Lance's Think About It!

The Power of God

2011-06-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a two week vacation in Colorado and Wyoming. We went white water rafting down the Arkansas River, we went across the Royal Gorge Bridge, visited The Garden of the Gods, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, the Olympic Training Center, the Air Force Academy and many other amazing tourist attractions in the area. (And yes, I did a little fly fishing!) The picture you see above is one we took from The Garden of the Gods with Pike's Peak in the background.

One of the greatest experiences on the trip was the majesty of the mountains! The rock formations at The Gardens of the Gods, the Rocky Mountains, the Royal Gorge were truly breathtaking. But man has done a tremendous work at taking away from the awesomeness of these sights.

Everywhere we went there were displays, videos and all kinds of other informational aids to let people know that all of this grandeur was purely accident. Just two tectonic plates bumping together millions of years ago. All just random accident.

Imagine standing in front of the Mona Lisa, admiring the beauty, thinking of da Vinci and how talented he was when behind you the guide at the museum informs you that da Vinci didn't actually paint it. "One day," he says, "a young man happened to knock over a table and spilled a bunch of paint. Leonardo just happened to be walking by and lifted the canvas the paint had spilled on and when he lifted it off the floor this picture was there, so he claimed it." That kind of story takes some of the majesty out of the picture, doesn't it?

When we look at the mountains, the trees that line a beautiful river, the rolling meadows and the barren deserts we see the artistry of The Creator! We see his love for beauty, diversity and magnificence.

Two tectonic plates shoved together? Yes. But not necessarily over millions of years and not by accident, but by the very hands of God! He formed the mountains! He caused the rock formations at The Garden of the Gods! He molded the Royal Gorge!

Think about it!

Seeking Great Treasure

2011-05-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

I walk quietly through the timber, looking everywhere. I am hunting.

I’m not quiet because I fear that I will scare off what I’m hunting for, but because I enjoy the quiet. I enjoy the sounds of birds, turkeys, and the wind through the trees. I enjoy the beauty of the plants as they grow from day to day, new leaves, taller plants and I use a stick to move aside the vegetation to find my treasure; morel mushrooms!

I know some of you do not understand traipsing through the timber, getting muddy, scratched from the brush and having to check for ticks when you’re done, but some of us enjoy the thrill of finding one, then another, then another! It’s like the Easter Bunny has hidden surprises throughout the woods! And then, after you’ve cleaned up, washed the mushrooms, and brought out the skillet, then the treat becomes even greater.

There is great satisfaction in finding a great treasure and enjoying the flavor of it.

God’s word is like that. Proverbs 2 says, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. . . . For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” (vs. 1-5 and 10)

The great thing is that you can look for it as for silver and search for it as for a hidden treasure, and you never have to venture into the mud or tick infested timber. You can search from your breakfast table, your desk at work, in bed at night before you close your eyes. And while morel mushrooms are here today and gone tomorrow, the words of God endure forever!

So hunt! Seek and you will find! Knock and the door will be opened to you! Find that which will be pleasant to your soul!

Think about it.

Lance

The Special Force

2010-05-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

On April 30, 1980 six armed gunmen took over the Iranian Embassy in London. Max Vernon was a chief inspector for the police who had taken negotiation training, so he was called in to negotiate with the terrorists. For six days Vernon and others talked to the terrorists, trying to bring a peaceful end to the siege.

On May 5th, the terrorists assassinated one of their hostages and Vernon and the other negotiators knew they would not be successful. The Special Air Service, a special forces corps of the British Army, moved in and ended the siege. Two hostages were hit by crossfire and five of the six terrorists were killed.

Vernon went into a deep depression for several months. He said after the siege ended he went into a corner and cried, feeling as though he had failed.

When sin invades our lives, we often try to negotiate a peaceful ending. We think if we can hold out long enough, the enemy will give up and leave peacefully. When that doesn’t happen, we feel a sense of failure and it can often lead to a sense of depression. We know how we out to be, but we fail to do it. The things we want to do, we don’t do and the things we don’t want to do, those are the things we keep doing.

Our negotiations will never work with the Devil. He doesn’t play by our rules. We can’t negotiate with him because we cannot outlast him. He is relentless. The only thing we can do is call in the Special Force. Not Special Forces, but THE SPECIAL FORCE.

Jesus Christ has already defeated our enemy. Satan has no power over him. And if Christ dwells in us, the Devil has no power over us either.

We need to quit trying to negotiate with the enemy and let the power of Christ reign in our lives.

Think about it.

My House Will Be a House of Prayer

2010-04-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

I had a little rat terrier one time. She was my buddy. Her name was Mitzy and she slept next to me, sat in my lap while I watched TV, rode in my lap when I drove and she would go hunting with me. She loved me and I loved her, a true ‘man’s best friend.’

When she was about two years old I had to go out of town for a week, so I left her with my mom. Mom said she did great while I was gone, she played with mom’s dog and was a joy to have. But all that changed when I went to pick her up.

We met at my grandmother’s house and I remember walking in the front door and saw Mitzy running around in the living room when I entered. She looked at me and I got excited, knelt down and said, “There’s my girl!” I had envisioned this great reunion, picturing in my mind how she would run into my arms and cover me with her little dog kisses. But as soon as she saw me she lowered her head and tucked her tail between her legs and slowly walked out of the living room and under the kitchen table.

I walked into the kitchen and got down to look under the table. When I lifted the table cloth and said, “What’s the matter girl?” she literally turned her back to me! She pouted like this for almost two hours, giving me the silent treatment and making sure I knew she was upset with me. It was funny and sad at the same time.

Imagine how God must feel when we walk into his house and He is expecting a great reunion, where we come running into his arms and covering him with our spiritual kisses, but instead we give him the silent treatment. He longs for us to talk to him, tell him about our day and what we’ve been doing, but instead we just go about our business without even speaking to him.

If it has been a while since you spoke to your Father, just remember that He is excited to see you again!

Think about it!

MINE!

2010-03-15T09:37:00.001-07:00

I heard someone say that you spend the first few years of your child’s life trying to get them to speak and then next many years trying to get them to shut up!

It is funny how language develops in children. We are filled with joy the first time we hear them say something that sounds even remotely like “mommy” or “daddy.” We brag on them, we call our friends and family to tell them our little bundle of joy just said his or her first words. But once that gate has been opened, watch out! Because there is no telling what is going to come out!

There is one word that all kids seem to learn early. It’s not necessarily a ‘bad’ word, but it isn’t a very nice one. And it is a word that always comes out loud and proud, and always when other people are around, especially when they are playing with other babies.

The word? “MINE!”

Sharing is something all kids have to be taught. It just doesn’t seem to come natural to us.

But sharing is something vital to us as Christians. Sharing is the foundation of fellowship.

The word fellowship in the Bible is more than just gathering together in the back of the church building, it involves sharing. Sharing food, sharing stories, sharing our lives and sharing our faith. It is a gathering of people who have common interests and who share things.

Yet that childhood desire to keep things to ourselves is still present.

Our Father doesn’t want us to be stingy. He wants us to share. He wants us to invite people into our homes and share our food with them. He wants us to look for those in need and share with them the things we have. He wants us to find those who have no hope and share with them the hope we have. He wants us to have true fellowship.

Think about it!

Simple, Old Fashioned, Hasn't Changed in Years

2010-03-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

You can’t improve on some things.

I don’t know how long brooms have been around. I tried to Google the history of the broom, but the most I could learn was that they have been used for centuries to sweep the floors of caves and homes. I guess we don’t know who invented the broom, but I suppose they have been around as long as there has been stiff grass and sticks. After all, that’s all a broom is. According to Wikipedia a broom is “a cleaning tool consisting of stiff fibres attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick.” (They even have a picture for anyone who has never seen a broom!)

A broom really is a very simple tool, and probably hasn’t changed much over the years. I have several brooms at my house. My mom uses a broom. Her mom used a broom, and her mom, and her mom, and her mom, and on and on.

I have hardwood stairs in my house. They are great for getting up and down, but terrible for collecting dust and just about everything else that floats through the air in my house. About once a day, or every other day we run a little vacuum around the house to help keep the dust and cat hair down to a manageable level, but it is a hassle to use on the stairs, so I usually take out the trusty ole’ broom and sweep each step off until I have a large disgusting pile of ‘stuff’ at the bottom and then I vacuum it up.

That simple, old fashioned, hasn’t changed in years broom. Some things are just hard to improve on.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is like that. It hasn’t changed for over 2000 years, and yet it is still as functional as it ever was. So simple, yet so perfect. Jesus died so you can live.

Over the years some people have tried to dress it up, make it look better, make it sound better, make it more attractive, but the fact is: you can’t improve on perfection.

Most of us have heard the story before. Unfortunately many people today are waiting for something better to come along. Something that will be easier for them. Something that will line up with their terms. They try earning more money, working harder, giving to charities, giving their time to service projects, but the only thing that will really cleanse you is that simple, old fashioned, hasn’t changed in years Gospel.

Think about it.

Over and Over Again

2010-02-22T10:42:00.001-08:00

About twice a year I have to blow out my water line. I close off several valves in my basement, where the water comes in, hook up a hose that goes outside and drag my air compressor up the hill to where our well is. I then close that valve and start pumping air into my water line. After a minute or two the hose outside will begin to spew out this nasty, brownish yellow gunk. I open the water valve at the well, let it run for a while, then repeat the procedure until nothing but clear water blows out of my line.

