Only 364 Days Til Christmas!

Christmas 2011 is now another Christmas past. I have seen some folks already taking down their trees and placing them on the curb for pick up. Some folks have already turned their outside lights and other Christmas decorations off waiting to take them down and put them away. I even saw one store where they were already removing some Christmas decorations down to make room for Valentine's Day things. Christmas has only been over two days. People were eager to see Christmas get here but some seem as eager for it to be over. Many people miss the whole point of Christmas. Unfortunately even some folks in the church have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for me. I do love seeing the decorations and the lights on homes and various commercial places. Towns put up angels and other things on the street lights along with a big tree in the town square. Christmas music comes on the radio. People start to shop for presents for family and friends. Christmas parties get planned and scheduled. Churches offer all types of ministries such as dramas and children's musicals for folks to come see. People get extremely busy shopping and doing all these different activities. Then they get stressed out and begin to wish that Christmas would get over and be done. They lose the joy they started with. The sad thing is they also tend to forget why we celebrate this season. It isn't about the shopping and parties and everything else that we do at Christmas. It is about the baby born to a virgin and laid in a manger in a stable. His birth should never be something we think about just at Christmas but every day of the year. His birth made it possible for us to find forgiveness and a renewed relationship with the heavenly Father if we ask Him. Christ was born to die for our sins. We should always remember that He loved us so much that He came to this earth for the expressed purpose of being the sacrifical Lamb. We need to celebrate Christmas all year long not just in December.

I guess that is why I love to go to these shops that have Chritmas stuff on sale all year long. I dislike when I have to take down the tree and put it and all the decorations away. But one thing I will never do is put away the knowledge that Jesus is worth remembering each and every day. I suppose all I can say now is I hope you had a great Christmas and pray that you will have a blessed New Year in 2012! Come on Thanksgiving so I can drag out the tree one more time!

A Season of MIxed Emotions

The Christmas holiday is one that is often full of joy and happiness for many. Children look forward to getting a tree and waking up to wonderful presents under it on Christmas morning. Friends and families come together to celebrate the season at homes and parties. However, there are those who find Christmas a difficult season because the loss of a loved one this year or in the years past. I was looking at a video about a tribute to service folks that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. I saw some video clips that touched my heart because their families will be without them. I was reminded of the pain that they endure each and every day. Especially at this time of the year!

Having served myself in the Air Force towards the end of the Cold War, I know the pain of being seperated from family at the holiday. I am thankful that my family only had a short term seperation from me. The families of those who have lost their lives these past few years now endure the pain of seperation for the rest of their lives. Many families this year will celebrate Christmas without their loved ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Freedom is not Free! It cost a heavy price. Our freedom is paid for with the lives and the blood of people willing to give their lives to buy it and keep it. Those who die in the service of their country pay for it and the families of those same service men and women suffer that same cost. We cannot stay free without the price. I saw many video clips and pictures of fallen heroes which have given that last full measure of devotion. I saw pictures of loved ones that were leaning on flag drapped coffins as the remains of their loved ones came home for good. I think about the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives and fellow soldiers and airmen who have lost family members and comrades. These men and women are heroes in every sense of the word. At this time of year I am also reminded that God Himself knows the cost of freedom as well. We celebrate the birth of his Son who came as a baby to die for us so that we might have freedom from sin. Freedom from sin was paid for by the life and blood of Jesus Christ. He was victorious over sin and death.

My heart's prayer for those who have lost loved ones because of the price of freedom is that God will in this time of celebration grant you peace and comfort to you and your families. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those who have served or are serving now to protect our freedom. I would encourage those of you who know families that have lost ones that you will call them or send them a card telling them that they are not forgotten and that there are those who garteful for the sacrifices made. Nothing could ever make up for what they have lost but their fallen heroes will always be remembered. Not just now at Christmas but every time we see Old Glory waving free in the breeze. Merry Christmas and may God bring you peace in 2012. Who knows? Maybe next year we will celebrate Christmas with the one who is the reason for the season, Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas! BAH Humbug!

In college one year for the Spring Formal we had a couple of professors do a list of things called "That will Be the Day". They came up with a list of things that they thought would never happen. Well I have one they should had have on their list back then even though the thought of this would have been so far fetched. As I was watching the news I saw that Congress passed a ban on congressmen from saying Merry Christmas! Congress has passed a lot of laws that they make sure sure they are not bouind by. And now the congress has passed a ban from their members from saying Merry Christmas because of political correctness. They do not want to OFFEND anyone. Political correctness is taking away our freedoms a little at a time. Schools have already taken Chritmas out and now call the break Winter Solistice and other goofy things. Now we are told it isn't PC to say merry Christmas!

I guess I should not have been surprised by this ban passed by Congress. Our religious freedoms are being eroded and undermined from all sides. This nation was founded on godly and biblical principles by our founding forefathers. They would be appalled by what is happening today. How do I know this to be true? Go sometime to Washington DC and visit the buildings and memorials. Look how many references to the Bible and to God. You will find in their writings many sayings that reflect their beliefs. If you were to visit the Supreme Court you would find the very things on the wall behind the judges that have been banned from schools and other public arenas. The 10 Commandments are written in the wall for all to see. Except that a curtain covers them to hide them. I think the sad thing is that we are losing our heritage faster now then before. God has blessed this nation because of our heritage but as we depart from that heritage and begin to allow those things once seen as sin to become acceptable we face God's judgment and not His blessing. Oh that we as a nation would bend our knees before Him and confess our sins and failures! After all, that's why we celebrate Christmas! God sent His Son to the earth to live like and with us then pay the penalty for our sin. The fact is Christ is coming back to this earth to rule and reign one day and there will be no more political correctness then.

I love Christmas and everything that it stands for. It is because of Jesus' love for us that we can celebrate this season. No matter what people tell me I will continue to say Merry Christmas to those I meet or talk to on the phone. I do not believe in being politically correct but I want to be spiritually correct and be more concerned with what God thinks of me than what some liberals do. So to all those in Congress and the Senate Merry Christmas! Who knows? Maybe this Christmas we might be saying that to Jesus Himself! You never know! So let's all say Merry Christmas and forget the Bah Humbugs!

It's About God

I decided to join a gym to help lose some weight this past week. I have started to go in the morning before work to insure I get there. This morning I went and did my workout then was ready to leave. On the way out a lady stopped me and commented on my T shirt. The T-shirt was the one we had made up for Courtney Geeseman after his passing. On the front it reads "It's About God". She asked me what the shirt meant. I shared with her about Courtney and his life and the tragic passing of this wonderful young man. She was touched by what I shared with her. She made the comment that some people do not make an impact in life like Courtney did while he was here. I began to think about that on the way home.

People come and go from this life every day. Many live lives that never accomplish anything great or important during their lives. They exist but never truly live while they are here. They settle for medocrity and things that have no real eternal value. They miss out on the great things that God has planned for them here on earth. God doesn't want want us just to exist but to live and live that life abundantly. Of course at this time of year I remember the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". George Bailey thought his life meant nothing but never realized how much he impacted and touched the lives of those around him. It would have been sad if when he went through his non existent life that he would have found he really didn't make any impact at all. We need to do those things that will have an eternal impact on us and others. Can you imagine Jesus living a life that never impacted anyone? Guess who our role model is? That's right! If he did it, we need to do it as well. We should live our lives in such a manner that eveything we do reflects Him and His love. If we place God first in our lives and make everything we do about Him. we will see God doing some incredible things in and through us.

Courtney lived his life to please God in everything he did. When he stands before his Lord and Savior I am confident that he will hear the words we all long to hear "Well done good and faithful servant!". So I guess the question we need to ask ourselves is whether of not we will hear those precious words when it is our time to stand before Him. I hope that should I leave this earth before Christ returns that there will be those who will say of my life "It was about God!"

Let's All hate Tim Tebow! It's Okay ! NOT!

I have seen some NFL players come into the league and had people that just did not like them for various reasons. Some because the players had big egos and small talent. They never stayed long. Others were disliked because of the teams they were going to play for. Still others because of baggage they brought with them from college. I have never seen anyone hated as I have seen Tim Tebow. From the moment he finished up at Florida he started to get attacked. The attacks come from the media as well as fans. The only reason for this hatred is because he not only believes in God but he chooses to live out his faith.

