What Else?

I have been in the fire service now for almost 8 years. I enjoy helping people in their time of need. Sometimes when I get talking about the fire service it is hard to stop. Tonight I had a conversation with a 4 year old named J.J. He is cute and very interested in a lot of things. We got talking about the fire station and he asked me what was at the fire station. I told him we had 6 trucks, a trailer and an ambulance at our station. Then he said eagerly, “what else?” I told him about the hose, “With even more intensity he asked what else?”, I told him about the Jaws of Life, “what else?”, I told him about the thermal imaging camera, “what else, do you have a Dalmatian?”…you get the point, this conversation went on for about 30 minutes. I love talking to kids about fire safety, but sometimes when you talk to 4 year olds it’s easy to forget that the two questions “what else?” and “why?” can be asked over and over. It was a great conversation and his parents are becoming pretty good friends of mine. When I got home I was thinking about my conversation with my buddy J.J. and two thoughts have captivated me tonight.

Here I am willing to spend an evening talking with J.J. about fire trucks and hoses, but how willing am I to talk to people about my God. Mark 16:15 (NIV) says “He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” How are we doing? Are you going to your jobsite, your chemical plant, your grocery store, your fitness center, your school and even your churches and preaching the good news to ALL creation. In my opinion the church today has become complacent when it comes to evangelism. We tend to lick each other’s wounds in the church with a “take care of our own” attitude. All the while, we ignore our neighbors, friends and family members that need not only to hear about the love that God has for us, but they need to experience it firsthand. I would have answered any question that J.J. had about the fire department tonight, and I did. The more he asked, the more excited I got and the more I answered the more excited he got. It can and should be that way when it comes to God. We live in a time that people are hurting. They have been abused physically and emotionally for years. Some have dealt with some pretty substantial losses, including family members, jobs and friends. We live in an economy that is causing people great stress and anxiety nearly every day of their lives. There are people in our neighborhoods that are waking up without any hope. We have the answer…it’s not drugs, it’s not working more hours, it’s not alcohol…it’s a Heavenly Father that wants to help them. Are we doing our part to fulfill the request of Jesus? He said go into ALL the world and preach the good news to ALL creation.

Secondly I was amazed at how captivated that J.J. was with the whole fire service thing. It was like one question and answer led to five more. It was like he couldn’t get enough information from me. I got thinking, are we that way with God? I recently have been reading a book called He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobson. The first chapter of this great book talks about how we play “Daisy Petal Christianity” with God. He Loves Me…things are going good. He Loves Me Not…things aren’t going so good. You get the picture…but why can’t we learn to be so captivated with our God that we can’t get enough of him. We delve into our occupations, families, addictions and tend to give God what is left over in our lives. Sometimes it might be a prayer at the end of the day. Maybe we spend 10 minutes during the course of the week in true quiet time reading the Bible and seeking His purpose for our lives. Most Christians that I know can relate to this lifestyle. Between ballgames, friendships, hobbies, church, school, board meetings, etc. we forget to include God in our lives. The cool thing is…it can change.

Before tonight J.J. wasn’t that excited about the fire service. As a matter of fact he told me that he wanted to be a cop when he grew up...I got a few years to work on him. But by the end of the conversation and discussions of making a trip to the fire station I think that he was a pretty hyped up about the shiny red trucks with the miles of hose. Maybe it’s time for us to do the same with God. Maybe instead of reading our bible or having a bible study because it’s the right thing to do we should spend some intimate time and slow down and actually listen to what God wants for us. I have started to do this over the last year. I thought I had it all figured out…and let me tell you, since slowing down and listening to God I have realized I had it all wrong.

So, I’d like to challenge you with two things…

Go tell somebody about Jesus. Someone who’s live depends on it.

and

Slow down and listen to God. He is more important than anything that is on your planner for tomorrow.

Oh and if you are excited about joining the fire department because J.J. got you excited too…contact your local fire chief. Thanks J.J. for the life lesson tonight, at four years old you taught me a lot more about life than I taught you about fire trucks.

Who Takes Care of You?

Ever feel drained? Ever feel like you can’t go on? In these times that you need to be “taken care” of where do you turn? I have spent many years (and still do) turning to friends. I want to feel loved and accepted. I want a friend or family member to help “take care” of me. I want them to nurture and heal my spirit. I want them to comfort me. As with many things in my life now I try to evaluate as to what Jesus would do if he were in my situation. I have learned when I turn to God’s word I find out that Jesus, while on this earth went through the same things that I did. That means he can relate to me….

