Where Are You?

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5

Here's a fun little experiment you can try at home. Tonight, after the sun goes does and everything is dark, turn on the light in your living room. That's better, right? You can see everything clearly. Now, walk to a closet and open the door. Does the living room become darker? Or does the closet become lighter? The closet gets brighter!

The opening verse has been proven true. Light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. That's true in our living room but is it true in our lives?

When we walk into a dark, unfamiliar room we simply turn on a light and we can see. But when we come to a dark time in our lives, how do we get through it? Do we turn to God? Or do we just try to get through it on our own?

God wants us to come to Him in our darkest times. He wants us to come to Him when we are struggling; when we are weak.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

Still, we refuse to come to Him. We'd rather walk around in our living rooms kicking coffee tables in the darkness than turn on a light. People would say, "Why don't you turn on the light? It would be less painful."

They're right.

Everyone Is A Lesson

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart." - Jeremiah 1:5

Think about what God just told Jeremiah. God knows us before we are born. So, why are we born then? What is the purpose of us being born? I think it's to learn things. To grow. To make decisions and learn from their consequences.

Think about your relationships. Some last a long time. Other relationships are very short. Some can end abruptly while others simply fade away. What do we learn from them?

Our earthly relationships are a reflection of our heavenly relationship with God. Are our earthly relationships strong? Are they one-sided? Are they self-sacrificing? Unconditional?

As I see relationships in my life come and go, I think about my relationship with God. It changes all of the time. Somedays it is strong. At other times I wonder if it's there at all.

Our relationships are often one-sided. It can seem that, if we ourselves didn't keep the relationship active, it would simply fade away. So, should we let that relationship end? Should we let it fade? What does God do with US? What does God do when we ignore Him?

What lesson do we learn when a cherished relationship fades in our lives? I think the lesson we can learn is two-fold. First, we can learn exactly how God feels when we ignore Him. And second, we have an opportunity to show others how wonderful God's unconditional love truly is.

When God said, "I will never leave you or forsake you," does that line up with how WE treat our relationships?

Is there someone in your life right now who has faded away, relationship-wise? Does God allow that to happen in His relationship with us? WE are the ones who walk away in God's relationships, not Him.

We should reach out to the other side in ALL of our relationships. With our friends, with family, and with God. How will we reach out today?

Reach Out Of The Darkness - Friend and Lover

God's Timing

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Have you ever been impatient about something and then told a friend about your anxiety, only to have them say, "Everything in God's timing." Do you really buy that? Has everything in our lives already been planned out and already is under God's control?

I think the answer to that question is, "Yes!" Sort of.

I believe that God controls time. God is outside of it. Time has now power over God. He saw the beginning of the world and has already seen its end. He knew the day you were born and he knows the day you will die.

We don't have that ability. As much as we would like to.

You have all heard the story about the commuter who was running late for work because of some idiot driving slowly in front of him. All the commuter could think about was his lateness. He was impatient. Then he arrived on the accident scene, never thinking that, if he were actually on time, HE would have been in that accident. The commuter never looked into the slow car that was in front of him to see the angel driving it.

God controls the timing of things. He will make us late, He will cause us to arrive early. All things are in his hands. The sooner we understand that the less stressful our lives will become.

How will God adjust your timing today? Watch for it.

In Your Hands - Unspoken

The Secret of Contentment

Are you content with your life? You'd better not answer that question. It's loaded.

If you ARE content, are you happy in that contentment? Or have you learned to live with your situation and are now content in it?

Paul, the Apostle, learned to be content in all things. He called contentment a "secret" Do you know what Paul's secret is? It's Jesus!

The following passage of scripture contains one of the most often quoted "coffee cup" verses in the Bible - verse 13.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:11-13

When that verse is cherry-picked out of the text it sounds like we will have all kinds of power and strength if we place our faith in Christ. While somewhat true, this verse really is about our weaknesses and struggles in life. It means that Paul has gotten through them with God's help. And we can too.

The same can be said for when we experience times of plenty. We might think "I don't need God. I have everything I need." That's called pride. You know what the Bible says about pride. It comes before the fall - Proverbs 16:18 God will help us with our pride. Just ask His people, Israel.

We can endure every hardship and every struggle with Christ in our lives. He's our secret! Our "ever-present help in times of trouble" (Psalm 46:1). He is "our refuge and our strength" (same verse). And that is what Paul meant in his letter to the church in Philippi. He wasn't bragging about his own ability. He was bragging about God's!

Growing

It's garden planting time! Do you have YOUR garden planted yet? Will it grow?

There's lots of decisions to be made before we plant those seeds, like what shall we plant? Do we need fertilizer added to the soil? How often should we water? So many decisions to make!

