mess in my car! What will they think? So another 15 minutes cleaning out the car to make sure it, also, is presentable. Rush back into the house to get my Bible - wait - I need to dust it off - How in the world does it accumulate so much dust in just one week?
Got to make sure I've got cash for the offering plate. Heaven forbid I have to pass the plate and have "everyone" see that I put nothing in this morning. Oh dear - I only have a five dollar bill - oh well I will just have to take time to run by the ATM. I can't possibly be seen only putting five dollars in the collection plate. I will be a social outcast.
Finally, here I am. I am dressed, car is cleaned out, Bible dusted, been by the bank and I have my twenty dollar bill safely tucked away. So I enter the church building, five minutes late for Bible Study. I "sneak" into the room, somehow hoping I am invisible. I immediately realize from the several "snide" looks I get that I am, in fact, certainly NOT invisible. Oh well, class is only 55 more minutes.
Now, to the sanctuary. Tired, I take the first seat I come to - only to quickly realize that I have sat down where Miss Emily and her "friends" sit. So, I get up and move. Somehow I make it through the service and now it is time to go. Not many folks speak as I make my way to the door, but that it OK. I am tired, emotionally spent and just want to get to my car and get home - yes back home - where I can feel comfortable.
Am I the only person who sees a huge problem with this scenario? Does everyone really think what you have read so far is an exaggeration? Come on people! This is NOT the exception - it is all too often the real scenario for many people every Sunday morning.
Tom Ehrich got it right for sure - it shouldn't be this hard! The church - the very body of Christ - should be our place of refuge - our place to refresh - our place to be comfortable - our place to get energized. Our church should be a place where we can heal our spirits - not have them further torn down. Torn down by the "cliches" in the church - let down by a sermon dictated by the "influential" folks in the church instead of one inspired by the Holy Spirit. Torn down by the judgment we feel from those around us in the congregation. Just simply torn down!
No wonder church attendance is declining - many churches are simply not what they were designed by God to be - our place of acceptance, refreshment, comfort, a place to feel loved, a place to feel close to God, a place to receive spiritual energy.
Anyone else agree? Tell me your story!!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Youth League Sports - What it is all about!
I know that many parents have children who are participating
in Youth League sports. I am very
disappointed in Youth League Sports programs and for good reason.
I have a
grandson playing Youth League Football.
Let me re-phrase that – I have a grandson who goes to practice on a
Youth League Football team. I had a son
who also was a part of a Youth League Football team years ago and am
disappointed to see that it has not changed.
We were all
happy that he wanted to play football on the Youth League, thinking this would
be very good for a child with some issues and a very low self-esteem. We mistakenly thought that this would help
his self-confidence and self-esteem issues.
Isn’t this what Youth League Sports is all about? Helping children? Teaching them discipline and team work? If this is your impression of Youth League
Sports, let me tell you now – YOU ARE DEAD WRONG.
How many of
you were under the impression that Youth League Sports was all about the
children involved? I am betting that a
high number of you thought that. Well,
again, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG.
Now, I will
give you this much – Youth League Sports SHOULD be about the children –
teaching them teamwork, self discipline, self confidence and self esteem. This is why Youth League Sports was formed. Children need activities that teach these
things and they need them early in life.
It would be great if these activities, while teaching these things,
could also be fun. If Youth League Sports
were properly managed, they could accomplish this.
Now, I
realize that not every child is athletically gifted – some are just downright
not very good at sports. And, that is
okay. Some are gifted and are very good
at the sport in which they are involved and that is great. However, during practice they are all on the
fields working. Good or bad. However, come game day, only the “good” ones
get to actually play in the game. I have
witnessed this first hand. I witnessed
it years ago and am witnessing it now.
On the particular Youth League Football team that I am following, there
are a handful – maybe 6 or 7 boys – who simply are not great athletes. But they show up at practice every afternoon
and then stand on the sideline every game.
There are games when they never step foot on the field.
Each
Saturday that these young men stand on the sideline and do not get to
participate, they leave the ballgame with a little less self confidence and a
little less self esteem than they had when they got there. Their having to stand on the sideline says one
thing to them … “You are not good enough.”
Now, I don’t
know about you, but in my opinion, this is something that should never happen
to any child. No child should have to
walk off the field and say to his family that is waiting, “I didn’t get to
play.”
Why is this
happening? One simple reason – WINNING. The Youth League Sports programs are not
about the kids – they are not about helping kids – they are all about
winning. The children on the team are
not what are important – it is the scoreboard.
So, the self confidence and self esteem of our children are being
sacrificed for the sake of WINNING. It
is great for a team to win a game, but not at this expense. Those players who are not great could be
rotated in and out of the game one at a time.
I would never propose putting them all in at one time. But, they should be given a chance! Who knows – with a little “game practice”, an
infusion of self confidence and self esteem – they might actually get
better. But whether they do or not is
not the issue.
This, my
friends, should NEVER happen. Have any
of you witnessed similar experiences? I
would love to hear from you. Something
needs to happen to change this. Children
growing up in this day and age need good values and good values begin with
feeling good about yourself.
Does anyone
agree? Let me hear from you.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Government HAS NOT Shut Down
The "government shut-down" has been all the rage in the news for the past week or so, with strong talks of checks not being disbursed for the last few days.
