"GO!"

Have you ever been on a mission trip? In just a few days, I’ll be leaving Southeast Asia. We will have the opportunity to support a missionary who has lived there for thirteen years. She has a children’s home where she is mom to over forty children. Our team has been preparing for months. We’ve been getting vaccinations, buying appropriate clothing, planning our games and messages, and just trying to learn the culture so we don’t stick out any more than necessary.
I’ve had some people ask me, “Why are you traveling all that way when there is so much need here?” The answer can be found in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." These were the last recorded words of Jesus. Obviously, if it is the last thing He said to His disciples before departing earth, He felt they were important. If you read Acts 1:9, you learn He was being taken up to heaven as He was saying these things.
Jesus didn’t use the word “or” in Acts 1:8. He didn’t give us the choice between being His witnesses here at home or further out in our nation, but He used the word “and” and He used it four times. We’re to be His witnesses in all places to the very ends of the earth. There is a lot to do in this world. There are a lot of people who need to know Jesus loves them and He died on the cross for them [John 3:16]. There are a lot people who need food to eat and clothes to wear [Matthew 25:35, 42]. Matthew 28:18-20 is referred to as the Great Commission, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’" It is our calling and our responsibility, according to Jesus Himself, to go.
There are many ways to go to the nations. Prayer is one of the ways you can go to the ends of the earth. Operation Prayer is a phenomenal ministry created to help you pray through the nations of the world. If you go to www.operation prayer.com you can subscribe to their sight and they will email you a country a day to pray for, sending you pictures and information about that country. This is just one way to be a witness to the ends of the earth. The opportunities are endless.
Ask Jesus what He would have you do and then do what He says. You may pray for the nations, give financially to short term mission teams, support a fulltime missionary, or support a child through an organization life Compassion International; however, He may call you to travel to a nation on a short term mission trip or call you to live overseas as a fulltime missionary. Only Jesus knows how He is calling you to go to the nations, so ask Him.
Next week is Spring Break for my children, so I will be taking the week off to spend with them prior to my departure. I leave for Southeast Asia the week after spring break. I covet your prayers for me and my team as we go. We will leave on April 10th and return April 24th. I will communicate via the blog as much as possible, however, the posts will be vague in order to protect the missionary we will be serving and short, because they will most likely be sent by my phone.
Take some time today to ask the Lord how He would have you serve in your Jerusalem (home), Judea (community/sphere of influence), Samaria (nation), and the ends of the earth. He is looking for faithful followers to partner with Him is His word [2 Chronicles 16:9]. Will He find one in you?

How will you be known?

Have you ever read the Gospels and wondered what it would have been like to be a disciple of living in Biblical times? I’m pretty certain they didn’t make the cover of “He Brews” magazine or the “Man of the Year” award. They weren’t the most popular among their communities. In fact, they endured great hardship and persecution for their beliefs which resulted in insults, imprisonment and death [Matthew 14:9-10 Acts 12:5, and 16:37].
There was a time in our country when it was not only popular to profess belief in the name of Jesus Christ, but it was the norm. People prayed in school, wished each other Merry Christmas, and retail stores wouldn’t even think of being open on Easter Sunday. Jesus used to be politically correct. Our world has taken a huge shift and we seem to be tolerant of everything except Jesus and His followers.
So what does that mean for us? Do we go with the flow or are we willing to stand out like a salmon swimming upstream? Are we willing to risk becoming unpopular, even avoided by others, and being looked over for job promotions because we’re a Jesus freak? Jesus is very clear in Mark 8:38 when He says, “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels." Jesus expects us to be willing to risk it all and to associate ourselves boldly with Him. He understands we all make mistakes and we may miss it from time to time. For that, He extends grace to us like He did to Peter [Luke 22:54-62, John 21:12-18].
Tim Tebow has received all kinds of ridicule for his commitment to give God the glory for all he does, yet he is like the Energizer Bunny- he keeps on going and going. I know there is One who applauds him for what he does. Colton Dixon, one of the top ten contestants on this season’s American Idol, has taken every opportunity to let the world know Who he serves. The producers have talked to him about it warning if he continues to make statements indicating his Christian beliefs, he’ll likely be voted off of the show. Colton’s response to their warning was to sing Lifehouse’s song, Everything, this week, making it abundantly clear to the world that he cares more about what Jesus thinks of him than what others think of him. These men are willing to stand with Jesus when it could cost them their dreams and their livelihood.
What about you? What will you be known for by others…as a follower of Jesus or someone who goes with the flow?

The Wheels on the Bus...

Do you remember the song “The Wheels on the Bus”? My elementary school children used to love to sing it. A day never seemed to pass when someone wouldn’t ask if we could sing it or they’d just start singing it to themselves at their desk quietly while they were working. I think the reason they enjoyed it so much was because it was interactive. There are motions for each verse of the song.
“The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round all through the town.” [You roll your arms around in a circle similar to a “traveling” call in basketball.]
We all like it when the wheels of life go round and round as expected, don’t we? What do you do when the wheels fall off the bus? When your expectations aren’t met, when a crisis arises, and when you’re left with no clue about what to do next? It happens. It happens to all of us from time to time no matter what we do to avoid it.
Let’s face it; we live in a chaotic world. Difficulties come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and they tend to weave in and out of our lives. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” There is a time when everything in life seems to go right, but there are also times when everything appears to be going wrong. It is during those times we can run to Jesus and crawl into His peace that surpasses understanding [Philippians 4:7]. Jesus promises us that His peace is very different from the peace the world offers us. In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Does Jesus mean His peace takes all of our troubles away? Not exactly. The problems still exist, but our perspective becomes different when we rest in His peace. We go from hopeless to hopeful when we factor Jesus into the equation. Shelia Walsh puts it this way: “Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus.”
Have the wheels on your bus ceased to go round and round? Have they fallen completely off? The good news is Jesus is ready, able and willing to step into your situation. When He comes, He brings His peace with Him. When we cast our worries and cares before Him, He will not only take care of them, but He will take care of us in the process [Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7]. If you’re stuck in a rut, forget calling AAA. Call on Jesus!

