Time Well Spent

Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should. (Psalm 90:12 TLB).

I was visiting with a friend recently. We were talking about how quick time flys. To us, it seemed like just yesterday that our kids were babies. We could remember our wedding day like it was just recent. I am sure you would agree--life is clicking by very, very quickly.

God told us that it would be this way--didn't He? I believe His purpose in telling us to "number our days" is to impress on us to do the things that last. So, what lasts? I think it is those things that show love to God and to those around us. Jesus stated, "[l]ove your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: '[l]ove your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV).

I challenge you to think a bit about your day. Are you just doing things or are you doing those things that truly shows your love to God and to others in your circle? I know there are "things that just have to be done" in your day. But, where is your heart? Is it focused upon His glory or upon your own self (ish) interests? Even the most mundane of daily tasks that you do through His strength shows your love for Him and others.

Appreciate each moment of your day. Allow Him to truly live His abundant life through yours. Enjoy loving Him and those He has in your life.

I wish each of you a joyous and peaceful New Year.

Stay Strong,

Dave

Energized by His Plan

This time of year can tend to add pressure to your schedule. Christmas events such as your kids' Christmas programs or "Holiday" parties are good examples. Add to these, the urgency to finish your shopping, wrap the gifts, bake your family's favorites treats, prepare and send the Christmas cards, and you name what else--and your schedule seems to be a bit fuller this year than what you remember in the past. Please, do not get me wrong--these are all wonderful things per se. But, are they taking your focus off of the true meaning of this time of celebration.

For me and my family, the true meaning is Christ's birth. Don't get me wrong--we do all sorts of the items noted above. But, my hope and my prayer is that we consciously are focused on not the stuff, but the person at the heart of all that we do.

At times, God, in His amazing, loving way, re-focuses your attention upon what He wants. Yesterday, my schedule was full. And, I had full intentions of trying to add just a bit more as my day went along. Needless to say, I added a bit of self-imposed pressure to "get things done." But, God had other plans. A large weather system of freezing fog and snow has come through our beautiful area. So, guess what I got done? Not much, and that is ok. I got home on-time to have a wonderful dinner with my family and to enjoy a wonderful night with them. Isn't it amazing how peaceful a change in plans can be!

So, this time of year take some time to just step back and enjoy the plan that God has for you! Be open to His leading, enjoy just being in His presence--allow Him to energize you by His plan. He loves you--just rest in Him.

Merry Christmas.

Dave

How Much is Enough

"For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith--and this
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can
boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

Recently, I was reading the label on a container of orange juice. On it, the bottler noted that one 8 ounce glass contained enough Vitamin C to meet the "recommended daily allowance" of this particular vitamin. (I felt like I was catching a cold, so I felt I should drink some orange juice.) So, I thought, "[w]ow, that is easy, just one glass at breakfast and that is all I need all day."

As Christians, sometimes, we wish the things we perceive we "have to do" were that easy. Questions such as:

• How long should I read my bible each day?


• How often should I go to church?


• How many people should I witness to each week?

The list could go on and on. Don't get me wrong--these are good things. But, Christ's death on the cross freed us from the bondage of "have to's" and "shoulds". Our relationship with Him is not contingent upon what we do; instead, it is His gift to us called grace.

To me, that is freeing. It frees me to spend time in His word, to go to His church, and to witness to His people--not because I have to, but because I want to. There is a huge difference. Think about it--wouldn't you rather spend time with somebody because that person wants to spend time with you, not because they have to. God is no different. He wants our hearts engaged with His. But, He does not force it. It is an act of our free will through faith in Him.

So, what "should" you do? Let your loving God guide you throughout your day and allow your love for Him to place in your heart and mind a desire to walk with Him. I think you will be truly amazed at what that may look like. Enjoy your time with Him.

Father, I do desire to not focus on what I perceive are the "have
to's" and "shoulds" of having a moment by moment relationship with you.
Instead, Father, please put in me a desire to spend time with you
throughout my day because I want to. I want to know you
more. I want just spend time worshipping you, not just on
Sunday, but throughout each day. Father, thank you for living your life
through mine. Amen!

Stay Strong.

Dave

God's Timing

"God has given them a desire to know the future. He does
everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NCV).

Solomon, the author God inspired to write the book of Ecclesiastes, notes that God has an absolute plan and a purpose for all He does. Though we do not always understand (or agree), God's plans are always "just right and on time."

When those plans suit us, we have no problem declaring God's love and His absolute sovereignty. But, how about those times when His plans are painful or not so timely? Maybe it is an "unplanned" sickness or a job loss or a _______ (you fill in the blank). How quick do we start to question God's plan?

As a believer, our life is not always easy. Even with God as our very life, our experience in this world is, at times, painful and frustrating. Think about Joseph. Not the Joseph in the New Testament, but Joseph the son of Jacob in the Old Testament, beginning in Genesis 37.

Throughout Joseph's life, he maintained a deep understanding that, regardless of the circumstances, God is good and does good. God's plans are perfect and his timing is impeccable. All things happened at just the right moment.

At just the right moment, his brother's despised him.

At just the right moment, they threw him in a pit.

At just the right moment, a caravan came by.

At just the right moment, Joseph was sold into slavery.

At just the right moment, Potiphar's wife came to him.

At just the right moment, she accused him of inappropriate sexual advances.

At just the right moment, he was thrown into prison.

At just the right moment, he was given watch over the other prisoners.

At just the right moment, Joseph was brought in front of Pharaoh.

At just the right moment, he was put in charge of whole land of Egypt.

At just the right moment, his brothers came to him to buy grain.

At just the right moment, Joseph was united with his family.

Satan would like nothing more than for us to start to question God's timing. He tries to deceive us into thinking that God has forgotten about us. But we can take comfort in the fact that we never leave His presence. The circumstances around us may be painful, but we can also know that God is working all things for our good. (Romans 8:28).

Trusting God gives us peace. It certainly gave Joseph peace. He maintained his focus and trust on the One who is completely trustworthy, regardless of the challenges he faced. Everything God does or allows to happen is "just right and on time."

Stay Strong.

Praising God Even in the "Bad" Times

At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:20 AMP).

"Life is not always that good." These were words angrily spoken to me by a former neighbor. We were deep in a discussion on the challenges that we all sometimes face. I had tried to encourage him that the frustrations that he currently faced were not insurmountable. But, I think I frustrated him with my "glass half full" perspective on life. After this discussion, I believe we simply accepted each other for who God has created each of us to be.

