The Lone Apple

I don't know about where you live, but we had a warm spell in January or February with temperatures in the 50's for about a week. Trees started to bud actually. Then it froze, hard. As a result, we lost one tree in our front yard and our apple tree in the back yard is on its last legs.

Still, despite all the dropping leaves (it's still summer) our apple tree has managed to produce one single apple. Normally, we get at least a dozen or so. My wife likes to make apple crisp and applesauce with the fruit. Not with just one lone apple.😭

Think about that kittle apple for a moment though. One lone apple from a dying tree. This is an example for all of us.

When we reach the end of our lives, will we still be producing fruit? Or will we simply dry up and die? Hard to say at this point. But consider what cost these trees their very lives.

They were just going along, living life, just like they always have done. Until they were tempted into "waking up" by a premature spring. The buds, their "new life," were vulnerable and tender. When faced with a trial, the colder temperatures, they began to fade.

Are you going through a tough time right now? Don't let the change in your emotional seasons effect your faith in God. He's the only thing that can truly save you.

Our one tree has given up and has died. But our little apple tree is still producing fruit, even though it has struggled to do so. It will be interesting to see how many apples God blesses it with at this time next year.

To finish up, my wife brought this 'lone apple' into our house last week. Soon it will be joined by other apples from a different orchard and it's joy with be complete.

What fruit will you bear today?

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." - Matthew 7 - 16-20

Give Thanks

Oh, what a way to wake up in the morning - with a song on the heart and words of praise on the lips! It makes me imagine what heaven will be like, singing praise and worship songs to God.

The mother of a friend of mine died recently. Of course, the family was sad. They will miss her dearly. But there was also great rejoicing, because she knew the Lord and iswith Him today.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:8

Sadly, that is something the lost will never experience.

I mentioned waking up with a song on my heart, the words playing on repeat in my soul. I don't mind that at all. It's a wonderful thing and I thank God, "with a grateful heart."

Give thanks with a grateful heart

give thanks to the Holy One

give thanks, because he’s given

Jesus Christ, his Son

And now let the weak say I am strong

Let the poor say I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks,

Give thanks

I can only imagine what it will be like, to be in the presence of the Lord. But I CAN tell you this: I can hardly wait. It is not a conscious effort on my part to sing these sings, but a joyful outpouring of the Holy Spirit to God The Father.

"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. ²I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. ³Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His Name together." - Psalm 34:1-3

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

Give Thanks - Gaither

Psalm 19

I have heard of doing this before, but have you ever tried "Praying the Psalms?" I often pray a slightly edited version of Psalm 23 at night before I fall asleep. Here's another short Psalm that could easily be used during prayer time. It's about God's creation, testifying to His glory.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. 

²Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

³Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard,

⁴their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.

⁵Like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course,

⁶it rises at one end of the heavens and runs its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.

⁸The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

⁹The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.

¹⁰They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

¹¹By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward.

¹²Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

¹³Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression.

¹⁴May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19

That last verse (v14) is an absolutely perfect prayer!

Verse 1 in a prayer could sound like this:

"The heavens declare Your glory, O God; the skies proclaim the work of Your hands."

We don't do enough praising in our prayers. Maybe by including this, or something like it, we can make our prayers more pleasing in God's eyes.

Another bunch of Psalms that can turn into prayers are the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120 - 134). Here's the first verse of Psalm 121 as an example: 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - 

    where does my help come from?

²My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth."

Listen at the 3:49 mark of the following song and see if it doesn't sound familiar.

Praise You In This Storm - Casting Crowns

God Provides

"The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:” - Exodus 31:1-6

That was God talking to Moses about building the tabernacle. But it is also evidence that God can instill in specific people amazing talent and knowledge and wisdom for His utlimate glory.

I was reminded of this story as I spoke to people yesterday about my friend Kortney's heart and double lung transplant that took place on January 1st. Everyone was amazed at the skills these surgeons and technicians have.

You can almost see them operating, maybe 6-8 of them seated around her. Each of them performing some amazingly difficult task.

What skills has God given YOU? I write stories about God to give Him glory. That' just a small thing. Maybe you're a daycare teacher or a mom. Maybe you're a dad volunteering to coach his son's baseball team. The important thing is, does what we do glorify God?

You might wonder if the heart surgeons were really glorifying God or just doing their jobs. Well, they definitely posess God-given skills. They may or may not be believers. But what about the effected families?

