River of Hope Ministries Blog

You Smell!

2012-02-09T10:06:00.001-06:00

http://www.thepocket.com/wavs/yousmell.wav

There I told you; somebody had to…you smell! We all smell; and the smells that linger on us are sometimes good and are sometimes bad. Some smells are stronger than others such as alcohol or garlic or mint or cologne or smoke or sweat or fish. Again, some are good and some are, well, not so good.

Smells tell us a lot about where a person has been. It’s kind of hard for a youth to sneak in a house after a late night of drinking and smoking and think that parents won’t be able to tell where they’ve been and what they have been doing. (You stink; the breath mints aren’t working!)

For me, one of the great bonuses about spending time in a coffee shop is that when I leave; I can still smell the coffee in my clothing and my hair. I also love the smell on my clothes the next morning after I spent an evening sitting at a camp fire.

The only bad part about playing hockey is sitting on the bench next to players who refuse to wash their equipment after a game; they smell! There I told them; somebody had to…some hockey players really smell! It’s probably the reason that I wash and then hang up to dry ALL of my equipment after EVERY game!

Many years ago my wife Cathy would smell my clothes in an attempt to try and guess what kind of wood I had been working with after a day of making cabinetry or furniture or doing finish carpentry. Other times I would come home with the odor from working with fiberglass or latex and it would be requested of me to change my clothes ‘immediately’.

Some smells can trigger happy memories from our past like Christmas cookies or a turkey at Thanksgiving or sparklers on July fourth. I still can remember each of my children when they were born and how they smelled; something that always brings back happy memories of great joy!

As strange as it may sound, several times throughout my relationship with Cathy I have ‘smelt’ her skin and her hair and it reminded me why I fell in love with her. Whenever I smell dirt and worms and fish and pipe tobacco on a warm day I flash back to summers that I spent at the lake with my maternal grandparents.

We also can ‘smell’ like those we hang with. Often times I can still smell perfume or cigarette smoke transferred to my clothing several minutes after receiving a hug from a friend or relative. Cathy could also tell who I had been working with based on how I acted or what kind of mood I was in; I ‘smelled’ like the person I had spent time with.

In the Bible we read an account of the leaders of the early church when they were brought to court for preaching and praying for people. I love this passage because it communicates that when we spend time with Jesus, others will be able to tell that we had been with Him:

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NKJV)

We can even get through this life without smelling like the world, if we let God help us. Remember the story of Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace:

“And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.” (Daniel 3:27)

Question: Who do you smell like? As Christians we are supposed to ‘smell’ like the One whom we are following:

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

Or as Eugene Peterson translates verse 15;

“Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life” (From The Message Version)

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Ephesians 1:1-2)

Stuck in A Holding Pattern

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

Stuck in an airplane at night, somewhere between 30-50 thousand feet above the ground which I so much longed to once again to walk on. I was on an airplane flying home after being gone for a long trip. And instead of hearing the captain telling us; “Folks we are now beginning our descent”, I heard him say; “This is your captain and I want you to know that we are continuing to be in a holding pattern due to some severe thunderstorms surrounding the airport”.

He continued to let us know that we would be in a holding pattern for another twenty minutes or so and, once again reminded us passengers to keep our seat belts fastened as he warned us of some impending turbulence. This was (at least) the second time he had said this to us; ultimately we would be in this holding pattern for close to an hour.

In time, the weather cleared and the captain came on the radio to let us know that we were indeed finally about to start our descent. Finally, after a long trip, we were back on the ground.

When my wife Cathy picked me up at the airport she described how terrible the storm had been down on the ground. The severe thunderstorms had lashed out on the city with an “apocalyptic” fury that included extremely high winds, lightning, hail, and flooding. It sounded as though it was actually calmer 30-50 thousand feet above the ground than it was below where mere mortals walk. By staying up in the air in the (multiple) holding patterns, we had been protected from some horrific storms!

When we are stuck in holding patterns it can be hard to see that we are really in the best possible place considering the circumstance. This is true for airplanes as well as life circumstances that cause us to cry out; “Really? When am I going to finally get to where I am supposed to be?” What I am referring to are those times when we have to wait for the next step and we are tired of waiting for the child we long to have, or to get married, or for the house, or the job, or simply what is the will and purpose of God for our lives.

It is during those times that we must turn to One who is greater than ourselves in order to believe that we are really in the best possible place considering the circumstance. We don’t know what storms God is protecting us from as we remain in our holding pattern!

We must look to Him to help us and let Him once again remind us: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand.” -Psalm 139:17-18

And that He really does have a plan for us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11

And wants to show us the next step: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.” - Psalm 37:23-24

He wants us to: “Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-4 NKJV)

And so, we take our seats, and fasten our seat belts, and rest as we once again remain in our holding pattern knowing that we are really in the best possible place; in the center of His will.

“I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:1-3)

Lost in the Belly of a Whale

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

When we feel stuck, trapped, or paused with seemingly nowhere to go, it’s not a great place to be. Rarely would any of us want to be in a place (job, relationship, etc) that seems to be going nowhere. And when we get into those times in our life we want to get out of them QUICKLY! I certainly do! I don’t even like it when my feet get stuck under the covers when the sheets are too tight!

In fact, very few of us would put on our “bucket list” that we want to get stuck in the situations we find ourselves in such as stuck in an elevator between floors; or in a bad marriage or job feeling trapped; paused with seemingly nowhere to go…

Most of us when we are stuck, trapped, paused with seemingly nowhere to go look for the “reset” button so that we can get things moving again. It definitely was not part of the path we thought that we would take as part of our five-year plan.

We easily identify with King David when he wrote;

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2)

Simply put; WE DON’T LIKE IT AND WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH, AND WE WANT TO MOVE ON! THIS IS NOT THE UTOPIA THAT WE IMAGINED!

David continued in Psalm 13;

“Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.” (Psalm 13:3-4)

And yet, when we grip reality (not utopia) we will come to discover that life is full of pauses; times where we have opportunities to feel stuck and trapped with nowhere to go.

I say opportunities because they need not always be places that we need to struggle to get out of. When we learn to embrace them, they can be places of great provision and rest and comfort as we wait for the movement that we so long for.

Although it may be very difficult to see the place where you find yourself today as providential, it can be a great place to be when you keep your eyes upon God and trust in His mercy knowing that He WILL provide.

David continues in Psalm 13;

“But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:5-6)

Even in the story of Jonah we can see the great provision of God. The Bible records;

“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – (Jonah 1:17)

Did you catch that? It says that “the Lord prepared”. The Hebrew word there means; “A primitive root; properly to weigh out; by implication to allot or constitute officially; also to enumerate or enroll: - appoint, count, number, prepare, set, tell.”

My friend, although your circumstances may be very different than anything that I have ever experienced, I want you to know one thing that we hold in common: We both have a God who is passionately in love with us. He wants us to know that He DOES care what you are going through and where you are currently at.

And more than just changing your external situation (and He wants to and will), He wants to change the internal part of you that is really looking for contentment and peace as you struggle to make sense of your current situation.

He is waiting for you to respond to His mercy and grace that has already been extended to you through Jesus Christ. And you can; today. And it can make all the difference in the world as you spend this season of your life seemingly lost in the belly of a whale.

Need further help? Someone is waiting to talk with you. Call either:

1-888-NEED HIM or 1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426).

perspective

2012-01-19T06:00:00.015-06:00

-n A way of regarding situations, facts, etc, and judging their relative importance

It’s January at the time of this writing and this past week, the temperatures (finally) dropped as winter (finally) began to set in. I remember thinking to myself; “Today it is too cold but in two days it will be just right”; even though the temperatures would be the same. It’s all a matter of perspective.

You see, today I needed to be outside; going back and forth from the garage to the house and back again as I worked on a project in the house. On Saturday morning, the temperature would be very nice because I would be skating outside (Yeah, I get to play hockey inside on Friday nights and play outside on Saturdays because the outside rinks are FINALLY open!).

In Minnesota this year, with no snow on the ground, we had golf courses open as we hosted temperatures in the mid-fifties in January and because there has been no sand on the streets, it has been perfect weather for motorcyclists! Cathy and I saw fishermen in boats on the Mississippi River. Yesterday I saw a photo in the paper of someone sailboarding on open waters.

We simply could NOT get the temperatures cold enough outside to keep ice rinks frozen and so almost all hockey has been played indoors.

Last year in Minnesota we had one of the snowiest winters on record; we had no where to place the snow as most of our driveways and intersections already had piles of snow well over eight feet tall! We had frozen rinks but there was too much snow on them to be able to skate on the rinks!

Which of these two winters you like best is all a matter of perspective.

How we choose to view life can make or break how fully we really live our lives. The seasons of life can change drastically at times and be seen as “ugly”, or the changes can be seen as “beautiful”; all depending on your perspective.

I started thinking about this when I had to replace the lockset on our garage door late one night. I had to run to the store and on the way I realized that I had a choice to make as to how I would respond. I could either be grateful that I had the expertise to install a new lock and the skills and the knowledge to do so, or I could respond frustrated with this interruption in my day. It’s all a matter of perspective.

I have thick hair and so I “have to” get it cut every month. Actually, if the hockey-mullets would come back in style then I could grow it long again. Wait, were they ever in style?

Why am I writing this? Because at the grocery store I saw a woman who has hair that is very thin; she’s actually bald on top and does a comb-over. My guess is she would love to “have-to-get-it-cut-because-it-is –too-long”. It’s all a matter of perspective.

My muscles were sore due to playing two hockey games in a row; but still not the same as the daily aches and pains associated with being in a wheelchair. It’s all a matter of perspective.

We need to look up to the Lord and let Him give us a new perspective on our situation: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV)

How we choose to go through this year and this life will be partially up to us. We may not get to choose what comes our way, but we DO get to choose how we respond to it. It’s all a matter of perspective. We gotta let the light shine!

Arms Wide Open

2012-01-12T06:00:00.003-06:00

I came to the door of my daughter’s house carrying a large pot of soup and several bags of items necessary for the family gathering that would soon take place. I was greeted by my son-in-law who reached out to take some of the items from my hands so that I could return back to the car and take another load.

Cathy and I had just come from a Sunday morning church service, still dressed in our ‘church clothes’. We had wanted to get the two pots of soup to the gathering as soon as possible after we left church and made a decision to wait to change out of our dress clothes until after we got the soup on the stove.

Standing at the glass door was another person, my granddaughter Fallon, thirteen months old….waiting to see her “Pa”. I heard her call my name as I approached the glass door and looked to see her face pressed against the cold glass door that was covered with condensation from the cold winter day.

I thought that I could ignore her in order to return to the car to get another load to bring into the house; which included the clothing that I wanted to change into. I heard her little voice call out again; “Pa” and looked to see her looking up at me with arms wide open, heart exposed, and longing for her “Pa” to pick her up and hold her.