However, I would maintain that the U.S. Government HAS NOT shut down. I have heard this opinion from a couple of other sources in the last few days and I completely concur. True, Republicans and Democrats are not able to reach an agreement regarding raising the debt ceiling. An, of course, at the center of the debate is the cost of Obama Care. However, while they claim the government is shut down, due to a lack of reaching an agreement on this, there are a couple of things to consider.
Let's look at this realistically:
1. Is anyone in Congress - the House of Representatives or Senate - going without a paycheck?
2. Is the President going without a paycheck?
3. Is anyone in Congress - the House of Representatives or Senate - going to lose their health insurance because they no longer have a job to go to?
4. Have the Secret Service Agents that guard the President and his family been sent home?
Unless the answer to these questions is "Yes", then the government HAS NOT shut down. The only thing that their threatened actions are doing is hurting the citizens of this country. They are threatening that there will be no Social Security Disability checks. Is that punishing themselves in any way - does that affect them in any way - NO. They are threatening that there will be no VA Pension/Disability checks. Does anyone else find that deplorable? They are threatening to cut off the income of the very people who laid their lives on the line, and in some cases gave their lives, for this country. But yet, they all still draw their paychecks?
What is wrong with this picture?
As for the debt ceiling, I propose that every member of the House of Representatives, every member of the Senate, and the President all reduce their salaries to an amount that is comparable with the salary of the average U.S. citizen. This alone, would go a long way towards reducing the debt. I also propose that, regardless of what office you held (and YES, I do include the Presidency in this), that when you leave office - you no longer get paid. I do not know of a company on earth where I can go and work for 4 years, quit and receive my salary for the rest of my life. More progress toward debt reduction.
As for Obama Care, I propose that every member of the House of Representatives, every member of the Senate and the President himself, be mandated to have Obama Care as their insurance. If you want to "force" a plan on the citizens - be ready to swallow your own medicine.
I think it is a crying shame that we have a government that is going to punish the citizens because they can't reach an agreement. This is worse than a couple of two year old children having a temper tantrum, breaking the living room lamp, and blaming the dog.
What do you guys think?
However, I would maintain that the U.S. Government HAS NOT shut down. I have heard this opinion from a couple of other sources in the last few days and I completely concur. True, Republicans and Democrats are not able to reach an agreement regarding raising the debt ceiling. An, of course, at the center of the debate is the cost of Obama Care. However, while they claim the government is shut down, due to a lack of reaching an agreement on this, there are a couple of things to consider.
Let's look at this realistically:
1. Is anyone in Congress - the House of Representatives or Senate - going without a paycheck?
2. Is the President going without a paycheck?
3. Is anyone in Congress - the House of Representatives or Senate - going to lose their health insurance because they no longer have a job to go to?
4. Have the Secret Service Agents that guard the President and his family been sent home?
Unless the answer to these questions is "Yes", then the government HAS NOT shut down. The only thing that their threatened actions are doing is hurting the citizens of this country. They are threatening that there will be no Social Security Disability checks. Is that punishing themselves in any way - does that affect them in any way - NO. They are threatening that there will be no VA Pension/Disability checks. Does anyone else find that deplorable? They are threatening to cut off the income of the very people who laid their lives on the line, and in some cases gave their lives, for this country. But yet, they all still draw their paychecks?
What is wrong with this picture?
As for the debt ceiling, I propose that every member of the House of Representatives, every member of the Senate, and the President all reduce their salaries to an amount that is comparable with the salary of the average U.S. citizen. This alone, would go a long way towards reducing the debt. I also propose that, regardless of what office you held (and YES, I do include the Presidency in this), that when you leave office - you no longer get paid. I do not know of a company on earth where I can go and work for 4 years, quit and receive my salary for the rest of my life. More progress toward debt reduction.
As for Obama Care, I propose that every member of the House of Representatives, every member of the Senate and the President himself, be mandated to have Obama Care as their insurance. If you want to "force" a plan on the citizens - be ready to swallow your own medicine.
I think it is a crying shame that we have a government that is going to punish the citizens because they can't reach an agreement. This is worse than a couple of two year old children having a temper tantrum, breaking the living room lamp, and blaming the dog.
What do you guys think?
Friday, September 27, 2013
Who Is Following Who?
I read a devotional tonight that was well worth mentioning. This is courtesy of Devotionals Daily and is written by Mark Batterson. In his devotional, he states the following:
"Most people in most churches think they are following Jesus, but I'm not so sure. They may think they are following Jesus, but the reality is this: they have invited Jesus to follow them. They call Him Savior, but they've never surrendered to Him as Lord. And I was one of them. Trust me, I didn't want to go anywhere without Jesus right there behind me. But I wanted Jesus to follow me, to serve my purposes, to do my will."
Now, that was food for thought. Am I following Jesus or trying to get Jesus to follow me? Did I want to walk beside Jesus or in front of him?
I was reminded of what Jesus said in John 15:5 (NLT), "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
Am I following Jesus or expecting Him to follow me? Am I giving Him complete control and accepting His plan for my life or am I stubbornly expecting Him to arrange my life to turn out like I want it to? I Samuel 15:23 (NLT), tell us: "Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols."
