The Slurry Wall

            Last week I was listening to an extraordinary NPR interview with Daniel Libeskind.   He is the architect chosen as the master planner for the new World Trade Center reconstruction project in New York.  Daniel tells of his trek 75 feet down to the bedrock where he was able to touch the huge slurry wall.   He described the experience this way, “that's the retaining wall, that's a dam that is holding back the pressures of the Hudson River.  If that wall had collapsed,(on 9/11)  all the subways would have been fried.  It would have been an apocalypse.”  

            I couldn’t help thinking about God’s amazing hand of protection.  Each day, He saves each of us from the flood of horrific consequences our sins deserve.   That must be why we are instructed so many times in the New Testament to pray for one another.   Even in the Old Testament we see Abraham interceding for the sinful city of Sodom.  When Miriam became jealous and spoke against Moses we see him interceding on her behalf and the leprosy was healed!  An then there was Samuel who’s intercession saved his people from the Philistines.    

            Who knows what calamities God has saved our nation from because of the faithful prayers of his people.   Be that Slurry Wall for God.   Through your prayers hold back the pressures that war against our society, city, and church.   Have a great evening.

“Products of Our Expectations”

                As a Psychology major I grew up thinking that about eighty percent of who we became was determined by our environment and about twenty percent resulted from genetics.  Then I became an adoptive parent and re-evaluated my conclusion.   Just a few years back, I began teaching in children’s church and learned I was wrong again.  We aren’t mere products of genetics or our environment.  Instead, I discovered each of us are most shaped by our expectations and the hopes others have for us.           

                In 1 Corinthians 1: 7-10 we find the apostle asking, “What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? ⁸ Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? ⁹ For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? ¹⁰ Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.”

                What are the deeds and acts you have been engaging in?  Are you expecting a return on your investment of time, blood, sweat, and tears?   You should.   Remember, our expectation is not in the amount of faith we have or even what actions we perform.  In Luke 17: 5-6, Jesus reminds us that even if our faith is only as tiny as a mustard seed it has the power to accomplish what we tell it to do.  Keep holding out faith regardless of what you see happening around you.   “Faith expects from God with is beyond all expectation.” (Andrew Muray).   Have a Blessed Day.

Margins

          When I write reports I’ve never been good with setting margins or knowing the correct amount of spacing for my headers and footers.  That’s why I was so thankful when I started using a computer and these were preset for me.   As a Writer we’re always told to us to leave more white space.   You know shorter paragraphs or anything else that shows more of the blank space.  Nothing turns a reader off more than a bunch of words crammed together on a page. 

          This week, I was thinking about white space and proper margins when it comes to our daily lives.   Have I been structuring my days to make sure they are aligned as they should be?  Do I allow adequate time for family, work, prayer, friends, meditation, and rest?   It’s so easy for me so fall out of bed and jump into the demands of life cramming something into every second of my existence.   That type of unbalanced living would resemble a sheet of instructions we might receive when purchasing something that has to be assembled.   If I’m not careful I know my life will start to look like a bunch of mind-numbing words stuffed together on a small sheet of paper which could have even been written in another language.

          Margins help us evaluate our capacities.   By apportioning our time in the correct amounts we can set realistic boundaries for our time and activities.   What types of margins have you constructed for your life?   Are they expanding your sense of freedom, health, and sense of well-being?   Even people in ministry have a problem with getting the margins right.   Above all else, let’s not forget Andrew Bonar’s warning:

           “One of the gravest perils which besets the ministry is a restless scattering of energies over an amazing multiplicity of interests which leaves no margin of time and of strength for receptive and absorbing communion with God.”

In The Thick Of Darkness:

I like to think of myself as one of those half-full cup people.  You know the ones that see the positive side of everything.  Yet, too often, life’s problems multiply leaving us in a black-hole of despair and a worsening sense of hopelessness.  It’s at that point that we become anxious and weepy, or feel nothing but numb.  As the weight of life challenges overwhelms us even the encouraging words from friends can cause uneasiness or even despondency.

Darkness comes as a consequence of the absence of light.  Light penetrates and pierces darkness because of its superior power.   In 2 Chronicles 6, King Solomon constructed a beautiful temple for the Lord’s presence to dwell in here on earth.   He prays in verses one and two, “Oh Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.  Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”   Since God is the only source of true light, He alone can dwell with us in the darkest of situations.