It really didn’t matter to her that the soup ‘needed’ to get on the stove in order to heat it up for the rest of the family who were also eagerly awaiting Cathy and I. It didn’t matter to her that I ‘needed’ to change out of my dress clothes or at least take off my tie. It didn’t matter to her that the floor was covered with bags filled with items for the gathering, some of which needed to get put into the refrigerator. It didn’t matter to her that the floor had piles of snow carried in on the bottom of our shoes as we walked across the yard.

She, at that moment, didn’t want anything or anyone other than “Pa”; and so she called out again; “Pa” looking up at me with arms wide open, heart exposed, and longing for her “Pa” to pick her up and hold her.

At that moment I also thought of my adult children, recalling the days when they were young and wanted me to ‘hold me’ as they looked up at me with arms wide open, heart exposed, and longing for their dad to pick them up and hold them.

And my heart broke as it always does when I see this precious little one longing to be with me and so I let everything else go and bent down and picked this little one up into my arms and received her love. And I held her tightly to my chest soaking in each heartbeat of this precious unmerited encounter.

I think that is why a loving God would allow children to be born in the toxicity of this broken world. Simply put, they remind us of His love for us and how He really wants us to come to Him. He wants us to come to Him with arms wide open, heart exposed, and longing for our “Pa” to pick us up and hold us.

He isn’t as preoccupied with the religious things as we might think. He wants us to come to Him and spend time with Him as though nothing else matters.

One of the most vivid displays of this is recorded in Matthew 23:37when Jesus Laments over Jerusalem and says; “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (NKJV)

But God didn’t stop there; He demonstrated His own love toward us, “in that while we were still sinners; Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He hung on a cross while we were yet sinners arms wide open, heart exposed, and longing for us to come to Him like my granddaughter does each and every time I see her.

Won’t you come to Him now? He’s waiting for your response to His open arms.

It’s a Wonderful Life

2012-01-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

One of the reasons that the movie; “It’s a Wonderful Life” is such a favorite for some many people is because we can relate to the story. We too, like George Bailey, want to know; really know that our life makes a difference to those around us. We want to believe that it we hadn’t lived, the world as we know it would be different.

We long, passionately, to deeply know and believe the words of Clarence in the movie; “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”

And yet, for many of us, we simply cannot accept the truth of the message of the film; EACH OF US MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD! And so, we too, like George Bailey, struggle to find any meaning and purpose in our lives and cry out:

“God... God... Dear Father in Heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.”

And so, we want to give up; to pull the plug, to cash in our chips; to stop living because we don’t see our lives connected with a master plan. That is the problem and the solution to living a wonderful life.

And we will miss it if we buy into the false belief system that everything revolves around ‘me’ (egocentric narcissists) or the false belief that each individual life doesn’t make any difference.

What George Bailey saw, but didn’t really get, is that our lives become wonderful not because of us and what we do, but because of the One who made us and has a purpose for our lives.

YES George, God is there and He DOES hear us when we call out to Him, and He DOES show us the way when we ask.

This really struck home with me recently when I was holding my granddaughter Fallon rocking her to sleep (she is thirteen months old at the time of this writing). Just a note; Fallon was staying at our house and was in an “I-only-want-grandpa” time of life. I was holding her trying to get her to sleep as she hung tightly to me; clinging firmly to one of my fingers with her whole hand.

In my mind I flashed back to a time when life wasn’t making sense to me and I saw no hope for my circumstance ever changing. I was in such a depressed state of mind that I couldn’t drive over bridges without pondering the thought of pulling over and jumping off to end it all.

If I had not pressed through those thoughts in the past, not only would I not have had the chance to hold this precious one whom I love so very deeply, but I would not have been there to be a source of comfort for her. From there my mind was filled with gratefulness (and my eyes with tears) as I pondered all of the joys and experiences that I had from spending time with my own children and wife and my grandson Emmett (who is only four months old at this writing) whom I also love so very deeply.

So many cards and emails and letters have come to me describing how the intersection of my life with theirs has had a positive impact. So many experiences I would have missed; so many things simply would not have gotten done if I had chosen not to go on during that time of deep discouragement. You see, I really did have a wonderful life.

Do you see yourself as part of the plan of God for this world? Do you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made; a wonderful work of God created for good works? You too can live a wonderful life (not perfect) but still awesome, wondrous, miraculous, prodigious, astonishing, amazing, astounding, phenomenal, unique, curious, and even strange.

All it takes is surrendering your life to Jesus Christ to be both your Savior (receiving Him as the only One who can provide forgiveness for your sins) and your Lord (bowing before Him as the only One who has the right to direct your steps and plan for your life).

You can do that right now where you are.

The Bible tells us “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13 NKJV)

Need further help: www.RiverHopeMinistries.com

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:14 NKJV)

Happy New Years 2012!

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

Wouldn’t that be cool to wake up on New Year’s Day and find out that passage was true? No more sufferings, wars, injustice, or brokenness! One day that Day will come! All will be made brand new; way cool!

But alas, that Day is for another time; and so for the time being, we work with what we can; namely our own selves. And so, New Year’s is a starting point of new beginnings for many people. But for so many, these new beginnings end as quickly as they start.

Why? Because we have a hard time really changing ourselves outside the power that comes through Jesus Christ. On our own we try our best to set goals for the next year; some lofty and some attainable, and still we fail to arrive at our destination

The hope is that the Bible tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Does that mean EVERY area of our lives will be instantly changed in a way that we see it? Unfortunately; no it doesn’t.

But what it does mean is that our spirit man is changed when we surrender our lives to Christ. And He starts the work; our part is to cooperate with what He is doing “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

In the meantime, one thing that we can all work on is learning to love ourselves and accept who God has made. After all, “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

Some of what we need to work on is simply loving and accepting who we are, as we are. Some parts of who we are make us unique and wonderful and powerful; in spite of how they are different from others.

Let me be clear; I’m not talking about things that are wrong; after all we share this planet together. There are some areas where we NEED to take a deep look at ourselves and STOP doing and SAYING harmful things; PERIOD.

What I am writing about are the things that we don’t like about ourselves. Things that are too big or too small or too short or too tall. So, we tuck, and we cut, and we snip, and we peel, and do ANYTHING so that we don’t have to be who we really are.

Someone once said; “If you're not being treated with the love and respect that you deserve, check your "PRICE TAG". Perhaps you have marked yourself down. It's "YOU" who tells people what you're worth by what you accept. Get off the "CLEARANCE RACK" and get behind the glass case where they keep the "VALUABLES". Bottom line; "VALUE" yourself more.”

So here is my New Year’s Resolution suggestion for you: Work with God and let Him take you through the process; you will find that the results will be eternal. And, embrace who you are! You will never be as good a version of someone else as you are of yourself!

Need some help? Call Toll-Free: 1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426)

WE MUST NEVER FORGET WHY HE CAME AT CHRISTMAS

2011-12-22T06:00:00.002-06:00

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. (Luke 2:11)

Simply put, God so loved the world that He sent His only Son Jesus to be our savior. This implies to me that God, although He loved mankind, didn’t like what man was doing. The Bible calls that sin; which is our faults, offences, and trespasses which includes anything that we do, think, or say that separates man from God. In other words, all of mankind is a sinner in need of a savior; a deliverer, that is, God or Christ.

But, as the angel said to those shepherds on that first Christmas morning; “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11). God in His great love for us (not what we do) sent His Son to be a Savior for us!

And, He did this BEFORE we even knew about it! God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:6-9)

That is why the multitude of the heavenly hosts SUDDENLY was praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:13-14). They saw that God Himself sent One who would save sinful mankind by His death, burial, and resurrection. He would be the Savior of the world; FOR ALL OF US!

This Christmas we celebrate that Jesus came, not so that we would spend more money than we have on others, but to let us know that God really does love us; inspite of how we live. And He came to help us change; each one of us, if we will let Him. He simply wants us to come to Him and agree with what He calls sin and agree to go a different direction with His help.

        “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
        If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
        If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
        If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
        But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.”
                                                                                                         -- Roy Lessin

And when you do that, Christmas takes on a whole new meaning.

Actually, it takes on its original meaning.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Authorized Personnel Only

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen a sign on the door stating that you weren’t supposed to go in unless you had authorization? How did you feel; excluded?

Have you ever gone into a place that you weren’t supposed to go? How did you feel knowing that at any moment you could be caught and told to leave; afraid?

Have you ever gone into a place where you were told that you could come in even though there was a sign on the door stating that you weren’t supposed to go in unless you had authorization? How did you feel; hesitant and anxious?

I have been in many places that required me to have some sort of authorization to be there, which usually include either someone to escort me or a badge or both. Usually at these places there were also checkpoints, and security guards, and cameras. And, I have always been amazed at the power of a plastic badge clipped on a shirt.

At some events at which I had a leadership role or special authorization, how quickly security people will move out of the way to let me pass. One of my security badges contained neither my photo or my name; just a the name of the event and a one inch sticker that had amazing “power” to get me into any room that I wanted to go to in the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I even went into some rooms just because I could and because some person or persons had deemed it necessary for me to have this authorization. And so I went in; boldly, and I did what I needed to do and it got done.

One place that I was at I was told that only a small group of people ever earn the right to be at the place where I was standing. I am so glad that this is NOT the case when we approach God!

Do you realize that as a Christian, you have a “security badge” in which you have authorization to come into the very throne room of God? You and I as Christians are able to go past all of the “security guards” and talk to God face to face; whenever we want to! In the Bible, the writer of the book of Hebrews in Chapter 4:14-16 tells us that we not only SHOULD go in, but exhorts us to come in BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

I love the way that Eugene Peterson puts it: “Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 The Message)

Do you have a need today? Then run in quickly, boldly and you will find mercy and help!

Have you tried to clean up your life with no success? Are you tired of trying to do it your way?
Call 1-888-NEED –HIM; someone is waiting to talk with you.

Fallen Fell

2011-12-08T06:00:00.019-06:00

On Saturday, December 3, 2011, my one-year old granddaughter Fallon fell down a flight of stairs; and I saw her do it. I want to tell you that she is OK and survived (physically) with only a very small bump on her head.

Several of us were helping Fallon’s parents finish off the lower level of their house, and Fallon wanted to come down the stairs to see us. I heard her coming down the steps but my brain didn’t register what she was doing until she had already begun to fall.

Even now, as I close my eyes, I can still see her falling. And I can still her crying and screaming as she bounced off each step; every “thud” from her body and head hitting echoes in my head. My soul was in anguish and looked to see God in this; and so I seek Him to see how He was there in our moment of need.

The apostle Paul wrote in the Bible in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 that we are to:^“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In EVERYTHING? Even when Fallon fell?

King David had the perspective that even when things go bad we need to give thanks because they would have been a lot worse had the Lord not been there.

David wrote about this in Psalm 124:

“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,” Let Israel now say— ² “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, When men rose up against us,³ Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us; ⁴ Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul;⁵ Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.” ⁶ Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. ⁷ Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers The snare is broken, and we have escaped.⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth."

Christian author Phillip Keller writes; “It has been well said that the true measure of any man’s spirituality is the degree to which he can detect God in the most simple events around him.” As the scriptures say; “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:27-28b.

