It's Monday!

“Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.”

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 NIV http://bible.com/111/deu.28.47-48.niv

It's Monday. It's Monday after a long holiday weekend AND it's cyber Monday. I am going to guess it might be difficult for some people to focus on their work today. I am also venturing a guess that some people will be grumpy as well. 

Not Me!

I love my weekends, my family time, and the relaxation, but I love serving my students and my community. It is not a drudge to go to school on Monday, ever! These verses made me think about my roll as a joyful servant. These verses don't let us just stop at service, the Lord wants us to serve joyfully and gladly, in all things, at all times. We need to serve out of our blessings so we might be able to bless others. Serving under duress is not really service. Our joyful service, or lack of it, has consequences. If we choose not to serve with a joyful heart, our lives will be affected. Our prosperity, our basic needs, and our physical well being will suffer. We WILL serve but we will serve in slavery instead of freedom. 

I love it that it is not good enough to just serve. We must serve with a "right" heart for it to be acceptable to our father in heaven. I praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve him In so many wonderful ways. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

The notorious sinner.

Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” (Luke 19:6-8 NLT)

Jesus ministry was so unconventional for the day. Actually, it's even unconventional for TODAY! Jesus made time for "church" , as we all should. But, his ministry was taken to the people and he never hesitated when being a guest of a "notorious sinner". He found the same thing I have found, the notorious of sinners is usually more giving than the most pious of religious "sinners". I really don't even know what a notorious sinner looks like. It might be I would see it when I looked into the mirror.

Yesterday was a wonderful example of that. My CMA family held our annual fundraiser, Run for the Son. I have always been so blessed with the support of our motorcycle community for this ministry. Most of the people that come are great Christian people, but some would be classified as, notorious sinners! I have seen their love show through brighter than most people. Even those that live a life separate from God recognize the power of Jesus through our ministry. I will also say I am completely humbled by Gods blessing on this ministry. We do NOTHING, with out that blessing. I am weak. My Lord is strong. My doubts, my weakness of faith are evident with this event. I worry needlessly over this big event. I am always so worried when we are putting our ministry on display for nonbelievers. I don't want to be the stumbling block for someone not knowing the love of Jesus. I want to share Jesus with a special event like none other. I don't want this to be just another motorcycle ride. So I fret. Needlessly! God always shines through. He did so yesterday, he will do so today, and he has done that through my 54 years of life. 

Dear Lord, forgive my weakness,my lack of faith, and not trusting your infinite wisdom, power, and love. I am humbled to be your servant. I praise your blessings. I praise your presence yesterday for our event. I dedicate myself and our insisted to you again. Thank you Lord. thank you Lord! You are amazing! Amen!

Morning by Morning new mercies I see!

The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT)

I had forgotten about this verse until now! When I read it I instantly thought of the great hymn "Great is Thy Faithfullness." It is so fitting this time of year when the snow has melted and the temperatures are slowly starting to rise. The sunshine brightens our mood and there is an air of hope. Yes, it is spring time.  The seasons are like a microcosm of our lives. God says we will go through troubles. We will endure the "winters" of our lives. But, spring always comes. Morning always follows darkness. 

My life is very much like the changing of the seasons. Just look back on the past posts of this blog and you will see marvelous springtimesf that come after horrible winters. Pain and suffering in life are not permanent. They last only a short season. God promises it and he also promises if you rely on him you will emerge victorious even defeating death. I know it to be true because I also have endured the trials of life, poor decisions, and sickness. But Great is his faithfulness! I am now in the springtime of my life. I see nothing but Gods mercies! Praise God!

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your wonderful Faithfullness and the great mercies you renew every morning of my life. I am humbled by your love and grace. May I serve you everyday through my thoughts, words, and deeds. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Amen and Amen!

Blessing things!

When you enter the home, give it your blessing. (Matthew 10:12 NLT)

Today my CMA, Christian motorcyclist Association, family are going out to do our first "Blessing of the Bike Shops". It always seems strange to me to claim to bless THINGS. But, it is not without some biblical parallels. Yet, even when you bless a home you are not blessing the building but you are blessing the people in it. When we bless a "bike" we are not blessing the bike but the biker. Today we will ask Gods blessing on these businesses, but we are really asking blessings of the owners, managers, employees and their families. 