Is it time for a bath?

Did you like taking a bath as a child? For some reason, little boys in particular tend to hate taking a bath. I don’t think it’s that they have an aversion to being clean as much as they don’t want to slow down long enough to take the time to do it.
When my son was in fourth grade his class had an overnight fieldtrip to Savannah, Georgia and I chaperoned. I was assigned my son and three of his friends. After a day of seining in the ocean and hiking around the various squares of Savannah in the hot sun, we finally made it to our hotel rooms. I told the boys to take a shower, but to make it quick because there were five of us who needed to shower. The first boy was in the bathroom mere minutes before he came out in his PJs smelling just as stinky as he had before he went inside to bathe. I felt confident he hadn’t showered so I questioned why his hair was so dry. He replied, “I just dried it off really well with the towel.” Upon further investigation I discovered the soap hadn’t been opened nor had a towel been unfolded. I immediately sent him back into the bathroom and told him he had to stay in there at least five minutes and he better smell different when he came out next time.
John DiLemme must not have been around little boys when he said, “Everyone takes a shower to get rid of the dirt on their physical bodies.” However, he was quite wise when added, “So, doesn’t it only make sense to clean your mind from all the negative garbage from the outside world?” We live in a fallen world and a lot of what we’re exposed to is a reflection of the world we live in. Garbage in equals garbage out. So, what are we to do? How do we follow DiLemme’s wisdom and cleanse our minds of the garbage?
In Romans 12:2 Paul challenges us by saying, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- His good, pleasing and perfect will.” How do we renew our minds? We refuse to meditate on things that are garbage and instead choose to focus on things that are healthy and helpful. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things.”
We cannot control the thoughts that enter our mind; however, we can control what we do with those thoughts. If they are positive, uplifting and edifying, we can embrace them, form agreements with them and focus our attention on them as Paul encouraged the Philippians. However, if they are dark, damaging or hurtful, we can accurately assume where they came from and resist them so they’ll go away [John 10:10, James 4:7]. We’re encouraged in Deuteronomy 6:1-9 not only to focus our attention on the Word of God and meditate on it day and night, but we’re to pass it on to our children and teach them to do the same. In focusing on God’s Word, we will quickly be able to discern anything that contradicts it and cast it aside as the garbage it is.
The best way to keep your physical body clean is to bathe regularly and the same is true about your mind. Are you in need of a mental shower? If so, come to the One who can make you whiter than snow [Psalm 51:7].

Are you ready for a fight?

Have you ever taken a self-defense class? My daughter, Laura, and I took a class this past weekend at the Cobb County Police Department Training Center with our friends Kelli and Sarah. We had two amazing instructors, Lieutenant Blackmer and Lieutenant Worthington, who spent four hours teaching us all sorts of maneuvers. It was one of the best workouts I’ve ever had in my life. It rivaled P90X and Insanity in intensity.
As we were wrapping things up, Lieutenant Blackmer told us we would have to practice the moves we learned numerous times in order to recall them when we need them. She said there was no point in taking the time to learn defense tactics if we didn’t put them into practice. Through practice, we’ll develop our skills so they become second nature to us. Then when we are faced with an attack we’ll be ready.
The same is true in our spiritual journey. The Lord has given us skills and tools for battle [Ephesians 6:10-18]. He demonstrated how to deal with a direct confrontation in Matthew 4:1-11. James 4:7 drives the point home: “resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We resist him by calling on the name of the Lord and declaring the truth of His Word. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” The way out is His Word; however, you cannot use what you don’t have. You must sharpen your Sword so it is ready for battle when the enemy comes knocking, and he will come knocking [1 Peter 5:8].
Joshua 1:8 tells us “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” By pulling out the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, we can defeat our enemy quickly. Few of us carry a Bible around with us at all times; and even those of us who do, don’t always have the luxury of pulling it out and looking for the appropriate Scripture when we’re in battle. It needs to be written on our hearts so we can recall it at a moment’s notice [2 Corinthians 3:3]. Daily time in the Word of God and in His presence is how we sharpen our Swords, so we’re ready when the enemy comes after us.
So my question for you today is, are you ready for a fight? Have you sharpened your tools and practiced using them daily so the enemy won’t win? If not, there’s no time like the present to begin your training. It’s a matter of life or death, so grab your workout gear and get to it. He’s counting on you. James 1:12 reminds us, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” We've always got to be ready for a fight!

What do you see?

