A Shared Life    

We need to reckon on the fact that we died to sin's reign, that it no longer has any dominion over us, that God has united us with the risen Christ in all His power, and has given us the Holy Spirit to work in us. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God's provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness.  Jerry Bridges

Today I am not going to tell an old story from my childhood or a current story from my crazy life.  Today is about you and God. 

Today’s devotional is a thank you.  Thank you for allowing me to share my life with each of you.  I am a sinner but also a believer.  You allow me to come to you in your work week and talk about whatever is on my mind. It amazes me that you would want to hear something I have to say.  I am humbled daily by the emails I receive that tell me how much something I said touched someone’s life. 

I must admit I honestly don’t think I am a good writer.  I also admit that there are times I read what I write and I know it came from God because there is no way that came from me.  So if you find something profound in my devotional, look to the Father.  If something touches your life in some of the words written and it brings you closer to Him then I am just the messenger. 

So I thank God for his blessings in my life and for giving me the opportunity to talk to you about Him.  I praise Him for giving me the Holy Spirit living in me that allows me to see Him as a loving caring Father in all circumstances. 

I thank each of you for reading my goofy stories about spiders, pigs, cheese, utilities, bumper stickers and all the other subjects I use to illustrate who God really is in my eyes.

On this Good Friday I pray that each of you know the sacrifice made for you so that you can live eternally with our Father in heaven.  He Is Risen and I am forever thankful for that sacrifice that allows us to live.      

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, thank you for helping me piece together words that touch other people’s lives.  I am forever grateful for Your love and mercy on me, a poor sinner.  Thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son for my sins.  I can never repay the debt I owe.    

Scripture:  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Corinthians 5:21

Utilities Episode Take 2

When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man, we get what man can do; but when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do.  A.C. Dixon

I am still in the process of getting utilities and my patience is wearing thin.  Today I called the utility company so that they could send a message to the owner of the new meter that it is ok to install a new stronger meter.  The kicker here is that even though I already paid a $200 deposit on this address for the 4 meters already at this location, I am now required to pay another $200 deposit for the new meter.

When I asked why, they told me it is located at a different address.  I explained that this meter would be located at the same address where all the other meters are located and the representative told me that sometimes an additional deposit is required because it is considered a different address.  She also said that this meter has a different address.  So I asked her “What is the address is for the new meter”?  She couldn’t tell me that either.  Since I only have one address for all of the meters I am guessing this means there is some unknown address to this special meter that only the utility company has access to.  I guess I am paying for its new home.

So I then asked “what are the circumstances that make it to where I don’t have to pay an additional deposit”.  She explained that it “depends”.  “Depends on what” I asked. She didn’t know, all she knew was the system was requiring another deposit and I wouldn’t be able to get the electricity until I paid the deposit.  If I disputed it and didn’t pay the deposit she said it would take 21 days for resolution of the dispute and that I still wouldn’t have electricity. I then asked if she had a complaint department.  She said no that I would need her to file a complaint. 

One hour into this conversation I caved.  I paid the additional $200 and then she came back and filled out a form for the complaint.  Here is another kicker (right in the teeth I might add).  She said that she would send my complaint over to the appropriate department and they would get back with me with a resolution.

I feel like I am living in an alternate universe.  What planet have I landed on?  I drive by the gas station every day and the gas prices go up and down faster than I can drive.  I need utilities and since deregulation, the utility company (the biller) and the provider (the installer) both have their hand in my back pocket taking withdrawals for deposits, increases in kilowatts and if I decide to cancel or change service there is an early cancelation fee.  Plus they read to me the meter owner’s fees too.  She was quick to explain that the $150 and $110 fees that the meter owner charges are not part of their fees.  I am thinking at the end of this process I am going to own a $10,000 meter that gives me 10 kilowatts. 

I admit, as things get more expensive and my paycheck gets smaller I have a tendency to get frustrated.  I think my sin is I am putting too much importance on the money and not enough on Who it really belongs to in the first place.  I do know that God wants me to spend the money he gives me wisely and this just isn’t computing for me. 