When times are challenging, when life is not going that well, do you still believe that God is praiseworthy? Your answer to that question will speak a great deal as to your level of trust in Him. God promises us that we will experience trials and tough times in our life. And, in the midst of these times, God further promises us that He will never leave us. When we are walking through the valley, and we feel deserted and alone--the truth of the matter is--our feelings are lying to us--we are not alone.

Isn't that a comfort knowing that He is always with us! On top of this, He always has our good in mind. (Romans 8:28). I believe His peace comes from knowing that I am never alone and that He always has my good in mind--even in those situations that I perceive as bad. This peace gives me boldness to know that whatever comes my way today--the good, the bad, or the unbelievably bad--I can handle it. Because it is not me handling it--it's US--Jesus and me. That peace allows me to be thankful in all situations.

Let me close with this question--are you seeing the good that God intends in those situations that you perceive as bad? Seeing the good in all situations gives us a thankful heart ready to praise Him always.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I hope that you will see the good that God intends in your life.

I wish each of you a blessed time for giving thanks.

Stay Strong.

How are You Doing with Humbleness?

But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes
the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6 NIV).

Your answer to the challenge question in the title may indicate a great deal about your attitude towards humbleness. Throughout Scripture, God continually encourages us to "be humble", and to "have a humble heart". And for those who are not humble, He promises to bring humility into their lives--at times, with some painful reminders. God loves a humble heart. But let's just cut to the chase--you may try to achieve humbleness on your own, but YOU cannot do it.

If you have placed your trust in the saving blood of Christ, you have His indwelling spirit. Jesus Christ lives inside of you. And what does He say of Himself--"I am gentle and humble in heart." So, guess what--you possess those same characteristics. All that Christ is lives inside of you. You and He are one. So, why don't I always allow those characteristics to show in my behavior?

Because they are completely contrary to the way I was before trusting Christ. By my old nature, I wanted things my way; I wanted to show people that I was in control; and I wanted people to pay attention to me. But now, my old nature is gone--it has been crucified. It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives inside of me. (Galatians 2:20). Those old ways of doing things no longer have control over me. Now, it is Christ's life and all that He is that has taken over.

So, when I exhibit those old habits--it is completely contrary to who (and whose) I now am. When I am proud and self-focused, I am living a lie. When I am focused on drawing attention to myself, I am believing something that is just not true.

God does give His grace to those that are humble. But, His opposition falls in the way of those who lift up themselves. Personally, I prefer His grace. How about you?

How Much is Too Much?

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT).

Many times, I have heard people say, "God will never give us more that we can handle." This is usually said in an attempt to comfort one who is wading through deep waters. I am sure the comforter's intentions are completely pure. And, at times, these words are comforting. But, I think the words can have an even deeper comfort when we understand God's plan for us-especially when the waves of life come crashing in.

We serve a loving, amazingly awesome God. Not only has he provided a means of spending eternity in His presence, but also, today, offers those who have placed their faith in Him the promise of an abundant life. (John 10:10). This abundant life does not mean a life without challenges. And some of these challenges are extremely painful. I think of the mother and father experiencing the untimely death of young child; or the rejection felt by an unsuspecting spouse dealt by a soon to be ex-husband or wife. My heart absolutely bleeds in these unfortunate times. And, today, it seems they happen all to often.

Sometimes, God does give me more than we can handle in our own strength. His purpose, I believe, is to bring us to end of our self. A place where we no longer rely upon our own means to "get through." In that spot, He takes over. His life, being lived out through ours, means we can do all things--not on our own, but by relying upon Him. It means we have a hope. A hope we so desperately need.

We can place our trust that God is not surprised or caught off guard with what is going on. Please know when you go through tough, tough times you have never ever left His presence. He has not forgotten about you. His plan, though we don't understand it, is designed to draw us closer to Him so we can experience His love in a much deeper way. Please rest in that.

Father, we know full well that we never leave your amazing presence. Though there are times we feel apart from you, please allow us to know that our feelings, at times, deceive us. We know your words says that you will never leave us or forsake us. Allow us to rest in that truth. There will be times in our life when the waves come crashing that are especially painful. In these times, we know that you are working for our good. We trust you. We love you. Thank you for the hope and peace that can only come from you. Amen!

Stay Strong,

Dave

The Little Things Do Matter

With the Lord's authority let me say this: live no longer as the
ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed.

But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about
Christ. Since you have heard all about Him and have learned the truth that
is in Jesus, throw off you old evil nature and your former way of life, which is
rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there
must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must
display a new nature because you are a new person, created in
God's likeness--righteous, holy, and true. (Ephesians 4:17-24)(emphasis
mine).

In this passage, Paul, the writer of Ephesians, lays out the difference between our old self and the new person we are after placing our faith in Christ. By the world's view, this new person is really quite uncommon today. Webster's dictionary defines the word uncommon as unusual; or not ordinarily encountered.

Prior to placing my trust in Christ, if someone were to describe me as uncommon, I would have been a bit offended. I would have thought, I want to be just like every one else--I want to just blend in. After all, I was not that different.

Now, to be called uncommon, is a compliment. As a believer, we are called to be different. After all, we do have the living Christ living inside of us. And because of His presence, we are no longer the same--in fact, God's truth declares that "we are a new creation." (2 Corinthians 5:17). As a new creation, God empowers and strengthens us to live by and in His truth in all of the things we do and say. Living this way is the way God designed us to live. In this, we have His peace and joy. It is all His gift of the abundant life.

And as an added bonus to this gift, He does not just leave us to fumble around to "live out" our life as a new creation. He does not leave us to fend for our self. God declares that "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). That is--"all things"--big things and little things. Rest in this truth! Allow it to permeate deep inside of you--allow it to transform all of your thinking and all of your actions.

Enjoy living in Him and with Him in you.

The Wind

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8).

Wind--you can hear it. Many times, we can see what it is doing or the effect it has on something. But, we have no idea where it starts or where it ends. We can talk about low pressure systems or high pressure systems. I think it is ok that we do not really understand much about the wind.

This passage explains how the actual spirit of God functions in the life of one that has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. The Holy Spirit, among other things, guides us, strengthens us, motivates us, convicts us, transforms us, and empowers us. Like the wind, we do not know where all of this comes from. But, we do see its effect. His power living inside of a believer is something to behold. Some examples include: the little whisper to reach out to a friend who really needed to talk at the moment you called; the small nudge to enter a moment of absolute worship; and the power to accomplish a task that is way beyond you.

