Fulfilling God’s Purpose & Your Dream

There is still One whose faith in you has never wavered. And how wonderful it is that that one should be Jesus Christ! It was a wonderful dream God dreamed, Christ says, when He created you; it was a stately being that was in His mind when you were fashioned; and I can make you all He meant that you should be. A.J. Gossip

God created each of us to fulfil a purpose on earth.  How many times have you had a dream and it didn’t happen?  Maybe it didn’t happen because you were depending on yourself to fulfil the dream instead of God. 

My parents started their business 10 years ago.  I believe their business fulfils a purpose.  We see a lot of hurting people in this business and yet we have watched the business grow slowly over the years.  I spend most of my spare time helping them with it so I see it all. 

One of the things I think that happens when we have a dream is we want immediate results.  We want instantaneous success.  Have you noticed that God doesn’t work that way?  It took me 40 some odd years to realize that I wasn’t such a great Christian and that I needed to work on me.  It is no different in every other area of your life.  If you have a dream of doing something and it fulfills God’s purpose; it is going to take time.  Have you also noticed that patience isn’t one of those virtues that many of us have in abundance? 

There are several things that happen when you have a dream.  You are going to face discouragement from outside sources.  Sometimes the people who are closest to you will tell you it can’t be done.  How many times have you listened to someone tell you it can’t be done and you gave up?  God doesn’t want quitters.  If we gave up every time we faced obstacles we wouldn’t get anything done and we would never show others who God is. 

Sometimes God will give you a dream and other people are afraid so they project that fear onto your dream.  You will be misjudged and misunderstood.  If your dream is in fact God given, then you will need to make a decision.  Will I listen to the naysayers in my life who say it can’t be done; or will I listen to God who says, “Give me time and we will get it done together.”

I read a devotional by Rick Warren who wrote “Purpose Driven Life”.  He talks about receiving a letter from the editor (which he framed) that said, “This book will never work.  Nobody’s going to read 40 chapters.”  The last estimate of the number of copies sold of The Purpose Driven Life was five years ago at 30 million copies.  The book was named one of the top 100 Christian books that changed the 20^th century.  Now that’s a dream with God’s presence all over it.

Choose to dream and then choose the One who can help make that dream a reality.    

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I have watched my parents build a business that nurtures others.  I praise You for giving us the patience to persevere and for bringing people to us who need a Savior.  There have been setbacks and obstacles to overcome, but through it all You have always been there.  I praise You for Your love and guidance.  We can’t do it without You.  

      

Scripture: Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.  Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.  1 Samuel 17:45-49

Loving Others

Loving others in a biblical manner involves your thoughts, words, and actions and is a sign of your being a disciple of Christ. 

Loving others biblically is dependent on your commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and is not dependent on people, circumstances, or your feelings. John C. Broger

I need to confess.  Yesterday I was not very loving toward another person.  It was not one of my better moments.  Being a Christian means we are to love others as God loves us.  I admit I let a long day, frustration and anger get in the way of treating another person with love.  Here’s the story.

Yesterday morning I called Walmart to refill a prescription.  When I entered the number the electronic voice told me there was an issue with my prescription and that I needed to call the pharmacy.  When they opened I called.  I spoke with the pharmacist who told me they could fill my prescription as I requested.  Later in the morning I received two text messages letting me know the prescriptions were ready to pick up. 

After work I drive to Walmart and get in line.  I admit my heart rate goes up when I pull into the pharmacy.  There have been so many incidents where they didn’t fill my prescription correctly or didn’t have any in stock, or claim they didn’t receive the request after I’ve spoken on the phone with a live person that anxiety fills me driving up. 

There are three cars in front of me and three more in the next lane over and more pulling in behind me.  I pick a lane and wait.  When I get up to the window I ask the woman if they filled my prescription the way I requested.  She said no.  I then tell her that I spoke with the pharmacist that morning and he assured me it would be filled. She then says, “the pharmacist gets busy and doesn’t always follow up”.  She then tells me that I need to pull out of line and get back in line again so they can have time to fill it the way I requested.  Here is the unloving part.  I told her I wasn’t getting out of line and waiting another hour in the same line I just waited in.  She then went and got another woman and she tells me “Ma’am, you need to be courteous to other customers who are waiting and pull around and get back in line.” 

I guess they could have called the police to remove me from the Walmart line.  I could just hear the 911 call now.  “We have a woman in line at the pharmacy who won’t get out of line and get back in line.” 

