Fantastic Friday #399- Protect

Protect

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:13-15

I cannot go another week without acknowledging what our father-in-heaven did for my family.  Normally I write these so someone can relate to the writing, but this week might be something just to show who God is and what he as capable of.  As we were leaving to my parents on Sunday, we were pulling a camper behind our vehicle.  At about 2 hours outside of Fort Worth, a gust of wind pulled the trailer and I lost control of our vehicle and crashed.  It was quite the stressful ride, and the trailer was completely destroyed.  However the most amazing thing happened, and that was our car did not flip over with the camper and all we did was slide to a stop with the camper still attached to our vehicle.  Even more of a blessing was the fact that not one of my family members was injured.  For whatever reason, God decided to keep us safe and protect us from injury and potential death.  I can't tell you how thankful I am that God protected us through His mighty hand, and that we are still here.  Before we had left that day we prayed as a family for God to keep us safe, and sure enough He did. All I can say to you all is just remember He is our protector.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #398 - Own

Own

²³ Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
    it is not for them to direct their steps.
²⁴ Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—
    not in your anger,
    or you will reduce me to nothing. Jeremiah 10:23-24
 

Why do people feel like their lives are their own at times?  Many times I get caught up in the day and forget that my life does not belong to me.  I try so hard to direct my own steps and that is where I get so distracted from God and who He is to me.  If you look around today, that's where many believers and non-believers alike get drawn to where they don't need to be.  They get drawn to being that person that solely relies on their own and not what God wants in their life.  As believers we can easily get drawn into judging others and their lives because maybe they aren't living the way they should, or more likely how we think they should.  As Christians, we need to remember that our lives are not our own and our Judge is our Father in Heaven.  We can't sit around looking at how other people should live, we should live the life that is not our own, but God's life for us.  God is loving and we need to focus on Him directing our steps and not trying to direct our own.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #397- Wait

Wait

¹³ I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

Four hours and fifteen minutes.  That is how long I spent in traffic on Tuesday going to and from work in what people are referring to as icemageddon.  Most of that time was spent waiting for the vehicles in front of me inch forward. As I was waiting, I was able to spend a lot of time thinking.  Have you ever noticed that waiting is always the hardest thing to do in our lives most days.  We always seem to anticipate what is going to happen next, and along with waiting comes that emotion of worry which tends to sneak up on us.  While I was thinking, it crossed my mind that I always seem to want things done on my time and not God's time.  I don't ever want to seem to wait on the Lord.  Whatever is happening in your life right now, be it good or bad, wait on the Lord, for He is good.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #396 - Prayer

Prayer

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. ² And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Do you ever think that during this time of the year that the enemy works twice as hard trying to get us distracted from Christ and His goal for our lives. I see people in all walks of life getting distracted by work and other events that keep us so busy that we can't seem to give time to God and be reminded of Christ's first coming and what it actually means.  Without His first coming, we wouldn't be able to anticipate His second coming which fulfills God's plan. Now, how do we avoid those distractions to spend time focusing on Christ, prayer of course.  Prayer is very powerful and is important in our lives. It is our way to communicate with God and give Him thanks for His gift of salvation.   It also gives us a way to battle the enemy that is always there trying to distract us.  It also gives us the perseverance and confidence we need to live as followers of Christ.  So, pray for others and for yourself and be strong.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #395 - Give

Give

¹ Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.
² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
³ Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
⁴ Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always. Psalm 105:1-4

What have you given lately?  We talk about being thankful but do you think about what you give?  I am not talking about tithing, or financial support of a special charity.  I am talking about truly giving that love that every human being deserves.  How often do we stop and think of the love that our Father in Heaven has given to us through His Son's sacrifice?  How often do we think of the love that our friends and family provide to us?  How often do we love those around us, I mean truly show a sacrificial love?  This week why don't we all give love and then give praise to our God for what He has done. If we seek His face, it is much easier to love.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #394- Shaken

Shaken

¹ Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
² Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

So, there is this song in The Mix(2nd-4th grade) at church that we sing quite a bit. As I lead this worship song at church for the kids, I get really worn out mainly due to the hand and body motions we use to get the kids into the song. What's interesting is that when it says "we will never be shaken,"  the kids and I tend to shake somewhat uncontrollably. (some more than others) It is quite an interesting sight to watch me move and shake on stage, but I have been told that I don't dance very well so maybe I think too highly of my shaking ability.  At times, I don't think much about how God can help me rest, until I reflected on this passage more and the song we sing.  A thought came to mind about the fact that rocks don't move very much and actually don't shake due to their molecular makeup.  How interesting that our Lord and Savior is referred to as our Rock.  Someone who doesn't change, doesn't move and can't be shaken.  So, where do we go when the world is tossing us around, we go to our true Rock and Fortress.  We go to our Lord to help our soul find rest. I hope as you enter this week that you find rest in knowing that God will keep us firm and stable and through His power we will never be shaken.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #393- Twist

Twist

⁴ In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

⁵ All day long they twist my words;
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶ They conspire, they lurk,
    they watch my steps,
    hoping to take my life.   Psalm 56:4-6