There is a power inside of you--it is the actual spirit of the living Creator of this universe. Are you listening for the little whisper? Are you cognizant of that small nudge? It's there--it is so there--unmistakable, but still unexplainable. That power that allows us to do wonderful things. Does this power have you? I mean all of you. Every moment of every aspect of your day--does it have you? Our amazing God wants all of you. And in return, He promises to give all of Himself to you. What a promise?

Next time you hear the wind--think about how it touches everything around you--feel it on your face. And so, is the spirit of God.

"Father God, I want your filling Spirit to take over all of my
life. I surrender to you--I am dependent upon you. Empower me
through your Spirit that resides inside of me to listen to you and to always be
cognizant of your amazing presence in my life. I am all yours.
Guide me--use me--strengthen me."

Stay Strong.

We Just Played

And He said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew
18:3 NIV).

Our youngest child, Noah, started kindergarten this week. This has been a huge step in our life. A lot of time and preparation has brought us to this point--all the encouragement, the new school supplies packed neatly in his new back pack, the pictures at the school sign, and the nervous steps into his classroom. As I left to drive to work, an anxious feeling comes over me. I hope he will be alright. That morning, I thought about him a lot--what was he learning, how was he growing, what was he experiencing?

A couple of hours after we dropped him off, his first day was over. Later that day, I excitedly asked him "what did you do on your first day." His response was very matter of fact. He said, "[w]e just played." My first thought was c'mon, what do you mean, you just played. After all, it is kindergarten. What could that teacher be thinking. Let's get rolling with things--all kids have a lot to learn. Before I made an audible response, I believe the Holy Spirit grabbed my tongue.

Soon, I realized, after all, IT IS kindergarten. And, you play in kindergarten. That is what they do. Thinking about this for a bit, I realized how much I can learn from this.

Having an attitude that mirrors that of a child playing may be one of the most spiritual attitudes a Christian could have. Think about it--the child enjoys the moment. At that time, they are not worried about the future. They are not worried about their finances. Thoughts of challenges at work do not enter their mind. The weight of the world is nowhere to be found.

Children just play. And, they trust. Trusting in the fact that all he needs will be provided to him. Moment by moment, they are enjoying the moment they are in. God loves this attitude. He has given you and I the privilege to live as a child--His child. As His child, know that He has all the details already prepared and they are being worked out for your good and His glory.

Joyfully embrace each moment of your day with the knowledge that He wants to release you from the bondage many associate with life. He loves you and is waiting to just thrill you with that love.

Who Am I to Judge?

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you
have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you
are condemning yourself, for you who judge other do these very same
things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does
such things. Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God
is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? (Romans 2:1-2;4
NLT).

Over dinner this week, our family had a discussion on a sensitive topic that has recently made national headlines. After laying out some of the specifics, I challenged our kids with the words, "so, what do you think?". Instantly, our 12 year old daughter, Shelby, responded with, "I don't see how we can judge them for that. It is not our place to judge." In one respect, her response startled me and in another respect, it encouraged me.

First, I was surprised by the passion in her position. The tone of her voice and her demeanor indicated that she was completely committed to this position. Second, I was encouraged that she had some very specific thoughts to why she held the position that she did. Thank you, Shelby, for your heart and for your thoughts.

As I thought about her response, the realization that God has not delegated to us the power to judge became very apparent. Judging is His job--not ours. After all, doesn't He know so much more about the specifics of a particular situation than we could ever know. Think about it--how many times do we jump to a particular conclusion without knowing all the facts. And with only a portion of the facts, how can we believe we know enough to form an opinion on the matter. Still, I admit, I am prone to form my own judgement without knowing all I need to know.

In the verses above, Paul, the author who penned God's wisdom into the book of the Bible referred to as Romans, reminds us that we are not to judge. He goes on to say that God's patience, tolerance, and kindness towards us should encourage us to treat others in a similar way.

So, when we come across something in our life that raises those judgemental thoughts, what are we to do? I encourage you to trust. Trust Him who knows so much more than you do. Trust Him who is in actually in control. Trust Him who knows that this situation may trip you up. Trusting Him is easier to say than it is to do. Give God a shot. He not only tells us not to judge, but also empowers us to live it out moment by moment in our life if we truly allow Him to live His life through ours.

Can I Do This?

But if the slave plainly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my
children; I will not go out as a free man," then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently. (Exodus 21:5-6).

The slave in this passage, after his ear was pierced, was commonly referred to as a bondservant. The slave's decision to "go under the awl" was a voluntary one and greatly influenced by the type of person the master was. His life proclaimed his passionate love for his master. His life, and now his piercing, left no doubt about his undivided and intense loyalty.

Have you exhibited a similar loyalty to your Master? No, I am not asking have you placed your ear against a doorpost. But, simply this, would people around you, those who you have consistent contact with, be surprised if you outwardly revealed that you are a Chrisitian? They shouldn't be surprised. Hopefully, it is evident in who God is creating you to be.

I encourage you to be bold in your loyalty to your Master. Allow Him to permeate all areas of your life. He desires all of you. You may ask, "[c]an I do this? There are areas of my life that I want to keep to myself." My answer--He knows already who you are and all that there is about you. Why not allow Him to take complete control of all aspects of your life! You follow a loving, compassionate, caring Master who truly has your best interests at heart. Give Him your loyalty.

Really, You are Not On an Island!

"Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your
sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground,
you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, you'd find me in a minute--you're already there waiting! Then I said to myself, 'Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I am immersed in the light!' It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you." (Psalm 139:7-12 Msg.).

The psalmist, through Gods revealed intent, makes it clear that we are never out of God's sight. Wherever we go, we cannot avoid His Spirit--whether it be "day" or "night".

Right now, at this very moment, wherever you are, whatever you are doing or thinking, God is right there with you. Is that a comforting thought? To me, it is. I know that whatever happens in my day, I am not walking the path alone. He is with me every step. In fact, Scripture makes it clear that, if I step aside, God lives through me throughout my day. As a good friend has said many times, "I am the glove--He is the hand inside."

But, how many times in your life have you felt as if you were on an island all by yourself? (Granted, in the short term, that concept my seem attractive given the stress and busyness that comes our way some days.) Sometimes, you feel that lonely feeling that you are facing life on this Earth all by your self. This feeling is a deception. The truth of the matter is that God is with you every step of the way. He promises "to never leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:8).

What great comfort that promise is! Whatever you are going through today--whether it is good or not so good--place your trust in the truth. The truth is--He is with you. And, He is completely trustworthy.

