Not far away!

Do you ever feel like God is a billion miles away?  Does the thought ever cross your mind “He’s forgotten about me!”  If we are honest with ourselves, we all feel that way from time to time.

If you are a Christ follower, there is a deep seeded homesickness that we all suffer from in our souls.  We are not meant for this world, but for another one.  We are meant to be with Jesus.  It is that simple.

Satan also uses the so called “distance” from our Father to reap havoc on our hearts.  We begin to believe the lie that God doesn’t care our doesn’t know when we are hurting or suffering.  We begin to believe that "He's just too far away!"

That is simply not true.  Here is my proof:

Psalm 34:18

¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A few thoughts:

• Sin has completely messed up our hearts.  God never leaves His children, but sin has separated us from God (for awhile).  That is why He sent Jesus to restore our relationship with Him.  All we have to do is ask Jesus to be the King of our lives and surrender our hearts to Him, and the gap is closed forever.
• Our homesickness is temporary.  Our lives will be a quick reflection in the rear view mirror once we get to heaven.  We will never be without Jesus.  We will be able to approach God without sin.  Awesome!!!
• I have heard folks say “When I get to be with God” or “When Jesus returns”.  These statements are misleading.  Yes, it is true that Jesus is going to return and yes, it is true that we will someday be in the presence of God.  The misleading part is that we begin to think of God as “Far, far away” and we “stuck down here”!  The truth is this:  THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES INSIDE OF YOU CHRISTIAN!  If you have surrendered yourself to Christ, than you have received an amazing gift.  (John 16:12-15) There is never a second from now until eternity that we are without God.  Get your mind around that!!!!  It is amazing to ponder.

God is so in tune with how we feel.  If you are hurting or feel alone, if you have lost someone close to you or feel like you can’t make it another day, know this:  The Lord is close to the broken hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit.  Don’t give up.  Be encouraged!

Married life

My life would look dramatically different (in a bad way) if it weren’t for me marrying my wife.  She is my custom designed mate, we belong together, and God has stitched us together in a unique way.  My wife makes me a better person, and brings out the good qualities in me that I am positive would not come out if we were not together.

Don’t misunderstand me!  It takes a lot of work for us to stay married.  We don’t always see eye to eye!  She can’t stand the way I do things sometimes.  Occasionally I become frustrated with the way she says or does something.  We don’t always get along.  If I am being honest, I am sure there have been days that both of us did not want to be married to one another any more.  The beautiful thing is that we made a commitment to each other, worked through the bad times, and realized that it is good to become one.  It is good to have each other.

Did you know it is the same way with God’s church?  Jesus calls the local church “His bride”.  Not only does Jesus love us, He is married to us.  (Matthew 9:15, John 3:29, Revelation 19:17)  It is good to belong to a local church, because it brings out the better qualities in us as Christ followers.  We are one (same as a marriage) with Jesus because of the church.

A few thoughts:

• What kind of marriage would I have if I said that I love my wife, but never came home?  If you call yourself a Christ follower but are not investing yourself in a local church, than you are flat-out living a lie.  You cannot grow in Christ and not belong to a local church.

• What kind of marriage would I have if my wife told me she loved me but I told her I didn't need her?  If you are not in a local church, that is EXACTLY what you are telling Jesus.  (Sorry, but that's the real-deal truth!)

• What kind of relationship would I have if I only stopped in to eat, get my clothes washed, etc. but never communicated with my wife?  As a member of this marriage, it is my responsibility to invest in her.  I need to tend to her needs, listen to her, love her, encourage her, be around her and be intimate with her.  It is the same at your church.  God has equipped you as a Christ follower to use your gifts to encourage others.  Don’t just stop in once or twice a year and eat / get your clothes washed, etc.  Dive in and support others within you church.  Serve one another.  Give 10% of your money and support her.  Be in the family, and not just a user.  If you do attend a church, then volunteer!  Don't just slip in the back door and expect someone else to do the work.  Get plugged in somewhere.  Do you eat dinner and then expect your spouse to clean off the table up after you or do you get up and help after eating?  Why is the church any different?