At this point I was trying real hard to channel Jesus but it wasn’t working.  I didn’t yell but I calmly told her I was not leaving until I received the prescriptions I ordered that morning.  If they wanted to refill the other portion of my prescription I would come back another time for it, but I wasn’t leaving until I received what I ordered that morning.  The irony is that, (I timed it), one minute later she comes back to the window and tells me the missing portion of my prescription is ready. 

I confess, I allowed frustration, my long day, (I leave my house at 5:30am and don’t return until 6:00pm, if I don’t go to the pharmacy), to color my attitude when dealing with another person.  It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t what God would want me to do. If I am being more like Jesus, I need to work on me.  My treatment of others shouldn’t be dependent on my mood, feelings or outside circumstances. 

I ask each of you to pray for me that I will be a more loving Christian and that I become more like Jesus.  

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I blew it yesterday.  I didn’t do a good job of reflecting who You are to another person.  Help me to value others as much as You value me.  I need your help to extend grace to others.  Keep me from allowing emotions, feelings and frustrations to color my interactions with others.  I want to love as Jesus loved.  I can’t do that if I can’t control what I say and do to others.  I praise You for your mercy on a sinner like me.  I don’t deserve it, but I pray for it with everything in me.   

        

Scripture: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:34-40

Big Black Cat

It's Satan's delight to tell me that once he's got me, he will keep me. But at that moment I can go back to God. And I know that if I confess my sins, God is faithful and just to forgive me.  Alan Redpath

I was sitting on the couch last night when I heard what sounded like kids screaming.  I ran to the front door threw it open and stepped out.  I immediately realized it was two cats.  I thought they were in the bushes in front of our house.  What I didn’t realize as I stepped out was that they were fighting on our roof.  As I stepped back towards the front door I heard scrambling and then I saw two cat legs fall over the edge of the roof.  There was more scuffling and then the cat hanging from the edge of the roof scrambled back up on the roof.  My husband and I stepped out into the front yard and there was a big black cat perched at the top of our roof.  He acted like he owned it. 

Two days prior to this incident I was sitting at the kitchen table working on my computer when I looked up and saw this same black cat stroll across our patio.  That is sort of surprising since my dog hates cats.  My dog may be old but he still has some get up and go left in him.  He caught a grackle last year so I wouldn’t send him to the old dog’s home yet.  I watched as this cat strolled across our patio and thought, “Dude I wouldn’t be strolling like that if I were you. If my dog wakes up and sees you in his yard you’re toast or a breakfast appetizer." 

Anyway, as I thought about this cat he reminded me of how Satan gets into our lives. Sometimes we make it so easy for him.  We get distracted or let our guard down and he steps right in like he owns us.  If we ever let the sin in our life get out of hand; Satan just loves that.  He is celebrating victory when we fall and fail.  The only thing between us and him is God.  Don’t let Satan win.  Take all the energy you have and pour it into knowing God.  Absorb it, dwell in it, live it.  If we are going to overcome Satan in our lives we need to be prepared for the fight of our lives.  He is waiting to devour us.  Don’t give him the opportunity to win.      

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, as I watched this cat sit at the peak of our roof and calmly lick his paws, I was thinking this is how Satan must look when he lures us into sin.  He probably sits there with a grin on his face.  Sometimes I make it so easy for him to win.  I fall and fail over and over again.  You are my salvation.  Draw me back to You so that I may defeat Satan. 

          

Scripture: The Whole Armor of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  Ephesians 6:10-20

Things Could Get Messy

Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays. Andrew Murray

At church on Sunday our pastor was talking about caring for others.  There was a video of Darnell Barton, a bus driver in Buffalo New York.  He was driving over a bridge when he looked over and there was a young woman standing on the outside railing of the overpass.  The video showed a bike rider go by and another person walk by but they didn’t stop.  Darnell stopped the bus and got out.  He asked the woman if she was ok and then asked her if she wanted to come over the railing to the other side.  She said she did and he helped her back over the railing and sat down on the sidewalk to talk to her.  This was all videoed from the camera on the bus.  He was later asked why he stopped.  The following is from the interview:

'It was meant to be,' Barton said. 'I was supposed to be there for her at that moment and I was. I wanted to convey that whatever it was, I'm going to help you through and it's not as serious as jumping onto the 198.'

 'I feel like I did what I was supposed to do at the time,' Barton said. 'I'm a football guy so when you sit the bench and the coach calls your number, you gotta go in there make a play, do what the play calls for, and I think that's what I did.'