Thank you, Father, for your amazing promise that you will never
leave me alone. Whatever comes my way today, you know full well what your
plans are for me and that in all things you are drawing me closer to
you. I am content to be the glove. In your Son's
precious and glorious name, Amen!

Stay Strong.

A True Friend

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17 NASB).

I want to encourage you today to think about your friendships. Not just the people you know or have a casual acquaintance with, but those people that you share a deep connection and understanding with. Who are these people? And how did you get to this point in your friendship with them?

As Solomon notes in Proverbs, many times friendships grow deeper when confronted with some type of adversity or testing. Think about it--if a friendship has never been tested, how do you know it would survive that tough time? Please understand, I am not encouraging you to go out and purposely test all your friendships. After all, aren't there enough challenges in this world we live in without artificially creating more?

What I am saying is know full well that in the midst of adversity, God can use all things for good. (Romans 8:28). Maybe one of those good things is that your friendships will grow stronger and deeper. Speaking from my and my wife's experience after the ATV accident, the bonds between us and many of our friends were stretched and in that process made much, much stronger. We were extremely blessed by these friends. They knew just when to show up and what to do when we needed them the most. It was truly amazing to see God work in this regard and we are extremely grateful for and love each one.

Friendships don't just happen. They take time and effort. They start by opening yourself to others. Allow them into your life and to maybe see you when you are not at your best. That is what "sharing life" is all about--the good times and those not so good. Now is the time to pour your heart into others--not just to look ahead into the future, but to also make a difference in some one's life today.

Give thanks to God for the friends he has brought into your life. And if you don't have many friends, ask Him to bless your life with a few more.

Stay Strong.

The Lure of the Hook

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15).

I had the opportunity last week to take my 9 year old son walleye fishing. We traveled the day prior to our planned fishing outing to Lake Oahe in central South Dakota. We were both eagerly anticipating getting out on the lake to try our hand at catching our limit. As things went, our limit was a long way off--in fact, we were each 4 fish shy of catching our limit of 4 fish.

Really, it was not about the fishing so much as it was getting away--just he and I for some one-on-one time. But, it sure would have been nice if we would have caught some fish.

After reflecting a bit on the trip, I began to think about the "lure of the hook." When fishing, a fish generally nips at a baited hook several times before aggressively attacking it. They must sense the surprise under the bait. But still, the fish keep coming back for more.

If they know that danger is so close, why do they keep going for the bait? I think it is because the lure is too delectable and it distorts their ability to think long-term (assuming fish can think long-term).

Isn't this kind of how we approach sin? Sin is a trap yet so often we continue to nibble on the bait thinking we won't get caught. Fish can't enjoy all the bait and avoid the hook. We are foolish to think we can mess with temptation and disobedience without the possibility of getting caught.

Are there certain things that lure you in? You know the danger, but still you go for the bait. God knows you have this weakness. And He is waiting for you to turn to Him with a surrendered heart that says, "I can't fight this on my own, but I know you can." Give it to God who can strengthen you to rely on Him to withstand the temptation and the deception of the lure. You don't have to fight the battle alone.

Stay Strong.

Commitment to Press On

My amazing 12-year old daughter, Shelby, has followed the TV show Jon and Kate Plus 8 since its inception. Our DVR is full of old episodes. For those of you that are not familiar with this show, it documents the day to day highlights and struggles of a family with two sets of multiple births--a set of twins, and a set of sextuplets. They have opened their lives like few people would want to.

Recently, she has been praying for the parents, Jon and Kate. Shelby's heart has been truly heavy since she heard that they were experiencing trials in their marriage. Now this week, they announced, on the show, that they are separating. Shelby was visibly upset about this. As a dad, I tried to console and comfort her. I hurt for her.

Daily, we hear of marriages that are falling or have fallen apart. But, it was truly sad to see such direct evidence of a marriage that is crumbling. I asked myself--why is it so easy today to just give up on a marriage. Why have we lost the desire to stand by the vows that were spoken at some earlier, happier point?

Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that marriage still matters. It is not something that you just through out when times get challenging. It is a commitment made to each other and before God that many find so easy to break. I ask you to not run from it. It is worth a fight to keep this commitment.

I love my wife. Next to my relationship with Jesus Christ, she is my priority. But, do we have challenging valleys in our marriage?--Yes, we do. We have found these challenging times make the sweet times that much sweeter. She is my best friend. The one I want to spend times with.

But, it does take work. Not our work, but the work of the Holy Spirit to guide our steps, our words, and our outlook. Our job is to allow Him to have center stage. And, really isn't that the spot reserved for God? How many times do we want center stage? But, that is not our spot! God cares deeply about your marriage. Why not give Him a shot to make your marriage what He intended it to be. What do you have to lose?

Your marriage is worth it. It is worth fighting for.

The Challenge of Credibility

How are you at keeping your word? Today, the man who truly keeps his word is rare. Failure to keep one's word puts a definite (and potentially permanent) strain on your capability of being believed or trusted. This capability is the true definition of credibility. When you make a promise to your wife, does she have to worry whether you will follow through? Do your kids trust you when you say you will meet them at such and such a time? When you reply to concern of someone with, "Yes, I'll pray for you"--do you? When you obligate yourself to pay a debt on time--do you? No one's perfect--but your consistent failure in this regard, puts a tarnish on your credibility.

God's guidance through the written word of Paul provides that "each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor." (Ephesians 4:25 NIV). Let me ask you this--what long-term gain do you see by not keeping your word. Maybe it will be less painful for you right now, but at what expense? And really, it's not all about you, is it?

So, when you mess up, what do you do? I encourage you to admit your failure to the person you promised something to and refuse to rationalize it away. You will be amazed at what you will gain by this.

Stay Strong.

The Sin of Pride

Think of the sin of all sins--it is the sin of pride. It was this sin that first transformed Lucifer into the father of lies, the deceiver, and for whom hell itself was created. This sin also tripped up Eve. And, who do you think it was that engineered Eve's deception? It was the devil.

Pride is the devil's number 1 means of bringing us down. "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh,the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:16). Pride has a way of sneaking into our life and crippling us. So, how do you know if pride is sneaking into your life? The first step is to always look at your motives. Ask yourself questions like, "why am I doing this"; and "who am I trying to impress". If your true and heartfelt answers revolve around personal motivations, then you may be suffering under the sin of pride.

Please know you do not have to stay under this suffering. God offers a way out. To find this way, you have to believe in the truth of who and whose you are. Remember--He lives in you. You and He are one. God is working in each of us, teaching us to allow Him to meet life for us as He lives through us.