So I am asking you to pray for me that I survive my encounters with the utility companies and that I show the individuals I am dealing with a picture of Who God is.  I am failing this test so far so a lot of intercessory prayer is needed.        

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am a sinner and the past few weeks I have been on a downhill slide.  I am frustrated dealing with the utility companies and I admit it makes me angry.  I know You are trying to teach me something but my thick skull is not getting it.  I pray that you will open my eyes to whatever that may be.  I need Your help to cleanse my heart.  Help me to be a “light bearer” and to “rejoice” in all things.

Scripture:  
Light Bearers

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.  Philippians 2:12-16

Meditate on These Things

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these  things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:4-9

Bibleopoly    

Most men, indeed, play at religion as they play at games, religion itself being of all games the one most universally played.  A.W. Tozer

When I was a kid I loved to play board games.  We only had a few channels on TV and we didn’t have cable so kids entertained themselves by interacting with each other. What a concept!  These days they text each other instead of talking and video games are the norm.

I was thinking this morning about the game of Monopoly.  Then I thought why don’t they have Bible Monopoly?  I guess I am behind the times because when I Googled it I found out they have Bibleopoly.  I decided to see what it was about.  Monopoly was played on the premise that you went around the board buying up property and the eventual winner was the person who had a monopoly on all the properties plus all the money.  All other players went bankrupt. 

I did some searching to find out how Bibleopoly is played.  The object of the game is to go around the board landing on cities and the way to win is to build a church on a property by helping others along the way. Instead of a “Go to Jail” card you get a “Go Meditate” card and miss three turns. In the end whoever wins has built a church on their property and everyone gets together to celebrate and the winner gets to name the church.  The problem here is that too many times we get caught up in the building and spend too little time on lost souls. 

I think a new version would better explain what Christianity is all about.  You would still start at “In the Beginning” but the object wouldn’t be to build a church.  The object would be to save souls.  To make this more personal the “Chance” and “Community Chest” cards would be replaced by “Sin” and “Forgiveness” cards.  In this one you have to admit a sin and you are forgiven by the other players.  Instead of building a church as the final goal, you do things for others. In this part when you landed on a city in the Bible you would have to tell other players something you did that week that helped another person and it would have to be something that reflected God as the source instead of you.   Then there is the sacrifice.  When you landed on this one you have to give everything away. 

This game is getting kind of personal isn’t it?  I don’t like this game so much anymore.  I have to confess my sin to others plus I am required to forgive others of their sin and then to top it off I am required to give God the glory and not me.  Then there is the part about giving everything away.  I’ve worked hard to earn what I have so why should I have to give it away?   

Unfortunately Christianity isn’t a game and not everyone will win.  If we look at life from this perspective we are short on time and there are many souls left to be saved.  How will you spend your time?     

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, when I reach the end of my life I want to be able to hear Your words, “well done my good and faithful servant”.  If I want to hear those words I need to be busy now because none of us knows how long we have on this earth but You.  Help me to see this world through Your eyes and help me to go about Your business, saving lost souls. 
   
Scripture: The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.  The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.  He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil.  He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.  He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.  If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner. Proverbs 11:25-31

Reckless Driving    

We must take ourselves in hand, and school ourselves, especially our wills, into a greater fitness for the serious business of living as Christian workers, of being ambassadors of Jesus Christ.  Duncan Campbell

On the news this morning there was a guy who was in a wreck on the freeway.  He ran off the road and the guard rail went through the passenger side of the car, exited out the back driver’s side of the car and when he came to a stop there was a 10ft section sticking out of the back of his car.  The only injury this guy had was to his hand.  This guy just experienced a God incident and probably didn’t even realize it.  The crazy thing about this story was the police arrested him because he had previous tickets for reckless driving.

