Where Are You?

For someone who is supposed to know everything, God sure asks a lot of questions. Ever wonder why? Think about it. The answer is pretty easy if you had a relatively normal childhood, getting into trouble now and again. It all started "in the beginning, in the Book of Genesis.

Adam and Eve had just sinned by listening to Satan and eating the forbidden fruit. They were afraid of the consequences. They were afraid of God.

"8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” - Genesis 3:8-9

God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were. He was asking them to examine themselves. To find themselves because they had clearly become lost.

God knows everything. King David knew that when he wrote this:

"1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." - Psalm 139:1-6

I was reading in the Book of John this past week. Jesus had been betrayed and the religious guards were coming to take Him away. As they approached, Jesus asked them a question.

"Whom are you seeking?"

Jesus knew exactly who they were seeking. So why ask the question? Why bother?

Jesus asked them that question because they were afraid of Him and were unsure about taking Him captive. The next line after Jesus's question reveals this.

"5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:5-6

Why would they be afraid? They had the majority of the weapons. Why were they afraid? They had probably heard of all the miracles Jesus had done. Would we be afraid of someone who had power over demons and raised people from the dead? Most likely.

Jesus knew these things had to happen to Him. By asking this question He was basically saying "Let's get on with it."

What if Jesus asked us a question? What if, the next time we committed a sin, we heard a loud voice asking, "Where are you?" How would we answer? Would we be afraid? Probably. But we shouldn't be. Our sins have all been forgiven.

Let ME ask a question now. "If we have placed our faith firmly in Christ, what do we have to be afraid of?" The answer to that question is in the question itself. Where are we?

"In Christ."

Where Are You? - Frank Sinatra

A Fleeting Glimpse

The trouble with dreams is they are far too fleeting. Sometimes that's good. Other times though we wish our dreams could go on forever. Or at least until they're finished.

I don't dream too much these days but when I do it's usually something weird and hard to understand. But then there are those dreams, like the one I had early Sunday morning, that make us wonder. Is there something that God wants us to do?

Remember the Old Testament story of Daniel and about how King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to have one of his dreams interpreted? No one could do it. No one except Daniel that is. And God. I could use a Daniel.

Normally I just forget about my dreams. That's their nature anyway I think. They disappear from us like a mist in the evening. But some linger, longing to be remembered. Interpreted. Why is that? Where do those dreams come from? And what do they say about us? What do they say about God?

The following are the contents of my dream. Disjointed to be sure, yet somehow perfectly cohesive. The dream was in black and white. Not that that means anything. That's just the way it was.

I was walking in a steel parking structure, going someplace, when I saw a young lady. She was familiar to me. A youth group kid. We talked for a bit and then we parted company.

Now, down on the lower level of the parking ramp, I was feeling good having seen my young friend. She was happy and so was I, so, for some reason, I was hopping from curb to curb, clicking my heals as I went (I told you it was weird), when I noticed an older man looking at me. I didn't really notice his face. He made some remark, wondering why I was feeling so good. I replied with an embarrassing grin but kept walking.

Then I saw another young lady. She had black hair and resembled another kid from my youth group days. We talked briefly but then suddenly I was in a youth group setting. Somewhere in the past it seemed. It was night time and I was talking with a kid about Jesus. Then, as we were about to pray for this kid, I was back in that circle with my young friend. We were standing in a circle in the parking ramp.

Suddenly I remembered the old man. I felt as if I should have prayed with him so I waved goodbye to my friend and went to find the old man.

That's when I woke up. Just when I was getting to the good part! Isn't that how most of our dreams seem to end?

So, what does all that mean? It's interesting, especially when I remembered actually seeing both of those young friends recently. But who was the old man?

Last week a friend of mine called and asked if I could meet with someone - an older man named. Perhaps that's why the old man in my dream didn't really have a recognizable face. I haven't met him yet.