I encourage you to set aside your own agenda and allow God full reign in your life to live out His agenda through you. His peace, which is beyond our undertanding, will overtake your desire to focus on yourself. This is the beginning of living a life relying not upon your self-effort but upon His grace.

Praise You in This Storm

All dads want to be praised and respected by his child(ren). I try to make it easy for our kids to praise me. But there are times when I have to just say no--and most children don't like to hear no. In those times, it is tougher for them to give me their praise and respect.

In my relation with my heavenly Father, I realize I am a lot like that. It is easier for me to praise God when things are going "my"way. But try this one: what dad would not really appreciate it if his kids still praised, loved, and respected him even when given the "no" answer. Such praise is not based upon whether the child gets "his" way. This is the type of praise that our Abba Father wants from us.

This is called a "sacrifice of praise." Hebrews 13:15 says, "[t]hrough Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." (emphasis mine). This sacrifice of praise illustrates our true desire to praise God in all circumstances.

No doubt, it is easy to praise Him when things are well within your life--you have a loving family, you have a comfortable home, you have a job. But, what happens if those things are taken away from you like they were for Job. Do you truly believe that God always acts for your best good?

By praising Him in and for all of your circumstances, you open up your mind for God's alternatives: (1) God could change the circumstance; or (2) He could give you so much grace that you'll actually have the strength to get through the challenging spot.

I know through all of this that God completely, unequivocally, and unconditionally loves you.

Stay Strong.

Today's "To-Do" List

Generally, I am a "to-do" list type of person. I like to lay out and plan my day to prepare for what's ahead. Sometimes, I get frustrated when the schedule of my day gets turned upside down. I bet many of you can relate to this frustration.

But, let's think about this for a bit--what are we really trying to accomplish each and every day. Is it really about our agenda? If it is just about what YOU want to accomplish each day, I need to share with you a few words of caution. Be prepared for frustration.

Think about this--instead of MY agenda and what I want to accomplish--what if I considered each day an opportunity for me to allow Christ to manifest or live Himself through me. Isn't there freedom in this mindset? Under His guidance and control, we are freed from the burden of "thinking we are in control." And when the interruptions or burdens happen in our day, we can approach them with the confidence that we do not have to figure out what to do. We are continually seeking God's wisdom throughout our day. Really, isn't that where He wants us--dependent upon Him moment by moment.

Jesus, I do love you. Thank you that it is not about me--but that it is all about you. Father, please help me to set aside my desire to control things. I do want to just give up that desire to you. I want to step aside and allow you to just live your amazing life through me. I cannot do this in my own strength. And thank you that you do not leave me to fend in my own strength, but that I can rely truly upon Yours. Amen.

Stay Strong.

The Key to Great Wealth

Did that title catch your attention? I promise I am not offering secrets here to secure your financial future. Instead, I want to encourage you that the wealth that God offers is so much greater and more fulfilling than anything that we can "gather" on this earth.

The apostle Paul, in his encouragment to his spiritual son, Timothy, offers the following: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." (1 Timothy 6:6-7 NIV). Think about it, as a baby, we bring nothing with us into this world besides an umbilical cord--and that soon gets cut. And then, at your funeral, you don't take anything with you. Unfortunately, it is between these two points that we get focused on the stuff of life. At times, many of us get consumed with our circumstances and our stuff. The bible teaches us that we should learn to be content.

So, what is contentment? Contentment means my happiness in not dependent upon circumstances or the accumulation of stuff. Let me ask you this--do you ever find yourself getting caught up in "when" thinking? "When I graduate . . . when I get a new job . . . when I have a child . . . when the kids are out of the house . . . when I retire . . . then I'll be happy." As you are going through life and have met some (or all) of these particular "milestones", did they generate long-term happiness? I would guess they probably did not.

To be happy, I encourage you to allow God to teach you to be content. You know that God has provided for and will continue to provide for all of your needs. Just enjoy that state He has you in--and know that He has you there for His purpose. Enjoy Him.

Stay Strong.

Go and Do the Same

Recently, our local newspaper ran a story on a mother who was coming to Rapid City to speak at a rally for alternative lifestyles. This mother's son had been murdered while away at college. The story told that the son had been murdered because he was a homosexual.

The online version of this article contains a number of reader-submitted comments. Many of these comments condemn this lifestyle and demean this mom for having a son that engaged in this type of lifestyle. And I am sory to say that many of these comments came from people who claimed to follow Christ. Other comments on this article condemned Christians for being intolerant. Reading these comments opened my eyes a bit to the type of hatred that exists in our world. And at times, this hatred is directed towards Chrisitians. I realize sometimes we bring a bit of this hatred on ourselves.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I do not agree with this type of lifestyle. But, is it my place to judge and condemn another person for the choices that they make? Please don't get me wrong--I am no condoning sinful behavior. And I do that these choices are wrong and may have consequences. It is one thing to disagree with a lifestyle choice, it is quite another thing to condemn the person making that choice.

Committed Christians always try to put into action God's command to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus told His famous parable of the Good Samaritan to make it clear that "love your neighbor" means to love all persons, everywhere - not just our friends, and those we agree with.

One day an expert on Moses' laws came to test Jesus' orthodoxy by asking him this question: "Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?" Jesus replied, "What does Moses' law say about it?" "It says," he replied, "that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself." "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you shall live!" The man wanted to justify (his lack of love for some kinds of people), so he asked, "Which neighbors?" Jesus replied with an illustration: "A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road. "By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on. "But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, 'I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.' "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits' victim?" The man replied, "The one who showed him some pity." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." (Luke 10:25-37)(emphasis mine).

Can we really "go and do the same"? In our own strength, I do not see how we can. But we are not living in our own strength. We can do all things through the amazing strength of Jesus. (Phillipians 4:13). Though we may not agree with a person's choice, through His amazing strength, we can still love that person. I encourage you to allow Him to equip and prepare you to "go and do the same."

Ordinary People, doing Extraordinary Things

Often, God works through ordinary people who are available and have submitted their lives to Him. He takes the common work that we do and transforms it into something extraordinary. In our daily walk, you never know when God will use you to bring glory to Himself.

Let me challenge you with this question--in your life, where do you desire the spotlight to be focused? On the surface, for most of us, the answer is an easy one. We say, of course, on someone else other than me--God, others, etc. But when we truly tested and a choice needs to be made (that maybe no one else will know about), does our selfish, fleshly nature raise its ugly head. For me, it can.