Nahum 1:7 declares, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him.”   Isaiah 30:18: says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.”  Micah 7:8 reminds us that, “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”   

Remember today that the Lord is on your side.   He pierces any darkness and brings hope and joy to every humble heart.   Let His radiance shine into your dark spots today and receive the warm light and loving embrace of His presence.

Lawn Mowing!!!

Ok.. This isn’t mine.  I stole it from NPR, but it so perfectly describes a big joy I have in life.  Enjoy!!!

SEAN HURLEY: It was 7:15 in the morning, a Saturday, when the lawnmowers came back. Two of my neighbors, one near and one far, had seen the checkered flag of summer and were off and cutting. I awoke to what I thought were a pair of lions on the higher plateau, singing like crickets in a constant roar. All winter long the grass lays crushed beneath the boot of snow. When the snow stomps off, the grass stands up. And when the grass stands up, flash green and luxurious, the lawnmowers come stumbling out, dazzled as bears from their cave of sheds.

Then we push or ride them along the invented maze of our backyards, shaping out geometries, squares of tall trouble, triangles to harvest.  The improvised poetry, the made up math of it. Like motorized rivers, we glide down our lanes. Rolling the left wheels over the silvered path they made the last trip down. So convenient you can see where you’ve been. The green cuttings fan out over the road like a fallen fence. The birds whistle long and short, and flicker and fly and find their chairs in any tree or anything high to watch and ignore us at the same time, as they do, like everything wild.

All summer long the lawnmowers spin around our heads like homemade bees, cutting the grass, keeping the wildness tight and runable(ph).  Nipping about the rooty napes of our small trees, grasping under the wide dresses of our rhododendrons. The sound of the lawnmowers is the hypnosis of summer.  As we ladies and gentlemen start our engines, the earth obliges and starts up its grass.  Softly, over the old flat earth we rove and love and try to keep well in the way we imagine best.

It is a race of sorts with a finish line of snow. But this is just something we like to do, side by side, when it gets hot. Pretending our pleasure is our work, and finally when the lawn is cut and the mower stopped - standing for a moment in the quivering silence, as though we’ve turned ourselves into the purest air.

For NPR News, I'm Sean Hurley in Thornton, New Hampshire

Down In The Dumps

This was supposed to be something others struggled with.   You were the one who saw the glass half-full.   Then a treasured job is lost, an illness strikes, the empty nest comes, divorce happens, debt engulfs, care-giving overwhelms, or a thousand and one other things come trying to devastate.   Perhaps you have too much to do, accept undue criticism, require more help with an illness, or just need to end a relationship.  

The other day, I saw this picture of a depressed brain and it astonished me.  I’ve always known that depression is your body’s way of slowing down your brain, yet the picture is dramatic.  Today I’m sitting here waiting for the Lawn Mower repairman to open so I can have him look at an engine problem.   I’ve changed the spark plugs, but one still isn’t firing efficiently.  That’s the perfect analogy of what happens to hour human machine (the brain) when we allow ourselves to continue living in a state of depression. 

There is a way out.  Find a trusted friend who can really listen and accept you.   That someone needs to be able to identify and help you explore options.   If you don’t have a friend like that ask a Pastor to help you find a “someone” who can also introduce you to their friends or support group.  God doesn’t want us living down in the dumps.  He wants a relationship with us.   His goal is for us to share and show His love to others.  Why not let the God in others assist you?  Why not search out a facet of God with Skin-On?   

Here’s the link for the dramatic picture: Have a great day! 

Celebrating Milestones:

Last weekend, we commemorated our son Bradley’s high school graduation and launched him into adulthood.    He will be attending the University of Central Florida in August and studying Bio-technology, hoping to complete a Masters in that field.  In addition to working at Chick-Fil, securing the full Bright Futures & UCF Scholarships, he has also qualified for two grants.   In our eyes he is a very astute young man with a good sense of vision and strong character.   Please keep him in your prayers as he pursues his life’s profession. 

To make Bradley’s very special day even more significant Kim Lovejoy (Bradley’s birth-mom) joined us for the celebration.  (See the distinct similarities in the picture below.) Although we exchange Birthday cards, pictures, and email addresses this was the first time we have had face-to-face contact with her since Bradley’s forth birthday, so he was really excited.   It was an amazing day of fun and sharing that I’m sure will be followed by many more.   My Mom was also able to spend the day with us making it even more noteworthy.  Proverbs 10:1, says, “A wise son brings joy to his father,” (NLT).  We have boat-loads of joy!