Kortney's family and friends have been praying for months. Kortney and her husband are SO thankful for the prayers!

The point is that God gives people the ability to do things. What are we doing for Him? God provides for our every need out of love and grace. Do we extend love and grace on His behalf to those we meet on any given day?

Jesus told us to "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

Are we shining?

The Innocent Man

It's hard to imagine what it will be like, to stand before the judgement seat of God. We know that we have sinned and that "the wages of sin is death." But when will it sink in?

Will the line be long to receive our sentence? Or will it happen in an instant, like someone snapping their fingers?

It is written that whosoever believes in God shall have eternal life. But where? Heavwn of hell? So many questions. But that initial moment, that initial moment . . . when we realize that we actually have made it. What will that be like?

I imagine that there will be a lot of singing going on - thanking God, praising Jesus for His sacrifice.

The chorus from one of Billy Joel's hits comes to mind . . . 

"I aaaam, an innocent man!!! Oh, yes, I am!!!"

How could anyone not be excited about what Jesus has done for us? But then there's this from that same song . . . This could be Jesus singing to many who do not believe in His name.

I know you don't wanna hear what I say.
I know you're gonna keep turning away.

That's a choice they have made. And it has eternal consequences.

"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." - Romans 3:21-24

"I aaaam, an innocent man!!! Oh, yes, I am!!!"

(through faith in Jesus.)

The Innocent Man - Billy Joel

Becoming Alone

Whenever my wife takes a trip I experience what I have come to call a "Free Day." Free days are days in which I can do whatever I want.

I can go disc golfing, I can go out to eat for lunch, I can go shopping at Menards, and I can listen to my favorite music. Loud.

It was during one of those music sessions that I heard some songs that I hadn't heard for a while. Those songs led to several of these stories. Imagine that. Stay "tuned."

I enjoy reading the Bible. However it is easier for me to listen to His Word, given the current state of my eyes. Listening to the Bible and listening to my music has been a huge blessing to me this week.

On my "free days" I can spend as much time with God as I want to. That time alone has led me to this conclusion:

We were meant to become "alone" on this Earth. Let me explain.

"When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:21-26

God is a jealous God. How do I know that? It says so in the Bible.

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." - Exodus 34:14

That's pretty clear. But what does that mean? What does that look like in the life of a Christian? It means that God comes first. Always.

Example: There have been times I have skipped going to church. Maybe I was sick, or on vacation. Is that right, to not worship God once in a while? Hmm.

Don't they have churches near our vacation destinations? Can't we pull over and worship God at a wayside?

People might say, "That's impractical. The whole purpose of a vacation is to get away from all that."

Really? The whole purpose of being a follower of Jesus is to be obedient and to follow His comands. To worship Him and praise Him. No matter where we are or what we are doing.

If it was just me and Him in this world, what would I do? If God was the only one to talk with, would I? Yes!

Now, God DID say, "It is not right for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). But then Jesus said to pray alone (Matthew 6:6). Those are different types of "being alone." The first is physical, the second is spiritual.

If others, and our responsibilities, get in the way of our worshipping God, do you think that God might work against those things so that we can focus on Him? Hmm.

It might be a difficult pill to swallow but this life we are living is not about us. It must be about God. We must "become alone," even when we are in a crowded church.

I fail at this. My mind is always wandering off, I get easily distracted. But I think my goal as a Christian should be to spend alone time with God . . . ALL of the time.

Again, "Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:25-26

It's okay to enjoy our "free time." As long as we enjoy it with God. Alone.

"And after He (Jesus) had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone." - Matthew 14:23

The Act of Worship

Today's story is about worship. What it is, how we do it, what it has become, and what it is supposed to be. Let's begin with a passage of scripture.

Here we have Jesus talking with a man who was born blind, Jesus having healed him.

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him." - John 39:35-38

What IS worship? The formerly blind man did not simply plug in his keyboard and start playing a hymn.

'Worship' is defined this way by Merriam Webster: to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power.

Their definition continues: to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.

Worship is not a song. It is not simply singing. But it CAN be. Confused?

Let's go back to that scripture. What do you think the blind man did when he could suddenly see for the first time ever?

My guess is that he dropped to his knees and began praising Jesus for what He had done for him. Remember, Jesus had just told the man who He was - the Son of Man.

