All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of the life of the Lamb who has been slain. Revelation 13:8


Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Job 13:15


For from him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32



















Wednesday, September 19, 2012

33 Years- Long enough for a King

King David was 30 years old when he became King of Israel.  David Brainerd was 29 when he died.  Robert Murray M'Cheyne was only 29 when he died. 

No one will ever be talked about more than Jesus Christ who lived and died many years ago.  Christ, being the son of God himself, cannot die, so his death was short lived, and he rose again on the third day.  In his 33 years on the earth, more lives were changed than in all the years since and by all the people since.  Every person finds their significance through him, and yet he was here for only 33 years.

I am blessed in many ways.  I am 33 today, the same age that Jesus was when his father was pleased to bruise Him. I'll never accomplish all he did in his short time, and yet,  I would be honored to be used in any way by Him.  In death, or in my 34th year, He keeps me here to use me for something.

Why the God of heaven would allow me to live as long as his own son is a question I'll ponder for quite some time. 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Yahweh and his mighty men

In Kings and Chronicles, God is working just as he is in 2012.  God removes Saul from being king, and replaces him with David.  Significant, I think, is one of the ways Yahweh did this.

In 1 Chronicles chapter 12, God tells us of the mighty men that fought with and for King David.  In gaining him the kingdom, these men were helpful.  Let's see what the Bible says first.

Starting in verse 1: " Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish.  And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.  They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul's kinsmen."

After verse 2, their specific names are listed.  Picking up in verse 8:  "From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains:  Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab third, Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, Johonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh.  These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand."

David meets them and says, (paraphrase)  "You can help me if you'd like, and be my friends, but if you don't, God will judge you."  Verse 18:  "Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse!  Peace, Peace to you, and peace to your helpers!  For your God helps you."  Verse 22:  "For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God."

Let me list their resume:
1) Skillful Archer
2) Excellent with a sling
3) Ambidextrous
4) Spear and Shield connoisseur
5) Face like a Lion
6) Fast as a gazelle
7) Can kill between 100-1,000 men without a break
8) When combined with others, I feel like an army of God

A couple thoughts.  From least important to most:  Whenever you watch a movie and there are 1,000 bad guys, and one good guy, and that one good guy beats up all the bad guys, and you really question how real any movie really is, think about this.  These men were unequally skillful in combat.  They were mighty men.  The least of them could take out 100, and the best could clean up 1,000.  There really were people like that.  This is amazing.

The most important thing to take away has to do with God.  I would argue that the only reason these men were mighty is because God raised them up for this very purpose.  God planned on making David the King, and in order to do so, he raised up mighty skillful warriors who would swear allegiance to David, and had the capability to destroy his enemies by the handful.  God provided skills to these men and enabled them to kill thousands of God's enemies.  An enemy of David's was an enemy of God's.

Don't let verses 18 and 22 get past you.  18:  "Then the Spirit clothed Amasai.."  God worked through this leader of the men to proclaim allegiance to David.  22:  "there was a great army, like an army of God."  Breathtaking....

Implications?  If you aren't God's anointed for some grand purpose like David, it doesn't mean God doesn't plan to use you for his glory.

These men were unstoppable because they were squarely in the service of the King, and I don't mean David.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Yahweh and the Kings Part 3

Yahweh demands exclusive worship.  As the only God there is, the Lord demands exclusive worship.  He will not take his place alongside the gods, nor is he willing to be displaced by them.  He refuses to be confused with any part of the created order.  He alone will be worshiped, by Israelite and the foreigner alike (1 Kings 8:41-43, 60; 2 Kings 5:15-18; 17:24-41).

This is a daily pursuit and a lifelong pursuit.  We should ask God to give us the desire to pursue Him even after we fail Him each day.  He can make Himself an insatiable desire in your heart and mine, and we ought to long for that as that is what exclusive worship means.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Yahweh and the Kings Part 2

The second theme of the books of the Kings is that Yahweh controls history.  The Lord, and neither an idol god, nor king, nor prophet, controls history  (1 Kings 11:14, 23; 14:1-18; 22:1-38; 2 Kings 5:1-18, 10:32-33; 18:17-19:37).  This is perhaps illustrated most clearing in the way in which prophets function within 1-2 Kings, describing the future before God brings it about (1 Kings 11:29-39, 13:1-32; 16:1-4; 20:13-34; 2 Kings 19:6-7, 20-34).  Nothing can hinder the fulfillment of this prophetic word, although God himself, in his freedom, can override its fulfillment for his own purposes (1 Kings 21:17-29; 2 Kings 3:15-27, where the ending to the story is somewhat unexpected).

This should be an encouragement on two fronts: 
 
1) When people rule over us, and do things that we would never do, or demand things from us that we don’t think are right or fair, we can know that God has planned this “history” we are living in, and we shouldn't fear, or wonder what might happen
 
2) Anger and frustration should begin to cease as we trust Yahweh for his control and plan of history.  When I know that my God plans all things, I know that He is doing something.  It may be “good” or “bad” for me from my perspective, but since He is the one doing it, I only have faith and trust in Him- no need for anger or doubt.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Yahweh and the Kings

In reading through 1st and 2nd Samuel, God’s planning of the history is clearly seen.  Completely those two books, I came across some notes introducing some key themes of the books of the Kings that struck me, and are worth sharing. 

Most of this is not my words, but the authors.

The first theme is that Yahweh is the only true God.  There is only one living God, and he is the Lord (1 Kings 18:15, 2 Kings 5:15).  This Lord is not to be confused with the various so-called gods worshiped in Israel and other nations, for these are simply human creations (1 Kings 12:25-30; 2 Kings 17:16, 19:14-19).  They are part of the created order, like the people who worship them; and they are powerless, futile entities (1 Kings 16:13; 18:22-40; 2 Kings 17:15, 18:33-35).  The Lord, by contrast is the incomparable Creator of heaven and earth (1 Kings 8:23, 2 Kings 19:15).  He is utterly distinct from the world that he has created (1 Kings 8:9, 14-21, 27-30).  At the same time, the Lord is powerfully active within his world.  It is he, and no one else, who controls nature (1 Kings 17-19, 2 Kings 1:2-17, 4:8-37, 5:1-18; 6:1-7, 27).

If we don’t have this view of Yahweh, we give ourselves a foothold of pride, and will have the wrong view of ourselves in every event and situation.  The conclusions you make will be wrong if your view of God is wrong.

Friday, September 7, 2012

King David and his God Part 3

Continuing with David:

After David calls upon Yahweh, Yahweh responds in a grand display, and then what does He do when his anointed one is troubled?