Even in college people hated him becuase he took a stand for Christ and refused to be intimidated by those who hate him. He never wavered because of football. His faith was the same whether his team won or lost. His prespective is that football is just a game and does not have any lasting eternal value. I know of others that have compromised their faith for the game. Here we have a young man who has chosen to honor God with his life and he is absolutely viscerated becuase of it. No other players are made fun of when they score and genueflex and point up to heaven. The sad things is that if he was like the Steeler's quarterback he would probably be seen as a good guy. I am reminded that Christ told us that those who are faithful will be mocked and persecuted for His sake. We are also told that one day that which was good will be seen as evil and the evil seen as good. Anyone see the pattern? We are living in a world that is turning its back on God and his righteousness and holiness and opting for the things the world offers. Let see! Live eternally and have blessings from God or death and damnation for eternity! Thankfully there are those like Tim Tebow who have committed to follow Christ no matter what the world says or does. He knows his heavenly Father and one day will receive the victor's crown of life while those who hate him will pass into eternity apart from God. Funny thing is that I know without hesutation that Tim Tebow is praying for those same people that they would come to the same knowledge he has that Christ loves them and died for them.

So my thoughts go out to Tim Tebow and I thank him for his love for God and his unwavering faith in his Savior. Tim, don't ever let the enemy ever steal your faith or joy. Remember Christ was persecuted and the grave couldn't hold Him! He is alive as you will be forever. Football will end but you will live on for all eternity! Just one last thought! I wonder if these same haters of Tebow thought the same about the Minister of Defense Reggie White? Tim Tebow! You are in good company brother!

Surprise! Guess What?

Most people have experienced a time in their lives when they have been surpised by something that caught them off guard. Some things that happen can be really funny or they can be be tragic. Noone knows what the future holds in store for them so when certain things happen they get surprised. Well Heidie and I were surprised last night by a revelation about our lionhead bunny. We brought her home and named her Daisy Mae because we were informed she was a female bunny. Well last night I picked her up and I saw some body parts she shouldn't have. We discovered she was a male bunny not a female. So now we have to give the bunny a new name. The bunny was not who we thought but turned out to be a male. There are people we know that are not who we thought. We see them but what we see is not who they truly are.

Think about all the people you have known over the years and I bet you could probably recall some who you found out were not in reality anything like you thought. I know I have known people that way. People can often put on a mask and play a role. They go through life putting on a performance and doing the right things while in private they live a totally different life. We can fool people so they think we a different than we really are. The only problem is that we cannot fool God! He sees us as we are not as we portray ourselves to others. We cannot hide our sin from Him. God knows us so intimately because He created us and knows everything about us. The sad thing is that God loves and wants us to come to Him and deal with our sin. He sent His Son to die for us and take away our sin

The Journey of Life- Part Three

I have done the first two parts of life's journey earlier so I thought I should finish up with the last part. The third part is starting out in life good and finishing out good. This is the most difficult for most people. I would love to think that I started out good and will finish good but I know that I too have struggled with issues in my own life that would make it impossible to say I have. King David comes to mind when I think of someone that fits this category.

David was a young man that knew what it meant to serve God. Why? His father instilled in him the knowledge of God and David lived it out. Although just a young man, most likely not even a teenager yet, he served God and was faithful in his ways. He took that faith and out it into action when he took on Goliath. It was his faith that lead to his victory over the enemy. He was constantly leaning on God to overcome every adversity in his life. All except one that is. His affair with Bathsheba led to all sorts of problems in his life and his family. He failed God and himself. But what set him apart from Saul was that he recognized his sin and asked God for forgiveness. God did forgive him when David repented. How do we know that? Simple. God called David a man after His own heart. He was called this not before but after he had committed adultery and murder. Imagine! He sinned this badly yet God forgave him and rstored him to a close relationship to him. David was not perfect but was man enough to acknowledge his failures. David died living for God's pleasure. His life was centered on God and when he lost sight of that, he came to back to where he got off track. He started out good and finished his life the same way.

So my question for us is how do see ourselves when it comes to this? Did we start out good but more importantly are we finishing good? God has a purpose and a plan for each of us and desires that we do well. He has so many blessings for those who are obedient. Let's not miss out on the heavenly blessings because we fail to finish strong!

A Day of Remembrance

This morning we recall what happened to this country ten years ago. I was listening to the radio in my service truck and I heard a plane slammed into the one tower. I stopped at the house to pick up a tool so I turned on the tv news. I was watching it when the second plane hit the other tower. I was in shock and knew that these were no accidents but premeditated acts. Of course the two other planes were yet to play their role on this day. I was to find out that a friend of mine who worked in one of the towers went to work that day never realizing he would never be going home. He was like many others that day who had no idea what lay in store. It is difficult to beleive how one day could change the world.

Noone knew what was going to happen that day except the terrorists who boarded the planes. Even they didn't know how things would turn out or at least the ones on Flight 93 anyway. Every person and family has their story about that day. The only common factor is that they all lost friends, family and fellow employees. The toughest thing is not one of them knows what the future holds except for God. We cannot see what we will face until it happens. God knows everything from beginning to end that we will experience in our lives. We live from one day to the next. Oh we might plan for the future but it doesn't take much to see those plans change. Something we might think of as insignifacant can alter our entire life. In this case it was a major catastrophe that changed many lives. I believe more than ever that we need to commit our present and our future to God's will and plans. We need His strength to deal with the circumstances we face. Some of those who died in the attacks were ready for the future like my friend. He was prepared for eternity that morning but I am sure he wasn't thinking this would be the day he would meet his Savior. The sad thing though is that there were many others who weren't ready. Their lives were changed just as much as my friend's but not for an eternity they were ready for. Our hearts break for those who perished but even moreso for those who went into eternity without Christ.

My thoughts this morning turned to memories of my friend and the fact his oldest child is starting his junior or senior year in school. His other kids are 10 years older as well. The saddest part is that they miss knowing their father because of someone else' actions. I have this assurance though. One day If I stay faithful to Christ, I will see my friend again. Until that day, I will just have to settle for the memories and never forget the day he was taken from us and his family. Lord haste the day!

Prepare for Irene!

This past weekend the country faced another massive storm named Hurricane Irene. The hurricane skipped Florida and South Carolina and hit North Carolina then made its way up the eastern seaboard. It impacted the Mid-atlantic states as well as the northeastern states. Although it dissipated to a tropical storm it caused major damages to alot of places in its path. Much like Katrina did but with a huge difference. That difference was that people prepared for it and many evacuated to get out of harm's way. Many people in Katrina's path refused to leave when told to and suffered as a result.

If there is one thing most of us know it is this, life is not without its ups and downs or its difficlut times. Everyone ever born has experienced all types of pains whether they are physical, emotional of physchological. One cannot get away from the fact that life has these moments that we each face. many of the circumstances we end up facing may not have anything to do us but the fact we are experiencing them. We did nothing to cause them yet we are being affected by them. In other cases, our suffering may be a direct cause of our own actions and choices. When we choose to play with fire and we get burned, we got burned becuase we played with fire. You can think of many examples by yourself so you do not need me to tell you all the possibilities. The fact is our choices always come with consequences no matter which ones we make. Those consequences can either be good or bad. The consequences will depend on what our choices are. If we choose wisely then good results. Choose poorly and the results will be bad. When someone faces a storm like Irene and neglect to heed the warnings, they can risk injury or death. Those who refuse to evacuate endanger themsevles as well as those who try to rescue them. When it comes to spiritual failures, we often do the same thing. We do not listen to God and do what we want and then find ourselves lost and confused. God knows what he wants to do in and through us so all we need to do is listen.

The Journey of Life- Part 2

Did you think I forgot my next Life's Journey blog? I didn't but I have been busy with some other things. Today's blog will take a look at people who start out bad and end up doing good. I am reminded of the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her encounter with a former Nazi guard at the concetration camp she and her sister were imprisoned in during the war. Her sister Betsy died while Corrie was miraculously released before she too would have been put to death. She met the guard at a service years later where she found out he had come to Christ and was now her brother in Christ.