Do you ever run across those people who take everything you say and twist it in their favor.  Maybe at the time they don't like how you might be questioning their integrity so they twist what you are saying back on you or on someone else.  Possibly these people know they have done something that is not right, but they don't want to be held accountable for their mistake, so instead they do everything they can to make it look like someone else's fault. We all have people around us who take advantage of a situation so they aren't held accountable for their actions that impact others. So, what do we do when they lurk and conspire to make us or others look bad?  It's easy, we trust in God and his Word and His actions to take care of a situation like this.  We all have it within ourselves to think we can make everything better, and untwist what has been done.  We just don't realize that we really don't have that power. In fact, maybe God is allowing the enemy to influence these people to twist the words and actions to teach us something about how we need to react.  What do you do next time someone twists your words or the situation?  You handle it with Grace and Understanding knowing that God is aware of the twisting and let Him straighten everything out.  Where we see failure, God sees success when we trust in Him.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #392- Flourish

Flourish

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:8-11

Do you sometimes look at people and wonder why some people flourish and others don't?  Do you find yourself trying to guess what God is going to do next or why He allows certain things to happen.  Many times we see wicked in this world who might be flourishing, or are they really?  To be flourishing, one is successful or prospering.  Maybe we are looking at people flourishing in the wrong way.  If we realized that we can't look at God's thoughts and ways as we look at each others thoughts and ways, we would understand why people perceive the wicked as flourishing.  We all need to treat God's Word with respect and honor Him, for His purposes are unknown to us but will be revealed at the proper time.  Don't look at the wicked as really flourishing, but as God allowing them to be successful for a short time while those who follow Him will flourish for eternity.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #391 - Power

Power


¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”  Romans 4:18-22

Do we ever look at things during the day and week and think, I personally don't have it within me to complete this?  We as human beings tend to spend our time looking at our own power and skills to get a job done, complete a task, and focusing less on the power of God.  The thing that I always find funny is why do we always think that we have to do things on our own, in our way and in a certain order?  When things aren't going our way, I bet we try to manipulate the outcome into our favor, whether it be a project at work, a scheduling issue, or even time with God.  How many of us say, I don't have time for you right now God, but I will get back to you in a few minutes after "I" finish what "I" am doing here.  I know I can tend to forget who has the power in this relationship, and it is our Father in Heaven.  He has it all to complete a  task or complete His plans when he sees fit.  It is not our own power that things get accomplished, but it is God's power to have His will be done.  If we remember who has the real power, then maybe all of our things would get accomplished and we wouldn't spend our time running around trying to complete things that are not within our power.  Take a moment to look to God's power the next time you have something to accomplish.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #390- Control

Control


¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. ¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. ²⁰ We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5: 18-20.

Watching sports is very interesting at times and this week I experienced a very valuable lesson in how I should control my emotions.  I had to volunteer umpire for my son's baseball game this last week because there were no other volunteers. It was very hard because I was behind the plate calling balls and strikes, and sure enough Gaven ended up pitching.  It ended up being a close game and I was hearing chatter behind me about my son being on the other team, and something about fairness was brought up.  I let my emotions get the best of me and responded to the comments that were made.  I said some things I didn't necessarily regret later, but mainly I was upset with the fact that I actually responded to useless chatter.  What I was most upset with was how I let the enemy grind at my mind and let him tell me I had to respond to something which really wasn't necessary.  I lose control in my life from time to time with a number of things and what I need to do is learn how to control my thoughts and emotions.  If I were to stop and realize where the evil is coming from, maybe it would make a difference in how I react.  This scripture says that God has given us understanding, which if you think about it understanding really can lead to control.  And control can defeat the enemy's lies and schemes, and defeating the evil around us can bring us in a closer relationship with God.  It is important not to sit in our lives thinking we can control everything around us, because we can't. We have to rely on God and His son Jesus Christ to help control the evil around us.  Rest in Jesus' control, for He has it already figured out for us.


Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #389 - Shut Down

Shut Down

¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. ¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
 ²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:18-20, 24

We all have been affected by things being shut down in our lives.  When things are shut down, you can't access them and most times it can be very frustrating if you need something badly.  Have you ever been shut down yourself because someone has upset you or been cruel to you?  Or, have you ever experienced a situation where you saw someone being hateful? Words are very powerful, but actions with words have a significant impact.  I can sit here all day long and use wonderful phrases to tell you about God's glorious Gospel, but if I don't show action with those words then they really don't mean anything. I am just like everyone else, and most days I fall short, but I know that God has placed the Spirit in me to guide my actions along with my words.  While I don't always get it right, I know there is One that will never shut down, and that is our Lord and Savior.  He is always there and always working in us to glorify Him.  So next time you feel like shutting down or someone tries to shut you down, remember who you are in Christ and let the Spirit guide your actions.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #388 - Falter

Falter

¹⁰ If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!  Proverbs 24:10
 
Do you have times where you falter and it is the times where trouble seems to surround you?  Or, do you just have those days that don't work out the way it should in your mind?  As we go through our daily routine, it is easy to see how we might falter because we rely on our own strength so often, and we all know we aren't strong enough on our own.  Our strength is only made more powerful by our faith in God, and our ability to overcome a wavering situation only improves when we lean into the Lord. I know that we also need to not only rely on God, but we need to spend our time around other followers of Christ who can make sure that we don't falter in times of trouble.  If we are by ourselves and don't think about how we can be helped by others or be helped by God then it will be easier to falter.  Don't falter, but lean into others and God's strength.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #387- Together

