Heaven

And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, (Luke 22:29 NIV)

I just read a great study on Heaven, my ultimate place to be. As a kid, I always thought of Heaven as being the clouds. I think that comes from the thought "he ascended" into Heaven. Yet, we really don't know where Heaven is. I understand there is some reference in the bible about it being in the North. I've never heard that until now. I also have heard reports Heaven is here on Earth. It's fun to speculate, but it really is of no consequence. Wherever Heaven is, it's where Christ is and that's where I want to be.

Heaven is a literal place. It says it in the bible. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. That's about as clear as it could be. I long for this place and the peace it provides. It's not that my life is impossible. My life here on Earth is wonderful. Life in Heaven will be infinitely more so. The peace, the joy, the knowledge we will have is incomparable to our day to day existence here. 

Praise God for my new home, a home that is being prepared specifically for me. Lord I long for a time when I can be with you for eternity. I longing for the wonderful peace and joy. Thank you for caring so much that you sent your son to die for me that I might have eternal life. Thank You!

Summer time is here!

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27 NIV)

The school year is complete. I had a great year. To me, building relationships with young men and women is the key to education. I was fortunate to do that with my students this year. I'm a Math teacher, but I hope I share more than just mathematics. Our pilot program on personalized learning is a great format to be able to build closer relationships with students. I thank God for the ability and the motivation to teach. I have been chosen by him to serve my high school and I love the mission of preparing students for the future. 

But, now for the next 67 days, I will try to rejuvenate and prepare for an even better year starting on August 5th. I need some time away, I need some time to reflect. I need some time to just relax. I am grateful of all the time I get to spend with my lovely wife and wonderful family. I treasure every moment. Those times are the glorious riches God grants those that follow him. Praise God!

It all starts with suffering!

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NIV)

Our entire life is filled with suffering. That's not something to be depressed about. I know from personal experience that I grow in my faith through the suffering and stresses of life. 

Today is the last day of school for our students. Every one of my 20 years in education have produced great memories and times of "suffering". This year is no different. We started a new adventure at GHS this year with personalized learning and interdisciplinary learning. We have done some great things and there are definitely things we need to change. It has been one of the most rewarding and challenging years I've ever had. I am glad I went through it. I feel more confident in ways we can help prepare our students for life beyond high school.

Praise God for his plan for my life. I praise him for the joys and sorrows that help me draw closer to him. I thank you for the spirit you provide to help me negotiate the obstacles I see every day. I have a hope, not because of my own power, but from the strength of The Lord.

Sleep

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8 NIV)

I was exhausted yesterday. It's the first time I remember nearly falling asleep at school. I got home, went to a meeting, and then crashed hard. The older I get the longer it takes to physically recover from a busy trip. I am thankful The Lord provides rest and safe sleep in the midst of our busy lives. 

I have not had any problems sleeping. Really, I haven't had difficulty sleeping and staying asleep for years. I believe my peaceful slumber is due to my faith in Jesus Christ. I have learned, with 90% success, to turn my stresses over to Christ. When I find myself stressing out I just have to go to prayer and release the object of my stress. It really works. The Lord of my life cares about my sleep, my stress and everything that occurs in my life. Praise God for his wondeful peace!

Deeply Blessed!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)

After over 1300 miles of riding this weekend, my lovely wife and I arrived home at about 7:30 last night. We were exhausted. We were also deeply blessed by a great weekend. My CMA family went to DC to Rolling Thunder 2014. What a meaningful salute to our vets. We were blessed with amazing weather, fellowship, and safe travels. 

 God has blessed me consistently throughout my life even through my sinfulness and inconsistent relationship with him. I do not deserve the blessings I received this weekend. I often overlook the simple blessings of a great weekend. Many times I take for granted the little details God watches over in my daily routine. I take for granted the protection, the friends, and the family I have been given. I take for granted the freedoms I have. I take for granted the sacrifices of those protecting me here at home and those serving overseas. I visit a memorial like the Vietnam or Flight 93 memorial and get emotional in the moment. But, once I leave, those memories fade. It's sad that in my busy life, I don't honor those people in all I do.