How do I know for sure who is following who? The first step would be to look at how I spend my time. Do I spend time with Jesus, or just a minute here and there in prayer - asking for what I want? Do I go ahead and do whatever I want to and then quickly ask Him to forgive me? Do I pray over decisions that I need to make or do I just make them and expect Him to have them turn out the way I wanted them to? Do I worry at all about what His plan for me is - what His will for me is - what His plan for my life is?
How do I know for sure if I am following Jesus? I john 2:3 (NLT) says: "And we can be sure that we know Him if we obey His commandments." So, if I am truly following Jesus instead of expecting Him to follow me, I will be following His commandments. I will have a time set aside to spend with Him. I will ask for His guidance in my decisions. And, I will praise Him and thank Him for all that is in my life - good and bad. And, I will humbly ask Him to lead me down the path He has planned for me.
Who are you following? How do you make sure you are following Jesus?
"Most people in most churches think they are following Jesus, but I'm not so sure. They may think they are following Jesus, but the reality is this: they have invited Jesus to follow them. They call Him Savior, but they've never surrendered to Him as Lord. And I was one of them. Trust me, I didn't want to go anywhere without Jesus right there behind me. But I wanted Jesus to follow me, to serve my purposes, to do my will."
Now, that was food for thought. Am I following Jesus or trying to get Jesus to follow me? Did I want to walk beside Jesus or in front of him?
I was reminded of what Jesus said in John 15:5 (NLT), "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
Am I following Jesus or expecting Him to follow me? Am I giving Him complete control and accepting His plan for my life or am I stubbornly expecting Him to arrange my life to turn out like I want it to? I Samuel 15:23 (NLT), tell us: "Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols."
How do I know for sure who is following who? The first step would be to look at how I spend my time. Do I spend time with Jesus, or just a minute here and there in prayer - asking for what I want? Do I go ahead and do whatever I want to and then quickly ask Him to forgive me? Do I pray over decisions that I need to make or do I just make them and expect Him to have them turn out the way I wanted them to? Do I worry at all about what His plan for me is - what His will for me is - what His plan for my life is?
How do I know for sure if I am following Jesus? I john 2:3 (NLT) says: "And we can be sure that we know Him if we obey His commandments." So, if I am truly following Jesus instead of expecting Him to follow me, I will be following His commandments. I will have a time set aside to spend with Him. I will ask for His guidance in my decisions. And, I will praise Him and thank Him for all that is in my life - good and bad. And, I will humbly ask Him to lead me down the path He has planned for me.
Who are you following? How do you make sure you are following Jesus?
Friday, September 20, 2013
Priorities
I thought about changing the name of the blog from Today's Reading to Today's Thoughts - but I will leave it as it is. Just be aware that some posts deal with devotional thoughts rather than actual readings.
For today, I read an interesting and eye-opening devotionals this morning. You know the kind - one of those that just steps all over your toes! It deals with Priorities. Now, we all have priorities - I prioritize each day on an individual basis each morning. I typically seem to have more to do than I have time to do, so I have to prioritize. For example, Monday morning, when I began work, the system notification said there were 149 assignments to be graded. Also, in looking at the calendar for the day, I saw that I had to hold a virtual class that night from 7 until 8 PM. Then I had to assist with a virtual class from 8:30 until 10:30 PM. My thoughts - how in the world am I going to get all this done today? So, I start prioritizing!
What's wrong with this picture? We all know that in order to efficiently manage our time, we have to prioritize. We all do it every day - with work, family, etc.
I opened this devotional this morning and the opening verse was, indeed, eye opening: "Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “[a]Consider your ways!" Haggai 1:5 (NASB)
The devotional goes on to talk about "Priority Living." Yes, I live by priorities - but what are my priorities? Are they based on what I consider important or are they based on what God considers important? Is God my top priority on a daily basis? The answer was depressing.
Some time back, I began attempting to spend an hour each morning in Bible reading and prayer. Also, at least one hour each night. But what happens when I get up and find I have more to do than I can get done that day? I start trying to find "things" that I can cut from me schedule of course. And, unfortunately, that is way too often to "borrow" time from my morning and evening Bible reading and prayer time.
The devotional makes the following statement: "Without intentionally living out God’s priorities, we default to reactionary living. Whatever comes our way then becomes our default for living." I find that too many days, this becomes "my life" and "my priorities."
This verse is included in the devotional, "Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33 (NLT) So, this was the "step on my toes" part for sure.
I need to make God my first priority and he will provide all that is needed for me to accomplish all the other things that I need to accomplish. This will be my anchor in defining my priorities from now on.
What are your priorities?
** The devotional discussed here was from Wisdom Hunters, 9-20-13
For today, I read an interesting and eye-opening devotionals this morning. You know the kind - one of those that just steps all over your toes! It deals with Priorities. Now, we all have priorities - I prioritize each day on an individual basis each morning. I typically seem to have more to do than I have time to do, so I have to prioritize. For example, Monday morning, when I began work, the system notification said there were 149 assignments to be graded. Also, in looking at the calendar for the day, I saw that I had to hold a virtual class that night from 7 until 8 PM. Then I had to assist with a virtual class from 8:30 until 10:30 PM. My thoughts - how in the world am I going to get all this done today? So, I start prioritizing!
What's wrong with this picture? We all know that in order to efficiently manage our time, we have to prioritize. We all do it every day - with work, family, etc.