Together

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:15-17

Do you find it hard to hold things together sometimes?  Work that pulls you this way and that way,  activities and events that seem they are purposely being scheduled on top of each other, and not to mention the church commitments that you have that seem to sneak up on you. Then you have the whole national government that can't seem to hold things together themselves.  Busyness and overloading your lives can sometimes be blamed for the craziness that we sometimes encounter, but how do we actually hold all of our things together.  Well, the first step is to sit back and remember who we are, and that is a creation that was created in the image of God.  We need to honor our God by reflecting His presence in our lives.  We also need to remember that we aren't the ones that have to hold everything together, in fact the scripture clearly states that God is the one who holds all things together.  If we could remember this simple thought, then maybe our lives would be more together and less fractured.  This scripture also notes that the rulers and authorities in our lives were created through him and for him, so for those of us who have been complaining this week about our leaders not keeping things together (me included), maybe we should pray for these leaders that God has placed in power.  Remember, God is there to hold it all together.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #386- Cause

Cause

¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Romans 16:17-18
Do you ever sit around and think about what you cause with your actions?  Or do you ever think about what your actions might cause other people to do? There are many people out there in this world that whether they intentionally do it or not, cause divisions between people or groups.  It is that division caused by these people that creates confusion, skepticism and sometimes a feeling of inadequacy in the minds of believers.  We all have been taught that we should respect others, but what happens when these people's obstacles get in our way and produce these feelings of inadequacy.  We might shut down, practice avoidance, or just tell ourselves that we aren't good enough to be who we are in Christ.  The funny thing is, these same people who try to make us feel inadequate are the same people that are self-serving and don't respect others.  I challenge you to take up a cause against the people who attempt to make you feel this way.  Even though you should stay away from them, you can show the Love of Christ and set an example of how to treat others.  Don't let obstacles block your path to being closer to our Lord.
Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #385- Understand

Understand

¹ The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

² God looks down from heaven
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.
³ Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.  Psalm 53:1-3
 
What do you find yourself trying to understand?  How the wind blows, how the rain falls, how streams raise and lower, how mountains shake, and why seasons change.  Or, maybe you find yourself trying to understand God's creation and how He did it.  Do you tend to think of how something happens or why something happens?  Trying to figure these things out can sometimes be a blessing or a burden.  If we spend too much time trying to understand how and why, we might not be spending enough time just enjoying and being in awe of them. If we spend time seeking God, He will give us the time to enjoy our lives and be in awe of His creation, and He will also provide us that time to learn about His creation. The thing we don't need to do is turn away from God and his creation and take this world and our life for granted.  Let us take our lives and treat them as a gift that God has given us, along with this earth so that some day we can find the answers to all of our questions we are trying to understand.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #384 - Reaching

Reaching

¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  2 Corinthians 4:14-16
 
Do you find yourself reaching for answers, reaching for belief or reaching for faith and yet some of those things just seem to you to be slightly out of your reach?  Maybe we are looking at these kinds of things from the wrong perspective.  We are always told that when we need God the most, we need to reach out to Him through prayer and thanksgiving and through submission to Him. This is all very true and we should be doing this daily and when we are in need, but are we truly receiving what God has to give us?  Are we allowing God to "reach" out to us by submitting to His authority, or are we too stuck in what we have to "do" to achieve His Grace. The funny thing is we don't have to do anything to achieve the Grace He freely offers, we just have to accept Him.  So after we "reach" out to Him with our requests, how about sitting back and letting Him "reach" us with His will, which will give us answers and strengthen our belief and faith in Him.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #383- Low

Low

⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

⁵ The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.
⁶ The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low, he saved me. Psalm 116:4-6

Can you remember a time when you felt low?  When the highest you were feeling was that step stool on the floor that you see out of the corner of your eye.  There are all times in our life when we feel low, when the world says we aren't good enough, where the enemy makes claims that are false, where people are just plain mean, or when we start feeling sorry for ourselves.  My wife is a no-nonsense kind of person, and always tells me that she has no sympathy when I feel sorry for myself for any particular reason.  She is a good rub in my life, but God is a better rub, if we will only call on Him.  Many times individuals will wait until they are really low to call on the Lord to save them from this period, but we don't have to wait.  We can call on the Lord at any time and He will answer.  I love the word compassion that the Psalmist uses to describe God, because it truly shows a major part of God's character.  God protects us and shows His compassion for us regularly, but we need to remember to call on Him in those times before we get too low.  Let Him keep us steady by calling on him regularly, so He doesn't have to drag us out of a deep pit every single time. 

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #382- Separate

Separate

³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  Romans 8:34-37

As I was running this morning and walking this week on campus, I ran across several cracks in the road and in a sidewalk.  The areas where there were cracks, there was no joint that was separating the sidewalk pieces or the road from each other.  When proper joints are placed in a concrete pour, you are less likely to see cracking of the sidewalk because the joint creates a buffer between the large pieces of concrete that will tend to move with the earth.  Now, you are probably wondering why I am talking about concrete and cracks and joints.  Well, this kind of made me think of how Christ is the joint in our lives that separates us from trouble, hardship and Satan.  As long as we let Him be our joint, He can protect us against cracking to the enemy's pressure and the troubles all around us.  He makes us stronger than we would be without a joint to buffer against the pain and suffering.  So let us remember that God is there for us, loves us and keeps us strong.  The next time you see a crack in a sidewalk, think about how you are strong without any cracks due to the joint of protection that Christ provides.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #381 - Might

Might

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
¹¹ I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.