The thing that amazes me so often is how someone who is heading down the path of destruction encounters God and their lives are changed so dramatically by this encounter. I think about the Apostle Paul who was a Jew's Jew and hated Christians. He thought he was doing God's will by trying to stamp the Church out. He was going to arrest the beleievers he found at Damascus but was waylaid on the way by God. He met the risen Savior and his life was changed. He did go to Damascus but not for the reason he set out for originaly. He was led blind to the city and God restored his sight and began to be used by God to preach the same message he had earlier tried to snuff out. Eventually he met the other apostles and was commissioned to go and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul no longer counted on his religious superiority and the law but on faith in a Living Savior. He was to face all types of difficulties and trials and eventually death for his faith. He wrote most of the New Testament and he impacted the world through his life. Had he not had an encounter with Christ, he would have just been another Jew who passed into eternity never amounting to anything. He started off bad but ended up doing good.

Corrie Ten Boom was confronted by her former prison guard and struggled to forgive when he asked for her forgiveness. She told God that she couldn't forgive him and He said that only through Him could she do it. She embraced that guard and gave him her forgiveness. You see the guard was evil yet his life too was changed much like Paul's. So if you are one of these folks strruggling to do right, don't think God can't change you. He can but only if you let Him do the changing from the inside out!

The Journey of Life-

The Finality of Life?

I will finish my three part series on the journey of life but today I wanted to share about the passing of a coworker and friend Denis Dumm. Denis went on a real vacation for the first time in five years and died as a result of a swimming accident. Tuesday we closed the office and went to his funeral. The office will never be the same because of his passing. Things are quiet now and his voice calling out for someone will never be heard again except in our memories. We were so vivdly reminded that death is a part of life for each of us. Our friend is gone but our lives continue on until it is our time to step from this life into eternity. But death is not the end for us only the start of the next chapter. Death is not the final arrival point for any of us.

You see when God created us (and if you read this and don't believe in God or creation you will find out when you step out from this life that it is true) He created us as eternal beings with a soul that will live on after our bodies cease to function. Our bodies are only tents as the Apostle Paul tells us that we live in here while on earth. The body will break down and age and finally stop working one day unless the Lord comes back for His followers. He made us spiritual beings that were created to serve and worship Him and to have fellowship with Him. The problem is that when Adam sinned, he messed up God's plan for mankind. He designed us to live forever with Him. Death was not to be our destiny but eternal life with our God was. When sinned entered this world, death became a part of our future. Sin always leads to death and separation from God. Many people fail to undertand that when we leave this earth through death we do not cease to exist but our spirits live on. Some live on to experience the joy of God's presence in Heaven while many others go into a Christless eternity and punishment. God knew Adam would mess up and that we too would fail Him. But He provided the Lamb whose blood would take away our sin and give us life if we only accept it. God loves each of us so much and wants noone to perish but that all would come to repentance and eternal life. Christ defeated death and the grave and in Him we too can do the same. We may die before He returns but the death and the grave cannot hold us because we serve a risen Saviour!

My hope is that one day I will see my friend Denis again when I make my own exit from this life either through death or the Rapture. I hope, no I pray, that those people I touch with my life will see Christ in me and desire to be with Him for all eternity. Denis is gone but his spirit will always live on not just in our hearts but in God's presence. You know I have to ask. Where will you spend eternity? Remember that death is not the end only the start of the next chapter of life.

The Journey of Life - Part 1

Lately I have been reminded about life's fragility and that we are never certain as to when ours will end. Our pastor said that the dash between our date of birth and date of death represents our life. It symbolizes the journey which we have taken while here on this earth. It is the dash I want to look at here and look at three different types of people on that journey. The three types are those who start out good and finish bad, those who start out bad but finish good and lastly those who start out good and finish good. This blog is about those who start out good but finish badly. A good example of that type is King Solomon.

King Solomon was born to David and Bathsheba and became king after David. He was asked by God what he wanted God to do for him when he became king . He didn't ask for wealth, fame or power but he desired to have the wisdom to rule Israel well. God was pleased with his request. He not only gave him the wisdom he sought but He also gave Solomon wealth and fame along with power. Solomon started out great recognizing his need for God to rule. But something happened to Solomon as he went along. He began to marry foreign women as a way to establish connections and peace with these lands. They began to influence him and draw his heart away from God. He built places for them to worship their gods and even joined in. His heart was no longer pure before God. There are many folks who start out in life knowing God but turn away and begin to seek the things of the world. They no longer care about the things of God. They end up losing out on eternity because of their choices. God has some great blessings for us both here and in eternity only if we stay true to Him. Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches and we must abide in Him if we want to live and grow. When we cut ourselves loose from Jesus we will die. Spiritual death is what we are born into because of sin but God makes a way to prevent that. So when we are no longer in the vine we are cast out and ready to be burned. God loves each of so much and desires us to be with Him forever and not seperated for all eternity.

My simple question to us is this? Have we started out good with God and are we still good or have we left things of this world to take our eyes and our hearts off of God? If so, God is still there waiting for you to come back to Him and get back on the right path. Don't wait til its too late!

When All You Can Do is Pray!

This has been a tough week since last Thursday for me. I have an abcessed tooth causing me great pain and making me feel sick and feverish. Then On Saturday I learned A brother in Christ passed away from cancer very suddenly. Yesterday I sat in the conference room at work and learned a friend and coworker drowned while on vacation last week. They were able to get his heart going but since then have found he has no brain function. His wife has the difficult decision to take him off life support after the family has had a chance to see him. I feel overwhelmed right now. I thought to myself that I cannot do anything but pray. Then I realized that once again I felt God reminding me that He has called us to do just that. We cannot change anything ourselves but through prayer and faith He can.

How many times have you felt like me this week? You feel weak and helpless when things happen. You want to be able to reach out to someone who is hurting and do something to make it better but there is only one problem. You can't! You can sympathize with the person hurting and in some cases you might even be able to empathize with them. What's the difference between sympathy and empathy? Simple! You can sympathize with another but you can only empathize with them when you yourself have been there where they are now. You know the pain and the hurt and all the emotions that go along with it. You have been in their shoes. But still you can do nothing to change what has occurred. We often say 'Look, all I can do is pray for you!". Prayer is the greatest thing any of us can do for someone else. Why? Because when we commit the situation into God's hands, He is the only one who can bring healing and comfort to the person facing the heartache and hurt. I love to hear some older folks say I may be too old to do anything else but I can still pray! God can and does bring beauty for ashes so why not let Him have control of everything we ever face?

when things happen to you or a close friend or loved one, remember that you really can't do much to change the situation but you can the best thing! You can pray and commit it to God! He still sits on the throne and He is still sovereign. Prayer isn't the only thing we can do, it is the greatest thing we can do for each other!

Getting Reconnected

Yesterday our pastor spoke on the topic of being connected and talked about getting face to face with God and other people. He discussed the program of Facebook and how millions of people are now a part of Facebook all over the world. Many people are now using this forum to interact with others rather than doing it one on one in person. Many folks have become addicted to Facebook and seem to live on it. I don't spend much time on it so I get this message from Facebook every once and a while that they notice I have not been connected lately. I was thinking how many others have not been been connected with God but so tied up and preoccupied with so many other things.

The sad part is that it isn't only the unbeleivers that are not spending time to connect with God. Many beleivers are spending their time doing other things than taking time to spend some alone time with God each day. We get so busy doing things for God we forget about God. I have been guilty of that from time to time with my schedule. It is not that what I am doing is wrong or unimportant. On the contrary! Sometimes ministry gets so hetic but we are doing ministry and we fail to take the time to be alone with the Father. We need to remember that nothing is as important to us as spending some quality time with God so He can speak into our lives. We lose our spiritual edge and strength when we fail to have this time with Him because we then depend on our own strength and not His only. Most times we are blinded to that fact. The enemy loves to see our devotional life quietly disappear. The enemy doesn't try to turn us around in one quick attack. He turns us slowly from where God wants us to go. It is much like the proverbial frog in the boiling water. You stick a frog in water that is already boiling he will jump out quickly because he knows it isn't good to be in that water. Oh but put him in cold water and slowly start to bring it to a boil and before he knows what is happening he has been boiled to death. Satan loves to get us just a little at a time then goes in for the kill. The only way to prevent that is top stay strong in the Lord and that happens by abiding in Him!