So what does this dream mean? What am I supposed to do? Well, I'm not sure but I'll tell you what I did.

I sent my one young friend a message, reminding her of God's grace and asking if there was anything I could pray for. I plan on writing a letter to my other young friend. I then made an effort to get in contact with the older man so that we could actually meet and talk and hopefully pray.

"Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." - Daniel 2:24-28

I don't know where this dream actually came from. Do I really need to? The point is did I show the people in my dream the love of Christ? Did I offer to pray for them? WITH them? Is there someone in YOUR life who needs prayer? Have you talked with them? Or have you just walked on by like I did with the old man?

Please join me in praying for my friends in the dream. And then pray for ALL those in need of prayer. Like Daniel told Arioch, only God can interpret dreams. Our job is to follow the teachings of Jesus - to love, to show mercy and compassion, and to remember. Remember what John Bradford said in the 16th century - "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

Remember - Harry Nilsson

Problems Sleeping?

Lately I have been having trouble sleeping through the night. Like for the last several years. Why is that? I suppose one could say that my body is changing as I get older. That's true. I AM getting older and my body seems to change almost daily. But is that it?

Something wakes me up at night. Sometimes I have to go to the bathroom, sometimes I hear the wind or the rain, sometimes it's a passing Harley coming home at 2:00AM. Some thing always seems to wake me up. And that's the problem.

Once I am awake my mind takes over and I begin to think about crazy stuff. Like last night I heard it begin to rain. I started thinking about whether it was actually rain or wind. If it was wind, did it blow the tarp off the things I have covered? Were they getting wet?

You see what I mean? So how does one get back to sleep?

Last night I opened up the Bible app on my phone so I could read in the dark. I read five chapters in the Book of John - at 1:00AM. Reading usually makes me sleepy but the chapters I was reading was mainly Jesus speaking. That proved very calming to me.

So, the next time you can't sleep try reading God's Word. Not that it's boring, it's calming. It reminds us that, even though the world seems to be falling apart around us, God is in control. He is still sitting on His throne and we are his beloved children. We shouldn't have a care in the world.

"Be still, and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts." - Colossians 3:15

In His Presence - 3 Hours of Peaceful Music and Scripture

Sowing Tears

One of the things I have enjoyed most since I retired back in March is having more time to read. I never was that much of a reader before, but since I have had time to do things and I find myself reading The Bible more than I ever have before.

One thing I like about reading through the Bible is, no matter how many times I have read through it, I am still discovering new things. Like Monday morning for example, reading the Parable of The Sower.

I have read that parable countless times. I could probably tell you the parable if you asked me about it. So could you. But the Gospel of Luke offered up something new this week, at least for me. Words I don't remember reading before. They're in verse eight. And they're different, depending on which translation you read.

I've read through the Bible five or six times using the NIV translation. I am now reading through the Bible again using the NKJV. Look at the difference. First the NIV.

"8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” - NIV

"8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” - NKJV

This change of wording jumped right off the page at me. When I rad "He cried" I was thinking actual tears. I checked out other translations.

ESV - he called out.
NASB - he would call out.
KJV - he cried.

Which is it then?

So I looked and found an on-line Greek - English Interlinear Bible. The answer is, it's neither. The key word is ephonei - which translates as "he sounded or he shouted". You can read the interlinear verses for yourself here.

Still, when I read "He cried" I wondered if it didn't truly have TWO meanings - first He shouted of course, but then also He cried. Why both meanings? Read verses 11-15 of the same chapter. Jesus explains.

11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." - Luke 8:11-15

Of the four types of people in the parable, only one type is saved. Three quarters will be lost.

I guess I'd cry too, AND shout "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

The Parable of The Sower Explained - Pastor Greg Laurie

Highs and Lows?

Some days we feel like we can handle things. Life has been good. Then there are times when we wonder if anyone even cares. No texts, no messages. We all go through highs and lows like that. Why? Isn't there some way to level things out? Well, there is ONE thing that works.