Matthew 4:1-11 tells the account of the temptation of Jesus. Jesus hadn’t eaten for 40 days (and nights), yet more important to Him was his relationship with his heavenly Father than hunger pains. Jesus’ trust in His Protector was tested when he was tempted to throw Himself off the top of a temple. It was more important to Jesus that he not test His Heavenly Father than “prove his point”. The final temptation that is noted in Matthew states this, “Then the devil led Jesus on top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. The devil said, “If you bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.” So the devil left Jesus and angels came and took care of Him.” (vs. 8-11)

Sometimes we put Jesus on the pedestal, a pedestal that he deserves. However the truth of the matter is when he came in human flesh he experienced the things that we do today. Did you catch the very last sentence in that scripture….So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and took care of Him.

There are two parts to that reference that send chills up and down my spine. Jesus simply told Satan to take a hike…and he did! Imagine the power that we have if we begin to put on the armor of God. Last night Pastor Paul spoke at church about God “showing up”. Can you imagine, we ask God to come to our rescue and when he shows up there is thunder, lighting, earthquakes, fire…you get the picture? And all God did was show up…He hasn’t even done anything yet. That my friend is amazing power. Every single day we are tempted…just like Jesus was. And every single day, just like Jesus, we have the power to tell Satan to take a hike…and he will. And when we feel like we can’t go on, we don’t need to rely on earthly friends or family for our comfort. I promise you that I and every other earthly person will fall short of the expectations that you set forth for them when you need to be “taken care of”. We, like Jesus, can let God take care of us through the presence of his Holy Spirit and angels. That my friend is so encouraging! I can get that hug I’m looking for from the Holy Spirit or an angel! Now that my friend is a HOLY HUG!!

Healing Broken Hearts...

I was talking to a friend today. This person is a child of God. This person is hurting….BAD. Their heart is broken and torn. I am sorry to say that many of you that read this blog post know who my friend is. I was shocked to hear that such a strong child of the King can feel so alone. Regardless if you know who I am talking about, there are people in our lives EVERYDAY that have broken hearts. We have been called to be Band-Aids for Jesus. We have been called to stick ourselves to these broken hearts and help them heal through love, prayer and encouragement. My challenge to you today and every day is to find a broken heart and “stick” to it. Be a Band-Aid where you can…and need to be.

A Raindrop's Destination

This morning I read Psalms 25. What an amazing prayer to God for guidance. If I had this heart of seeking God’s guidance things would be different in my life. Psalms 25:4-5 (NCV) “Lord, tell me your ways. Show me how to live. Guide me in your truth and teach me, my God, my Savior. I trust you all day long.”

An excerpt from the Valley Morning Star:

High on a hill in a Midwestern town stands an old post office. The building just happens to be situated so that rain, falling on one side of the roof, flows down the hill into a stream, which joins a river that empties into the Great Lakes, and on into the Atlantic Ocean. Rain falling on the opposite side of the roof travels by way of a small brook into the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and on into the Gulf of Mexico. So tenuous is the position of a raindrop over this post office that the slightest breath of wind will determine the direction of its fate!

Do you ever have the feeling that your own fate is waiting to be determined by a small gust of wind or something so slight that your whole life could go in a different direction? Have you ever felt suspended tenuously between two choices and wished some gentle breeze would come along and make the decision for you?

There are many times in our lives that life can seem uncertain. Sometimes the circumstances and facts can be so tedious that the answer seems so difficult. If we start each day with the Psalmist prayer and ask God to tell us His ways, show us how to live, guide us in His truth and teach us things might become clearer. But I love the last sentence of this passage. I TRUST YOU ALL DAY LONG. I need to start doing this more. Sure it’s easier to trust God when it’s easy, but let’s start trusting Him all day long.

You know what I think is funny…regardless of where the rain drop hits the roof on the little post office mentioned above, it is bound for a journey. If rain drops had feelings they would sure look forward to the prize of finding their destination in the Gulf or Atlantic. Maybe it’s time that we focus on heaven and realize that regardless of the way the storm blows us we have a God that we can hope in….all day long.

Who do you Love?

The title of my blog is "He Loves Me". I used that title because I am learning everyday now just how much God loves me and what sort of relationship that he truly wants to have with me. Tonight I want us to think about not only who do we love...but how love them. The bible tells us to love all people. This is something in my opinions that most “Christians” struggle with. They let religion get in the way of their focus on how they treat God’s people. James 2:1-10 (NCV) reminds us to treat everyone equal. I love what James says in verse 8-9, “ This royal law is found in the Scriptures, “Love your neighbor as your love yourself.” If you obey this law you are doing right. But if you treat one person as being more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God’s law.” I know a lot of people that need to read this scripture…including myself. I have watched people in our churches all over this country treat people different based on financial status, clothes that people wear and even where their kids go to school. The list goes on!