Truth:  before I met my wife, you should have seen how I dressed!  Nothing matched!  Colors looked terrible together, etc.  She told me things about my appearance that needed to change!  It made me mad, but she was right!  She spoke truth into me and it made me a better person.  When you belong to a local church, you belong to a family.  People are going to speak truth into you and you will become a better person for it. (Proverbs 27:17)  You won’t like it, but you will eventually become a better person for it.  If you are not part of a church, you are on an island, and being on an island is not good.  You begin to believe your own hype, you rationalize everything to fit you way of life.  When you are in a marriage together with other believers, God knocks those edges off of you and molds you into the follower He desires you to be.

Bottom line is this:  If you claim to be a Christ follower but are not invested in a local church, you are living a lie.  Quit making excuses and get plugged in immediately.  It is the way God designed it.

Santa & Jesus

If we are being honest with ourselves, wouldn’t it be a true statement to say that Christmas is (at best) shared between two people:  Santa Claus and Jesus?  (In that order)  In America (and frankly all over the world) Christmas has been more about the gifts that Santa brings and less about the gift Jesus brought to us.  My sister and I were emailing back and forth the other day about Christmas and what it means to us.  She made a comical comparison between Jesus and Santa Claus that got us both thinking.  Here are a few thoughts:

Santa might get you something and leave it under a tree.  The gift Jesus gave, He paid for on a tree.  (Philippians 2:8)

Santa keeps a list of who is naughty or nice.  Jesus left His list on the cross.  (Romans 8:1)

Santa’s love is conditional (be good for goodness sake….) Jesus love is unconditional.  (Romans 8:38)

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not one of these fundamentalist that wants to boycott Santa Claus.  I won't be picketting the mall or telling my kids that Santa is the devil!  I do think it’s sad that He gets all of the attention!  Jesus Christ became a man so He could reunite us with His Father.  It’s the gift that never gets old and never dies!  And I’ll let you in on a little secret……..JESUS IS REAL!  He’s not a made up fictional character.  He really lived.  He really died on a cross.  He really rose from the dead for you and me!  (John 3:16)

Merry Christmas.  Please think about Jesus this Christmas season! 

Funny How A Baby Changes Everything!



Piper's First Parade!


This week's post comes from one of my favorite new writers, Cathy Baker.  This was a great reminder of why we celebrate Christmas!  Thanks again Cathy!

I’m a party-pooper when it comes to parades. When given the choice between watching the Macy's parade or cleaning crusty breakfast dishes, I break out the rubber gloves.

Funny how a baby changes everything.

One casual mention of Piper attending her first parade and I’m in the car before Brian has the opportunity to pop another piece of puzzle in place. Our fold-out chairs are left in the dust, but we don’t care. After all, what’s two hours of standing when one is dodging missiles hard candy being flung from floating contraptions, or breathing in toxic fumes from “unique” cars when Piper is nearby?

Funny how a baby changes everything.

Two thousand years ago, another Baby changed everything. One day, He will lead a triumphal procession, one in which we’ll no longer be spectators, but participants—victors in Christ!Funny how a Baby changes everything. Every day. Every moment.
Thank You, Jesus.

Now then.....

At some point in everyone’s life, there will come a time where life will get hard… and by hard, I mean really hard!  You might lose a job that you love and find yourself without an income.  Maybe you’ve had to move or sell your house, or had the bank foreclosed on you.  It may be a death of a loved one; a parent, a spouse.  It may even be that you will lose a child.  No matter what, at some point you are going to be hit with something that cripples you, and makes you want to quit doing life.  You want to draw up into a shell and hide away from this world because it just seems like you can’t go on anymore.

I’ve been there.  There have been a few times in my life where I have felt like God has left me alone to deal with something terrible.  I have even accused God of forgetting about me.  The truth of the matter is this:  how I feel has nothing to do with who God is or how He operates.  