Dear Lord, forgive me for the selfish, unappreciative life I live. You are an amazing and loving God who has blessed me in numerous and magnificent ways. Thank you Lord for your love. Thank you for my many blessings. Thank you for this wonderful life and the protections you provide. I am undeserving! Amen!

Good times and Bad!

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:2 NIV)

I completely understand this verse when I'm going through a rough time. When I need help I always fall back on The Lord. I'm not saying that's a real bad thing. But, why don't I yearn for The Lord all the time? That's really my goal. I need to yearn for him all the time. 

Why wouldn't we yearn for The Lord all the time? I should have a heart where I cry out to The Lord in good and bad! 

I love you Lord. I love the time we spend together. Please help me grow closer to you so that I will yearn for you always.

Are you alive?

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:63 NIV)

How ALIVE are you? I know people that walk around and look like death? They view the world through lenses of black. You know the people I'm talking about. Life is a misery to the and they dread every waking day. I feel so sad for those people. They have no hope.

The Holy Spirit is my life. It brings hope to my day and joy. Even on the darkest of days, I can experience the beautiful sunshine of life. This is the reason I pursue a life sharing the gospel of Jesus. I don't want anyone to go through life with no hope. I don't want people to suffer in this life and I want them to share my hope of eternal life. 

Today I am watching the sunrise on the Eve of an absolutely beautiful day. That mirrors my life with Christ. My life is filled with that image. Praise God for his love. I have not earned it, yet he freely gives grace and hope beyond all I could imagine!

No! Do or Do not! There is no try!

Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil— they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them. (Isaiah 33:15, 16 NIV)

One of my favorite Star Wars characters is Yoda. I love this line from the movie,"No! Do or Do not, there is no try!" Today my students took their state Algebra Exam. They could no longer fall back on the comfort that they were trying. Today that had to DO! 

When I read these verses I started out thinking I "try" to walk righteously and speak what is right. Then for some reason the Holy Spirit reminded me of this great line. I can not be satisfied as a Christian with trying! 

There is no middle ground when we speak of faith. We can not justify our sins by claiming we are trying to live a sinfree life. We have to do what is right in the eyes of The Lord. It says we even have to shut our eyes to CONTEMPLATING evil. That's a pretty tough standard. We need to get to the point in our life that doing is our only choice. This takes confidence in our faith and confidence that The Lord is with us. We can be bold and fear nothing. You only gain that confidence by spending time with The Lord. There is no other way! So, to borrow the over used motto, "Just DO it!"

Seeing is not believing

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, (1 Peter 1:8 NIV)

I have never seen Jesus. Sure, I've seen pictures. I've watched movies about Jesus and have a sense of what he looks like only through those sources. But I don't really have any idea of who he is physically. It doesn't matter. I have never thought my faith was on shaky ground because I haven't seen Jesus. I talk about seeing Jesus when I die. But, beyond that, it's just not important. I love him just as if we physically saw each other every day.

The thought of Jesus and the life we have shared brings great joy to my heart. I know he is there because I can feel and see his presence. Just like the wind. I feel the wind, I see it's impact on the environment, yet I can't see it. Praise God he is active, he is alive in my life. I love you Lord. You are amazing and I enjoy every day we spend together. I look forward, not just to seeing you, but being with you in eternity. Amen!

Read -- Do

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22 NIV)

I love reading scripture. It is a special time for my own personal growth. It is the greatest avenue of communication with God. Yes, I pray and that is also an intimate communication tool. There is something about reading verses that I've read over and over again. Yet, they provide new insights for my daily life. 

Reading is certainly a start to getting to know the heart of God. Doing what these wondeful words say, that's the the real value of God's word.  If we just read like we are reading a dime store novel, we lose the power of the voice of our creator. We need to savor the verses. We need to examine there application in today's fast paced society. We need to open our hearts to the message intended for us. Doing is the extension of a real faith in Jesus Christ. We can't just read and ignore the voice of God.