When we look to the Lord to get His perspective, often times He will give us the bigger picture. We may never know just how many times God has protected us from harm without us even knowing about it. Just the night before while playing hockey, another player slashed me across the face with his stick. The force was hard enough that it should have broken my nose (again) but it didn’t because I had just installed a face shield on my hockey helmet. God had been on my side to provide the shield and to give me the sense to put it on and start wearing it.

How was He there when Fallon fell? A friend of mine, Ben, was cognitive enough to reach out and grab Fallon before she went all the way down the steps to the concrete floor below. And, even though there were a variety of tools on the steps, Fallon missed hitting any of them. And Fallon, after throwing up because of the trauma, was able to calm down and rest and return to her happy self. And so were the rest of us; especially my daughter, Fallon’s mom (who is now pregnant with her second child). For that I am so very grateful because God had been on our side.

How about you; do you struggle to see God in the midst of the everyday events or in the trauma that invades your life? If you are one of His children, it does make a big difference as to how you get through the “falls” in your lives. Don't hold back from Him; He wants you to come just as you are.

Call 1-888-NEED-HIM someone is waiting to talk with you. Or http://www.needhim.org

Seeing Value in EVERYONE

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Around our house we have many pieces of art; paintings, photos, quilts, sculptures, wood carvings, photographs, jewelry, and so forth. Although most of the pieces wouldn’t fetch any large sum of money at an auction, they are all very precious to me because they were gifts given by the person who made them.

My father-in-law Gene was a good wood carver and came from a long line of many generations of wood workers; in fact it is one of the things that I really liked about him when we first met because he reminded me of my maternal grandfather who was also a great wood carver. I loved both men very deeply; both men are no longer alive and their absence from my life has left a great void.

Both men could see life in a piece of wood and bring it out as they skillfully carved away all of the unnecessary wood to release the sculpture that was inside. Both men worked with many different mediums and both loved creating objects using wildlife; ducks, birds, etc as their subject matter. Although just hobbies for both men, they could have “quit their day jobs” and worked their careers as carvers.

One of my favorite pieces that I have that was made by Gene is a little duck that is carved from a piece of wood that was rejected and is full of burls and holes. On first appearance, one can see the shape of the duck but may miss the beauty of the carving because of all that is wrong with it. I got the piece after it was passed over by other family members picking out a better piece from Gene’s collection.

I love the duck because it reminds me of how Gene was able to see the value in everyone; no matter of what they looked like on the outside or even how they acted.

Much like his carvings, he could remove all of the parts that didn’t really define who a person was to see what was really inside of them; someone who was made in the image and likeness of God. And, when people spent time with him for awhile, he helped them to see the value as well.

Oh, if we could only begin to see and treat people as my father-in-law Gene treated them; what a difference we all would make in this lost and broken world.

Recently, I read multiple stories about the high suicide rate in South Korea; a problem that doesn’t seem to be going away. The articles all talked about how more than 40 people kill themselves each day in South Korea, which is more than twice the number who did so a decade earlier and five times as many as in 1989. People killing themselves regardless of their how well known they were or were not, and how much money they did or didn’t have and who couldn’t see value in their lives. And my heart was broken.

I realize that we don’t have the ability to stop everyone around the world from taking their lives, but what if we chose to make a difference where we live? What if we chose to start seeing value in everyone; beyond the external manifestation of their brokenness?

“Impossible”, you say? Not with the love of Christ it isn’t. Oversimplified, I think we justify blowing people off and excuse our indifference and forget that God wants to work through us. We can’t do it on our own.

In fact, if you would have asked Gene when he was alive why and how he was able to see the value in each and every person, I know that he would tell you that it was because the love of Christ compelled him to do so. He did what he did because he knew that God saw value in him.

God already set for us an example when He chose to see value in us. The Bible says; “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8 NKJV)

Oh, if we could only begin to see and treat people as my Father-in-Heaven treats them; what a difference we all would make in this lost and broken world.

^"Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” (Ephesians 2:7-10 The Message)

Want some help responding? Go to: http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/

A Beautiful Bowl of Soup

2011-11-24T06:00:00.002-06:00

As I write this my stomach is full, I’ve just returned from eating lunch with a friend from church that included good conversation and great Thai food; including a sweet and sour soup.

I love to cook and I love to eat, to taste, to linger and savor and eat each and every morsel of food that my eyes see. So this season that we are entering into of holidays that include much feasting suits me just fine. Somehow all of the extra exercise that will be required to keep my youthful appearance is worth it to eat extra food.

One of the cookbooks that sits on a shelf in our kitchen is called; “A Beautiful Bowl of Soup”. It is filled with hundreds of recipes of some of the most delicious soups and stews; each and every one brimming with international flavors and unique accompaniments, garnishes, and toppings that add tremendous visual appeal and lead to a beautiful bowl of soup.

This is also the time of year when volunteers come out to serve the less fortunate. Each Thanksgiving Day, local food shelves and some restaurants serve a meal to those less fortunate that meets their need for one day; a single day.

And yet, in Minnesota thousands of people go hungry on daily basis, not just at Thanksgiving. Each and EVERY day they wander as they wonder where their next meal will come from.

EACH and EVERY day they seek out somewhere or someone who will give them a simple bowl of soup to warm their stomachs as well as their soul.

EACH and EVERY day they seek out somewhere or someone who will love them and let them know that they have worth; that their situation need not define who they are and can be.

So today, with my belly full and filled, I am filled with gratefulness that I (for some reason) have not had to search for food today. I am grateful that I (for some reason) was fortunate enough to have a friend who would sit with me and eat and laugh and talk and enjoy a beautiful bowl of soup. And so I offer up thanksgiving to God for His goodness to me.

Psalm 150

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
² Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!
⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Observations from a Potter

2011-11-17T06:00:00.001-06:00

I spent some time recently watching some videos of potters on YouTube making pottery using a potter’s wheel. I had been thinking about a passage in the Bible that says; “…as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!” (Jeremiah 18:6b NJKV). Jeremiah had been requested by the Lord to “Arise and go down to the potter’s house”

I have observed many different potters over the years, both live and on YouTube. One shop that I stopped in the potter was cleaning up for the night. I watched him as he spent 5 minutes scraping the clay off the bottoms of his shoes; something that I hadn’t really thought about as being part of the process of making pottery. Lesson learned: The refuse from the pot is left upon the potter; something that he or she must remove so that they don’t leave it on someone else’s “carpet”.

As an artist, I have worked with many different types of mediums including clay. I have used all types of clay; from “plastilene” to earthen clay. Plastilene Clay is an oil-based product and does not get baked or get hard. I have used it to create temporary sculptures from which I would make a mold; and then cast some other product into the mold, thus giving me a permanent sculpture of some sort. Earthen clay, on the other hand, needs to be fired in a kiln.

One of the styles of clay that I haven’t done is working on a potter’s wheel. The idea of watching and observing and learning from a potter intrigues me because I personally have only made pottery without using a wheel. So I sat and watched several YouTube videos on potters to see what I could learn. And here is what I saw:

The potter leaves marks on the pottery from his/her hand
Water was constantly added or subtracted with hands or a sponge
One potter said; “You can only pull it up so many times depending on the clay”
It was the “flaws” that made the pot unique and beautiful
They weren’t really flaws but planned markings by the potter
So much energy was spent keeping the wheel moving at just the right speed
The clay needed to be placed exactly in the center of the wheel or else the pot would be off center/oblong/out of shape
When the pottery was finished, it was left setting on the wheel at the end and no one picked it up right away
I saw the gentleness of hands picking it up off the wheel
Wire was used to remove it, cut it away from the wheel
Once the pot wass trimmed it was set on the shelf to dry for several days.
After the pot is completely dry it is ready to be bisque fired in a kiln to remove the water so that the piece can be glazed without returning to the original clay and cause the pottery to break.
After the piece is fired and cooled down, the pottery is inspected and sandpapered. This is to remove imperfections as well as to provide a smooth surface for the glaze to adhere to.
Then paraffin wax is applied on areas of the pottery where the potter doesn’t want the glaze to adhere.
Then the glaze, which is uniquely mixed and chosen by the potter him/herself, is applied on the pottery.
Then the pottery is set aside until the glaze dries.
Once the pottery is glazed, it is returned to the kiln for a second firing, in which the pottery is no longer porous and the glaze achieves a glasslike finish.
Then the pots are allowed to slowly cool over the next 24 hours before the kiln is opened and finished pot is seen for the first time.
Then the finished pottery is then given a final sanding and dusting.

THEN, and only then can a piece of pottery be used for its intended purpose.

And yet, at any point, including after it has completely gone through all of these stages, the pottery still remains so very vulnerable to being broken.

The prophet Isaiah wrote; “But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8 NJKV)

The Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Rome wrote; “Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?" Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?” (Romans 9:20-21 The Message version)

The comparison to our lives as “pottery” can easily be applied. The Lord is asking us to let Him as the Master Potter form and fashion us into great vessels fit for His use. And that will require us to go through ALL of the necessary steps from clay to a completed piece of pottery. The Lord calls us to offer up ourselves a living sacrifice.

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: ² “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” ³ Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. ⁴ And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. ⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ⁶ “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!” (Jeremiah 18:1-6 NKJV)

Motorcycles, Coffee, and the Eye of the Farmer

2011-11-10T06:00:00.002-06:00

By Larry Houghton

The day had started out like most Fall mornings, with frost heavy on the last of the green grass. Lawn chairs now look out of place sitting lonely in the back yard. The vine winding its way through the fence is covered In a silvery coat of what is to come.

I sometimes find it difficult to ignore the whispers of winter yet refuse to accept it as my future. Then one day I awake to find a cold suffocating blanket of white death has conquered the last warriors of warmth and buried them where they will remain until winter moves on.

Now, I am fully aware that this blanket of depression to me is someone else’s prize of winter bliss. But I must be honest with myself and those reading this and proclaim that I am a southern boy and don’t mind telling you that winter is a struggle for me. So, this particular morning I am thrilled that the forecast tells me that the sun will hold off winter for yet another day and allow me to roll the bike out of the garage and ride.

A few hours pass while a handful of bikers sit in the clubhouse and sip coffee and share stories and struggles while the suns warmth raises the temps to an expectable riding level. Then it’s down the road we go, headed to a small cafe that makes a very good bowl of soup. I find myself looking forward to the warmth of the café as the east wind creeps its way through my jacket and gloves. The leather vest is little protection from the biting sting of cold as it fights to get to the skin hiding under the layers of leather and cloth. Somehow I still find the ride fun and exhilarating. I always feel so alive and free when I am riding the last few rides of the season. As if I have stolen back the day from the would be thief.

Most of the fields have been harvested leaving the rolling hills lying naked and open. Broken stalks and empty cornhusks litter the ground where just a few weeks ago perfectly planted rows of crop stood tall. The ground seems to be waiting for the cold northern air to bring the blanket that will cover it for the next 4-5 months.