Thank God for Dip Sticks!

By now many of you guys have patiently endured the continued laments I’ve given about my transmission leak.   That dip stick has been pulled more times than a train whistle, yet this past week I lost it!   Not the transmission, the dip stick.   Panicked, I called my mechanic buddy and he borrowed one from a friend.   Then George began a frantic search of the junk yards for me.   (I have an old 97 Ranger.)   For the last few days I’ve been adding fluid, but unsure I was getting the right amount.  I had no standard to go by.  If I put in too little it could burn up the transmission or even the engine.   Yet, if I put in too much I could have created a fireball or inferno. 

For us Christians, The Bible and The Holy Spirit serve as our guides and standards for life.  Without them both we waiver from the principles and values God has for our lives.  I had to ask when was the last time I panicked that much missing my morning quiet time, church, hour of prayers, or even grace said at a meal.  In the gospels Jesus is always either reminding or declaring what the scriptures say.  They were His gold standard.  In Acts 17: 11, we see that the apostles searched the scriptures often to get God’s council on a matter.  In Acts 18:28 we see them using the Word of God to refute teachings of the Jews.    2 Timothy 3:16, reminds us that all scripture was given to correct and teach us.   

I’m so thankful I found my dip stick this morning. wedged between the battery and the fan.   All day I found myself instinctively making the spiritual analogy and thankfully choosing to direct my thoughts to devotionals, a Christian song, or verses I could remember.   Without the scriptures our lives loose their sense of what is ordinary and normal.    You may think it’s dorky to be thankful for something so lame as a dip stick, but without such things both my work life and spiritual life hits a tailspin.   How are your dip stick readings lately?   Have a great evening. 

Going it ALONE:

Last fall, I sensed God leading me to get a small group of guys together and study the book called, “Healing is a Choice,” by Stephen Arterburn.   Two old friends and I agreed to meet each week for that purpose.  If you’ve never read the book you should.   In a nutshell, the book helps you examine your hurts and issues of the past, confront or grieve them, and then become a better connector with people.

Even though I had read –“Healing Is a Choice” a year ago, it was something I wanted to share with others.   Little did I know before we began our study that my Dad’s health would take a nose-dive and that he would pass away in three short months.   Now almost eight months later, words can not express how God used these two fine men and the book HIAC to support me during my time of grief and loss.   A dear Pastor once said, “Friends multiply joys and divide sorrows.”   A synonym for the word divide here is to “carve up.”   Making a choice to bring my issues and pain to these guys helped me slice up the issues and my grief.   My problems became less intense though the process of sharing and becoming venerable.   These brothers, Dennis and George were part of a men’s group from many years ago.  We no longer see each other often, yet still keep in touch.   As Christian brothers we often refer to ourselves as the Brothers-Of-Another-Mother.”   We all need friends.

I’m often amazed that Christ, as our leader, was an emotional man.   He made our entire universe and yet wept over the fate and wrong choices his creatures were making.  He cried when his friends died and celebrated at wedding feasts.    In scripture, this mighty creator and sustainer Jesus is often found running to Father God in prayer.    What kind of losses have you experienced lately?   Are you processing and grieving these with others so that healing occur – Or do you just kick the can down the curb waiting hoping your problems will go away over time?   I challenge you to make the investment and choose connect with God and others.   Choose to heal! 

Graduation!

Oh no you might say after returning from the mail box, “Someone else is graduating.”   Right away you might think of the card you’ll have to find or the money you sometimes feel obligated to send.  One more hassle right?  Well, probably not for the graduate and certainly not for the parent.   As a parent whose only son is graduating soon from high school, it’s a time of extremes.  It’s extreme relief, sadness, joy, and everything in between. 

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve often wondered as a father how God views our graduation.   Early this year my Dad graduated to his eternal reward in heaven.  I had no problem imagining the great joy he experienced seeing his heavenly father, the angels, and being reunited with loved ones.  His new timeless existence marked fresh vistas of opportunity we can never garner here on this earth.   

One author put it this way as he walked among the tombstones in a cemetery, “Life is what we make of it between the DASH from birth to death.”   Ecclesiastes chapter three tells us there is a time for everything: birth, death, planting, harvesting, killing, healing, tearing down, building up, crying, laughing, grieving, dancing, scattering, gathering, embracing, turning away, searching, quitting, keeping, throwing away, tearing, mending, quiet, speaking, love, hate, war, and peace. 

