Follow Gods will!

“I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.”

Psalms 138:2, 7 NLT -- http://bible.com/116/psa.138.2,7.nlt

My granddaughter is engaged. It's big news. I am excited for them. 

Marriage is a wondeful adventure at the same time it's not always easy. Lauren is 18. I was 17 when Stephanie and I got married and she was 18. People were appalled. But we really did love each other. There wasn't a pregnancy involved. We did not HAVE to get married. Our first child didn't come until about 2 years later. Lauren and Matt are following nearly the same path. We had a year of marriage counseling and a great supportive group of friends. Most of the family was supportive. Some had reservations that lasted for quite a few years. Now, 37 years later, we have beaten the odds. We believed God was in the center of our decision. Lauren and Matt believe it is all a part of Gods plan for their lives.

Lauren and Matt will face some horrible challenges. They will share some wondeful moments. They will cry, laugh, and travel through life together. I am greatly encouraged by my granddaughters faith. I am greatly comforted that this relationship has a great chance to succeed because it is center around God. Life is never certain. Sin is everywhere. Marriages do end in divorce. So there is no guarantees. But, when God is the foundation, you can and will beat the odds stacked against you.

Congrats to Lauren and Matt. We love you and are always here for you. Praise God for your wonderful love for each other and your love of Jesus.

Just Use it!

When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. (John 15:8 AMP)

Rick Warren used this verse in his devotional today and it prompted me to look at it a different way. I always looked at this verse as bringing people to the kingdom. But, Rick looked at this meaning our fruit equals our gifts. God has given us gifts to honor him. When we use those special gifts and talents, he smiles and is filled with joy.

That's the reason I'm in the Christian Motorcyclist Association. Several years ago our Pastor, Stuart Kruse, challenged us to use our passions for God's glory. He claimed that God designed us to be passionate, gifted, in specific areas. God expects us to use those passions for his glory, and his honor. My passions are motorcycles and teaching.  When I am doing those things God is pleased. Using my gifts and passions will bear fruit in ways we can not fathom. I can feel it when I am doing what God has designed me for. I feel his presence in my life the most when I am doing his will. That's not always just "churchy" type things. It's using the passions he placed inside of me. That's what brings a thrill to the heart of our creator.

What are you passionate about? What do you think about from sun-up to sun-down? Are you doing it? Do you get to work in the area you are passionate about? After work, do you use your gifts? I hope you can answer yes to all these things. I can and that is why I experience complete joy in my life. I am doing Gods will by doing what I enjoy. He is thrilled because he designed me that way.

Praise God for his perfect design. May I always Serve you in the ways you created me. May I always have that burning passion to do your will. Thank you Lord for my special gifts. Thank you for the adventure you are leading me through. I only want to serve you. I only want to bring you honor and glory! AMEN and AMEN!

IF -- that's the key word?

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32 NIV)

I always looked at this verse as "God IS for us." It's nice to think we are always right and through all things God has our back. But, is that really true? The key word in this verse is "IF". We can not assume God is always FOR us and that we will never fail.  If we are out of God's will, he may not be for us. That doesn't mean he's going to abandon us.  What it does mean, he might let us fail, we might lose a battle. The Bible clearly says he will be with us. He will never foresaken us. But, he will let us fail when we live outside his will. He let's us choose and also let's us suffer the consequences of those choices.

So in order for God to be for us, we must continue to be in touch with his will and his mighty power. To be in harmony with the creator we must communicate with him, listen, take action on his direction, and make good choices in our lives. If we can do all these things no one will be able to stand against us and we will thrive in his kingdom. If we fail to do these things, we will easily be defeated by the forces of this world. The first step is up to us!

Slow process

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! (Jude 1:20, 21 MSG)

The savior is coming! Soon we will receive our gift of eternal life. But, not today! While we wait, we prepare. We study the word of our Lord, we pray for wisdom, and we serve the lost and the needy. We carefully do these things so as not to grow in our own confidence, but in the confidence in our Lord. Our faith needs to grow in a way as to prepare us for the worship and the glory we are to be a part of.

I wish I could say I was always in the center of God's love and his will for my life. I can not. I need help doing that. I need my family, my Chrisitian friends, constant study of God's word and daily communication with Him. I am working at building up my faith and following Gods will. When I am not faithful in my study and prayer, I faulted and move away from the center. It's a slow process. I praise God for his patience with me. Thank you Lord!

God is for us!

(James 1:16-18 NIV)
Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

God is for us. He loves us and wants us to have a joyous life. It has always been that way and will always be. He wants to be near us and wants us to seek him for everything. So why do so many people act as though God is the enemy and he is against us? I think I can answer that.
Sin!
God's gifts are perfect. He does not change like a shadow from the travel of the sun. It is us who changes. He wants us to receive his gifts, but so many reject them. I have noticed that most of the pain I go through in life is of my own doing. It is easy to blame God. Why doesn't he deliver me from the pain? But, the pain is usually my own. It is usually from me choosing not to accept his gift and his comfort. Even through the toughest times, he wants to share his gifts and provide us comfort. He usually gets our rejection.