We are often guilty of reckless driving in a biblical sense.  We are on the interstate of life and we are pretty reckless.  The thing is there are all kinds of warning signs on this road of life.  On this road we are traveling we get the green light which means we are going along not sinning and then Satan tempts us and the yellow caution light flickers on.  But instead of heeding the yellow we decide to speed up and try to make it when it gets to orange.  It is like dipping your toe in the water to see if it is cold.  This is when we are testing the waters.  We want to see if God really means what he says.  Then it happens.  The red light is the warning that we need to stop.  Many times we totally miss the sign and blast right on through.

Then there are the speed limit signs.  These are tricky.  We get impatient so when the sign tells us to slow down to 20mph we test the waters again and go 30mph.  So Satan tempts us to go faster and since we are an impatient group, we listen to him and speed faster and faster to whatever sin we are chasing.  The problem with this is eventually we will get caught in whatever the sin is.

Then there are the toll road cameras.  These are the ones that take pictures of you sinning.  If you look at it from a God perspective, the toll road camera is a lot like God.  It is kind of hard to argue your innocence when they have a picture of your license plate.  Unless someone else was driving your car, you are guilty as charged.  We often forget that God sees everything. 

The reality is we get a “get out of jail pass” and that is called Salvation.  God has provided us a way to get to our destination but we are required to heed the warning signs.  The problem is a lot of us will skip the “get out of jail pass” and instead take the “go directly to jail” option.              

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am so guilty of ignoring the warning signs of life.  Satan convinces me that I can sin a little bit and it won’t matter when in reality it does matter.  This life on earth is filled with obstacles that can hinder my Christian life.  Please help me to avoid the pitfalls and heed the warning signs.       

Scripture:   “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
“Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.  “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.  Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.  And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.  And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.  So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.  Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Wrinkles    

There is always a lot to be thankful for, if you take the time to look. For example, I'm sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. ~Author Unknown

Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. ~Martin Buxbaum

I was thinking about wrinkles today, maybe because I have them or maybe it is because I find them interesting.  We often spend a lot of money on things to stop wrinkles.  There is the guy who discovered some obscure melon in some far off country who determined that the melon he discovered doesn’t spoil as quickly as other melons so he made a cream to put on your face that will slow the gravity that starts your face on a downhill slide. 

Sometimes we speed up the process of wrinkles by smoking, drugs, alcohol or too much sun.  Then we try to erase the signs by injections of botulinum toxin or bacteria injections into the face.  Then we spend a fortune on creams and lotions that have names we can’t pronounce or some manufacturer calls it by some made up name that sounds important so we think it must work.  Then we apply chemicals that peel the top layer of the skin off so that the skin below is rejuvenated.

Then there is the ultimate face rejuvenator, surgery.  I am no surgeon but I have seen my share of people who have had cosmetic surgery for vanity purposes and sometimes it is just downright scary.  I admit I don’t know where the sagging skin goes in plastic surgery.  I am thinking it is tucked behind your ears but I am not sure.   

I don’t want you to misunderstand.  There are some cases where cosmetic surgery is used to treat ailments.  But more often it is because we are vain and we want to world to see us as young and vibrant.

I admit I am guilty of buying and using various creams to make my face look younger.  Why?  The simple answer is I care about what the world thinks of the way I look.  Here is another question.  Why?  If I understand God and Who He is, why do I worry about what people think about the wrinkles on my face.  Some of the most interesting people I ever met had faces that were creased with lines.  There was history written in their faces.

We were not created to spend a lot of time and money on our outward appearance.  God created us in His image.  It is just that sometimes we spend too much time worrying about that image and not enough time with Him.  If we are at peace in our lives the wrinkles on our face will not matter.   

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am guilty of spending time trying to make my face look younger.  The thing is one day this will all catch up with me and my face will be filled with wrinkles.  Please help me to put this in perspective.  Your perspective.  Remind me that the wrinkles on my face are not really important.  How I live my life is, so help me focus on that and not the downward slope of my face.    