As our motorcycles thunder down the road I consider the sowing and reaping ritual of the farmer who prepared the soil and then carefully placed the seed in the ground. Did he consider the orchestrated effort of the soil and seed fighting the elements to yield a crop? Do I consider the orchestration of sowing and reaping that plays out in my life?

I ponder how I spend little time sowing the love of Jesus and then wonder why the harvest is so spars. What seed am I sowing. Am I sowing a crop worth harvesting or am I actually planting those weeds of doubt and thistles of pain in peoples life?

I think we all go through life planting seed of some kind. I'm afraid however; I too often plant seeds of doubt or fear and then drown them with torrential storms of worry and complaints.

I question whether I keep my eyes open for good soil that God has prepared where I could plant a seed of hope.

Jesus said we often harvest a crop that we did not labor to sow; what a blessing to share in the harvest. To know that we might play a part in someone finding the love of God in the day is such a blessing.

So in the future, as I travel life’s road as it twists through the fields of coworkers and neighbors. I pray that God open my eyes to see the fields white with harvest; to know when the time is right to plant and when to reap; to water with words of encouragement and hope.

The sun seems warm on my back now as we roll to a stop in the small cafe parking lot. Just inside the door I can see folks sipping coffee and enjoying a hot bowl of soup. I silently ask God for wisdom and the eye of the farmer.

Always ride the narrow road and stop in and see us again.
- Larry

© 2011 Larry Houghton ALL RIGHTS RESERVED USED WITH PERMISSION

“Disappointment or His Appointment”

2011-11-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

I love autumn in Minnesota! Autumn (along with springtime) is a season of changes; radical changes! All around, the trees are changing from green to vibrant colors as a way of distracting us from the fact the temperatures are plummeting from the eighties towards the freezing mark.

Along with these changes come opportunities for disappointment as we ponder how we could have better used our summer and things we never got to instead of being grateful for what we DID do.

I love autumn in Minnesota because during this time of year we spend our leisure time watching (pro and college) football and hockey, along with the World Series. Rivalries are brought out as we choose our team and make our boasts as to what will be the outcome of a season, a series, or even a single game.

In a moment, hearts can be broken and lives can be changed forever with the outcome of a single game. Along with these changes come opportunities for disappointment for what could have been as trophies and “pink slips” are handed out; sometimes on the same day.

Too many people spend their lives stuck on what could have been as they fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of themselves or others for their lives. Too many live their lives frustrated by the defeat of the fulfillment of their hopes and plans and disappointment becomes the new focus of theirr existence.

Singer and songwriter Phil Keaggy wrote; "Disappointment - His Appointment. Change one letter and you see that the thwarting of my purpose was His better plan for me."

The Bible says; “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.. (Proverbs 16:9 NJKV)” In other words, just because we planned some path for our lives, it may not go that way; God may have a different direction. And grasping this truth will make the difference between disappointment and “His”-appointment.

"Disappointment - His Appointment. Change one letter and you see that the thwarting of my purpose was His better plan for me."

Grasping this truth can change your perspective and can give an opportunity for anticipation of what God might be up to; rather than disappointment for how things appear to turned out.

The motivational speaker W. Mitchell says; “"Before I was paralyzed, there were 10,000 things I could do. Now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on the 1,000 I lost, or focus on the 9,000 I have left. It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it”

My friend, you don’t need to live your life weighed down by disappointment. Flexibility is about bending and adjusting with the changes that come our way. Being rigid can leave things broken (physically, relationally, emotionally…).

Let’s choose wisely how we respond and stop the mental erosion by asking the Lord to open our eyes to see what He is doing.

My friend, your story isn’t over yet! My guess is that His plans are so much better than what you would have ever thought or planned. Let Jesus Christ change your story for HIS-story. The best is yet to come!

"Disappointment - His Appointment. Change one letter and you see that the thwarting of my purpose was His better plan for me."

Not sure where to start and need help? Call 1-888-NEED- HIM

Disappointment By Phil Keaggy

Disappointment - His appointment,
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.

His appointment must be blessing
Though it may come in disguise
For the end from the beginning,
Open to His wisdom lies.

Disappointment - His appointment
Whose? The Lord's who loves best.
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test.

For like loving, earthy parent
He rejoices when He knows
That His child accepts unquestioned
All that from His wisdom flows.

Disappointment - His appointment
No good thing will he withhold
From denials oft we gather
Treasures from His love untold.

Well, He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller deeper trust
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.

Disappointment - His appointment
Lord I take it then as such,
Like the clay in hands of potter
Yielding wholly to Thy touch

All my life's plan is Thy molding
Not one single choice be mine
Let me answer unrepining,
Father not my will but Thine.

Oldie but a good message....

If Jesus is the answer, what was the question?

2011-10-27T06:00:00.005-05:00

Too often in life we answer before we really listen and hear what the other person is asking. One night at the table, a little boy asked; “Mommy and Daddy what is ‘sex’?” Astonished by his question, the parents grasped at the air to find a answer to the question that they thought that wouldn’t have to answer for several years. Mustering up all the strength they could, they sat the little boy down and spent the next several minutes vaguely explaining where babies come from.

When they were finished, they asked the little boy if he had any questions, hoping of course that he had none. The little boy said; “I’m not sure what the two of you were trying to explain to me. I asked what sex was because I needed to know if I was an “F” or an “M” so that I could check the correct box for school.”

Too often in life we answer before we really listen and hear what the other person is asking. Let me ask you a question; when someone is going through a struggle, do you really hear what the question is that they are asking? Or are you so quick to give them a “religious answer” that you really don’t listen to what they are really trying to communicate?

In our effort to give something to ‘stop-the-bleeding’, we lose potential ground to really share what we do know. I think that John Maxwell said it best; “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

If Jesus Is the ANSWER, what was the question that they were asking? We can wear the latest WWJD bracelets and still never take time to actually ask, “What would Jesus do?” BEFORE we give an answer to someone’s question.

I love the following story from the Bible because in it I see Jesus taking the time to stop and perhaps listen to His Heavenly Father as to how He was to answer a moral question from some religious leaders. They had the Law; but what would be the answer that Jesus’ Father would have Him say?

^“Now earlyin the morning He (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. ³ Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵ Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” ⁶ This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.⁷ So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself upand said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰ When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go andsin no more.” (John 8:2-11)

Jesus only did and said what Father would say or do. And so, He waited until He heard clearly what to do.

Another time when the religious leaders challenge Jesus the Bible tells us; “Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19)

If Jesus Is the ANSWER, what was the question that they were asking?

I want to be like Jesus; learning to wait and listen when someone is going through a struggle; really hear what the question is that they are asking before I give them some quick answer. How about you?

It will mean giving God your heart, giving up your dreams, giving up your pride and laying down your rights - laying it all down, for the sake of Him and His ways; His answers. It will (once again) mean surrender so that we can truly have the answers to the questions posed to us.

Do you know this Jesus? Call 1-888-NEED HIM. Someone is waiting to talk with you right now.

I Knew What I Was Getting Into

2011-10-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

by Misty Edwards

I knew what I was getting into when called you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name, but I said it just the same.
I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into.

I knew what I was getting into and I still chose you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name, but I said it just the same.
I knew what I was getting into.

And I am not shocked by your weakness.
And I am not shocked even by your sin.
And I am not shocked by your brokenness.

I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still chose you.

Cuz only I can see the end from the beginning.
And only I can see where this is going.
And only I can see the end from the beginning.
And I see in you the seeds of love.
And I see in you strength when all you see is your failure and all you feel is ashamed.
I can see deeper than that.
I know you better than that.

I knew what I was getting into when called you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name.
I said it just the same.
I knew what getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.

Your only at the beginning.
You've only just begun and I know where you are going
And all you can see in the moment is that your hurting.
And all you can see in the moment is that your aching.

I knew what I was getting into when I called you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.
I knew what I was getting into when I called you.

Just don't give up.
And don't give in.
If you don't quit. You win, you win.

Just don't give up.
And don't give in.
If you don't quit. You win, you win.

Everything is in my hands.
It's going to be alright.
Everything is in my hands.
It's going to be alright.
It's going to be okay.
Everything is in my hands.
It's going to be alright.
It's going to be Okay.
And you don't have to pretend to be something or someone your not.
Cuz I know you better than that, even better, even better than that.
Listen my Beloved.

I knew what I was getting into when I called you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name.
I said it just the same.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still chose you.

“Entropy”

2011-10-13T06:00:00.007-05:00

This week we really have had great weather! But, a few weeks ago in September, the outside air temperature was thirty six degrees when I woke up; just the day before, the temperature was seventy degrees. I saw that the high was forecasted to be only fifty eight degrees; which was quite a change from the ninety degrees we had two days before. How had the weather in September become so cold so quickly?

I knew that eventually my body would adjust to the cold temperatures and I would enjoy the cold crisp air, which is a good thing for playing hockey; both indoors and outside. I was glad that I would be inside today at a church attending a conference since my body had not yet acclimated to these cold temperatures. But, how had the weather in become so cold so quickly?

The conference that I attended in September was a follow up to one that took place approximately six months before at another church location. The previous conference had significant impact as I was stepping into an extended time of seeking the Lord. My life was alive and my relationship with the Lord was growing hotter.

As I thought about what I needed to do before I left the house today, my mind wandered to 1995; to a different conference that was held at the same church where today’s conference was being held. During that time sixteen years ago, I was deeply impacted and my love for the Lord was also growing hotter.

That day in September, my “spiritual temperature” felt as though it was thirty six degrees; how had I become so cold so quickly? I still loved Him and was grateful for what He had done in my life, but my passion for the Lord had become colder. How had I become so entropic?

Entropy refers to the degree of disorder in a system. As energy is transferred from one form to another, some is lost as heat. As the energy decreases, there is disorder in the system; and thus the entropy; increases. And, everything goes from order to disorder; from hot to cold. In other words, everything eventually deteriorates and wears out.

What it forces me to realize that I can NOT go perpetually on one experience (or two or three for that matter). As disheartening as this may sound, I believe that this may be how God set it up to be; at least in our time on the earth since man chose to go against God’s plan when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden. (Read Genesis chapter 3 in the Bible).

We need Him, more than we may realize, on a daily basis even more than we need food and water; and, moment by moment, more than we need oxygen to breathe. He is our total resource for EVERYTHING; and that includes being able to walk out the life of a Christian that is warm and “on fire” (“Christianos” in the Greek. a Christian, that is, follower of Christ)

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)

He started this and He will complete it (“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” (Philippians 1:6)

He will come and show you what you need to stop doing (sin) and what to start doing so that your walk will be pleasing to God “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:7-9)

Looking to get warm towards God? Call Toll-Free: 1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426) Call between 7:00 a.m. and Midnight Eastern Time or Call 1-888-NEED-HIM

Joy of Joy

2011-10-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

I live in Minnesota and our time with warm (or cold) weather isn’t always subject to the dates on the calendar. It isn’t unusual to have warm temperatures and snow in the same month.

