People Are NOT Intrusions

Luke 9

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

The message of these two verse both inspires and convicts me. In verse 10, Luke writes that Jesus slipped quietly away…Jesus was seeking some “alone time” with His 12 closest followers. He sought to get away from the demands of the crowds, and have a time of refreshing with his buds. However, in verse 11 we read that not only did the crowds find out where Jesus was; they followed Him. And what was the reaction of Jesus, Who wanted to get away from the crowds? He WELCOMED them! Often, I fight the feelings of “intrusion” by people when I am seeking some “alone time” or looking for a “time of refreshing.” Lord, help me remember that people are NEVER an intrusion of the ministry with which You have entrusted me. They are the REASON for that ministry. May I welcome them, teaching them about the Kingdom of God and loving them like Jesus does.

Real Faith

Luke 8

48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Oh, to have the faith of this woman! She had suffered with bleeding for 12 years, and she had gone to doctors, to priests and rabbis, all to no avail. When she hears that Jesus is in town, she desires only to touch the hem of His robe, not really wanting to “bother” Him. Her faith healed her. Oh to have that kind of faith! I have Jesus with me every day, yet how often do I display a faith that even remotely resembles hers? I quote Philippians 4:13, but do I REALLY believe that I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me? It is easy to say while sitting here writing these words out. It is quite something else to put into practice. Maybe if I could just touch the hem of His robe…wait, I am not a bother to Jesus, I am the object of His great love! Increase my faith, O Lord. May You receive glory and honor by my daily actions and may others come to know You because of it.

Who Are The Crazy Ones?

Luke 8

26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.

28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.

32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.

So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.

This is one of my favorite Gospel passages. This morning I want to concentrate on one facet of this story: while the man was possessed by a legion of demons he was naked and crazy. When Jesus healed him of this possession, he is seen clothed and in his right mind. Isn’t it interesting that the people of this region, who are all-too familiar with this formerly demon possessed man, beg Jesus to leave their area and are gripped with fear? See, you have to be outside your mind to NOT want to follow Jesus, but there are still many people who choose to remain outside their minds because in their delusional state, they think they are better off without Jesus. Yeah, so who are the crazy people in this passage? Not the man formerly possessed by a legion of demons, that’s for sure!

What God Requires

Deuteronomy 10

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”

Just as God laid it all out for the nation of Israel…His chosen people…God’s requirements for His people have not changed today. Those who claim to want to follow God need to pay heed to the words of this verse: “fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.” Reminds me of the words of Jesus when asked to tell the most important commandment, doesn’t it? We are to love God with everything we have, and to obey Him. That is what God requires of those who want to follow Him.

Learn to Love Discipline

Proverbs 12

1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

How often do I allow my stupid side to shine? As Scripture says, “no discipline seems pleasant at the time,” but it is certainly necessary in order for stubborn mules like me to learn! Discipline and Disciple come from the same root word, and if I am to be a Disciple of Jesus, I must be willing to undergo the Discipline of learning to follow after Him. In fact, my attitude needs to change to the point that I LOVE the discipline of my Lord Jesus. I am getting there. I want to love that discipline because I love Jesus. He knows that I need plenty of correction, so I pray that I don’t fall back into stupid patterns, and instead, relish those times when Jesus must discipline me in order to help me grow to be more like Him.

Partnering With Parents

Deuteronomy 6

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Here is the mission call for youth ministry if thee is one to be found in the Bible. This call is not for a paid, professional student minister, it is for Moms and Dads! Parents have the ultimate duty to their children and to God in this regard. Those of us who toil in student ministry are here to supplement what parents are supposed to be doing, and we need to partner with parents in the spiritual instruction of their children. Now, I realize that there are parents who shun their sacred responsibilities towards their children, and then we student ministers and volunteers must stand in the gap. However, I believe that student ministry must partner with parents, affirm parents, and encourage parents to teach their children what the Scriptures teach. To do any less is to undermine the system God has set up!

Cutting To The Chase

Luke 6

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

If we will not obey Jesus as our Lord, we have no right to call Him Lord, now do we? Yet, how often do we expect Jesus to bow to OUR bidding? How often do we try to tell Jesus how things should be in our lives? How foolish we are! We are destined to be swallowed up by the floods of our own evil desires, because it is EVIL to try to replace the Lordship of Jesus with our own will. We face ruin when we fail to obey Jesus. And let’s face it, if we say that we love Jesus, we will follow His instructions (obedience) and we will love like He loves. When you cut to the chase, nothing else makes any sense anyway, now does it?

