Veterans Day message: You are alive for a reason!

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:36-37 NIV)

It is so easy to build a busy schedule full of frivolous activities. We can focus on ourselves too much. We can focus on things that do not glorify God. I am not any different. What did you spend your time on yesterday? What about last week? This past year?

Yesterday, was Veterans Day. I heard a Vet speak at our school. He shared the great message about his life in Vietnam. He told of spectacular ways he was protected in battle, even waking through the enemy without being touched. He grew angry at God for all the useless death. He cussed and yelled at Godfor killing people that were great people and saving him instead. God spoke to him. He said that he was not done with him and that's why he was saved. He was rescued from this terrible war so he could serve God. This vet has spent much of his life spreading this message to kids and adults. God had saved him for important purposes. This vet gets that. Do we? You might not have gone through a major military battle, but God has a purpose for your life as well. God does not want you to spend your life on worthless things. He wants you to spend your life focusing on things from him. He has saved your life for his glory. Will you serve that purpose or will you continue to ignore the creator of the universe?

Praise God!

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! (Psalm 147:1 NIV)

This world is turning more and more hostile to Christians. I saw a story the other day that said religion would be eliminated in the next generation. It saddens me to hear such hate for my God. But, through all the hate, through all the anti-Christian sentiment, I praise my God for his love, mercy, and grace. I don't care what others say, I have seen his greatness, I have seen the real God of the universe active in the lives of the people I know.

It is great to give praise. It is great to openly celebrate the wondeful love of Jesus with all we see. Thank you Lord! I praise you and am honored by your love even when I don't deserve it, even when the world turns against you! I love you and worship your holy name!

Message in a bottle!

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. (Psalm 69:1-3 NIV)

I find it fascinating how the Holy Spirit works in our lives. So often I come upon verses in 

Gods word that fit so perfectly in my life, not this time. It makes me wonder if it is a prelude to trouble. Yet, I can not see it and don't sense it anywhere. Maybe this message isn't meant for me. Maybe I am the bottle that God is placed a special message. He has tossed me into the ocean of life to be found by just the right person. Just maybe ithe message of Psalm 69:1-3 is meant for me to share. Maybe it will come through me at the right time in someone else's life. 

It really is presumptuous and self centered of me to think God sends messages to me exclusively for my own purpose. In fact I have asked him to use me and right now I restate that desire. Lord use me. I know this verse was sent to me by your love and grace. It was sent for me to share. Open my eyes to the person that needs this verse right now in their special circumstances. I know you love who ever it is and am honored that you trust me to be with them. 

Praise God for your perfect love and the grand plan of our lives!

Oh to be patient!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. (Psalm 40:1 NIV)

One of my worst qualities is the lack of patience. It comes in many forms. I am impatient with people. I am impatient with time and events. I am impatient with the Lord. It's painful to admit that last one. I can justify my impatience with others, even wrongly. But, how can I justify being impatient with the most high God. I must be a fool. None the less, I admit God's time table is usually not my own. You would think with 54 years experience with the perfect timing of my savior, I would develop patience. 

Why can I trust God with everything in my life, but not trust his timing? Has he ever failed to come through? Certainly not! Have I suffered greatly on this Earth because God has not met my schedule? Vehemently No, I have never suffered in this world. Do I have example after example of his perfect timing? Yes, yes, yes. He never ceases to amaze me. I worry, I fret, I stumble, doubt, and cry out, but his timing has always been abundantly better than my own. 

Lord forgive me. I know of all your wonderful love and grace, yet doubt. Please Lord continue to teach me patience. Teach me your ways. It's ironic, but I ask you to be patient with me. Instill in me a peace and contentment waiting on you.

Help!

You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. (Psalm 18:35 NIV)

We, I can't go through this life alone. I need help. I have the wonderful help of my wife and my friends and colleagues. My real help comes from the Lord. 

How do I know when the Lord is helping me?

My first indication is my prayers. I have noticed God really does answer my prayers. I use need to look for those answers. Most of my prayers are personal and not spoken outside my private prayer time. No one else knows my prayers. It has to be the Lord. The "World" would say it is coincidence or chance or that my own desires direct the answers. That is just ludicrous. God is in control, he is real, and he is my help when I need him.

I have also seen help come even when I have not asked. I have seen "supernatural" interventions that can only be explained by my loving savior. Again, the world tries to explain this away. Your thoughts are your own. I have seen the wonderful help from my God. He has intervened for me. He has answered my prayers on multiple occasions. He knows what's best for me and he alone determines when that help comes and in what form. Even when I don't put it into words, he sends help. He is my help in all times. I love him and praise his name!