I opened this devotional this morning and the opening verse was, indeed, eye opening: "Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “[a]Consider your ways!" Haggai 1:5 (NASB)
The devotional goes on to talk about "Priority Living." Yes, I live by priorities - but what are my priorities? Are they based on what I consider important or are they based on what God considers important? Is God my top priority on a daily basis? The answer was depressing.
Some time back, I began attempting to spend an hour each morning in Bible reading and prayer. Also, at least one hour each night. But what happens when I get up and find I have more to do than I can get done that day? I start trying to find "things" that I can cut from me schedule of course. And, unfortunately, that is way too often to "borrow" time from my morning and evening Bible reading and prayer time.
The devotional makes the following statement: "Without intentionally living out God’s priorities, we default to reactionary living. Whatever comes our way then becomes our default for living." I find that too many days, this becomes "my life" and "my priorities."
This verse is included in the devotional, "Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33 (NLT) So, this was the "step on my toes" part for sure.
I need to make God my first priority and he will provide all that is needed for me to accomplish all the other things that I need to accomplish. This will be my anchor in defining my priorities from now on.
What are your priorities?
** The devotional discussed here was from Wisdom Hunters, 9-20-13
Monday, July 1, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
The Blame Game
How easily we tend to play the blame game. If things aren't going right in our life - if we are experiencing a particularly troubling time or a time of what seems like unusual hardship - what do we do? Where does our mind and our thinking go? Most of us look for someone or something to blame, and most of the time, we are looking in all the wrong places.
Consider this:
It is time to pay the monthly bills and you find you don't have enough money in the bank to pay them all.
Your thoughts:
My job doesn't pay enough - cheap company;
My house payment is too high - mortgage company's fault;
Utilities are too high - power/phone/water company's fault;
My car payment is too high - auto finance company's fault;
Gas is too high - Government/Oil company's fault;
Credit card bills too high - credit card company's fault - they charge too much interest;
The price of everything is just way too high - these companies are just out to make larger and larger profits - crushing folks like me - "the little guy."
Any of this sound familiar?
The truth: Look in the mirror!
We know how much money we make - we agreed to accept that pay rate when we took the job;
My house payment is too high - did we buy a house we could afford or did we buy one to impress?
My utilities are too high - do we use our utilities wisely and conservatively or do we have lights on in every room of the house - even is there is nobody in the room? Do we have three televisions playing - and nobody actually watching any of them? do we have the heat turned up - but are wearing shorts and a t-shirt?
My car payment is too high - Did we buy a car we could afford or one we liked and just plain wanted?
Gas is too high - did we go to the grocery store yesterday, the post office the day before and Wal-Mart the day before that?
Is it just barely possible that the reason we don't have enough money to pay the bills is our own fault? Is it possible the one we should blame is our self?
But, I am a child of God - why is he allowing me to go through this stress month after month? Why won't He help me out of this difficult situation?
Question is - did He help you into this situation? Did you seek his guidance when buying that house - when buying that car - when charging all that stuff on your credit card? Did you pray about any of these purchases before making them? Let's be honest here - the answer is almost certainly - NO.
In Psalm 119:67, David says, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray."
OK - you are not the only one to cause yourself hardship through your own bad choices!
God loves us and does not wish hardship for use, not does He cause any hardship for us. But, He will allow us to go through hardships in order to teach us. Notice in Psalm 119:71, David goes on to say, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes."
In our example here - financial hardships - we can learn to seek God's guidance in our stewardship of the financial blessings we receive. This should apply to all areas of our life - we should be continually seeking God's guidance.
Who are your blaming today?
Consider this:
It is time to pay the monthly bills and you find you don't have enough money in the bank to pay them all.
Your thoughts:
My job doesn't pay enough - cheap company;
My house payment is too high - mortgage company's fault;
Utilities are too high - power/phone/water company's fault;
My car payment is too high - auto finance company's fault;
Gas is too high - Government/Oil company's fault;
Credit card bills too high - credit card company's fault - they charge too much interest;
The price of everything is just way too high - these companies are just out to make larger and larger profits - crushing folks like me - "the little guy."
Any of this sound familiar?
The truth: Look in the mirror!
We know how much money we make - we agreed to accept that pay rate when we took the job;
My house payment is too high - did we buy a house we could afford or did we buy one to impress?
My utilities are too high - do we use our utilities wisely and conservatively or do we have lights on in every room of the house - even is there is nobody in the room? Do we have three televisions playing - and nobody actually watching any of them? do we have the heat turned up - but are wearing shorts and a t-shirt?
My car payment is too high - Did we buy a car we could afford or one we liked and just plain wanted?
Gas is too high - did we go to the grocery store yesterday, the post office the day before and Wal-Mart the day before that?
Is it just barely possible that the reason we don't have enough money to pay the bills is our own fault? Is it possible the one we should blame is our self?
But, I am a child of God - why is he allowing me to go through this stress month after month? Why won't He help me out of this difficult situation?
Question is - did He help you into this situation? Did you seek his guidance when buying that house - when buying that car - when charging all that stuff on your credit card? Did you pray about any of these purchases before making them? Let's be honest here - the answer is almost certainly - NO.
In Psalm 119:67, David says, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray."
OK - you are not the only one to cause yourself hardship through your own bad choices!
God loves us and does not wish hardship for use, not does He cause any hardship for us. But, He will allow us to go through hardships in order to teach us. Notice in Psalm 119:71, David goes on to say, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes."