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? An optimist looks at a glass of lemonade and sees the glass as half full and is thankful to have something to drink. A pessimist looks at the same glass and sees it as half empty and thinks they’ve been cheated out of a full glass of lemonade; what they have won’t be enough to quench their thirst; and wonders why this always happens to them.
In Number 13:1-33 Moses called the twelve tribes of Israel together to send spies into the Promised Land to come back and report what they saw. He chose one man from each tribe, realizing everyone may see things another overlooked, so they’d have a better picture of what was in store for them.
In Numbers 14:23 the spies discovered the amazing provision God had for them. “When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.” The plants growing in the Promised Land were amazing and abundant, typical with the way the Lord provides [John 10:10]. The Israelites had to get excited as they learned the Lord didn’t just provide food for them in the Promised Land but He provided exceedingly and abundantly more than they would ever hope or ask [Ephesians 3:20]. Then the wheels fell off the bus in verses 27-29. The spies began to report the crops weren’t the only thing huge in the territory, but the people were also. They were freaking out. Going into that land would be suicide. It was like letting the air out of a balloon. The excitement of the people left as quickly as it came and they were prepared to walk away empty handed. What a picture they had painted for all to see. There was only one problem with the picture….it was just one point of view…a pessimistic point of view. Nowhere in their description did they take God into account. Nowhere did they acknowledge the Lord’s promise to give them this land. In verse 30 we see Caleb, a man of God who takes God at His word, conveyed the optimistic point of view, “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’" Caleb didn’t believe in his own strength and power, rather He believed in God’s promise and knew God would deliver on His promise just as He had always done.
How many times do we find ourselves like the spies, looking at a situation and only seeing the negative, only seeing what we could do in our own strength? We need to understand that one with God is the majority and surely the victory will be ours if we will fully rely on God. Think back to Gideon [Judges 7:1-25]. He had a mere three hundred men to take on an army of thousands. Luke 1:37 reminds us, “Nothing is impossible with God.” If God tells us He is going to do something for us, in us or through us, we can take it to the bank.
What situation are you facing today? Is the glass half empty of half full? It depends on if you’ve factored God into the equation. What do you see?

Crawling or Soaring...what do you choose?

Have you seen a butterfly this spring? My grandmother used to say you couldn’t go barefooted until you’d seen a white butterfly. I remember seeking them out as if looking for a red light to turn green. The first time I would see one, my toes would be free as my shoes would be flying. Ahhh…the signs of spring.
Butterflies are beautiful creatures. They move with grace and poise and it appears to be effortless at times. Butterflies didn't start out that way. They start out as caterpillars as slow as molasses. They are dull in color and are bottom dwellers. There isn’t anything about them that would cause you to pause. As they work and work to reach a point of rest, life appears to be whizzing by them. They find their desired location and spin a dark, confining cocoon. Some caterpillars stay in their cocoon for ten days, others longer. Still there are other caterpillars who remain in their cocoon shorter than ten days. Each is unique. When their time is up, they fight to break free from their cocoon. Once they successfully escape, they spread their wings and begin to fly. Their wings are strong enough to take them where they want to go because the struggle to escape their cocoon strengthened their wings.
Does that sound even remotely familiar? We trudge along trying to make our way, feeling like life is passing us by. What do we do? In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Do you need to rest in Him and allow Him to work in you? He’s issued the invitation, but the choice must be ours. He wants us to “be still and know” He is God and He will be faithful and do what He’s called us to [Psalm 46:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:24].
Many of us feel like we’re trapped in something similar to a cocoon. There are times He allows us to go through things that may feel like a valley, or worse, death. But He reminds us it is not a destination or a foundation for our future but a passing through and He goes with us [Psalm 23:4]. Most importantly, we’re reminded when we place ourselves completely in His care, He does an amazing work in our lives transforming us into something new [Isaiah 61:1-3]. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Just as a slow moving, ugly caterpillar is transformed into a beautiful, soaring butterfly, Christ takes us and transforms us into His likeness, but we must be willing.
So what do you say? Are you tired of crawling? Are you ready to sore? What will you do differently today to bring about a change?

A Lifetime Guarantee You Can Count On

Have you had anyone offer you a guarantee lately? Yesterday, I had someone give me an estimate on stretching the carpet in my house and he said his work comes with a lifetime guarantee. While that sounds impressive, I’ve been alive long enough to know the real guarantee he was offering me was only valid as long as his company remains in business and businesses come and go in this economy. So what kind of lifetime guarantee holds water? One that comes from God.
In Matthew 18:19 Jesus says, “I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it.” [God’s Word translation]. One thing is certain, God isn’t going anywhere. Revelation 1:8 says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 22:13 says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Bottom line, He’s been here since the beginning and He will always be. He isn’t going out of business so you can take His guarantee to the bank. You can count on it. To quote one of my favorite pastors, Charles Sineath, “God said it; I believe it; that settles it.”
So what are you asking God for today? Do you have others agreeing with you in prayer? God planted us in the Body of Christ because we need each other [Ecclesiastes 4:9-10]. He wants us to come together and help carry one another’s burdens to the cross [Mark 2:1-12]. We aren’t supposed to go it alone [Hebrews 10:24-25].
Who do you meet with? Who joins you in praying for your needs? If you don’t have a group of friends you can lean on to help you along the way, ask the Lord to help you form a group. We all need others to walk along beside us in this journey, holding us accountable and praying through things with us. He’s guaranteed to listen and respond when we come together in prayer. That would be reason enough to gather. Who will you reach out to today?