Facebook keeps a track of how often someone gets on and will often do as they do with me and send me a message to reconnect on the forum. God wants us to reconnect with Him not just once and a while like I do on Facebook but every day. Besides, there have been days I have been blessed beyond measure because I have even though my schedule was full. God is waiting for each of us to reconnect Him. How long has it been since you have reconnected with God?

Insanity Defined

Most folks have heard the definition of insanity. It simply states " Insanity is doing the same thing each time and expecting different results." It is like watching a movie 50 times but you expect a different ending. The old movies show the bad guys lose and the good guys win. Now matter how many times you see it the movie ends the same. The government wants to raise the debt ceiling so they can spend more. It is insanity to think that raising the debt ceiling and raising taxes will cure our national debt crisis. You can think about many other things that describe insanity. Sadly there are those folks today who are spiritually "insane".

There are so many things that are wrong with the world today. The real cure for everything that needs corrected can be found in God alone. It doesn't matter if you talk about the economy, violence, wars, disease or anything else you could list. The problem is that the world looks to itself to deal all these issues. The problem is that the world is the cause. It is a fallen world and the only way to bring about change that brings sanity back to it is to look to the Creator for the answers. The world trying to fix itself is like cancer curing itelf. Left to itself, cancer spreads through the body once it is active. The patient needs someone outside themselves to attack the cancer. The world is in the same situation. God loves the world so much and has provided the answer for all the world's problems. The insanity is that too many people think we are getting better and eventually we will become whole and at peace with each other. That is the view of someone who is insane! This world will never be restored until God comes back and Jesus rules and reigns here on earth. Sin was addressed on the cross to provide forgiveness and restoration for people. Things will change one day but only because God will do the changing.

Just as the government spending and debt affects each one of us, so does the sin in this world. It impacts our lives all the time. Thankfully we do not need to let it master us and destroy us if we allow Christ to have His rightful place in our hearts and lives. Remember that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!

Plans Change!

Today I was to go to Washington DC with my wife and go on a sedegeway tour of the different memorials but due to the high heat we had to reschedule the tour to another time when it is cooler. That was the plan until the country got into this huge heat wave. We then planned to run a few places then go to a picnic. Well those plans ended up changing as Captial City Church had several AC issues. I went and spent the day looking at several AC units and doing some repair. I was able to get all but one running for tomorrow's services. The plans I had were changed but they were changed because God had His plans for me today.

Anyone who has ever made some plans knows what I am talking about. Often we make these grand plans and lay out a schedule for our lives but there is only one problem. We often forget to check in with God and see what He has planned for us. Many have experienced the way God intervenes in our lives and alters the life plan we had for ourselves. He takes us down roads and paths we never would have imagined traveling. We think we know what we will do for the rest of our lives only to see God put up a roadblock then send us down another road. If you are like me, I do not like change. I sometimes battle when change comes in my life. I suppose it is because we get comfy in our routines. But we fail to see God's plan and the blessings that follow when we allow Him to lead. We cannot see the future but only that which God reveals to us. We can't see around the bend but He can. If were are smart then we would give Him full control of our lives and let Him lead us. Let His plans be the ones we follow and we will accomplish everything He plans for us while we are here on this planet.

Had we not had a heatwave that caused us to reschedule our trip, I would not have been able to be home to get the call to help with the AC units at the church. God was not unaware of the problems but He also knew how to deal with them. He changed my plans so I could be used to accomplish His! So instead of going through DC in the heat I spent the day in high temps in an attic! Go figure!

Known By Our Names

This past weekend Heidie and I made one of our regular trips to Lancaster County to get a couple of things for the house. For those who may not know, LAncaster County is where a lot of the Amish or the Plain folk live and work. Many Amish are running businesses since farming is no longer financially secure for them. They make some nice furniture, crafts and food goodies of all kinds now to earn money to augment the farming. We have been to this one store so often that when we come in they smile and welcome us back. But with us, they call us by name because they know who we are. That could be either good or bad. Good because they know us or bad because we spend a lot of time and money there! When they call us by name, we feel good and we know that we have a connection with them.

There is someone else who I love to know the fact that He knows us by name. That person who knows just not our name but knows us intimately is God. Why would God know us by name when we are just another insignificant human being on a planet with over 6 Billion people on it? After all, what makes us so special? Would you like to know the answer? It is very simple! God created us and made us in His image. We weren't spoke into existence but formed then life was breathed into us by God Himself. He has created us because He loved us and loved us so much that He gave Jesus to die for us. He gives us everything we need to live from the food we eat to the air we breathe. But He goes beyond the physical needs and gives us the spiritual needs as well. There is never a day that goes by that God does not know what we need. He longs for us to have a relationship with Him. He desires to give us eternal life and bless abundantly with all sorts of heavenly blessings. He does that because he knows not just our name but everything about us. I love how God calls us by name even though we do not deserve His mercy or grace but He gives them to us anyway. What an awesome thought!

I love the feeling when I meet someone I haven't seen for a long time yet when they see me, they call me by name because they know who I am. I am looking forward to the day when I hear God call my name one more time and then I will go to be with Him for all eternity. As the Apostle John said Come quickly Lord! I want to hear my name called!

Known By Our Names

This past weekend Heidie and I took another run to Lancaster County to pick up a couple of things for the house. In case you aare not familiar with pennsylvania, , Lancaster County is the home

Missed Blessings

Yesterday I was waiting for my lunch when I saw a HVAC contractor come into the store and I saw something on his company's patch that caught my eye. Under the logo it said something like It's our soil. The oil is in the soil. What they mean is that we here in the United States have a huge oil reserve that dwarfs the Middleeast. The problem is that we have a government that will not allow us to drill our own oil. They would rather we be so dependent on foreign oil and pay more for oil. We could be energy independent if we started to drill and refine our own oil. We could be so better off financially if we stopped depending on other nations for our oil.

I mulled over what I had seen on the company patch. I thought about how we as a nation are missing on out on a way to lower our debt becuase we don't drill our own oil. I thought about how people miss out on the blessings that God has for them because they don't know they are there or know they are acessible but don't take possession of them. God offers us as His creation so many blessings. First we need to know Him if we want the blessings. If we do not know Him, we would never know that He wants to bless us with all kinds of blessings. Secondly, His blessings come as a result of obedience to Him. Just as a child who wants his or her parents' blessings knows that if they disobey they will not see blessings but punishment, we realize that neither do we if we disobey God. many today claim to be Christians yet will not give up their will for God's. They want to keep control of their lives and do as they please. That comes with a consequence. What is the consquence for our disobedience? The Bible states clearly it is death. Yet God provided the greatest blessing in His Son Jesus Christ who took our place so we wouldn't have to face eternal separation from God. The gift, or blessing , is there for us to just reach out and receive it from Him. Like the oil in our ground, it doesn't do any good knowing it is there if we don't drill and collect it. Oh that we would choose to see and accept God's blessings!

I get frustrated when I tell people we ought to start drilling our own oil and stop being dependent on the whims of other nations as to what we are paying for oil. But what really drives me nuts is when people refuse to accept the gift of life that God offers them. It breaks God heart for when people reject Him amd decide to go into eternity without Christ when there is plenty of "oil" available to them!

What Was the Bird Thinking?

Sunday I went out to check the flowers and see if the weed killer did its thing. I like most people have a constant battle with the ever present weeds. As I was checking the flower bed I happened to catch a glimpse of something under one of the flowers. When I took a closer look, I realized it was a bird's egg. There are no trees or even bushes near these flowers. My great deductive mind kicked in and I concluded that some bird had to lay the egg there. My first thought was what stupid bird would lay an egg on the ground and not in a nest. I couldn't get that egg out of my mind. When that happens I know that God must be trying to teach me something.

There were three things that I heard God telling me about the egg. The first thing was that the egg was alone where it laid on the ground. One thing that we know is that God has promised we would never be alone. He tells us that He would never leave us alone but would always be there for us. The fact is everyone has felt alone at some point but that doesn't mean God left us. When we feel that guess who mopved. I also had the thought that sometimes we as people don't make wise choices when it comes to life. How many times have you ever made a choice and realized afterward that you made the wrong choice? I know I have done it. Thank God for His grace in those times! We, like the bird, put our future in the wrong location. We need to make sure that we place our trust and our future in God's hands and not in anything else. When we do that we can assure our legacy will be there when we depart this earth. The third thing is that the egg would never become fertile laying there. Our dreams and goals that God gives us become fertile and grow when blessed by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. That is why God gives us our dreams in the first place. He wants to help us grow and become everything He has planned for us. But many, like the bird laying this egg, are careless with our dreams and give up on them.