Our accomplishments down here are simply the rewards of striving, reaching, and growing.   These attainments can be seen as markers of success in the journey.  Today, I’m forced to look at my own spiritual goals and objectives.   Am I pursuing God’s objectives or looking for a senior skip day?   What time is it for you today?

                                        Tornado Proof? 

          The recent tornadic events have left many of us shaking our heads in dismay and unbelief as thousands come to terms with their horrific losses.  Experts tell us that while it is impossible to make your home “tornado proof”, many steps can be taken to make it “tornado resistant.  FEMA recommends that homeowners living in tornado prone areas reinforce entry doors with heavy duty dead bolts and door hinge screws with longer ones.  Furthermore they suggest not planting trees close to the home, adding stiffeners to garage doors, brace gable end roofs, and reinstalling protective windows and storm shutters.  

          What about the frequent circumstantial and emotional tornados which blow into our lives.   These storms of life will inevitably come, yet there are steps we can take to make ourselves resilient to trying times.   In John 15, Jesus presents Himself as the vine and likens us to the branches.   As long as we stay united and connected to Him we have provision, nourishment, and everything we need for life.   In Psalm 8:9, David refers to Him as our refuge in the time of trouble.  In Psalm 61:3, He becomes the place of protection where his enemies couldn’t reach him.  The prophet Isaiah in 25:4 refers to Him as “a tower of refuge for the poor, a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat,”(NLT)

          George Muller once said, “Work with all your might, but never trust in your work.  Pray with all your might for the blessings of God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance.  Pray, then, and work.  Work and pray.  And still again pray, then work.  And so on all the days of your life.  The result will be abundant blessing.  Whether you see much fruit or a little, such kind of service will be blessed.”  Stay connected and bear fruit! 

God Thoughts

The famous Theologian, A.W. Tozer once said, “The most important thoughts we will have will be God’s thoughts toward us.”

Do you see Him as merciful, loving, and forgiving? Does He appear as a kind Father? Have you forgotten that He’s so delighted to be with you that He dances in your presence? Can we forget that He is the God of all hope? Anxious to keep us reconciled to Himself by becoming our mediator and attorney? Do you forget that He has a purpose for your life? Are you cognizant of the fact that He sees you as victorious and wants to restore us to a condition better than we’ve ever known before?

A wise unknown author reminds us that our “Words must be weighted, not counted.” Focus on God’s thoughts and we’ll think and speak on a higher level. Have a great evening!

Spiritual Amnesia

years ago Joyce Meyer published an extensive list outline exactly who the Bible says we are when we are “IN CHRIST.”  If you’re like me, you may wonder through life with Spiritual Amnesia forgetting who we are. 

            So on days when you don’t feel bright remember 1 Cor. 2:16 promises that you have Christ’s mind.   When you feel half dead don’t forget Eph. 2:5 confirms we have life in Him.  Philippians 4:17 assures me that we have peace in Jesus that surpassing understanding.  When I feel insignificant Romans 8:17 guarantees that I’m a joint-heir with Christ.  What’s more Ephesians 2:10 tells me that I’m His workmanship created in Christ for good works.  When I long for a makeover 2 Cor. 5:17 declares that I’m already a new creature in Christ.   If I start to feel depressed Eph. 2:6 reminds me that I’m raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places.  Lest I feel confused, 2 Timothy 1:7 pledges that I have power, love and a sound mind.   And if after knowing all this still feel overwhelmed, Romans 8:37 comforts me by proclaiming that I am more than a conqueror in Christ.

            I’ve heard Joyce say many times that we are all just “Everything Nothings.”  What she means is through our position, IN CHRIST  we have everything, yet apart from Christ we are nothings.   C.S. Lewis once said, “The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sun-house does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the son shines on it.”   Have a great evening.

Recovery Time

          Picture it.  You’re at the gym and you’ve done your best.  You feel great.  You’re pumped!   Yet, the next morning comes and you no longer feel so great.   The lactic acid had done its thing.  Now your muscles are screaming in pain.   So what’s your recovery time?   How many hours or days does it take for you to get back at it?