Wrestling with God

Do you have a brother? I can now say I was blessed to grow up with two. There were times when I’m certain the word blessed wouldn’t have made it in that sentence; however, that was at least thirty-five years ago (I know you’re wondering how that’s possible since I’m only 29).
Both of my brothers have peppered my life with hilarious stories through the years. One of my all-time favorite stories of my older, David, is when he was four years old and got into a fight at church. When daddy picked him up from Sunday school David’s tie was sideways and his shirt was untucked. To say the least, he was a mess. Daddy asked him what he did in Sunday school. David beamed up at daddy with pride in himself and said, “I been fighting Daddy. Have you been fighting?” I guess he thought that’s what everyone did when they came to church.
We laugh at that story as we picture a four year old with his wardrobe all askew, but in reality, we all fight with God from time to time. Oh, some of us don’t do so at church, we save our battles for the privacy of our own homes. Our battle usually begins when God wants us to do something we either don’t want to do or if we do want to do it, we’re fearful of taking the first step. Am I stepping on anyone’s toes here?
We aren’t the first to wrestle with God and we certainly won’t be the last. In Genesis 32:22-32 we see Jacob’s fourth encounter with God, his wrestling match. The first time he encountered God was when he made his journey to his uncle’s home [Genesis 28]. God spoke his destiny to him. Jacob’s second and third encounter with God can be found in Genesis 31. God called Jacob to return to his family and then spoke to him in a dream about His provision for Jacob. All in all, his encounters with God had been positive; however, his fourth encounter brought on a fight.
The thing about wrestling with God is you can’t ever win against Him; yet, when you lose, you win. Think about that for a minute. God has perfect plans for your life [Jeremiah 29:11; John 10:10]. He knows everything about you [Matthew 10:30]. His thoughts concerning you are precious and vast in number [Psalm 139:17-18]. He loved you enough to die for you [John 3:16]. Whatever it is He desires for you, you can trust. He is trustworthy [2 Samuel 7:28]. Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds us, “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." With that kind of promise, why would you even begin to fight Him?
Rest in Him [Deuteronomy 33:12]. He’s got you. The easiest way to win is to lay back in total surrender and watch Him work. When it comes to winning, He’s the Master! He has an unbeatable record. In trusting Him, you’ll be blessed. It’s time to go down for the count and see what He does on your behalf. What’s stopping you?

Is it time to do some deep cleaning?

Have you noticed the greenish yellow coat on your car lately? If you haven’t, then surely your sinuses have alerted you to the fact spring has sprung. I don’t remember if the groundhog saw his shadow or not in February, but I do know spring is upon us. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer and people are out walking and working in their yards. The seasons have changed.
How about in your life? Do things seem dark and dreary? Are you ready for a change? Thankfully, the only thing other than God that is consistent is change. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” We serve a god of order. No matter how chaotic your life situation is now, God can and will put things in order if you allow Him. He has a plan for you [Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:10]. The good news is the plans of God cannot be thwarted by anyone, ever [Job 42:2].
Along with the change of seasons, comes a deep cleaning. When people talk about doing their spring cleaning, they generally mean they’re putting forth the extra effort to move furniture around to get to the hard to reach places where dirt likes to hide. It takes time and effort, but the end result isn’t just a beautifully looking house, but one that has a welcoming fragrance as well. As we allow the Lord to order our lives, He does His own version of spring cleaning [Psalm 51:10]. When He’s finished with the cleansing process, we’re not just a spruced up version of the old, we’re brand new and carry the fragrance of life [2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 2:16].
Like it or not, spring is upon us. Are you up for a little spring cleaning? While you concentrate on the outside, allow the Lord to do the deep cleaning on the inside. The end result will be stunning!

Did You Know?

Did you know even though our country abolished slavery in 1865 there are more slaves in the world, our nation included, than in any other time in history? There are an estimated 27 million people in the world being bought and sold in the human trafficking industry. It is estimated there are 300,000 children a year at risk of becoming victims of human sex trafficking in our nation….our nation. It is almost too staggering to believe, but it’s true. More people unite to fight for the fair treatment of animal rights than for the rights of these children seen as a commodity instead of a human being.
These victims are on the heart of Jesus. He said He came to set the captives free [Psalm 146:7, Isaiah 61:2]. Jesus chooses to work through His church so we must rise up and take a stand [Isaiah 61:1-3, John 14:12]. What can we do? What can you do?
We can all become a voice for the voiceless and take a stand against the commercial sexual exploitation of minors. There are countless organizations desperate for help in this arena. I would like to tell you about three of them today.
Wellspring Living is an organization that treats victims who have been rescued from the trade. They have three stores throughout Atlanta where you can purchase gently used clothing, furniture and household items. All proceeds go to fund the treatment center. You can volunteer your time at one of their stores, you can donate items to them, or you can give financially to the organization to help restore girls who’ve lost not just their innocence but their lives to this heinous crime. Through Wellspring Living, these young girls are able to take back what the enemy stole from them and become healthy and whole again. www.wellspringliving.org
The Not For Sale Campaign is an awareness campaign that is worldwide. They educate people on the atrocities that take place around the world through human trafficking and equip their volunteers to become modern day abolitionist. www.notforsalecampaign.org
A Future Not A Past is an organization that fights on the front lines by lobbying for new laws to protect the victims and bring the criminals to justice in the state of Georgia. They seek to give hope to the victims and assist them in finding the resources they need for healing. www.afuturenotapast.org
I am not telling you what to do, but we all need to do something. Jesus is counting on us. These young girls are helpless without us. I leave you with a poem a friend of mine, Al Selman, wrote about the girls victimized.

Caught In Traffic
Our prayer has been for your kingdom to come
Your glory in heaven and on earth to be done

We ask for your fire and pray for your rain
Plead for healing, an end from the pain

Some barely notice the children in harm
But you, oh Lord, are there with open arms

Two million a year are caught in the web
Behind locked doors they are drugged and led

They are bought and sold as slaves in trade
To provide the pleasures for minds depraved

In dark rooms of horror their bodies are broken
Night after night their childhoods are stolen

As predators all gather to perform sexual abuse
Their judgment foretold with their necks in a noose

While the leaders all know but turn a blind eye
Just to make some profit, they hear not their cries

A sin so dark it’s hard to believe
The lives of children that men would disease

LORD we cry out to bring an ending
The oppression of children and sex trafficking

So tonight when you tuck in your loved ones with care
Say a prayer of thanks that your child has been spared

Remember the ones still confined to dark rooms
Who live each day with sadness and gloom

We cry out for the ones still caught in the snare
Please give us sweet Lord, hearts that care

He Knew!