Scripture: Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; for I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.  When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live.  Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.  Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you.  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.  Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her.  She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.” Proverbs 4:1-9

Retirement    

Has life become so filled with efforts to cover every financial contingency, to realize one's full earthly potential, and finally to retire comfortably, that without realizing it we are finding our hope in this world rather than in God?  Dave Hunt

Do you ever think about retirement?  Sometimes I think we spend so much time focusing on retirement that we miss the life God wants us to have here on earth.  We are not created to work at a job for 45 years and then sit back and do nothing from a heavenly perspective. 

The world teaches us that we should work toward retirement and once it gets here we can coast.  If we look at retirement as a time where we let go of our responsibility as a Christian our perspective is wrong. 

I come from a family of hard workers.  My siblings and I are all the same.  Our work ethic is based on watching our grandparents and parents work.  My uncle owned a coffee company and when my grandparents were in their 70’s they washed coffee pots for a division of his company.  My grandfather had retired from his vocation many years before but they didn’t stop working until they were unable to drive and could no longer do the physical part of the job. 

My parents are now in their mid-70s and they have not stopped working.  They are running a business and can be found most weekends setting up a booth at local farmer’s markets.  This is not a job for the weak at heart.  I know because when they are at one farmer’s market I am at another.  This is how it works.  On Friday evenings after work I drive out to my parent’s farm to load my car.  While I load my car my dad and mom are loading theirs.  On Saturday we get up at 4:30 to 5:00am to drive to the market.  We then unload and set up a tent, tables and display our products.  We sell for 4 to 5 hours and then breakdown and reload the car.  Then it is another trip out to the farm to unload.  We love what we do but it is physical labor.  One of the things I get to see is my parents helping and loving others. 

I admit I don’t really look forward to retirement because I don’t see myself doing anything different with my life.  I don’t have a big nest egg set aside for retirement although we do have a 401K that we will use to take care of us if we end up in a “retirement home”. 

You know what I have learned.  I have spent the past 5 years spending time with my parents.  These have been the most joyful times of my life.   I have laughed and cried with these two very special people.  They have lifted me up when I needed it most and have given me more than money could ever buy.  They have taught me what retirement is all about.  God doesn’t talk about retirement in the Bible.  Retirement is a word made up by the world.  I think it is best described by Rick Warren, the author of “A Purpose Driven Life”. 

“The word ‘retirement’ is not even in the Bible, so it’s not a biblical concept.”  What is taught in Scripture is a transition. You may change jobs, you may change vocations and you may volunteer for free, but there is nothing that says you work most of your life and then get to be selfish for the next 20 years.”

Providing a biblical perspective on what retirement should resemble, Warren adds, “The Bible says that as long as your heart is beating God has a plan and purpose for your life … to grow personally, to get to know God, to serve others, and make the world a better place.”  excerpt from Rick Warren in Forbes

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I don’t want to retire.  I want to continue working for You.  You have a purpose for my life and it doesn’t end with the end of my worldly vocation.  You are the ultimate Employer.  I praise you for giving me parents and grandparents who taught me what it means to work for the Lord.  Retirement is not really on my horizon and I would not have it any other way.    

Scripture:  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 1 Corinthians 3:8-10

Rejoice or Retaliate    

How did Jesus expect His disciples to react under persecution? (In Matthew 5:12 He said), "Rejoice and be glad!" We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor sulk like a child, nor lick our wound in self-pity like a dog, nor just grin and bear it like a Stoic, still less pretend we enjoy it like a masochist. What then? We are to rejoice as a Christian should and even "leap for joy" (Luke 6:23).  John Stott

This is a tough one for me.  To “Rejoice and be glad” when someone hurts me or when you know someone is not quite telling you the truth.  Part of my issue with this is my ego.  I want immediate satisfaction in retaliating in kind. 

We had an incident last weekend at one of our farmer’s markets.  We have been participating at this particular market for several years.  When we initially started selling at this market we were allowed to set up our booth in a great location.  At the time the market had just started so there were fewer vendors but as time went on more and more vendors started participating and eventually we were told by the organizer that we would have to move to another location.  She decided to move all of the non-food vendors across the street and this move cut our profits in half. 