I thought of this while reading Joshua 1 this morning.  Joshua just lost someone extremely important to Him.  Moses is dead.  God responds in this way:

 ¹ After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.

I’m sure Joshua was devastated.  The conversation might have gone something like this”  “What now Lord?  Moses is dead!  We’re out here all alone!  I can’t do this God; I can’t lead these people without Moses!  I quit!”

God responded to Joshua.  In verse 2 I noticed two words that I have never noticed God say before in the Bible.  He told Joshua “Now then…”.   In other words, God says to Joshua “I know Moses is dead.  I know you are hurting, but I have something that I need you to do.  I am your God, and I am not finished with you Joshua.  You need to get up, get these people together and keep moving forward.  This is my plan, not yours!”

In the rest of the chapter, as God lays His plan out for Joshua, the Lord repeats this phrase over and over to him.  He says “Be strong and courageous."  The amazing thing is in verse 9 God reminds Joshua that it is a command, not a suggestion.  God commanded him to be strong and courageous. 

A few thoughts:

• No matter what happens, don't give up.  EVER!
• God never leaves His children.
• God is never surprised or shocked.  Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason.  He is sovereign and has everything under control.
• It’s not about us, it’s about Him.  It has nothing to do with how we feel.  It has everything to do with His will.
• God is compassionate and knows when you are hurting.  During those times He will comfort you, but He still intends to use you.  God never intends for us to draw up in a shell and hide from this world.  He intends for us to move forward and be strong and courageous. 

Several years ago my best friend took his own life.  It devastated me.  I was so angry and confused, and my first reaction was to quit.  It hurt me and everyone around him.  Since that time I have seen God do amazing things out of that situation, including people meeting Christ as their Savior.  I will never understand why it happened, but I have learned from that experience that God never left the scene.  He was right there.  He said “Ok, your friend is dead.  Now then, here is what I want you to do……”

No matter what has happened, or will happen in your life, realize that God still intends to use you for His glory.  Don’t let a situation cripple you.  Hear God say “Now then” and trust Him for your next step.  Life is hard, but we have a God who will never leave our side.  Lean on Him and keep moving forward.

Grass clippings

Have you ever wondered “How will I be remembered?”  I sure have!  It happened again this week.  I attended a funeral this past Friday, and as I sat there and listened to the gentleman’s family reminisce of their time with their loved one, the thought occurred to me “What will I be known for when I leave this earth?”

This morning I read 1 Peter 1:24-25 and it hit me between the eyes.  The statement says that men “in all of their glory” are like withering flowers and grass clippings.  Then the reality of truth set in:  in 100 years I won’t be remembered at all!  Think about it for a moment; can you tell me three things about anyone you might have been related to that lived in the 1,800’s?  How about the 1.700’s? 

What is my point?  What God said to me this morning is this:  Jesus is what matters.  My word will still be around when I return to earth.  My church will still be standing. 

Here are a few thoughts:

• What am I wasting my time worrying about today that won’t matter 100 years from now?
• Am I telling people about Jesus?  In all honesty, the message of salvation is the only thing that is truly important.  People that meet Christ are the only thing I will get to take with me to heaven after I die.  I want to be a part of that.
• If I truly believe that my life is like a withering flower, am I making every moment count?  Am I praying for others?  Am I doing what I can each day to live out the Gospel for others to see?
• If I truly believe that this life is short, am I preparing to meet God?  Am I laying up my treasures in heaven instead of worrying about storing up things here?

This passage of scripture helped me this morning.  God is constantly turning my mind and heart towards my true home and teaching me to focus on eternal matters.  In 100 years, people aren’t going to know me.  My house will be gone.  My business will be dissolved.  My valuables will be rusty, rotted or belong to someone else.  I will be in heaven and this world will be in the rear-view mirror.

Don’t get stuck here.  Remember where you are headed.

Fences

This guest post is from a talented writer named Melissa Merritt.  She is also my cousin!  Enjoy!