Four weeks ago in mid-September, we had the first frost of the season and the plants in our yard and in our garden took a bit of a toll. Temperatures since that time have been getting colder and the amount of hours that the sunlight has appeared has been less and less.

Ah, but this week in October, the daytime temperatures were in the eighties! The trees were starting to peak in brilliant colors! Flowers were blooming; vegetable plants were producing fruit. The sun was shining; it almost looked like it was summer. Except, it wasn’t, it was October.

Today, I went out to my gardens and found that the ever-bearing raspberries that we planted in June had some fresh raspberries that were almost ready for picking (joy of joy, I said to myself).

Our raspberry bushes produced their last berries in August and I have been content to live off of the berries that I froze on a daily basis during the six-week growing season. We did plant some ever-bearing plants so that next year we would be able to get another crop of berries into November. I should note that normally you don’t get berries in the same year that a new plant is planted; so we were looking forward to next year’s growth.

As I wandered through the rest of the yard and our other gardens I noticed the vast amount of rose bushes that were still producing buds and flowers. And it didn’t seem to matter what variety we had growing; all of the buses were producing beautiful flowers. It’s funny to me because we actually spent no time this year caring for our rose bushes and this year we had the best and longest lasting flowers ever!

Behind all of what was growing in my yard today and the warm weather is a God, a wonderful Creator who loves us so very much and wants us to experience His joy; to experience life with Him. And He comes amidst all that we have and “jumps out” and says; “Hi. Here I AM! Can you see me through all of what I have made for you?”

So today, joy was brought to my heart upon seeing so much growth and life in our gardens and seeing the beautiful colored leaves against the “October-blue” skies. “Joy of joy”; I said again to myself as I thanked God for opening my eyes to see the wonder of His creation in my own yard. He revealed Himself in what He had made as the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Psalm 65:9-13 (NKJV)

^“You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
¹⁰ You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth.

¹¹ You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.
¹² They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, And the little hills rejoice on every side.
¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.”

Are you ready to get new life? Have you tried to clean up your life with no success? Are you tired of trying to do it your way? Call 1-888-NEED –HIM; someone is waiting to talk with you.

Wait, Hope, Watch, Read

2011-09-29T06:00:00.019-05:00

There have been some "red light indicators" that something needs to change in my life. I had stepped out of ministry in the year 2000 to deal with some sin in my life and started working a secular job to support my family. In 2006 I started transitioning back into ministry by working bi-vocationally. What that meant was I worked a secular job during the week days and did ministry during the evenings and weekends; and occasionally during the day for funerals and preaching engagements.

In January 2011, the “rope” that had been pretty stable for the last 10-11 years had been gradually fraying and the result had been responding wrong to situations (or at least differently than I would like to). I work hard at responding right even in difficult situations, and treating people with respect. Things had been building up for the past 2 1/2 years, and the stress had been hard on all of us; especially with loss of co workers, jobs, benefits, and large pay cuts.

Cathy and I had the past 2 years praying about how long I was to stay at the construction company that has provided work for me for over ten years since I stepped out of ministry.

Then, in February of 2011, I submitted my resignation effective at the end of the month. Although I have been approached by a couple of companies asking that I would submit a resume, I didn’t have a job to go to (… we did have some money in the bank and a God who has always provided abundantly for us). There were a few practical things to take care of such as health insurance for the kids and purchasing a vehicle (I had both as part of my salary package).

What I hadn’t done over the past 10 years was to ask God if I was to go back into “full-time” ministry or not. I get a fair amount of requests to preach outside the USA; I’ve basically run from this call from the Lord.

The next step was for me was to take the next “30 days” (March of 2011) and seek God’s purposes as to what I am called to do. What that meant was: No job searching. No resume posting. No fretting.

The plan instead was to use the time to meditate, rest, seek, listen, and pray, spend some time with Pastor’s Prayer Groups, private retreat, and time to get healthy and to seek purpose and direction for River of Hope Ministries; specifically purpose, direction, and preaching. But the main focus was to Wait, Hope, Watch, Read - The whole point was to spend time with Him.

And here we are, the end of September, seven months later and still watching waiting, watching, and reading; all the while clinging to hope in His ability to always come through. There have been many ministry opportunities including preaching, teaching, writing, and a mission trip and for each opportunity I am grateful for the restorative nature of God.

But, after seven months of praying and seeking God and His will for my life, I will be the first to admit “I am not skilled to understand what God has willed, what God has planned. I only know at His right hand stands one who is my Savior. (See video clip below).

And so here comes October and I continue to wait, hope, watch, and pray “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6).

Knowing that God will make a way where there seems to be no way. And, that if I will not believe, surely I will not be established.(see Isaiah 7:9B).

“For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

A Hindu, a Muslim, and a Christian walk into a sugar company in South America...

2011-09-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

I realize that this has all the makings of a great joke, but let me tell you what happened in South America this past month. I was invited to attend and participate in a dedication ceremony at a sugar plant in Skeldon, which is a small town in eastern coastal Guyana, near the border with Suriname.

I went to the sugar plant along with Pastor Mohamad Alim Mursalim (our host in Guyana) and Pastor Rob Ramphal (one of the members of our team).

The sugar plant was the “Guyana Sugar Corporation”, best known by its acronym GuySuCo. It is owned by the Guyanese government and it is the country's largest cultivator and producer of sugar, a commodity which is responsible for approximately twenty percent of Guyana's annual revenue and forty percent of all agricultural production.

The sugar plant was having some production issues and asked for some representatives of the three major religions of that area to come and pray for divine intervention because of the economic implications the problems were having. The plant had its workers gather in a large warehouse as a Muslim Imam, a Hindu, and a Christian each took time to call upon their God to help. I was asked to pray representing Christianity.

The representative from GuySuCo (who is a Hindu) said that although they didn’t know who the true god was, they did hold some common beliefs. They knew that there was a Creator; someone who was above all of this; someone who was in control of all of this. And they knew that they had to stop what they were doing and pray to this unknown god. They were asking for prayers of intervention, thanksgiving, and dedication.

As I stood there in the warehouse pondering what to say, I realized that others had been in this similar spot before; many of which are recorded in the Bible. One person who came to my mind was Elijah when he took on the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah; that’s 850 prophets vs. Elijah. You can read about it in 1 Kings 18.

He too was called on to represent his god; the only true God before representatives of other religions. He too was being looked at as one who would speak for God. He too had to be at the same place as other representatives called out hoping that their god (or gods) would answer.

Each of us; the Hindu, the Muslim, and the Christian, took our turn and prayed and called out to our god (or gods) hoping our god (or gods) would answer and have favor. The Hindu called out to every god who he knew, hoping that one of them would listen. The Muslim Imam, after giving a proselytizing message, prayed to his god.

I simply prayed in the Name of Jesus in faith, knowing that God’s word is true, that He is the One true God, and that He always hears us when we pray. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you askanything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14 NKJV)

I would like to report that just like the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18, my God answered with such drama that all who were present fell to their faces in worship. If I did report that, it would be a lie. But, neither did the other “gods” answer in such a fashion. And it didn’t shake my faith in any way. I still stand on my faith that the God of the Bible is still the One True God.

“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:5-6 NKJV)

This song is by "Heart of the City" and speaks of the One Trues God

For more information on Heart of the City's ministry: http://www.heartofthecity.org

Swimming with Snakes

2011-09-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

I was in South America with a team doing ministry in Guyana and we had some free time on our hands, so we decided to go swimming in a river that had “black water”. We had taken a boat ride down the Corentyne River (between the countries of Guyana and Suriname) to Orealla, Guyana. A few days before I had swam in the Atlantic Ocean, which was my first time in any ocean, and so I was looking forward to another new swimming experience.

Blackwater rivers are considerd some of the cleanest natural waters in the world and have a unique color. On the immediate surface the color is clear. A few inches below the surface, the water color is amber (like Betadine). At about three feet below the surface, the water is bright red (like blood). At around four feet below the surface, the water is the color black (like ink). The water was cool and refreshing. When I tasted the water, I found it to be sweet, almost like sugar water.

We were told that piranhas live in the waters which kind of killed the desire to immediately jump in. Piranhas are a South American freshwater fish that typically live in schools and have very sharp teeth that are used to tear flesh from prey. They have a reputation as fearsome predators.

After our host from Guyana assured us that the piranhas that live in the water would leave us alone; we decided to take this “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and take a swim (what were we thinking?).

A couple of guys had jumped in the water and swam back telling us how great the water was compared to the HOT waters of the ocean we had swam in the day before. So I jumped off a log as a friend of mine stood waiting for his turn to dive in after me. I swam for a short time when at once I felt my friend’s body swim alongside me. I need to tell you that when we had swam in the ocean the day before, several of us would swim under the water and come alongside an unsuspecting victim. I thought that this is what my friend was doing so I came to the surface to catch my breath just in case he wanted to wrestle me under water.

When I came to the surface, I saw that he was still standing on the log; I was the only person in the water. And I freaked out! I freaked out because I knew that also living in these waters were anaconda snakes.

An anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America and is one of the largest snakes in the world. It can reach a length of 30 feet (9 meters) and weigh up to 550 pounds. Constrictors are not venomous snakes, but instead wrap their bodies around their prey and squeeze until it stops breathing. It then maneuvers its prey into its mouth and powerful muscles contract in waves to crush the meal and push it down to its stomach. The green anaconda can stay underwater for as long as ten minutes without coming to the surface to breathe.

Something was lurking in those waters seeking whom he may devour.

If it wasn’t an anaconda that brushed against my leg than, I was told, it might have been a crocodile. Or, it might have be an “arowana” fish which is a large, elongated, eel-like fish that is carnivorous and can grow to be three feet long. Either way, I was out of the water in record time! I prompted my friend to jump in BEFORE I told him what I found in the water. I had enough and left the water and sat on a log.

When there were five others in the water, I decided that my chances of getting “attacked” were greatly diminished and we all proceeded to go back to taking turns having a contest to see who could make the biggest splash.

I may have been a little frightened, but I can say that I went through it. I was brave enough (in my mind) to have gone into the waters (covered with bug bites) knowing that there were piranhas in the water. In the future, I will take a closer look to see what is below the surface waiting to devour me.

The Apostle Peter wrote in the Bible; "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1Peter5:8). We all need to take a closer look as we step out in our day to see what is lurking, waiting to devour us.

The New Hand

2011-09-08T06:00:00.005-05:00

Her name was “Mimi”, and I had just finished preaching an evangelistic message and people had come to the front for prayer. She walked with a limp and one of her hands was deformed.

I had seen her two days before as we went through the city inviting people to a three night crusade that would serve to become a new church plant in a rough part of town. Mimi had converted to Christianity a few months ago and asked us to pray for her swollen hand. She’d had a stroke that affected the left side of her body. But it was her left hand that was causing her the most discomfort. The stroke had left her hand “paralyzed” and swollen and almost useless. And so we stood in the street and prayed for her.

Mimi came to all three nights of the meetings, and each night she asked for prayer; and each night someone would pray for her like we did in the street that afternoon when we were handing out invitations.