            Have you ever thought of how the same thing happens in the emotional arena and spiritual realm?   We experience “church hurt,” or an emotional wounding and we instinctively pull away.  How long we choose to distance ourselves from the hurtful person or situation will depend on several factors.  However, the point is that for every pain there is a recovery time.  As Christ followers we shouldn’t we be looking for ways to shorten our Recovery Time?     

            In Psalm 30:2 we see David crying to God for help and He restores his David’s health.   God nurses and restores those who are kind to the poor, (Psalm 41:1,3)  In Psalm 103:3 we see God’s promise to forgive sins and heal all disease.   According to Psalm 147:3 God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.   A revenant fear and respect for God brings healing and strength, (Proverbs 3: 7,8.)  Jealousy can be like cancer, but Proverbs 14:30 reminds us that a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body.   And finally, our bodies stay healthy when we refuse to worry.  (Ecclesiastes 11:10.) 

            Harry Crews doesn’t discount that we will all have to endure a degree of pain and suffering, yet consider his take on scars.  “There is something beautiful about all scars of whatever nature.  A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed and healed, done with.”  Let’s all aim toward improving our recovery times!  What do you think?

"DITHERING"

            That’s a word everyone loves to throw around these days.  The word “dither” means to hesitate, waste time, vacillate, or hem and haw.  In spite of our microwave society of quick fix solutions, taking the time to think through what ramifications our words might have can be prudent.   Last night, when news came that a national security announcement was going to be made, everyone was impatient and on edge.   As usual, the President was criticized for taking his dear sweet time to announce to the world that Osama Bin Laden had been killed.  This morning it wasn’t long before people were postulating about his second guessing. 

            Proverbs 21:23 reminds us to “watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble,” (NLT.)  Proverbs 13:3 states: “whoever keeps his mouth preserves his life.    Proverbs 18:21 says, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”  Finally who could forget Proverbs 29:20, “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.”  

            Of course we all eventually have to make decisions about what we are going to say and how we say it, but it would seem practical to weigh our words closely with the effect they will have on our hearer(s).   Here’s a timely quote from Alexander Pope: “Words are like leaves and where they most abound, much fruit of sense beneath is seldom found.”   Let’s guard our speech.  Have a good night!

Unending Prayer

            Have you ever wondered from a practical standpoint what Paul meant when he instructed us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, to pray without ceasing?  You mean like never stop?  Like when I’m talking to someone I can pray at the same time?  To me I like to think of this as unending prayer.  Sure throughout our day we should be lifting up concerns for others, the church, our country, its leaders, and our own needs, yet all day we can choose to never say amen. 

            I believe we can and should invite God to share in every one of our daily experiences and keep the lines of communication open.   What would each of us look like if we had someone like Paul praying for us?  Imagine if you were one of those Colossian believers who was told, “since the day we heard about you we have not stopped praying for you.”  (Col. 1:9)   Now that’s some prayer support!

            God wants us to pray all the time.   Watchman Nee had it exactly right: “Our prayers lay the track down over which God’s power can come.  Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but cannot reach us without rails.”   So don’t stop praying.

                                                               “BUSTING OUT”

           Do you remember the day someone introduced you to Jesus and shared that He was the perfect sacrifice that allowed you to have a personal relationship with Almighty God?   I hope so.  That was the day your Christian life began.  It was the day you received the free gift of salvation, but did you know that was the best, greatest, last free gift you would receive from God?   Every minute we are given thereafter is our gift back to God.

            In Luke 22: 19-21 (and other places in the Gospels) we find Jesus having communion with the disciples.  In verse 20, He said, “This is the new covenant between God and his people –an agreement confirmed by my blood and poured out as a sacrifice for you.”   After I have received the cup from Christ and accepted the agreement He made on my behalf, what other appropriate response should I give than to bust a hole through the bottom of my cup and make myself a conduit through which Christ’s life  and power can overflow to the world?

            Samuel Chadwick put it this way, “ Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God.  They love with love that glows.  They serve with faith that kindles.  They serve with a devotion that consumes.  They hate sin with fierceness that burns.  They rejoice with a joy that radiates.  Love is perfected in the fire of God.” - BUST OUT & BURN BRIGHT!

                                    “Don’t Go There”    

            In Psalm 143:7 the King David says, “Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens.  Don’t turn away from me or I will die.”   Do you ever feel that deepening black-hole of depression that wants to consume you?  Or do you sense you’ve been orphaned in this cold cruel world where no one would know if you lived or died?  It’s like the chicken and egg thing; sometimes it’s hard to tell which come first the depression or the loneliness.   They go together and often by improving one the other get better. 