But then I try to remember, whose I am. He has created me to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Works that He intended to bring glory to Himself, not me. That certainly does not mean I am worthless to God. It simply means that it is not about me. And that is truly freeing. None of us are the most important piece of God's puzzle, but each of us is significant and are necessary to what God wants to accomplish through each of our lives.

Power Under Control

As I open God's word and allow the truth to sink deep into my heart and mind, I pray that I am a different person--a person who continually desires to grow closer in my personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. And I pray that He changes and refreshes you also with His amazing truth. I encourage you to take the time every day to spend quiet time with God.

Today, I am taking a look at a portion of Jesus' wonderful sermon called the Sermon on the Mount. In this message, among many other things, He notes "[b]lessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5 NIV). What is your concept of the word meek? On the surface, when I think about this word, images of a cowering mouse in the corner come to my mind. I compare meekness with cowardice. But after digging into the true meaning here, my thoughts are far, far from accurate.

The Greek translation of the word is "power under control." Many times, in the culture of the time, it was used to describe a war stallion that is under the control of its owner. Did you hear that--a war stallion! A war stallion out of control kills and destroys. But one under control is an amazing tool of its owner to serve the owner's purpose. It denotes a servant's humble attitude, which is a focus on God-first, rather than me-first.

A focus on God-first characterizes people in His kingdom. They are not in this life for themselves. They are not running around seeking their own good, but are instead looking for the opportunity to further His kingdom. This focus casts aside selfishness, and strives for selflessness.

So, how does this look in your life? Meekness is not lying down like a doormat to be walked upon. It is knowing whose you are and being comfortable with the fact that it is not about you, but about Him. What you do is rest in Him, and commit your way to Him. And allow Him to do the rest. Sound to simple? Remember, we don't have to make our walk with Him so complicated. Allow Him to live through you--experience His amazing strength.

Stay Strong.

A Taste of God's Love

The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, talks about love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV). This is the scripture of choice at many weddings, including mine--which was nearly 16 years ago. What an awesome day! But I still remember thinking, "how can I do this, how can I love like these verses describe?"

Guess what--I can't. And neither can you. In our own strength, it is impossible to love like this. And that is exactly where God wants us--realizing that we cannot do it. So, rather than relying upon our own strength to love like this, we allow Him to do it through us. I cannot love my wife like this unless I am allowing God to love Wendy through me. Likewise, I cannot love my kids this way, unless I have stepped aside and allow God to use me as a tool of His love for them.

I thank God daily that I do not have to function in my own strength. Because I know what I am capable of in my own strength--NOTHING. I know apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5(b)NIV). But I also know, that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philppians 4:13 NIV).

If you have truly placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you have within you the Holy Spirit. In fact, scripture describes our bodies as the "temple of the Holy Spirit". (1 Corinthians 6: 19 NIV). The Holy Spirit guides us, strengthens us, teaches us, equips us, and empowers us not to live for ourselves, but to live our lives for Him and for His glory.

The love Paul describes above is the type of love that God has for us and is the kind of love that He desires we show to each other. Since God desires we show such love, don't you think that He has prepared and equipped us to love that way.

Stay Strong.

Doing the Impossible

I hope each of you had a joyous and restful Easter. This time of year is a wonderful time of renewal and newness of life all around. Take some time just to enjoy all that God is doing around you.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the challenges that you are facing? Do the deadlines, uncertainties, and frustrations, at times, seem to encompass all of your thoughts? If so, you are not alone. We do face trials--we do face tough times. But, please know we are not walking this path alone.

Not surprisingly, Jesus addressed challenges in His word. In Mark 3, Jesus again entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. He asked the man to step forward and to "stretch out his hand." The man may have been thinking "stretch out my hand, what do you mean. I can't do that--I've never been able to do that. My hand doesn't work." But look at what the man does in v. 5, "he stretched it out." And immediately, Jesus healed him. As this man put forth the effort, God then did the rest.

Faith disregards impossibilities. This man placed his faith in the fact that God can do the impossible. What seems impossible to man is completely possible with God. (Luke 18:27 NIV). Do you believe that God can heal your "withered hand"? Please know, He can.

Place your trust in the fact that He has a plan for all the challenges we face. When we place our cares in His hands, we open the door for a peace which defies understanding to take the place of fear and frustration. Are you willing to give up the fear and frustration for that kind of peace?

Stay Strong.

An Easter You Will Never Forget

Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. And because of this, you and I live fully alive also. Not just with our eyes open and with air in our lunds, but also with a heart and soul that are full of Him. Jesus came not just to give us life, but to give it to each of us to the full. (John 10:10 NIV).

Some of you do not know the power of the risen Christ. You have never knelt at the foot of the cross and had all of your sins forgiven. On that first Good Friday, Jesus Christ willingly died on the cross taking your place. He took the judgment that was yours and made it His. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). On the third day (what we celebrate as "Easter"), Jesus was raised from the dead. That fact is a guarantee that the work of Christ as your substitute on the cross was acceptable to God.

So, what does this mean to me you may ask. This means that from this point forward, your life may never be the same again. You life can be one of joy, love, self-control, and a peace which cannot be explained. To receive this--all you need to do is believe and accept. Nothing else. Believe that the work of Christ on the cross removed the barrier of sin from your life. And accept His unconditional love and forgiveness. When you do this, God says that He will clothe you in His righteousness. Everyone, no matter where you have been or what you have done, can know the power of the resurrected Christ. If you will put your trust in Him by faith, Jesus Christ will go with you through the disappointments, the tragedies and the trials. He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

What a glorious thing it would be this Easter to give your life to Christ. He is waiting to let the resurrected Christ come to dwell in your heart and give you His power to meet the challenges and the problems of your day! Today, many people are confused, lonely, and discouraged. Their "gods" have let them down. Give your life to Christ--who will never let you down. Give Him a chance--let Him transform your life. Will you give Him that chance today?

Stay Strong.

God's Amazing Love

Easter is my favorite time of year. It is a time of freshness and renewal. Spring is here. And soon all that has been dormant through the winter will come back to life.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, Easter is also a time of spiritual renewal and freshness. For me, Easter is a time of amazing celebration of God's love. "God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8 NLT). God does not just say that He loves us--He showed it. He showed His great love without the need for us to show that we deserved it. He showed it "while we were still sinners." Isn't that amazing! We did nothing to earn it. His love is completely unconditional.

Take some time to just bask in God's amazing and unconditonal love as we celebrate Easter this weekend. Just come to Him just as you are--He loves you and completely accepts you.

I wish you and your family a wonderful Easter. I hope you find a bible-believeing church this weekend to celebrate this wonderful time of year.

Stay strong.