Is prayer an active part of your life? This morning when I sat down to write, I felt the Lord wasn’t finished with our conversation about prayer. He wants us to understand how desperately He desires intimacy with us. One of the ways to develop intimacy with Him is through prayer.
Maybe a little confession time will help illustrate my point. It was finals week of my last semester of college. My godfather was in the hospital on a ventilator fighting for his life, I was preparing for finals and my daddy was about to have surgery that was very delicate. Needless to say, I had a lot on my mind. I was a bit overwhelmed and needed to talk through things with someone. I was on my way to visit my grandmother, because she always helped me keep my head on straight. I was almost there. As I came down a hill I saw a police officer sitting on the side of the road. He pulled me over for speeding. I wasn’t doing anything intentional. I simply picked up speed coming down hill and was too distracted to think to correct it. When I got to my grandmother’s house, I was a mess. She and I talked about it and decided it was best not to tell Daddy right before his surgery. I convinced myself that I didn’t want to stress him out and keeping it to myself was for his benefit.
I went to the University hospital with Daddy at the end of the week. We were sitting in the waiting room waiting for him to be called back. Something was said about driving then he turned to me, smiled and said, “What do you think, Little Richard?” The color drained out of my face. He knew. I don’t know how he knew or who told him, but he knew. It all came spilling out like water out of a hose. I told him everything. I didn’t leave a detail out. He put his arm around me and told me not to worry about it, we’d take care of it.
Because he knew, I didn’t have a bit of trouble sharing the whole story with him, details and all. He still loved me, even though he might have to pay a higher insurance premium and a ticket fine. Don’t you see, God knows anything and everything about you. Do not allow the enemy a moment’s victory in keeping you from seeking to build an intimate relationship with God by encouraging you to keep things from Him.
My Daddy already knew about my speeding ticket. He allowed me to tell him because he knew I needed to tell him. He knew I needed to get it off my chest and by telling him about it, I was trusting him with it. I knew he would help me get through it and he would carry the heavy part of the load. He wanted what was best for me and he wouldn’t begin to allow something like a speeding ticket to interfere with our relationship.
God’s desire is for you to passionately pursue your relationship with Him and share with Him all of the intimate details about yourself. Even though He already knows them, He wants you to share them with Him so He can share the experience with you. He also wants you to know the intimate details about Him.
There are many secrets or mysteries, things hidden if you will, about God. His desire is for you to learn them. But you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and work for those things. You have to invest in the relationship to learn those things.
Jesus is calling you to come chase Him and then He’ll tell all [Jeremiah 33:3]. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jesus isn’t a halfway kind of guy. He’s a jealous God by His own admission [Exodus 20:5]. He is looking for the real deal, the person who is passionate about a relationship with Him.
Are you willing to seek Him? Will you tell all and then “be still” so He can reveal Himself to you [Psalm 46:10]? What will you share with Him today?

Got Prayer?

Why do you pray? What are you seeking when you take time to pray? Many people go to God in prayer like they go to Santa Claus at Christmas time. They bring their list of things they want and they ask Him to provide. They don’t stick around to listen to Him or just hang out with Him. George Bernard Shaw said, “Most people do not pray; they only beg.”
Many people create a prayer list like a grocery list. They pull it out and run down the list and mark things off after they’ve prayed for them and then they put their list away and forget about it. A lot of people only pray for special occasions….meals, bedtime and maybe when they’re at church, but that’s it. Graham Dienert said “Many people pray as if God were a big aspirin pill; they come only when they hurt.”
With all of these different ways people approach prayer, I can’t help but wonder why God wants us to pray. So, I asked Him. “Lord, why do you want us to pray?” As usual, He sent me to His Word. Many times we ask God things and get mad because we feel like He hasn’t answered us, when in fact, He answered us in His Word before we asked and is waiting for us to find it.
John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” One of the main ways God speaks to us is through His Word. The more you know His Word, the more you know what He has to say. You can also use your knowledge of the Word to make certain it is God you’re hearing from.
Jesus told the parable about the Shepherd and the sheep who know His voice [John 10:27]. The way we know the voice of God is by knowing His Word. R. Sibbes said “When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows we go to fetch strength against him so he opposes us all he can.” One way he opposes us is by trying to mislead us. If we aren’t familiar with the voice of God, then we might follow the wrong shepherd by mistake.
When I dove into the Word to see why God wants us to pray, the answer wasn’t hard to find. God is a relational God. He created us for relationship with Him and with others. God created us in His image [Genesis 1:26]. And He created us to be in relationship with Him just as He is in relationship with the Father [John 17:21].
When asked, what did He say the greatest commandment was? Look in Matthew 22 starting at verse 36 and read through verse 38. Then He follows this with verse 39…the golden rule….love your neighbor as yourself. RELATIONSHIP!
Prayer is our opportunity to build, grow and strengthen our relationship with our Lord and Savior. He doesn’t want to be a super hero who rushes in and saves the day and rushes out again; someone we wear around on a t-shirt and dress up as for Halloween. Jesus wants us to have intimacy with Him. He knows every intricate detail about us. Nothing takes Him by surprise. There is nothing about you He doesn’t already know. Hebrews 4:13 says “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” The enemy would love to use that knowledge to bring us under shame so we wouldn’t dare go to God. We need to realize what he means for evil, God will work together for good [Romans 8:28]. If God already knows everything about you, then nothing should keep you from Him. John Bunyan said “Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourage for Satan.”
Find a quiet place, get comfortable, and strike up a conversation with your Father. He’s been dying to talk with you. There’s so much He has to say to you; but more than that, He simply wants to spend time with you. Will you meet with Him?