            King David’s son Solomon who succeeded him was rich beyond compare, but writes in Ecclesiastes 4:8: “This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can.  But then he asks himself, ‘Who am I working for?  Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?  It is all so meaningless and depressing.”  

            Haven’t you ever felt that way?  I have.  Isn’t it interesting that Solomon’s father King David wrote in Psalm 68:6: “God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.”  See the links of depression and loneliness; relationships and joy?

            Getting connected can be easier than you think.   Join a prayer group, church choir, book club, bowling league, or health club.  Get a pet, take a class, and find someone to take to a sporting event or movie.   Is there a service you could offer as a volunteer?   Take an old friend a gift and update the friendship.   If you’re shy hook up with someone more gregarious who can help you become well-connected. 

             Conquer loneliness and depression, choose not to t go there. “The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.”  Henry Drummond.

           

                                     “Getting Ahead”         April 25, 2011

            Bumpsters!   Maybe you don’t have these guys in your town.  (Sorry guys but I’ve noticed they’re almost always guys.)   They are hyper testosterone driven road-runners who rev their engines at red lights, blare obscene music through open windows, and never miss a chance to cut you off.  Where are they going?  Buy a beer?    See a chick?   Make a deal?    Funny thing is for all the wasted gas, stress, and drama they might shave a good twenty seconds off their trip.   (I know I sound like a jabbering old man.)      

            G.K. Chesterston once said, “One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time.”   Psalm 37: 7 instructs us to “Be still, before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.”   In verse 9 those of us who trust in God are promised an inheritance of the land.  Verse 10 says, “soon the will wicked will disappear.  Though you look for them, they will be gone.”

            No matter what good things we attempt to accomplish in life no doubt oppositions will come.    We can’t allow Bumpsters and other obstacles get in the way of our commitments.   “No great work is ever done in a hurry.  To develop a great scientific discovery, to paint a great picture, to write an immortal poem, to become a minister, or a famous general~~to do anything great requires time, patience, and perseverance.” -W.J. Wilmont Buxton   Remember, to get ahead, we need only to keep moving in the right direction.

         

“Don’t we pay him enough already?”    April 19, 2011    

            (I know it’s late.  We bought our son a car last night!)

            I hope you’re not one of those church members that begrudge the Pastor thinking, he gets a hefty salary for less than a full day of work.   If so, you only need to hang out with him for a few hours and you’ll appreciate the enormity of your Pastor’s job.  How would you like to be God’s 24 hours Customer Service Representative?

            Every Pastor will tell you their first and greatest need is prayer.   Tell him in particular when and what you are praying for him.   Try getting to church early and pray as a team for your Pastor and his family.   Don’t make him come to you, instead go out of your way to speak with him and ask about his needs.   He needs your compliments and defense from the gossipers. 

            Support your Pastor’s reading by enclosing gift cards to bookstores or magazine subscriptions, inside short handwritten notes.   (Pastors of large churches don’t have time for email, but will always read personal handwritten notes.)   Don’t forget dinner invitations, gift cards to his favorite restaurants, and free baby sitting opportunities.   Timeshares offers and other vacation opportunities provide essential time for R&R.   

            If you don’t have much money, give free professional services or technical skills to meet his needs.   Give him your business card with a hand written note offering complimentary services to Pastors.   Simple things like making sure his car gets washed, lawn gets mowed, and a hundred other services church members could offer might really bless him and make his family feel appreciated.    

            The Message Bible instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 to “honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience.   Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!”   Have a blessed day and Honor your Pastor!   

How Much Does a Broken Neighbor Cost? April 15, 2011

April 15, 2011     “The Cost of a Broken Neighbor” 

            A few years ago I was rushing to finish a lawn and must have forgotten to blow off the lawn clippings that had gathered on one of my customer’s neighbor’s lawn.   The next week this neighbor came and told me sternly that I needed to make sure I blew any grass off his driveway that resulted from my cutting.  He was right of course.  I apologized profusely and over time he would wave and even chat with me from time to time.   After this man’s wife had a stroke and he was unable to cut his own lawn anymore he asked me to take over doing his lawn.   Today he is one of my best customers.  Had I copped an attitude, a great opportunity and financial blessing could have been missed. 