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (The Message)

"Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life.  We didn't fence you in.  The smallness you feel comes from within you.  Your lives aren't small, but you're living in a small way.  I'm speaking as plainly as I can with great affection.  Open up your lives.  Live openly and expressively."

This wide open spacious life...a life without fences.  We build fences when we plan, when we worry, when we become consumed with what to do with "our time," our goals, our needs, our sins.  We set boundaries for ourselves in the form of fences.  Thinking, if I can just do this or make it here, then...Sometimes we do it and we make it, we make it to the end of our fence.  Then what?  We are gratified for a moment to see the fence, the hard work it took to put it there, we run our fingers over it and feel the splinters, the wear and tear of storms and triumph.  We may take time to mend the fence that continues to crumble.  We may sit on top of it for awhile and rest...for a moment...then.  Then what? 

We begin to look beyond the fence, beyond our boundaries, and we begin to stir and wonder, what is beyond this fence?  So, we build another fence around the first one and life becomes an endless entrapment of fences and more fences.  We have closed ourselves in and are suffocated by the space we created.  We are small and begin to feel the smallness as the fences grow around us. 

What if we entered into this wide-open spacious life instead?  Instead of building more fences or mending the broken ones, why not let them all crumble?  What is left?  Us and God.  An infinite number of space and possibilities, leaving and dying to boundaries.  Allowing an awesome Father and Creator who has a plan and a mind that we cannot begin to comprehend lead us into His spacious, open world.  Living in the moment of never being 100% sure of where we are going or what is next in life, but being free in the truth that with God's amazing plan, we may never stumble over a fence again.  I will thank God every time I encounter a dilapidated fence!


Note about the author:  Melissa is a Godly woman, a wife and mother of two adorable girls.  She is also a member of Newspring Church in Anderson, SC and a writer who contributes content to their website. 

Boldness

Luke 11:1-13 is a passage that we all have heard many times.  It is the passage in the New Testament where Jesus gives us the Lord's prayer.  Today, most of the folks around the world know it by heart.


Most of the time the passage is taught as a play-by-play on how to talk with God.  As I was reading further (past the Lord's prayer) something in verse 8 jumped out at me.  Jesus tells a story of a man asking his neighbor for bread in the middle of the night.  He states that because of his boldness he received what he needed.


If you are a child of God, He teaches us to pray with boldness.  Here are a few thoughts that have humbled me this week:

• I am a sinner.  What I deserve is hell.  What I was given is a gift from God because He wanted me as His child. 
• His grace is bigger than my sin.
• God spoke words out of His mouth and creation obeyed Him.  The mountains, trees, animals and even us as humans were all created by words.  Even so, God decides He still wants me to have a relationship with Him.  Why would someone so powerful want to have anything to do with me, someone so insignificant?  Because He loves us.
• He gave us His Son so it could all be made right with Him.
• On top of it all, He tells us to "Pray with boldness!"  We get to approach the throne as His kids, asking Him for our wants and needs.

I can't get my mind around that kind of love and grace.  It's truly amazing.

Are some churches drowning in their own doctrine?

When my feet hit the floor each morning, I believe the #1 goal of my day should be to pray and ask Jesus “What do you want me to do today?  How can you use me?”  Some days I feel successful at following Him and other days I screw it up and fall flat on my face.  No matter what, tomorrow morning the goal will be the same.

I read one of my favorite Bible verses this week that really made me start thinking aloud.  In Jeremiah 9:23-24 God tells us:

This is what the LORD says:

 “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
   or the strong man boast of his strength
   or the rich man boast of his riches,
 but let him who boasts boast about this:
   that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
   justice and righteousness on earth,
   for in these I delight,” 

declares the LORD.

As I read this passage, a thought occurred to me:  “Are some churches drowning in their own doctrine?”  

The definition of the word doctrine is:
a.)  Something that is taught.
b.)  a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief.

The word doctrine alone is a touchy subject among churches today, especially in the United States.  By even mentioning the word, most churches react in a defensive way by saying “We believe without a shadow of a doubt that this is what the Bible teaches!” Every denomination has a specific doctrine. Inside each denomination there are individual churches that believe they follow their doctrine better than some of their sister churches.  If you survey each denomination (Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, etc.) each denomination has a different variation of doctrine that they subscribe to.  