Verse 15-20, 28

And he sent out arrows and scattered them;

Lightning, and routed them.

Then the channels of the sea were seen;

The foundations of the world were laid bare,

At the rebuke of the LORD,

At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

He sent from on high, he took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

He rescued me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me,

For they were too mighty for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into a broad place;

He rescued me, because he delighted in me.

 
You save a humble people,

But your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

 

What did God do?  He destroyed his enemies, and he always has, and always will.  No one can thwart God’s plan, God’s anointed, or God himself.  Arrows, lightning, and whatever uses he deems fit, he will use to defend His honor and His own glory.

This God didn’t protect David from any inconvenience or enemies that were “too mighty for him”  or even from fear of what might happen to him, but Yahweh did deliver Him at the appointed time.  Why? 

Why would God allow all of these ills to befall David when He planned on delivering Him?  I submit this thought:  Would David have written these things down about God if God didn’t do them for him?  How would we then read about God today if God didn’t demonstrated himself in this way to David?

Isn’t that the same as saying that Yahweh did it this way so that you would know Him?  The God of the universe wants you to know that he can protect you, has been protecting his own in a great display of his power for thousands of years.  He will accomplish his purpose.

And lest you think David gets a high opinion of himself after God’s delighting in Him (for more thoughts on this, read John Piper’s book “The Pleasure of God”), he says in verse 28, that God is saving humble people. 

In other words, He saves people that know they don’t deserve it.  That’s you and me.

What a mighty God this is, and how he demands our whole heart in worship!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

King David and his God Part 2

Continuing from yesterday:

David calls upon the LORD as his rock, fortress, deliverer, one worthy of praise, and the LORD hears him from his temple.

2 Samuel 22 starting in verse 8

Then the earth reeled and rocked;

The foundations of the heavens trembled

And quaked, because he was angry.

Smoke went up from his nostrils,

And devouring fire from his mouth;

Glowing coals flamed forth from him.

He bowed the heavens and came down;

Thick darkness was under his feet.

He rode on a cherub and flew;

He was seen on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness around him his canopy,

Thick clouds, a gathering of water.

Out of the brightness before him

Coals of fire flamed forth.

The LORD thundered from heaven,

And the Most High uttered his voice.

David is the LORD’s anointed servant and King.  David calls upon Yahweh, and Yahweh doesn’t just hear, but he responds in a violent way.  He shakes the planet, and smoke, fire, coals, clouds, darkness accompany him as they are his servants for whatever display He seeks to show his anointed one and His and David’s enemies.  Yahweh thunders from heaven.  Thunders!?  And then speaks. 

We ought to be afraid and very afraid.  We should worship, and seek to worship more.  We should trust Him, and rely on Him for He is the same God today that he showed himself to be to David.  David was his chosen man, and if you are a Christian, you are also chosen.  You have this all-powerful, personal, holy God guiding you, protecting you, and watching you.  What else could you possibly fear other than Him?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

King David and his God Part 1

Continuing my trek through the old testament, I have stumbled across David.

In 2 Samuel 22, David has been delivered from his enemies.  He had several might men who pledged their allegiance to him, and lots of protection, but on this great day when all enemies have been suppressed, he doesn’t praise the mighty men who aided him, or his own skillful hand, but Yahweh.  This is what he says:

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my savior; you save me from violence.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death encompassed me,

The torrents of destruction assailed me,

The cords of Sheol entangled me;

The snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD

To my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

And my cry came to his ears.

 

STOP!!!!

Hold it!

David, the 7th son of Jesse, the one who it seems no one paid attention to, and was tasked with taking care of dumb animals (sheep), says the the God of the Universe is his rock, his fortress, and his deliverer?  This is very personal.  You can read of several people in the books of Samuel and Kings refer to God as “your God” in talking to David and others, but David doesn’t refer to him this way.

David says that God “saves him from violence.”  He says that he “calls upon the LORD, and is saved from his enemies.”  That is very interesting.  Perhaps we should do this first?  I try to figure things out first, and come up with a plan, and maybe that’s just me, but I think I should do what David did.  Ask God.

David isn’t just dealing with a bad stock investment, or a messed up day, or a Monday when he doesn’t want to put in the time to work, he says, “the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the cords of Sheol are around him”?  The cords of Hell?  Entangle him?  The snares of death confronted him?  What did David do?  Called on the LORD. 

I think the answer is in the last verse (7).  In David’s distress he called on the God whose face can’t be seen, who destroyed the Egyptians, and saved his people, who created the world by his mere breath, who plans all events, and controls the hearts of Kings, and the next sentence is stunning.  “From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.” 

 I am amazed at this.  God heard David.  God can hear me, and he can hear you.  From his high and lofty place,  he hears you.

How God responds is next, and deserves its own day.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Murdering friends of God?

I've been reading some pretty amazing things in the Bible.  I'm sure that most quotes on many blogs and tweets are from the new testament, but don't think that the old testament is just old, and less useful.  The God of the old testament is the same God of the new testament, and is compassionate, faithful, and always there.

In Exodus 33:7-11, there are some pretty amazing statements, I think that are worth a thoughtful pondering.  In verse 7, it talks about the tabernacle and how those who met with the LORD would do it there.  Verses 8-9 say, "When Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.  When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses."

Wow!  The God of the universe speaks to a flawed murdering son of slaves!  (You aren't any better than Moses, and neither am I)  God speaks to His people.  The God speaks.  As a comparison, the people I don't know or don't care for, I don't talk to.  What more does it mean that God speaks to His people now?  Don't ever get over this.

The story gets better.

Verses 10-11:  "And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.  Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.  When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent."

The LORD spoke to Moses as we have covered, but face to face as a man speaks to his friend?  How could God bring himself to the level of Moses and speak to Him?  Does He do this today?

These two phrases encourage me, and amaze me that the holy creator God cares about His people, speaks to his people, and treats them like friends even though we are rebellious, murderous, lying sinners who deserve destruction.  How much love does it take to treat a person described this way as a friend?

In Isaiah, it talks of a God who dwells with people of a broken and contrite heart.  57:15-16, "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."

This is the God we serve, and should serve.  What a pleasure to be His.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Weakness

I played in a softball tournament today in Portage.  I, and a few others that I know, were an "add-on" to an existing team.  We started playing at 9 am, and just finished.  It is 5 pm.  We had four "round-robin" games, and then a playoff game. 