When I was still on the platform up front during that final night, I motioned to several on the team to go over and pray for this woman. Three of the team came over, introduced themselves to Mimi, and then proceeded to pray. Once again, compassionate hearts cried out to a holy God to intervene and have mercy and to heal Mimi.

And then it happened; I SAW her hand shrink! I SAW Mimi bend and use her hand! And she did too and let out a shout! Mimi had received a healing from the Lord! On the platform, two members of the worship team also confirmed that they too had seen Mimi’s left hand shrink and saw her hand move; it hadn’t been my imagination!

Jesus, when He was on the earth, had laid hands on and healed people; the Bible is filled with those stories.

Jesus said; “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

“And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” ⁴ Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.” Mark 3:1-5

I have had the privilege of seeing many medically documented miracles in my life as a Christian, each one just as astounding as the other. When Mimi received her healing, it was further proof that His words were true.

Welcome Grandson

2011-09-01T06:00:00.019-05:00

Cathy and I have been married together for over 30 years! We have 6 adult children, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law, one granddaughter, and one grandson! That’s thirteen of us including Cathy and I. Quite a quiver full!

And that includes the newest member of the family, my grandson Emmett Eugene Oestreich who came into this world Monday, August 29, 2011 weighing 7 lbs 14 oz and is 20 ½”. Emmett is the first born child of my oldest son Jonathan and his wife Bonita. He is named after Cathy’s father who went by the name “Gene”.

Jonathan with Emmett

Emmett means "industrious, strong worker".
Eugene means "well born, of noble birth".

What a precious gift! I have GREAT confidence that Jonathan and Bonita will be great parents. Both of them are educators and connect well with people.

What a privilege it is to be a part of this couple’s new great adventure of life as they now are parents. I am so excited to be a grandpa of another grandchild!

Grandpa Tom

I stared at Emmett as I held him. I looked deep into his face as I tried to figure who he looked like. Ten fingers and ten toes; we counted them. He has hands that look like Jonathan’s hands did when he was born; long, delicate (in a masculine way), ready to take life as it comes to him.

Did I mention that we have 6 adult children, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law, one granddaughter, and one grandson! That’s thirteen of us including Cathy and I. Quite a quiver full!

And, every time a need has arisen over the years, God has been faithful to provide. Why? Because His Word says; “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25 NKJV)

Grandma Cathy with Emmett

God said in His Word for us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33). And that includes what we eat and drink and what we wear.

He is immensely jealous to provide all that we need because of His great love.

How about you; do you know this God? Do you know that you are loved; really loved? Believe it or not you can. God is waiting for an opportunity to love you.

But don’t take my word for it; take His – the BIBLE.

Unsure where to start? Drop me a line hopeofhiscalling@juno.com

I would love to share with you how you too can know this love.

Or call 1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Miracle At JFK

2011-08-25T06:00:00.006-05:00

I was traveling with a ministry team of seventeen people from Minnesota on a mission trip to Guyana, South America. The trip to Guyana was not a direct flight, so several different airplanes and airports were involved. Twelve of the seventeen people were going from Minnesota to JFK in New York City via Chicago with a change of planes in Chicago. And, for some reason, five of the seventeen’s flight itinerary had them scheduled to take a completely different route going from Minnesota to JFK via Atlanta. This, along with stormy weather, provided the perfect storm for a miracle at JFK.

After arriving at JFK in NY, the twelve members (via Chicago) were told that the flight from Atlanta had run into some bad weather and was running behind schedule. “Not a big deal”, we thought to ourselves; planes always have the potential of running off schedule. In fact, the team arriving from Chicago had also run into some bad weather and was held in the air in a holding pattern until JFK cleared the plane to land. When our plane arrived at JFK, it was held on the tarmac for ten to twenty minutes as the extremely busy airport gave our plane the OK to unload its passengers and luggage.

In time, we discovered that the plane from Atlanta was not only running late, but we were told that mathematically there was not enough time to make the next flight out of JFK even if they would arrive “on time”. You see, once the plane from Atlanta arrived, it too would need to sit on the tarmac for a period of time, then it needed to have both people and luggage unloaded. The luggage would need to go into a cart and be transported across the airport to another plane. The people would need to be unloaded, put on a bus, and transported across the airport to another plane. Mathematically there simply was not enough time.

I should also state that there are only two flights to Guyana out of JFK; both leave at 1:00 am. One is a direct flight and the other goes via Jamaica. Practically, what that means is that the five coming from Atlanta would need to stay in the airport for twenty four hours and then fly out the next day. Oh yeah, another missing piece; once we arrived in Guyana, we had another four to five hour trip to reach our final destination in Corriverton, Guyana. If the team flying from Atlanta didn’t make the flight, the soonest we could expect to have them arrive to join us would be around thirty hours later.

The seventeen team members who were already at JFK went into prayer to ask for a miracle. Why not, we had nothing to lose. In time, one of the team members took out her I-Pod and turned on some worship music. Other members of the team were witnessing to a man and spent some time praying with him. As the team was worshipping the Lord at JFK, I saw a man in a safety vest slowly approaching the group. When the man was next to the group, the I-Pod was turned off. At once the man in the safety vest told them, “Don’t turn that music OFF, leave it on!” It turns out the man was a Christian. The team told the man of the situation and how we needed a miracle.

Periodically, Pastor Ben (the team leader) and I would check on the status the counter, and it each time it seemed to be even bleaker as the Delta workers explained that there was nothing that they could do. And yet, the team still pressed on in prayer, asking the Lord to intervene.

When we explained at the counter why we needed to get the whole team on the same plane to Guyana, compassion rose up on the whole Delta staff and phone calls were made. What little power this devoted staff had, they were trying to use it to get somebody to listen; kind of like what we were doing in prayer. They said that they would delay the bus ride to the next terminal by fifteen minutes. One Delta worker made a call to a manager at Delta to ask for an intervention.

As the clock moved closer to the flight departure schedule, the twelve team members were told that they would need to get on the bus or miss their flight. There is a fine line between walking out your faith and standing firm in your faith. The apostle Paul wrote; “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. (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV). This would be our moment of seeing God come through; or else He wouldn’t and we would have to still trust Him.

The man in the safety vest, it turns out, was the driver of the bus that would take us to the next plane. He committed to us to do all in his power to make sure that the rest of the team got to where they needed to be. When Pastor Ben and I got off the bus, he turned to the two of us and lovingly exhorted us to not give up. He said; “You will see the God of the impossible come through! Don’t quit! Don’t give up! Keep praying! Keep your faith in God! Nothing is impossible with God! Don’t lose hope! I too will be praying for you” It was a much needed exhortation/rebuke.

When we arrived in the next terminal, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of a verse that one of the team members had received in prayer a week before at a team meeting. The verse said; “If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.” (Isaiah 7:9b NKJV). The NIV puts it this way; “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Once again, we were exhorted to not give up.

Something went off in my spirit that said; “I’m not getting on that plane without the rest of the team. I'm not going to wimp out on this opportunity to trust the Lord; even if mathematically there isn’t enough time!’

The other ten members were boarded on the plane as Pastor Ben and I went to the counter to get an update and keep praying. The clock was now 12:45 am. The flight to Guyana was scheduled to leave at 1:00 am.

A compassionate phone call from the first terminal had come to the attention of the top person at Delta who was working at JFK that night. This man was at the counter and we heard him talk to the tower at JFK telling that the plane arriving from Atlanta was to be given priority one; both for landing and taxiing in to the awaiting terminal. The bus driver was standing by his bus, ready to drive the five from Atlanta over as fast as possible.

The top man from Delta continued to make phone calls and also communicated to the plane from Atlanta that ONLY the five members of our team and their luggage were to get off that plane. A card that my wife Cathy wrote to me for the trip came to mind. It said; “Remember I’m praying for you” Cathy wrote in the card two passages of scripture; “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV) and “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:12 NKJV).

At 12:50 am, we received word that the plane had arrived from Atlanta. At 12:57 am the five members from Atlanta came through the tunnel and up the stairs to the counter escorted by the man in the safety vest and the Delta crew from the other terminal. Spontaneous praise and thanksgiving broke out as the five were quickly checked in and ushered to the awaiting plane.

As Pastor Ben and I were leaving the counter I looked at the clock; it was now 12:59 am. God had come through with a miracle at JFK with one minute to spare! This would probably be a good time to interject that JFK is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North America! Talk about favor!

This would set the course on how we would see God working miracles of salvation, physical healing, and deliverance on that mission trip to Guyana, South America.

COME AS CLOSE AS YOU WANT

2011-08-18T06:00:00.007-05:00

By Misty Edwards from the live album "Fling Wide"

❶ Come as close as You want,
Consume this heart that longs to burn
I know Your fire can hurt,
But I would be worse here without You

■ PRE~CHORUS:
For I was made to dwell with You,
And how I ache until I do

● CHORUS:
Holy God, Take my heart,
Purge with flame and truth!
Holy heart is all I want,
That I may live with You!

❷ Come and take all this chains
That get in the way of what You want
And as I stand in the flame
Still I will say, “I trust You God!”

All Things Must Come to an End

2011-08-11T06:00:00.040-05:00

Summer is on its way out; fall will soon be here. It’s the ebb and flow of life. Eventually, all good things must come to an end. We all know this, and yet we live our lives as though they won’t ever end. And so, I believe, we have seasons to remind us that change is coming. One of my children reminded me that since June 21st, the days have been getting shorter. And soon it will be once again winter.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end. This past spring I said “good bye” to an old friend, my Bauer Supreme Custom 100’s hockey skates. I replaced them with a new pair of Bauer Vapor X30.

I had my Bauer Supreme Custom 100’s a long time; these skates had replaced my old tube-style skates that had served so faithfully over the previous years. I kept my Bauer Supreme Custom 100’s sharp, polished, replaced the laces, and even had the blades replaced with new ones when they were worn down past the point of sharpening. And now it was time to say goodbye.

When I was getting the NEW Bauer Vapor X30 sharpened at the place I had gone to for so many years, the owners told me that I couldn’t throw the old Bauer Supreme Custom 100’s out because they were classics. (They were always nostalgic regarding my old skates because the same store had hooked Phil Housley up with his first pair of Bauer Supreme Custom 100’s back in 1980). So I took my old skates home and set them in a place of “honor” on a shelf in my office instead of in my hockey bag.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end; I remember, many years ago when our children were younger and still lived at home, many nights that were spent preparing the outdoor ice in our backyard. Time spent installing boards to surround and frame our outdoor ice rink. I remember cold; bitterly cold nights when would hook up a garden hose to our bathtub and run it out the bathroom window and hook the other end of the hose to my Tomzonie. A “Tomzonie” is a hand-held mini “Zamboni” that I made to resurface our rink each night (and several times between skating).

But, eventually, winter would give way to spring; the boards would be taken down and along with the nets put away in storage, as our ice rink would melt and turn to water that would flood our driveway. And once again spring would arrive with the hope of another summer.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end; even the life we live here on the earth. So today, I point us to eternity; my friends, this is not all there is.