God does not change. We do! Ye, he constantly gives us the opportunity to come back to him. He gives us chance upon chance to seek his will. He does not give up on us. He loves us. He always will. 

Planning for Pain!

Acts 20

 ²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. ²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

What a great scripture. Have you ever been led by the Holy Spirit in a way that was uncomfortable? Do you feel the Spirit predicting pain and hardship in your future? I have to admit, I have, and it's quite unsettling. The idea that I am going to be led into pain and suffering exposes my weak faith. Why would this God who loves me, put me intentionally in the middle of hardship? Is that Love? Am I expected to react as Paul? Can I stay focused on Christ through the pain, trial, and tribulation?

There have been times in my life when I have felt the guidance of God into the fiery pit. I wish I have the faith of Paul. Instead, my question, like most people, is why? Yet, immediately upon asking the question, I realize how crazy it is for me to question the creator of the universe. It's always at this point I plead for God to find a different way. "God are you sure there's not an easier path?" Again, how crazy is it to question the plan of GOD. His wisdom is infinite. He power is ultimate. My only remaining response is "God, your will be done." I go through this faithless cycle more often than I would like to admit. Sometimes I'm embarrassed by this show of weakness: Disbelief, Questioning, Pleading, relenting. Do you remember Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, just before his crucifixion?

Matthew 26 -- ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” .............⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Wow! Isn't it amazing that Jesus himself had the exact same thoughts I have had. WWJD? He would do the same thing I do. Our thoughts are not lack of faith. God understands. God has heard it many times before, even from his own Son. He hears your cry and only wants what's best for you. Find the courage to let God be in control. Do what Jesus did.  You will not be disappointed. 

Dear Lord, I do not choose the path of pain in my life. I am weak. But, I know that we grow closer through the pain. I don't choose it, but I accept it as long as you are with me. I know you will not forsake me. Praise God you are there. Thank You Lord. Your will be done in my life, not my own. Amen! 

Casting Lots for President!

Luke 1 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.


It is amazing to think that the important task to be carried out by Zechariah was decided by "lot". For those of you who don't know what this is, it's the modern day equivalent of rolling the dice. The reason it was used was to keep this event from being decided by politics.  The ancient biblical world used this method all the time to let God speak to them and make important decisions. This act of "gambling" is quite biblical.


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


I recently was elected as a CMA officer -- Chaplain. It felt so uncomfortable running against a fellow CMA brother, Mike Harrold. I don't like the idea that I "Won" the election. Our former Chaplain was great at carrying out his duties. He and his wife (Cathy) are such special people. I have only known them for a short time, but I can tell you their hearts are full of God's love.  This past year they were open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and worked diligently as our Chapter's Spiritual leader. I am awed and a bit overwhelmed at being in this position for 2011. 


So, I wonder why we didn't cast lots to decide who would take the positions in our Chapter. It certainly would have been fine with me. Since we are all believers in the providence of God, maybe we should do this more often. It would certainly keep us from making poor selections. We could just leave everything up to God to decide. How refreshing would that be? I can't count the number of times I have debated with myself over and over again trying to decide which path to take in life.  I have lost many nights sleep trying to decide employment, financial, personal, or family decisions. So many times in my life I came to a fork in the road and had to decide which road to take. I know the saying is take the one less traveled. But, I'm not sure that saying is of God!


We make decisions in our daily lives completely on our own. How many of you prayed about who to vote for in the last Presidential election? Are you sure your choice was "of God"? Or, do you think your decision was influenced by your own preconceived notions? Maybe if you had cast lots, you could guarantee that it was God's choice and not your own. Wouldn't that be amazing if we left our presidential elections up to divine chance. Instead of an election day, we could have a day of prayer and meditation asking God for divine guidance. Then we would Cast Lots and the winner would be president. Would you be willing to take this chance on your important decisions?  What about deciding on a career move?, a financial move? a relationship decision? 
Reall, Casting Lots is the easy way out. The tougher approach and I think the approach God would have us choose, is to build a relationship with the him. If you grow in your knowledge of God, you will know what he thinks and will be able to make decisions based on that. Knowing God through the Bible and through Prayer is much better than casting lots to make decisions. If you truly pursue God, God won't let you down. You're decisions might not always work out as YOU plan, but I guarantee they will work out as God has planned. I'm not saying there is no place for casting lots. Like I said before, it is biblical. I'm saying that if we listen closely for the voice of God, our decisions would be much better. But, God can speak through all situations, if we are willing. If we pray about it and think it's in Gods will, maybe we could cast lots and then sit back and watch the power of God!


Dear Lord, Thank you for blessing me with my CMA family. I am honored to be their Chaplain in 2011. Please use me for your purposes. Guide me in my decisions, keep me from decisions that are out of your  will. I truly want your will in my life and need you to protect me from my own sinfulness. Thank You Lord, for your love. Thank You for caring about me! Amen!