The logical mind thinks it can figure things out. The emotional heart however distracts our thinking with its need to be satisfied. In the end though, we HAVE TO be more than a series of ups and downs, highs and lows.

So what are we? WHO are we? A roller coaster? A calm lake? What do people think about us? Who are we, really? I think the answer can be found in the question, "WHOSE are we?"

It's easy for me to say that Jesus is the answer. That's what we're supposed to say, right? But WHY is He the answer? What does He provide that we don't already have? Let's let our logical mind drive for a while. Just the facts, ma'am.

Jesus is God.
God is love.
Jesus is love.

What is the one thing we all desire? Deep down inside. What is it that can calm our seas and level out our emotional highs and lows. It's love. Think about it. You know it's true. Who doesn't like to feel loved? Well, Jesus IS love.

It seems to me we need to define love because people still seem to still get confused with it's meaning. A young woman may think that if she gives herself away to her boy friend, that's love. "He'll leave me if I don't give him what he wants." That's not love. That's manipulation.

And the guy. Does he really love his girlfriend if all he is after is sex? No. That's lust, not love.

Manipulation is something that Satan does, So is lust. Satan is very good at his job. And Satan is just the opposite of Jesus. If Jesus is for something, Satan is against it.

Placing our trust in Jesus is the first thing we can do to start leveling our lives out. The second thing involves a mirror. Look in one. Who do you see? Do you see yourself? If our focus is on ourselves we will continue to have highs and lows in life.

The key words here are Jesus, Others, THEN Yourself. Notice the acronym? No other sequence makes sense. If we screw up the order of those things we've just purchased a ticket for life's roller coaster.

"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;" - Isaiah 40:4

This life is not about US so much as it is about OTHERS. Rather than get depressed that no one loved you today, pick up the phone and call someone. Love THEM! Talk to them. Ask if there's anything you can do for them. Do they need anything? Guess what happens next?

Love.

There is a reason Jesus came into this world. His main purpose was to deliver a message of salvation and then to pay for OUR sins by sacrificing Himself for US on the cross.

Who was Jesus thinking about? Mhmm.

You Say - Lauren Daigle

The Parable of The Painter

I absolutely love this picture. Want to know why? To me it tells a story. A story of what God wants us to do with our lives. Today's story is about hope and a future we'd ALL like to see.

There once was a painter who was given the job of painting a rather large house. When he showed up for work the owner of the house gave him some instructions.

"Paint the whole house. I have given you all the paint you need in those cans over there. When I get back at the end of the week I expect the house to be painted. At that time, if you have done as I have asked, I will pay you the wage you deserve."

With that, the man left, excited for what he hoped would be a beautifully painted house upon his return. When the man came home however the house looked the same as when he had left. Confused, he asked the painter, "What happened? You were supposed to paint the house?"

"I would have done as you asked but no one opened the paint cans for me. No one put any paint on my brush. I brushed your whole house though. Here's my bill."

The owner of the house was rather upset and refused to pay the man. The painter went away sad because he was looking forward to his promised payment. There is a lesson to be learned here. This story is a parable of our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.

God is the owner of the house. WE are that house. The paint is God's Word - The Gospel - contained within the cans - The Bible. The painter is you and me.

In the parable, the painter didn't apply the paint to the house even though he knew where it was. In the same way you and I can profess a faith in Jesus yet, but if we don't apply His teachings to our lives (the house) how can we expect to receive our reward in heaven?

People will say, "Yes, but we can't lose our salvation. If we believe we will receive."

I would answer them in this way. I believe it is true, that we cannot lose our salvation IF we truly believe and IF the Holy Spirit lives within us. God's Holy Spirit is the can opener. If the painter truly had the Holy Spirit living within him he would have asked, "How many coats would you like me to apply to the house, Lord?"