¹² Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
    or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times
    that fall unexpectedly upon them. Ecclesiastes 9:10-12

We have all heard someone say that whatever you do, do it with all your might.   God's Word is very powerful and not bad guidance when you read the rest of the passage and not just one simple phrase.  We all have work that we do, and families that we lead, but do we really do them daily with all our might?  The problem lies with running the race, because many think that we have to run swiftly in order to get where we need to be.  When we run swiftly for things we think we should be chasing, some parts of life get missed along the way and the things that should be important to us get left behind.  It is important that since we don't know the hour when our time will come, that we do everything with all of our might.  When we focus our life on the good we have instead of being ensnared by the evil and swiftness so prevalent around us, we will gain wisdom and an understanding heart.  With these things and all our might, we can better perform our jobs, lead our families and not miss things along the way.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #380 - God's Love

God's Love

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ 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 5:1-5
 

I saw a picture this week that was very interesting.  The picture was of sand under a microscope.  I will get back to that picture in a second, but I often hear people say, "does God really love me" or "does God really care about me and what happens to me?"  For those who are very strong in their faith and relationship with God, this question probably doesn't come up.  Or, does it come up but in just a different way.  Have you ever asked God, "why" or "why now" when something has happened to you where you seem beaten down or hurt?  Or, do you ever ask God, "where are you?"  These are all forms of the first two questions, because there is doubt written all over them. I believe people can tend to portray in life that they have a strong faith, but being human we all can have doubt creep into our minds.  Now if you look closely at this scripture, it is very clear that God loves us, and we should boast that He is right there with us through the Holy Spirit.  Now, let's take a look at that picture of sand under a microscope.(See below & if you can't see the picture, Google Sand under microscope)  If God created something which is that beautiful, but can't be seen by the naked eye, how much more beautiful are we as His creation to have a relationship with Him. Certainly God poured and pours His love over us regularly, we just need to have faith that whatever the circumstances we are in, that He loves us and is there for us.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #379- Earthy

Earthy

¹⁷ For I am about to fall,
    and my pain is ever with me.
¹⁸ I confess my iniquity;
    I am troubled by my sin.
¹⁹ Many have become my enemies without cause;
    those who hate me without reason are numerous.
²⁰ Those who repay my good with evil
    lodge accusations against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

²¹ Lord, do not forsake me;
    do not be far from me, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
    my Lord and my Savior. Psalm 38:17-22

¹⁹ For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.1 Peter 2:19

I heard a famous DJ refer to the Bible as Earthy this week.(@air1brant)  When he began to explain what he meant, it made a lot of sense.  The Bible is full of a lot of good stories and and great endings. However, with that good is a lot of bad that really isn't talked about that much.  That bad includes death, disease, murder, and a lot of pain and sins that we don't highlight that much. "Very Earthy stuff if you think about it" I believe was his quote.  The things that are highlighted a lot of times when we go to church are the really cool stories and great endings, so much of the time our attention is easily captured and all of the main points are simple to remember.  So, you are probably very confused right now by these thoughts I am making, but let's put this into perspective. There is something about this Earthy stuff that could really help us in our daily walk with Christ.  We know that God uses suffering and sin to reveal Himself to people every day.  Once we are Christians, I imagine some of us tend to focus only on where we are heading next.  This probably occurs because life happens and we don't spend as much time in the Word as we should, or maybe we are reading too many feel-good books about being a better follower of Christ, leading a better mission-filled life, or being a better sharer of the Gospel.  However, if we do spend time in the Word, I assume we might look at only the highlights of the feel good stories to remind us of who we are and who God is in our life.  Now, there is nothing wrong with that because we are spending time in God's Word, but I am of the belief that we need to also pay attention to the struggles and sin found in the Bible and look at today's world.  The reason for looking at sin and the struggles of life is because the work that God has overcome for us already through Christ's death and resurrection has already put those things in their place.  If we look at those sins and struggles closely, the good stories mean a lot more, and your story will mean even more than you thought.  Very earthy, huh?

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #378- Heat

Heat

⁹ Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
¹⁰ But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹ For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:9-12
Today was a scorcher where we live. I walked outside in my shirt and tie and it was the first time that I have had a wind blowing in my face that actually made me more hot than cool.   For whatever His reasons, God had the heat of the sun beating down on us today. I reflect on how it could have been like that in all of July but instead we have experienced our mildest July in many years.  Days like today have been a nice reminder of who God is and how much in control He is of everything. If you took time today to notice how hot it was, how beautiful the morning sun is, how pretty the flowers were, how green or "brown" the grass was or how the hot wind blew against your face, you were actually noticing God's handiwork.  If you didn't notice any of these things, you probably were moving too fast through your day and chasing the wrong things.  I assume the rich who chase the worldly things of this life and those who don't have a true relationship with God tend not to notice the little things about living that really matter.  You and I might have struggles in this world, but the more we focus on God and His plan for us, the more we will realize God's greater plan for our lives is not located here.  So remember, the heat we might feel from time to time is for our good and growth, and allows us to focus on God's great glory.
Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #377- Lamp

Lamp

²⁷ The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being. Proverbs 20:27
Have you ever noticed when you walk into a room how much light a lamp puts out?  Typically lamps are only meant for a small area to either accent a room, provide a reading light, or just add to darkened room.  Can you imagine what a room would look like without a lamp?  I think it could be very dark and dreary, and a place I sure wouldn't want to spend time at unless I was sleeping.  Jesus is the Light of the World, so we all know how much light He is capable of putting forth, but have you ever thought about how much light you put out?  When you spend time focusing on the negativity in your life, the human spirit does not shine, however when you take your time to look at how blessed your life is, the human spirit shines brightly.  God uses our spirits to help shed His light to others, so don't spend time focusing on the negative by leaving your lamp turned off in the corner.  Shine your lamp to shed light on all God has to offer, and spend time with those who want to shine their lamp.  Pretty soon you will have a fully lit room and can have a significant influence on those whose lights just are flickering. 
Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #376- Demolish