I personally believe with all of my heart that there is nothing wrong with doctrine (knowing what you believe).  If you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior you are stating to the world that you vow to follow Him for the rest of your life.  You need to know what the Bible teaches.  Doctrine and theology are important, but they are not superior to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is what I believe is happening.  Somewhere along the way, we (the Church) began to take pride in what we (our specific denomination) believes more than who we are called to follow.  Do a gut check and ask yourself a few hard questions:

·    Does my church spend more time talking about what they believe (doctrine)than  about Jesus Christ and how He changes lives (evangelism)?

·    When people ask you what you believe, how do you answer them? Do you respond by saying “I’m a ___________ (Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, Etc)” or “I follow Jesus.”?

·    In my church is evangelism (telling people how Jesus can save them) a high priority?

·    When was the last time someone accepted Jesus at my church?  Is this a regular occurrence?

·    Is my church growing?  If so are they existing believers from another church or unchurched people in need of salvation?

·    Does my church preach / teach about the Holy Spirit?  Does my church talk openly about the Holy Spirit?

·    Does my church poke fun at other churches or denominations?

·    Do I personally feel comfortable inviting unbelievers to my church?  If so, would they come back after visiting? 

·    Does my church truly welcome everyone that walks through their doors or only in theory?

Let me be clear on a few things:

·     Do I believe doctrine is important?  Absolutely.

·     Do I believe it’s wrong to belong to a denomination of churches?  No, I do not!

·     Do I think non-denominational churches are just as guilty of the same thing?  Yes!

·     Is it paramount to belong to a local church?  Yes!

·     Do we as followers of Jesus Christ still sin and fall short of God’s glory everyday?  Yes!

What is my point?  I believe that in order for us, the bride of Christ (the church) to change hell’s membership, we need to place more importance on Jesus Christ and why He died (for lost sinners) and less importance on the finer points of our denomination’s specific doctrine.  In my heart of hearts, I believe it comes down to this:

If Jesus came over to your house tonight and ate dinner with you, which one of these statements would more likely come out of His mouth?

“I am excited about how much doctrine and theology you have learned over the past few years!”

or

“I am excited about how many folks you are leading to me!”

God plainly tells us that if we are going to boast, we don’t boast about………

• our wisdom (how right our doctrine is)
• how strong we are (size of our denomination or church)
• our riches (what kind of facility we have).  

If we boast, we boast on one thing; that we know God because of His Son Jesus Christ and we want the whole world to know about Him too!

Rocks skimming the water

There are a few things that I am talented at doing but will never earn me any money or fame in this world because of it.  One of the things that I can do well is skip a rock across the water.

Everyone likes to think they can skip a rock across the water in fine fashion.  The fact of the matter is that very few people can do it well!  My Daddy is the best ever.  I remember when we used to go fishing, he would take a rock and skim it across the water.  It would go a long ways and bounce across the water like a tennis ball.  It takes practice, and it takes talent! 

Romans 8:38 reminds me of skipping a rock across the water.  The Bible basically says “You have no idea how much Jesus loves you!  You can’t even comprehend it!”

Our lives are like the rock.  God’s love is like the water.  We skim across it and think we understand how much He loves us.  In reality, the depth of God’s love is so deep that we cannot begin to understand it.

Think about this:

• God is 100% holy.  He cannot tolerate sin.  He cannot be in the same room with it.  It’s impossible.
• In order to remain in a relationship with His children, He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place.  He sent Him to pay the price for our sin if we choose to accept it.
• Jesus loves us so much that He left paradise to live among us.  He was born in a stinky barn.  He lived His childhood in obedience to two sinful earthly parents.  He was patient with those He came in contact with during His ministry.  His disciples were a mess, and He loved them anyway.  He spent His time teaching and healing those in need.  He went to the cross and died a horrific death, all in the name of love for us.  He rose again ad conquered death so we won’t have to spend eternity in hell.