It is very hot today.  It was probably 95 degrees, and when the wind wasn't blowing or moving at all, it felt like a mild oven standing out there in the outfield-especially with a dark blue shirt on. 

I don't know all the guys I was playing with, but have played with them before, and had a good relationship with the team.  My cousin Bill played with us as did my brother in law Clay. 

We were horrible.  Everyone made bad throws.  Everyone missed pitches, got horrible outs, overthrew the ball, and missed catches.  It was an abismal afternoon.  In the last game, we walked out after four innings (being down by a ton of runs), and were ready to be done and out of the tournament, and the other team told us that it couldn't be called a game until after 5 innings.

What a humiliating event!  In the top of the fifth, ball after ball after ball kept rolling under gloves, over heads, between fielders, and it seemed like the game and the tortuous day would never end. 
Alas!  It did!  Only when they had scored too many in one inning, and so they had to let us bat at the bottom of the fifth.  Oh happy day!  All we had to do was get 3 more outs, and we could go home.

Somewhere in the middle of this, I wanted to go home.  I knew we weren't a good enough team to win the whole tournament, and questionably one game.  There was a time in the outfield, that I wanted to just call "Time", and quietly walk up, and take myself out of the game.  From there, I would have walked to my car, and left.

I had this thought, "What would Christ have me learn right now?  What would He be trying to teach me through this humilation game after game after game?"   This is the only thought that kept me there.  I kept going play by play thinking of what Christ would do and teach me.  Should I be angry when a teammate missing a play?  Should I grumble at a call?  Should I just quit?

So now that I am home, I'm trying to "chill out."  There are some verses coming to mind that are helping me do just that.

Why would a softball game have anything to do with Christ?  Christ doesn't teach things on a hot Saturday in Michigan, does He?  How would I know if He was?  Does He speak audibly? 
In order for the paragraph above to make any sense (the "I had this thought" paragraph), and for me to really have relief, I turn to scripture.

2 Corinthians 12-7-10  Paul says, "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamaties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

There are a couple things I want to say.

1) Whether you might scoff or blow this off, it is clear in this passage and in all Scripture that God is in complete control of every event.  Every softball that was hit, every play that was blown, every overthrow I made, every score of every game.  My teams thorn today was its poor play.  While that must certainly pale in comparison to Paul's issue, it was a trying time in the hot sun.  If I don't believe that God arranged the entire circumstance, then I would be very frustrated with many decisions and choices by other people.  Because it was God who set this day up, I can't be frustrated with Him.  I need to look to His hand to teach me that in our weakness and inability today on the softball field both individually and collectively, God himself is the power in our lives.  Without Him, we wouldn't be able to stand up, let alone play softball.  I see this in the passage where Paul states that it is a messenger of Satan that is harassing him.  What does Paul do about it?  I don't see that He fights back at people, or even fights back at Satan.  He prays to the God of the universe and asks God to have Satan leave.  Why would Paul ask God unless Satan is ultimately only a lackey?  Satan can only do what God permits him to do.  Those other softball teams could only hit the ball well as long as God permits them to hit it.  Our team will only perform so poorly as long as God allows us to perform poorly.  God controls it.  My anger would only be anger at Him, and how foolish a position that truly is.

2)  Playing softball today the way we did reminds me of my weakness as both a husband, a father, a man, a 32 year old, a softball player, and a person.  God created me in that weakness to show His power to others.  If I react to others in a negative fashion when that ball goes past them, or a strike out, or a missed opportunity, I spurn the God who created me, and tell Him that His power really isn't enough.  We and I should be able to do better, and we don't need as much of God's power as He might think.
Oh, I shake and shudder thinking like that.  How dare we, as his clay hold our fist up to Him, and say, "Why, God, did you make my day like this, or why did you craft me with this inability??"(Romans 9:14-23)

God is not displeased by our weak play or our weaknesses as human beings.  He made us that way; however, he is glorified when we honor Him through our weakness by relying on his power, might, and strength, and trusting Him all along the way.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

The Needle


If you are looking for a needle in a barn filled with straw, and you desparately need to find this needle, and I am standing there, and know exactly where this needle is, would you start looking for the needle without asking?


These are the words of Christ:


John 14:1-6, “Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”


It is the last verse that struck me the more I thought about it; however, don’t let yourself glaze over the promises in verses 1-4.


In our world today, there are so many methods, opinions, plans, schemes, mode of operation, and standard operating procedures both from a personal standpoint and a business standpoint, that one must wonder from day to day which is the right way.  At your job and at mine, we must find ourselves questioning things at times.  Why does the company have this policy, or why do we have to perform a task in the way described rather than the way we think it should be done.  


In your personal and spiritual life, you make decisions every day, and every moment based on something.  Some path you have decided in the past you will follow, or an errant choice that was suggested by a friend who made a suggestion to you based on something they believed to be true.  We all believe in something.


Shouldn’t we all be concerned with what way is the right way? 


If there wasn’t a right way, but rather a spectrum of options, one doesn’t need to be concerned about this post at all.


However, once, Jesus said He was the way.   He is talking about the way to be with Him for all eternity.  Thomas asks him how they can know the way to be with Him, and Jesus did not respond with, “Well, you can choose this option or that, or perhaps mold the path to conform to your standards, and you’ll get there.”


What I’d like to focus on are the implications of the “little” bit that Jesus said in verse 6.  

1)      The word “the” is huge.  Jesus didn’t say I am a way, I am a truth, and I am a life.  The word “the” implies completeness, fullness, no other “the.”  The way means , “I’m it.  Don’t have me, you don’t have the way.  Just come to me, and know.”  The truth means, “I am truth, and without me, you don’t have truth, and can’t find it anywhere else.”  The life means “With me you have life, without me, there is no other life, and you don’t have it, but come to me, and you will.”

2)      The mere point of saying there is a way to heaven provides us great hope.  No one is hopeless.

3)      Saying there is one way assumes that there must be some who think there are others ways, thus making it necessary to state that there is one way.

4)      The other ways are not the right way, and end in disaster and destruction.

5)      There are things that are false in the world.  Why say you are truth if everything is true?

6)      To say that He is truth means that all truth comes from Him, and many will be deceived by the things that aren’t true. Know Jesus and know the truth.

7)      Jesus wants you to hear him say, “I am truth”, and respond with faith.

8)      Life comes from Jesus.  “I am the Life’ means exactly this.

9)      There would be no reason to say, “I am the life”, if there were other ways that led to life.  There are ways that lead to death and decay.

10)  Know Jesus, and know true life.

11)  Deny Jesus, and know death, lies, and the wrong way.