In our example here - financial hardships - we can learn to seek God's guidance in our stewardship of the financial blessings we receive. This should apply to all areas of our life - we should be continually seeking God's guidance.
Who are your blaming today?
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Testimony - Simple Statement
Yesterday, I spoke about the story of the blind man that is found in John 9. In verses 12 - 25, we hear how, not only the man himself, but even his parents were questioned about how he gained eyesight. We see two very different stances here:
First, the man simply stated what had happened to him - how he had gained eyesight and was no longer blind. Even though questioned more than once, his story remained simple and remained the same. He did not shy away from answering the questions. He did not shy away from simply stating what had happened to him and who had done this.
On the other hand, we see some very common behavior these days. The man's own parents would not answer the questions. They conceded that he was their son; they conceded that he had been born blind; and there was no question that he could now see. But that is as far as they would go - they would not discuss how this had happened. When questioned they simply stated - "Ask him - he is old enough to speak for himself."
Their behavior here was a simple matter of fear. The fear of the Pharisees and the fear of being exiled from the synagogue. They didn't "deny" what their son was saying, but they would not "confirm" what he was saying either. They were neutral. Far too many people are "neutral" because they are afraid of what somebody else will think or say about them. This is being "lukewarm".
This is what the Bible tells us about being "lukewarm": (in various translations)
King James:
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
New American Standard:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [a]spit you out of My mouth.
NIV:
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
NLT:
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
I have shown this in various translations to illustrate that the message does not waiver - it is the same regardless of the translation. We are NOT to be lukewarm.
What do you say when someone asks you about Jesus? Do you ever take the opportunity to testify to your belief in God? It is not hard to testify about what God means to you.
Simply fill in the following statement: "I was ________ and now I am __________, because of Jesus." How would you fill in the blanks?? We would love to hear your statement.
First, the man simply stated what had happened to him - how he had gained eyesight and was no longer blind. Even though questioned more than once, his story remained simple and remained the same. He did not shy away from answering the questions. He did not shy away from simply stating what had happened to him and who had done this.
On the other hand, we see some very common behavior these days. The man's own parents would not answer the questions. They conceded that he was their son; they conceded that he had been born blind; and there was no question that he could now see. But that is as far as they would go - they would not discuss how this had happened. When questioned they simply stated - "Ask him - he is old enough to speak for himself."
Their behavior here was a simple matter of fear. The fear of the Pharisees and the fear of being exiled from the synagogue. They didn't "deny" what their son was saying, but they would not "confirm" what he was saying either. They were neutral. Far too many people are "neutral" because they are afraid of what somebody else will think or say about them. This is being "lukewarm".
This is what the Bible tells us about being "lukewarm": (in various translations)
King James:
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
New American Standard:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [a]spit you out of My mouth.
NIV:
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
NLT:
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
I have shown this in various translations to illustrate that the message does not waiver - it is the same regardless of the translation. We are NOT to be lukewarm.
What do you say when someone asks you about Jesus? Do you ever take the opportunity to testify to your belief in God? It is not hard to testify about what God means to you.
Simply fill in the following statement: "I was ________ and now I am __________, because of Jesus." How would you fill in the blanks?? We would love to hear your statement.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Testimony??
In John 9, we read of the story of Jesus encountering a man who had been blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made a mud and covered the blind man's eyes. He then instructed the man to go wash himself in the pool of Siloam. The man did as he was instructed and, once washed, he could see. his eyes were opened.
Wow! What a testimony this man had to tell. In verse 11, we see that he did, indeed, start telling people how his sight had been restored. Not only was his physical sight restored, but his spiritual sight had also been restored through this miracle.
Now, we don't have this kind of testimony to give - obviously. But, many of us have had "awakening" experiences. To give your testimony, you don't have to have an elaborate story - just relate to others how your spiritual sight has been restored.
Perhaps many people do not "testify" for Jesus because they feel they don't have an awesome story to tell. Maybe they think that the way God opened their spiritual eyes is not spectacular enough that anyone will listen. Again, it does not have to be a spectacular story.
Our lives can be the most powerful testimony we could ever give. If we strive to live within God's will and make him foremost in our lives, others will see the change in us - they will be able to see Jesus in our lives. This, in itself, is a very powerful testimony.
Be sure that you are walking the path God has planned for you to walk. Be kind and considerate to others - treat others the way Jesus would have treated them. If you get a chance, tell others how God has moved in your life.
Remember - you may be the only "Jesus" someone sees.
Wow! What a testimony this man had to tell. In verse 11, we see that he did, indeed, start telling people how his sight had been restored. Not only was his physical sight restored, but his spiritual sight had also been restored through this miracle.
Now, we don't have this kind of testimony to give - obviously. But, many of us have had "awakening" experiences. To give your testimony, you don't have to have an elaborate story - just relate to others how your spiritual sight has been restored.
Perhaps many people do not "testify" for Jesus because they feel they don't have an awesome story to tell. Maybe they think that the way God opened their spiritual eyes is not spectacular enough that anyone will listen. Again, it does not have to be a spectacular story.
Our lives can be the most powerful testimony we could ever give. If we strive to live within God's will and make him foremost in our lives, others will see the change in us - they will be able to see Jesus in our lives. This, in itself, is a very powerful testimony.