Demolish

³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Legos are a wonderful invention and toy, and best of all they help build minds.  These toys help you dream big and make you really think about how to construct something.  The wonderful thing about Legos is that you can build something tall and high and wonderful and if you don't like it you can demolish it and start all over again.  I am finding a good correlation between Legos and the walls people put up so they don't have to pay attention to God or His messengers who bring the Gospel. A lot of times these people are so entrenched in their non-belief in God they build high walls around themselves and nothing people say can really make a dent in these walls.  The thing is, the walls that these people put up are really like Legos and something of their own creation.  If God wants to make His Gospel known through people and to people, He is going to demolish that wall that is built.  Once that person opens their ears to what God has to say, then God will rebuild that person into a wonderful creation that cannot be demolished.   So, the next time you think about playing with Legos, think about how God created you, and then once your wall came down and you accepted Him, He built you up into something wonderful and He is still building.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #375 - Delay

Delay

³⁶ You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ³⁷ For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.”

³⁸ And,
“But my righteous one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.” Hebrews 10:36-38

While playing a ballgame this week, we experienced a weather delay due to lightning and a storm in the area.  We were ahead by a significant margin, but the game was far from over.  During this delay so many negative things could have happened which could have impacted how the game would turn out, but the team achieved victory by relaxing and maintaining an intense focus on their goal.  The same thing can apply to our Christian walk and our life in general.  Many times there are challenges in our lives like broken cars, health and money issues, and family difficulties that present themselves at the most inopportune time. The thing we seem to forget is that God, who has already won the victory for us, places these challenges in our lives to test our faith and reliance on Him.  We can look at these delays in our life as a major issue that is not easily overcome, or we can look at these delays as a small blip in our lives that is not even close to what Christ has already done for us.  We need to look at the delays in our life as a moment for us to live by faith, maintaining our focus on the end goal of spending eternity with our Father in Heaven.  Stay focused, don't look negatively at these delays, but find the pleasure in our lives that God has provided.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #374 - Enjoyment

Enjoyment

¹⁵ So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun. ¹⁶ When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night— ¹⁷ then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it. Ecclesiastes 8:15-17

 My nephew posted a quote this week about life being short and people spending too much time doing the stuff they don't like and not enough time spent on stuff they like, or something to that effect. It makes you begin to think about what we actually enjoy in our life.  Do we take the time to enjoy the things that really matter, or do we spend too much time running from here to there and not having time for a breath or a meal or sleep for that matter, or chase after things we cannot comprehend.  I was introduced to a new sweetener this last week that made my drink tasty and enjoyable.  I would not have ever thought about this unless my nephew had shared with me the joy he gets out of this little addition to his coffee.  Now I am able to get enjoyment out of something tiny in my life because I stopped and listened and took the advice of someone with knowledge.  Maybe that's where our problem lies, because we spend so much time not stopping to enjoy something, much less listen to someone else's opinion about something.  Maybe we should listen to God as he says in this scripture through the writer that he commends the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better under the sun than to be glad.  Gladness and enjoyment go hand-in-hand and if produced in an individual, it can lead to greatness in others. A greatness of enjoying life and all it has to offer.  We are only preparing ourselves for a fuller enjoyment later on while here on this earth, so don't waste your time, live for enjoyment.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #373 - Tossed

Tossed

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-7

Spending the week at an ocean has given me the chance to see many things that I haven't really focused on in the past.  How the ocean waves roll in was one thing that has been particularly interesting. The way the waves crash against the shore and bring in sea shells and other life that reside in the ocean has made me think about our lives.  We all look for the answers to our issues in our lives and if we doubt our Father, then like the waves that crash against the shore, we are tossed around and our issues remain unresolved. We all need to believe and not doubt in our God who is bigger than anything we can imagine, because our faith in God will help us from being tossed around in the ocean of life and allow us to ride on the wave to the shore.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #372 - Enjoy

Enjoy

¹⁸ I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. ¹⁹ Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. ²⁰ All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
²² So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?  Ecclesiastes 3:18-22

If you are like me, when you are in the midst of trials and tests that God places before you, it is very hard to see the reason or the rationale behind it.  The thing is God doesn't want us to see the reason or the rationale behind it.  We all know that God wants us to trust Him and His plans for us during the test.  However, we are all human and God reminds us that we will suffer death just like the animals.  However, we have a promise that the animals don't have, and that is what is going to happen after we are obedient to God.  So when we think that work isn't going in the direction we want it to, and we are tested at every corner with something that really makes us angry and question why; remember to enjoy your work, for it is where God has placed in you preparation for the next thing to happen.  Just remember to enjoy, because within enjoy is the word joy, which everyone needs to experience.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #371- Field

Field

⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:7-9
 

Lately we as a family have been spending a lot of time at and on baseball fields.  These fields have kept us at times away from our church family, and have given us limited access to worship and messages each week at our church home.  As the summer season approaches and we see friends going to summer camps and mission trips, I wonder am I really doing what I need to do to support God in building His Kingdom.  I was reminded by a friend this week that not every mission field is at a summer camp or a country far away.  Sometimes our mission field is the field we play on.  Maybe it is where we work or even in our own town or neighborhood.  For those who might feel guilty about not raising money to go out of country, think about the un-churched that are your neighbors. The playing fields around you are full of people you can introduce Christ to, so don't feel like just because your friends are following their gift by taking Christ to those overseas, that you can't do something in your own ball field.  For the fields are really God's to groom and prepare for you to play on.  Take a step on the field and play hard and show those around you what it truly means to play ball.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #370- Giving