Dear Lord, I love you. I read your wondeful words with awe and amazement. But, I ask your forgiveness that I don't apply that wonderful message every day of my life. Help me Lord! Help me to recognize the opportunities to serve. Give me direction very day of my life that I might me in your will and not my own. Amen.

LAZY

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. (Hebrews 6:12 NIV)

Lazy,are you kidding me? I can truthfully say, I'm not lazy. I traveled yesterday afternoon to an education conference. We ate dinner and then I went straight to my room to spend the next 3 hours grading school work for my students. I couldn't get to it this weekend because I was trying to keep from being LAZY.  Friday night was the grandkids track meet, Saturday a charity motorcycle ride then straight to a CMA church visit. Sunday we had another charity church visit, went home, packed, took a 20 minute power nap, then drove 3 hours to Flint, Michigan. I don't think I will have the opportunity to be lazy for another week.

I do long for some time off. School is about to end and I am looking forward to the LAZY days of summer. That won't be entirely true. I just can't set still for long. While summer lets me be  ore leisurely about my day to day activities, I will be anything but lazy and that's the way God designed us. My life is perfect. It is active, full, and rewarding. I have purpose, Gods purpose. That is what this verse is saying. We are not to meander through life. We are to spend life in a purposeful way. Drifting along with no plan, rutterless, is the true definition of laziness. When we do that and we align our purpose with God's plan, glorious things occur in our lives. We will inherit the promises of God.

Praise God for this wondeful FULL  life he has blessed me with. Thank you for the joy of your salvation!

What stuff do you need?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

What do I really need? What "stuff" in my life is impossible to love without? When you really look into your life, you need very little. I need even less. I don't need my motorcycle, I don't need my ipads, computers, phones, and GPS. I don't need all the clothing I have. I don't need the furniture, TVs, air conditioning, and more. Here's my "must have" list. Food, drink, and nothing else. Ok, I'll let you talk me in to clothing and maybe shelter. Even with these two you don't need extravagant shelter or clothing. Yet, God says we shouldn't even pursue these basics. First we need to seek Gods kingdom and his righteousness. When we do that the worry of the basics melt away. We don't have to ask to survive. All we have to do is focus on the creator of all things. 

I know there are good Christian people suffering in this world that can't even get the basics of life. I wish I had a great answer to WHY? I don't. I can repeat this scripture. The more suffering increases in your life, the more you need to direct your attention to God. Seek him and we have a promise that all the things you need will be added unto you. I have experienced this first hand and I have received WAY more than just the basics of life.

 I will seek God with all my heart!

What's love go to do with it?

This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:17 NIV)

"What's love got to do with it?" 

You've heard this famous lyrical line. It goes on later to say its a second hand emotion. I agree. I don't agree it should be. I agree LOVE is treated, by us, as a second hand emotion. God says love isn't only everything, it's the only thing. 

Love God, Love people, Love, Love, Love, Love. We need to make it the center of our daily walk. This simple command  has been made so complicated by our sinfulness. It's not that complicated. We need to serve out of love. We need to work out of love. We need to play out of love. We need to worship, pray, and study out of love. Our first thoughts in the morning should be love for our wonderful God. Our last thoughts at the end of the day should be love for our wondeful God. Inbetween we need to demonstrate his wondeful love. 

We can not be a Christian without Love filling our heart. It's just not possible. 

Love isn't something we invented. Remember: God FIRST loved us. He shows us how it's done. He took it to the greatest extemeg by sacrificing his Son for us. We just need to take his example and TRY TO DUPLICATE IT. 

Thank You Lord for your wonderful love and the joy you provide to our lives. I feel your presence more and more every day. I praise you for my life. I praise you for the undeserved blessings. I LOVE you with all my heart, body, and soul. Amen!

How believable am I?