Be sure that you are walking the path God has planned for you to walk. Be kind and considerate to others - treat others the way Jesus would have treated them. If you get a chance, tell others how God has moved in your life.
Remember - you may be the only "Jesus" someone sees.
Monday, April 15, 2013
My Prayers Are Not Answered
Do you ever feel that your prayers
are not answered? Most of us do at one
time or another in our lives. We have a
decision to make – we have a need – we have a want – we are concerned for a
loved one – all these things are common occurrences. With our economy in the state it is today,
many prayers are simply for basic needs.
But, sometimes we feel that our
prayers are not answered. We wonder why –
we are told in Matthew 7: 7-11 that our prayers will be answered. So – where is our answer?
Matthew 7: 7-11 tell us: (KJV)
7
Ask, and
it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you:
8
For every
one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that
knocketh it shall be opened.
9
Or what
man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10
Or if he
ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11
If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew
7: 7-11 (NASB)
7 “[a]Ask, and it will be given to you; [b]seek, and you will find; [c]knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you [d]who, when his son asks for a loaf, [e]will give him a stone? 10 Or [f]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
We read this and wonder why our prayers are not being
answered. I cannot tell you how many times I have faced this same
frustration. This led me to look further
than Matthew for answers. In Micah 3:4
we are told that our prayers will not be answered if we are still purposely
sinning.
“Then they will cry to the Lord, But He will not hear them;
He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have
been evil in their deeds.” (NKJV)
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells us to pray
with humility in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in
the Temple.
And, perhaps my favorite, in James 1:6 we
are told to ask in faith.
So, yes we are told to ask and we shall
receive. But, as you can see, there are
some conditions attached to this. Are
your prayers not answered because you are continuing to live a sinful life,
only praying to God when you have a need?
Are you praying with humility? Or
do you have an attitude of self-importance?
Are you asking in faith? Or, are
you saying to yourself, “this isn’t going to happen, but” and then praying?
Also, the Bible does not tell us that our
prayers will not necessarily be answered in the way we want them answered. We see the world and our lives through a “daily”
view, but God sees the “big picture” and wants the best for us. Therefore, we may need something a bit
different than what we prayed for. It
may be that our prayer is actually answered, just in a different way than what
we expected.
This is a face paced world. We cook with convection ovens and
microwaves. We upgrade our computers
constantly so that they will be faster.
We buy new cell phones to get the latest speeds. We are an impatient people. So, when we pray for something, we want an
answer right away. When we don’t get it,
we are frustrated. It may not be that
our prayer will not be answered. We have
to remember that God does thing in His own time and His time is NOT our time.
So, next time you pray, be sure to include
praise for God, be sure you are not purposely continuing to engage in sinful
activities, be sure you have a humble attitude and be sure you actually believe
God can grant your request. Watch for
your answer – don’t try to put a time limit on it – saying I want an answer in
two days. Sit back and rest in the knowledge
that God will meet our needs and that he hears our prayers and wait patiently
for your answer. If you don’t receive
the answer you expected, rest assured that you received the answer that was in your
best interests.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Me or God?
I talked with a friend last night concerning this very
subject. When I am praying for guidance
in making a decision or in making future plans, how do I know that what I come
up with is from God – or is it just me?
I know that
I am very strong-willed – sounds better than saying I tend to be stubborn. I also tend to think very logically – look at
things logically. And, I have a lot of
influence over myself – that pesky strong-willed thing. I tend to look for very logical answers to a
decision or when making future plans.
Knowing this about myself, I tend to doubt whether my decisions are God’s
will or my own will. So, let’s go to the
authority – the Bible – and see what we are told about this. Particularly since, strangely enough after
having just discussed this last night, the devotional I received this morning,
compliments of Dr. Charles Stanley and the InTouch Organization, deals with
this very subject. Does God work in
mysterious ways or what??
We first
look at the main scripture for this devotional, I Corinthians 1: 18-29. This passage of scripture plainly tells us
that relying on our own wisdom is foolishness.
In verse 18, regardless of the translation you are currently reading, we
are plainly told that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise. What does that mean to you?
If my
wisdom is destroyed, it no longer matters whether I had a low level of
intelligence, an average level of intelligence or a genius level of
intelligence. It no longer matters what
all I had stored in my trunk of experiences.
If my wisdom is destroyed, my manner of thinking, whether logical or otherwise,
is irrelevant. I will be like a newborn
baby – totally dependent on my Father.
This is
where Faith comes into play. Hebrews
11:1 defines Faith as: “Faith is the
confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.” (NLT) So,
if I am left with no wisdom, no more logical thinking and am as a newborn baby,
then I had better have faith – otherwise I have absolutely NOTHING.
Sounds
ominous doesn’t it? It is exactly at
this point though, that God can start to work in our lives, leading us to sound
decisions and plans – and blessing us along the way.
Given this revelation,
perhaps my prayers should be simply for the faith to await His guidance in
decisions and plans instead of praying for an answer.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Choices
Most of us have taken vacation trips which took us several
miles away from home. By several, I am
referring to over 200 miles. We don’t
give it much thought, but this country is crossed with interstate highways that
can take us pretty much to whatever destination we choose, or at least close to
the destination. And, if you are like
me, I am sure when you head out on your trip you have it mapped out and know
exactly what route you will take. Most
of us will route our trip to take whatever interstate highways are available to
get us to our destination. Why?
