On my way home from work today I was listening to a local Christian radio station here in Chattanooga, J103, interview a very talented girl that appeared on the show American Idol a while back. Mandisa, appeared on the show during it's fifth season, making it to the final ten contestants. I'm not much of an American Idol fan, but I do remember Mandisa because she had an encounter with Simon Cowell over some comments he had made about her weight. These comments really hurt the singer, yet Mandisa, on national television, looked Simon in the eyes and expressed her forgiveness to him because of her faith in Jesus Christ. I wonder if I, or you, as a believer would ever do that, especially knowing that millions of others would be able to see it. I find we might not even be so bold to speak up for what Christ has done in our lives and extend our forgiveness to friends who have hurt our feelings, let alone someone whom we don't even know.
So it got me thinking about something. I've always been a natural pessimist, yet I've always wanted to be an optimist. However, when it comes to speaking with others or helping others, being an optimist has always come easy. But when I relate to myself or think about my circumstances, I'm just a pessimist. Plain and simple. So naturally, I look at most things in life with an attitude of "I can't" and come up with a million reasons of why it is not possible. But the Bible teaches us something very different. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me." It teaches us that "God can". So the key is not what we might naturally think or feel, but rather our focus on who can. When we wake up and focus on what we can't do, we get no help in accomplishing anything. But if we begin to shift our focus to God who can, then and only then, will we begin to experience something completely greater in our lives.
I've talked many times on this blog about the abundant life God promises believers in John 10:10. It's very true that God's desire for us is to experience something much greater than the hustle and bustle of this earthly life. But, without our focus being changed, it honestly might never happen. So tomorrow, we have a choice, when we get up out of bed and get ready for work, the question will propose itself once again and repeat itself for the rest of our lives ... I Can't or He Can?
What will you choose tomorrow?
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Monday, December 24, 2007
Let Freedom Reign
Today was going to be just another Monday. I woke up and jumped in the shower, as I do everyday, and prepared to go to work. But I just couldn't make myself drive the 30 miles down to Dalton to an empty office where I knew all I would think about all day was spending time with the family on Christmas Eve. Yes, I don't get paid if I don't work, but I just didn't care today.
So we decided to take a long walk along a creek that we go to every once in a while. On one end of the trail is a veterans memorial with memorials to each branch of the military. As we walked through it I found myself starring at this one particular sign as we walked on by. It said, "Let Freedom Reign". It's very fitting in honour of the men and women who have given their lives for our great country. Freedom is what we've bled for over many years to give this land and it's people the opportunities to live the lives that we all are living today. And that makes me thankful.
These words ring in my head as I look forward to Christmas tomorrow. It's mainly because I can't help but think about the gift that has been given to each of us from God centuries ago in the little town of Bethlehem. Yes, as usual, I've heard the Christmas story several times during our church services, but the story is just the beginning of the greater gift that God has given. The words, "Let Freedom Reign", just sings in my mind of what Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection are all about to those who say yes to him and accept him in faith. Freedom to face life, freedom from our worries, freedom from our burdens, and freedom in our hearts.
So maybe this Christmas, instead of focusing on a little baby, born in a little town, in a little stable, and placed in a little manager, why not focus on the end result...the free gift of freedom from our sins and a relationship with the God who loves us enough to give us the greatest gift we could ever receive, His Son Jesus. This Christmas, let's "Let Freedom Reign"!
So we decided to take a long walk along a creek that we go to every once in a while. On one end of the trail is a veterans memorial with memorials to each branch of the military. As we walked through it I found myself starring at this one particular sign as we walked on by. It said, "Let Freedom Reign". It's very fitting in honour of the men and women who have given their lives for our great country. Freedom is what we've bled for over many years to give this land and it's people the opportunities to live the lives that we all are living today. And that makes me thankful.
These words ring in my head as I look forward to Christmas tomorrow. It's mainly because I can't help but think about the gift that has been given to each of us from God centuries ago in the little town of Bethlehem. Yes, as usual, I've heard the Christmas story several times during our church services, but the story is just the beginning of the greater gift that God has given. The words, "Let Freedom Reign", just sings in my mind of what Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection are all about to those who say yes to him and accept him in faith. Freedom to face life, freedom from our worries, freedom from our burdens, and freedom in our hearts.
So maybe this Christmas, instead of focusing on a little baby, born in a little town, in a little stable, and placed in a little manager, why not focus on the end result...the free gift of freedom from our sins and a relationship with the God who loves us enough to give us the greatest gift we could ever receive, His Son Jesus. This Christmas, let's "Let Freedom Reign"!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
God Answers A Child's Needs
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recongnized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank you mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am wherever there is love.
Love, God
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recongnized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank you mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am wherever there is love.
Love, God
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Pilippians 4:6-7
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, my thoughts are drawn towards this particular verse in Philippians. It's a great reminder to stop and ponder on the many wonderful things that are in my life. Things like an amazing wife, a wonderful son, a good job, supporting parents and a God who totally meets our every need. There's just so much to be thankful for and it probably shouldn't take a holiday once a year for us to ponder over these things and talk about them over Thanksgiving dinner.