Take a minute to think of how vast and deep the love of Jesus really is!  Don’t skim across the top of the water and miss it.

God's Spirit: Without Limit



Photograph by:  Phyllis Keating

 We have tremendous water pressure at our house.  It is wonderful, especially when we are washing dishes or a car.  Having indoor plumbing in the 21^st century is a beautiful thing.  Sometimes, when I want to fill up a water bottle, I barely turn the faucet and a small stream of water will come out of it.  I use just the right amount, and then turn it off again.

I thought of this when I read John 3:34.  John the Baptist states “God gives the Spirit without limit.”  Often times we think of the Holy Spirit like a faucet.  Sometimes we feel His presence, other times we don’t.  Occasionally we pray with large amounts of faith, other times we pray but don’t expect much in return.

John the Baptist is turning the whole “Faucet” idea on its ear.  He is saying that God gives His Spirit “without limit”.  While we are thinking of the Spirit in terms of a faucet, God is more like Niagara Falls.  There is no way to even measure what He is willing to do when it comes to His Spirit.

How do we begin to see things the way God wants us to see them, especially when it comes to His Holy Spirit?

• It requires faith.  When we put or faith and trust in God that He can truly do anything, we start to see the impossible happen right before our eyes.  Hebrews 11:1
• Ask for it, and ask for it often.  When we beg God (as His children) for His Holy Spirit, He is faithful and gives us His Spirit.
• Pray big prayers.  If God and His Spirit are without limit, than our potential as Christ followers is limitless.  Pray extraordinary prayers.  Ask God for crazy things to happen, even things that don’t make since.  God is not a lucky rabbit’s foot, but He doesn’t wear handcuffs either.  When my kids ask me for something, usually they will ask me many times.  If it is good for them, it brings me joy to do it.  This week our men’s group asked God to heal one of our guys who has brain cancer.  God can do this.  Brain cancer is nothing for God.  If He so chooses, He can wipe it clean once and for all.  Either way, He gets the glory and it brings Him glory when we ask Him for things we consider impossible.  Luke 1:37

Think big, pray big, ask your heavenly Father to do big things.  Use big faith and ask for the Spirit of God in unlimited quantities.  God not only shows up for His children, He shows out too!

Earl Grey Tea

I have a cold.  Being sick is not my favorite thing.  One thing I have found that makes me feel better is Earl Grey Tea with a spot of local honey to sweeten it.  I decided to make me a cup this morning to help ease my congested head.

As I was heating the water, I started to laugh.  It reminded me of an incident that happened a few months ago in the grocery store.  My wife and I were walking up the isle shopping for food together.  As I reached for the box of Earl Grey Tea my wife looked at me and said “You don’t like Earl Grey Tea…put that back!”  I laughed and responded “Excuse me?”  The conversation continued as I stood amazed!  How in the world does my wife say to me whether or not I like or don’t like something?

The answer is simple.  As my spouse, she was under the impression that she knows everything about me.  We have been married for almost 15 years.  It’s true that she knows more about me than anyone else on this planet, but the simple fact is that she doesn’t know everything about me.

When I was in college (before we met) I drank Earl Grey Tea.  I liked it.  I still like it.  It was one thing that we never discussed, and she assumed I didn’t like it since she never saw me drink it.

As I thought about this whole scenario over my cup of tea this morning, another thought occurred to me; “If my wife doesn’t know everything about me, than who does?”  Immediately my mind wandered back to Psalm 44.

David writes in verse 20-21

“²⁰ If we had forgotten the name of our God
   or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
²¹ would not God have discovered it,
   since he knows the secrets of the heart?

God knows every single thing about me.  My hopes, my dreams, my likes, my dislikes, my secret sins, my disappointments, everything!  My God knows every single thing about me and loves me anyway.