For a while after that I have good water pressure in the house, but in about six months the water pressure drops again so that you cannot take a shower and flush a toilet at the same time. Then it’s time to blow the lines again.

I’m not sure what the stuff is that builds up in my line. I’m just glad my filters and water softener takes it out before I drink it. But it is there, slowly plugging my lines without me even seeing it.

Sin is a lot like that stuff in my water line. It creeps into our lives slowly, without us even knowing it much of the time. Before long we are clogged and the water of life does not flow through us like it should. And that’s when we need to have our line cleaned out again.

God’s word is like my air compressor. It can fill us with so much of His wisdom and love that the sin in our lives is spewed out and revealed. And this is something that we must do often, over and over again.

We need to set up a schedule. How about beginning each day by blowing out the lines? How about blowing things out again at the end of each day? Maybe during your lunch hour?

Imagine the joy of Living Water Pressure!

Think about it!

It's nice to know you are missed!

2010-02-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

When Dorrie and I were planning our wedding we both made lists of who we wanted to invite. She made her list and I made mine, then we shared our lists with each other to make sure we hadn't missed anyone.

As I read through Dorrie's list I was surprised by one of the names on it. President and Mrs. Bush.

I asked her why she had put them on the list, and she told me she had a friend who had invited another president and his wife, and even though they didn't attend the wedding, they had sent a letter congratulating the couple.

The day of our wedding came, but the president never showed up. I can't say I was disappointed, because I never expected him to take time out of his busy schedule for my wedding anyway. I didn't sent out a search party to look for him. I didn't call to make sure he was OK. I didn't send a follow-up letter to question his absence.

God has planned a wedding. And he has invited even little ol' me. And for years I ignored his invitation. But I was so important to him, my presence so cherished by him that he sent someone to bring me to the celebration.

In Luke chapter 15 Jesus tells three parables about lost things: a sheep, a coin, and a son. And in each of the parables he tells how the one who lost each thing searched intently to find it, and once it was found there was great rejoicing and celebration. Jesus then goes on to say that the celebration in Heaven is even greater than the celebration here on earth.

Think about this; you are so important to God that he searches for you, calls you, writes you letters to make sure you get to the wedding. And when you, little old insignificant you are found, all of Heaven celebrates!

And you thought no one cared!

Think about it!

Oh Be Careful Little Children What You Say!

2010-02-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

The other day I was driving behind a car that had a good deal of smoke coming out of his exhaust pipes. Along with the smoke came a smell of burning oil. It stunk, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t roll down the windows because the smoke was out there too. (Not to mention that it was only 8 degrees outside!) I wanted to pass him, but the traffic wouldn’t allow it.

As he was approaching a traffic light, the light turned yellow, so he hit the gas. A cloud of smoke came out so thick that I lost sight of him. It must have been a smoke screen he used to disappear from people. Since there wasn’t much wind the smoke and stench hung there. I was so glad when the light changed and I could drive out of the cloud. But you could smell him still. His car was leaving this fetid trail wherever he went.

Some people are like that. Their mouths spew a smelly cloud wherever they go. Their speech is filled with hurt, anger, blame and it is noxious trail they leave behind. Words that hurt. Words that tear down. Words that condemn and have no mercy.

I’ve heard people say some truly hurtful things and when questioned about it they say, “Well, I’m just saying it how it is. It’s the truth and I’m sorry if the truth hurts.”

We are to speak the truth. But we are to speak the truth in love. And that is very different from speaking the truth to hurt someone. And it is easy to tell when our words don’t have love attached to them.

Paul said to the church in Ephesus, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. . . . You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Whenever we speak out of anger, we give the devil a foothold. Jesus said, “What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth, it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.”

Our speech is important. It shows what is in our hearts. If we claim to have love, mercy and compassion in our hearts, this must be what comes out of our mouth.

Yes we speak the truth. But it must be in love. If it’s not . . . well, think about it!

Conversations With the Father

2010-01-26T10:18:00.001-08:00

My dad wasn’t much of a talker. Don’t misunderstand me, he was a good conversationalist when a conversation started, but I could sit in the pickup with him for a three hour drive and not a word would be said. But I learned a lot from that quiet man.

There were many times over the years when I would be struggling with a decision and would call him for advice. But he was never much for giving direct advice and sometimes that would drive me crazy. I wanted someone to tell me what to do! But he would ask questions and those questions would make me think about things from a different perspective. Many times I would make my decision not on the advice he gave, but on the things I learned by talking with him. And in those conversations I began to learn how he thought; how he looked at things. And that changed me. It made me more like him.

Prayer is not much different. In prayer we talk to our Father who is often quiet. Not silent, but quiet. God has spoken to us through his written word, the Bible, and if we immerse our lives in his word our prayer life will become more of a conversation than a one sided speech. Consider this conversation:

Me – “God, I’m really struggling with this person who is impossible to deal with. What should I do?”
God – “Have you loved your enemy?”
Me – “I can’t love him! Do you know how many times he’s hurt me?”
God – “Have you forgiven him as I have forgiven you?”
Me – “But he keeps on hurting me! How many times should I forgive him? When is enough enough?”
God – “I think I said seventy times seventy times. What does that mean, Lance?”
Me – “But he’s evil!”
God – “Is that a plank I see in your eye?”
Me – “Yes, but my plank is small compared to his!”
God – “In humility are you considering him better than you?
Me – “Him! He’s wicked! He’s evil! I’m a preacher!”
God – “Were you always a preacher?”
Me – “No.”
God – “What changed you?”
Me – “Well . . . you did.”
God – “Were you any different from him?”
Me – “Well I never hurt anyone the way he’s hurting me!”
God – “You were never my enemy? Never alienated from me? You never offended me?
Me – “Well . . .”
God – “And how did I treat you?”
Me – “You died for me.”

Do you see where this is going? If we will read his word and talk to our Father we will begin to learn how he thinks, how he looks at things. And in those conversations we will be changed. We will become more like him.

Think about it.

Road Closed Ahead!

2010-01-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

Interstate 280, Westbound, is closed. I noticed the on-ramps blocked off yesterday and saw the story about it on the news this morning. Ice jams on the Rock River combined with the recent rains have caused flooding that covered the West bound lanes of the interstate. Even though the flood waters receded last night the road was still closed this morning because large chunks of ice were left on the roadway. A Department of Transportation official said that the ice jam had passed, but it is common for them to reform after they get around the bend and the waters can rise again very quickly, so for now they are keeping the road closed.

Imagine driving through the barricades and running into a six inch thick slab of ice at 65 MPH! Now that could ruin your day! And so they put up cones, signs, and other barricades to tell you to turn back, take another route, DON'T GO THERE!

God has given us all kinds of signs, cones and barricades to keep us from going down roads that are dangerous for us. His word is filled with wisdom to keep us safe, and yet we often ignore the signs and drive full speed ahead into the danger that covers the road we have chosen. And after we take that road, it usually ruins our day!

Most TV and radio stations have a morning traffic report to inform their audience of roads to avoid because of problems they pose. Some people won't leave their house in the morning until they've listened to these reports so they can arrive at their destination safely and on time.

Maybe it would be a good idea to get into the habit of beginning each day by tuning into God's morning traffic report. Read through some of Proverbs, or a part of the New Testament to find out which roads you need to avoid that day.

And then, FOLLOW THE SIGNS!

Think about it.

Icicles

2010-01-20T12:31:00.001-08:00

It's another beautiful day in the Midwest! So beautiful, in fact, that I left the office just before lunch today so I could make it home. And I mean that literally!

About 9:00 this morning it started raining and the temperature is a balmy 32 degrees. So I kept going to the doors to see how much was actually freezing on the parking lot and when I noticed a good amount of ice I headed for home. Our church building sits down a hill, and the drive leading to the parking lot is difficult in bad weather and I really didn't feel like spending the night in my office, so I came home to work. (There's food here!)

Throughout the day as I've gone upstairs I have watched the icicles grow on the trees and my deck. I stopped a moment ago and watched.

The rain coming down is actual rain, not freezing rain. But the temperature is hovering right at the freezing mark so as the rain drips from the railing on the deck some of it drips off but some of it freezes. And that got me to thinking.

I have, over the years, worked on memorizing passages from the Bible. But I'm not very good at remembering things, so very often after I've spent a day memorizing a passage when I wake up the next morning I can't remember it. I used to think I was a failure at this and that I was wasting my time.

But over the years I have been amazed at how, whenever I need it, a verse I memorized years ago and thought I had forgotten, suddenly pops back into my head! And as I watched the icicles grow it dawned on me that this is how our study of God's word works.

We read something, maybe even work at memorizing it, and then the next day it seems to be gone. But in actuality a small, maybe even minute, part of it has frozen into our soul. Day after day, verse after verse, the Word begins to grow in us and after a period of time we are able to see it.

Maybe you have just started in your walk of faith and it seems that nothing is happening. But something is happening! Give it some time! When I got home there were no icicles on my deck, but hour by hour they have grown. Keep reading God's Word. It will take hold!

Think about it.

Pictures

2010-01-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

The top of my desk is covered with pictures. They are all under glass, so they won't be damaged by all the other stuff piled on my desk which usually covers the pictures. But throughout the day as I move things I'm met by the smiling faces of my wife, my kids, friends and family. And those pictures always warm my heart.