If this egg would have been laid in a nest and kept safe and warm like God planned for it, it would probably hatch and the world would see another robin flying around in spring looking for some nice fat worms. How about you? Where do you keep your egg? I hope it stays in God's nest!

Curing the Symptom Not the Disease!

Today I read about a shooting that occurred in Las Vegas at a funeral being held for a woman who was stabbed to death. A gunman showed up then opened fire on the crowd. Fortunately, seven people were only wounded and all are expected to live. As I read the article online, I noticed a comment that someone posted about the shooting. The person making the comment stated that this nation is a 3rd world cesspool and it was no wonder why they removed prayer from the schools. What a sad misdirected thought! Prayer was not removed from school because we were a cesspool but we became a cesspool when they removed prayer from the schools. The "cesspool" symptom is caused by the disease and we are trying to cure the symptom but do nothing with the disease itself.

Before the schools were forced to remove prayer from their classrooms, they addressed tough issues like gum chewing in class, running in the halls, kids playing hookie, and class clowns making fun of the teachers and faculty. Today teachers only wish that they could address those issues instead of the ones they now face. Rape, murder and drugs are only some of the major issues facing schools. They now have metal detectors in schools and security guards walking the hallways. Even as a junior high school student I recall an attack on a teacher by a student while we we were in class. My question is why the change? Altough most questions do not have simple answers, I believe this one does. When what our nation was founded on (biblical principles and a belief in God)is removed as our foundation, we begin to collapse as a nation from the inside. Our nation's morals are under attack not from without but within. When we remove God from our foundation and replace Him with all sorts of vile and impure things, we get what we have. There are those out there who would remove any vestiage of Christianity from our history if they could and then silience us today. We need more than ever to be the Salt and Light to this nation and the world if we are to fulfill God's command to share His love with the world. Time is short and we need to share the gospel with everyone we know and meet.

I have always thought it was strange how we cannot allow the Bible to be taught in schools but they can teach students about the Koran. Bibles are not allowed in schools but they are welcomed into prisons. What if we reintroduced God's word back into the public schools? Did you think the prison population might go down? I am all for giving it a try! We can only go up from here!

The Cost of Freedom

Today, July 4th, we celebrate our nation's independence from Britian. Many places celebrate the day with parades or community picnics. Families have loved ones over for a cookout and watch fireworks as we did. Actually we did it on Saturday evening since Carlisle does it early to save money! We have familiy and friends over for the evening since we can see the fireworks here in Carlisle right from our backyard. We remembered why we were together. We talked about many different things through the evening. The main theme of our discussion was the cost of our freedom. Many today have forgotten the cost for our freedom. "Freedom is not free!"

Too many have forgotten the cost of the freedom they enjoy today. The price of that freedom was not cheap but came at a high price. The price for our freedom was paid for by the blood of those who were willing to sacrifice their lives for that freedom. Many, like myself, served to protect that freedom while others today are giving their full devotion to preserve it. The freedom we have cost us. There is another freedom that not only Americans but all nations can have today. That freedom is the freedom from sin and death. God has made it possible for us to have forgiveness and a relationship with Him. That freedom too was purchased with blood. Jesus came to this world to offer His own life as a sacrifice for sin and pay the penalty for sin. God offers us the freedom because of the sacrifice Christ made for us. This freedom can also be neglected or taken forgranted by us. Many folks take our earthly freedom forgranted but God forbid they do so with their eternal freedom. That freedom is far more precious than what we have here. The freedom from sin is only good if we accept it as the free gift to us that it is.

We need to be careful that we do not allow our freedom to be lost. Freedom is never missed until it is gone. We must be careful to preserve it and not allow it to slip quietly away unaware. It is my belief that we need to start fighting for our freedom and do as those who have sacrificed their lives to keep. Lets stand up as people living in the "Land of the free and the home of the brave!"

An Extreme Tent Makeover Experience

This week I have taken part in helping to build aa home in Etters, Pa that is a project by ABC's show "Extreme Home Makeover". For those who have never seen the show (I find it hard to believe most haven't), Ty Pennington along with a small design team comes to a selected family somewhere and either completely tears down their existing home or just a portion of the home and rebuild it to meet certain needs that family has. The families are selected based on their need and usually are people who have sacrificed to try and help themselves or others. Once the family is selected and plans are made, the company gets a home builder to take the lead in building the home by getting thousands of volunteers both skilled and unskilled. They take a week and build the new home. The family is brought home to a new brand new house. I love watching the show to see how the people are shocked and blessed by their new home. There is another extreme home makover I really want to experience not just for me but for everyone.

A day is coming and I believe it will be soon when we get to experience our home makeover in two ways. First we as believers will be taken to a new location. Our home will no longer be here on Earth but in heavenly glory with our Lord and Savior. We will see Heaven in all its glory and see the saints of old as well as our loved ones who have gone there before us. We will no longer worry about keeping up our homes up here and doing constant repairs. Our heavenly home will not need repairs so there is no need for Lowes or Home Depots in Heaven. We will be there for a short period of time (seven years if you want to know) then we return to Earth with Jesus when He comes back to Jerusalem to rule and reign here on Earth. The second makeover we get to expeience is that of our own tent. Our bodies will be transformed into glorified bodies. What does that mean to us? It simply means that we are changed from these mortal bodies into eternal bodies. Our new "tents" will not suffer from distress, disease or death! Many would desire that today if they are like me but we must wait for the day Jesus calls us heavenward to our eternal reward. Oh for that day to come! Imagine not being affected by old age , cancer or anything else like that! Wow! Now that is an Extreme Tent Makeover! Doctors will no longer be necessary since sicknesses have been done away with. The cool thing with this makeover is that the work has already been done by one man so all the volunteers are not required to do this rebuild. The only volunteers necessary are those who will let Jesus rebuild their lives. Jesus is the Architect and Builder of these new tents. Frank Llyod Wright was a great architect but doesn't compare to to what Jesus can build!

There are two reveals on the Extreme Home Makeover show. The first reveal is to the family that will get the makeover. The design team shows up and checks the family's home out then gets the family off on vacation for the week. The second reveal is when they get home to see the new house. Jesus has revealed Himself to the world when He came as a baby to give Himself as a sacrifice for our sin. He is going to reveal Himself the secons time to us when He comes back for us. My prayer is that many who are lost will have Jesus reveal Himself to them before we get our second reveal. Let's volunteer to help Jesus spread the Gospel to those who are pershing.

Why Me Lord? (II Cor 1:3-5)

Have you ever felt like God was allowing everything to happen to you? You no sooner get through one trial when you face another one. I read the book "Heaven is for real" and was amazed how much this pastor went through personally in regards to his and his son's health. The pastor told how at the hopsital he was angry at God for allowing his son to face death. It wasn't until after his son was better that the pastor learned what his son went through during the operation. What the pastor could not realize is just how many people would be touched because of the circumstances he and his family experienced.

I love the way God does things. We may not understand what He is doing or what the plans are that He has for us. But one thing we know for certain is that He loves us and is doing a work in us. Many times we can't see what God is doing and our faith can falter if we forget who it is that we serve. Some preachers I have heard claim that as a believer you shouldn't be facing hardships or tragedies. I have a slight problem with their theology. Okay! I have a major problem with their theology! Because we are believers does not mean we are exempt from life's heartaches and difficulties. God never promised that we would cruise through life without problems. Actually, I believe it is because we are believers that God will often allow us to through a tough time. Why does He do it? He wants to show us His love and His power and to test our faith in Him. Faith would never grow if it never gets tested. Faith grows when we face these adversities because we need to depend on God to get through them. Each time our faith is tested it gets stronger or it fails. When it takes us through the experience, it becomes stronger just as tempered glass is strong because it is heated up repeatedly. It can withstand more than a regular pane of glass. God wants to teach us a lot of things and the testing of our faith is just one thing we need to learn. The more we grow in our faith the more we learn to depend on and love Him.