How many of us see someone in need and walk by?  Why is it that we do that?  I think it is partly due to the fact that we are so caught up in what’s going on in our life that we miss the opportunities God places in our paths to help others.  The other thing is we realize when someone is in need “things could get messy”.  We might have to deal with the messiness of someone else’s life and ours is messed up enough without adding someone else’s burden to it.

God knows our lives are messy.  In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus makes a profound statement.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 

We are to go to Him when we are laden down with our messy lives and God will give us rest.  When we give Him our burdens, He lightens our load so we can then handle someone else’s.  Have you ever noticed that when you give all your worries and burdens to God and you help someone else; their burden doesn’t seem as bad as what you are dealing with in your life?

The thing is God doesn’t leave you hanging out there on your own.  He is there and will provide whatever is necessary to enable you to help another.  Give your burden to Him and He will help you carry someone else’s. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I often find it difficult to let go of the burdens in my life because I think I am in control.  Help me to understand that You want me to lay it all at your feet so that I can take up the cross and help someone else.  Help me to see clearly others who are in need of a Savior and show them what an amazing Father You are.  Don’t let me deny You because things could get messy.     

Scripture: Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4

Guarantee & Warranty

1.     Guarantee: a formal pledge to pay another person's debt or to perform another person's obligation in the case of default.

2.     Warranty: (in contract law) a promise that something in furtherance of the contract is guaranteed by one of the contractors, especially the seller's promise that the thing being sold is as promised or represented.

Have you ever looked at Jesus’ life and considered that we each received a guarantee and warranty for His death on the cross?

Jesus knew that when He set foot on the earth He would die a horrible death.  Can you imagine being born and when you reached the age where you understood what it means to die; that you would be called upon to be beaten, nailed to a cross and hung until you took your last breath?  When I look at Jesus’ life from that perspective I find myself the biggest and weakest coward of all. I know I wouldn’t have handled that well.  They would have had to drag me kicking and screaming to that cross.  The irony of it is Jesus did none of those things.

When I think of the love that Jesus showed during His short time on earth it is humbling. To know and understand that every step you took was going to mean you would take on the sin of the world and each step moved you toward an agonizing death, I have a feeling I would wimp out. 

Jesus died to save us.  He brought us back into relationship with our Heavenly Father so that we could have eternal life.  Jesus’ guarantee was that he paid our debt and took the obligation of that debt upon Himself.  He took responsibility for our sin. 

Jesus’ death also came with a promise or warranty.  He promised that if we believe and obey the One who sent Him we would have eternal life.

Why do we find it so difficult to follow Him?  Maybe because we don’t believe in His warranty and guarantee that cost Him His life.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am humbled by Jesus Your Son.  What an extraordinary sacrifice.  He gave His life for us and often we dishonor Him by rejecting the very thing that gave us the opportunity to have eternal life.  Forgive me because I know I don’t always do a good job of representing You or obeying You.  Help me to love others as Jesus did.  I am grateful for Your mercy on me.    

     

Scripture: Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection

Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful. Matthew 17:22-23

God’s Love & Words that Wound

Here is a spiritual principle: We cannot exercise love unless we are experiencing grace. You cannot truly love others unless you are convinced that God's love for you is unconditional, based solely on the merit of Christ, not on your performance. Our love, either to God or to others, can only be a response to His love for us.  Jerry Bridges

Did you know there are over 470,000 entries in the dictionary?  Every year new words are added.  So out of 470,000 some odd words, why do we choose to use the worst of those 470,000 on the people we are supposed to love the most. 

We are all guilty of using words to hurt others.  Sometimes we use them and don’t even realize how much they cause harm to another person.  I was thinking about why we do this.  We supposedly love this person but we kill them with words.  I received some wise words from my cousin.  She said sometimes we harm those we love the most with words because we believe they will never stop loving us.  Basically we take for granted that this person will continue to love us no matter what words we use on them.

Why do we believe that the people in our lives that we are closest to can withstand our harmful words and continue to love us?  If harmful and hurtful words are used often enough and long enough those very people can and often will stop loving us.  God didn’t create us to be unloving.  He wants us to love as He does. If the people in our lives don’t understand God’s love; we stand the chance of losing their love.  If we don’t express God's love to others, we will eventually lose those we love.  