I really enjoy bike blessings and this opportunity today is a thrill for me also. Whenever I get the chance to pray for people i myself feel extremely blessed. So many people say they are praying for someone or something, but most of the time those are done in private. I'm not down playing that prayer. But, taking the time to stop and actually physically pray for someone with them is a special moment. 

Praise  God for the opportunity to pray for others. Lord, I know you hear our prayers. I am honored that you truly listen to the prayers of your servants. I ask that you be with us today as we share your call to prayer. Give us the words and the actions as we travel the area today. Be with us and provide my Chapter with a special blessing throughout this day. Amen!

The next level

......... Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 MSG)

If you don't understand this verse, you better drop to your knees and pray for your salvation. 

I know how absolutely blessed I am. You probably get tired of hearing it. I haven't done anything to deserve it. God gives this gift to those that love him and the best is yet to come. I have been abundantly blessed by my God from above because he wants to prepare me for heaven. I see HIS amazing grace as a teaser that leads me to wanting more and more heaven. I can not wait until the day I get to walk those streets of gold. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for me and for you. I know this world seems so evil and it is heard to find good. If you look hard you can find it and I see the love of Jesus every where. The great blessings I see now are like a drop of water in the ocean. 

I praise my wonderful Lord for this life I have. I don't want to minimize the blessings of this life. But, I have to admit, I am amazingly anticipating the life I am promised in eternity. God doesn't want this relationship we have to end. He has prepared a loving home for me where the blessings of this life can be magnified. Praise God. I can't wait. I want all of you to be with me.

Most prized possession?

Some merciless people are trying to trap me, but I never turn my back on your teachings. They will always be my most prized possession and my source of joy. I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what. (Psalms 119:110-112 CEV)

I'm sure you can guess what my most prized possession is. It definitely is my motorcycle, until I read these beautiful verses out of the Contemporary English Version of the Bible. I've never thought of the teachings of Jesus as being a possession. But, I get it. They are definitely prized. They are the joy of my life. In my prayer time last night it just struck me, as it often does, how wonderfully blessed I am. I'm not talking about "thanks God for the motorcycle blessed", I'm talking about blessed that I have found favor in Gods eyes. It just seems like even when things are going bad, I always feel blessed. Even when things seem there darkest, I clearly see hope. Yes, the things of this life are also with me, but my joy goes way beyond stuff. I have a peace, joy, and hope that I just don't deserve. That's being blessed.

It is easy to think this life I have is all because of ME. I know it's not. I have done nothing without the power of Jesus Christ. Pride could well up inside me, but because I do know my sinful nature and that battle going on inside my mind. It is obvious to me who deserve the credit. It may not be that clear to those I see every day. That's why I need to share Christ. I don't want to take credit for my wonderful life when the creator of the universe deserves the credit. 

Thank you Lord for your great love. It's all about you!

Blessed are the Rich!

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. (Psalm 113:7-8 NIV)

I am a blessed man and have really never been in want. I don't know what it feels like to struggle for the basics of life. I've always had a home, clothing, and food. Why would I be taken care of, blessed so immensely, and so many people have nothing? I've not done anything to deserve what I have. I'm not anyone special. I'm not the smartest, bravest, kindest, or the most gifted. I just don't get it.

I think it's obvious that I am not blessed because of who I am. But I do pledge to use all that I have been given for the purpose of serving the Lord. None of what I have is mine. It all belongs to him. I will continue to look for ways to serve Jesus with the "things" I have been blessed with. "Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee." That means taking all I have and use it for your kingdom. That means different things to different people. My daughter has opened her home to adoption. I am serving within the Christian Motorcylist Association. Others will use sports, wealthy giving, or their many gifts/talents. We all need to look at our gifts. We need to open our hearts to the leading of the spirit in service. Then we need to act on that leading. We were given stuff NOT for our purposes, but to serve the kingdom. 

Thank you Lord for your wonderful love and grace. Thank you Lord for blessing me beyond all I could imagine. I am humbled by those blessings and am honored that you trust me to use them for you!

Real Thanksgiving!

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:8 NIV)

Yes, it's the absolute best holiday of the year TODAY - It's Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving is the ugly stepsister to Christmas. I don't have anything against Christmas. I love celebrating the birth of my savior. But, secularists have taken over Christmas and it is hard to see the real meaning through the presents, the lights, the glitter, and the economic impact. Thanksgiving is the purest holiday. 