            This past week with all the national budget deliberations it’s easy to adopt an attitude of, “we can’t afford it.”  I have a hard time picturing Jesus saying that to all of those many poor, sick, injured, and depressed people that sought after him.   As Americans it’s easy to say we should be taking care of our own people but do we?  And more important, will we in the future? 

            Just in the New Testament alone we are instructed eight times to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves.   (Check them out - Matthew 5:43, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33,  Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14,  and James 2:8).   I wonder today what it takes to really love our neighbors and fellow Americans.   Do our neighbors have to be old enough?   Sick enough, Disabled enough?  Poor enough?   Insane enough?  Military decorated enough, or even White (or your own ethnicity) enough? 

            I KNOW Jesus wouldn’t have placed these types of preconditions on those he came to heal and save.  In Matthew 9:36 of the New Living Translation we find, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”  Before we start taking on our cultural political speak, we need to consider Jesus’ example.   And, lest we start thinking we have a pass just because we aren’t perfect like Jesus was 1 John 3:17 pops up.  “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need, but shows no compassion-how can God’s love be in that person?”   God wants and requires that we love and show compassion.  In Romans 13:8, it’s made very clear, “If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.”  

            If loving your neighbor is hard your in good company.   Consider what GK Chesterton said says about this, “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies: probably because they are generally the same people.”    Have a great evening and weekend and don’t forget to show a little love! 

Help! April 13, 2011

Help!   April 13, 2011

Do you have a hard time asking for help?  Perhaps it’s our American culture that makes us think we have to do everything ourselves.  We even see it in small children.  “I do it myself.”  What is it that fuels such stubbornness?  An unbalanced sense of self- importance?   Pride?   Arrogance?

You know, we don’t have to do everything ourselves.  In John 15:26, Jesus promised to give us another helper who is the Holy Spirit.  This person of the Holy Spirit was provided to help us in our times of weakness, (Romans 8:26).   Do you ever wish there was someone who would stay with you all the time.  Bingo, Holy Spirit (John 14:16.)   Have you ever wanted someone to give you honest guidance?  Holy Spirit again (John 16:13.)   Would you like someone to explain what’s going to happen to you in the future? Holy Spirit (John 14:26).  Now let’s get even more practical.  Do you need someone to help you remember where you placed your car keys?  The Helper  (John 14:26.) 

Charles Spurgeon once said, “A church in a land without the Spirit is rather a curse than a blessing.  If you have not the Spirit of God Christian worker, remember that you stand in somebody else’s way; you are a fruitless tree standing where a fruitful tree might grow.”   

“Tonight Heavenly Father, I ask that you would strengthen these readers to reach out to you their faithful helper, strengthener, truth-giver, future-teller, guide, sustainer, and memory expert.   Let them experience your abiding presence in their lives now and always.  Amen.”

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 WINK!

Wick-i-pedia defines a wink as “a facial expression made by briefly closing one eye. A wink is an informal mode of non verbal communication usually signaling depending on context sexual attraction or shared hidden knowledge or intent.  I’m of course referring the latter application.  Sarah Palin became famous for, among other things, an ability to wink her way through interviews and speeches that had not been well thought out or planned. Yet, now as I’m pointing fingers I have four pointing back at me. Do I just wink at things I excuse as ok when God calls these things sin?  YES.

Winking at sin is nothing new. The apostles tell us in Ephesians 4:31 to get rid of all Bitterness and in Hebrews 12:15 to not let it grow inside us poisoning and corrupting many. I confess I’ve winked at bitterness and held it inside.  I’ve also been guilty of Gossip, yet there are over 14 different scriptures that tell me to turn aside from it. What about Anger? Everyone gets angry right?  Doesn’t the Bible liken anger to the sin of murder?  (Wink Wink?)  And what’s the first and greatest commandment? No idols. I pretend that I don’t put the computer, my job, family, and even church ahead of time spent with God. And finally, what about Coveting? The last of the ten commandments. Me? We excuse coveting as liking the way something is marketed or dismiss envy as just succumbing to advertizing.

Ok. Don’t leave me hanging on here feeling guilty all by myself, wink wink? I think what it comes down to is a passion to take what we see as "little" sins seriously. It helps me to realize that just one little sin cause Jesus to have to be nailed to that tree as payment for my selfishness.   Perhaps its more about keeping our mind and will focused. I’d like to close tonight with a challenge from Charles Wesley, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”  Have a great evening.