Some of them are when the kids were really young and those pictures take me back to good memories. Some are of kids in the church and when I look at them I am amazed at how fast time has flow and how fast they are growing up. Some are of families that have since moved from the area and I remember the friendships and long to see them again.

There have even been times when those pictures helped me calm down when my kids have done something they weren't supposed to and I'm frustrated. I'll catch a glimpse of their picture on my desk and stop and look at it for a moment. It reminds me that they aren't really the little monsters they seem to be at time, they are just kids.

Those pictures, glimpses of these special lives, remind me of the love I have for all of them.

I wonder if they ever feel that love throughout the day as I'm sitting here looking at their pictures? I think how nice it would be if I could let them know that I was thinking about them right then and how those feelings were feelings of love.

God watches us throughout the day. He looks down and sees us and I imagine he feels the same way about us as I do about those on my desk. He loves us. I know we do things that disappoint and frustrate him at times, but when he sees our faces I know his heart must be warmed by the sight. I know this because he 'so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.' (John 3:16)

Right now, look up and smile.

Yep! He saw you! And that picture warmed his heart!

Now doesn't that make you feel better?

Coffee Grounds

2010-01-05T09:24:00.001-08:00

Those of you who know me know I love coffee. One of the greatest pleasures of the day is that first sip of freshly brewed coffee as I stare out my kitchen window and watch the world wake up. It’s relaxing and invigorating all at the same time.

This morning I came to the office early to put the coffee on for our Elder’s and Minister’s meeting and I started thinking as I was putting the coffee grounds into the basket. They are called ‘coffee grounds’ for a reason. They are ground. If you put whole coffee beans in the basket, you probably wouldn’t get very good coffee in the pot. But if you roast the beans, then crush them, pulverize them, grind them up and pour hot water on them you get this wonderful, fragrant, flavorful drink that helps you enjoy the day. It is relaxing and invigorating all at once.

Sometimes we think that because of our brokenness, our crushed dreams and the fact that we’ve been pulverized we aren’t worth much. But just like coffee beans, it is when we have been ground up that God infuses us with his Spirit and what comes out on the other side is a wonderful, fragrant, drink that can help those around us enjoy the day. We can be relaxing and invigorating all at once.

Today, allow God to infuse you with his Spirit. Allow him to pour through the grounds of your life and watch as his grace filters through you and into the lives of those around you.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NIV)

I've Got the Power!

2010-01-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

I bought one of those ‘energy drinks’ one time when I was having a hard time staying awake. I don’t know what half of the ingredients were, but there was a big dose of caffeine in it as well as a lot of ‘root’s and ‘extracts’ so I figured it must be full of energy. I took it back to the office fully expecting to get a surge of power that would enable me to get all my work done in record time.

I drank the entire can and started working. I waited for the boost. Within ten minutes it hit me. Not the rush of energy, but the overwhelming desire to put my head down and sleep. I kept working, knowing it was going to take a little time for all those nutrients, caffeine and root extracts to get into my system, but it never happened. In fact, the only thing I got out of the energy drink was a terrible case of the shakes as my blood sugar dropped about an hour after I drank it. No energy, no rush, no power.

I’ve never bought another one.

Maybe they do work for some people. They sure sell a lot of those ‘energy drinks.’ But it did nothing for me.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have power when you needed it?

I’ve found that if I eat well, exercise some, and sleep when I’m tired, I usually do have the energy I need throughout the day. A steady diet of healthy things seems to give me what I need.

The same is true in our Christian walk. A steady diet of healthy things will give us the power we need. We need to consume God’s word to keep us healthy. We need to exercise daily in prayer, meditation, and study. We need to rest in the promises of God so we will have the energy needed to walk the walk daily.

Paul says in Ephesians 3:14-21, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

We have the power!

Think about it!

People Need the Lord

2009-12-28T08:35:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday evening we closed our meeting with a song titled, “People Need the Lord.” The words of the song are simple. “People need the Lord. At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door. When will we realize that people need the Lord?”

My prayer is that in this coming year we will all realize how much people need the Lord.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Think about this.

Without Jesus people do not have the way. They are left to wander through life without a path to walk on. This is why so many people spend their entire life ‘trying to find themselves.’ Once they find the Lord, they find the way.

Without Jesus people do not have the truth. They are left to find happiness, joy and fulfillment in lies. They put their hope in worldly things that are not secure like their jobs, their bank accounts, their spouse, or the people in their lives. When these things are gone they are left without hope. Once they find the Lord they find the one true source of joy.

Without Jesus people do not have life. Over the years I have done many funerals for people who did not know the Lord. They may have accomplished many great things and had many friends and loved ones, they may have been praised by many people for the great person they were, but when they die that all dies with them. There is nothing left. Once people find the Lord they find eternal life and the things they do on this earth have an eternal impact.

Without Jesus people have no way to the Father. As I said, I have done many funerals for people who did not know the Lord. My heart aches to see the family and friends falsely hoping that they will see their loved ones again. They wrongly believe that everyone goes to heaven and they will all be united in that wonderful place some day. But that is a lie. The only way to the Father, the only way to heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

People need the Lord.

Going Into Battle

2009-08-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Back in my wilder days, (the ones I'm not so proud of), I did some crazy things. Stupid things. Dangerous things. Like the time when I was in college and stood up to a couple of drunk bikers. Here's what happened.

I was hanging out with a bunch of friends, (doing a bunch of things we shouldn't have been doing), when a couple of guys showed up on their bikes. We were all a bunch of young cowboys and were friendly enough to let them hang out with us for a bit, but the longer they were there, the meaner they got.

My little brother, who was only about 15, had arrived shortly before the bikers showed up. He was wearing a certain button on his suspenders, (yes it was in the days of Mork and Mindy for those of you who know what I'm talking about!), and one of the bikers decided he wanted that pin. He told my brother to give it to him.

My brother told him no.

He told him again to give it to him.

My brother, (he is stubborn this way), told him no.

I watched as the biker started walking toward my brother and my brother started backing up, eventually backing into a light pole and the biker had him pinned. I watched as the biker pulled his belt from the bottom of his leather jacket and swung it at my brother's head. And then I could watch no more.

I walked over and stepped in between the biker and my little brother. I told the man, "He said no."

Now I know this sounds brave, but I was shaking in my boots! I'm not much of a fighter, and I knew that I was probably going to bet the tar beat out of me, but I couldn't stand by and watch my little brother get the tar beat out of him, especially if it wasn't me doing the beating. But I also had something else on my side that gave me the bravery to step up.

I had a friend. (I'm not going to give his name so as to protect his identity and I'm not sure the statute of limitations is up on some of the other things we did in those days!)

As I was standing up to the biker, he was over at his pickup arming the rest of our friends. He was handing out night clubs, slap jacks, sticks and other things that could deter a mad biker.

Before I knew it I was surrounded by a small army of college kids ready to protect me and my little brother. And it all started with my friend.

Psalm 54 says, "Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life- men without regard for God." Since that night with the biker, I have felt attacked this same way many times. Sometimes it was actual people attacking me, sometimes it was a spiritual attack. But in all those attacks I have learned that I am not alone. David, the writer of Psalm 54, also wrote Psalm 24 which says, "Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle."

If you ever see injustice, if you are ever being attacked, if you ever find yourself in battle against great odds, just remember, you have a friend! And this friend is mighty in battle!

By the way, my friend became a police officer and I became a preacher. Does God have a sense of humor or what?!?

Light the Fire (Part 4)

2009-08-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful night. Clear skies, cool temperatures, just a hint of a breeze. School was out and the kids were looking for something to do. Somehow they all descended on our house and decided to go up the hill in our backyard and have a bonfire. This was no problem, since I have plenty of wood stacked up there for just such an occasion, and I would rather have the kids here than who knows where.

They headed up the hill and I sat down to watch some TV. About half an hour later one of the kids came in and asked, "Lance, could you come get our fire started?"

I said, "Sure," and headed up the hill to see what was going on. After all, starting a fire should not be that difficult.

When I got to the top of the hill, I immediately saw the problem. They had stacked several logs, 3-4 inches in diameter, on top of a few wadded newspapers and set the paper on fire. Of course the paper burned out long before the big logs had caught fire.

I went down to my garage and found an old piece of 1 x 12 pine lumber and my tomahawk. (Every good mountain man has a tomahawk close by!) I walked back up to the top of the hill and quickly sliced the board into small pieces. WHICK! WHICK! WHICK! (The kids were quite impressed by my mountain man skills!) I then shaved off some smaller pieces, making a good little pile of kindling.

I put the kindling down, propped some small pieces of pine on top of it and set it ablaze. As the fire grew I gradually added larger pieces until they had a good, roaring fire.

One match. No paper. Two minutes and they had a great fire, where they had spent 30 minutes before with no luck. What was the difference?

Kindling.

Small pieces of wood, cut even smaller so they would catch fire quickly.

God wants to set us ablaze. He wants to ignite a fire in us that will burn bright and illuminate the darkness around us. But sometimes we are too big to catch. We build ourselves up and think more highly of ourselves than we should.

This is why He sometimes whittles us down to size.

The next time you find yourself with the rug being pulled out from under your feet, or feel as if you are being knocked off your pedestal, you probably are! God is probably cutting you into the size he needs so he can light the fire he wants in you!