Love Your Enemies

Luke 6

35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Loving your enemies is the mark of a true Christ Follower. Of all the commands Jesus gives, this is perhaps the most difficult to obey. While it is easy to love those who love you in return, it is difficult beyond words to express to love your enemies. Father, I ask for Your Strength to do just that today: to love even those who would wish and do me harm.

Joyful Praises

Psalm 66

1 Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

2 Sing about the glory of his name!

Tell the world how glorious he is.

3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

4 Everything on earth will worship you;

they will sing your praises,

shouting your name in glorious songs.”

I began the trip to Alabama with a sense of dread. Oh, I had no doubt that God was with me, and would take care of things for His glory, but still, I was NOT looking forward to the trip. A week later, I am glad we came up. Business was taken care of, visiting was accomplished, and God has been praised throughout the week. I want to shout joyful praises to God for what I have experienced this week, and I am thrilled to be back on the road to my Bride and our home. God is AWESOME, and I want to give Him the glory and the honor and the praise always!

Proper Reward

Proverbs 11

23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.

Sadly, too many people who claim to follow Christ believe that their reward should be something than can see, feel, or claim while on this earth. Blinded by satan’s lie that this life is the be-all, end-all, they wonder why they don’t prosper financially, why their health isn’t as good as it could be, or why they don’t have the prestige of their neighbors. Those are NOT the type of rewards being talked about in this Proverb. They may or may not happen, but so what? The reward of the godly is eternal life in the presence of the Creator of Life. I can think of nothing I would rather have, and I will live my life in gratitude for the forgiveness of sins I have through Jesus. THAT is my reward, and it is more than enough.

Scary Humbling

Luke 5

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Peter has the appropriate and honest response to Jesus here. I feel the same way…I am too much of a sinner for the Holy, Perfect, Son of God to want to hang around with. Yet, He does want to hang around with me. That is scary humbling. My only proper response to such great Love is to leave everything that I thought was mine and to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. I surrender my will to His daily and pray that I can do better for Jesus today than I did yesterday.

Disallow Opportunities

Luke 4

13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

The devil is the source of temptation, and make no mistake about it, he looks for the next opportunity to come around. After trying to temp Jesus three times and failing, Luke records that the devil left Jesus “until the next opportunity came.” That means there were other opportunities, other temptations, so Jesus had to stay on guard. So do I. Unfortunately, unlike Jesus, I often fail in this regard. Lord, I ask this day that You would strengthen me to be able to withstand the temptations from the devil. May my life glorify You always.

Daily Quiet Time

Psalm 62

5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

In this noise-filled life of mine, it is tough to just take some time to be quiet before the Lord. While I am better at it than I used to be, I am still not as good as I would like to be. I do absolutely believe that God is my rock and salvation, and my hope is firmly in Him. Shutting out the noise of this life is just not an easy task. I praise God for these times like this morning, when I can just spend time along in the Word and in prayer, and shut out the noise of the world. It is a time like this each day that will truly strengthen me in my walk with Jesus. It must be a priority for me every single day!

Great Joy

Luke 3

21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

I like the way the NLT translates this passage. Can you imagine hearing God say that you bring Him great joy? I mean, I know that God is speaking of Jesus here, but think about it: we are to be like Jesus, we are to follow His ways, so we should live in such a way as to bring God great joy. That is my goal this day and every day of my life from here forward: to bring God great joy. I can think of no better way to express my love for God than to live to bring Him great joy.

Growing in My Walk

Luke 2

52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Growing in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. That’s what I would like to have folks say about me. Not to give me honor or glory, but to bring that honor to God. As I grow closer to Him in my daily walk, may His Name be honored among all men. As I grow wiser from the daily study of His Word, may His Name be glorified. Should my stature among men be increased, may His Name receive all praise.

Nations Fall

Proverbs 11

14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

Amen. History has proven this proverb true many times over, yet, we refuse to learn from the lessons of history. While I am thankful to live in the United States of America, my citizenship is with the Kingdom of God. If and when the U.S. falls, and I believe we are running headlong towards that day, my citizenship will still be with the Kingdom of God. I do not wish for the fall of the U.S., but I won’t be shocked by it, either. Sigh.

When Donkeys Speak

Numbers 22

28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.

29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.

32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33 Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

34 Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”

You know as I read this very familiar passage this morning, one thought hits me: when donkeys speak, you’d better listen! I mean outside of the Shrek movies, donkeys don’t normally talk to us. Balaam is on a path to destruction because he is disobeying God. His donkey saves Balaam three times by veering off the path to prevent an angel of the LORD from killing Balaam. The donkey’s reward? Balaam beats him. Finally, the donkey gets to stick up for himself, when God enables him to speak to Balaam. So, who was the stubborn one in this story? Yeah, when donkeys speak, we should listen.