The Sin of Passivity

Recently, a leader in a national ministry to men proclaimed that a major challenge facing many men today is: passivity. So, what does this look like? There are many types of passivity. Here, I would like to focus on what this looks like a man's #1 ministry--at home with his wife and children.

At home, it is a man who is withdrawn, inactive, and self-centered. He is distant from his wife and children. He allows what is happening around him to just happen without any participation, guidance, or input from him. This inactivity, guys, is sin.

"The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to His church, not by domineering but by cherishing." (Ephesians 5: 23 MSG). Bibically, guys we are commanded to lead. Leadership does not just happen. It is not conveyed by bearing a title. Leaders are active participants in what and who they are leading. Leaders give--they are not takers. "Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church--a love marked by giving, not getting." (Ephesians 5: 25 MSG). Passivity denotes taking and giving little or nothing.

Passivity is a learned behavior. Numerous, and sometimes complex, reasons stand behind this (in)action. But please understand, what I am referring to here is a pattern of passivity. It is not the periodic event where we may be a bit distant. We all get tired periodically. We do have a lot on our plates. As men, sometimes we just want to be left alone. Absent a consistent pattern of this type, this attitude is not the sin I am referring to. Passivity is an ongoing, consistent disengagement from your family.

As with any learned behavior, it can be un-learned. But, you have to first recognize that passivity is not a good thing. That is not how God created you. So, allow God to take that inactivity away. Ask Him to strengthen you to re-engage. Doesn't your family deserve a husband and dad that is engaged and pro-active in leading the family relationship? I think they do.

Stay Strong.

God's Grace to the Humble

Humility is the key to successful relationships. In a world gone mad with pride, it is easy to see why so many relationships fall apart over time. Humility is tough to comprehend and even tougher to fully absorb into our lives. The apostle Peter writes, "[c]lothe yourself with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6 NIV).

Peter's words here sharply contradict the focus on self, and the attitude of what's in it for me. The extortation to be "clothed in humility" is not a simple suggestion, it is a command. Being clothed in such a way begins and ends with your attitude. Here are some comparisons to think about:

1. Do you root for the success of others, or do you cheer (even secretely) for their failure?


2. Is it ok if others are right sometimes, or do you have to prove something everytime?


3. Are you ok when plans change, or do you get frustrated that YOUR plan is now not working?

How you answered these questions may shed some light on whether you are suffereing from a prideful attitude. Pride kills relationships. When you think about it, how often do people want to truly help a prideful person? And Peter tells us that "God opposes the proud." When we allow pride to stay in our hearts, the resistance of God begins.

Humility is: thinking of others better than yourself, placing others interests before our own, not thinking to highly of YOUR accomplishments, and, most importantly, in our relationsjip with our Heavenly Father, having the attitude like Jesus, when He said, "yet not my will, but that yours be done." (Luke 22: 42 NIV).

This does not mean that to be humble you must be a doormat. Quite the contrary, in fact. Truly, it is about allowing the Holy Spirit that lives in you to truly live through you. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to rid you of instances and footholds of pride. It is about having a heart like David when he said, "[s]earch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV).

When we are truly clothed in humility, people take notice and God ends his resistance.

Stay Strong.

Keeping Your Word with Your Kids

Here's an awesome article from Jim Burns of Homeward. How many of you have just thought that you could say something to your kids--and they will just forget. Guess what--they won't forget. They will hold you to your word--as they should. How will it make you look if you do not follow through. And as the Article says, when you do miss up--confess your error and ask for their forgiveness.

Check out the article below. Stay Strong.



"Let Your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’: Keeping Your Word with Your Kids"
by Jim Burns, Ph.D.
"You promised that you would come to my game! Where were you?"
"Mom, you said you would pick me up at 9:30 – and it’s 10:30! Why do I always have to be the last one to get picked up? You’re always late!"
"Honey I had a bad day at work! I’m sorry, I know I promised, but I don’t want your friend to come over to our house tonight. Just call her and tell her that she can’t come over because I’m sick."
"Dad, what do you mean I can’t get my driver’s license? You said I could get it if I passed my biology class and I passed it!"
Do any of these comments sound familiar? Too often, parents have resorted to not keeping their word with their kids. Parents may not intentionally try to hurt their kids, but when moms and dads don’t keep their word, they cause damage to relationships and trust – sometimes creating lifelong negative consequences – in kids’ lives. Someone has said, "Things are never quite the same somehow after you have to lie to a person." While I don’t agree with the "have to lie" part of the quote, I do agree that lying damages relationships – even in parent-child relationships.
Jesus commands his followers, "Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37.) Let’s face facts – no parent is perfect. Still, as parents we are called to live our lives with integrity. Because we serve as our children’s role models for life and faith, we need to be very careful in how we live our lives before our kids.
The spirituality of your kids is very dependent on the examples they see you setting at home. Kids need your integrity! If you desire your children to have vibrant spiritual lives, then they need to see an authentic faith lived out in your life. No one expects perfection, but a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude is not likely to produce a vital Christian lifestyle in your teenager’s life either. Kids have a highly tuned "hypocrisy" detector and they are all too aware of the promises their parents have made and not kept. Your kids don’t need your perfection. They need your honesty – and if you fail, they need to see how you follow Christ despite your struggles and failures along the way – in order to display an authentic example of Christianity lived out in the real world.
So what can you do to work on making sure your ‘yes’ is ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ is ‘no’? Here are some tips:
1. Think before you promise. Ask yourself, "If I make this promise, can I keep my word?"
2. If you can’t keep your word, don’t promise. It’s much better to say, "I’m going to try my hardest to get to your game tomorrow, but I can’t promise you I’ll make it" – and not make it – than to say, "I’ll be there for sure!" and not show up.
3. Think before you act. When it comes to your behaviors around home, ask yourself, "If I say or do this, what example will that set for my child?"
4. Ask for your child’s forgiveness when you fail to keep your word. Don’t sweep your failures under the carpet. Face them head on. Apologize and ask for forgiveness.
5. Realign your priorities. If you find that you regularly can’t keep your word to your kids, it’s time to reassess and realign your priorities. Keeping your family healthy and your kids on track to grow into mature and responsible adults requires that you make decisions to be involved and connected in their lives. Your presence in your children’s lives makes an incredible difference! You may not make as much money if you leave work early every week to show up at your daughter’s soccer games, but it will be more than worth the effort in the long run!
www.HomeWord.

You are Not Your Own

Paul encourages us when he says, "[d]o you not know that you body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have received from God? You not your own; you were bought at a price." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV). This passage of scripture generally refers to sexual immorality. But, I think it can also be equally applied to other areas of our life.