Paul said, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you; Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with somber judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has give to you." (Rom. 12:3)

Think about it!

Light the Fire (Part 3)

2009-07-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not a bird watcher. I have nothing against bird watchers, but I'm not one. I do enjoy filling my bird feeders and watching them come eat, but I couldn't tell one bird from another.

Recently, though, I saw something that caught my attention. I noticed one day a small bird kept flying into some evergreen shrubs I have along the side of my house. She, (or at least I'm guessing it was a she), would fly in with a piece of grass or string in her mouth then, after a moment in the bushes, she would fly out again and find another piece of building material.

After she left one time I snuck in for a closer look and sure enough she was building a nest. I watched over the next day or two as the nest took shape, amazed at how quickly and expertly she wove each piece into place to create this perfect little bowl of grass, sticks, string and whatever else she could find.

Then one day I was riding by on the lawn mower and I looked toward the nest and saw four blue eggs in the nest. I kept an eye on her and her nest for the next couple of weeks, really hoping to see the little birds when they hatched. The nest was right below my bedroom window so I would be able to watch without disturbing too much. This, I thought, was going to be really cool.

But then one day I walked past and noticed the nest was no longer in the bushes. It was on the ground and there was nothing left of the eggs except a couple of small pieces of blue shell. Something had happened. I don't know if a cat found the nest, or a raccoon, or if the nest fell during a high wind. All I knew was that the home had been wrecked.

I knew the bird would no longer use the nest, so I picked it up and took it into my garage. Used bird nests are great for starting fires. I placed it in a tin can and then last week I packed it for our camping trip.

Saturday night we returned to our campsite from long day of hiking and sight seeing. We were going to cook venison stew, but our fire from that morning had gone out. I had the kids gather around and I opened my fire starting kit. I took my char cloth, (see Part 2) and placed it on my flint shard. I struck the flint with my steel, (see part 1) and on the second strike I caught a spark. I blew on the char cloth to help the ember grow and then placed the piece of char cloth in the birds nest. I gently blew through the nest and the smoke grew thick. I blew again and WHOOSH! The nest burst into flames! I placed the burning nest into the fire pit and slowly began to add kindling, adding bigger pieces as each one caught until I had a roaring fire. And it all started with a broken home of a birds nest.

Many of us today come from broken homes. Many of us live in the remains of broken homes and have tried to piece back together broken homes. I know the pain and feelings of hopelessness that come when your home is wrecked. But the God we serve is an awesome God! He can take that brokenness and start a fire there that will burn brightly!

Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

If you have experienced that kind of brokenness, and are still struggling with the pain of it all, maybe it's time to draw near to Him who wants to set you free from that pain. Maybe it's time to allow him to create a blazing fire within the remains of that broken home and re-kindle a new hope in your life.

The Lord is near. Draw near and catch the spark!

Think about it.

Light The Fire (Part 2)

2009-07-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

It was the Midwest Primitive Rendezvous, 2007. I had never been to a "Big Rendezvous." I was in awe of all I was seeing and learning. All the canvas tents lined up in the tree lined prairie. Smoke rising from campfires. The sound of Indian drums blended with Scottish ballads as the sun set in the evenings. It was surreal.

I spent my days visiting with newly made friends, browsing the trader's tents, watching the blacksmith, shooting my gun and throwing my knife and tomahawk. It was as though I had stepped back in time. But I was new to this world and there was much I needed to learn.

As I wandered through a one of the trader's tents, I found a "Fire starting kit." It was a tin box with a piece of steel, a piece of flint, and old piece of bird's nest and a square piece of black cloth. I started a conversation with the trader, asking questions about some of his wares, trying to build up the courage to ask a 'dumb' question. Finally, after a comfortable amount of 'shooting the breeze' I asked him. "Hey, what's this black stuff in this fire starting kit?"

He looked at me and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of that look in his eyes that confirmed it. My question was one any respectable mountain man should have known. But my new friend quickly recovered, realizing I truly was a tenderfoot, and answered my question with the enthusiasm one might expect from an old wizard teaching a young boy magic.

"That's char cloth," he said, and he began showing me how you hold the char cloth with your flint and steel to catch the small, red hot metal shaving the flint cuts off. (See part 1). He held the cloth, struck the flint and steel, and to my amazement a small ember caught on the cloth and began to glow red. He softly blew and the red ember spread slowly across the cloth until there was a nice, big red glow. He then placed it in the birds nest, blew and it burst into flames.

I must have looked like a young child with my face aglow in wonder. "Where do you get this stuff?" I asked.

Again the look that showed the ignorance of my question.

"You make it." he said.

"How?"

I could now see that he realized completely how ignorant I was. So he began to teach me.

That night I took the old piece of cotton T-shirt and the tin box he had sold me, (I'm sure he was fair in his price, since he now liked me so much!), and began to follow his instructions.

I poked a hole in the top of the tin box with my knife, then I placed the cotton strips into the box, sealed it and placed it over the fire. Soon the box began to smoke. Then I saw flames shooting out of the hole in the top. Before long there were flames shooting out of the sides and every place where flames could escape. I watched, wondering if this would really work. After a period of time, as the flames began to subside, I took a small piece of wood and plugged the hole, then removed the box from the fire.

I listened to the sounds of the evening, watched my fire burn a little lower, and waited for the box to cool. When it did, I opened it and found, just as my friend had said, char cloth.

I quickly grabbed my flint and steel and the small birds nest he had sold me, and tried to make the magic as he had. It took a couple of strikes to get an ember to catch, but when it did, it was just like his! I blew and added the char cloth to the nest, softly blew, and WHOOSH! FIRE!

It is amazing how a good, clean cotton T-shirt is worthless for starting a fire with flint and steel. But you put it into a tin box, heat it until it burns to a charred piece of cloth, and then you have something just waiting to catch a spark and make fire.

Sometimes God has to burn us up a little to get us ready to light our fire. When we think we are good and clean, we sometimes aren't ready to accept the spark he sends our way. But if we go through a hard time, a really hard time, we are often better prepared to catch that fire he has for us.

The next time you feel as though you are in a tin box sitting on a fire, when you feel that you are being burned beyond recognition, remember the char cloth. Only after a good charring is it ready.

God may be preparing you!

Think about it!

Light the Fire (Part 1)

2009-07-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not a scientist, so I don't understand all the physical properties of flint. It seems to me to have almost ancient, mystical properties. I remember as a kid finding pieces of flint at the ranch and trying to make arrowheads out of them. With a small hammer and a piece of pointed deer horn you can chip the stone into different shapes and make almost razor sharp edges. (I say you can, but I never could! I usually ended up breaking the piece I was working with.) The stone seems so soft since you can chip it away so easily and yet it is hard enough to shave steel!

A few years ago I began pursuing the hobby of muzzle loading and historical reenacting. Several of my friends and fellow reenactors shoot flintlock guns. As I spent more time with them I learned more about this magical rock known as flint.

Not only does the flint cause their guns to ignite, it is also used to start fires at most of their primitive campsites. I won a flint and steel fire starting kit at a rendezvous and started practicing my own primitive fire making. What I learned first was that when you strike the piece of steel with the flint, the flint actually shaves off a small piece of the steel, at the same time heating that piece of steel to a temperature high enough to light a fire!

That soft, breakable, chippable, magnificent stone can literally shave steel. Not only that, but the harder the steel, the smaller and hotter the spark that is shaved off.

Something as hard as steel can be used to light a fire when struck by something as fragile as a piece of flint.

I know many people who consider themselves as strong as steel. (It's a Superman complex.) Some spend years hardening their steel so that nothing will affect them. They build walls to protect a broken heart, they harden their hearts to mask a gentle spirit, or they allow callouses to build over the repeated pain of life. And yet, I have also seen something as gentle as the good news of Jesus Christ shave this steel with enough force to start a fire!

It may be just a small spark, but if that spark lands in the right place, the fire will spread.

This is the beginning of a series about lighting the fire. My prayer is that you will see yourself in these elements, and you will allow the word of Christ to light the fire within you. It will be transformational. Jeremiah said, "If I say, 'I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." This is what happens when we come into contact with God's Son.

Try it and you will see!

Dirt

2009-07-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

We are having a new driveway poured at the house. Not that I wanted to pay for a new driveway, but the old one was breaking into large slabs that were slowly migrating away from each other. The old railroad tie landscaping that was supporting the drive was beginning to rot, so everything was slowly sliding downhill. Each winter the gaps got bigger and there is one hole that can knock your front end out of alignment if you don't dodge it! So, it is time for a new driveway.

In order to save some money I decided to remove all the old landscaping and shrubbery myself. My father-in-law came over with his bucket tractor and he and I spent seven hours on Monday digging out railroad ties and hauling them up the hill. By the end of that seven hours I was hurting.

It started when I was trying to pry two railroad ties apart with a steel wrecking bar. The wood gave way and I hit myself under the chin with the steel bar. I heard bells ringing and was dizzy for a moment. My chin hurts still. Then one of the railroad ties fell out of the bucket and landed on my foot. Then my father-in-law lowered the bucket while I was under it and hit me in the head. Not to count all the scrapes, sore muscles and sunburn.