Jesus talks about the sowing of seeds in Matthew 13. He speaks about how some seeds falls on different types of soil, the seed's root depth and how some will wither in the sun. Jesus isn't really talking about gardening but sharing the Gospel.

Jesus eventually explains this parable to His disciples. It's that explanation that has caused me to think a bit more deeply this morning. Here is the parable's explanation.

"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” - Matthew 13:19-23

There are a few things to think about when considering this parable. One is the sower. The sower is God. Another thing to remember is that we are NOT the seeds! We are the soil. The seed is the Gospel. The seed is the same no matter who hears it. It all comes out of the same bag - The Bible.

We, the soil, are what's different. Some people are more willing to receive the Word of God than others. God can also change our ability to grow. He might add a life-changing experience to our lives or show is what an example of good spoil looks like.

Sadly, there are people in our lives who will never understand the Gospel. They WILL perish. That's just the way it is. Other people will hear the Gospel and pretend to be Christians. They too will wither and fade away.

Our job is NOT to save the lost and the perishing. Our job is to grow! The saving is God's job. God might use us to help save someone but the work is all His. He is the gardener.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

How To Become Blessed

I was wondering what to write about this morning. I had no inspiration to spark my thinking and the laying down of words. Then I opened my Bible and the inspiration I was looking for was already written out for me. Psalm 1.

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.
4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction." - Psalm 1

I highlighted the key words in the text to make it simple to remember. The key points of this chapter are actually real-life decisions we need to be making every hours of every day.

1. Is our delight in The Lord? Or are we enticed and distracted by the world in which we live? If we delight in The Lord we will be blessed. If not, we will be destroyed. Decision time.
2. Are we righteous? If we are then the Lord will watch over us. But we are all sinners. We are NOT righteous! Where is our hope? Jesus!

"God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

The only way we can become righteous is either by living a perfect life (no one has ever done that except for Jesus) or by placing our faith in that same Jesus, believing in Him, and His righteousness will be transferred to our account. It's really that simple. Delight in The Lord, place your faith in Christ, and you will be blessed.

Jesus Messiah - Chris Tomlin

Shine The Light

Notice anything unusual about his picture? Stare at it for a while. Let your thoughts drift away from the tv screen and let a story spark in your mind. What do you see?

The flower could be the last evidence of someone suddenly changed. Someone picked the flower for some reason, but then dropped it, for another reason.

Notice how bright the white pedals are when contrasted with the surrounding darkness. A tragic ending to a sad, dark story? Or it could be a sign of life and hope in a depressing landscape of loneliness. It all depends upon your point of view, doesn't it?

To me, this is a symbol of life and hope, surrounded by loneliness and death.

"In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome a it." - John 1:4-5

Have you ever seen Clint Eastwood's movie Alcatraz? One of the prisoners liked to grow flowers and had snuck a blossom similar to this one into the lunch room. The warden saw it, came over and picked up the flower. Then he crushed it in front of the prisoner who grew it. The prisoner became so furious his blood pressure skyrocketed. He lunged at the warden, had a heart attack, and died.

The world we live in can be filled with darkness. Jesus shines His love into this world through those who follow Him. Are you a follower? Is your light shining brightly?

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16

Consider this picture without the flower in it. It's not very appealing is it. The flower MAKES the picture. You are that flower in this dark world. Brighten someone's day today by showing them the love of Christ.

What Is Your Jerusalem?

The Bible is filled with wonderful examples for how we should be living our lives. The problem we seem to be having is in the application of these examples. The Book of Nehemiah provides an excellent pattern for us to follow, so go grab your Bible, and a pen.

Nehemiah and the vast majority of the Jews were taken away captive to Babylon. Their 70-year captivity was brought about by Israel's disobedience to God.

Read Chapter One and underline all the "action" phrases. Here's a list from the NKJV:

(v2) - I questioned

(v4) - I heard, I sat down and wept, (I) mourned for many days, I was fasting and praying

(v5) - I said

The first thing Nehemiah did when travelers came his way was to ask how his brothers and sisters were doing and how the holy city was. He asked and then he heard. Then he sat down and wept, mourned for many days as he fasted and prayed.

Do we do that when something distresses us? When something concerns us very deeply, do we pray, mourn and weep, or do we try to handle things on our own?

In Nehemiah's prayer there is a key element that many of us miss. We simply pray and then we expect results. How often I have heard, "God's not answering my prayers" or "I have prayed but nothing is happening." The key to answered prayer is in verse five. Underline it twice!

5Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses." - Nehemiah 1:5-7

We say that we love God and that we keep his commandments. Do we really? Are we that obedient? Have we kept EVERY commandment? DO we 'love our neighbor'? Do we 'shed innocent blood'? Do we lie?

Now here's the big question: What is your Jerusalem? What in your life is so important to you that, if faced with its destruction, you would actually do these things that Nehemiah did?