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42 NIV)

I like to think I'm pretty persuasive. I'm a teacher. I have to be able to explain a concept and get students to believe and act on it! More often than not, I'm pretty effective doing that. I "might" have a tendency to be a little preachy. (I hope my daughters don't fall over laughing about that understatement.)  The most important thing I teach is Jesus Christ. I want that message, above all else, to be believable. I want people to see its real in my life and then they can conclude it will be real in their own. I often wonder just how believable I am.

My words are only a small part of my ministry. My actions speak louder. Regardless how much I can be a "fan" of Jesus, people need to experience him to really start to believe. I have to share more than just some superficial adoration of Jesus. People need to see how my life has been changed by Jesus. This concept goes all the way back to Jesus times. You need to walk with Jesus to finally experience his majesty. My entire life is dedicated to just getting people to experience Jesus. Once they make a commitment to TRY, it's all Jesus. They will never turn back. 

Dear Lord, give me the opportunity and the skill to share your great mercy and grace with the world. Help me to share all you've done in my life. I can't imagine a life without you and I want others to feel the same way. Amen!

Fill'er up!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6 NIV)

I have just started a new bible study about the conflict between faith and science. It is not a dynamic study, more of an intellectual study. It is somewhat refreshing. It appears, early in my viewing, that the speaker and I agree there is no real conflict and fear is more of the driving force than fact. I can't wait to continue!

Bible Studies and my own reflection on scripture have been a major part of my life for quite a number of years. I literally can't get enough. You could say "I hunger and thirst for righteousness." God's word is as valuable as my daily meals. It's fuel for my soul! It's like an old fashioned gas attendant. I drive in and just say "Fill'er Up!" 

I am never  dissappointed as I view or study Gods word. If it's my own personal study or study from someone else, I long to be filled. It started as a New Years Resolution to read the Bible in a year. I did it and found so much value in it, I made it a part of my daily routine. Now I can't do without it. I don't read the entire Bible in a year because I want to go deeper. I take it a short verse at a time and really let the Holy Spirit fill me. It is quite a meaningful time. 

Lord, I can't thank you enough for the great gift of your word. I am in awe how these ancient stories and words have such a major impact. I ask you to speak to me through the writers of your book of life. Help me read, understand, and apply your truths to my life every day I live and breathe for you. Amen!

Failure is the fuel for growth!

Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law; (Psalm 94:12 NIV)

I am wrong! 

Those are key words in the life of any human on this planet. The ability to admit errors and to accept consequences helps us grow. I certainly know how tough this is. I struggle with admitting I am wrong, yet I am always looking for ways to get better. That is the next step. The first is to admit your error. The second is, decide what you are going to do about it.

I teach Math. Students love to see me make mistakes. Any teacher that can't admit their mistakes is a failure as a teacher. Students need to see it's ok to make mistakes. It's ok to fail. I have seen the consequences of not being comfortable admitting wrong doing. When someone can't deal with their own errors, they always resort to covering up those mistakes. Publicly admitting you are wrong is nearly impossible for some people.

God brings discipline in the midst of our errors in life. He doesn't want to punish. He wants us to grow from our failures. If there were no consequences for mistakes, what incentive would we have to change. None of us is sinless. None can claim the righteous ground. Yet, when we confess our sins, God is there to lift us up. He is there to help us endure the humiliation and the consequences. He is there to help us grow and recover stronger than before. There is a reason for our mistakes. They are the fuel for growth! Praise God!

Dear Lord forgive me for my sins. Forgive me for my arrogance and trying to act perfect. Help me to use the failures and mistakes of my life to grow closer to you. All I do is for you Lord and I know you want nothing but the best for me. I praise you for your wondeful love and grace. Amen!

Control?

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18 NIV)

I'm sitting here waiting for the storm to hit. Yes, it's spring time and thunderstorms will be the norm for the next several months. It's just another sign of life marching on. I love it.