My Confidence

Psalm 57

7 My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!

The only thing in which I place my confidence is God. I have made the mistake of placing confidence in people, in stuff, even in myself. All have failed me one time or another; and many have failed me multiple times! God never fails. Period. I know that when I place my full faith and confidence in God, the BEST thing will happen. Not just good things, but the BEST thing. No wonder I can sing the praises of my Lord!

Rebellious Side

Numbers 20

2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers! 4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”

Okay, so the people of Israel have already rebelled against Moses and God and it resulted in the earth swallowing some up, a fire consuming some, and a plague killing over 14,000 in one day. You would think that they would get it, but they don’t. Once more the people cry out against God! It is easy to sit here in judgment of them, but aren’t we the same way? Don’t I constantly rebel against my Lord when I try to have things my way, when I grumble about not getting my way, and when I try to force my way upon the situation at hand? Shame on me. I am so glad that God, in His mercy sent Jesus to take care of all of that. I can turn to God in repentance and be forgiven for my stubborn, sinful ways. Please Lord, help me to be more loving in m response to Your provisions, and wipe away my rebellious side.

Belief and Baptism

Mark 16

15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

In Mark’s version of the Great Commission, he leaves no room for doubt. Belief and Baptism are inseparable and essential. In fact those who don’t believe won’t be baptized, and they will be condemned. Last night, Erin Peterson was buried with Christ in the watery grave of baptism. Because of her belief, she wanted to join with Christ in baptism, raised into a new life. Erin is one of my heroes. Her love for Jesus and for the Bible is plainly evident. She is an action oriented person. Erin is one reason why I do what I do, and why the rewards are so great! Thank You Lord, Jesus for allowing me to privilege to see YOU in action through people like Erin!!!

Love in Action

Mark 15

33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34 Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

My sins did that to Jesus. So did yours. For the one and only time throughout all of eternity Jesus was abandoned by God the Father because God will not be in the presence of sin. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He took the sins of the world upon Himself. I am both heartbroken and filled with joy over this thought. Heartbroken that my sins cause Jesus so much pain. Filled with joy that Jesus took them upon Himself anyway and paid the price for me and for all of mankind. His love for us, led Jesus to that cross and to that temporary separation from God the Father. How could I be anything other than thankful? How could I live my life any way other than expressing that thanksgiving?

I Pity The Fool and try to correct him, too

Psalm 53

1 Only fools say in their hearts,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;

not one of them does good!

In honor of the soon-to-be released remake of the A Team movie, I can only say, “I pity the fool!” Those who deny the existence of God are fools destined for eternal destruction. It is my responsibility to help them see the error of their ways by loving them to Jesus. There’s plenty of work to be done, but I love every minute that Jesus gives me to praise His Name and to draw others to Him!

Clothed With Christ

Mark 14

50 Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51 One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52 he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.

When we abandon Jesus, we are exposed in every possible way. The very people who only hours earlier had proclaimed their undying support of the Christ, when faced with the Roman Army, run for the hills, naked and all. How many times have I left myself exposed for the goober that I am because I have denied my Lord, have run away from Him, or have just ignored His love for me? Galatians 3:27 says when we are baptized into Christ, we are CLOTHED with Christ. We no longer have to be naked and ashamed. May I remember that since Jesus “has my back,” in fact that Jesus “has me covered” and may I NEVER again be guilty of abandoning Him and running away.

Radical Living For Jesus

Mark 14

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

I LOVE verse 9 of this passage of Scripture! Oh, to live a life so radical for the Good News of Jesus. Oh, to love Jesus so deeply that when people talk about you, they can’t help but talk about Jesus. That’s the kind of life I want to live: one that points to my Lord and Savior Jesus always. One that is so radical, so counterculture that it makes people stop and go, “woah, that is crazy!” That’s what this woman did, and Jesus says that her deed will be remembered and discussed whenever the Good News is preached. I’m not interested in living in such a manner that people talk about me, unless it is in the context of my love and radical lifestyle for Jesus.