Gone Fishing!

Do you like to fish? I’m not particularly fond of it for many reasons. First, you have to bait your hook by taking a slimy, wiggling worm and ram a hook through it causing blood and guts to ooze out. Second, it’s boring. All you do is sit still and wait. I don’t wait particularly well when I’m forced to, so I certainly don’t choose to put myself in situations where I have to wait. Finally, and probably most important of all, you have to be quiet. If you’re not quiet, you scare the fish away. No one has ever used that adjective to describe me and there’s a reason why. I’m not quiet. I’ve been anointed with the spiritual gift of blab. I’m also not still, thus fishing is not for me.
In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says, “Come, follow me…and I will make you fishers of men." Fishing for people sounds like a whole lot more fun than fishing for fish. You still have to invest time in order to be successful, but you don’t necessarily have to be still or quiet. While fishing for fish is something some of us are called to or choose to do, fishing for men is something we’re all called to do [Matthew 28:18-20].
Matthew 13:47 compares the Kingdom of heaven like a net that was let down into a lake to catch fish. The great thing about the story is, the one catching the fish simply has to go fishing and bring in the haul. It isn’t the fisherman’s job to sort out the good fish from the bad fish. God assigns the job of sorting to the angels [vs. 48]. It’s His job to clean them [Psalm 51:7, 10]. All we are responsible for is the catching.
In Luke 10:2 Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” He needs us to get busy doing our job. It’s time to hang the sign on your door that reads “Gone Fishing” and start investing in lives of others and reeling them into the Kingdom. What are you waiting for? The fish are biting!

Being Good Soil

Do you like to be “in the know” about things? Don’t you just hate it when someone is teaching you something and you feel like you don’t have enough understanding to follow what they’re teaching?
Some of the people who sat at the feet of Jesus as He taught felt that way. They would hear Him teach and know in their hearts He was full of wisdom, yet they couldn’t grasp what He was saying. Jesus was well aware of the fact many did not understand Him. He often taught in parables when He spoke to groups of people. In Matthew 13:1-23 we find Jesus teaching the parable of the sower and the seed. His teaching style perplexed the disciples. They asked Him in verse 10 “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?”
Jesus clearly indicated not everyone was given the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom. So, who gains that knowledge? Who gains that understanding? The answer is rather simple, those who seek it out.
Proverbs 8:17 says, "I love those who love Me; And those who diligently seek Me will find Me.” Proverbs 28:5 says, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.” The Lord is more than willing to provide wisdom and understanding, but He will only provide it to those who seek it through seeking Him [Jeremiah 33:3].
When the disciples didn’t understand the full meaning of the parable of the sower and the seeds, they came to Jesus for understanding. We can do the same. How many times have you read something in the Word and found yourself scratching your head thinking, “What on earth does this mean?” God isn’t surface level. He’s depth. He wants to provide wisdom and understand to those willing seek it out. When confusion arises, do what the disciples did. Seek Jesus out and ask Him to explain it to you. He will. He is faithful and just [1 John 1:9]. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” If you want to go deeper with God, you can rest easy. You want the same thing for yourself God wants for you and He will do His part. He’s simply waiting for you to do yours.
Matthew 6:33 remind us to seek the King, His Kingdom and righteousness and He will take care of the rest. How will you find out the answers to your question? How will you gain understanding today?

God changes things!

Have you ever read the entire Bible? If you’d like to, there are all kinds of "Read the Bible in a Year" calendars available online and there are even One Year Bibles you can purchase that have broken your reading up by the day for you. I’ve used one of the calendars for the past couple of years. To keep me looking at the Word with fresh eyes, I try and change the translation of the Bible I read each year. I’ve read the NIV, the Message, and this year I’m reading the God’s Word translation.
Yesterday I was reading Matthew 11 and came across a verse that stopped me dead in my tracks. I don’t know if I’ve read it before and just glossed over it or if this particular translation jolted me to pay attention, but verse twenty caused me to pause and ponder.
"Then Jesus denounced the cities where He had worked most of His miracles because they had not changed the way they thought and acted.” Glancing back at other translations, “changed the way they thought and acted” is typically translated repent. Repentance is more than just feeling sorry for what you did. It is turning from it and going a different direction. Seeing the definition of repent spelled out in the God's Word translation really jolted me.
How does it impact you when you see a move of God? Does it cause you to change the way you act and think? The very Word of God is a miracle of God in and of itself, yet many of us read it then we set it down and go on about our day. It doesn’t change who we are or how we think. When we attend church and hear the Word of God preached, do we walk out the door different than we came in or was it just something to do? Something to check off our list for the week?
When God is present and moving, it should impact us, causing us to change. When Moses was in the presence of God, it changed him [Exodus 33:17-34:33]. After Jacob wrestled with God, he was never the same [Genesis :20-32]. Saul, who had been murdering the followers of Christ, was completely transformed after one encounter with the Lord [Acts 9:1-20].
How has the presence of God in your life transformed you? Matthew 7:16-27 warns us some will claim to know Him but He will reply “Depart from Me. I never knew you.” Chapter two of the book of James is all about living out our faith not just claiming to have it. An encounter with God changes things. How has He changed you today?