When we finally quit, I went in to take a shower. My clothes were covered with mud, inside and out. (While we were digging up a timber, a root snapped throwing up a shower of dirt that rained down on my head, filling the top of my hat and raining down into my bib overalls! Now THAT was comfortable the rest of the day!)

Yesterday we were at it again. Finishing the landscape removal, I decided to take down a couple of trees that needed to be removed. Yesterday was another nine hours of bumps, bruises, bleeding and aching.

Last night Dorrie was starting a load of laundry and looked at my clothes for the past two days. She was impressed at the amount of mud I had brought into her laundry basket! It truly was a dirty, physical job.

This morning I rolled out of bed and it hurt. It hurt to walk. My knees were stiff. My arms were stiff. My back was stiff. I realize today how out of shape I am. But when I looked outside at all the work I accomplished, it feels great!

Now the old junk is gone and they can begin building a retaining wall that will hold my new driveway in place. Something solid. Something bigger and better. Something that will last.

Most of us are working to become something new. Something solid. Something bigger and better. Something that will last. But we all have some old junk that needs to be removed before we can start building. And removing that junk takes work.

James says, "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

He is talking about removing all that is rotten, shifting and is an unstable foundation. But to do this takes work. Removing old habits will take some digging. Removing selfish desire will take a bucket tractor! During the process you may get beat up a little, you may get dirty and you will probably will ache from the exertion. But then when you see all the work you have accomplished, you will feel great!

Thanks for your support!

2009-06-24T03:59:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been a blur! I got all the new windows installed, have been trying to catch up on the reading I have for school, as well as all the other responsibilities that go along with my life. This has kept me from updating this blog for a few weeks.

Today is Wednesday and I have only three days of class left, then I will be able to settle into a more 'normal' routine and can once again write my posts on a regular basis.

Thanks for your patient support!

Detour

2009-06-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

Spring.

The time of year when new things spring forth from the earth. New grass. New leaves. New weeds. New road construction. This last one seems to be everywhere!

The bridge across the Mississippi that is often backed up anyway is even more backed up as they have one lane closed.

The road in front of my office, one of the main roads in town is even more congested because they have the ramp to the interstate closed.

I left the eye doctor's office yesterday and could only make a right hand turn from his parking lot because of the road construction. I ended up having to take a detour through a residential neighborhood. I was frustrated because I had important places to be! (After all, I am important!)

As I turned through the neighborhood, I realized that I had never been on that street before. It was a pretty street with large trees shading the street and quaint little houses with well maintained lawns.

As I looked at the street in front of me it seemed to transform into a Norman Rockwell scene. A man sat in his driveway working on some type of wood project. Another man was following his lawn mower back and forth across his lawn. Squirrels scampered from tree to tree. My frustration quickly left. God was there. God was in the detour.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose."

Next time you are forced to detour, take a good look. I'm willing to bet you can see God there too!

Man Tools Vs. Woman Tools

2009-05-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

On Mother's Day I preached about the awesome difference between man and woman. Woman appears to be the crowing glory of God's creation based upon the account recorded in Genesis. God created everything else and saw that it was good, but when man was alone God said, "It is not good." So he built woman. The term used for His creation of woman is different than that used of all the other created beings. It is a term used to complete an incomplete building project.

Woman was also made of different material. Man and the other animals were made of dust, woman was made of a rib. She is unique, different, wonderful and amazing.
Those differences reveal themselves daily as I saw clearly this weekend.

There is nothing that makes a man feel more like a man than when he is working with tools. (Shooting guns, fishing, playing with knives rank high as well, but this story has to do with tools.) This past weekend I got to feel like a man quite a bit. With the help of a friend, (another manly man), I learned how to replace the windows in my home with new, energy efficient replacements. (Thanks again Lynn!) Each new window came with a packet of small foam buttons to plug the screw holes and Dorrie decided that she would handle that job.

Monday afternoon I finished putting the last window in and began gathering up all my tools and other 'stuff' so the house wouldn't be a mess. I had left several small tools on the coffee table in the living room and scooped them up as I was heading down to the garage.

Now being a man, I know the importance of having the right tool for the job. I had my hammer, a putty scraper, a small pry bar for removing trim, my cordless screwdriver, utility knife, caulking gun and all the other little tools needed to put windows in. But as I was putting away the handful of tools I found a few other things in my hand I hadn't used. I put them away anyway and wondered why the kids had left them on the coffee table.

When I got back upstairs Dorrie was putting some more of the foam plugs in. She asked me if I had seen her 'tools.' It then dawned on me that the items I had picked up off the coffee table were not something the kids had left out. They were "Woman Tools."

Where I had been using all the "Man Tools," screwdrivers, knives, caulking guns, etc., Dorrie had brought out the "Woman Tools," tweezers, a ball point pen, and a shis-ka-bob skewer.

God definitely made us different!

Coffee Maker Theology

2009-05-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Preachers are supposed to know everything. And I don't just mean everything in the Bible, but everything in the church building. We are supposed to know how to drain the baptistery, how to clean it and how to fill it. We are supposed to know how to change all the various light bulbs in the entire building, and where all the tools, ladders and lawn equipment is located. We are supposed to know how to fix the leaky sink and unstop the toilets when they back up.

But every once in a while I get a call about our coffee maker. We have more than one, but I only get calls on one. It is a Bunn, three warmer coffee brewer like you see in restaurants.

We also have a small, home style Mr. Coffee in the kitchen, but I never get calls on it. Always on the Bunn. The question I get is always the same. "How many scoops do I put in the big coffee machine?" And my answer is usually the same. (Unless I'm really in a mood.)

I tell them, "You put the same number of scoops as you do for the little coffee machine." There is usually a pause on the other end of the phone and then they repeat, (as if I hadn't heard correctly), "No. The big coffee maker."

I repeat, "Yes, you put the same number of scoops as you do for the little one."

Sometimes they question me again, "You mean for that big machine?"

Then I have to explain. The small Mr. Coffee carafe holds 12 cups. The big Bunn carafe's hold 12 cups. Even though the machine is bigger, the pots are the same size, so you use the same amount of coffee grounds.

This usually triggers a light bulb. Often I've had people say, "I never thought of it that way before." They see the BIG machine and immediately assume a larger amount of coffee.

Sometimes we do the same thing with our biblical understanding. We read a sentence and it strikes a cord with us, so we begin to act upon that sentence or phrase without seeing it in context, or questioning the depth of it.

A great example of this is Revelation 3:20. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." I've heard this passage used over and over as an evangelistic call, telling unbelievers that Jesus is standing outside their door knocking. If only they would open the door and let him into their life! And this is a valid call, but that's not completely what the verse is about.

John's revelation was written to Christians. To those who have already accepted Christ as their Lord and savior. And in context, the passage means more. "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

Jesus is calling his disciples, the church, to open the door! This gives the sentence a completely different spin, and impacts us ever more personally.

I encourage you to look deeply at God's word. Don't just accept surface understanding, but set things in context, ask questions, dig deeper, and grow in your understanding. You may be amazed at how some simple, life changing things have passed you by because you looked to fast and jumped to the wrong conclusion too soon.

Think about it.

My Wife Told Me To Write This

2009-05-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

I spent two wonderful days with my wife this past week. We drove to Winterset, Iowa to see John Wayne's birthplace and tour the bridges of Madison County. We laughed together, we did what we wanted when we wanted, we talked about our plans for the future, dreams, wishes, desires. We drove in the sunshine, we drove in the rain. It was a wonderful two days.

The trip also provided Dorrie with another opportunity to revel in the humility of her husband.

In Winterset, there is a stone tower built to commemorate a pioneer couple from that area. It is located at the end of a long, winding, unpaved road in a local park. The terrain is very hilly with sheer drop-offs on either side of the road as you drove. It had rained in the days before our visit and there was water along the side of the dirt road, running in some places, stagnant pools in others. You could see where some who hadn't paid attention had driven into the water leaving deep ruts alongside the road.

At one point there was quite a bit of water on Dorrie's side of her SUV. I was driving, so she said, "Watch out for the water over here." I thought to myself, "Does she think I'm blind or just a little stupid." But I said nothing.

A little further down the road, there was another small river with ruts in it and she said again,"Watch out for the water over here." I said to her, (in my gentle way), "Honey, I'm not blind. I see that water. That's why I'm driving on this side of the road."

I then proceeded to inform her of my well trained ability of perception. I told her that I am always paying attention to what is going on around me. I constantly check my mirrors and know where traffic is around me at all times. I notice pedestrians and other cars to watch for things that might get in my way. I am like a wild animal, always in touch with my surroundings as if my very life depended on it. There is nothing that goes on around my vehicle that I am not aware of. I continued this discourse for several minutes, not only esteeming my own skills of observation and attention, but also in hopes of instructing my poor wife who sometimes doesn't pay enough attention while she is driving, (unlike her husband who is a perfect driver!)

Of course, she was left speechless in the wake of my self declaration. Probably so awestruck she was at a loss for words. So we drove in silence for a while, heading to the next covered bridge.

We came to a small town, just a 'wide spot in the road' as they say. As we entered the town I slowed to the posted 40 mph and kept my keen eye open for the sign that would direct us to the next covered bridge. (Another of my impressive qualities is my uncanny ability to find things based upon following road signs!)