When you think about God’s love, it is quite different from human love.  Jesus is the only man who lived that loved like God loves.  God’s love is the “only” pure love.  His love covers everything.  His love means we are accepted as we are warts and all.  There are no conditions to receive His love.  He doesn’t want to lose a single individual that He created. His love is all encompassing and Jesus loved us the same way.  Love like this is nailed to a cross for us.  God’s love is not based on what you do; it is based on who He is.  God’s love is also never ending.

Is there someone in your life you are harming with words?  If we don’t stop using words that wound; we shouldn’t be surprised when that person eventually no longer loves us. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want Your kind of love.  Not the superficial kind of love that only lasts for a moment.  I want the love that Jesus showed me by dying on a cross for the sin in my life.  Love like that is hard to come by in this world where self has become the most important thing in life.  I pray that You will make me more like Jesus.  I want to give others that same love so they can see what it really means to be loved. Your kind of love means I will also forgive the very people who use words to harm me.    

    

Scripture: The Greatest Gift

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Singing His Praises

God loves to hear your singing - so sing.  Rod Parsley

Music was in my life growing up.  My Mom played the piano and there was always a song that I loved to hear her play.  I think it was called “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller.  To this day I can see my Mom sitting down at her piano and breaking into that tune.  I would always ask her to play it again. 

I never took lessons of any kind on any instrument nor did I have any special singing or vocal lessons; although I do remember taking chorus in grade school with Ms. Lovett.  She was not the friendliest teacher but she was the only music teacher they had in my school so every one of us kids had chorus with her.  The one thing I do know is I love to sing.  I am not always in key or in tune but I love to sing.  When we drove to church we sang to the radio.  We sang in church and on the way home.  We had one of those big box stereos with a turn table for albums and records.  We would go in our living room and put on our very own performances to the masses of none. 

We would go to my grandmother’s house and she had a stereo similar to ours.  I grew up in the era of Boots Randolph, The Statler Brothers and John Denver and songs like “These Boots Were Made for Walking.  Tom T Hall sang Sneaky Snake that went something like this: (Boys and girls take warning, "If you go near the lake, keep your eyes wide open and look for sneaky snake, now maybe you won't see him and maybe you won't hear, but he'll sneak up behind you and drink all your root beer.) An absolute classic.

Then there were classics like Roger Millers’ “You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd” or how about “Burma Shave”. 

My favorite songs are the old hymns that I learned growing up.  I still remember all the words to those songs.  Amazing Grace, Just a Little Walk With Jesus, Count Your Blessings and Faith Is the Victory.  Then there was one of my grandmother’s favorites, In the Garden.  We sang How Great Thou Art, In the Sweet By and By and I Surrender All. 

One of my favorite memories was when my grandfather passed away.  He was in hospice care and my Mom, sister’s, cousin and Aunt all drove in my sister’s van to Austin to see him right before he died.  We sang hymns all the way from Houston to Austin.  As I watched my grandfather take his last breath I remembered the praises we sang. 

Here’s the thing.  “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” I want to be there.  “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling” for each of us to come to Him.  “What a Day That Will Be” “When We All Get to Heaven.   Take a moment to look back at the old hymns.  I can’t wait to be “In the Sweet By and By.  Sing His Praises!

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I love to sing Your praises with the old hymns that I grew up with as a child.  You are worthy of my praise for saving a poor wretch like me.  One day every knee will bow and we will all sing praises to our Heavenly Father.  I sing now for You.  

     

Scripture: Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious.  Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name.”  Psalm 66:1-4

Near Misses

A state of mind that sees God in everything is evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart.  Charles Finney

The Bible tells us that whenever we come before God, whatever our purpose or prayer request, we are always to come with a thankful heart.  David Jeremiah

I was sitting at home Sunday evening working at my computer when I heard a crash and then tires squealing in the front of our house.  I jumped up, ran to the door and threw it open.  There was a truck sitting in our front yard.  That wouldn’t be odd if we had a driveway in front of our house, but we don’t.  As I watched another large vehicle is pulling away.  It was clanging and I could hear metal scraping on pavement. 

I didn’t stand there for long.  I ran back inside and called 911.  Have you ever noticed that when you are in your pajamas and an emergency happens, you can’t find a thing to wear?  I couldn’t find my tennis shoes or socks, and shirts and jeans eluded me. I was kind of like a deer in headlights.  My dog was running around following me trying to figure out what I was doing.  I didn’t know what I was doing, so how could I explain it to my dog.  I finally got myself together and went outside.  When I stepped out every neighbor in our vicinity was standing in the yard. I guess they didn’t have the problems I had finding something to wear. 