Thanksgiving is centered around the important things in life. This holiday has its roots in God and family. There is nothing better than sitting down with the family and celebrating the joys of the blessings God has provided. When you have a wonderful relationship with God it is amazing how you become aware of his many gifts. This year is no exception. Our latest blessing is the addition of a new grandson. My oldest daughter is adopting a young 10 year old boy. We are so excited about him joining our family. When you add him to all the other grandkids, you can't help but shout for joy. God has blessed all my daughters in wonderful ways. We all have our health and our lives are filled with love. 

My prayer for today is that we, as a family, will continue to serve God. I pray we will honor all the many blessings we have received by sharing the love of Christ within our own little worlds. I praise God for his grace and the joy of his salvation. I praise him for the answers to prayer and the amazing love he shares everyday. I love my life and love to get up every day to serve him. Thank you Lord and Happy Thansgiving to everyone!

"People Blessings", my life is filled with them!

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126:2 NIV)

Do you ever get tired of hearing how blessed I am? If I need to I'll apologize. But, my God is a God filled with blessings in many different forms. One of my many blessings are my friends, my students, and my colleagues. 

This verse brought all those many "people blessings" to my mind. I have such a great time at school with my co teachers and my wonderful students. It's not all fun and games, but we laugh, we share our joys, and we share the challenges in a remarkable way. I just can't say enough about the colleagues I have at GHS. It's a special place where we can challenge, provoke, support, joke, plan, tease, collaborate, praise, console, learn, grow, and love each other every single day. I hear such nightmares in schools across our nation. That just doesn't exist at GHS. With a great faculty comes great students. I love my kids. It's my weekday family and there is nothing more valuable on this earth than a family. I see them growing in amazing ways. We are planning a special trip to our local nursing home, not because a teacher came up with an idea, but because one of our caring students had an idea.

The same could be said for my CMA family. They also hold a special place in my heart. They are another example of "people blessings". I can't even find the words to express the joy from this group of dedicated christians. There love for Christ shines through in the fun we have and the ministry we share. 

All of these people plus my REAL family give me reason to shout for joy. Let the nations say, "The Lord has done great things for us!" Praise God for the blessings I have in life, especially the blessings that walk with me everyday! Thank you Lord!

Not me!

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1 NIV)

I am almost embarrassed to admit how great my life is. When I say I am a blessed man that is a significant understatement. I have the best wife in the world. She loves me and treats me like a. King even with all my faults and eccentricities. I have a great family that loves the lord and I see him active in their lives every day. They are going way beyond anything I have ever done for the Lord and raising families of great God  loving kids. 

I have the best job in the world educating young people. I am excited to head to GHS every single day. Building relationships with young people is the most rewarding occupation you could ever choose. Contrary to popular views, this is the best time in history to be a teacher. Sure there are challenges, but the resources we have and the flexibility we have to teach is at a level ever seen before.

My life as a member of CMA makes my weekends and free time fun, exciting, and filled with purpose.  It is so rewarding to work with my motorcycling family to spread the gospel of Jesus. When you pair that with the wonderful church I attend, I couldn't ask for a better spiritual life.

So, why am I so blessed? That is a great question with a simple answer. The grace of God. It's not me. It's not anything I've done. It's not my greatness. It's the greatness of God. I am far less than great. If you read through the archives of this blog, you will see many of my faults and poor decisions. But, my loving God, overlooks those weaknesses. He has given me this life because of his great love.

Praise God for his wonderful love.

Pennies from Heaven

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5 NIV)

Have you ever heard of this offer:

Which would you prefer: a million dollars or a penny a day, doubled each day for thirty days? Most people want the million dollars, but they would be missing out on an additional four million dollars. 

I thought about this life lesson when reading about Abraham and Sarah. God went way beyond what they could pray for. He not only answered a resounding YES, he said they would be blessed with offspring beyond the stars. They were looking narrowly at the immediate and completely ignoring the future. God looks at the past, the present, and the future. He will answer our prayers, our moans, our dispair, with a life beyondl anything we could imagine. 

Just like our minds can't wrap our minds around doubling a penny every day for 30 days, we can't getting our minds around Gods. Wonderful blessings. 

Praise God he is wildly in love with us and he will bless us beyond the stars. Praise God he loved us ALL so much he offered his son, an act beyond my wildest imagination. Thank you Lord for your endless love and wonderful blessings. My life is amazing, not because of my own works, but your powerful hand!

Exploding Joy!

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:11-13 NIV)

That's a pretty amazing list. I guess you could just say everything and everyone should rejoice because God is good. His creation rejoices and so should we. 