I spotted a small brown sign, like the ones that had guided us to the previous three bridges, and so I focused my eagle-like eyes on it to see which direction to turn. The sign turned out not to be for a bridge, but for a 'swamp area.' As I drove past the road to the 'swamp area' I turned my head to look down the road and I heard Dorrie say something. It sounded like, "Stop sign."

I turned my head back and looked at her and asked, "What?" She said again, "Stop sign." I said again, "What?"

A sly grin began to cross her face as she said again, "Stop sign. You just ran right through that stop sign Mr. 'I see everything!' Mr. 'I know what's going on around my vehicle at all times!' Mr. 'I pay close attention to everything that goes on around me at all times and never miss a thing.'

Boy is she annoying! One little mistake and she went on for minutes!

The longer I live, the more I prove the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 18:12 says, "Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor."

In all honesty we both laughed about this for a long part of the weekend. I told Dorrie this would make a great blog, and she agreed. And so I write this in an attempt at humility. Keep me in your prayers and praise God no one was heading through that intersection toward that swamp area.

Living in a world of change

2009-05-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

I just bought a new computer. In fact, I'm typing on it right now. I bought an eMachine from Walmart for $398.00 plus tax. You may be wondering why I would by such a cheap computer.

I did so for four reasons. First, I've owned eMachines before and they've lasted just as well as any of the Compaq, HP, or Gateway computers I've owned. Second, I did some research on this model of computer and it scored 4-5 stars in 25 of the 27 reviews on the website I looked at. They all said for general computing it seems to be a great deal. Third, the cost. With three members of my household in college right now, I don't have any money left! And lastly, I bought this machine because it came with Windows XP and not Vista.

I have XP on my laptop, which has all my information and data. All the files necessary to run my life are on my laptop. (I know, this is really sad isn't it!) But a couple of weeks ago I turned my laptop on and the screen won't come on. Not only that, but the date changes and sometimes I will send an email and the people who get it call me to tell me they just received an email I sent in February of 2006! I have to explain to them that my laptop is on the fritz and I have to send it in to get it fixed.

The service department that will be fixing it said it should be an easy fix, but I dread getting the computer back and having all my data gone!! So I decided to buy this computer with the same operating system and I could easily install all the programs on it, back everything up and keep all my 'stuff' safe and sound.

Easy.

Yea, right!

I've learned that Windows XP on an eMachine from Walmart sold in 2009 is not exactly the same as Windows XP on an HP laptop sold at Staples in 2007. Maybe the XP is the same, but there are some differences in the other things on the computer!

In the world of computers, things have changed in the last two years. Some things for the better, but some things just seem to be frustrating.

Maybe I'm getting old, (my kids seem to think so anyway), but it seems that everything around me is changing faster than I can keep up with it. I am amazed at the language used on prime time television these days. I would have had my mouth washed out with soap if I had talked like that at the supper table, but we let the language blare from out TVs as we eat these days.

There are also so many moral issues that seem up for grabs these days. And rather than just knowing that something is right or wrong, our country waits around for judges and our government to decide what is right and what is wrong. There seems to be less and less solid footing these days.

And yet, there is a solid foundation available to us. God established right and wrong from the beginning and his law does not change. His Word does not change.

So as I type this morning on my new computer, knowing that I've got a lot of work to do to get all my programs installed and all my data backed up, and knowing that there will be problems to work out because of changes in programs and technology, I can find comfort in the fact that when all else seems uncertain and changing, I've got a book that never changes. And even if I lose all my data, I've still got what is really important.

Think about it!

A Man of Understanding

2009-05-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

Not long after we moved into our house, our neighbor died. I never met him. He had been sick for quite a while and did not get out much. His daughter and her husband lived with him and took care of his place.

After he died, his other daughter moved in with her husband and they began to remodel the house. It was quite run down and as they began the work they found it needed more work than they had originally thought. Also as they began working, they decided to add on. They added an extra room out to one side and another addition to the top of the house. The husband did all the work himself and I got used to hearing the melodious sound of his hammer early each morning and late each night. Because he has a full time job, he was not able to work on it except mornings, evenings and weekends and the project drug on and on. It was an eyesore.

For almost two years the roof top addition remained unfinished. He would put down tar paper, the wind would blow and I would have a yard full of tar paper. He would put up more, the wind would blow and I would have to clean up again. I talked to him about it, asking him to at least pick up what the wind blew into my yard, which he did most of the time.

He finally finished his roof. Then he began siding the house. He put the wrap around the house, then the wind would blow and I would end up with a yard full of plastic. He would put more wrap up, the wind would blow and I would have a yard full of paper again.

All together, this went on for a full four or five years. Every time I would have someone over they would comment about my neighbors project and I would always add a critical comment or two.

Six months ago I began putting insulation in the ceiling above my garage. It is a bout a two day project, but I've been so busy. I also have a garage full of windows I will be installing after I finish my insulation project. After the windows are done I will begin siding my house. As I'm trying to get everything scheduled and done with my busy schedule, I'm beginning to have more compassion for my neighbor.

This morning I was reading through Proverbs 11 and I came across this passage. "Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent."

I'm learning to keep my mouth shut!

Food For Thought

2009-05-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

When I was little, I couldn't wait to be old. Not because I would be able to drive or drink or anything like that. I wanted to be old because I wanted to be like my grandfathers. I was fortunate enough to have both my grandfathers until I was almost out of high school, so I knew them both pretty well. And the thing I admired most about both of them was their wisdom. They seemed to know what was important and what was not. They knew what to get excited about and what not to. There was just always something calming about being around Grandpa or Papa.

As I've gotten a little older I've realized that the only way to gain wisdom is by living longer. Oh sure, you can get an education, but that isn't the same thing as wisdom. Wisdom comes from applying the education in real life, learning from your mistakes, and not repeating them. Wisdom is thinking about what you're doing and seeing far enough into the future to realize the consequences of your actions before you do them.

I'll share with you some of my wisdom. When I was 18 I developed some stomach problems and had to have a procedure that required me to go without food for a couple of days. I remember not eating on a Wednesday night, all day Thursday and then having the procedure on Friday morning. I remember this because the Mr. Gatti's Pizza by the hospital had a buffet on Fridays and that is where I went after my procedure. I ate all the pizza and pasta I wanted. And it never even phased me. (I remember this because my grandmother yelled at me for being so stupid! She said I was going to ruin my stomach!)

A few years ago I had to go without food again for a procedure. I fasted for three days and afterward I was very hungry. I went to my favorite place and had my favorite meal. Wisdom kicked in. (Or it might have been age.) Lesson learned: Never break a three day fast with a Trio del Fuego from Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe.

It's Friday morning. I haven't eaten since the burger I had before Bible Study on Wednesday night in preparation for a test this afternoon. Afterward I will apply wisdom. I have a banana and some eggs ready for my first meal.

1 Corinthians 13:11 says, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

I hope someday to have grand kids of my own. And when I do, I hope they will look at me and see something they want to have. I hope by that time I have wisdom to show.

Think about it.

Patience, my dear. Patience.

2009-05-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

I saw the article in the paper this morning of the first face transplant in the United States. Several years ago the woman had her face blown off by a shotgun blast. The 'before' picture was quite disturbing. She had no nose. Her mouth and eyes were disfigured as well. The article said children would run away from her when they saw her. I believe it!

The 'after' picture was next to the 'before' photo. It was a considerable improvement, but still didn't look completely normal. As I read the article I began to understand why her face still looked distorted. The doctors said the circulation is continuing to be re-established to all the muscles and nerves. As this happens, the muscles and nerves will begin to work more naturally and the face will begin to take on a more normal appearance.

Right now the muscles are weak and sag, waiting to be re-generated. Right now the nerves are not communicating with her brain the way they should. But slowly, day by day, the life giving blood is flowing through her new face and eventually it will look as it is supposed to again.

The doctors also said that as the muscles and nerves begin to work better they may have to do a little more surgery to make her new face fit better. After all, it wasn't her face to begin with and it will take a little work to make it fit right.

Patience. That's what is required here. Patience, my dear. Patience.

Galatians 3:27 says that all of us who have been baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves with Christ. It's like we received a new face to cover over the one we've messed up on our own. But that new face takes a little getting used to. It doesn't fit perfectly at the beginning.

The muscles and the nerves in our new skin need that life giving blood to flow through it to re-generate them. As we spend time each day, recovering in his Word, those muscles begin to grow stronger. As we put his Word into practice those nerves begin to feel again, the way they were meant to. There may still be some surgery needed to remove things in our lives that no longer fit, but what we need is patience. Patience, my dear. Patience.

Ephesians 4:2 says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

We need to remember that we are all still healing.

Patience, my dear. Patience.

You Are Cordially Invited

2009-05-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

Not long after I moved to the upper Midwest, I was invited to a hog roast. One of my friends held one every year and invited the whole church out to his 'farm' for the day. I had no idea how to get there, so I asked for directions. The problem was I asked the wrong person. Rather than asking the man who was holding the hog roast, I asked another friend. He gave good directions with one exception. He forgot a fork in the road about 8 miles out of town. When I got there I didn't know which way to go, so I just stayed left. I realized I was on the wrong road about 15 miles later, had to go back and take the other road. I almost missed all the pulled pork sandwiches! I hate being lost.

There are all kinds of directions out there today for people to follow. But there is only one right way, and only one person to give the right directions. The one who's home you are going to. I want to talk a little today about being misled. We need to look at who we are following. Who we are a disciple of.