The interstate highways afford the highest speed limits
without the aggravation of traffic lights and “small town” speed limits to deal
with. This means that we can reach our
destination much quicker, therefore allowing us to begin our relaxing vacation
much sooner. At least that is the train
of thought most of us follow when planning the trip. In other words, in our minds, our vacation is
the destination – not the trip.
What if you changed your planned route? What if you took “side roads” instead of the
interstate highways? Your answer, like
most people, would be that it would take longer, be more aggravating, and delay
you reaching your destination, thereby delaying the start of your vacation. You would have to deal with lower speed
limits. You would have to deal with even
lower speed limits through all those little towns along the way. You would have to deal with traffic lights
and stop signs. In short, it would delay
your vacation.
In reality, we might want to try this sometime. What might you be able to see in those small
towns that you are missing? What
wonderful sights might be along those side roads that you will miss? Might you be able to stop and lunch at a
small town café, among very friendly residents, instead of running through the
drive through of a fast food place at an interstate exit? Could it be that the trip itself might be an
enjoyable part of the vacation?
In Matthew 7: 13-14 (NKJV), we are told, 13
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many
who go in by it. 14 Because
narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,
and there are few who find it.”
In the NLT version this is stated as: 13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The
highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that
way. 14 But the
gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever
find it.”
Think of this in the context of taking a trip that we talked
about above. Yes, we have the freedom to
choose the route we take. Yes, our human
nature is to take the interstate route because it is easier and faster. Yes, it is our right to choose between the
two.
Matthew 7 13-14 is telling us that the route to eternal
destruction is the equivalent to the interstate route. It is the easy way, the popular way and the
route the majority of people may choose.
But the route to heaven is like the side road. It is not as convenient, it is a slower
route, there are more obstacles to deal with, it is more difficult, and it the
less chosen route.
But our eternal vacation is our final destination. While the side road, the narrow way, may have
more obstacles, it is more fulfilling and ultimately gets us to our desired
destination. Just as we may miss
wonderful sights and other delights by not taking the side roads on our
vacation trip, we may miss wonderful opportunities, blessings and delights in
our life by not taking God’s narrow path.
Jesus makes it clear in these verses in Matthew that the
interstate route may be convenient, but it will not take us to eternal rest
with God in Heaven. So, as for me, I
will take the side roads!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Psalm 143
I have been gone for a bit - no postings on my current readings. I am sure you have noticed that. There is a reason - I have not done as much reading lately as I normally had been doing and much of what I have been reading is textbook material. In other words, nothing really worth writing about.
Well, that is about to change. One thing that I do is to watch the news in the mornings. I don't know if any of you out there have noticed, but the world is in a mess - which is a huge understatement. I can imagine the average person's day beginning with the alarm clock going off, groaning and rolling over, rubbing the eyes and, finally, getting out of bed and putting on the coffee. There is the bathroom trip and then back to the coffee pot for a cup of what will hopefully wake us up a bit. Then, it is rush, rush, rush to get into our day. Whether it be to get the kids up and ready for school and/or the babysitter and then get ourselves ready for work, or whether it be to get our spouse up and ready for work, we tend to just "rush" into our day.
At the day's end, we typically remember at least three things we should have done - but just didn't get to - just didn't have time. And, we are totally worn out! This is not just a symptom of the shape our world is in - it is more likely the CAUSE our world is in the shape it is in.
There IS a better way. Psalm 143 tells how David started his day - and he was in much more dire circumstances than the majority of us. If you have not read Psalm 143, please do so. Pay attention to the fact that it shows us we should start the day with spending some time with the Lord. Now, I know your first thought - I don't have time! So - set the clock a bit earlier - whatever you need to do to make time to start the day with the Lord. Take time to read a bit and get guidance from His Word for your day. Take time to spend a few minutes in prayer with the Lord - tell Him how you feel. Ask Him for his guidance. Ask Him for help.
You may blow this off and categorize it as being just plain silly. But - have you tried it? Remember the old saying (we are notorious for remembering "old sayings"), "Don't knock it until you try it." So - just try it! Take a few minutes to read Psalm 143 - commit at least one morning out of your week to give this a try. After all, what can it hurt? You may be amazed at the results. You may even find that you are making time for this a couple of times a week - then maybe even more often.
Let me know if you try this and what results you see.
Well, that is about to change. One thing that I do is to watch the news in the mornings. I don't know if any of you out there have noticed, but the world is in a mess - which is a huge understatement. I can imagine the average person's day beginning with the alarm clock going off, groaning and rolling over, rubbing the eyes and, finally, getting out of bed and putting on the coffee. There is the bathroom trip and then back to the coffee pot for a cup of what will hopefully wake us up a bit. Then, it is rush, rush, rush to get into our day. Whether it be to get the kids up and ready for school and/or the babysitter and then get ourselves ready for work, or whether it be to get our spouse up and ready for work, we tend to just "rush" into our day.
At the day's end, we typically remember at least three things we should have done - but just didn't get to - just didn't have time. And, we are totally worn out! This is not just a symptom of the shape our world is in - it is more likely the CAUSE our world is in the shape it is in.