Enjoy the moments; cherish every one of them for soon we will be on to the next season of the year as well as the next season of life. The Bible tells us:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: ² A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; ³ A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; ⁴ A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; ⁵ A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; ⁷ A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; ⁸ A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.⁹ What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.”

Revelation 21:1-3 "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God."

IMPORTANT NOTE: Zamboni is a registered trademark of the Frank Zamboni Corporation, manufacturer of ice resurfacer machines http://www.zamboni.com

Wasted Spaces

2011-08-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

I noticed today that I don’t sit on my front porch very often; even though it is filled with wicker furniture. I thought about the patio furniture; when was the last time that I sat down and ate outside on the patio? Oh, yeah, Cathy and I ate outside last week; although we don’t eat outside as often as we should since we have a patio and furniture on it.

As I continued with my pondering, I looked around my house and realized there are rooms throughout my house that have in them furniture that I have not sat on in a long while. After a recent sleepless night due to heat, it occurred to me that we have a hide-a-bed couch in one area of our basement that I could’ve slept on. I mentioned this to some of my family members and they responded with; “Where do we have a hide-a-bed couch in the basement?”

Defending myself, some of the unused spaces are due to the fact that we have been transitioning into becoming “empty nesters” and haven’t prayerfully figured out what we are to do with our house (and the rooms and furniture that we really don’t sit on but need to have just in case we or others want to use).

What are we to do with the extra clothing, jackets, furniture, tools, dishes, paintings, jewelry, books, toys, beds, bikes, cans of food (shoved in the back of the cabinet), suitcases, scraps of wood, sports and fishing equipment (including golf clubs given to me but I haven’t ever used), and used motor oil that is sitting in containers in our garage? Oh yeah, and the multitude of hockey pucks picked up over the years.

We have a problem to sort through. We need to continue to seek God to find out what we are to do with what we have; one day we will give an account with what we did with what we were given. And I want to give the correct response to the One who has provided so much to me. I want to fill my life with Him; not with stuff that I don’t need or want or even use.

^"Speaking to the people, He went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." ^16-19Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!' ²⁰"Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?' ²¹"That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." (Luke 12:15-21 From “The Message” Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

Facebook or Face-in-the-BOOK?

2011-07-28T06:00:00.019-05:00

I had to check my Facebook account; had anyone sent or posted anything new? How many have confirmed me as a friend on Facebook since I last checked? So, several times throughout the day I opened up my account and found a flood of comments, photos, and ponderings from people I knew. All of the information that was shared was helpful for me to feel a part of friends and family. And yet for each instance that I checked my account, one hour later I realized just how much time I had spent.

What I described above was just the first 18 hours of my Facebook account; and that included some time to sleep. And today, my account was inaccessible; what would I do with the time?

Facebook has roughly 700 million users, 6 million from the USA alone. And, for many, it is a great way to social network. I love the idea of instant connection; this can be a great tool in our lives. In an instant, we can connect into the lives of people we wouldn’t normally call or write so frequently. Most of the real world is checking their Facebook accounts on their mobile phones, while I am still using the old fashioned phone connected to a base located in my house (since I left my last place of work and turned in my cell phone).

I don’t need Facebook; not really, and actually put off setting up an account for several years. I saw Facebook as one account that I probably didn’t need; much like my Linkedin account which I have yet to ever check even though people request me to join them as a business friend.

I already get a multitude of emails each day and spend way too much time just using that as a vehicle to communicate; to say nothing of my use of Sykpe. And, if that weren’t enough, I write a blog at least once a week and spend time updating my website. And all of my places of communications are linked together, so all sites must be tweaked on a very regular basis. If you snooze you lose; or something like that.

I realized that I had a potential problem on my hands; I, too, could fall into the trap of having one more thing rob my life of time. One more excuse why I hadn’t spent as much time in prayer or worship; time spent with God connecting intimately as I had wanted to do. Even as I sit and write this blog I realize that once again I have been preoccupied by this social media.

I’m not making a blanket statement that you need to not use it and I don’t want you feel the need to defend your use of your preferred social media outlet. There are many things that take us away for time with God. But, when was the last time we were as consumed with time with God with our FACE in His BOOK?

King David wrote in Psalm 27 verse 4; “ONE THING I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.” Can we really say that and really mean it? Is that really the “ONE THING” that we desire?

He goes on to write in verse 8; “When You said, “Seek My face,”My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:8)

Jesus summed up the whole law of God as to “Love the LORD your God with ALL of your heart, with ALL of your soul, with ALL of your mind, and with ALL of your strength…and your neighbor as yourself.” (paraphrased of Mark 12:29-31)

Can we really say that and really mean it; ALL of our heart, mind, soul, and strength?

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Let’s commit before God to give Him the best, the most of who we are. Allow the Holy Spirit to show us how things like this can rob our time with the only One who can bring us real life. And once again commit to spend time with our Face-in-the-BOOK and our face seeking His face. He, too, wants to confirm you as a friend in His “Facebook”, the Book of Life.

“Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” (Psalm 105:4)

“So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.” (Proverbs 7:15)

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Pleasing to you by Jared Anderson

Sanctify me
Clean out my closet
Take away anything
That is not pleasing to You

Purify me
Destroy all my anger
Wash away everything
That is not pleasing to You

I will be white as snow
I will be pure as gold
Jesus my heart must know
I'm pleasing to You

I give my life my all
Taking the cross I will follow
Jesus my heart must know
I'm pleasing to You

Sanctify me
You are the light to guide me
To the place where I am
Only pleasing to You

Oh come and Purify me Lord
I need your light inside me
So the darkness flees
And I can be pleasing to You

NOTE: For a Word Study on “The Book of Life” see Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:27, Revelation 22:19

Nameless People

2011-07-21T06:00:00.004-05:00

If you’ve been reading blogs from Blogger for any length of time, you will know that each month, Blogspot.com comes up with its list of “Blogs of Note”. These are blogs that they happened to come across and found interesting for one reason or another. The reason need not be substantial. It could be that they liked a particular post. It could be the blog seems to have good writing, or good design, or original content or concept, or they just like the name.

And suddenly, the writers of the particular blog that is chosen are thrust into their extended “fifteen minutes of fame” on the World Wide Web.

Today, I want to name my own “Blog of Note”. It is written by a man named John Turner. Although John and I have exchanged comments and emails, we have never met or talked via the phone or Skype. Nevertheless, today I applaud what John is doing.

In his own “simple” way, John writes about his daily experiences and how he sees a connection into his relationship with God through Jesus Christ. John writes about God and the things that He can do in your life. By “simple”, I mean that you don’t need to get out a dictionary, expository, concordance, thesaurus, commentary, or interlinear Bible to understand the profound wisdom of a man who is simply walking with the Lord day by day. And he has been faithfully writing about those experiences since 2007.

The Bible is filled with stories of people who did (sometimes) seemingly simple tasks that made all of the difference in the economy of God. The Bible is filled from cover to cover with stories of people who simply did what they knew to do and God made sure that their story was written down; it was a big deal in the eyes of God. You will find in the Bible stories of people who did (seemingly) simple tasks such as raising a colt (Mark 11:1-3), or filling water pots (John 2), or pouring out very costly fragrant oil (Matthew 26:6-13).

The Bible says that “…we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).

And John is faithfully doing that. He uses his experiences and how God made him to draw people into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ; who is the True Faithful One. Thanks John!

John’s Blog is called: “JOHN THREESIXTEEN” You can find it at: http://johnbturner.blogspot.com

What is growing in your Garden?

2011-07-14T06:00:00.043-05:00

It’s summer and the seeds that we planted in the spring have given way to the plants that were hidden inside; plants that are now giving way to the fruit that they were destined to produce. Cold soil that was carefully prepared and tilled in the spring has given way to be the very place that gives birth to life itself.

Because we live on a corner and we have many who walk by to look at our gardens, we try to maintain our gardens in a way for others to look, linger, and enjoy. Surrounding our house on all four sides we have flower plants and other greenery. Some of these plants are “annuals” and last only for one season and require new plants each spring. Some are “perennials” and are continuing or recurrent year after year and require tending and thinning each year.

As I have grown older I have narrowed down what is growing in my gardens. I want only items that will produce real life. In my vegetable garden I have peppers of all variety and intensity of heat, a variety of tomatoes, peas, beans, squash, cucumbers, and herbs. And, my favorite; RED RASBERRIES; which I am able to collect and freeze enough over the next six weeks to eat for the next seven months.

Similarly, as I grow older in the Lord I have narrowed down what is growing in my ‘spiritual garden’. I am finding that I long to be a place where His life is seen in me. I long to create more room in my life for Him and Him alone.

No, I don’t do it simply for others to look at and ponder; although that is a bi-product of a life in Christ. I long to prepare a place for His dwelling… I long to be a place where He dwells with me and walks with me much like God did when Adam was first created (see Genesis 3:8).

So what is in your “spiritual” garden? What is growing in your life that comes back each year and requires maintenance? What needs to be planted over and over again as it seems to only last for a short season and then it is gone?

“garden” by Misty Edwards

      I am a garden enclosed
      A locked garden
      A fountain sealed
      I am Your resting place
      I am Your resting place
      Here oh Lord have I prepared
      A place for You to dwell
      Here in the reservoir of me
      That You would dwell in my heart
      That I would be in You
      & You would be in me
      That I could fellowship with God
      Here where it’s You and me alone
      The very Glory of God on the inside of me
      I want to fellowship with You

Here it's You and me alone God You and me alone
Here it's You and me alone God You and me alone

      I am Your resting place
      For You said that You would be in me
      That I would abide in the vine
      Christ in me the HOPE of my glory

You've hedged me in with skin all around me
I'm a garden enclosed a locked garden
Life takes place behind the face.

So come into Your garden
Come into Your garden.

Here O Lord! Have I prepared a place for You!

I'm no longer my own I'm Your garden

I don't want to wasted my time living on the outside
I'm going to live from the inside out
I don't want to waste my life living on the outside
I'm going to live from the inside out

Multiplicity

2011-07-07T06:00:00.003-05:00

Did you ever make a copy of something and notice that any flaws in the original were reproduced into the copy? Have you ever made a copy of a copy and noticed that the flaws become amplified and the copy is further away from the original?

Although I am not a fan of cloning (let’s stay out of God’s business); I did find humor in the 1996 comedy film called “Multiplicity”, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell.

The storyline goes something like this: Doug Kinney (played by Michael Keaton) is a very busy man who finds it impossible to juggle his daily schedule in the realms of business, his family, and his wife; until he meets a scientist who offers to clone him. In time, Doug realizes that he still is having trouble juggling his entire daily schedule so he decides to make another clone to help around the house (now there are three “Dougs”- all copies of a copy). Eventually, one of his clones realizes he too is way too busy and decides to clone himself; leading to a guest house full of clones - all played by Keaton and each with a different personality - while his wife Laura Kinney, (played by Andie MacDowell) is confused about Doug's different personalities.