There was a big dodge truck sitting on our front lawn.  We finally pieced together that someone came through our neighborhood driving a hummer; missed 15 cars and other assorted vehicles parked on either side of the street and hit the truck parked across the street two houses down from us.  The squealing tires I heard was the guy driving the hummer trying to get away.  He actually pushed the truck up into our yard and then drove away. 

My husband was at his favorite restaurant watching the football game with friends, so I called him and told him he needed to come home.  I guess I didn’t explain myself well; because he translated my statement “Someone hit a truck and it is in our front yard”, to “Someone hit a truck and it is yours and it’s in our front yard.” 

So he comes racing home and passes a car in a field 10 or so blocks from our house.  There is also a police car there so my husband stops to tell the policeman that someone hit a car in front of our house, but the policeman wasn’t in his car.  Unbeknownst to my husband; this policeman was chasing the guy that put the truck in our front yard. 

So my husband pulls up at the house and asks me what happened to his truck.  I said nothing happened to your truck.  Do you see why communication is so important in relationships? He says, “I thought you said someone hit my truck and it’s in our front yard.”  I said “No honey; that is definitely not your truck on our lawn.” 

After we got all that conversation straightened out, we waited for the police to come back.  The guy who ran was drunk and had drugs in the vehicle so he was arrested.  A wrecker showed up and pulled the truck off our lawn.  Right now you are asking what did I learn from this experience and I’m also thinking you wish you lived in my neighborhood. 

I learned that my husband and I are blessed.  The truck missed hitting my husband’s truck and the other neighbor’s car by a few feet.  It went between them.  The young man whose truck was hit had just gotten out and went inside before it was hit.  In 20 minutes I met every neighbor I didn’t know within a 4 house radius.  I also learned that God saves us from near misses every day and many times we don’t even realize it.  We also don’t often take the time to thank Him for what He does for us.  When I think about what could have happened; it makes me more thankful. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am thankful for You. There are times in my life where I don’t even realized you saved me from some tragedy.  Thank you for sending Your Son who did the ultimate to save me.  I am forever grateful.  

        

Scripture: A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.  Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.  Psalm 100:1-5

Something Out of Nothing

A spiritual gift is a supernaturally designed ability granted to every believer by which the Holy Spirit ministers to the body of Christ. A spiritual gift cannot be earned, pursued or worked up. It is merely "received" through the grace of God.  John MacArthur

Have you identified your spiritual gifts?  What has God given you that can change another person’s life? 

Most of you know that I was an introvert growing up; partly because I have told you and secondly my family can attest to it.  Shyness was a fact of life for me.  I didn’t date much during my high school years.  It’s kind of hard to reconcile, for me anyway, that I was once that shy.  It is even harder for me to see myself getting up and speaking in front of others. 

Tonight my Mom and I are going to speak to a cancer support group in McKinney.  These events are the ones I look forward to the most because I have been in their shoes.  I get really passionate speaking to cancer survivors.  God allowed me to go through the “C” disease for a reason. I believe one of the reasons was so that I could give others suffering from it hope and another reason is so that I could point them in God’s direction.

Every person has suffered from something life has thrown their way.  We all suffer loss, pain, illness and tragedy.  God gives each of us spiritual gifts that He wants us to use for the glory of Him. 

When you decide you will put your faith in Christ, he gifts you with some things. He gives you eternal life, forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit living in us.  It is up to us to determine if we will use them for His Glory or leave them unused. 

I believe my spiritual gifts were hidden until I had cancer.  My spiritual gifts lay dormant until tragedy struck.  I thank God for cancer because it showed me the true picture of who God is and how important He is in my life.  I believe each of us can take our tragedy and turn it around.  There are others who don’t know Him depending on you and me.

Francesca Battistelli wrote a song that speaks to me about this very thing.  She sings “Spent today in a conversation, in the mirror face to face with, somebody less than perfect, I wouldn’t choose me first if I was looking for a champion. In fact I’d understand if You picked everyone before me, True to who You are You saw my heart and made something out of nothing.” God can make something out of nothing.  Take your spiritual gifts and use them for His glory.  He is waiting for you.  

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I spent a long time ignoring my spiritual gifts.  You blessed me with some amazing abilities and gifts and for many years I didn’t use them.  I pray that You will give me opportunities to use the gifts You have blessed me with.  Help me to touch at least one person’s life tonight for Your glory. 