I hope it doesn't sound shallow because of my repitition. I hope I don't sound pompous and arrogant. But, I am the most blessed man in the world and I can't rejoice any more or I would explode. Why is that? I'm no one special. I am a sinner, just like everyone else and probably less worthy than most. But, I rejoice, just the same! I rejoice at the wonderful grace God has granted. I rejoice at the earthly stuff, but more importantly I have been granted a life with love, laughter, purpose, meaning, and excitement. So beyond the things I have, which are also wonderful and undeserving, I have been given a gift which dwarfs the "things" of my life like the ocean dwarfs the puddle from yesterday's  rain shower. I can never explain his grace. It's a mystery and wonderfully free for the asking. Just being in the presence of such amazing grace is enough to make you shout from the mountain tops your love of God!

Praise God for all creation! Praise God for the true gift of life and the forgiveness we receive via his son's sacrifice on the cross! We rejoice in all things, in all ways and we could never begin to express our joy enough for your love! May I share that joy, that peace, that love with all I see! You are wonderful and mighty! Amen!

Use all your resources

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Ephesians 3:16 NIV)

Life is tough. Obstacles are appear with surprising regularity nearly everyday. Bumps in the road to major chasms test us and our faith in Christ. We can't depend on our own strength to battle "the world" on a daily basis. We need the power of Jesus Christ! That is why building a relationship with The Lord of the universe is so important. Daily prayer, searching his word, and worship are absolutely the key to developing a power deep within us.

I don't know about you, but I feel this battle all the time. This war shows up at work, home, and school with how I respond to things when they don't go right, or dealing with conflict. Our responses to trouble and conflict tell much about the relationship we have with Christ. I urge you, and myself, to work at growing your relationship with the Heavenly Father. When you see yourself falling back in to sinful patterns of this world you need to recommit to that realtionship. You and I both need to use the great resources, the riches, of our Lord, to strengthen us against evil. Those so resources are always available. We just need to accept them and live a life well lived for Christ.

Rain is better than sun?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45 NIV)

My God is a great and wonderful God. He is so often depicted as some vengeful tyrant set out to destroy his sinful people. That is just not true. While you can find verses that would hint to this type of God, there are more verses that would indicate a loving and compassionate God, the father. These verses are in that mold. God gives blessings to everyone, even those that do not believe on him. You can't get much kinder or gentler than that.

In these verses it seems to point to God providing both good and bad to his people. However, that just isn't true. The Sun and the rain aren't contrasting gifts. They are complimentary. While we view rain as bad and a nuisance, the people Jesus was speaking would think of rain as an equal or better blessing compared to the sun. So Jesus isn't saying God will bring the good and the bad to all people. He's saying God will supply ALL the good in our lives. He provides just what we need, when we need it. That is the true definition of blessing and it's also an indication of God's great love for his creation.

Praise God for the gifts he gives all mankind. 

Birds should keep me from being grumpy!

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26 NIV)

Officially, it's been spring for four days. I haven't seen my first Robin. Several people say they're around, if they're smart they will stay south for awhile. Chance of light snow tonight and no real warmup in sight. Oh to be a snow bird wintering in some tropical climate! 

In years past, we would be on spring break this week. I can tell. I'm grumpy and  need some time away. This weekend we head to Missouri, them Mississippi, then back to Missouri, then home. I am looking forward to the break. I hope it cures my poor attitude.

This verse is always helpful when I start getting grumpy. When I start getting the attitude that I'm tired, I need something to help me realize I don't have it bad. I need someone to remind me of my many blessings. God is in charge and if he takes care of the birds, how much more will he take care of me!

Lord cure me. Change my grumpy thoughts to thoughts of the blessings you have given me. Help me get the rest I need. Help me to have the carefree attitude of the birds you created. I love you Lord and ask you to forgive me for not being grateful and full of your love every day of my life. Amen!

Trust!

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10 NIV)

          We had a situation at school this week where some students used poor judgment. It wasn't a huge deal, but still had to be dealt with. We have a student run cafe that is our little version of Starbucks. It's run by our business department and is really popular. It seems some students were giving away free drinks and of course some were receiving them. It didn't amount to a lot,but the principle is a really big deal. I could sense the hurt in the voice of our Principal. He had a lot of consequences to hand out. Many students were embarassed about their mistakes and genuinely sorry. 