The needle story form above?  That needle is Jesus.  The little twist here is that if you don’t ask for the “needle” from Jesus, and you start looking for it in the barn, there is no needle to be found.

To rephrase the needle story.  

You are alive.  Your true life and your eternal life depends on finding the way, the truth, and the life.  You are seeking it out all your days on earth.  It is so important to know what the truth is.  It is so important to know what life really is.  It is so important to know the way to get to the truth, and that life.  In your life you know someone.  This person knows exactly where it is.  There is only ONE truth, ONE way, ONE life, and they have it and know it!  Ask them.  Don't look first.  You'll never find it.  Look to Jesus and live. 

Only Jesus

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A B C and D

In hockey, there is a defined purpose.  In soccer, there is another well defined purpose.  Both of them start with a goal.  A hockey goal is 4x6 feet while a soccer goal is quite a bit larger-8x24.  All professional games play with goals in the same dimensions.  They are all in agreement about the purpose of the game, the size of the goals, and who the winner and loser will be.
The entire games are played with these dimensions in mind.  The field size, and the object size (ball or puck) are taken into account, and with the given amount of allowed players, the teams make plans.
Imagine on July 15th, the hockey and soccer worlds come out with an announcement that they are going to be making some minor adjustments, and all games played after July 15th will be affected.
The proposed changes are:  future hockey games will be held on the same size ice rink, and using the same size puck, but the goal will be the size of the soccer goal.  Future soccer games will be the same except that the goal size will be the hockey size goal.

You might imagine the objections and chaos that would ensue.  Some would like it, many would not.  Their feelings would be based on their understanding of the games before the rules changed.  In other words, they were living under accepted standards, and were acclimated to them.

I intend to share something that we are also acclimated to.

I wasn't planning on writing anything like this, but some letters popped into my head yesterday.  A, B, C, and D, only not in that order.  It is interesting as I write this out that they so happen to be the first letters in the alphabet which we would all agree that these are the beginning letters.  No shocker right?

Well, the order these letters came in were:  AD, and BC.  I started thinking about dates, and years.  These letters in this order are commonly recognized as letters that describe our dates system or calendar system. 

In a similar vein, I'd like you to remember what I wrote about the cycles of the moon, sun, and earth, compared to why we have a "week" in our calendar.  There was only one reason.

There is also ONE reason why we have AD, and BC.  Websters dictionary says that anno domini (AD) means:  in the given year since the beginning of the Christian era.  Literally:  in the year of our Lord.   BC means before Christ.  These definitions come from a 1984 dictionary that I can't explain why I have it in my house.

The ENTIRE basis for the year being 2012 is Christ.  Jesus Christ alone is the reason why you say 2012.  Its the same reason you write that number on your checks, and why you are how old you are- its based on time distance between when you were born and when Christ was born, and how long it has been since then.  To add to this, the BC counting method counts down as if we are in Cape Canaveral waiting for some big impending event that we might stop our day to stand and wait so that we may not miss it.  Then it came!  Jesus was born, and the system changed.  Everything changed when he came to earth, not just that we count up now.

This is the basis for our tracking, and just like hockey and soccer, we have accepted it, lived with it, and would be very opposed to change it.  This is our standard.  Jesus Christ is our standard.  Christian or not, He is the central reason.  Is your heart in acceptance of this or just your head?

To be opposed to this thought would be the same as a soccer player wanting to play with ice hockey goals.  No one would score, no one would attend, and the game would cease.  There would be no interest. 

You may be surprised to think how many things you do, say, and are accustomed to because of what Jesus did.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Eye Candy

I was listening to the radio last week while driving, and was getting an update on an upcoming soccer matchup.  I can't recall who was playing whom; but do recall something else about the conversation that jumped out at me.
Apparently there was going to be a player who was not only pretty good at soccer, but is well pleasing on the eyes.  The female co-host made this clear.  The other host acknowledged her comment, and continued with the conversation.  The female co-host then added, , "but there will be plently of other eye candy at this game."

I thought I would take this opportunity to be very clear.  I have heard many times things like, "looking isn't touching"  or "as long as you don't get caught", or "look as if its at the sun."

Jesus says in Matthew 5:27-30, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

1)  Adultery = sin.   Lust = Adultery.  Therefore  Lust = sin.  There is no "free-look", "looking isn't touching."  Jesus says you have committed by looking without touching therefore, DON'T LOOK.

2)  This is a big deal.  Hell or heaven is at stake in this lustful "game."  God's children (those who will inherit the kingdom)  will not have a lifestyle like this  (also see Galations 5:19-24).  To avoid Hell, don't just say you believe in Jesus.  ACT like you believe in Jesus. 

3)  Looking is not OK.  "Eye candy" in this context goes against everything Jesus taught.

4)  If you are a Christian, you should have eyes for Christ alone.  You are the bride of Christ.  He gave His life for YOU.  When you look at others, you have committed adultery against CHRIST.  This isn't about your spouse or your chastity.  This is about Christ.  You should only have "eyes" for Him.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Redemption

One of our pastors was preaching just yesterday, and said something that made me not just think, but be filled with awe.

The message was about being joyful in Christ, or being filled with joy.  As one catechism would put it:  "What is the chief end of man?"    Answer:  The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

It's the enjoy him forever part that I'd like to focus on.  Both parts of that answer are challenging, and I certainly wonder in many many many cases how the first one can be true.  Being joyful in God, and enjoying Him now and forever seems so high and lofty that how can we?  I am bogged down by cleaning my tool shed, mowing the grass (when it grows), providing income via work for my family, fishing, driving, and whatever this list is for you.  Aren't we constantly struggling to reach for eternal values and viewpoints when we are stuck in the mire and daily activities of this life?

In other words, doesn't it seem like we spend most of our time doing things that aren't really important when compared to the eternal plan and glory of God?

So, to enjoy Him is right and good, and seems right and good; but how?

So, this is what my pastor said. 

It may seem odd to come at the thought of  "enjoying God forever" this way, but let's go back to the beginning of the world.  God is God, and there are no others.  He needs nothing from anyone or anything.  Sometime before he created the world, he created the angels.  These angels what must have been beautiful, loving beings, yet not God.  Both the angels, and people then are created by God for his glory.

Lucifer, the most brightly colored, most beautiful angel, rebels against God, and is sent from heaven.  Many angels follow Lucifer.  These angels have fallen.  They are against God now.

Jump forward to Adam and Eve, and you and I.  Adam and Eve fell in a similar fashion.  We are fallen, and sinners because Adam and Eve sinned so long ago.  All children are born with this sin nature, and are apart from God, and cannot make things right with Him.