The reason we were given for being moved was that there was a zoning ordinance that didn’t allow non-food vendors in the area where we originally had set up.  From the outset I didn’t buy into this explanation.  It just didn’t make sense to me and my mom didn’t buy it either. 

This same organizer decided to contact us and tell us if we didn’t attend her market every weekend we would lose our current spot at the market.  I have this personality defect that when I get pushed against a wall I come out fighting.  So I decided to call the city to find out what the zoning ordinance said.  I didn’t realize it but my mom decided to do the same thing. We didn’t realize that the market organizer had a friend down at the city because my mom received a threatening call from the woman telling mom that she should have contacted her if she had questions instead of the zoning department and if she called them again she would not be able to participate at the market at all. 

We went to a vendor meeting last weekend and the woman admitted she basically lied to the city zoning committee to allow us to participate at the market. I admit I am struggling with the retaliation thing.  Here is the question that always gets me.  When should you confront someone or rejoice and be glad and then leap for joy?  Then there is the “vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord”.  This being a Christian business is tough.  We are tested every single day and it isn’t multiple choice.  We can’t pick all of the above.        

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want to make the right choices.  I have in me the tendency to retaliate when someone does something that is wrong especially when it hurts someone I care about.  Please help me to look at each trial as a training ground.  Help me to make the right decision so that You are glorified.  Remove “me” from the equation and replace it with “You” so that I can see if from Your perspective.   

Scripture:  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.  Jeremiah 17:7-8

Image and Object Association    

Within each of us exists the image of God, however disfigured and corrupted by sin it may presently be. God is able to recover this image through grace as we are conformed to Christ.  Alister McGrath

Have you ever used images to associate or train your mind to think of something else?   It reminds me of the Rorschach Ink Blot psychological test.   They will give you a piece of paper with an ink blot on it and you say what it looks like to you.  The psychologist can then determine certain things about you by what you see in the ink blot. 

I have my own image association game that I play except I use it to remind me of things related to God.  Here is how it works. 

When my nephews were young they loved to play slug bug in the car.  You are riding in the car and any time you see a Volkswagen beetle you got to slug your brother or other passenger in the car if you were the first to yell slug bug.  To a parent I am sure this was a great way to keep the kids occupied or preoccupied as the case may be, so they would quit asking “Are we there yet?” To kids it was a great opportunity to slug your brother.  One of the image associations I use with this is anytime I see a Volkswagen beetle I picture in my mind my nephews and niece and I immediately pray for them wherever I am at that moment. 

Another image or object that I use to remind me of God is a necklace I wear every day.  My oldest sister gave me a beautiful cross after I was diagnosed with cancer.  I have worn the cross every day since she gave it to me.  It is not just an adornment for me.  Every time I put the cross on it instantly reminds me of Jesus dying on the cross for my sin.  It is a constant reminder throughout my day of the One who died for me.  Engraved on the cross is the alpha and omega.  It reminds me that he is the beginning and the end.

This morning I was driving to work and this image always comes to mind when I see a wrecker or tow truck.  If you look at most of them when they are not towing a vehicle the frame on the back looks like a large cross.  It never fails to remind me of Jesus dying on the cross. The image of Him being lifted into the air on the cross is a powerful one. 

God gave each of us an extraordinary mind.  We can use it to meditate on things above or fill it with other thoughts. If you practice image or object association, you will be surprised how often during your day God comes to mind.               

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I love to associate things around me to You.  It helps to remind me that you created me and that You are always with me.  I praise You for giving me a way to center my mind on things above.  It gives me strength just knowing You are near.     

Scripture:  O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.  So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.  Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.  Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.  My soul follows close behind You; your right hand upholds me.  Psalm 63:1-8

Who Do You Depend On?    

God is preparing His heroes. And when the opportunity comes, He can fit them into their places in a moment. And the world will wonder where they came from.  A.B. Simpson

I saw on the news this morning that the tiny country of Cyprus is in financial trouble.  Because this tiny country is in so much debt they decided to close all the banks in that country and freeze everyone’s money. 