          I think it's obvious why the school had to take such a stand on a "little" problem. It goes with this parable. The students were trusted with very little and failed. In order to trust them with much, they will need to learn from this failure and move on. We are preparing students for the real world of work where they will be tempted with bigger acts of dishonesty. If they suffer the consequences now when they are young, maybe they will remember when more is on the line. 

          God knows our hearts. He blesses us according to our ability to be able to use it for his kingdom. Those who aren't satisfied and always need more will probably not receive it. Those that are satisfied with very little, will gain more. We have to earn the trust to be granted more.

          Be satisfied with what you have. Turn everything to The Lord and you will be amazed at the abundance you receive.

          Thank you Lord for the blessings you bestow upon me and my family. May I use them for your honor and glory. May I always be satisfied and recognize the wonderful gifts that ALL come from you. Amen!

The Lord is Good!

The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. (Psalm 85:12 NIV)

The Winter Olympics are in full swing. I enjoy most of the events. I enjoy the joys of victory and the agony of defeat. I was watching the cross country ski event where a Russian fell. He was a favorite to win the event. We he fell he just laid on the ground for what seemed like an eternity. He was obviously dejected. In the women's luge we won our first ever medal. The joy on the faces of the winner and her coach was amazing. The Olympics are meant to be a celebration of the unity of our planet. We spend enough time hearing about the problems of this world and the evil is everywhere. But it's great to take time and look at what is right with this world.

One of the greatest blessings of our world is a God that loves us. The Lord is not some iron handed dictator. God is the center of all that is good and right in our world. He has blessed us with so many things. He has given us the opportunity of peace and a life filled with joy. My life is a perfect example. I am so amazingly blessed with a life that is filled with the joy of a wonderful wife, amazing daughters, and even more amazing grandchildren. My life is filled with hope and love from my wonderful savior. I am want for nothing. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Safe and sound!

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. (Psalm 27:5, 6 NIV)

God never promises a life free of trouble. Sometimes that trouble is minor. Sometimes that trouble is massive. He does promise to keep us safe. He is our shelter and even though evil presses in on all sides we are protected. Thank you Lord for getting me through all the rough times of my life. My joy is in you!

2013 has been a great year with very little trouble or stress in my life. I would count this as one of my best years. God has blessed me abundantly. I am embarassed by all the great blessings I have been granted. The highlights of 2013 include the birth of another grandchild, a great ministry year with CMA, a wonderful summer trip to California with my wonderul wife, a new adventure in Personalized Learning at school, and so many joyous times with my family. 

I have been held safe and sound in God's dwelling place. I am thankful beyond words for the grace God has given me and my family. May we serve him every day during 2014.

Be all you can be!

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)

Do you remember the Army AD campaign to "be all that you can be"? The whole idea is that you can't reach your potential unless you join the army. Even though it was a little presumptuous, it was a great campaign slogan. 

God could have used the same slogan, but it would be true. You really can't reach your true potential with out Christ. I know some great people who are not Christians. They exhibit great skill at their jobs, or in other areas of their lives. Yet, they still haven't reached where they could. 

All of us could make improvements in our lives. The greatest improvements occur when you accept Christ as your savior. Your life changes to focus on others. Your life is less about what you can get versus what you give. It's ok that you will never reach perfection. We all need to direct our lives to get better. If you don't accept Christ you are missing out on a better life, a life filled with blessings that make life amazing. 

Enthused about Christ?

2 Corinthians 9

 1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

Are you an enthusiastic Christian? I'm ashamed to say I'm not as enthusiastic as I should be. I wonder why that is. Am I eager? I need to show more excitement for Christ. I certainly want to have an infectious enthusiasm for my Lord and savior. I want people To say, they know my eagerness and are stirred to action because of me. I definitely have much to be enthusiastic about. My God has blessed me so abundantly, it should make me explode with joyful exuberance.
I have been saved so may times from the muck and the mire of life. God has pulled me from bad work situations, financial peril, family troubles, and so much more. Yet, I dont always act like it.

Dear Lord, forgive me for no being thrilled about the life you have blessed me with. I deserve nothing, yet you have granted me everything, even up to eternal life. I praise you Lord for who you are. I will ever praise. I will shout your holy name from the mountain tops because you have saved me. Lord grant me your joy. Please lord grant me your grace. Help my actions lead my family, friends, and coworkers to a closer relationship to you. I love you and thank you, precious father. Amen!