As the temple which houses His Holy Spirit, God did not design you to be short with your children. God did not design you to share harsh words with your wife. God did not design you to be the employee that take shortcuts to just "get the job done." Instead, God took great care to design you to be a tool of His righteousness. He designed you to be an ambassador of His amazing grace and love to others. (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV).

But what gets in the way of how He designed us. I think it is selfishness. When things do not go our way--what is our attitude? Do we get frustrated? Do we get angry and start to force "our" way? I admit--sometimes I do. But that is not how God created me to function. And that is not how He created you to function!

He bought each of us at a great price. We are no longer our own. Allow the Holy Spirit to live through you. Allow Him to take control of your attitudes, emotions, and feelings. Paul finishes his extortion with, "[t]herefore, honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6: 20(b)NIV). How are you honoring God? But remember, it's not you doing it. Allow Him to live through you.

Stay Strong.

When God is Silent

When God is silent--we are to still worship and serve HIM. "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)(emphasis mine).

Waiting is not easy. In our wordly lifestyle, we are not always applauded for waiting. In fact, waiting generally costs us something. "Getting things done" is what society requires.

In our walk with Christ, we are to do all things as if we are doing them for the the Lord. (Colossians 3:23-24). Waiting on God does not say that we are to be lackluster and a sluggard in what we do. Instead, we are to prepare our hearts and focus our minds on aligning our will with His. We are to place our trust in God that His plan trumps ours and that He knows so much better than we do on what the future holds.

Waiting on God is an act of obedience on our part. We are saying, in essence, that it is not about my will, but that His be done.

Persisting in Love

No one should be fooled. At times, love can be exhausting. At the end of the day, you come home and think, "I've got nothing left to give, no more problems, no more needs, not today anyway."

Yesterday, was one of those days for me. After a particularly exhausting day, I came home to what appeared to be a peaceful home. We had a nice dinner, then a little down time, then onto a family devotional time with a Family 15 DVD and Discussion questions. Then the frustration began. Things did not go like I had planned. And what should have been an awesome time, turned quickly into a time of frustration. But little did I know that God was still working His plan through our time together.

When things seem to be going wrong, how can you persevere in love? Really, it a simple concept--You get refueled. Though the concept is simple, it's application is sometime tough. God's word provides, "[l]ove never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT). And He does not leave you to do this on your own (because really you cannot). His Holy Spirit, which lives inside all those who have placed their faith in Him, empowers and strenthens and guides you to love like His word provides.

So, how do we refuel? We start by grasping the concept of God's amazing love for us first. "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19 NIV). When you've had enough and can't imagine showing love to anyone else, remember that God loved you so much that He sent his Son to die for YOU. That's what keeps you going when you just want to quit.

Stay Strong.

Is Your Spiritual Battery Running Low?

As men, we have a lot coming at us everyday. Family concerns, work concerns, church concerns--you name it, and it can all take a toll on us. So, how do we stay spiritually charged up for what is to come.



We can take great comfort in the fact that Jesus, at times, had to just get away from things to pray and rest. He encourages us by His actions and word to do the same thing. His word tells us, "[t]hen, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'come with my by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" (Mark 6:31 NIV).



Do you feel overwhelmed right now? When we are at the end of our emotional rope, it is impossible to love others and engage in the minisitry that God has for each of us. God's word gives us some habits that can help us recharge our batteries:



(1) Solitude: Many of us have "so many things plugged into" our battery that it goes dead very quickly. You recharge the battery by unplugging certain things even temporarily. We do this sometimes by just getting away for a bit. It does not have to be a lengthy period. Jesus had to do this, so what makes us think that we can do without it.



(2) Play: His word says, "Jesus came enjoying life." (Matthew 11:19 PH). Jesus was very people-focused, and ministry intensive. Yet He took time to have fun. Different activities recharge people in different ways. Find out activities recharge your batteries and take some time to do them.



(3) Laughter: "Being cheerful keeps you healthy." (Proverbs 17:22 GNT). Laughter is good for your health. Take life seriously, but don't take yourself to seriously. Learn to laugh more. Read a funny book, watch a funny program on TV. God meant for us to enjoy our life. Laughter is a part of that enjoyment.



Lastly, remember that the Holy Spirit has taken up residence inside of you. You are the temple of God's Holy Spirit. Allow Him to live through you. Allow Him to recharge your batteries. He's ready, willing, and able to do so. He just wants you to come into agreement with Him.



Stay Strong.

Happiness-fleeting or lasting

Are you truly happy? If so, what is it based upon? Not to be negative, but there are not a lot of things going on in today's wordly economy to be real excited about. If your happiness is based upon your 401(k) balance or the security in your job, you may not be too happy right now.

There are two kinds of happiness. One that is based upon external circumstances and factors--when these factors and circumstances are pleasant--we are happy. But this type of happiness does not always last. What happens when these circumstances turn negative.

The other type of happiness comes from a deep spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. This type of happiness is characterized by a deep inner joy and peace that survives any circumstance. Interestingly, this happiness may even grow deeper when we experience adversity. We have the knowledge that we are not in control, but that God is. That we do not have to change things around us--that's God's job. Our job is to depend and abide in Him. Does this sound like we just give up--well, yes, it may sound like that. But we are giving up to the creater of the universe, the one who created the heavens and the earth. Don't you think that He can handle what comes your way.

He encourages us to "[d]on't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7). This means we do not have to allow the fears and the frustrations of this world to sape our happiness. We can leave them at Jesus' feet. He wants them, he does not want them to weigh us down. I encourage you to take Jesus up on his promise--really, what do you have to lose, well, maybe just a bit of worry and some frustration. I bet you probably won't miss them anyway.

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?

As men, we sometimes struggle with a consistent prayer life. There are many distractions that take our focus (and our time) from where it truly should be--on God. Prayer is a means of aligning our will with His. It's saying--"not my will, but that Yours be done."

As you go throughout your typical day, let me ask you this--is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? Let's take a brief look at this. Think about it--your steering wheel guides you down the road, it allows you to make corrections in our course, and is used to re-align things when we get out of our lane. Without a consistent focus on the steering wheel, we will quickly tend to end up where we did not intend. Even a slight variance can lead us dramatically off course. But our spare tire is something totally different. Many of us rarely even think about our spare tire. Only when an emergency arises do we begin to re-focus our attention upon the spare tire.

So, as it relates to prayer, is it our steering wheel or our spare tire?