These angels and people then are fallen, and need to make amends with their sinning against Him or face his wrath and justice.

God's plan from the beginning was to send His only son Jesus to be the redeemer.  This redeemer; however, would not offer his redemption to the angels who fell but only to His people.

Ask yourself why God would give you a redeemer, but not the angels?  They cannot make it right with God, and He is not going to offer anything to them.

Talk about encouraging, amazing, astounding, and completely gracious!  This is the God who saves you, by offering His own son, and particularly for YOU, not for others.  Oh how He loves.  How could we not enjoy this God forever?!

Friday, June 22, 2012

But, I don't see

Recently, we drove from Michigan to Idaho to see my brother and his family.  You must understand that to drive from Lawton, Michigan to Kuna, Idaho, one must possess great stamina and patience on a multitude of levels.  It is about 1,900 miles, and takes 25 hours of driving to make it.  Leaving at 4 PM EST and planning an 8 PM arrival the following day is no small task.

We also have four children with us in the van.  Audrey is 10, Haley is 9, Brett is 6, and Madalyn is 3.  After an hour in the van on May 30th, Haley proclaimed we needed to stop for a restroom.  We did not.  Traveling with children adds an entirely new complexity to such a trip.

We eventually stopped (I think after 3 to 3.5 hours) for a restroom.  All felt better, and we continued for the remainder of the 25 hours.  Somewhere in Iowa, Brett asked me where we were, and I told him.  I added that we were headed for Idaho.  He knew this anyway, but I wanted to let him know he shouldn't expect a quick solution to our problem of being trapped in a minivan.

His response to me was what caused me to think, and not to get after him, or scold him for his childishness, but to ponder.

After I said we were headed to Idaho, he replied, "But, I don't see Idaho."

As a parent, I could have said, "Well, of course you can't!  We have 1600 miles to go and 20 more hours, and with the curvature of the earth, there is no practical way you could see Idaho even if it was 20 miles in front of us."  All true, but I didn't respond that way.  I don't think I said anything; however, I began to compare his response with many of my own.

God takes us in life where He wants us to go.  We are young and inexperienced in existing.  (Think about that)  We think we know what is going on, and we think we should be able to see or grasp what the final solution or destination might be for our plans, but God in the "front seat" holds the wheel, and has the entire "lifeplan" on schedule, and destined for success when we say, "But I can't see what you're doing."  As if we question which way He turns us, or the speed at which He travels. " What about stopping here?  It looks nice here", we might respond.

Questioning God on his plans is worse than my son telling me that while we were in Iowa driving on I-80, he couldn't see Idaho.

We must believe that every turn, every valley, every exciting mountaintop is His plan.  We must not question Him when we can't see the way.  He is working in our lives.  We can't stop having faith for a moment when cancer strikes, death steals, or fires, economies, and stock markets collapse.  These aren't our focus.  Our faith, hope, and love should be squarely focused on the God walking us through our lives in complete control just as my son should trust his father (who by the way had guided Brett to Idaho and back the exact same way twice before) to complete what he said he would complete.

The God of the universe has guided every single person who has ever existed on this planet since the dawn of time.  If that is about 6,000 years ago, I know that is a lot of people.  If God can handle all those people, and has never broken a promise to them or failed them in any way, I certainly trust that when He takes me somewhere that I am not familiar with, I need to trust Him just the same. 

He has done this many times before, and if you are His, he'll do it for you too.

Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 33:3,

Monday, June 18, 2012

Days, Months, and Years

I heard something recently that struck a cord within me, and might have a great impact for you.  I had never heard this before, and thought it was something every person should know.

It has to do with why we do some of the things we do all the time, or why we acknowledge some things day in and day out, week in and week out.

Let's start with a day.  Do you know why we have periods of time in lengths called days?  You might say that it is because it takes that long for the earth to rotate.  You're right.  We turn on an axis, and complete that rotation in a one day period.

How about a month?  Why were there month cycles set up?  Based waxing and waning of the moon, we used months the separate the times into months.  This make sense, I guess, and as I look at my calender, you can see the full moon, quarter moon, and half moon, etc  that make up each month.  This happens monthly and I never really paid much attention, but I'll accept that, and perhaps you will too.

I guess next would be a year.  Any idea why we have years, or what type of thing denotes a period of a year?  Turns out it takes exactly that long for the earth to orbit the sun.  As we rotate on our axis, we have a day, but as we make our way around the center of our solar system, we create a year's worth of days.  We are about halfway through our year now. 

The next part I heard really got me.  Why do we have periods of time divided into a thing called a week?  Answer?  There is no scientific, astrological reason for this time period.  I found that to be interesting; however, the reason was much greater than any celestial body's movement.  The reason we have weeks, and that there have been periods of time separated into weeks for thousands of years is because God created the world in six days, and rested on the 7th, and this was a week.

So what this means is that for every 7 days period starting with Sunday, as the world counts its calendar they and we are commemorating God's 7 day creation so long ago.

Just think about that for a while.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

You are everything

Driving from place to place, I usually have a lot of time to think.  Frequently, I'll have a song on or a message to stimulate my thinking rather than just allow it to drone on and on over things that "need to get done." 

Friday morning this past week, I started what was a 90 minute drive, and hadn't turned on the radio yet, or began listening to anything, and I was just letting my thoughts wander.
From time to time, and it seems pretty regularly to me, I find myself thinking about the seasons of life, and the things we all do.  I started to think about gardening, and how my garden this year looks pretty good, but there are some improvements I'd like to make for next year.  Then I thought about how many more years I'd have to make improvements before I really get it how I'd like to get it.

My wife and I werent' planning on having more than four children, and I had accepted God's plan of limiting us to four.  At 29 (when Madalyn was born), I wasn't ready to say that at that age, I would never again have another child.  I began to think that not many 29 year olds probably ever think that whatever they are doing is the last time they will ever do it.

Then God gave us another child, and now I'm thinking the same thing.  This is going to be the last time.  When this baby walks, it will be the last time a child of mine walks for the first time.  When this child graduates, it will be the last time.  When this child marries, it will be the last child of my children to get married.

Then, my thoughts traveled.

One day I won't be able to make any garden improvements.  One day will be the day I last drive a car.  One day will be the last day I write a blog.  One day will be the last day I clean out the barn.  One day will be the last day I hug my children.  One day will be the last day I go to church.  Another day may be the last day I kiss my wife, clean my room, shoot a gun, mow the grass, high-five someone, put on sunglasses, shoot a deer, have sex, or even sharpen a pencil.