      

Scripture: Spiritual Gifts

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.  Ephesians 4:11-16

At the Bottom

To place ourselves in range of God's choicest gifts, we have to walk with God, work with God, lean on God, cling to God, come to have the sense and feel of God, refer all things to God.   Neal Plantinga

Have you ever noticed how everything we do in life starts at the bottom?  When you go to school you start out in kindergarten.  Then you go to junior high and start at the bottom again.  You move to high school and there you are a freshman again starting at the bottom.  You go to college, and your right back at the bottom, a freshman.  You get a job and there you are again at the bottom.  Then you decide to get married and you’re a newlywed. 

What we learn through this process is that when we start out at anything in this world we will most likely start at the bottom.  This is no different for a new Christian.  Do you remember the excitement you had when you first became a Christian?  How many of us falter when we are at the bottom.  We all do.  One of the reasons we stumble is because we don’t know everything we need to know to be more like Christ.  If we are wise we learn that if you are starting at the bottom there will be hard times getting to the top.  If we are wiser still, we will learn that God is the glue that holds us together in the hard times. 

Our Christian life is a refining process.  It starts out when we are young and continues through adulthood.  Everything we do can either help or hinder this process.  For us to benefit the most from the refining process of life, we will need to perform some action.  We must be walking, working, leaning, clinging and referring.  The word that comes to mind for me is we must be dependent; dependent on the One who created us.  If we are depending on ourselves for everything; we may make it to the top by worldly standards, but we won’t come to know God our heavenly Creator.   

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, it is interesting that we always must start at the bottom in life.  How I handle the bottom of life will make a difference in my eternal life.  I praise You for giving me the bottoms of life as they help me to know You better and to become more like Jesus.  The only direction to go from the bottom is up.  Keep me focused so that I am always heading in Your direction.

     

Scripture: Loving God Under Trials

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.  James 1:12-18

Safe Haven In Times of Trouble

If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand falsely thinking it would be safer in mine! Elisabeth Elliot

When we were kids we were afraid of thunderstorms and Louisiana can have some doozies. The electricity would go off and the lightning and thunder would flash and boom and all four of us would run to Mom and Dad’s room and pile up in their bed until the storm passed. 

As kids we placed all of our trust in our parents to keep us safe and protect us from harm.  In our family, parents were our safe haven when trouble showed up.  The problem with that is that eventually you grow up and realize that your parents are human just like us and may not always be able to protect us from the dangers of the world.

When you finally figured out that your parents couldn’t protect you from the harmful things in this world, who or what did you turn to?  It is much easier to turn to something that you can see, feel or touch isn’t it.  So when we run into trouble what do we humans often do?  We turn to relationships and those often fail us.  We turn to things like money or possessions because we think those will bring us the security we crave. There are even some who turn to drugs or alcohol because it deadens the pain so we can’t feel at all.  When we’re afraid we let fear become our guide and it often takes us in the wrong direction.    

When we finally figure out the one who will get us through is God our fear subsides.  Everything tangible in life can be lost.  We can lose parents, friends, homes, children, jobs and any other number of things that give us a false sense of security.  The One thing we can’t lose is God unless we choose to push Him away.  He is our refuge and the only One who will never forsake us. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, remind me when I face trouble in this life, that You are my refuge.  Trouble will find me but You are my safe haven.   

Scripture: The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.  And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:9-10

Protein Pack

Educators take something simple and make it complicated. Communicators take something complicated and make it simple. John C. Maxwell

Have you ever noticed how companies like to name products so that their product sounds different from everyone else’s?    

To start the year off I decided to watch what I eat.  Well, not just watch it, but eat it too just in a healthy manner.  Anyway, I read that you should eat a piece of rye bread every morning because it tricks your hypothalamus into thinking you are full.  I admit I didn’t really know what the hypothalamus was, although I had heard of it; the only thing I did know was that it wasn’t an animal in Africa.  So if you were wondering like I was, this is what it is and does.

“The hypothalamus is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the autonomic nervous system. It synthesizes and secretes certain neurohormones, often called releasing hormones or hypothalamic hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the secretion of pituitary hormones. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviors, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms.”  So to make this simple it controls if I am hot or cold, hungry, thirsty or sleepy, how I raise my kids and when I “friend someone”. 