God doesn't allow us to face trials because He likes to see us squirm or suffer. He allows them to make us grow and purify us. It is the process of sanctification we all go through in our journey. God wants to transform us into the image of His Son and that comes through testing our faith. So when you face the next trial, don't ask "Why me?" instead ask 'What do you want me to learn today Lord?".

Signs of the Times

Once again we see a move to flaunt what God calls sin and force people to accept it as a right and natural. The UN passed a gay rights resolution that states that homosexuals are a protected class. Our president has been pushing this agenda under the radar as he has with many things. The Bible foretold that these things would begin to happen. All the things we once abhorred as wrong are now being accepted or being forced to accept them as good. What these types of releases make me aware of is that Christ's return is even closer than we know. The signs are coming fast and furious.

The time is coming when someone who disagrees with the homosexuals will looked at as evil and intolerant. Some beleive that those times are already here. A pastor who preaches a sermon against that or any other sin society says is acceptable will face prosecution for hate speech. If you would have asked people who lived 100 years ago if they would have thought that society would be accepting of perverted lifestyles, they would have said no way. This country has been getting away from the foundations laid by our forefathers and undermining the principles this nation was built on. God help us before it is too late. We need to get on our knees as believers and pray for the spirirtual health of this nation and its peoples. Many are on the road to Hell and are either ignorant of that fact or are embracing the journey there. We need to step up sharing God's love with the lost. It doesn't matter what their sin is it only matters that they hear the Word and repent of them before it is too late. As you read the newspaper or listen to the news you hear all this things that tell us that time is short and God will send His Son to take those who are waiting for Him to be with Him. Although it saddens my heart to hear society becoming more corrupt and perverted, it also makes me realize how much more effort I need to make in being a testimony for the lost. Christ died for all and He is calling us to be His laborers in the fields which are white unto harvest.

We can allow declarations such as this to discourage us or use them to encourage us to be more deliberate and intentional when it comes to sharing the love of Christ with those around us. How about you? Does it discourage or encourage your faith when you hear things like these? Remember to hate the sin but love the sinners! After all you were a sinner unsaved once too

Pursuit of Social Progress?

I was listening to the radio and I heard a story about Governor Cuomo from New York talking about a bill to legalize same sex marriages in that state. He was proud that as a democrat he stood for social justice and was all for social progress. After all, that is what the democrats do best. The problem is what he calls "social progress" is actually moral decay of our foundations as a nation. When we open the flood gates to allow what was once considered sick and perverted, the nation is doomed and faces God's judgement for going after this garbage.

People like Gov. Cuomo may think this is "social progress" but God has a totally different view of what he believes. You see God who is eternal is the same God today as He was yesterday and will be the same tomorrow. He does not change and His standards remain the same. What He called sin in the past He still does and will always call sin. I don't care what sin you may be speak of it remains sin. As a nation, we have gotten away from the biblical foundations laid by our founding forefathers. We excuse and embrace behaviors once seen as unacceptable in God's eyes. We may change how we view issues and call it "social progress" but God doesn't care what we think. He tells us in His Word what sin is and the consquences of sin. Ultimately the biggest consquence of sin is eternal death and separation from Christ in eternity. What an expensive cost for "social progress". Oh that we as a nation would get on our knees before God and seek His forgiveness and mercy for where we have gone as a nation. If we would do that, He promises to hear our prayers and heal our land (IChron 7:14) As beleivers in Jesus Christ, we need to stand up and hold up God's standards before the nation and the world. We do that by living holy lives before God and the world. Time is short for this world and we need to occupy doing the work of the kingdom while it is still day.

It is time we stop sitting back and watch the "social progress" that the world is pushing. How about we start to push back and remind folks what God declares in His Word? Remember that we are called to a battle for this nation and this worlds's souls. For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world to save the world and not condemn it. Let's stand up and be counted!

God's Timing is Perfect!

We all face times when we struggle with our faith and our emotions. When those times come, we often begin to question our lives and whether or not we are making a difference in this world. Pastors are are not immuned to those feelings because we are human as well. I often questioned whether or not I was making a difference in the lives of the children Heidie and I ministered to over the years. But just like God He was there giving me an assurance that yes what we did and are doing makes a difference.

Yesterday we were invited to a get together for young lady named Whitney who was leaving to do an intership with a church plant. Her cousins, the Brookers, were there except for Daniel. I counted it an honor to share this time with her and her dad and stepmom. We sat around and ate some good food and had some great fellowship with each other. Karen and Paul Hollis were also there. Their sons were also under our ministry. We shared stories and memories about those years. We talked about kids church and some fond memories we all had. I told them I had seen Eric, another young man from kids church, on facebook and saw he had gotten married. I sent him a congratulatory message on his wedding. He sent back a message I will cherish forever. He shared how blessed he and his sister were to have usd a children's pastors. He said he learned what it meant to love people because of our love for all the kids. He appreciated everything we did for them. As I shared this with Jonathan, he began to share the same feelings. What he didn't know was that I was feeling down somewhat because I have been waiting on God to show me the path He has for us to take. It gets you down when you feel like you are sitting on the sidelines and the game is winding down. You want to get in and get some playing time. When you face that feeling you tend to evaluate what you did and if it meant anything. But once again God was right on time and He sent me a gentle reminder that what we do for Him if we do it faithfully and our of love for HIm will make a differnce in someone's life if not our own. We may not be a Billy Graham or a Mark Buntain, but we sure can touch the small corner of the planet we call home.

So when you are facing a struggle or a problem and you are wodering where God is, remeber that He is neither early or late but always right on time with the answer. After all, His time keeping is absolutely perfect! Look at His watch and not your own!

Take a Closer Look!

Yesterday afternoon I finally got a chance to go do some bass fishing. I left the house and headed to a spot on a creek that runs through our area. I got my waders on and got into the creek and started fishing my way upstream. While I was working my way up through the creek I noticed a boat that had been washed down stream at some point. From where I stood it, looked in decent shape. I decided to check it out better on the way back down. After catching one bass, I made it back to the boat. I was shocked at what condition the boat was actually in. It was badly deteriorated and beyond any salvage. I removed any thought of fixing it up. The closer look showed it's true condition.

When it comes to our spiritual lives, there are times when our lives may be like that boat. From a distance, oiur lives look great and we look spiritually healthy. The problem is that we may not be doing so hot in our walk with the Lord. People see us or what we want them to see and think that we are doing great when in actuality we are struggling just to hold on and survive. Our life may be falling apart just as that boat was. The frame looked good from the distance but if someone was to get close they would see what the truth was. All of us have struggled from time to time in our walk with Christ. Some times Christians should win the Oscar for their performance acting as though everything is fine. We are told to examine ourselves before we take communion. Why don't we examine ourselves on a regular basis. When we see sin in our lives, why not get rid of it and ask God to forgive us and cleanse us from the sin? The issue is that by letting the sin stay in our lives we allow our lives to decay spiritually. Before long our "boat" is looking pretty bad. The outside may look good, but inside where it really matters, it is collapsing and would sink if it were ever put in the water or a storm hit. I think about the old Star Kist tuna commercial . Charlie Tuna was told that Star Kist doesn't want a tuna with good taste, they want a tuna that taste good. God doesn't want a believer to just look good outside but He wants believers that are good or righteous on the inside. God looks at the heart while man looks at the outward appearance.

The great thing for us to remember is that God is in the restoration business. He proved that when He sent Jesus to dies fore us and rose again in victory. He can take that "old boat" we call our lives and restore it to the original plans when He built it. Lets be honest with God and we won't have to worry whether or not people take a closer look. By the way, the bass I caught was a whopping 7 inches. Maybe next time!

Coming Up Short!

This past Memorial Day weekeend saw two really good races. The one was the Indy 500 at Indianapolis and the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte. The type of cars are different and the speeds they run are significantly different. They have similiar runs where one driver is leading then has to pit so someone eslse takes the lead. This happens constantly throughout the race. Then the white flag comes out signifying the final lap. This year both races saw the leaders out front with a comfortable margin. That is until turn four. Both races saw the leader go into turn four and lose the race. Hidlebrand hit the wall and finished second while Dale Jr (Earnhardt)ran out of gas and coasted to seventh place finish. Both were so close yet didn't win.