God is in charge. I have often said I have given control of my life to God. This verse reminds me how wrong I am. God has given Jesus authority over all things in Heaven and earth. He is definitely in charge. This view  that we Christians have granted Jesus authority over our lives is simply ridiculous. We can not give something that we do not have to start with. If you think about your life, how much do you really control? God is in control of all things before we invite him to be a part of our lives. He is in control now and he will be in control forever.

In the short term I may not recognize the true authority of God and his son. But, my lack of recognition doesn't mean it is not real. I may think I'm in charge, but we will all find out who's really in control. Just because I don't recognize the police department as the authority over traffic safety, doesn't mean I can speed and get away with it. Sure I can speed, I can have the illusion of setting my own speed limit, but in the long run, I will pay for that arrogance. Ignoring the authority of Jesus doesn't mean I rule my own life. I can give the illusion of my own control, but when I die, the reality will become very clear.

Praise God for his wondeful love for me. I rest in the knowledge that God is in control. I yield to his control. I want nothing more than to be in his will. Thank You Lord for caring enough that you sacrificed all for me!

Confident about your future?

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NIV)

Confidence is an important trait for the Christian. Non-Christians look for weaknesses in our faith and many times they see the chink in the armor when it comes to lack of confidence. Do you have faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ or not? Are you confident in your future? Do you know that you know that you know you will spend eternity in Heaven? Do you reflect your confidence by you actions?

Our display of worry, our fear of death, our concerns about failure, are all related to our confidence. Our faith is to be questioned if we can't be confident about our future. Gods plan is perfect. His plan will have a perfect ending. His plan will be completed in us!

The theme of this blog is prayer, bible study, and worship. Every part of our lives should be built AROUND these three practices. You can't developed confidence in your faith or Gods plan unless you do these things. I am no different than you. I need this reminder often. 

Another place to help with confidence is watching those around you that have confidence in their faith and walk with Christ. I have had many of those in my life. My mom is definitely one of those people. She has had a life filled with faith. I have seen her handle the ups and downs of life with grace, dignity, and confidence. Thank Mom for being such a great role model.

Time is in a full sprint!

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. (Daniel 2:21, 22 NIV)

It was great wearing a short sleeve shirt yesterday, farmers were busy planting fields, and thunderstorms dotted the area. The season is changing. The devastating cold and snow for this winter are still strong memories, but they are starting to fade. Life moves on. 

Stephanie and I were talking about how fast this school year has gone. We are only 13 school days away from another year complete. Time is sprinting by us all and the older I get, the faster time moves. Wisdom also increases with age. It happens for people and it happens for our planet. When we finally realized our planet was not the center of the universe, religious leaders were panicked. When evolution burst on the scene, battle lines were drawn. Why? As Christians we know very little about our creator. We know very little about our universe. Christians and Scientists are both going to be wrong about what we "know" and that's ok. We all need to grow. We can't let life's "discoveries" divide us. As Christians, we can accept "science" without abandoning our faith. We can accept new discoveries as movement toward the real truths of God. Science can not destroy my God and it can't prove him either. Faith is much more personal than any scientific fact.

Time is advancing and fleeting. We need to spend less time fighting about what divides us. We need to grow closer and build relationships with each other. More importantly we need to grow closer to the God, who created us! Time is sprinting closer and closer to the finish line. Seasons are changing. There  is a light in the darkness, things will be revealed in Gods time! Praise God for this wondeful life!

Credibility

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what. (Hebrews 4:12, 13 MSG)

When you are working with teenagers, it is important to keep your word. You must follow through, if you say something and don't follow up, you have lost your students, permanently.

Credibility is imperative for a teacher. I have to prove myself to my students every day. They listen and apply what I tell them. If they can't make sense of what I say, if it doesn't work, they won't trust me in the future. Over time, they keep a mental tally of my credibility. They will decide by experience wether they should believe me or not.