Giving

⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.  Romans 12:6-8

This week we experienced three significant issues with things we own.  Within 48 hours the A/C at the house stopped working, my car broke down by dying three different times on the highway, and our other vehicle began having serious mechanical and A/C issues. So, the first thing my wife says to me after all of this craziness was, I think God is testing to see how you react to these issues.  Thanks honey for the words of wisdom.  At the time I was like, yeah right because I was really kind of mad.  I was given some advice to go outside and scream, but instead I took her advice and trusted in God to provide clear direction and a way to get things fixed.  Instead of providing immediate answers, he provided something else that was interesting.  He provided friends who were giving and loving.  Giving by providing portable A/C units so we could make an educated and well-thought out decision.  Loving by providing transportation to and from work, baseball practice and other needed activities.  So when I reflect on the last several days, it wasn't just the friends who were giving and loving, it was truly God who was giving several things.  He was giving perspective on the important things in life.  He was also giving His love through these friends, and He was giving me lessons on how should I act.  While screaming wouldn't have been a bad thing, it was certainly not what He intended.  While we have not resolved all of our issues yet, the perspective I have gained, far outweighs the issues we have faced this week.  Remember to utilize your gifts and you might be shown something you weren't expecting.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #369 - Wisdom

Wisdom

¹¹ Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
    and benefits those who see the sun.
¹² Wisdom is a shelter
    as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
    Wisdom preserves those who have it. Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

Money is a huge discussion these days in churches, at work, in fellowship with other people and that is because money plays such a prominent role in our society. The funny thing is that money has always had its place in this world, and is discussed many times in the Bible.  In fact Jesus at many points talks about money and even He states that you cannot serve money and God. But what about wisdom? Why do we not talk about wisdom and its impact on our lives?  Wisdom can come from those who can share what they have learned in their lives.  Are we not paying attention to those who have experienced life.  Wisdom also comes from reading God's Word.  Are we not reading what God has given us as a guidebook filled with wisdom?  I am guessing that if we were to focus on wisdom and making wise decisions, that our lives would be improved. Maybe our lives would not be improved monetarily but spiritually for sure and definitely our lives could be more rewarding.  I think about how money will be there for a while to shelter us as this scripture says, but think about how much shelter wisdom can provide.  Preserving our lives with wisdom sounds a lot better than having a short-term shelter of money.  Get wise and see where it can lead you.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #368-Fewer

Fewer

² Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.
³ A dream comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool. Ecclesiastes 5:2-3

We have all seen the AT&T commercials where the man sits with kids and talks about how faster is better, but I think we all need to take a close look at fewer is better.  Do you find yourself getting worked up over something in your life that makes you rapidly fire off an email, make a telephone call, or just vent to someone?  Think about how many words you use to describe what is going on, how much you are doing the talking/writing and what that other person is doing.  Twitter is an amazing way to communicate, because it only allows you to type 140 characters.  It really makes you think about what and how you say something which is posted for the world to see.  Now think about how you come before God in prayer.  God already knows your heart, so when you pray don't be hasty but be direct and careful in how you pray.  You don't want to use too many words, because you definitely don't want to look like a fool.  God loves you and in the case of prayer, most times fewer is better.  Let your heart lead you in your communication and your relationship with God.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #367- Attention

Attention

¹⁷ Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
    apply your heart to what I teach,
¹⁸ for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
    and have all of them ready on your lips.
¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I teach you today, even you.
²⁰ Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
    sayings of counsel and knowledge,
²¹ teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
    so that you bring back truthful reports
    to those you serve?  Proverbs 22:17-21

Do you really pay attention to people around you or pay attention to your kids or spouse when they are speaking to you?  I heard about someone that was told this week that they do not listen to people.  It was kind of a shock to hear that about this person, and I think to myself, do I listen to people, or is it just idle chatter that I allow to go in one ear and out the other. Listening to people is a special gift at times, because people don't always say what they mean to say or they speak in some kind of hidden code.  There are also those people who have been around for a while who speak in proverbs or other stories to get a message across, but I know that I can zone out after a couple of minutes with those stories.  So what do we do?  We take time to listen, especially to those who are wise with age and wisdom.  We shut down everything else around us and focus on that person and no one else.  The same thing applies with children or spouses.  Stop what you are doing and give your full attention to them. Put down that laptop, iPad, iPhone, Galaxy tablet or other electronic device and give them what they deserve and that is your full and undivided attention. Oh, and what about God, are we truly paying attention to Him, or are we allowing the little things to distract us from His message.  I tried something different this week, when I was performing a task at home for about 45 minutes, I shut off every electronic device and only focused on that task while talking to God.  While it was a monotonous task, I felt I could focus more on God, however the only way to truly focus on God and pay attention is to spend quality time with Him.  Pay attention to those around you and God this week, you might be amazed at what you are shown. 


Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #366 - Freedom

Freedom

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17
 
I have seen a lot of things this week about freedom and being free. Granted, in this nation we are very free to do as we please, within the laws of the land of course.  We are free to worship which many people around the world cannot do and the laws of the nation give us certain rights.  If you look closely, people are free to do horrible things as well, but it is not without consequence. You can see daily in the news where someone's freedom to choose has resulted negatively.  What about someone's freedom to choose resulting positively in their life.  The world doesn't spend a lot of time reporting on the positives of these efforts but instead focus on the result of people's negative actions.  Maybe if more people used their freedom to impact our world positively, the influence of Christ on those people could change them and change the ones they have impacted.  I hope that you utilize your freedom to love on others and show them Christ's love.  For if you submit to the Lord, the love for others will flow out of you and you won't be trying to cover up evil with your freedom.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #365- Conclusions

Conclusions

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. ² And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.  2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

I don't know about you, but I sometimes jump to the worst case scenario.  These conclusions I come to are not a good thing, and I wonder why I sometimes do this.  You would think that I could look at my past and see how God has been faithful over and over again, and I wouldn't jump to the worst possible conclusion. The problem is, there is evil in this world roaming around and trying to get into our thoughts. Just like the people in the early church who were discouraged by the evil pulling them from sharing God's message, we are pulled away by evil to make us forget God's faithfulness.  If you look back at your past, look at the faithfulness of God and His provision for your life.  I guarantee it will help you through whatever issue you are dealing with and it will help you not jump to the worst case scenario.  I learned something about God's provision just this week.  Praise Him for good news.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #364 - Changes

Changes

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
    wisdom and power are his.
²¹ He changes times and seasons;
    he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.
²² He reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what lies in darkness,
    and light dwells with him. Daniel 2:20-22

Seven years can be a long time or a very short time depending on how you look at it.  Seven is a very important number in the Bible and it appears over 338 times in God's Word.  You might think that seven is just another number, but if you look closely at the scriptures that seven appears in, you might think differently.  For those of you who have a math sense, you can divide 364 by 52 and figure out the significance of seven in my life this week.  Throughout these seven years, a lot of changes have taken place. Changes in my family, changes in my beliefs, changes in my knowledge, changes in my wisdom, and overall changes in me.  These changes have been reflected in my writing over these past seven years and God has allowed me to share my life with you and what God wants us to know.  Some weeks my words have been short and sometimes they have been long, but they have always had one thing in common and that is God's Word.  God's Word has the ability to change us if we take time to sit down and read and understand what God is trying to tell us.  I hope that God has affected some change in you as He has and will continue in me.  Enjoy the change, it is rewarding.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #363- Eternal

Eternal

⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4

Do you sometimes find yourself losing trust in God?  Are you beat up so much, and have so much severe suffering that you ask why God is allowing this in your life.  Trust is a reliance on someone or some thing, a confident expectation of something.  The enemy can attack your trust by making you think that your reliance is fruitless and futile.  The enemy can change your thoughts by pushing you to self-reliance and self-expectation where you think you control everything in your world.  The problem comes when we forget that God is eternal.  He is without beginning or end, immutable, and enduring.  When you look at God as eternal, the things the enemy tries to make you believe are completely without merit.  God wants us to rely on Him and trust in Him.  God wants us to furiously pursue Him and confidently expect Him to take care of our needs.  God has and will take care of us because He is eternal. He is in control and the enemy is not, we just need to remember that His eternal nature has something better for us after this temporary place.  Trust in God for all your needs because He is our Rock eternal.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #362 - Stuff

Stuff


²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. ²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:20-22

Do you ever look around at the things you have and think, boy I have some nice stuff?  Or do you think, how do I have this much stuff, and what is it good for?    While a hammer is useful for building something, why do you have three hammers when two of them are just sitting there collecting dust.  Your fine China is beautiful, but is it useful if you only use it once or twice a year on those special holidays? When you look at the items you possess, do you look at your internal self? There are characteristics that are inside you which makes you the type of person you are today, and it is more important than the stuff lying around withering away or collecting dust. The problem that most people have is they place their value in the wrong things.  I think it is most important to look at your stuff that is internal and how it can have a significant impact on those around you.  God will use your internal stuff for His purposes and His good works, but we just have to pay attention to how He wants us to use it. 

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #361

Drag

² Great are the works of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all who delight in them.
³ Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate. Psalm 111:2-4

Did you feel that on Tuesday this week?  The drag that was ever-present in your day.  For most of us, this drag tends to come after every Christmas, Easter, or weekly church service that we attend.  The drag comes well after we have worshiped, been lifted up, and rallied to go out into the world and make disciples of those who don't know Jesus.  The problem is that these services we attend, if not treated for what they are and how they should be, give us just enough energy to feel close to God for a day or so.  That is usually until the world starts beating us back and down to forget about our Lord and Savior and what He did for us.  I know in order to battle this enemy, it is all in how we see our relationship with God, and not as someone we think we are going to see on Sunday for a few hours. If we see God as just someone we are visiting for a few hours, no wonder we feel the drag so quickly in the early part of the week.  How do we battle the drag?  Change your focus and relationship with God is a good start.  Look at Him as someone bigger than you do now, and spend time with Him every day and not just for those few hours on Sunday.  Hang around people that are positive and follow Christ, so that when you around those that don't follow Christ, you can have a more powerful influence on them.  Remember, we all have the Holy Spirit to guide us and I know that I don't rely on the Spirit quite enough in my week.  Battle the drag and breathe.

Have a great weekend. 