So picture this.  You are driving to work and you decide you need to get money so you drive to the ATM and slip your card in, enter your pin and a sign pops up on the screen, “To Whom It may concern:  We are in deep debt so in order to fix the problem we are going to keep your money.  You no longer have access to your funds.  Thank you and have a nice day!”

I am exaggerating, but this tiny country’s financial woes affected the stock market in our country and around the world.  We have become so dependent on monetary success that I think if something like this happened in our country there would be utter chaos, just as in Cyprus where there are protests in the streets.

Who and what should we depend on?  It is so easy to give lip service and say I depend on God for my every need.  But do we really mean that?  We are raised in this world that the almighty dollar is the most important thing and we should pursue it with everything in us so that we will be secure. 

Our security is not in the money we make.  Our security and utmost priority should be in the Lord.  He is the only one who can provide the ultimate security. A life lived in Him means He will provide.  That doesn’t mean He will give us everything we “want” but what we “need”.  He also doesn’t promise a life without trials and tribulations. 

Today is our training ground.  We have the opportunity to live for God in turbulent times.  I know which one I will choose.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I place my faith in You.  I ask for wisdom and understanding so that when the time comes I will be prepared.  I am guilty of focusing my eye on worldly things instead of You.  I ask for Your comfort in these troubling times.  Help me to be at peace in You.    

Scripture:   We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;  since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,  when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.  Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

Storage Units and Stuff    

We need to follow our Lord's admonition to remember Lot's wife, for she was one who did not forget her possessions even in a time of the greatest peril. She was not guilty of having retraced a single step towards Sodom. All she did was look back. But how revealing was that backward glance! Does it not speak volumes concerning the condition of her heart?  Watchman Nee

I was driving to work this morning and on the corner is a huge storage company.  This building is 4 stories tall and the length of a football field.  As I turned the corner I thought about the stuff that is stored in that building.  There is a company that is making money on storing stuff that we currently don’t use.  Often there are times where we don’t even miss what is stored there and sometimes we don’t even remember what is there.

I am guilty of keeping stuff. Sometimes my stuff has sentimental value, like things my Mom has given me that remind me of her or something from one of my grandmothers.  These are the things that are worth keeping.   They may bring back a wonderful memory of the person who may be long gone.

Then there is the stuff that I keep because there might be a use for it someday.  The problem is I haven’t used it in 10 years so when do I think I will use it in the next 10 if I can’t even remember I have it. 

This is where the storage units come in.  When I have so much stuff that I don’t have space for it, I decide to rent an apartment for it so all of my stuff will have a place to live.  The thing is my stuff is not alone in the complex, it has neighbors.  The beauty of this is it is air-conditioned and climate controlled. 

There are times when a storage apartment is necessary.  These are the times when you move from a house into an apartment until your new house is built or you buy another house.  It would be kind of silly to sell all your current good stuff and then buy all new.  Recycling comes in handy in this circumstance.

Over the past year I have started unloading stuff.  I admit it, my husband and I were cleaning out our garage several months ago and I had a filing cabinet that had stuff in it that was older than dirt.  I admit this is not easy because I often will sit and reminisce about my stuff.  Where it came from, who gave it to me, how long I have had it and the story that goes with it. 

This is what I have learned since getting rid of my stuff.  I no longer miss it or even remember what it was.  God will provide for us but He never intended for us to collect so much stuff that we don’t have room for it and need to pay someone to store it. When you start looking at it from God’s perspective it seems kind of silly doesn’t it?  God doesn’t say in the Bible that he will take us to heaven with all our stuff.  He has prepared a place for us  where we won’t need earthly stuff.  I am looking forward to that move.
               
Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am guilty of collecting stuff.  Some of the stuff I have has not been used in years and sometimes to the point that I don’t even remember I have it.  Please help me to let go of the inconsequential stuff that I have accumulated.  Thank you for preparing a place for me where I will no longer need stuff. 
  
Scripture: Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”  So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”  And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Mark 10:17-22