Today, you can rest in the assurance that God knows everything about you; right down to your inmost thoughts.  There are no surprises or confusion when it comes to you and God.  What an awesome thought to know that God made you, sustains you, and knows everything about you.  Don’t try and hide anything from God.  When you pray, be honest and transparent.  You’re not fooling anyone but yourself.  When you realize this, you will truly begin to walk with God the way He intended it to be!

Thank you Jesus for the cigarette smoke!

This week's post is from a friend of mine, Mrs. Cathy Baker.  Cathy is a godly woman and skilled writer whom I respect very much.  I read her blog from time to time, and thouroughly enjoyed this one.  I just had to share it with you all.  Thanks Cathy!

I sat on the comfy pew only to have my head hijacked by a headlock. The culprit wasn’t a person, but an allergen.

Only a couple of handshakes—that’s all it took to identify the problem: cigarette smoke—something I’m highly allergic to and the reason we rarely dine in restaurants that allow it.

Sitting nearby was a large group of men from a local missions home who are picked up every Sunday for Bible study, worship, and much needed encouragement.

So what’s a little smoke, right?

That was the question that attempted to budge its way through the stuffiness of my head but instead, was quickly answered by truth from God’s Word:

Exodus 29:18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

Just as burnt offerings were voluntary in the Old Testament, so was the decision made by these men to worship the Lord today. God didn't smell the stench of their cigarettes, only the sweet aroma of their love and obedience to Him.

So, what's a little headache?

Thank You, sweet Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Note:  For more articles and thoughts from Cathy, please check out her blog at www.cathybaker.org.

Are some churches too "Edgy"?

I heard a conversation this week between two believers that fascinated me.  The topic of conversation was whether or not certain churches were too “edgy” in their approach to worship, preaching the gospel, etc.  Both sides made good points (which I won’t go into at the present time) and made me to start thinking about the Gospel as it relates to culture.

Here is where I feel the Bible sheds light on the topic:

• Luke 15:3-7.  Here Jesus talks about going into the “open country” to find the one lost sheep.  He even states that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one.  Some of those lost souls out there are on the edge of the open country.  When churches go out of their way to find those on the edge, some of their methods (as it relates to culture) may come across “edgy”.  I do believe that when those lost in the open country come to know Jesus, it is a big deal!  In verse 7 it says that the angels rejoice more over the one who needed to repent than the ninety nine that didn’t.  
• Maybe the conflict isn’t the methods of how to reach those folks (church style/worship/etc.) but the difference of opinion between believers on “Why do church?”  Some folks approach church solely as a place for believers to congregate & worship God.  Others approach church as a place to reach those who don’t know Christ.  I personally believe that the churches who get it right are those who do both, and do both well.

What is my point?  The older I get, the slower I am to point a finger on what other churches are doing.  Do some get it wrong from time to time?  Yes!  We are all sinners, and we all make mistakes.  The important point to be made is that God is a big God, and can do whatever He wants to bring glory to Himself.  A person who is without Christ may not set foot into one type/style of church but can be reached from the pulpit of another.  As Christians, we should be supportive and encouraging of our brothers and sisters trying to reach those on the edge rather than quick to tear them down.  Christ went after all kinds of folks.  Even today, He uses all kinds of people / methods / churches to reach those He is calling to salvation.

Answering your call

For most of my life, I have been writing in some sort or fashion.  I write songs, poems, short stories, etc.  What is funny is that I have never considered myself as a writer but someone who just enjoys writing from time to time.

In February of this year, God put it on my heart to start this website.  My first reaction was “God, I’m not a writer!”  God had a different response.  I started this website and began writing what God put on my heart.  Immediately He began to bless it.  A few months later someone from my church asked me to help write for our church website.  Even though I don’t see myself as a writer, God does!  He has placed me in a position to write encouraging materials for others to read.  

In Jeremiah 1:4-7 we see God call Jeremiah to speak the word to His people.  Jeremiah’s first response was “Not me!  I’m only a child!”  God answers him by saying “Don’t say that!  You are who I say you are!”  When God calls us to do something, it is ordained.  It is blessed and preset.  God told Jeremiah that He had this all planned out before He was even born.