So, my conclusion to the matter is that all the things that I do every day-these things that fill up most days- will end.  I was feeling rather discouraged.

The next thought hit me like it wasn't even my own.  It seemed to land on me with great promise-a guarantee that surpasses all guarantees.  My eyes moistened, and I cracked a little smile after this thought, and I thought I would share it with you:

"But, I can worship God forever."

Sunday, May 6, 2012

A New Deal


I cherish this part of God’s character and plan. 

In the book of Jeremiah, God has been pouring out his wrath on the Israelites for not honoring him.  It was a hard job for Jeremiah who was tasked to be a prophet on God’s behalf to tell the people that destruction and judgment were coming. 

In the middle of all of this seeming negativity, God says in Jeremiah 31:31-34 that he will make a new covenant with his people.  He states in verse 33 that he “will put his law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”  In the end of verse 34, he says, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”  This new covenant promise is something!  -Something different than the old covenant where God established the Law, which the people broke.  This time, he is going to write in on hearts.

In Ezekiel, he speaks of the same thing.  He says starting in chapter 36 verse 25, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.  You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.  And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.  And I will summon grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.  I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.”

There are several amazing things found here.  To me, it seems perfectly appropriate for an eternal, holy, all powerful God to hold all humanity accountable for not keeping His Law from the beginning.  We don’t deserve a new covenant.  We don’t deserve His writing anything on our hearts or causing us to walk in His statutes.  By making this promise ( not an offer ), he graciously provides another way for those of us who live under this new covenant.  What a debt we are in!  What love is this?  How do we serve such a gracious and merciful Being?

What about guaranteeing food, and not just food, but the abundance of it?  Fruit will grow on trees for His people?  He isn’t just going to create life in you, but He promises to provide for you so that you will be taken care of.  It seems to me that He really doesn’t have to do this.  Couldn’t He create spiritual life, and then let us strive after grain, and fruits?  That would still be a kind act from a loving God.  Our God doesn’t just love, he greatly loves His people.

Third, the language used is:  I will, I will, I will, I will.  There is no part of either passage indicating an offer or something that might happen.  He is stating a fact that something is going to happen, and He is going to see it through.  Verse 36 of the Ezekiel passage ends with, “I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which as desolate.  I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

I am floored by His kindness, compassion, and desire to make these things happen for His people.  If these things were left to us, we would selfishly choose our own way (Romans 3:11).  It reminds me of 1 Samuel when the Israelites are begging God for a King to be like other nations, and Samuel rebukes them, and asks how they could do this great wickedness, and sin against God.  In chapter 12, the LORD sends thunder and rain, and the people admit their sin.  Samuel responds with: “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil.”

WHAT??

Shouldn’t we be terrified after doing evil?  Shouldn’t we be cast aside after the Old Covenant is broken by us?  Why should the Israelites not have feared God after their sin, and why is their a new covenant for us?

The answer is in verse 22 of Ezekiel 36.  Before all of these verses, and before any man chose anything, God’s plan was in motion.  Verse 22 says, “Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name which you have profaned among the nations where you went.  I will vindicate the holiness of My great name…”  He is seeking to bring glory to His name through the salvation of His people.

May we do what we do every day for the same reason that God shows his gracious hand towards us:  To the glory of His great name.




Saturday, April 14, 2012

Together for the Gospel 2012 t4g.org

Having just returned from the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville, I must say a few things.



1)      When faced with scripture after scripture after scripture, I am more able to recognize the weaknesses in my life, and feel helpless on my own to recover ground, and make it back to good standing with God.  I see myself in every story in the Bible as the wicked, vile sinner.  Like Ahab, Jezebel, Baalim, Judas, the rich young ruler, etc.  I am those people every day I wake up.

2)      I feel selfish, and focused only on my own things, desires, and goals.  When God is presented to you as He truly is found in the scripture, seeking to do anything apart from Him seems foolish.

3)      Singing rich songs filled with doctrine make me want to cry like a baby.  I know my estate truly was helpless.  I know that I was on my way to hell.  I know that rather than feast on his bounty, I would rather starve.  I know that I hated God.  I know that all these things would continue forever.  And then, he changed me.  He sought me out like the blind man in John 9.  That’s when I can’t take it anymore.  He is every richness I could ever want in anything in this world, but so much more complete, deep, and perfect.

4)      My day to day activities seem so empty and useless compared to what a messenger of God does.  A Pastor has so much weight on his shoulders, but shouldn’t I also be a messenger? 

5)      My job is really boring compared to what Jesus did.  My accomplishments in all levels of schooling and employment are like certificates on waste paper compared to what Jesus accomplished in only 33 years.

6)      It seems that I don’t have much time to make a difference in people’s lives.  I’m already 32.  40 or 50 years or less is but a vapor.

7)      What reward do I really have for doing anything not focused on his mission?  People are hanging by a thread over the pits of hell forever, and they fall into the hell all day long while we drive our cars, eat lunch, and go to sleep.  Today is the day to sow his Word in the life of others.



God grant me the desire and passion to keep these things on my heart until He returns.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Why is Friday called Good Friday?

I was surprised to hear that the stock market, and wall street were closed in observance of Good Friday two days ago.  I guess I was under the understanding that we as a country shouldn't show any favor to any particular religion, and should welcome all religions and beliefs.  If this is truly the case, it gave me a pause to determine the rationale behind the observance of this day.

Let me be clear, and specific.  The historical meaning of Good Friday is this:  Many years ago a hated prophet strolled into Jerusalem riding a donkey, and the people who formerly hated this man were now giving him their praise and honor, welcoming Him to town.  They took off their coats, and laid down palm branches so his donkey wouldn't have to step on the ground.  It was a triumphant return to Jerusalem.  This is called Palm Sunday.  Five days later, these same people "turned their coats", and betrayed this man, and blamed him for speaking out against the religion of the day.  They turned him into their court system, and let the law judge him.  After going through an unfair trial, and being found guilty by men who were false witnesses, this man was sent to the higher court to confirm or deny the previous ruling.  The people then were faced with a choice to free the man and have mercy, or condemn his as they already had.  They chose to let a true criminal go free rather than the innocent man unjustly convicted.  His punishment was death.

They hung the man on a tree after he was scourged almost to death.  They nailed him to a cross which at the time was the most agonizing way to die.  It was public, and all could attend and see the miserable condition in which the person died.

This is called Good Friday.

Why?  Really?  "Good" Friday?