I really do the same thing with God. It embarrasses me to say that I doubt God. But, I think everyone does. That doubt was more frequent when I was younger. Now that I have lived with God for over 40 years, I can see so many instances of Gods power. I know he loves me. I see it every day. He blesses me beyond anything I deserve and humbles me with how he cares for me. But, I still do have doubts from time to time. I don't doubt his power. I do doubt the plan I see laying out before me. I don't always question the plan, but when I do doubt this is my weakness. 

Lord forgive me for my doubts. Forgive me when I think I know a better plan than you have laid before me. I love you and know you have watched over me for 54 years. I praise you for that love and the wondeful blessings you have provided. 

Let's get a little Crazy!

I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. (Psalm 143:6 NIV)

Have you ever noticed what happens the moment someone discovers they have won the championship in a competition? My students were doing some research on body language and found this simple, obvious response to victory.

This researcher went on to say that even blind people who have never seen this physical response, do the same thing upon obtaining victory. As a matter of fact, even animals have the same response. The act of stretching yourself skyward, with your head raised to the heavens is an act we see in nature all the time. Why is that? 

For me, the answer is easy. 

We are responding to our Heavenly Father who is victorious over all things. We are naturally, subconsciously, praising God. We should praise him more, not in an unconscience act, but a deliberate response to his unfailing love for us. If we could just take it a step further, we should raise our hands to him even when we feel defeated. How awkward would it be to see a defeated member of a losing team, lift his hands and raise his head to the heavens? We would think that's crazy. 

Let's get a little crazy. God wants us to praise him through all things and even if we feel defeated in the moment, we are NOT defeated, EVER, through Christ. When we are traveling through the dry and parched land, we must destroy Satan who feeds us thoughts that we are defeated. He is wrong!

Lord we praise you. Even through our weakness, we are victorious through you. Our hands are lifted to you and know we can not lose with you at our side. I praise you. You are worthy of all honor and praise! 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.

I am not my own

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; (1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV)

I am not designed for selfishness. However, I put a lot of effort into making myself happy. My entire body belongs to The Lord. My purpose is to worship and serve the creator of the universe. Everything I have is of The Lord. When I use those gifts and blessings for selfish reasons it is against the will of God. 

Thank you Lord for blessing me beyond all that I could imagine. I beg your forgiveness for my selfish attitude. Help direct my life for you. Help me to see opportunities to serve you and act on those. Help me to use all the gifts and blessings I have for you. 

Join the battle!

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14 NIV)

What a wonderfully busy weekend serving The Lord. Our Christian Motocyclist Association annual Run for the Son fundraiser was Saturday and Sunday was our annual GWRRA bike blessing. It was another weekend filled with ministry. I'm doing my part to bring the end by reaching all the lost with the message of Christ. 

It is estimated that 2.87 billion people still have not heard the gospel message. We have a lot of work to do. This is our only mission: to save the lost. We always think of the lost in some remote third world country. Yes, those lost people are plentiful. Their are still many lost and people who need to hear the gospel message in this country and as well as other "developed" nations. Missionaries are needed in this country as well as in remote areas of the world. If we want the gospel to reach everyone it will take an uprising of those that do know Christ.  Nearly 3 billion people is a massive group of people and we need an army to bring the message to them. Join this battle. Be a missionary, a light for the Gospel, in a troubled world.

Praise God for people who sacrifice their time and energy to share Jesus in this world. Thank you Lord for the opportunities you have given me to share. Praise God for his many blessings and love for all humanity, the lost, the saved, and those that have not even heard the message.

Vic is dirty again!

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2 NIV)

My bike needs washed again. It's never ending. We had some rain today, not a lot, and it doesn't take anytime at all to get a bike dirty. They are testing a car that is selfcleaning. Could a self cleaning bike be on the horizon? I hate to admit it, I would miss washing and waxing my bike. Give me a warm 75 degrees, a hose, and VIC and I could waste an afternoon. I would much rather ride, but sometimes you just need to lose yourself in some physical labor. It's also a great way to perform a close inspection to see how the bike is holding up. 