How pathetic is it that the “organization” (church) that people are programmed and expected to turn to when they are hurting can be the most judgmental society. Our churches and many “Christians” become so caught up in religion that we forget that there is someone across the street, in our own family or sometimes in our own house that needs to experience the love of God from us. I took some time away from the church recently. Whether this was the right decision or not is for another discussion. But during that time I occasionally popped into a church here and there. As I quietly went into these churches and “scoped” them out I discovered how closed off that our churches have become to the outside world. There were some churches that I walked in (on time) made it through the entire service and left (after everything was over) and was never welcomed by anyone. How pathetic? I recently heard a story about a guy that felt God leading him to go to the local convenience store and stand on his head in front of the pop coolers. He was obedient even though the idea seemed silly and he didn’t know the purpose. He walked into this store and stood on his head until he felt that God was done “using” him. He grabbed his favorite beverage and headed to check out. When he reached the cashier he was asked what he was doing standing on his head. He explained that God told him to do it and he made a commitment to be obedient to God no matter how crazy it seemed. The cashier broke down and wept. He explained that the night before in a cry of desperation he told God that he wanted a clear sign, something crazy, proving that there was a God. If he didn’t get that sign he was going to kill himself the next day. The cashier couldn’t believe his eyes when this total stranger walked into his store and stood on his head in front of the pop cooler. Doesn’t get much more obvious than that…does it? Anyways, my point is this…there are people that we come in contact with everyday that need to experience God’s love. When Jesus walked the earth he didn’t have prerequisites for being a part of his church. He didn’t do a credit check, he didn’t ask for a DNA sample and he certainly didn’t look down on anyone. Probably the greatest verse that is known to man says, “For God so loved the WORLD…” You see Jesus came to pay the price for all of men regardless of race, financial status, marital status…ALL MEN (and women too)! The church today has developed a reputation in general of being judgmental. I invited a friend to church the other day and they told me they didn’t want to go hang out with a bunch of hypocrites that look down their noses at him. It breaks my heart to hear these things and yet I hear them time and time again. I want to challenge you with something.

Seriously…don’t read this and say, “I know a church just like that.” Or “I know someone that treats people that way.”

Can I be blunt?

It’s your church…it might even be you…

Can we all please truly stop all the games and smoke screens that we have put up and take a look at how we treat our brothers and sisters that need God? Are we loving them like Jesus did when he walked the earth?

And don’t get me started about how we treat each other as Christians…that’s for another time.

Times of Uncertainties?

Today is a day filled with some uncertainties and sadness for me. It has been a while since I felt this way but it seems that the things in my life seem to be moving in slow motion. Like an instant replay in football things seem to move back and forth with a looming thought of what tomorrow will bring.

I was reading this morning in Matthew and one particular verse struck me as simple yet insightful. Matthew 14:23 (NCV) says, “After He (Jesus) had sent them away, he went by himself up into the hills to pray. It was late and Jesus was there alone.” As I embark on these new areas of my life that God has for me, I deal nearly every day with insecurities. I tend to run to “people” to help pacify these insecurities. I look for a kind word, a hug, a feeling of being needed or wanted. It is our own human desire to want to “feel good”. However at the end of the day, what does that leave me? Empty? Lacking? Did I gain any direction or confidence in my uncertainty? Maybe a little, I surround myself with people that I believe that can share good Godly advice and direction with me. But why get it from someone else when I can get it on my own.

When Jesus faced uncertainty what did he do? Did he run to his disciples and ask for a hug? Did he text his buddy and say, “will u plz pray 4 me?” LOL – no he didn’t. He got alone…and prayed…period. Jesus ran to the one person that he knew that could provide him comfort, direction and clarity. He went for a walk in the woods and prayed. I’m sure that there were some tears, I’m sure there were some “why: questions, I’m sure that there were even some moments of silence.

Kinda makes you think doesn’t it…

Now if you excuse me I need to take a walk….alone.

Lacking Wisdom and Broken Trucks

James 1:5-8 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who give generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.