There isn't much good news here, or so it may seem.  If I mentioned dates when Adolf Hitler massacred Jews, and other individuals back in Germany, and referred to that day as any kind of "good", I'd be severly questioned for my word choice, and yet who questions the adjective choice for the date we passed just two days ago?

No one, not even me.

You see, there is a reason why it is good.  Jesus, the man written about above, was the one who was unjustly condemned and murdered.  This had to happen.  Jesus was God come down as a man to rescue his people from sin.  If he wasn't offered to die, yet being innocent of all charges, then there would be no salvation for his people.  That's why its a good day.  The demanded sacrifice was offered willingly, completely, and without spot or blemish to pay the penalty for your sin and mine.

Why then does the world observe this great day?  Don't get me wrong, we should.  We should worship and thank God for completing what he promised by dying on the cross.  However, by taking time to honor this day, do we not as a culture confirm the events of the day, and thus take a stand with what happened?  Are we not agreeing with the reason for the name of "Good" Friday?

It seems to me that there is ample opportunity to speak to the world about Jesus because previous generations have built in words, holidays, traditions based around this man Jesus showing us that not only should we believe what happened, but should also tell others the meaning for the days in our calendar.

Praise God for the sacrifice on Good Friday.  It wasn't a good day, but boy was it a good day.

Hebrews 2:9-10, Hebrews 10:12,

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Permission

I drive a lot.  I don't always notice what other drivers are doing, but on a recent day, a thought stuck me as I noticed what this driver was doing.

Now, I won't go through a miniature drivers training education to make a point, but we can probably all agree that turn signals are designed to indicate a move you are going to make.  This is something that I think everyone knows.  My children probably know this already.

So, I'm cruising along on I-94 headed to the office or an appointment, and I am coming up on a car in the lane to my right.  There are three lanes where I was driving, and I was in the middle lane.  The car to my right was pretty far in front of my, but there was a semi in front of her, and she was driving faster than the semi. 

Something has to change in that scenario.  So, what did she do?  She had plenty of time to get in front of me and get around the semi, and get back over if she so chose, but she didn't.  With plenty of room, she turned on her turn signal, and let it blink, blink, blink while I was then faced with a decision.  Do I stay well within my "rights" as a driver, and keep going straight making her pin herself behind the semi, or do I move over, and allow her to make the move she intended to make? 

Most of the time, I don't have much compassion in this scenario, but I did this time.  I moved to the left (using my own turn signal), and allowed the driver to my right, to take my spot in order to get around the semi.

Then, I had this thought:  Many people live their lives in the same manner as this woman used her turn signal.  This signal is designed to indicate a decision that has already been made, and an intended purpose.  If the driver wasn't going to move until after I passed her, then she shouldn't have set the signal before I had passed her.  At least that's what I think.

The way she used her signal was like she was asking for permission to do something with her car that she had every option, right, or choice to exercise.   The signal means, "I'm moving this direction, pay attention", it doesn't mean, "If you'd please move, I would like to get in your lane."

Don't make decisions, and choose things in life in the way that many people use their turn signal.  Make your decision, and have your action meet your decision without asking permission from people who don't have the authority to give you the permission.  Do it. 

Psalm 37:23-24  The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong.  for the LORD upholds his hand.

Proverbs 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision if from the LORD.

Romans 11:36  For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be glory forever. Amen.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Observation

I spend my time around others just like everyone else.  I see others when I wake up, when I get to work, while I drive, and after I'm done working.  I see others at church, and sporting events, and even at retail stores.  Part of this seeing is observation, and I have started to look more into why others do what they do rather that just what they are doing.  Observation, just as it is part of the scientific process, is valuable for any critical review of another's actions are decision making process.

I have one in mind for discussion.

This one in particular, I have watched for months, and I've seen a lot of others like him.  He is very popular, or seems to be.  Of the group he is included in, he is head and shoulders above the rest.  He really stands out.  In many ways he is more attractive then those around him.  In the day to day details of his life and work, he doesn't really do the hard things that the others around him have to do.  He does seem to be the protector of the others, and has more strength than most.  It seems to me that he knows all this.  He parades around as if he is better, stronger, smarter, and not really part of the others he is with.  Others wait on him, and provide him with meals.  He doesn't clean up anything afterward either.

He has a great ability to be threatening, and can use this threat for his own benefit, or for the benefit of the others he is with.  He can and sometimes does use this skill to defend the others.  I believe he is a "manager" of sorts to them, and they don't seem to mind.  After all, they do need a leader.   

He seems to be better suited for life than the others.  He handles himself proudly, and with confidence.  He is in charge of his domain, you might say, and doesn't compromise for poor behavior.  Others that may be suited for leadership as he is take a back seat to his direction.  He is a good leader.  He has many admirable qualities, and has trust in his methods.  He is a prize specimen.

He seems to know these things, and let them get to his head.  This powerful leader knows he is powerful.  There are some who try to avoid him at any cost becasue of this.

Impressed?  I have been.  This is a resume that is hard to top.

The "one" I am referring to is our "head" rooster.

Let me submit to you that this is the way we think as humans.  We compare ourselves with those around us, and notice the good things we do that are better than others.  From God's perspective, we are just like the rooster who struts around and is bigger, and badder than all the others.  If that rooster came up to you, and detailed his finely prepared resume, you'd look at him, and say, "You're a chicken."  None of his resume matter.  Chickens can't compete with people.  People have nothing, and can't compete with God, no matter how good our "resume" is.

God is so powerful, so compassionate, and so righteous, we would be well served to think of ourselves as a colorful rooster in the service of the King of the Universe.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Carrots and Goals

To my children:
The older you get the more intelligent, crafty, and agile you may become.  In doing so, you will become a valuable asset to others.  Some may seek to aid you in your knowledge base, and others may seek to plug you in somewhere to help them achieve something they are striving for.  This is not necessarily wrong.  Having discernment in these situations is very important.  It is very easy for some dream to become your target when you had not planned on it for yourself.

In school, one good goal would be to make straight A's or be on the honor roll.   Some students couldn't care less while others set aside friendships, sports, and God to accomplish that goal.  If and when it is attained, you may be granted a scholarship to a college.  This trend may repeat for college.

As an athlete in high school, apply yourself to your tasks.  Train as you should, practice your shooting, passing, etc.  Excel here too, and seek to improve at a faster rate than others, but don't get lost here.