Remember King David, aka. "KD"

Have you ever had an off day? You know, when no matter how hard you try or give you all, things just don’t go in your favor.
Last night my son played his second of three lacrosse games this week. Monday night he was on fire. Very little got into the goal and he wasn’t just playing defensively, but he made several bold moves that paid off in his team’s favor. Last night he had an off night. He just couldn’t seem to get things going in the right direction. I could tell from his stance, he was mentally beating himself over every goal that went in well after the play of the game moved to the other side of the field. It’s hard not to get defeated and mentally surrender when that happens; however, nothing is gained by mentally joining your opponent’s team in beating yourself. You simply have to let it go. As my daddy used to say, “You can’t saw sawdust.”
King David understood this. In 2 Samuel 12:16 King David fought and pleaded with God for his son’s life. He did everything he knew to do. He refused to eat. He refused to be consoled by the older men who served him. He remained prostrate crying out for his son’s life. On the seventh day, his son died [vs.18]. His officials were afraid to tell him of his son’s death for fear of what he would do; however, his response more than surprised them. It downright shocked them.
2 Samuel 12:20-24 says, “Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon.”
King David understood he had done all he could to fight for his child’s life. Once it was done, it was done. He could wallow in the past and become ineffective as a king and a husband, or he could move forward and learn from his past mistakes and apply that knowledge to the future.
What about you? Do you learn from your mistakes and move forward or do you continue to beat yourself up with them, giving strength to the enemy’s position in your life? God tells us He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west [Psalm 103:12]. Love does not keep a record of wrongs and God is love [1 Corinthians 13:5, 1 John 4:8]. He doesn’t beat us up when we make mistakes; rather He loves us back to wholeness. So why do we do we beat ourselves up? Why do we place a club in the enemy’s hand and tell him to swing batter, batter, swing?
When things go bad, and every now and then they just do, remember King David and brush yourself off and move forward walking in the grace and mercy Jesus freely gives. Tomorrow is a new day!

Are you a wise guy (or gal)?

Would you consider yourself wise? Would others? I love sitting at the feet of those I presume to be wise and learning from them and their life experiences. Life is hard sometimes. The test comes before the lesson in many situations, so we need all the wisdom we can gain.
Matthew 11:19 says wisdom is proved right by its actions. Just the other day I read an article about a young girl who died in a car crash. She was going eighty miles per hour (I’ve never seen an eighty miles per hour speed limit sign) when she hit a truck. The irony of it all is she was sending a text message to a friend telling them she couldn’t text because it was dangerous. We can all sigh and say “teenagers” but how many times do we see adults doing the same or worse. We all could stand to gain a little more wisdom in our lives (and some of us need a lot).
Scripture tells us we should ask for wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” The greatest place to gain wisdom and discernment is in the classroom of the secret place. It is through prayer and the study of God’s Word that the Lord downloads wisdom into our spirits. When we take time alone with Him, He reveals things to us we would not otherwise know [Jeremiah 33:3]. His desire is not to keep us from knowing these things, but for us to desire them enough we will seek them out. As my mama used to say, “Anything worth having is worth working for.” When you put effort into gaining wisdom, you treasure it and recognize it for the gift it is instead of flippantly casting it aside for some foolish pleasure.
King Solomon said in Proverbs 3:13, “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,” and he was said to be the wisest man of all time. He was also blessed by every measure imaginable.
I remember when my son, Sam, was younger and not makings some of the wisest decisions. I did not want to see him walk down the path of foolishness and miss all God had for him. I had him write out many of the verses in Proverbs about wisdom and foolishness. He sat at his desk writing them for several days after school. When he finished, I had him read them back to me. To this day, he pulls from those scriptures when he is faced with decisions. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” [2 Timothy 3:16]. As we become students of the Word, we become wise.
So what do you think? Do you want to become a wise guy? If so, it’s time to crack open the Book and see what the Teacher has to say.

You can only pick one!

What do you have an easier time believing? Are you a cup is half empty person or is the cup half full? It’s funny how we tend to fall into one category or the other. How do you know? When you’re walking through life without a care in the world and suddenly the wheels fall off of the bus, do you see no way out and everything is just awful or are you looking for the silver lining? Are you looking for what God could be up to in the situation?
Scripture is pretty clear there are two sides or two teams in the world we’re living in today [John 10:10]. Jesus comes to bring life and the enemy comes to destroy life. There’s really no middle ground there. When situations happen, we must realize they are from one camp or the other. Even when the enemy is at work, God has a plan and He is for us.
Romans 8: 31-39 reminds us of the God we serve and what He brings to the equation. With God so for us, why do we fear? David Eldridge says, “If you’re scared, one of two things is going on: you are believing a lie about yourself (based on God’s perspective) or you’re believing a lie about God.” You can’t be on opposing teams, friends. You either agree and side with one or you agree and side with the other. God is on the side of truth and life [John 14:6]. Why would we not agree with Him?
What about when your circumstances support what the enemy says? Well, that’s when faith kicks in full speed ahead. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
This week I got an email from one of my India team member's mom. She received a phone call from the passport office saying they were rejecting his passport because they sent the short birth certificate form instead of the long form. No passport, no visa. No visa, no mission trip. The mom was asking if the funds he raised could be held until his next mission trip. I immediately recognized I could agree with the position he wasn’t going, or I could jump in and look for God. I started asking where his birth certificate was located and what could we do to expedite it because he was going on this trip. He was called. He was a critical team member and the enemy would not win (I can get a bit ticked off when the enemy starts messing with people I care about).
To make a long story short, she found a friend in their home state willing to help, but it wasn’t needed. The county office clerk helped express the birth certificate to the passport office for them. Now that was an answer to prayer and a sigh of relief, but God didn’t stop there. The friend who was willing to help had no idea this young man was going on a mission trip until the fiasco and she mailed him a check for a hundred dollars. Now tell me, does God or does He not work everything together for good [Romans 8:28]? If we’d agreed with the enemy we would have lost a team member who is critical to our team and we would have missed the financial blessing of God. He allowed the situation to go on for a couple of days because He knew He had it all worked out with a blessing to boot!
Who are you going to believe? The father of lies or the King of kings and the Lord of lords who loves you enough to hold nothing back [John 8:44, Revelation 17:4, Romans 5:8]? You have to agree with one side or the other. You can’t have it both ways. To quote Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

You or Him?