I think God feels the same about me. He would much rather prefer not to have to wash away my sins. He would love to just love on me and watch me live in his will. Realistically, he knows that's not going to happen, I'm a sinner. So, he enjoys the opportunity to wash my sins away. It's a time he gets to be intimate with me. He gets in touch with me on a very deep level. When I ask him to forgive me, it is a time of great closeness. It's a time where I open up and let him "inspect" my life. He washes away all the dirt!

Praise God he is patient enough to cleanse me when I get dirty. He knows it's going to happen again and again. He still enjoys the time with me, even if it is to straighten out my life. Thank you Lord. Your love is amazing!

I can leave in peace.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32 NIV)

I am moving closer to retirement and, really, a seat at the foot of the throne of Jesus. I have been a part of so many wonderful things in my life. I know God is not done with me yet, but I am a satisfied man because I know the salvation of Jesus. I can leave in peace. But, I'm not going to sit back and coast through the rest of my days. Because of the joy of my salvation, I am even more determined to serve the kingdom. I just don't understand how people who claim salvation can hold it in. Don't you just feel you'll explode if you don't share the love Christ has given you?

The older I get the more I am aware of the presence of God, through the calm and through the storms. Life is not easy and yet it is terribly simple. We live life best by turning everything over to Christ. We don't have to worry. We don't have to stress over the mundane activities of everyday life. God has had a plan since the beginning of time that includes you and me. He has worked his plan to perfection culminating in the ultimate sacrifice of his son. Nothing else matters.

Thank you Lord for your perfect plan and our wonderful salvation.

There is nothing new!

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

The more things change.....The more things stay the same.

"Techno Bashing" is all the rage. I want to preface my next remark by saying I classify myself as being old! "Old" people are easily worked into a tizzie about the amount of technology used today. They say we're losing touch with reality. We don't communicate. If we lose face to face interaction we are all doomed. Kids are too engrossed with video games. They never go out and play! Society is being destroyed because we don't read books on paper anymore. I could go on and on and on. Well this old guy thinks this paranoia is crazy. Yes, society is changing. Books are changing, the games we play are changing, our interactions are changing. Frankly, I think it's ALL for the better and really not much different. 

Look at this old photo. How much face to face interaction do you see? You could just replace those newspapers with IPADS or smart phones.  Really, what's the difference in reading a ebook verses a paper book? Nothing. Sure you might prefer one over the other. One book is not better or worse, it's just different. I see kids communicating more nowadays than ever before. What ever method they choose, they are interacting with each other, adults, and professionals. The number of teenagers playing sports is at an all time high -- They are active. Sure Obesity is a problem. Don't blame it on the kids. My generation grew up without the Internet and we suffer just as much with obesity, poor health habits, and other problems. Come on folks! Technology is like anything else. It can be used for good or for evil. TECHNOLOGY isn't  the problem. The problem is the heart of man!

AND

None of our temptations have changed in centuries. With or without technology, Man is tempted to sin. Our choices have always been the same. We can fall to that temptation by trying to fight it on our own or we use the Power of Jesus Christ. The sins contrary to Gods laws are the same now as they were 2000 years ago and more. Do we remember David's lust for pornography? Do we remember the drunkeness and orgies of the Old Testament? Sodom and Gomora? The evil is the same! Racism, bigotry, greed,self-centeredness, were present then and they are present now. We can get all worked up about how technology makes it essier for us to sin. But, it also provides greater opportunity to share Jesus. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, google, all of them have active Christian members. I know of many great Christian bloggers. I have seen churches getting out and sharing their message on social media. Anyway we can share is GOOD! God is active in all areas of life including technology! My own Facebook and Twitter pages are jam packed with positive, uplifting, productive posts. My communication with my own family, which is significantly separated geographically, is overwhelmingly better because of technology. It's a great tool and a marvelous gift from God!

Praise God we can use these wondeful creations to share his love. We can use everything we have for his purpose and his glory! It's only evil when we refuse to share the gospel message in anyway possible! Thank you Lord that you care so much that you gave your son's life for us! Amen!