Unless we LIVE our faith, a reflection of Jesus and His obedience to The Father, our faith is meaningless. Jesus will judge each of us one day. When we stand before Him on that day, will we be unsure of our place in heaven? Or will we have paint stains on our clothes from the life we just painted?

APPLY God's Word to your life. LIVE the Gospel every day. BE Jesus to other people in need of salvation. Paint until the can is empty.

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God .." - 1 Peter 2:12

Jesus Painting

Satisfy Me

Why do foods that are bad for us taste so good? Why do things that are bad for us feel so good? Why do we do the things we do knowing it will get us into trouble later on? There are a couple of reasons. That's easy. We're not thinking about the consequences of our actions and we're thinking about ourselves and our desires.

Think about it. What's the first thing we do when we're born? We cry and complain because someone removed us from our warm, comfortable mommy and turned the lights on! Why?

Chef's like to cook up wonderful tasting things. They taste good and they look good. They also contain a bazillion calories.

When we open the refrigerator door looking for something to eat, why don't we just grab the first thing we see and eat it? I have even opened the door, looked and closed the doors without taking anything out. Why? We're always searching for something that will satisfy our every desire.

Look at our relationships. Why do we continue to "look" when we're already in a relationship? We're always looking for prettier, sexier, more voluptuous, hunkier partners. We're looking for someone to satisfy our sinful desires.

What's the problem? Time to go look in that mirror again.

Have you ever read Romans 1? The whole chapter is quite revealing but I'll just end with the last paragraph.

"28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." - Romans 1:28-32

Where is the hope? How can we end this viciously repetitive cycle of consuming?

Jesus. Pain and simply. Forget self, focus on Jesus and set your self free. Free indeed.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36

Gimme Gimme Gimme - Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss

Wisdom

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. As the old saying goes, "Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruit. Wisdom is knowing enough not to use them in a fruit salad." Similarly, it is one thing to know about God. Quite another to KNOW Him.

We held our annual family reunion this past weekend. Lots of people, lots of food, all kinds of people and beliefs, yet one common bond - love for one another.

I saw an interesting meme on Facebook this week. It said, "You will never look into the eyes of someone that God does snot love." God loves everyone and He wants us to love everyone as well.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

I have one relative who does not believe in God.. Maybe others have similar beliefs. I don't know. But I found myself alone with this person here where we are. God had provided me with an opportunity to speak to my relative about Him. Instead, I did something unusual.

I spoke to he about the loss of my dad and how blessed I felt to be able to say goodbye to him before he died. I was also able to tell him that I loved him. So I asked the person I was talking to stand up with me. With suspicious eyes she complied. I gave her a hug and told her that I loved her.

That might not seem like a big deal but it was in OUR relationship. Like I said earlier, she does not believe in God. I do. We have had discussions before. Most have not ended well. There has always been a tension in our relationship. That tension ended this past weekend. It ended when I told her I loved her and gave her a hug.

She knows I am a Christian. She has the knowledge of who God is. What's missing is the application, Seeing God's commands lived out in the lives of the people around us is essential in gaining the wisdom to realize that God is real and His love is real for every one of us.

As we walk through this life, "let us love one another, for love comes from God." (1 John 4:7). We can HEAR words but only the wise can learn the lessons they teach. How? Through the actions of you and me. Let us be about teaching others the love of Christ, not only by our words but through our actions. Let us demonstrate His love, not simply tell people about Him.

I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

The Need For Repentance

This story is being written aboard the S.S. Badger, somewhere in the middle of Lake Michigan.

Something happened this week that made me stop and think about just how pitiful I am. How pitiful many of us are as Christians.

My friends and I were introducing our concept for a tiny home village to our local city. There were nearly 60 people present to hear our little presentation. Things went well. Everyone liked the idea. Then they toured the tiny house we had brought that my friends and I had built.

As we were cleaning up one of my friends said to me, “You were the star of the show. You and your tiny home.”

I replied, “No, SHE was the star of the show, pointing to another one of our board members who was within ear shot.