In your first job, you will start out doing meanial tasks.  Excel here.  Make no mistake, do your best.  Once you beat the curve or the standard path taken by others, you will be noticed.  Managers will quickly realize your potential and want you on their team.  This is not wrong either.  Grow, and apply yourself, but don't get lost.

As a mother, it may be necessary to prepare your home, take care of children, or make big decisions for the household.  All of these tasks are necessary and proper.  Excell here.  Be a wonderful support system for your husband, and a leader for him when he needs a break or has faltered.

In a few years of breaking through new barriers like these, I have noticed a trend that you should know before you excel as I know you will.

Don't let a good thing blur your focus.  Don't let getting straight A's cloud your judgment on your priorities.  Don't let being a good athlete and having to practice often take over your life.  Don't let a good first job or second job opportunity take you down a road you didn't know you were going.  Don't let being a spouse drag you away from the very spouse you married.

These are not easy to do.  Why?  Most things in life start out as good.  Good intentions, good plans, good bosses/coaches/managers, but focus gets blurred.

Don't ever forget our catechism.  What is the chief end of man?  The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

This is what gets compromised in each of the scenarios above.  A good job provides for your family, helps you establish a 401(k), enables networking with other professionals, but taken too far can compromise your devotion to your God.  If this happens, your job has no value any more.  Straight A's is excellent, and is something that many people can't do, but if you focus entirely on how others grade your work and your behavior, you may find yourself later in life on concerned about others, and not your true purpose.  As your father, I have many responsibilities to provide for you, teach you, allow you to enjoy being a child, but if I focus my fatherhood only on this for you, I am not meeting the requirements of our God, and ultimately fail even though I may have provided every earthly opportunity a father can provide for his child. 

Some of this happens as a result of the general pull of the world.  In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible explains why the world has a "general pull."  Don't be mistaken, the Devil himself is attacking you in small and large ways to keep you from glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.  He doesn't want you to enjoy anything but the world. 

Some of the good things like having a job, or being an athlete can pull at you in other ways, and may be intentional.  At your job, it will be very difficult to turn down more money.  If you boss wants to keep you around, and knows that you are very good at what you do, He wants to keep you on his team in order to make him more money.  This is the point where you get a raise.  I'm not saying they are bad, but money has a general pull away from God.  The more money you have, the less you will rely on God, and the less you rely on God, the less you glorify Him.  You fail for lack of focus.  Money blurs your vision of who God is and why He granted you life.  Sports has a natural pull.  Imagine you are pretty good at volleyball, soccer, or basketball.  With just a little more practice, your coach may tell you, you could really excell in your game.  You might be the next point guard, captain, or leader of the team.  These are all good things, but be wary.

The Devil uses these good things to cause people to stray.

You can't avoid all these situations.  You will have others.  As you progress in your life, remember who granted life to you, who protects you, and who saved you.  One way to do this is to remember that in 2 Timothy 3:16, God Himself tells you that all Scripture is breathed out by God.  All of the Bible is from the God of the universe, and was given to you so that you would read and know who He is.  It is in knowing who He is that you can protect yourself from the carrots of the world.  Immerse yourself into the Bible.  Without His Word to you, how would you know anything?  How could you make decisions on what paths to take?

Don't blindly trust anyone.  Don't just listen to what I say, read the Bible for yourself.  Use your Bible to help you discern error.  Ask God to help guide you to himself.

I love each of you more than I can describe, and want you to follow Yahweh until the last day.  Glorify Him in every decision, and you'll never want to look back.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Read

I started to read more in 2008.  I know I didn't read many books that year, but of the books I read, they made a great impact on me.  The first was suggested to me at a business meeting from a person who represented Tom Hopkins who is a great salesperson trainer, and has written lots of books.  I didn't read any of those books, but read the one that was suggested, and it is called "The Richest Man in Babylon."  Shortly thereafter, we were at the bookstore for reasons that I can't explain, and I found a book entitled "The Millionaire Next Door", and purchased that one.  Reading these two books helped Sarah and I decide to sell our home in Kalamazoo.  That has turned out to be the best decision we have ever made related to finances.  Those two books helped greatly.
Since 2008, I have sought to read more pages each year, and in 2009, 2010, and 2011, I have done so.  Reaching only 2,000 pages in 2009, I felt good, and in 2010, read over 3,000.  Last year, I was very aggressive, and read about 7,500 or so. 
Those two original books stand out; however, the value of reading has become so obvious to me that I feel that I must stress it to anyone who might hear.  There is so much knowledge to be gained by reading- especially about other historical figures.  One very practical benefit is to not make the same mistakes that these people have made.  We can also strive to attain the levels of success they made in their respective lives. 
It has become apparent to me that the people I see in my job every day (30-40 new people weekly) don't know a lot of things about the past.  This is troubling to me.
by reading a little bit in a few short years, I know things that people twice my age don't know because I read them.

Knowledge just for the sake of having knowledge is meaningless.  The application of such knowledge adds the true value to reading books.  This is the value that you can't attain by just living your life.

In other words, why would you want to live your life not having lived before, and just take a stab at it, and know that if you make a mistake(s), you can't go back and redo it?  Wouldn't you want to read some kind of instruction manual from another person to help you do better on this, your only chance of success?  Isn't it entirely illogical to try living any other way?

I'm afraid many people live like this.  It aids them in taking bad advice, parenting poorly, investing foolishly, and making a mess of things. 

With some foresight that can only be gained by taking the advice of other people, one can avoid many pitfalls.  Reading helps a person get this valuable advice. 

Talking to your peers feels good, and seems to make sense; however, what do they know?  They are your peers.  If they are as old as you, they know about the same as you with varying degrees. 
Do talk to people, but in addition, read, and compare those thoughts from your friend to a book that is 100 years old. 

I read a book from an author who wrote his book in AD 400.  What a wonderful change of perspective that book had on me.  Thinking about thoughts from 1700 years ago was a challenge, and full of benefits.

The main book to read is the Bible.  This is God's message to each of us.  One to not just be a guidebook, but it does work that way as well.  The Bible is mainly to teach you about God.  Knowing who He truly is will aid any endeavor you may set out to accomplish.  Why would you want to try living your one life without it?  If you think a book that was written in AD 400 is old, try the Bible!

The Bible says that in the multitude of counselors, one can receive sound advice.  Leaning on books to be your counselor in addition to your peers is a goldmine.

Dig into history, and don't forget the Bible.  Set a goal to read more in 2012 than you did in 2011, and next year, make the same goal for the following year. 

Top four books since 2008
The Bible
The Richest Man in Babylon
The Millionaire Next Door
The Creature from Jekyll Island