There IS a better way. Psalm 143 tells how David started his day - and he was in much more dire circumstances than the majority of us. If you have not read Psalm 143, please do so. Pay attention to the fact that it shows us we should start the day with spending some time with the Lord. Now, I know your first thought - I don't have time! So - set the clock a bit earlier - whatever you need to do to make time to start the day with the Lord. Take time to read a bit and get guidance from His Word for your day. Take time to spend a few minutes in prayer with the Lord - tell Him how you feel. Ask Him for his guidance. Ask Him for help.
You may blow this off and categorize it as being just plain silly. But - have you tried it? Remember the old saying (we are notorious for remembering "old sayings"), "Don't knock it until you try it." So - just try it! Take a few minutes to read Psalm 143 - commit at least one morning out of your week to give this a try. After all, what can it hurt? You may be amazed at the results. You may even find that you are making time for this a couple of times a week - then maybe even more often.
Let me know if you try this and what results you see.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
In Step With God - Chapter Eight - God Uses Adversity
In this chapter, Dr. Stanley talks about how God uses
adversity to bring us closer in our relationship to him. He begins the chapter by using the example of
Moses and the various pressures he must have faced. He also uses some personal experiences to
illustrate his point.
In the next
part of the chapter, he discusses some of the reasons we suffer. Suffering can be the result of sin in our
lives. Dr. Stanley quotes some of the
writings of Paul to illustrate this point.
Not only can sin cause suffering, he reminds us that it also robs us of
the rewards that God has for us.
God may
allow suffering as a form of discipline.
He uses scripture from Hebrews to illustrate this point. He points out that we may suffer persecution
as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ.
He also writes about us suffering when we violate good health
principles, God using suffering to gain our attention and draw us closer to
Himself, God using suffering to develop our personal righteousness and
maturity, God allowing suffering as a way to prune us for his service, teaching
us obedience, allowing us to suffer to teach us to trust in Him, depend on his
grace and goodness, purifying us, teaching us gratitude, teaching us how to
persevere, enabling us to share in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, and to broaden
our ministry efforts.
In each of
the above cases, Dr. Stanley explains how suffering is used for each of these
purposes, giving examples each time. As
you read through each of these examples of how God uses suffering, you come to
understand more about God’s ways. God
does not cause suffering, but He may well allow us to go through sufferings.
Dr. Stanley
closes this chapter by talking about how God restores our Hope. Has God allowed you to go through
sufferings? Did you stop to determine
the reason God was allowing you to go through these sufferings?
Come back
next time as we go to Chapter Nine – Forgiven.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
"In Step With God" - Chapter Seven
As I mentioned in the last post, we will pick up today with chapter seven, which is entitled, "Right on Time." This chapter was probably my favorite in the book so far. It addresses a subject that I suspect all of us have problems with from time to time. I know that I, as an impatient person, certainly have to deal with this.
Dr. Stanley opens this chapter by asking a question, "Do you ever feel that God is late? Or that He has ignored you?" I know that I have asked myself these questions and I suspect that many of you have also. The story of Lazarus in the Bible comes to mind - how Mary accused Jesus of being "late."
Dr. Stanley explains why this is such a problem for many of us. We tend to view the world and our lives on our own timetable - not God's. We want to think that we know what is best for us, even though we don't. We do not look at the world and our lives from a heavenly perspective - but from our own worldly, limited perspective. Dr. Stanley points out that God knows all - past, present and future. Therefore, He is the one who knows what is best for us. He explains why we should attempt to get in step with God's plan and His schedule - instead of our own.
Dr. Stanley goes on to explain how we can do this; he addresses what is required in order to learn to live on God's timetable. He talks about Faith, Patience and Hope. He explains the perspective we "should" have. He uses Paul as an example of understanding God's schedule.
Dr. Stanley closes this chapter with a section entitled "Looking Forward with Hope." He uses the writings of David to show how we can, in fact, learn to live in sync with God's plan for us. As Dr. Stanley points out, the first step will be to learn to accept God's sovereignty - realize that He knows all - and admit that He knows best and wants the best for us.
Thanks for visiting today. Next time we will go to Chapter Eight, "God Uses Adversity."
Dr. Stanley opens this chapter by asking a question, "Do you ever feel that God is late? Or that He has ignored you?" I know that I have asked myself these questions and I suspect that many of you have also. The story of Lazarus in the Bible comes to mind - how Mary accused Jesus of being "late."
Dr. Stanley explains why this is such a problem for many of us. We tend to view the world and our lives on our own timetable - not God's. We want to think that we know what is best for us, even though we don't. We do not look at the world and our lives from a heavenly perspective - but from our own worldly, limited perspective. Dr. Stanley points out that God knows all - past, present and future. Therefore, He is the one who knows what is best for us. He explains why we should attempt to get in step with God's plan and His schedule - instead of our own.
Dr. Stanley goes on to explain how we can do this; he addresses what is required in order to learn to live on God's timetable. He talks about Faith, Patience and Hope. He explains the perspective we "should" have. He uses Paul as an example of understanding God's schedule.
Dr. Stanley closes this chapter with a section entitled "Looking Forward with Hope." He uses the writings of David to show how we can, in fact, learn to live in sync with God's plan for us. As Dr. Stanley points out, the first step will be to learn to accept God's sovereignty - realize that He knows all - and admit that He knows best and wants the best for us.
Thanks for visiting today. Next time we will go to Chapter Eight, "God Uses Adversity."
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