So today, we think about the positive in true thanksgiving to a God who supplies our every need. Oh, and thank goodness for pumpkin pie!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, my thoughts are drawn towards this particular verse in Philippians. It's a great reminder to stop and ponder on the many wonderful things that are in my life. Things like an amazing wife, a wonderful son, a good job, supporting parents and a God who totally meets our every need. There's just so much to be thankful for and it probably shouldn't take a holiday once a year for us to ponder over these things and talk about them over Thanksgiving dinner.
So today, we think about the positive in true thanksgiving to a God who supplies our every need. Oh, and thank goodness for pumpkin pie!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
TP4
Is this only the 4th one? Man, I have got to get in gear on these...
Verse 4: Joshua 1.
Have you ever faced a situation where you know what you need to do, it's clear as mud, yet you find yourself starring at the inevitable stalling to take the first step because you just don't know what the outcome will be? I think many of us face these things many times in our lives. They could be small things or they could be rather large things. From making decisions that will affect the entire family, to picking up the phone to call a friend who you know is in need. Either way, we all face what I have recently come to realize as "Jordan Moments".
The Israelites found themselves at a similar point right before they crossed over into the promised land in the book of Joshua. Faced with the promise of receiving a "land flowing with milk and honey", their leader Joshua, receives another promise from God to help along the way. Verses 1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you, 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go, and 1:18 Only be strong and courageous.
The Israelites had a choice. They didn't have to enter the promised land. They didn't have to cross the Jordan to get what God wanted to give them. They could have stayed East of the Jordan and lived out the rest of their years in fine fashion I would imagine. But they did. Through the encouragement given to Joshua, God's people made the choice to receive a place to call home which awaited them for many years.
How often in our own lives do we face our own "Jordan moments"? And what has been your response? Did you cross? Did you stay put? What was the outcome? Most of us have no idea what is across our own Jordans. We think about these moments every day wondering what life would be like if I had only done this, or only done that. Yet we continually find ourselves faced with a new Jordan where we must make a decision to cross or simply stay put. If your faced with a difficult decision you must make today, remember, you don't cross it alone. God speaks to you saying, I'm here with you, and by your side I will stay. Now can you cross?
Verse 4: Joshua 1.
Have you ever faced a situation where you know what you need to do, it's clear as mud, yet you find yourself starring at the inevitable stalling to take the first step because you just don't know what the outcome will be? I think many of us face these things many times in our lives. They could be small things or they could be rather large things. From making decisions that will affect the entire family, to picking up the phone to call a friend who you know is in need. Either way, we all face what I have recently come to realize as "Jordan Moments".
The Israelites found themselves at a similar point right before they crossed over into the promised land in the book of Joshua. Faced with the promise of receiving a "land flowing with milk and honey", their leader Joshua, receives another promise from God to help along the way. Verses 1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you, 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go, and 1:18 Only be strong and courageous.
The Israelites had a choice. They didn't have to enter the promised land. They didn't have to cross the Jordan to get what God wanted to give them. They could have stayed East of the Jordan and lived out the rest of their years in fine fashion I would imagine. But they did. Through the encouragement given to Joshua, God's people made the choice to receive a place to call home which awaited them for many years.
How often in our own lives do we face our own "Jordan moments"? And what has been your response? Did you cross? Did you stay put? What was the outcome? Most of us have no idea what is across our own Jordans. We think about these moments every day wondering what life would be like if I had only done this, or only done that. Yet we continually find ourselves faced with a new Jordan where we must make a decision to cross or simply stay put. If your faced with a difficult decision you must make today, remember, you don't cross it alone. God speaks to you saying, I'm here with you, and by your side I will stay. Now can you cross?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
TP3
Ok, it's taken me a while to go through the 7 verses that I promised a couple of weeks back, but I've been taking some time to think through them before I sit down and write about them. This verse has probably one of the greatest impacts on my daily life that I have yet to attain perfect understanding, yet it sits at the forefront of my conscienceness in hopes that I will pass it's test.
Verse 3: Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? Isaiah 2:22.
I had a conversation today with another individual who said, "I see no point in religion." I've heard this many times in my short life and it doesn't fail how my heart sinks each time I hear it. It doesn't get old and I haven't grown callous to hearing it like I have with some other things. It's also not something that a short conversation will cure. While in many ways, I see and agree that there is no point in religion, it's really not religion that most people are talking about I think. It's HOPE. I envision people really saying, "I see no point in having any hope in this world." This is where my heart really starts to hurt because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt a person who says this is reacting to a religious person who has hurt them.
When we get hurt, we stop living with any hope. It never fails to happen this way. If you are a believer, these experiences can become a challenge to living a greater life for Christ. It affects your personal fulfillment, your outlook on the church, your desire to help others and your priorities in general. But why does this happen? Please understand this point: WHEN WE PUT OUR TRUST IN MAN, WE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. Yes, everyone you know will disappoint you. Your neighbor, co-worker, parents, friends, best-friends, and even your pastor. Yep, even your pastor. So what I'm saying now, please write it down in your memory banks, because everyone you know will eventually disappoint you. And you will eventually disappoint someone else. There's no stopping it, no running away from it, no evading it. It will happen! I could go on and on about this, but I think my point is very clear.