She pointed right back at me and said, “No YOU were the star!”

Funny, we think we have traveled so far in our walk with Jesus. I thought I was doing pretty well myself actually - until that moment. Until that moment when I realized just how far I had yet to go.

You see, God has to be the star of the show or we have failed. And HE was the star of the show that night. We told the crowd that it was for His glory we were doing this. Our non-profit’s statement of values is all based in scripture. God is the one we are doing this for. Not for ourselves.

Yet, despite that “disclaimer” I wonder if God was really the star of the show that night. I was so busy talking with people. My friends were busily preparing for the presentation. God was the last thing on my mind. And that is where I failed.

God needs to be the FIRST thing on our minds.

I wear a bracelet on my arm that reads “I Am Second”. Well, I wasn’t that night. It’s time to change that.

“29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” – Luke 12:29-31

Chronic Pain?

I have several friends who experience pain on an all too regular basis. Migraines, back pain, joint pain. Pain is a great teacher - a persistent teacher - an annoying teacher.

Companies have invested millions in research trying to eliminate pain. They create medications and sell them too us making back those millions of dollars and much more. We buy them because we just want to get rid of the pain.

Why do we take pills to eliminate the symptoms instead of trying to find out what's wrong and eliminate that? "Take two pills and call me in the morning," is the stereotypical doctor response. Take these pills, then take those pills. My question is always "What's causing the pain?" not how can I mask the pain. Still, the moment the pain goes away is absolutely wonderful. It's like we can breathe again!

Sin is a lot like pain. We humans tend to spend a lot of time masking it. Covering up the symptoms is also a multi-million dollar business. Sin is also quite debilitating. It can cripple the strongest of us and shows no favoritism.

I don't really know how to get rid of physical pain. That's why I go to the doctor. My doctor is trained in analyzing symptoms to figure out where the pain is coming from and then he treats the source of the pain to eliminate it.

Jesus id like a doctor for our soul. Instead of trying to mask our spiritual or emotional pain, we can go to His in prayer, humbling ourselves before Him, and ask Him to remove our pain. He has promised us a NEW life and a NEW body, if only we would believe in Him. Sounds like a great medical plan to me.

"10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God." - Luke 13:10-13

Be Still My Soul - Kari Jobe

Seeds

I am building a tiny home in our yard, The trailer for that tiny home had sat in the same place for a year and a half until we moved it on the fourth of July. Where the trailer had been, everything died. Nothing but a 9'x25' patch of brown dirt. You should see it now!

Now there are little green plants springing up all over the place. Why? What's different between now and when the tiny home was parked there? Water and light.

Previously, when it rained,  our yard would get watered. Everything except the grass under the tiny home that is. Same with the light. The grass under the tiny home was always in the shade. Never any light. But now. Take a look at the picture!

So where did all the growth suddenly come from? Seeds. That or long-dormant root systems suddenly provided with two essential elements for growth and life.

I met with a couple of young adults this past week. Each was struggling in life to some degree. Relationship issues were the problem. The main relationship, our most important relationship, with God, was greatly effected or absent.

The essential elements for spiritual growth were not present at all in their lives, or they lay dormant somewhere under the surface. But then something happened. God happens. He draws people to Himself and there is growth. Interesting.

Jesus called Himself The Light and also Living Water. Connection? I think so. :)

Jesus, to the woman at the well.

"13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:14

"12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

I think we all have seeds planted within us. God makes them grow. How> Jesus. Is He shining on you today? No? Well, perhaps it's time to come out of the darkness you're living in and stand in The Light.

Shine On Us - Watermark

Where Is The Love?

This morning I got up and began to read in the Book of Hosea. I read a short piece in chapter six that left me wondering, where have we gone wrong?

This is the scripture I read.

"Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord." - Hosea 6:1-3

Let's start with a few facts that are rather obvious.