Whatever God is telling you to do, go do it!  He has a plan for each of us.  The problem occurs when we tell God “Not me, you must have me confused with someone else!”  Whatever God is calling you to do, realize that He has set this into motion long before you were even born.

We see a sliver of the big picture.  God painted the whole picture.  He knows what needs to be done (His perfect plan/will/purpose).  He uses who he wants to use to make that plan come into fruition.  

What is God calling you to do?  More importantly, what is your answer to God?

A really special birthday!

This week's post is dedicated to my wonderful niece Michelle.  Many of you might remember writing about her in an earlier post entitled kickin' & screamin'.  She is one of my favorite people on the planet, and today is her birthday!  What a wonderful reminder of how good God really is to all of us!


Please check out my sister's blog about her special day!  Click here:

Stick or run?

If you are married long enough, chances are that you are going to screw-up from time to time.  Some screw-ups are big, some are small, but there is 100% certainty that mistakes are going to be made.  Sometimes it’s the husband’s fault, and sometimes it’s the wife’s.  Occasionally both are to blame!  The question is this:  No matter what happens, are you going to stick or are you going to run?


One of the most colossal screw-ups of all time happened in the third chapter of the Bible. In Genesis 3 we see both Adam and Eve (the first married couple in history) make the biggest mistake possible:  They originally sinned against God.  Talk about adding stress to a marriage!

The interesting part of the story is that when they were alone and away from God, problems began.  Satan wasn't whispering in their ear when they were walking the garden with God.  It's when they wandered away that he swooped in on them.  (By the way, Satan is still in the business of destroying families!)  Even after their sin, God stepped in and offered a plan of salvation.  (Genesis 3:15)  God offers His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin, one freely given, even today.

One thing came to mind when reading this scripture; Adam and Eve decided to stick instead of run.  In Genesis 5:3 we see that Adam died when He was 930 years old.  The Bible said that he and Eve had many other sons and daughters.  Even after the biggest screw-up in history, they stayed together.  It was all because God is faithful.

If you have God at the center of your marriage, you can survive anything.

Healthy Fear

Yesterday afternoon I needed to get some work completed on my laptop, so I came home after lunch and sat down in my favorite chair.  I kicked my shoes and started typing on my computer.  Then something really strange happened that has never happened before to me:  my house moved!

The best way to describe it was a brief, queasy feeling in my stomach.  I hopped up out of my chair and went outside to see what was taking place.  Eventually I went back inside and went about my business.

Last night, my sister in Virginia called me.  She was really excited because yesterday afternoon she had experienced an earthquake.  I asked her “What?  When did that happen?”  She replied “Around 2:00pm this afternoon.”  

It then hit me:  I experienced the same earthquake too!  Never in my life did I ever think I would experience the earth move because I live in a part of the United States that doesn’t have many (if any) earthquakes.  Sure as the world, I felt one yesterday.

What is my point?  A few things:

• Everyday I go through life doing day to day things.  I eat, sleep, bathe, work, etc.  Very seldom do I ponder.  Last night I went outside and looked up at the stars and began letting my mind wander about God.  My day had consisted of a sunrise in the morning, and earthquake in the afternoon, and my evening filled with stars twinkling.  I had an overwhelming fear rush over me.  God is very big and very powerful!  He caused all of those things to happen and was in control.  At that moment, I felt very small.  By letting my mind wander about God, I came to terms with the fact that someday I am going to stand face to face with that kind of power.

• I read Isaiah 60 this morning.  God is speaking to us about the end times, and how He will restore us when He comes back.  In verse 22 God states “I am the Lord, in this time I will do this swiftly.”  I’m not sure what “in His time” and “swiftly” mean, but I am sure that God is going to come back (maybe while I’m alive or maybe after I’m gone) but either way, it’s going to happen.

• Proverbs 1 say “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”  I’m not scared of God, but I do fear Him.  We all should!  He is God and we are not.  Every now and then God reminds me, and for that I am thankful!