Do you ever stare at a blank page and find yourself wondering what to write? If not, do you grab a sheet of paper and scribble down ideas without slowing down to review them or think about them?
Each of us is given a blank sheet of paper, so to speak, every day we wake up. We have a new day filled with opportunities and possibilities. How we spend that day is up to us. Each day gives us eighty-four thousand, six hundred seconds to use and we get to determine how each one of them is spent.
At a recent retreat I gave each woman a blank calendar day. The hours and half hours of the day were indicated, but otherwise it was blank. I asked them to fill in a typical day for themselves, realizing that no two days are exactly alike. Some people live a more routine life and easily jotted down their daily schedule. Others had to think about it, but eventually everyone had something written down. Then I challenged them with this: “We say we want more of God, but what are we doing about it? Dr. Oswald Sanders says ‘Each of us is as close to God as we choose to be.’ What part of your day could you do away with in order to make more room for God?”
I ask you the same question today. We look at those we consider giants of the faith like Billy Graham or Beth Moore and say, “I want what he has or I want what she has,” yet we fail to make the sacrifice to get it. We are all given them same number of hours in a day. Those who pursue God passionately aren’t given a couple of extra hours for good behavior. They are given eighty-four thousand, six hundred seconds a day, just like you and me. So what are they doing we aren’t doing?
They understand Paul in Philippians 3:7-8 when he says, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Christ is the priority, not just something to fit in the schedule. He is the beginning and ending of all things [Revelations 22:13]. They follow the example of Jesus who got up very early, while it was still dark outside to meet with His Father, because He needed that time to face His day and so do we [Mark 1:35].
In order to pursue the Lord this way, some of us need to tweak our daily routine. Some of us need to sacrifice a television show in order to go to bed earlier so we can rise earlier to meet with the Lord. Some of us need to fast from Facebook, Twitter or Pintrest to gain a healthy perspective of how much time we give to those things. Some of us simply need to admit our need for time alone with Jesus and make it a priority. Only you and the Lord know what you need to change or adjust in order to truly make Him priority in your life (notice I didn’t say “a priority” in your life). You’ve got a clean slate, a blank piece of paper. Who is going to hold the pencil? Who is going to fill your schedule and dictate how you spend your time? You or Him? The choice is yours.

Counting the days...

Are you counting down the days until spring? It was seventy-seven degrees here on the first day of March and I actually gave some thought to pulling out a pair of shorts. It was beautiful. We haven’t had a cold, hard winter this year; however, spring can never come too soon for me. I love springtime.

I saw some flower bulbs the other day. They almost looked like onions. They were brown, stringy and just plain ugly. They needed to be buried in the ground so they could begin the growth process. When they burst forth, they will be beautiful flowers, but as bulbs they were anything but beautiful.
We are like those bulbs at times. We may be dead inside or at least feel that way. Maybe it’s not us, but we feel like we’ve been praying for something, really contending for it, and we’ve yet to see any change. We feel like our hopes and dreams are dead. To quote one of my favorite pastors, Charles Sineath, “Good News, Good News, Good News!” Jesus brings new life to dead things [Ezekiel 37:1-14]. Romans 6:4 says “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” [John 11:25].
With Jesus, we have the assurance of new life. That’s new life for ourselves and new life for the things we’ve been face down contending for without seeing a response. Dead things covered by the blood of Jesus burst forth. Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and called him out of the tomb, He also calls us forth to new life [John 11:43]. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Hallelujah! Jesus makes all things new [Revelation 21:5].
What do you need Jesus to breathe life into? What do you need Him to make new? Is it a dead marriage? Is it a dead relationship with a child or a friend? Is it the hope He’s heard your prayers and will respond? Hang on, sweet friend. Everything may appear dead, but with Jesus on the scene new life is just a matter of time, patience, and surrender.

Give it to God!

Do you have plans for your life or are you one of those people that just shoots from the hip and hopes everything works out? I’ve heard it said “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Now I’m not implying we should all just wing it, rather we ought to seek the council of the Lord.
Proverbs 19:21 says “Many plans are in the human heart, but the advice of the Lord will endure." Since the advice of the Lord will endure, it only makes sense to consult Him and see what He thinks we should do. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us He has plans for us and they’re good plans. John 10:10 tells us the enemy has plans for us and they lead to death. I would much rather live out the plans of the Lord than the enemy.
Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The Matthew Henry commentary had this to say about this verse: “He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humours of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please Him and to be pleased in Him.” When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we are finding all we need in Him. By doing so, our hearts line up with His heart, so our desires for our lives line up with His desires for our lives.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we seek God first and find our delight in Him, not only does He give us what we need, many times He provides what we want also. We can trust Him [2 Samuel 7:28, Psalm 111:7]. He is for us and the plans He has for us are good [Romans 8:31-32]. Why not take your plans, your dreams, and your desires to the Lord? What He will give you in return will bless you.