To be a disciple is to walk in the footsteps of your master, your teacher. You walk like he walks, learn to think the way he thinks, learn to live the way he lives. You choose to follow a certain teacher or master because you believe he is true and by learning his ways you will draw near to truth as well.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to follow in his footsteps. To walk as he walked, learn to think the way he thinks, learn to live as he lives. Those who are his disciples, those who call themselves Christian, have chosen to follow him because they believe he is true and that by learning his ways we will draw near to God.

If, however, Jesus said or did anything that was not acceptable to God, or was not true then it would be foolish to follow him. He would be a liar and would actually be leading people away from the truth and away from God.

I spent several years back in the late '80's trying to find out if he was actually true. It took a while, and I asked a lot of questions, read a lot of books, and looked at the lives of many of his disciples only to discover that he is true. It was then I decided to become a disciple myself. (Not always a good disciple, but a disciple none the less.)

One statement made by Jesus causes a lot of problems in our world today. (Actually there are many, but this one really seems to anger people.) In John 4:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

There it is. Pretty narrow minded, but true none the less. (That's the great thing about truth. It's true whether every one believes it or not!)

If we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe there is no other way to be at peace with God other than through Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with him. And that is why it surprised me this morning as I was going through my mail and I saw a flier 'cordially inviting' me to a celebration of religious diversity. It is being hosted by two Reverends and a Rabbi.

Two Christians and a Rabbi. Two who supposedly believe that Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him. The Rabbi supposedly believes Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." And yet all three of these men are inviting everyone to celebrate the 'religious diversity' or our community.

I thought celebrations were supposed to be a good thing. I celebrate things like birthdays, anniversaries, paying off my bills, waking up in the morning! But I don't celebrate when someone gives me wrong directions! And yet this is what these two 'Christians' and this 'Rabbi' are celebrating! I can't help but wonder why they celebrate being lost?!?

But this is the way our world is today. We don't like narrow minded. We don't like anyone being right. We want everyone to be happy. And I'm sure these three men want people to be happy too. The only problem is that the only way to true happiness is to follow the one who can lead you home. That's not narrow minded because the path is open to everyone!

Here's what I'm celebrating. I celebrate that through my Lord Jesus Christ I have been reconciled with God! And I cordially invite your to join me in that celebration!

Think about it.

Thumbs Up!

2009-05-01T06:02:00.001-07:00

Those of you who are my friends on Facebook probably know I cut my thumb a few weeks ago. (Actually it was three weeks ago today!) Well, the stitches came out, and I think the thumb is healing pretty well. But there are still some problems.

The pad of my thumb is still very numb. And swollen. And some of the skin is starting to peel off. It is still a little sensitive. It makes texting difficult. (Especially while driving.) But it is getting a little better, and I'm patient with the healing process.

It dawned on me this morning that people are like thumbs. When they have been hurt badly, it takes a while for them to heal. They may become numb for a while. They may get flaky. They may be a little sensitive. They may just not work the way they used to, but we need to be patient with them, just like we would be with our lowly thumbs.

Ephesians 4:2 says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

Paul must have cut his thumb too.

Think about it!

Turn Your Eyes

2009-04-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

I very rarely watch TV in the mornings before I head to the office. But yesterday morning I had a little time and decided to do a load of laundry before I came in, so while I was waiting for it to dry I sat down and turned on the television. I had forgotten how educational morning TV can be!

I turned it on just as they were showing a teaser clip about a story they would be running 'in just a moment.' The video caught my attention, so I sat through the commercials until the program came back on. The story was earth shattering! I could not believe something like this hadn't been discovered before! What would I have done had I not sat through this life changing story?!? (In case you can't tell I'm being sarcastic.) The story? Texting on your cell phone while driving is dangerous!

Gee! I would have never figured that one out!

Maybe you saw the clip. Some guy driving a bus, (knowing there was a camera on him! duh!), is reading or sending a text message as he makes his way through traffic. On the video you see him look up from his phone and wince just as he hits the car in front of him. I felt sorry for the poor guy. Not because of the wreck, but because millions of people got to see his stupidity over and over again on NBC.

Now the question for all you texters and tweeters out there, "How many times have you sent a text while driving?" I have to admit I have. (This is why I don't have a video camera installed in my car.) I'm also glad my state is passing legislation to make it illegal so I will quit doing it!

The fact is, once you start texting, tweeting, twittering, or checking emails on your phones, Blackberry or IPhone, it becomes addicting. Every time your phone makes a noise you feel you have to look at it. After all, it might be something important. Someone may have updated their status on Facebook to, "Lying by the pool with a cold glass of iced tea!" Someone may be texting you, "Call me!" Or someone may have updated their twitter saying, "Can't talk now, I'm driving a semi for the first time!"

I know. I have a hard time not looking every time my phone beeps. It's like there is so much going on around us it's hard to just stay focused on anything else. Dorrie brought this to my attention the other night when she was telling me about her day and right in the middle of her sentence I took out my phone and started replying to a text someone had sent. (My phone never even beeped, I just sensed the message coming through!) She made some comment about being replaced by a Blackberry, but I didn't hear everything she said. I was busy.

Last night as we were watching TV though, I let several messages come through and never even picked up my phone. I was actually focused on my wife. Sometimes we do have to remind ourselves that there are more important things for us to be focused on. Like our spouse. Driving. Work. Faith.

One main reason I don't watch too much TV is because it is all so negative. I know this sounds cliche, but for me it is true. I know people who's days are consumed with worry about Swine flu, the economy, heart disease, water boarding and the like. All worries driven by the media. There is something more important than all that.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

The writer of Hebrews says it this way, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

My challenge to you today is to set aside a period of time where you fix your eyes on Jesus. Turn off the TV. Turn off your IPod. Turn off your Blackberry. Turn off your cellphone. And turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Then text me and let me know how it went!

Get Yer Motor Runnin'!

2009-04-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Last summer Dorrie and I took a motorcycle safety course. I hadn't been on a motorcycle in almost 25 years! And my last experience on one wasn't the most memorable! But with gas prices at $4.00 and wanting something we could do for fun, we decided to take the class and get my motorcycle license. (Dorrie already had hers.)

We spent four hours one evening watching motorcycle crash videos and learning all the dangers of riding the two wheeled vehicles. I think maybe this was to weed out the faint of heart.

We learned where all the controls were and how to use them. We learned that the tires are supposed to remain in contact with the ground for maximum control and basic things like that. We learned about clothing to protect you from having all your skin shredded off by the pavement. We learned about helmets to keep you from damaging what little brains you have. Important things like that.

In reality, those first four hours were very informative and helped me to gain a little more confidence for the next day.

Saturday morning was for riding class. We arrived that morning to a light rain. After choosing helmets that fit, we were assigned our bikes. We began by learning the controls and just rolling our bikes back and forth to get the feel of them. Then we started the engines. We learned to pull in the clutch, put the bike in first gear, and slowly let the clutch out, pull it in, and repeat. When everyone was comfortable with this, we actually got to ride for about five feet. And I didn't even fall over!

Slowly, a little bit at a time we rode. Into second gear. Around curves. Weaving, stopping, turn signals. We were becoming true bikers! (The fact that we never got above 15 mph didn't seem to matter!)

By day three we were riding figure eights, learning to ride over two-by-fours that might be laying in the road, and hard braking. By the end of that third day I knew I could handle anything that parking lot could throw at me! I was a road warrior of the John Deere parking lot!

We took and passed our riding and written tests and the following Tuesday I went to the DMV and got my motorcycle license. (All the while humming "Born To Be Wild" to myself! Get your motor runnin'. . . . Head out on the highway. . . . Lookin' for adventure!)

A few weeks later I was at the local bike shop. I had found what I was looking for. A Yamaha, 650 V-Star. Used, but only 1200 miles on it. Good price. Great gas mileage. Engine a little small, and not a Harley, but a start.

I walked around it several times. I sat on it. I walked around it a few more times. Sat on it again. Then the owner of the shop came up and said, "Take it for a ride!" He handed me the key and asked me if I wanted a helmet. I wasn't sure what to do. I had never ridden a motorcycle on a street. I had ridden on the ranch growing up 25 years ago and in John Deere's parking lot. And he wanted me to take his bike out for a test ride!

I had butterflies like I'd never had before, but I climbed on and fired it up. I made it out of the parking lot without killing the engine or falling down. I thought that was pretty good. I went down a city street, around a couple of corners and didn't fall. I only killed it once at a stop sign. But after a little while I decided, "At some point I'm going to have to go faster than 15 mph and get on a highway."

I headed to the highway and made it through my first intersection with no accident. (I kept thinking to myself, 'Do these people know how dangerous I am?') I headed out on the open road. 20 mph. 30 mph! 40 mph! 50 mph! 60 mph! And WOW did that feel great! By the time I got back to the shop I was hooked.

All that training paid off. I just had to put some faith in it. I had learned the basics, but I had to actually stretch myself to experience the enjoyment that came from it.

Since then I've put quite a few miles on that bike. I've used the things I learned over and over. Weaving, turning and even hard braking. I've learned a lot more, but it all started with trusting what I had been taught.

Paul tells the church in Corinth to "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you." So often we are afraid to trust what we have been taught. We hold on to our fears, our worries, our anger and our selfish lives because we are afraid to venture out onto the open road of faith.