What is the moral of the story? It never works to make a copy of a copy.

You may ask yourself the question; “If we are made in the image of God then why are we all so messed up?” First of all, the Bible tells us that He did make us in His image.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 Emphasis by me).

Another passage in Genesis says; “This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.” (Genesis 5:1) Emphasis by me)

The problem is that all mankind after that was no longer made in the image of God, but they were actually made in the image of man. What do I mean? When Adam, the first man, was created, he was made in God’s image. But, Adam sinned and everything changed. ^“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” (Genesis 5:3)

In other words, like “Doug Kinney”, we have been “copied” from a “copy” and we have lost some of our original perfection, the flaws have become amplified, and the copy is further away from the original.

So how do we get back closer to what we are supposed to be; back to the image of God? We need to be re-born or “born again” after the “Second Adam” or the “Second Man”, not the first Adam.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth (Greece) “And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lordfrom heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bearthe image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-50)

What does the original look like? The Bible tells us that it is Jesus Christ: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 2:15)

When asked ‘what does God look like’, Jesus replied; “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14:9-10)

Unsure what to do next? Call 1-888-NEED-Him; someone is waiting to talk with you

It Could've Been Me

2011-06-30T06:00:00.009-05:00

Every day the media continues to find and report another individual who made a stupid decision and failed to live out vows that they made to their spouse, families, fans, constituents, themselves, and their God.

Every day we see another celebrity’s name drug through the mud as the viewers hunger increases to see another celebrity fall; not just to “our level”, but lower so that the worshipped becomes the groveled.

Every day we shake our heads at how they could’ve been so stupid, as we assure ourselves that it would never happen to us. With all of the people who have been caught in the past, it is amazing that individuals still think that they can get away with it. But the reality is if we are doing it, we will get caught; period, no exceptions.

The Bible tells us: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.” (Galatians 6:7-8b)

The Bible tells us:“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

The Bible tells us: "For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes. ¹⁸ And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols.” (Jeremiah 16:17-18)

What should our response be? We need to pray for whose names have been dragged through the mud.
What should be our prevention? We need to pray for ourselves knowing that we too have opportunities to make stupid decisions; we too could have our names dragged through the mud.
The Bible tells us: “Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

It Could've Been Me by Phil Keaggy

From the album: Way Back Home (1994)

I heard the news today
That another soldier tumbled,
A fragile warrior slipped and fell from grace.
The vultures swooped to tear his heart
And pin him to the ground,
And from the shadows someone took his place.

Today we talk amongst ourselves,
We never bought his words.
We say we've seen the madness in his eyes.
Tomorrow he's forgotten as
We've scrubbed him from our hearts,
And as he bleeds we slowly turn our eyes.

But it could've been me,
I could've been the one to lose my grip and fall.
It could've been me,
The one who's always standing tall.
For unless you hold me tightly, Lord,
And I can hold on too,
Then tomorrow in the news
It could be me, it could be me.

And in our hearts we fear the ones
Whose lives are like our own,
Whose shadows dance like
Demons in our minds.
We think to push them far away,
We exercise our souls,
We make them play the tune for all mankind.

Today we talk amongst ourselves,
We never bought their words.
We say we've seen the madness in their eyes.
Tomorrow they're forgotten as
We've scrubbed them from our hearts,
And as they bleed we slowly turn our eyes.

But it could've been me,
I could've been the one to lose my grip and fall.
It could've been me,
The one who's always standing tall.
For unless you hold me tightly, Lord,
And I can hold on too,
Then tomorrow in the news
It could be me, it could be me.

But I believe there is a place
Where we can run and hide,
When we know that we can't stand
For one more day,
And I believe You're waiting, Lord,
To hold me very close
For You know without Your love I'd lose my way.

But it could've been me,
I could've been the one to lose my grip and fall.
It could've been me,
The one who's always standing tall.
For unless you hold me tightly, Lord,
And I can hold on too,
Then tomorrow in the news
It could be me, it could be me.

As in the Days of Noah

2011-06-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

I’ve waiting until now to weigh in on the latest prediction that the world would end on a certain date and time. We all knew it was false because the Bible clearly states that “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

Part of the reason that people are deceived is simply because they don’t read the Bible. Jesus said (2000 years ago) while He was on the earth: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.” (Mat 24:23-25)

Part of the damage caused by these false prophets is that it raises skepticism in the wake of the unfulfilled prophecy. But, again, this is not a new problem. The Apostle Peter wrote about it 2000 years ago in one of his letters.

In the letter he addresses the scoffers:

"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, ⁶ by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:1-7)

In the letter he addresses why it is taking Jesus so long to return:^"8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9)

In the letter he assures us that Jesus WILL return:

^"10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10-13)

Peter goes on to tell us how we should live:
"¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:14-18)

So what do we know about when Jesus will return? The Bible tells us that life will actually be as it normally is: ³⁷ “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

So what are we suppose to do? The Bible tells us: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44) “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matthew 25:13)

AWAKEN ME

2011-06-16T10:00:00.023-05:00

The Stanley Cup Games are over. Congratulations to Boston and Vancouver on a great series. I’m happy that Boston won only because I picked them to win; even though they aren’t my team. I went with one of the “Original Six” teams two years in a row.

Last year when the series got down to the “Sweet Sixteen”, I wanted Chicago to play Philadelphia in the finals. I picked Chicago over Philadelphia, but I would have been just as happy if the Flyers had won; as long as the series went seven games.

This year when the series got down to the “Sweet Sixteen”, I wanted Boston to play Vancouver in the finals. I picked Boston over Vancouver, but I would have been just as happy if Vancouver had won; as long as the series went seven games.

It was a great series; the way playoffs should go. The games that Vancouver won were close and could have gone either way if not for great goal tending and great defense. Boston defied the odds to win in one of the best finals series in years. Three of their four playoff rounds went the full distance of seven games and they came from 2-0 behind in the finals to beat the Canucks, who were favorites to win after finishing the regular season with the NHL's best record.

It was really great to hear the Vancouver fans cheer for Tim Thomas when he held up the Conn Smythe Award and cheer for Tim Thomas and Milan Lucic when each of them held up the Stanley Cup.

However, it was very disappointing to hear the boos ring out inside the stadium when Bettmann presented the cup to Chara and for the riots and violence that erupted on the streets of Vancouver by Vancouver fans

The loss for Vancouver and its fans is a heartache that won't go away for a while. Many of the Vancouver fans are probably saying something along the lines of: “Then I said, 'I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain…" (Isaiah 49:4a). Perhaps this comes from feeling as though all there is in this life is some temporary award to strive for.

But the rest of that passage goes on to say: “yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work with my God.'” (Isaiah 49:4b). We feel deflated when we lose our eternal perspective; YES, THERE IS MORE TO THIS LIFE THAN A TEMPORAL REWARD!

Our problem is that we have temporal eyes fixed on a prize that is really temporal and has lulled us to sleep. When we spend our time with temporal things instead of spending time with Him, there is a pretty good chance that we will come up feeling “not quite full”. We need to have the Lord awaken us and remind us of that there is more to this life.

“AWAKEN ME” by MISTY EDWARDS

NOTE: This song was done live and spontaneous and I couldn’t find the actual lyrics online

Forgive me for neglecting Your heart
Forgive me for neglecting mine
Forgive me for my busy life
Forgive me for wasting time

Forgive me for neglecting Your heart
Forgive me for neglecting mine
For I am dark from working in the vineyard
But my heart I have forgotten

Just put Your hand upon my heart
Put Your hand upon my heart
Please put Your hand upon my heart
I want to feel

Just let me know that I’m alive
Let me know that I’m alive
Let me know that I’m alive
I want to feel

Take away the dullness
Take away a proneness to boredom
Take away my wandering spirit
Tame this wild soul

Fascinate me and captivate me
Come and own me like you do
Capture this imagination
Capture my affections too

It would help if it was plugged in…

2011-06-10T06:00:00.005-05:00

One of the things that I love to do is mow the lawn, and one month ago grass cutting season was finally upon us here in Minnesota. My lawn mower was ready for a new season of use; all of its parts were cleaned and in top form including new oil, a sharpened new blade, and a new spark plug, and a fresh tank of gasoline. And so I proceeded to cut the lawn.

I primed the engine and gave the cord a pull and IMMEDIATELY the engine fired up. This is the way that lawn cutting is supposed to be! I spent the next half-hour leisurely cutting my lawn, enjoying the moments to be alone with my thoughts; "interrupted" only by someone waving to me as they drove by my house. When I was finished, I stood back and enjoyed my accomplishments.

I also noticed that my next door neighbor hadn’t gotten around to cutting her lawn yet. I used to occasionally cut the lawn when her father lived there so I offered to cut the lawn for her; and she promptly accepted my offer. I primed the engine and gave the cord a pull and IMMEDIATELY the engine fired up. This is the way that lawn cutting is supposed to be! I spent the next few moments cutting my neighbor’s lawn enjoying the moments to be alone with my thoughts; interrupted by the sudden silence of the lawn mower suddenly stopping.

I assumed it was out of gasoline so I went to retrieve the gas can; only to find that there was still fuel from when I had filled it earlier in the day. I tried several more times to start the engine by priming the engine and pulling the cord; but with no success. Eventually I discovered what was wrong; the spark plug cord was not connected to the spark plug. Apparently, I had knocked it off when I was mowing under my neighbor’s swing set. I said to myself; “It would help if it was plugged in…”

Without the connection between the spark plug and the spark plug wire, ignition wasn’t going to take place. There had to be the correct connection in order for the power to flow. The engine needed to be connected to the power source in order for there to be ignition.

Have you ever read the Bible and wondered why it didn’t make sense? I don’t mean the pondering of questions like; “Did Adam have a navel?”; I mean that when you read it, there seemed to no real life or application and so the Bible becomes a boring book to take or leave. I say that it would help if you were plugged in; to the Author of the Bible.

The Apostle Paul writing to a church in Corinth (Greece) wrote; “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

It would help if it was plugged in… There has to be the correct connection between the Author of the Bible and us, the readers, in order for the power to flow. We need to be connected to the power source in order for there to be ignition.

Simply put, we need the Holy Spirit to understand the things of God. It is the Holy Spirit that testifies to the truth of God's message and the response of a man's heart. It will be impossible for anyone one to understand and appreciate matters that relate to God without the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said; “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:4-6)

Over 2000 years ago, disciples of Jesus Christ were given the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23 and Acts 2:1-4). As longs as they were connected to the source of power, real ministry took place.

During this time of year when the Church celebrates Pentecost (The Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after His Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter), it is a good time to ask yourself if you, too, have been “plugged in” to the source of power, or are you still “pulling the cord; but with no success”.

Today, today you, too, can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by simply asking. Jesus said; “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Read Luke 11:10-13).

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:8-11)

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

If Love is All we've Got

2011-06-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

For the love of my life... June 6, 2011

HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY KATIE!

A song for her.....