Is a loved one sick? You might have prayed. Did you fast? Did you weep? Did you mourn? Are you struggling in a relationship? Verse five says that God "keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments." How is your relationship with God?

That's the real question, isn't it? Do we love God that much that we would submit to His will, follow His commandments. If we do that THEN God will hear our prayer. We can't just jump right to the praying part and expect results. We need the repentance part. We need the humility part. THEN . . . and only then, will God heard our prayer.

I'll Follow The Son

Here's how my mind works. I can go from a 'cat' to 'The Beatles' to 'Jesus' in 0.5 seconds.

I was sitting in the living room the other day when my wife comes walking in. She looked at our cat and said, "The last time I came in here he was sitting over there and now he's over here."

"He likes to follow the sun," I replied. Sun . . . SON.

And there you have it. I'm thinking about Jesus. AND for a special bonus, I am singing a Beatles song along the way.

"One day, you'll look to see I've gone, for tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun."

Only I sing "sun" with a capitol 'S' and an "O' instead of a "U."

Jesus has that effect on people. Once you meet Him you will become changed. You will never be able to forget Him.

Some people don't like to "follow the Son" and that's their choice. It's a fatal choice, but it is theirs to make, even though that choice will lead to their death.

I have non-believing friends and family members, as I am sure you do. I've tried talking to them, as I am sure you have too. Walls go up, defense systems are armed and active. Still, I think, we must never stop trying. Our words and our actions WILL have an effect.

We all have struggles in our lives. Life 'rains' on our happy times. Still, through all of our struggles, through all of our pain, we'll follow the Son. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." - Joshua 24:15

“Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you.

For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live;

your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.

May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely,

if anything but death separates you and me.” - Ruth 1:16-17

I'll Follow The Sun - The Beatles

I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin

Tell Me Again

We get tired of seeing the same commercials on television, over and over and over. Some advertising agency wants us to remember their product so they cram it down our throats until we remember their product or service.

Our government is like that too. How many times have we heard about wearing masks and "social distancing?" So many times, I think, that many of us are tired of  hearing it.

God and The Bible are different. Their not "selling" anything. God DOES want us to remember His truth and His commands so he repeats them for us in His Word. He reminds us of important things like love, obedience, truth, and sacrifice.

I was reminded of one example of this yesterday while sitting in church studying Genesis 31. Jacob was getting ready to leave his boss and the father of his wives. God showed him in a dream that he must go back to the land of his fathers. So, Rachel, one of Jacob's wives, spoke up and said this:

"For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.” - Genesis 31:16

Fast forward to John 2 and Jesus turning water into wine, His first miracle. They have just run out of wine and the wedding feast and Mary, the mother of Jesus, said this to the servants at the wedding.

"His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” - John 2:5

Jesus repeated many things in His teaching from the Old Testament. God repeats things in the Bible because He wants us to remember them. Do you think our obedience is important to God? I do!

Jacob listened to God and returned to the land of his fathers. The servants listened to Mary's instruction and the water was changed into wine.

Have WE listened to God's instruction? Have we loved others as He commanded us to? Have we worshipped and honored God in the things we say and do? These and many other commends have been repeated in the Bible for OUR benefit.

When God repeats something in the Bible He is making sure we understand the importance of the words and He is stressing the need for obedience on our part.

We need to look at these repetitive words like my granddaughter does when we are having fun. She repeats, "Again! Again!" on the swing set. That should be our response to God's commands in His Word. "Again, Lord! Tell us again!"

Tell Me Again - Geoff Moore and The Distance

The Way of Death

"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." - Proverbs 14:12

We humans sure can come up with lots of ideas. Sadly, not all of them are good. Like "defund the police" for example. The idea to totally or even partially defund a large group of honorable men and women who willingly risk their lives for ours, just to keep us safe, all because of a few defective humans, is stupid.

There are many other examples. Abortion for one. Let's call it "Women's Health" instead of "Murder" and we'll be just fine. Or banning sugared soda because there are too many fat people. Or banning guns because too many people are being shot.

All these things, and many more, are avoiding the really question and the real answer. The problem with all these societal issues is that no one wants to address the REAL problem. Sin.

"Well, that's 'religion' so we can't talk about that." And that's the problem right there. We The People are largely afraid of the truth. The inconvenient truth that is.

We are a nation of moral relativists. Everybody is basically their own god; defining what is right for them, in their own eyes, instead of seeking the truth and seeking God.

"I feel like a woman today so I am walking into the women's bathroom to assert my position." Dude, look in your pants! The struggle in our lives are our feelings, not the facts. It should be the opposite. We need to come to grips with the facts - God's truth. Those should overrule our feelings.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9

Imagine a world in which we let truth guide our way. God's Word. We actually could "defund the police" because there would be no need for them. No sin, remember? Everyone would be either male or female. No in between. There would be no need for guns because there would be no criminals or wars.