It's time to live like He really is in us. "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry 'abba, Father.'"

Take a chance. Go for the gusto! Let 'er rip! The ride is worth it!

Get yer motor runnin' . . . . head out on th' highway! . . . . Lookin' for adventure . . . . in whatever comes my way! . . . . Born to be Wiiiilllldddd!

Rush, Rush, BAM!

2009-04-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

I spend most of my days running from one thing to another. And the busier I get, the faster I have to run. I don't intentionally full my days so full, it just seems to happen that way.

One day a few years ago I was working in my garage trying to finish one project before I had to rush into the next one. As I am diligently busy, someone upstairs called for me. I thought to myself, "I don't have time for this!" and I headed for the door.

Being as busy as I was I decided I would run up the stairs, take care of the problem and get back to my job in Superman time. Entering the house from the garage, I grabbed the door frame to slingshot myself around the corner and up the stairs. I was building a great head of steam, aiming to take the first five steps in a single leap. I was moving almost faster than the speed of sound! I know this because there was a sonic boom as I rounded the corner!

It seems that the call from upstairs was the bait for a trap that had been laid for me. My daughter, Tashia, loves to scare people. She loves to hide behind doors, around corners, or anywhere to leap out and scream at you. She's actually very gifted in this!

She was hiding in the closet under the stairs as I rounded the corner. She had the door cracked just a bit so she could see me coming. As I rounded the corner, she swung the door open, . . . and right into my face! Because I was moving like a bullet, the door caught me right in the forehead, just between the eyes. That was the sonic boom.

I staggered back, waiting for the ringing in my ears to stop and the room to quit spinning. Tashia, at first laughing, realized I really was hurt, . . . and laughed all the harder!

The dizziness lasted for only a moment, and the knot on my forehead wasn't too bad. (Although some might question more permanent brain damage!) I survived and we all laugh about it still today.

But sometimes in our rushing, the BAM! at the end is more painful, maybe even deadly. Sometimes in our rushing, we rush headlong into a trap laid by the enemy. In Genesis 4:7 God is having a conversation with Cain. Cain is upset and God tells him to just do well and everything will be OK. But, God says, "if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

How often in our days of hustle and bustle do we do things without even thinking about them? How often do we 'react' instead of thinking to ourselves, "Is this the right way to handle this situation?" We need to remember, sin is right there, crouching in the closet, wanting to smack us in the face with the door!

Slow down today. Look before you rush into things. Sin desires you, but "you must rule over it."

Think about it!

The Ugly Pie

2009-04-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

She said it was the 'Ugly Pie.' She said some day she would learn to make pretty pies. This was funny because she has been making pies for years! And I ate one every chance I got! She used fresh peaches when she could and I love fresh peach pie. I told her I didn't care how the pie looked. After all, beauty is only crust deep. But delicious is all the way to the pan!

We finished serving the meal after the funeral, and there were some deserts left over that day. I hadn't eaten any dessert because I ate two large servings of chicken casserole. (Two ladies made the same recipe, so I had to see which one was the best! Both were good!) She noticed that I hadn't eaten any of her ugly pie, and since there was some left she put it back in the pie pan, wrapped it in foil and sent it home with me.

I sat in my office that afternoon with that pie just an arm's length away.

It was an ugly pie.

But it smelled so good.

I was so full.

But it smelled so good.

I don't have a fork.

But I've hidden one in my desk drawer for just such an emergency!

I'm so, so very weak!

It was ugly, but it was good! Peach. Wonderful, juicy, sweet peach. Flaky crust! No matter how ugly, no matter that the crust had been crumbled and mangled when it was cut. No matter what, it was wonderful.

I think that is how God sees us. No matter how ugly, no matter how mangled, no matter what we've been through, he thinks we are great!

Think about it!

Empty Feeders

2009-04-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

I love this time of the year. We open the windows and allow the fresh air to relpace the months of winter we've endured. One of my favorite things about this time of year is the birds. Around five o'clock each morning I can hear them outside the window telling me it's time to get up.

I have several bird feeders hanging around my house. Humming bird feeders, suet cages, finch feeders and a couple of 'every day, whatever kind of bird shows up' feeders. Unfortunatley, because I've been so busy, (or lazy), all my feeders are empty. And one interesting thing about birds; they won't come to empty feeders!

I have some really nice bird feeders too! One is round with a nice, wide shelf for them to rest on. Another is two story with a roof where they could sit out of the rain. But if there is no food in them, no matter how nice they look or how functional they are, the birds won't come.

Oh, they might stop by for a day or so when the feeders first run out, but then they are gone. But as soon as I fill them up again, within a day there are birds galore! Another interesting thing about birds; they are always hungry.

Birds aren't much different than people. People are always hungry. And not just food for the body, but food for the soul. I've met very few people in my life who are not needing something in their lives. They are physically ill, emotionally ill, spiritually ill. Some need food for their marriage. Some need food to raise their children. Some need to be told they are worth something. Some need to hear that there is hope in their world of dispair. Some need answers to deep and troubling questions.

These are the people who stop by our churches. They are hungry and looking to see if they can be fed here. Sometimes they want the preacher to feed them. Sometimes just a smile or a hug can be food enough for that day. For some just the company of friendly, caring people will feed them for a while.

What we must always make sure, though, is that they never show up and find an empty feeder. If they do, they will go away hungry, and may never return. It's up to you and me to make sure our own feeders stay full. This means we must go to the food source daily and be filled.

Jesus said to Peter, "Feed my sheep." "Tend my sheep." "Feed my sheep." Do you think it is important to our Lord that we keep our feeders full?

Think about it!

Where's that towel?

2009-04-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

I have read this passage hundreds, if not thousands of times before. John 13 where Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. I have even re-enacted the event for youth classes to demonstrated servanthood to teens. I've used it in Men's retreats to teach our men to be servants. And yet I had missed something so clear!

Mark's gospel tells us that after Jesus' anointing at Bethany, and before the Passover meal, Judas went to the chief priests to betray Jesus. John's gospel tells us it was "during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son to betray him."

After that Jesus rose from supper and began to wash the disciples' feet. All the disciples' feet. This means he even washed Judas' feet. Knowing that Judas was going to betray him, knowing the kind of man Judas was, knowing the very heart of Judas, Jesus still washed his feet.

And then he told his disciples, "I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done."

Serving those who will betray us. Serving those who hurt us. Serving those who hate us. Loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us. Loving our enemies and doing good. Lending without expecting anything in return. Being kind to the ungrateful and the evil, just as the Most High is kind. Being merciful, even as our Father is merciful. (Lk. 6:27-36)

I've got a couple of Judas' in my life. People who have betrayed me, hurt me, become my enemies.

Now where's that towel?

How do I get there from here?

2009-04-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

I live in the Quad Cities. The name comes from the four cities on the border of Illinois and Iowa. Moline and Rock Island are the two cities on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, and Davenport and Bettendorf are on the Iowa side. I live on the Illinois side of the river.

I can find my way around my city pretty easily. The streets are laid out North/South and East/West for the most part and are numbered, in order. North/South routes are 'Streets' and East/West routes are 'Avenues.' This makes it easy to find your way around.

Across the river is a different story. The streets run in every conceivable direction, turning, curving and twisting. Their names seem to change with every change of direction and it doesn't take me long to get lost there.

To make matters worse, some streets don't even have signs. There is nothing more frustrating than driving around looking for a street and finding no signs! I don't know if the economic downturn has prevented the city from purchasing signs or if they have been stolen, but too often they are not there! Sometimes there is nothing. Sometimes there is just a pole. Sometimes they are there, but they are covered by trees or other brush and you can't see them until you've already passed the street you're looking for. And when you're lost already, the lack of good, clearly visible signs is frustrating. That's one reason I don't go across the river very often. I don't like feeling lost and somewhat foolish.

I recently had a conversation with a young lady who has never really been to church. She came with a member to watch The Passion of The Christ when we showed it before Easter. She had many, many questions and I was amazed at how little she knew of Jesus and His church. I realized that our language must have seemed foreign to her. We refer to things like salvation, sacrifice, eternal life, and I imagine she felt like I do when I cross the river; lost and somewhat foolish.

Since that conversation I have thought about how important it is for us to be signs. Not only present, but clear. This young lady has had several opportunities to see me away from the church building, and I am reminded how important it is for my life to be a clear, present sign pointing those around me to God.

Peter says, "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Pet. 3:3, ESV) Our job is to be clear and present signs in the lives of those around us.

We often assume that those around us know something about where they are going, but as I learned, there are some out there who have no idea. When they look to us for directions, we must be there!

Think about it.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-04-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

I was at the Christian bookstore yesterday. They sent me a 50% off coupon for my birthday and I have been wanting to buy an English Standard Version of the Bible. (It's about the only version I don't have!) I was trying to decide between the Study Bible, the Single Column Bible, the Wide Margin Bible, etc., etc., when I found myself just reading one of them. Not thinking about the size of the print, the width of the margins, the kind of cover or anything, but just reading the words and letting them flow over me. And I realized it has been a long time since I have read like that!

Between church work, school work, house work, family, marriage, and farm work, it's easy to neglect the important things. Like showers.

I said that the words flowed over me, and that's what it felt like. Like a shower. It's funny, I always have time for a shower for my body, but don't always have time for a shower of my soul.

Think about it!