1. We HAVE gone wrong. That seems rather obvious. Just watch the nightly news and you'll see what I mean. Most stories are bad. They only toss in a good story at the end to make us feel better about ourselves.
2. God can heal us any time He wants to. However, in order to be healed we must first repent. I don't see that happening any time soon so expect more of the same.
3. Things will get worse. The Bible tells us this several times. Even Jesus tells us this. Things will get so bad even those who are strong in their faith will struggle, God never lies.
4. God wishes that no one should perish. Yet that is exactly what will happen . . . without repentance.

I found myself asking a question after my reading this morning. Where is the love? Where has love gone? It seems to be absent from our every day lives. The answer is found in the Book of 1st John, fourth chapter, eighth verse. "God is love".

God is missing from our everyday lives. Maybe not yours and mine but we ALL could use more of Him in our lives.

We have been told that God's Holy Spirit lives within us - those who believe. Is God's Holy Spirit living in you? In me? We should be different then everyone else. And maybe that's it. We see people acting contrary to what is right in God's eyes and can't understand it.

Whatever situation we find ourselves in today, it can only be made better by loving more, by caring more. " Let us love one another, for love comes from God." - 1 John 4:7

Where Is The Love - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway

Say When

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with "stuff"? Personal problems? Relationship issues? Is work causing you to lose sleep? What can a person do when all of life's entanglements come rushing at you like a flood?

I went to get some  coffee for my wife Monday morning. It was our anniversary, so I asked her what she'd like and I'd drive into town and get it for her. Her face lit up. "Really? I'll have 2/3 house blend and 1/3 French Vanilla cappuccino."

So I drove into town to our favorite gas station / convenience store and started to make her made-to-order coffee. The 2/3 coffee part was easy. I did that. But the 1/3 cappuccino part almost ended in disaster. When I let go of the fill button the liquid continued coming out, nearly overflowing and making a hot mess.

I knew when to say when but I got a little bit more than I could handle. Life is like that cappuccino machine I think. It tends to give us a little bit more than we can handle.

That experience taught me a few things. First, if I ever get coffee for my wife again, I will know to let go of the "go" button sooner! And that's the key in life as well. When we are getting overloaded with things in life we need to know when to "let go". We need to know when to say when or our "cup", our life, emotions, and sanity, will overflow.

So how do we do that? When do we say when?

First, we need to remember to actually "say when". We need to know our limitations, our capacity. Second, we need to learn how to say "no'. That's harder to do than you might think. But if we remember that overflowing is a bad thing, it does get a little easier.

There are other options that seems less apparent to many. One is to simply get a bigger cup. Another is to quit drinking coffee altogether. So what do we do with real-life overflow problems? We can't simply stop stuff from happening to us. The option is "the bigger cup".

That's where God comes in.

"Father, there are so many things happening in my life right now. I can't handle them all. Would you please help me?"

That's a good way to start but what if things keep piling up? Is God trying to tell us something? We need to begin to prioritize. What is the most important thing to you? No. That's wrong. What is the most important thing . . . in God's eyes?

Maybe the most important thing to you is a relationship with a spouse or someone else in your life. Maximize your attention there then. Other things are less important. That sounds logical. But it's wrong.

We need to maximize our devotion to God. If we can do that everything else will fall into place.

"But I already am doing that. I pray and pray but nothing seems to be happening."

Could it be because we are not letting go of something? Is God trying to tell us in His silence that He wants us to learn how to "say when" on our own? And trust God with the rest?

We need to come to the realization that we can't do it all. We are human and have a limited capacity for whatever struggles we are having. When things get too busy or the pain gets to much we either need increased capacity or we have to start eliminating problems.

God is our increased capacity, our bigger cup. He can handle anything. But we also need to learn how to take our finger off the fill button. That comes with experience. And if we can't learn that the first time, God will make us take the class again until we DO learn it.

"4Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever." - Psalm 23:4-6

Just Say When - Nothing More