Anyway, back to my new diet.  I also read that you should eat an egg in the morning.  So I stopped by Starbucks to get my egg.  The problem is they don’t call it a pack with an egg.  Their egg comes with a bunch of grapes, a whole grain muffin, a piece of cheese, peanut butter and some apple slices.  When I walked up to the counter they had not put the eggs in the refrigerated case yet.  Since I didn’t know what it was called, I told the lady I wanted the pack with the egg.  I knew I had messed up when she looked at me like a deer in headlights.  So the two clerks behind the counter started discussing what I might be trying to buy.  Maybe I should have said my hypothalamus needed protein.  They finally determined that I was talking about what they call a Protein Pack.

I’ll admit, sometimes Starbucks intimidates me.  If you don’t know what or how to pronounce macchiato, (did you know macchiato is Italian for marked; what that has to do with coffee is beyond me), latte, grande, tall, or a caffe mistro, it’s probably best if you don’t go in.  The first time I ever went into Starbucks I just ordered a tall because I recognized the word.   

What did I learn from this?  I learned that I am a very simple person.  I like things to be straightforward where I don’t have to look it up first before I decide what to buy or do.  The other thing I realized is that the Bible is very straightforward.  It doesn’t pull any punches or beat around the bush.  What’s truth is truth.  There is no grey area and if you search through it you will find everything you need to live this life on earth.  Our God is amazing and He gave us the tools we need to survive and flourish.  To get the benefit of this amazing resource, we must open it first.    

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am a very simple person.  I love Your Word because it is simple and straightforward.  I want to get everything I can from it.  If I ask, You will help me understand the parts that aren’t as clear.  Thank You for providing the tools we need to survive this life so that we can move toward a much better one with You.   

   

Scripture: The Truth Shall Make You Free

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.  John 8:31-36.

Distractions

Christ choosing solitude for private prayer, doth not only hint to us the danger of distraction and deviation of thoughts in prayer, but how necessary it is for us to choose the most convenient places we can for private prayer. Our own fickleness and Satan's restlessness call upon us to get into such places where we may freely pour out our soul into the bosom of God [Mark 1.35].  Thomas Brooks

Do you ever get distracted by daily life?  You may get tired of hearing about the stupid things I do, but these everyday distractions often help remind me of God and they often get me back on track and thinking of Him.

Yesterday I stopped at Starbucks.  There is one on my way to work so I see some of the same cars and people at this one.  There is always this one gentleman who is sitting at a table reading.  I went in and made a purchase.  When I was on my way out I walked out the door and was putting my credit card back in my wallet, (distracted), so I wasn’t really paying attention to the vehicles parked in front of the store.  Since there were only two cars parked in the whole lot, it shouldn’t be hard to find mine.

Well, since I was busy putting my credit card in my wallet, I just walked up to the first car I came to and grabbed the handle and opened the door.  I will say that I had already clicked the unlock on my key so being able to open the door wasn’t an issue.  As I went to get in I looked down and the color of the interior was different.  I thought, “Man, I didn’t know my seats were this color.”  I also have a cover on my seat to protect it and the cover was gone. Then I thought, “Man this car sure does sit low.”   

Then it hit me.  This wasn’t my car.  The first thing that crossed my mind was, “who leaves their car unlocked” these days".  I mean, there is always someone out there waiting to steal it.  Then there was the embarrassed part where I wondered if the guy who owns the car sitting in Starbucks realized I was trying to get into his car. 

I admit I started laughing.  Then I thought about God and I really do think He has an amazing sense of humor. He probably sits up there watching us do some really stupid stuff and just shakes His head.  He created us in His image and we often aren’t a good representation of Him.  The amazing thing is, He still cares enough to want us to get back on track and be better.  The distractions of life can either get in the way of our relationship with Him or draw us closer to Him. 

Jesus is our best example of not being distracted.  His sole purpose on earth was to save us.  He didn’t let distractions get in the way of His purpose.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I was distracted yesterday and almost got into someone else’s car.  When I am distracted I can often miss opportunities to spend time with you.  I want to be more focused on You.  Thank You for loving me enough to keep pursuing me.  When I stray toward doing something stupid, help point me in Your direction. 

    

Scripture: Preaching in Galilee

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Mark 1:35-39

Cuckoo In the Nest

Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor. Charles Spurgeon

For years, I helped propagate an impostor, not a true gospel, but another gospel. I Was Wrong.  Jim Bakker

Impostor definition: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.

I found a website that gives meanings of various sayings.  I ran across the saying “cuckoo in the nest.”  Since I am the curious sort, I decided to read more about the cuckoo.