I watched both races and was amazed how the races ended. Neither driver expected to lose the race like they did. They raced their hearts out and did a nice job putting themselves in a position to win the race. The problem is that they didn't have enough to win the race and bring home the trophy. I often wonder about my spiritual race that I am running and how I am doing. We need to watch ourselves and be careful lest we come up short in our race. We are admonished in Scripture to abide in Christ. We are the branches and He is the vine. We only bear fruit when we are connected to Jesus. We have to be obedient to His will and calling for our lives if we want to finish the race and win. When we try to do it on our own strength we will fall back and fail to finish. The amazing thing about some races is one driver could dominate all race long then fail to lead the only lap that counts. The final lap! The only lap a driver has to lead in a race to win it is the last one. The other laps don't really mean anything once the white flag drops. The drivers all know that means they have one last chance to take the lead and win the race. We know that we are in race that is coming down to the final laps. We need to keep striving to win the race and not blow up, hit the wall and wreck or run out of gas. There are many things that can cause us to lose the race.

Don't ever forget that we have Jesus as our Crew Chief and He knows how to win the race. If we follow Him and do what he wants, we will come across the finish line and win the trophy. What trophy? The crown of life that every beleiver is promised. The best thing about getting the crown is we get to lay it at the feet of Jesus because He is the true Victor!

Life is Fragile! Handle with Prayer!

Yesterday I received a call from my real good friend and he told me that his wife wasn't expected to live out the night. She had been battling cancer and her body was finally too tired to fight anymore. He told me that he and his wife always appreciated the calls checking up on them and seeing if I could do anything for them. He expressed his gratitude and I told him I wish I could do more than just pray. I was reminded that prayer isn't the last resort or just another "little thing" we can do when we have no other options. Prayer is the greatest thing we can do for anyone.

We often want so desperately to help people who are hurting and facing tragedy or a crisis. We try to think about ways to help and things to share with them. The problem often lies in we think we are comforting folks with our "great words of wisdom" when in fact most of the time we are not really doing very much for them. Most people who are going through a tragedy can't listen anyway so our words fall on deaf ears. It is not because they don't care but because they are not in a position to hear because of their grief. What they really need is to know we care about them and are there for them should they need us. I was taught by my pastoral ministry professor a very important pastoral tool. That tool is the "ministry of presence". They simply appreciate when people just sit with them and give them a shoulder to cry on or an arm to lean on during the rough times. I have experienced this from both the giving and the receiving side. I understand the gratitude you feel when people are there for you when you are hurting. I also know how I feel when people thank me for just being a friend and sitting with them as they go through the experience. If you want to know how not to minister to someone who is hurting , read Job's account of his trials. Satan was allowed by God to test him and eventually took everything from Job but his life. His three friends did what a lot of people do when people suffer. They assume the one suffering deserves it. His friends all did until God set them straight. We should never presuppose that we understand why things happen. We generally have no clue. I prefer to let God be God and then sit back and marvel at what He does and not be too concerned with the why's.

As we go through life we all face hurts and loss of loved ones. We face these things because of sin in the world. We will continue doing so until Christ returns to take his people home and we leave this earth. In the meantime we need to remember that we need to love and encourage one another as we go through life. Just remember that life is fragile and we need to handle it with Prayer!

The Consequences of Choices

I turned the news on this morning as I usally do to hear the weather and of course the news. Today the news was on about Governor Schwarznegger and his maritial infidelity against his wife. The reporter talked about the relationship he had with a staffer. They talked about how he then had a "love child" to her. The story went on to talk about how this whole thing was tough on everyone involved. The Governor stated that he loved his wife and family and that he was going to try to get through this situation. I was disturbed when he claimed love for his wife and family. I believe that if a person loves his or her spouse and family they would stay faithful to them.

I heard a talk show discussing the topic. They said about politicians having affairs, actors' marriages ending in divorce and men in sports being womanizers. They said Arnold was doomed since he was involved in all three. I felt sad that he was just another statistic now. He made a choice to break his vows with his wife and engaged in a relationship that never should have happened. He is now facing the consequences for choosing to do the wrong thing. Just as Tiger Woods faced the same thing and paid a dear price for his unfaithfulness, Arnold is now experiencing the same consequences. What saddens me most is that the family is already under attack from a lot of different fronts. The enemy is out to destroy the family and he is doing that by spouses cheating and hurting each other. Sometimes he uses domestic issues to break the family apart. What really breaks God's heart is when Christians fail and commit adultery that leads to the marriage ending in divorce. Christians are divorcing almost at the same rate as non-Christians. The only thing that will save the family is for us as beleivers to make Christ the focal point of our lives and marriages. When we love Christ we can love others including our spouses and family members. We need Him to hold our marriages together and thereby keeping the family in tact. As the family goes, so goes the church. We need to be faithful to Him and each other.

The media talks about Arnold's "love child" which is an oxymoron. If he really loved his wife the only children he would have would be to her. A "love child" is not really a love child but the consequence of a bad choice. I certainly hope that this child does not bear the shame of the two people who brought him into this world. Lets choose to love our husbands or wivws as Christ loves us and gave Himself for us!

Yes Stephen Hawkings ! God Does Exist!

Yesterday while checking my email I saw an article on the web about Stephen Hawking, the well known physist, that said there was no heaven and that God is no longer needed. We have science! He declared that Heaven is a fairy story and that God is not needed. He believes that when you die you just cease to exist. Sound familiar? Remember our friend from the Last Post? He believed the same way. He has now learned the real truth. There is life after death and a judgement that follows. Hawkings believes that everything that exists does so without God's help. I would challenge him to prove that the world exists today and came from nothing with noone's help.

I know many folks who hold that Creation was not an act of God but a chance happening that just ocurred. One illustration that has stuck with me over the years is the one about the watch parts. The professor who was giving the lecture about creation took a watch and took all the workings from inside of it and placed them in the bag. He then placed the body of the watch in the bag as well. He started to shake the bag as he was giving us the information he wanted to share. He said that those who believe in things just coming into existence by sheer chance were way off the path. After having shaken the bag for a couple of minutes he poured out the contents onto the table. The parts all fell out loose and unassembled. He said that maybe he didn't give the bag shaking long enough. He put the parts back in the bag then went back to shaking the bag. He continued on about how God took nothing and made everything that is in existence. He continued talking for 20 more minutes and once again dumped out the bag. The same results so he picked up the pieces once more and started to shake the bag. He finshed up he presentation and dumped the bag out one last time. Still there was no watch only parts. He stated that he or anyone could shake the bag for all eternity and still never get the watch together. It takes a watchmaker to know the parts and be able to assemble in a certain order so that not only would it look like a watch but also run. It is simply the fact that creation itself shows a designer. That Designer is God Himself.

When the speaker finished his presentation, he asked how many were concentrating on the bag and wondering if the watch would somehow come together by shaking the bag. Many raised their hands. He left us with this thought. You were so busy wondering if the watch would come together but in reality the whole point is the fact the parts had to be made first by someone before they could even be put in the bag. Yes Stephen Hawkings God does exist as does heaven and one day you will meet Him. Meet Him as your Savior not as your Judge!

The Day is Coming

Heidie and I were listening to WJTL radio and heard them sharing about some people overseas that were Christians. They were not only Christians but they were willing to die for their faith. The one young lady became a Christian and her family and friends tried to get her to renounce her faith. This young woman refused to give her faith up and was killed as a result. She knew her belief in Christ was eternal while her life here was only temporal. She chose that which was eternal. I have heard some Christians in this country complain about being persecuted for their faith. I would say to these folks that they have no clue what persecution is. Yet!

I beleive that the time is coming when even in this nation people will begin to persecute those who truly follow Christ. The fist century believers knew what persecution was and epxperienenced it in so many ways. There were many martyrs in the early church. They suffered gruesome deaths but still held to their faith. Many over the years have taken a stand for Jesus and sacrificed their lives for the cause of the Gospel. Peter and Paul both died in Rome executed for their faith. All the other apostles also laid their lives down as martyrs. John was the only one who died of old age and that was because God had plans for John. There are believers even today facing death and imprisonment for the gospel's sake. We have not yet experienced true persecutiuon. Have we been ridiculed? Have we been put down in the media and called all sorts of things? Have we even been brought to court over our biblical beliefs? Absolutely we have! But persecuted? Not yet but the time will come should the Lord tarry we may! Look at how the country is turning its back on its godly heritage and foundations. What was once taboo and considered to be offensive is being spouted as just another freedom. You can fill in what that is. Many things fall into that category. You don't have to think too hard as to what things would fit. One day will be called radicals and face persecution as a result.