I love the fact that James says “If” any of you lacks wisdom…Don’t we all? But what I find more interesting is the solution is so simple. Just ask…

It seems as I delve further into God’s word that I find that the answers are usually so simple. Who lacks wisdom? I think if we all actually took the time to do some serious self evaluation we would admit that we need wisdom. I also believe because as it says in Hebrews 4:15-16 (NCV) “For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.” What that means to me is that God knows how we feel and knows what we are going through because he has experienced it. He knows that we need wisdom. He just wants us to ask! We live in a time that we think we can deal with things on our own. Life can be like a child that has a wheel fall off his toy truck. The little boy tries with all his might to push the wheel back on and inadvertently breaks the axle off, the door comes off the hinges and another wheel falls off. Then the little boy takes the pile of parts to his father and says “Fix it!”. The dad tries his best all the while knowing that if the boy had brought the truck to him when the tire fell off it would have been easier. So it is with our heavenly Father. If at the first time in our lives we sense we are lacking wisdom we should ask. He says he will give it to us. God wants a relationship with us and wants to take care of us, he just wants us to have the same desire to pursue Him and take our needs to Him. It is time that my attitude of “rolling up my sleeves” and trying to solve my own problems take the back seat to a God that has already conquered much more than I will ever accomplish in my lifetime.

Storms...

A couple key notes about the book of James that I find very intriguing. James like most Christians was led to believe that “preaching” needed to take place in a church on Sunday morning. Evangelism and ministry takes place when we as sons and daughters meet our neighbors and friends where they are. According to my NCV the key themes of the book of James are as follows: God gives us true wisdom, Satan tempts to break us, God tests to strengthen us, the words we use are powerful and influential, and Faith and good deeds go hand in hand.

James 1 : 2-3 NCV…Many Christians read this passage in segments and it causes confusion, frustration and paralysis in their walk with God. Verse 2 states “…when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy.” Over the years I have heard everything from “James must have been crazy” to “James must have not had to endure many troubles.” If we continue to read as the author intended in continues in verse 3 by saying “…because you know these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.” Notice a couple of things, James says “when” we have troubles, not “if” we have troubles. The bottom line here is that we are going to have troubles and hardships in our lives. Much like Jesus did…and just like the troubles that he faced, how we handle those troubles will define who we are spiritually, emotionally, socially and mentally. You see, patience is one of the things that I struggle with the most. I WANT TO KNOW NOW! I was talking to a friend of mine today that is going through some life changes and we are both “planners”. We both live by our Blackberry®. We decided that if God would just let us in on His plan then we could put it in our planners and we could be much more efficient and help more. I mean c’mon God, you have to see how organized that I am and you have to know that I can help. God doesn’t need my help…he doesn’t need a Blackberry® either. This scripture says that I when I face troubles (because I will) these troubles will test my faith and give me patience. When James wrote this letter to Christians all over the world he knew that they would face trials and troubles of many kinds. Most often it’s not the big storm that is what is so devastating to us but the small showers in our life. Things like crying kids; losing a job, locking the keys in the car, burning dinner…you get the point. We have all had those days when something simple is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. In our walk with God we have those days too. God seems to not be listening, my church doesn’t love me the way I think they should, my prayers aren’t being answered…but the book of James tells us that when the storms come in we need to handle them with faith. I love thunderstorms. My girls on the other hand don’t. When a storm comes in I love to sit near the window or on the porch and watch it come in and move on past me. My kids on the other hand run to their room (or mine) for safety. God wants to be our shelter from the storm, but he also wants us to be as happy to see the storm come as we are to see it go. I didn’t always like thunderstorms; I have seen some bad ones. Each time I watch them it makes it easier to sit and watch the next one. I have learned how to watch storms, both literally and in my life. And just like thunderstorms, when they pass in our lives we are made stronger and more patient through faith to handle the next one a little better.

Patience

James 1:4 This scripture is amazingly complex, surreal and so far out there that it seems unattainable at times. James 1:4 NCV “Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.” and according to the NIV “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Probably one of my biggest weaknesses is my lack of patience. I want an answer now, I hate to wait when people are late…I could go on but it will just make me feel like a heel. I find it a bit interesting that I was just talking to someone today about how I feel great about the progress I am making in my walk with Father and this is the verse I read tonight. God and I definitely need to work on my patience. I love the way that the NCV puts it. I need to let my patience show perfectly. What patience? And it sure isn’t perfect! The second part says then I will be complete and will have everything I need. WOW! Imagine that, I think I’m making progress in my walk and it gets brought to my attention that if I have perfect patience I will have all I need. That’s the thing I lack the most…guess God knows how to point things out pretty directly heh? Lack of patience can bleed over into many parts of our lives. It can cause us to be judgmental of people and become critical when they don’t meet our expectations on our timeline. Not having patience in our lives can cause us to not trust God when we get the “not right now” answers to our prayers. I know that when I am impatient I find myself being very critical. This is what I would change about myself first if I could. Fortunately I have a great example; Father is so patient and loving with me. I need to learn to be a patient person. This will be hard but I am committed to the relationship that Father wants to have with me. Today I am committing to focusing more on developing patience in my life for the sake of “having everything I need”.