Sadly, we live in a sin-filled world where all these things abound. But one day . . . one day all will be right with the world. How do I know this? Good promised it! He cannot lie.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." - Revelation 21:4

There Will Be A Day - Jeremy Camp

Another Brick In The Wall

There's lots of talk about walls these days. "Build the wall!" "Tear down the wall!" "Make the wall higher!" Even as we build, there are those wanting to tear down.

A walls sole purpose is to separate things. Keep the bad guys out. Keep your loved ones safe. Protection, confinement, separation.

We all have walls in our lives. Some we have built ourselves. Others are built . . . by others. But really WE do all the wall building. Others just cause us to put them up.

We build walls to protect our hearts. We build walls to protect our kids. Even God had us build walls around His holy city - Jerusalem. Walls work. But sometimes there are unintended consequences.

Let's say we get burned too many times in relationships so we start putting up walls. We think our walls might keep us safe. But those very same protective walls also keep others out. Perhaps the very ones we were meant to love.

Remember the old westerns where the people inside the fort had built a wall around themselves? When the cavalry came to save the day, they too were locked outside unless someone opened the gate.

That's the key about walls. They must have a gate in them. Locking ourselves inside an impenetrable barrier doesn't do anyone any good. But having a gate! By having a gate in our wall we can choose to allow certain people in. And we ourselves have a means of escape, should we ever need it.

When we are surrounded by distrust and hurtfulness in our lives we we begin to put up walls. It's instinctive. But when Jesus comes to the rescue, a gate is a very important thing to have. Jesus IS that gate in your wall.

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." - John 10:9

If you are struggling right now, and you find yourself building those walls that surround you higher and higher, keep an eye out for the cavalry. His name is Jesus. Let Him into your safe zone and together you can begin to remove those barriers or building them up higher as needed. The key is to do it with God's help.

“You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work." - Nehemiah 2:17-18

Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd

Running On Empty

Do you ever get in one of those moods where you're really quiet, just thinking, not blinking, just staring. Everything's quiet and you wish it could stay that way until everything comes out right.

The mind can wander off to some strange places at times. That can be good or bad. Good is better.

We start thinking about our lives and all of the things we've done, the places we've been, the people we have loved. Again, that can be good or bad . . . or both. Focus on the good. Focus on what is true.

I was in that quiet place yesterday as I learned of the death of my sister-in-law. She had been battling cancer for quite some time and finally reached the end of her journey. It's kind of like the title from that old Jackson Browne song - Running On Empty. She simply ran out of life.

My sister-in-law was not a follower of Jesus. She once told me of a discussion she had with a theology professor in college. After the class had read a C.S. Lewis book, the professor told her, "Well, at some point you have to believe." I don't know that she ever got to that point. I hope I'm wrong.

Everyone needs a reason to believe. For some of us, the facts are enough. We see the Bible as truth. For others, there will always be doubt. They come to a different conclusion. Ultimately, they also arrive at a different result.

My encouragement for today is that we should ALL consider the outcomes of our beliefs and the results of our decisions. As Christians we ALL should be confident of our beliefs and the decisions we've made. They are based on God's Word. The TRUTH of God's Word. God cannot lie. If He did he would be contradicting Himself. God offers us all a "gas tank" that will never run out of fuel.

More from that Jackson Browne song . . .

Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
If I can get you to smile before I leave

I don't know about anyone but me. If it takes all night, that'll be all right

Now consider these words from John The Baptist . . .

“A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 30He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less.”

31The one who comes from above (Jesus) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." - John 3:27,30,31-36

And that is why I was quiet yesterday.

Please pray for my brother. Pray for strength to endure and for healing of his heart, and also . . . a reason to believe.

"Running into The Son, and I'm running behind."

Running On Empty - Jackson Browne

Love Lifted Me

Well, I woke up with another song in my head Thursday morning. This time it was Love Lifted Me. As I lay in bed I began wondering, "Could this song be about The Rapture of The Church?"

You see, God is LOVE according to 1 John 4:8. So the song really could be God Lifted Me, right?

How does God "lift" us? Emotionally, spiritually - God truly does lift us in those wonderful ways. God lifts us up SO much that we will actually "soar on wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). But what about physically? Can God physically lift us up?

Have you ever heard of Enoch? He appears in the Book of Genesis. Let's read about what God did to him.

"Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." - Genesis 5:24

Enoch is a Biblical example of how God can physically remove people from this earth. God has done it before. There is the evidence. He will do it again.

So, will we be singing Love Lifted Me one day in heaven? Exclaiming with all of our brothers and sisters about how "God lifted me?"

I think we will.

Love Lifted Me - Kim Hopper