As I thought about the persecution and what that will mean to us as believers, I count myself to be among some very worthwhile company. Remember Jesus Himself was persecuted and killed. Don't forget that when Jesus rose from the dead He won our victory over death as well. Some day they may be able to kill our bodies but never our spirit! Remember that Paul tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! I want to be a radical for Jesus Christ!

There is More to Life Than Death

Today I came across a blog called the Last Post. It was written by a man in Canada. His name was Derek and he had been blogging about his life and his cancer. He was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and died as a result of the cancer. He shared about how he was dealing with the cancer as well as being very open about what he was going through. He wrote in the last post that he was not afraid of dying because when he died Derek would simply become a corpse and he would just cease to exist. When I read that, my heart broke because actually death is not the end but only the beginning of eternity.

From the time of Adam to now, people that have been born in this world will face one certain event. Death is something that comes to everybody. The question is how long is the dash between our date of birth and date of death. Some folks live a long life and die at a ripe old age. There are others that leave this earth quickly and do not walk in this world very long. I have known people that lived to be 95 years old and longer and I know some that only were here for 4 months. The only thing they share in common is they both went the way of all the earth and died. Lazarus even went through death a second time after Jesus raised him from the dead. The question that each of us faces is where will we spend our eternity. Osama Bin Laden went into eternity just as my friend Courtney did a couple of years ago. The difference is that Courtney went on to a heavenly reward while Osama left here without hope. Death is not simply just a ceasation of life. It is stepping into eternity either with or without Christ. I know that Christ heart breaks everytime someone leaves this earth without Him as their Lord. Those, like Derek, who think that life ceases and they just stop existing are deceived by Satan. Satan wants people to die without Christ so they will spend their eternity in hell. But Christ died for each person so we don't have to die without knowing Him and His love.

Have you given any thought about your life and where you would go if you were to cease to live? Do not think like Derek but realize that the time will come for each of us to go into eternity either through death or when Christ comes back for His own! I really hope to see you there! Today is the Day of Salvation!

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow!

Today my wife Heidie starts a new job with a different company. She had been at her old job for 10 years. She felt she needed to have a change because of the situation at her old job. She liked the people but the job environment kept getting worse. She did not let her frustration keep her from doing her job and doing it well. She now is doing what she loves to do once again. But the enemy Satan started putting the "what if" and "maybe I should have" thoughts in her mind and heart. I reminded her that God is still the one on the throne and He has everything under control.

There are many times in our lives that we face changes and uncertain futures. Heidie told me that she doesn't like change. I totally agree. I do not like change myself. I have seen many changes over my lifetime. As we all know if we have been around for a while, some changes are good and others are bad. Some can be painful while others are enjoyable to experince such as getting married or having a child. Well having a child can be both a joy and a painful experince! When a family experiences the birth of a baby, the home gets turned upside down because of the child but noone ever complains. The child makes all the activity worth it. There are other times where a person might get sick that changes not only their lives but the lives of those around them as well. I think of my mother when she was diagnosed with MS. That radically changed our family and what we would face as a family. Many know the pain of Alzheimer and how it affects not just the person but all family members. Today many have felt the pain of being laid off as a result of the economy. It can be difficult to find work in some areas. Some folks have given up while others are still trying to gain employment. Whatever the situation you face, never forget that God is not caught unaware of your situation but knows His plans for you and that He loves you dearly. Hold on to the faith that He has given you because He still rules and reigns from Heaven. We can't see down the road but He can and He will see you through. He promises in His Word that "all things work together for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose". He can use every change in our lives for His glory and our betterment.

Heidie is experiencing a change but God has prepared her for the change and will bless her as she stays faithful to Him. I was asked once if I could go back and change what my family went through because of the pain it caused. I responded "Absolutely not!" Why? Because God used it to make me who and what I am today. If I wouldn't have had to face those changes, I cannot be sure if I would even be a beleiver today yet alone have spent years ministering to kids! How about you? What changes have you or are facing today? The only person who does not change is God! He is the same Yesterday, today and forver! Let Him mold you into His Son's image!

A Wedding Invitation

On April 29th of 2011 there was an event that took place that the world was exicted about! That's right! I turned 53! Oops! Never mind! The world could care less that I celebrated another birthday. The world seemed to be excited about the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate. Many got up early to watch the wedding and see them tie the knot. There were many who were invited to the wedding while millions of others were not! I know I didn't get my invitation. But neither did President Obama so I don't feel so bad! But there have been other weddings that I wasn't invited to so no big deal. But I know one wedding I do not want to miss and everyone is invited to attend.

There is a day coming where God will tell His Son to go and get His bride. When He comes, He will take His bride to go be with Him for eternity. So just who is His bride? It is the church. But when I say the church, I do not mean buildings but the people who attand those churches. The problem we have is this. Not everyone who attends a church will be a part of the true church. The church is actually made up of people who believe that Jesus came to this earth as a baby, lived as a man, died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead in victory over death. They live for Jesus and are watching for His return. The Bible talks about the wedding feast that those who are with Him will enjoy. You talk about a Royal Wedding! This is true royalty! After all, we are sons and daughters of the King. He has given us everything we could possibly ever want and invites us to be with Him for all time. What an awesome thought! God loves us so much that He gave us His own Son to die so we might attend the wedding feast of all time. The only inviatation nessary is for us to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Not only that, we also don't have to worry about what to wear to the wedding! He will give us the garments to wear! They will be spotless with spot or wrinkle! Never needs ironed or washed!

I may not have been to Diana and Charles or William and Kate's weddings but I will be waiting for my invitation to go to Jesus' wedding! Are you excited about that wedding or are you one of those who may get left out? It will never be too late to have your invitation until Jesus comes back and takes His Bride home. Don't miss out but ask Him to be Lord and Savior! Remember that He wants everyone to be in attendance!

The Death of Osama Bin Laden

This morning when I turned on the news I heard that a Navy Seal team had gone in to a compound in Pakistan after a helicopter attack and took out Osama Bin Laden. They shot and killed him and took his body for identification. The reports said that his body was buried at sea within 24 hours after his death according to Muslim beliefs. People all over celebrated when the news was made known about his death. A lot of people cheered and chanted USA USA! I lost a friend in the 9/11 attack. I am glad that the criminal behind the attack has been taken out but my heart has also been reminded about another fact of this terrorist's death.

I had mixed emotions when I heard that he was killed in an attack against the compound where he was hiding. I was glad but I was also saddened at the same time. I am sure there are those who would ask me why I would be sad that he was dead. The reason is simply this. Over 2000 years ago Jesus came to this earth to die for the sins of mankind. He suffered and died that we might have forgiveness of sin and have eternal life. Jesus didn't die for just some people. He died once for all people. He died for you and I but He also died for Bin laden and every other Muslim and every person no matter what their religious belief. We are sinners in need of salvation or we face the reality of hell. Unfortunately, Bin Laden went to his death and now faces eternal separation from God. Jesus died for him but he never knew the truth or refused to accept the truth about Jesus. The fact is Jesus loved Bin Laden as He loves all people. Now the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for Bin Laden will do nothing for Bin Laden. It states in Hebrews 9:27 that it is appointed for man to die once then the judgment. God does not want any to perish but all to come to eternal life. Sadly, Bin Laden will never realize how much God loved him. The thing that should break each of our hearts is that Bin Laden will not be the only one who will die apart from Christ. We need to spread the good news to those who are pershing.

Was justice served with Bin Laden's death? We would all probably say yes. Does his death bring back may friend or the others who died that day? No but it does bring a sense of closure for us in regards to 9/11. But still my heart or even better yet, God's heart, is broken because someone Jesus died for died in his sins and will spend eternity in hell. What about you? What does your heart speak to you?

I want to also take this time to say thank you to all the service men and women who have served and are serving this country and have even given their lives for us. Those who have continued the fight against terrorism may God bless you and keep you safe in the battles you face!