Fantastic Friday #360- Form

Form

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

How do you form your life? Is it based on principles that follow a standard of graciousness, or is it full of worldly beliefs and attitudes that help you form your opinions and your lifestyle.  I am finding more and more that the people I see at work and school each day, are more interested in themselves than other people.  They focus on pleasing themselves rather than pleasing God.  When Jesus came to earth, He did not focus on His own life, but that of others.  Although those around Him were proud, boastful, and without love, He showed them Love and humbly cared about each one of them.  If we focused more on our form being one that is of God, instead of this world, our lives would most definitely have a positive influence on the people around us.  It is important that our form does not follow the ungodly ways of the world, but of the Godly ways our Father in Heaven has set out before us. On this resurrection weekend, remember the form that Jesus took in His resurrected body so we could all be given the Grace we should give others and do not deserve ourselves.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #359- Great

Great

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”  Psalm 40:16

Do you ever take the time to look around and see how amazing everything actually is, or are you too caught up in trying to see how great you are or how great you can be?  There are really wonderful things around us, but I would say there is nothing great that we can physically see.  Greatness is something many people say they strive for in life, but what does it mean to actually be great? The number one definition describes great as "being unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions."  If you look a little further down, one definition says "of extraordinary powers."  When you see these definitions, it should be very clear what is great.  If we are striving to be great, we need to realize we can't get there, and for people to think they are great is the furthest thing from reality.  There is only one who is Great and that is our Father in Heaven, and He is larger than anything we could imagine.  We can spend time striving for greatness, but know this, God is Great and we need to rejoice in Him and all He is.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #358-Effortless

Effortless

² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:2-6

This week my wife told me I looked effortless when I was running and I have been thinking about that comment ever since she made it. I also have been thinking about this passage all week. Do you ever think about all the effort we make in everything we do, sometimes successful and sometimes not?  At times we have probably heard people say, well, at least you made an effort.  But, does that really make us feel good about it?  What is effort anyway?  The dictionary definition for effort is the exertion of physical or mental power.  A synonym for the word effort is "struggle", which might help you see the deeper meaning a bit better.  So, why do I have to struggle or make an effort to  be humble, gentle, patient and bearing with one another in love.  Well, first because God says we should.  But second, maybe we should view effort as a positive thing as verse three states in keeping with the unity of the Spirit. With this unity comes a closeness with God which in turn can create an effortless attitude of being humble, gentle, patient and bearing with one another in love.  I think the reason my wife told me I looked effortless, was because while I was running it looked so natural and not forced.  I think we can take a lesson from this scripture, that if we want to be all of these things, we need to be in Unity with our Lord and Savior.  We also need to be in Unity with other individuals to have these actions be effortless.  Make every attempt to effortless.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #357- Circle

Circle


³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35

Circles are an interesting shape.  When you draw a circle, it is a line that is not straight, but a smooth curved line that ends where it started.  Other shapes typically have a line that begins and ends where another line begins and ends.  The earth is a circle shape and an excellent example of God's perfection. It was created in a way where it rotates perfectly around the sun and on its axis.  Where it ends up is where it begins.   Isaiah 40 describes God as 'He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth," another good example of perfection looking down on a perfect creation.  You say, why am I so focused on the circle?  Well, when Jesus' followers were around him in a circle, He described them as His brothers and sisters.  I want to be able to set that same kind of example with those I am around on a daily basis.  I want to be able to focus on what people are saying, and I want people to be able to see Christ in me as I sit in that circle.  Groups of people sitting in a circle is a perfect example of how we can all be together and focus on each other.  The circle allows us to see each other and easily hear each other speak, and we are more able to give our full attention. I know many times I fall short, but I know one thing, and that is I am always a part of the inner circle because of what Christ did for me.  Take time this week to focus on really listening to people in your circle and giving them your full attention.  If you do this, you might see and hear something that you never have before.  Circle up.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #356- Personal Best

Personal Best

⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ¹⁶ Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 2 Timothy 2:14-16

I had a personal best this last week with a race I ran.  But if I think about it, I am not as proud of the time I received, but rather I am more proud of the months of training, and effort I have made to make myself better and reach my personal best.  When you look at your daily walk with Christ, is it a fast-paced sprint that is smooth as silk, or is it a long race with many bumps in the road where we can easily get pulled off course? If we are focused on God and His truth daily, it is much harder to get dragged into the godless chatter that so readily pervades our society.  It is also easier to be our best when God is in our life, for He produces the personal best in us, because we alone cannot do it ourselves.  Pursue your personal best in every aspect of your life and I promise you that God will be there to provide support in your pursuit.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #355- Fullness

Fullness

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:8-10

Sometimes I hear people say they are empty or feel like they aren't full.  Some people even say they are running on empty.  These sayings can have many meanings, both physically and spiritually.  I think that the physical and spiritual are truly tied together. If someone is physically drained where they can't possibly do anything else, I believe it affects more than just their physical nature.  When we are weak physically,  our mental capabilities can be weakened as well, and the enemy finds these moments and tries to exploit them.  So what do we do about these times when we feel we are running on empty?  We certainly don't look to the world to pull us out of the emptiness, we give our fullness to Christ who has already given His fullness to us.  I know that when I turn my physical and spiritual nature over to God, things that make me feel empty typically don't exist and I feel fuller and have more energy.  Maybe if we filled our bodies with the spiritual food God provides, our physical bodies would stay on track and we wouldn't feel the emptiness that drags people to the enemy.  You aren't just half full with God in your life, you have been given the fullness of Christ to make you a completely full individual.

Have a great weekend.