Come Quickly Lord Jesus

Mark 13

34 “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

Be prepared. Jesus could come back before I finish typing this journal thought. I need to be ready for His return. What if Christians today lived like they believed that Jesus could come back at any minute now? How different would our lives be? The 1^st century Christians believed that Jesus could come back any minute. They loved each other and shared their belongings, taking care of one another. They weren’t interested in earthly investments, instead they invested in eternal matters. We American Christians are far more interested in our comfort than in the coming of Jesus. We have bought into the culture allowing it to influence us far more than we have influenced the culture. Jesus is coming, and He could come at any moment. Lord, find me ready for Your return! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Giving It All

Mark 12

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Giving from our surplus is not impressive to God. No matter how large that gift is. No, God has called us to give our all to His Kingdom. To do any less is to shortchange God and ourselves! God didn’t give us the surplus of His Love, He gave us His One and Only Son so that we could have life everlasting with Him! How dare we think that we can throw God our leftovers! How dare we claim to love God without giving our all for Him! That isn’t love, it is condescension or even hatred. Lord, help me to give my all to YOU every day. Thank You for accepting my loving offering. May I help others to shower You with love every day by the way I shower You with my love.

Head Knowledge Is Not Enough

Mark 12

28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Now, I know that usually when folks look at this passage they concentrate on Jesus’ answer to the question from the teacher of the religious law. I want to concentrate today on that teacher and his response. After Jesus articulates what we now call the Great Commandment, this teacher responds by saying that Jesus has indeed spoken truth, and that the teacher understands the importance of loving God with all you’ve got while loving people like God loves them. In fact, this teacher declares that to be more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices as required in the law. Then Jesus tells the man that he is not far from the Kingdom of God. My question today is: knowledge of what should be done isn’t enough, is it? I mean, this teacher knows what he should do; even knowing that this loving God and people way of life surpasses the Law of Moses. But, unless this teacher lives that life of love, he stays “not far from the Kingdom of God.” That means he is NOT in the Kingdom of God even though he knows what he should do. THAT thought makes me very sad. Far too many people have the head knowledge, but refuse to live the life to which those who belong to the Kingdom are called. May my life be known by the love I freely give to everyone around me.

Joyful Praise!

Psalm 47

1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!

Shout to God with joyful praise!

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome.

He is the great King of all the earth.

May the words of my lips and the very actions of my life proclaim glory and honor to the Lord Most High. He alone is worthy of such praise. He alone is AWESOME. The Creator of heaven and earth sits on the Throne, and I will serve Him daily by proclaiming His great Majesty, Power and Love. May all with whom I come in contact this day give praise to God. Use me, O Lord, to lead the chorus of praises lifted up to You today and every day of my life! If I am not to lead that chorus, then at least let me be a part of that chorus of praise for Your Holy Name!

No Downside At All

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,

always ready to help in times of trouble.

2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come

and the mountains crumble into the sea.

3 Let the oceans roar and foam.

Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

In the past few weeks we have seen earthquakes (and aftershocks) devastate Haiti, rattle the Midwestern US, and severely damage Chile. Hundreds of thousands have died, and that many more have been injured. The world has mobilized to help in Haiti and Chile, and Christians are leading the charge in acts of love and restoration for the people of Haiti and Chile. Nevertheless, earthquakes happen. Floods happen. Mudslides, sinkholes, monsoons, soon we will enter hurricane season, and those natural disasters happen! Because I trust in the Lord my God, I have no fear of such disasters. I look at them as opportunities to show God’s great love. God does not cause such disasters, but He allows them to happen in this fallen world because His Name can indeed be glorified when His people respond in love to those in need. Should such a natural disaster take my physical life, I get to step into the presence of my Lord Jesus. See? There is NO downside at all!

Loving God

Psalm 45

1 Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

2 You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever. 3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic! 4 In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
 5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’rts. The nations fall beneath your feet.

Psalm 45 is a love song to God. In my duties as a worship leader, I sing lots of love songs to God, but today I want to write words of love to my Heavenly Father:

Abba Father, Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, I am amazed beyond words at Your love for me. While I know I could never be worthy of such love, You give it freely to me. How could I ever consider holding back love for others? How dare I try to determine who is “worthy” of my love? Father, may I be determined to live a life of love because of Your great example as set through Your Son, Jesus. May Your love for me, ooze from every pore of my being and may my love for others bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus. I want to be Your ambassador of LOVE at every turn, dear Lord. Thanks for giving me that opportunity again today.

Words of the Godly

Proverbs 10

21 The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

It is my desire to speak words of wisdom, and I know that wisdom comes only from God. Therefore, I must spend time in God’s Word daily seeking His wisdom if I am to dare presume to be able to teach others. I can think of nothing worse that being responsible for leading others down the path of destruction because of my foolishness, when I know that I could have spoken God’s wisdom and led them on the path of redemption and righteousness in love and grace. Father, hold me tightly and may I lead others to Your Son Jesus only.