The cuckoo is kind of a lazy bird.  It lays its eggs in the nests of other birds.  God made some amazing things when he made birds.  The cuckoo will wait until the right moment, (I would say when the neighbors aren’t home), then she will break into another nest, kick one of the eggs out and then lay her own egg in its place.  The thing is she will sometimes visit up to 50 homes (i.e. nests) and lay 50 eggs. Another interesting thing is the cuckoo adapts its egg to look like the other eggs in the nest so that others will raise its young. 

So the cuckoo egg hatches before the others and proceeds to push some of the other eggs out of the nest.  The other odd thing is the cuckoo is about 3 times bigger than its foster parent. The cuckoo chick also mimics the call of the foster parent’s chicks, thereby camouflaging that it is an impostor.  So the cuckoo, using vocalization, tricks its foster parent into thinking this big buzzard in its nest is just like the others.  It needs this because otherwise the foster parents would be distracted by its unusually large size compared to its other offspring.

So what does this have to do with God.  Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of preachers and teachers of God’s Word out there who are not what they seem?  They look good on the outside and they say the things we want to hear, but some of them are just like the cuckoo.  Impostors.  If we aren’t careful we can start thinking they are speaking truth.  We need to remember that Satan is the best impostor of all.  He can disguise himself in more ways than we can imagine and if we are not careful, we will buy into the fact that he is a warbler like all the other warblers instead of a cuckoo.  The only way we are going to determine the real deal is to study God’s Word.  If anything someone tells you goes against God’s Word, you can bet it’s a cuckoo.   

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, help me to dig deeply into Your Word for truth.  There are so many impostors in our world.  Many are impersonating Christians and are in the business of bringing the downfall of others. Help me to discern the truth and to always use it as my measuring stick.  I praise You for showing me the truth through study and diligently seeking You.

     

Scripture: Shepherd the Flock

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Submit to God, Resist the Devil

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 5:1-11

911

What you can't go through, God will help you fly over.  Woodrow Krull

I am running late this morning with my devotional.  I was driving to work writing my devotional in my head, when I pulled up behind someone at a stop light.  The light changed to green and all the cars in the other two lanes took off but the car in front of me just sat there.  I admit I thought the person in front of me was texting so I honked.  He didn’t move, so I honked again.  He still didn’t move.  Then it hit me.  This person might be having a medical emergency. 

So I pulled into the right lane next to the car and looked over and the person looked like he was having a seizure.  There were no cars around since it was 6:00 am, so I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed 911.  I will say that I was slightly panicked.  I could have used my voice control in my car, but instead I started flipping through my phone to call. 

As I sat there talking to the dispatcher, the man in the car became alert again, but then he started driving.  That scared me even more.  So I start following the car while I am talking to the dispatcher.  The man would weave over the line and then get back in his lane.  I am not sure where the police are at 6:00am but they weren’t where I was.  I continued to follow the car, giving the dispatcher every street we crossed.  I followed the man so far that I was able to give them the make and model of the car and the color.  I asked the dispatcher if she wanted me to continue following him.  She said yes as long as it was safe.  

I drove so far that I ended up in Frisco and she had to call Frisco police.  I don’t know anything about Frisco except that it is north.  Way north.  The man finally pulls into a turn lane.  I glance over to see where he is going and it was a hospital in Frisco.  I was so thankful.  I was thanking God that he didn’t hit anyone or run a red light as we probably drove 20 miles with me following him.  I’m just thankful I didn’t end up in Oklahoma.

As the dispatcher thanked me and told me they would send someone to check on him, it reminded me of calling 911.   If you have a car like mine with voice capabilities, you can punch one button on the steering wheel and say 911 and the car does the calling for you.  Or if you are in a panic like I was, you can fumble for your cell phone and flip though the buttons. 

Who do you call in an emergency?  I’ll admit when I looked over at the man in the car and realized he was having a medical issue, God wasn’t the first one to come to mind.  But when I was on the phone with the dispatcher, I calmed down enough to thank God.  I thanked Him for giving me a heart to help others.  I could have been like the four other cars that passed this gentleman and left him sitting at the light.  When you have emergencies in your life who do you turn to?  We have the most amazing Resource and we don’t always turn to Him in a crisis.  Call on Him in every crisis.  He is waiting on your call. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I pray that you will heal the gentleman from this morning’s incident.   I admit I sort of panicked.  All kinds of scenarios ran through my head before I calmed down.  Thank You for being there for me in any crisis I face.  You are my 911.  The only help I will ever need in times of trouble.  Your grace is sufficient.  Finally, thank you for giving me parents who taught me to help others.  That is one of the most amazing gifts. 

Scripture: And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10