So what must we do? First, we must understand that God knows people will hurt us. This is why He gives us the priority to trust in Him. It's when we trust in Him alone that we are able to deal with the hurt and disappointment we will face in this world. It's not if, but when. Isaiah even says that man is but a finite creation having no ability to be trusted in the first place. Secondly, COMPASSION and GRACE go much further in our own lives when we use it to extend to others who have hurt us. These are tools available through the promises God has given each of us who believe in Him. And finally, when we continue to seek God first, we experience a supernatural freedom that only comes from Him who stills our burdened hearts. If we can just let go and let Him free us from these burdens, we can truly experience a greater life, an abundant life that John 10:10 talks about.
But we must trust in God first, and be ready and mindful of the simple reality that we will be hurt by our fellow man. Right or wrong, we have to choose to respond out of faithfulness to Him, rather than vain or selfish defensiveness that only turns us away from living a greater life of faith.
I've been hurt several times by people whom I thought would know better about how to treat people. I've also been disillusioned by just watching how people treat each other even within the church without being directly involved. Do I expect more? Sure, I expect more compassion and grace from those who have accepted it as part of their faith. But I have to be honest, none of us ever live by these things all of the time. The end result is, it directly affects others and ourselves, whether we are an innocent bystander, the hurter or hurtee. So I must be ready to extend forgiveness to those whom I would want forgiveness from. I will never be perfect, just as those whom I come into contact with will never be perfect. So I must take my trust out of their abilities and transfer to once and for all to Him who is worthy of my complete trust. For in Christ, I've placed my hope and my salvation.
Oh God, please forgive us for our selfishness. Please forgive us for our lack of faith in you. Please forgive us for our own deceitful ambition to be right in our own hearts and minds rather than right in your eyes. And please help us to trust in you alone so we may be free from the possibility of losing hope in this world, and turning our back on making a difference in the lives of those who need that hope. Amen.
Verse 3: Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? Isaiah 2:22.
I had a conversation today with another individual who said, "I see no point in religion." I've heard this many times in my short life and it doesn't fail how my heart sinks each time I hear it. It doesn't get old and I haven't grown callous to hearing it like I have with some other things. It's also not something that a short conversation will cure. While in many ways, I see and agree that there is no point in religion, it's really not religion that most people are talking about I think. It's HOPE. I envision people really saying, "I see no point in having any hope in this world." This is where my heart really starts to hurt because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt a person who says this is reacting to a religious person who has hurt them.
When we get hurt, we stop living with any hope. It never fails to happen this way. If you are a believer, these experiences can become a challenge to living a greater life for Christ. It affects your personal fulfillment, your outlook on the church, your desire to help others and your priorities in general. But why does this happen? Please understand this point: WHEN WE PUT OUR TRUST IN MAN, WE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. Yes, everyone you know will disappoint you. Your neighbor, co-worker, parents, friends, best-friends, and even your pastor. Yep, even your pastor. So what I'm saying now, please write it down in your memory banks, because everyone you know will eventually disappoint you. And you will eventually disappoint someone else. There's no stopping it, no running away from it, no evading it. It will happen! I could go on and on about this, but I think my point is very clear.
So what must we do? First, we must understand that God knows people will hurt us. This is why He gives us the priority to trust in Him. It's when we trust in Him alone that we are able to deal with the hurt and disappointment we will face in this world. It's not if, but when. Isaiah even says that man is but a finite creation having no ability to be trusted in the first place. Secondly, COMPASSION and GRACE go much further in our own lives when we use it to extend to others who have hurt us. These are tools available through the promises God has given each of us who believe in Him. And finally, when we continue to seek God first, we experience a supernatural freedom that only comes from Him who stills our burdened hearts. If we can just let go and let Him free us from these burdens, we can truly experience a greater life, an abundant life that John 10:10 talks about.
But we must trust in God first, and be ready and mindful of the simple reality that we will be hurt by our fellow man. Right or wrong, we have to choose to respond out of faithfulness to Him, rather than vain or selfish defensiveness that only turns us away from living a greater life of faith.
I've been hurt several times by people whom I thought would know better about how to treat people. I've also been disillusioned by just watching how people treat each other even within the church without being directly involved. Do I expect more? Sure, I expect more compassion and grace from those who have accepted it as part of their faith. But I have to be honest, none of us ever live by these things all of the time. The end result is, it directly affects others and ourselves, whether we are an innocent bystander, the hurter or hurtee. So I must be ready to extend forgiveness to those whom I would want forgiveness from. I will never be perfect, just as those whom I come into contact with will never be perfect. So I must take my trust out of their abilities and transfer to once and for all to Him who is worthy of my complete trust. For in Christ, I've placed my hope and my salvation.
Oh God, please forgive us for our selfishness. Please forgive us for our lack of faith in you. Please forgive us for our own deceitful ambition to be right in our own hearts and minds rather than right in your eyes. And please help us to trust in you alone so we may be free from the possibility of losing hope in this world, and turning our back on making a difference in the lives of those who need that hope. Amen.
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