If we should find ourselves in the presence of the Son of Man, what would WE do?

Jesus told the woman at the well, “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:23-24

Simply singing a song to God is not worship. But singing it with your spirit, with your heart, is.

Sometimes in church we are simply singing the words that are printed on the screen or in the hymnal. That's not worship. But if the words that we sing are sung with deep meaning in our hearts, and are directed to and for God, they become worship.

ANYTHING we do to honor God CAN be an act of worship. We must first ask ourselves WHY am I doing this?

Jesus MUST be part of everything we do or we are not honoring God with it. Right?

Example: Buying a meal for a homeless man is not worship. But, if the reason we are doing it is to glorify God, then it IS worship. Sit down with the man as he eats and tell him what Jesus can do in his life.

May we bring glory to God in ALL things as we rejoice in the celebration of His coming. Glory to God!

Glory to God Forever

Giving Thanks

It's the day before Thanksgiving and two days before Black Friday. Those two days seem philosophically opposed to one another. One is a stay at home, family, loving kind of day while the other is a "go to the mall, spend all kinds of money, battle to the death over a great deal" kind of day.

My wife is a great shopper. She loves getting "deals" on things. We have a pantry shelf in our basement that's overflowing. My wife has gotten so many great deals on food that I recently had to expand our shelving!

Look at this picture! These people were sitting around the dinner room table just the day before and now they are willing to trample each other over a television set. I haven't heard Dr. Fauci condemn black Friday shopping as a "super-spreader event." But that's a different topic.

When I think about Thanksgiving, I think about the Thanksgiving meal itself, all the great food, sitting bloated in my recliner pretending to watch football as I moan in pain after eating too much.

How much time do we actually spend giving thanks? A pre-meal prayer that lasts for a minute, tops? What would a longer prayer look like? What would it sound like?

There is not enough time in the day to express our thanks to God for everything He has given us. Is your heart beating? Are you breathing? Did you wake up this morning? Did everyone arrive safely? And where did all of this food come from?

If we just answered "The store!" to that last question, we need to think a little deeper. All things come from God.

I pray that you would have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your family. Make it meaningful. Offer a special prayer around the dining table. Everything you have is from God. That's a lot to be thankful for!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

His Love Endures Forever - Chris Tomlin

David's To-Do List

I came across something in my reading that I thought was helpful - a to-do list for our daily lives from King David himself!

Open up your Bible to 1st Chronicles 16, verses 8-12 and see if you don't agree. I have broken down David's instruction into bullet points, creating a to-do list of sorts for our daily walk with Christ.

• Give praise to the Lord
• Proclaim His name
• Sing to Him
• Sing praise to Him
• Tell of all His wonderful acts
• Glory in His holy name
• Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice
• Look to the Lord and His strength
• Seek His face always
• Remember the wonders He has done
• Make known among the nations what He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced

So, what do you think? That sounds like a perfect way to begin our prayers. By telling God the wonderful things HE has done instead of the list of things that WE would like Him to do.

Lord, I Need You - Matt Mahre

Unanswered Prayer?

If God is not answering our prayers, we should probably check for these four things.

• Examine our prayer list
• Examine our prayer
• Examine our heart
• Examine our faith

Let's start with that last one first - our faith. If we are not a 100% bonified child of God, God will not even HEAR our prayers. That could be part of the problem.

"We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will." - John 9:31

Are we seeking God's will our prayers? That's where we need to examine our hearts. Do our hearts belong to us or to God?

Examine our prayers. Are we just asking God for things or are we telling Him how much we love Him? We should not be offering lists of things for God to do. And that's point number four - our prayer list.

If we are praying for God's help in coping with a certain situation that's one thing. But if we are praying to pass a math test or for a particular candidate to win the race, that's wrong. Those are things that WE want. They may not be things that God wants.

Examine this prayer from David. How does it compare to OUR prayers?

“Praise be to you, Lord,

    the God of our father Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting.

11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power

    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;

    you are exalted as head over all.

12 Wealth and honor come from you;

    you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

    to exalt and give strength to all.

13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,

    and praise your glorious name." - 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Now that's a prayer. No list of things for God to do. Just praise and honor for God. Perhaps after hearing something like that from us God would be more attentive to our needs. What do YOU think?

One Voice

I am going to admit something to you right now that very few people know about. It's been a secret for nearly 40 years now and it's time to bring it out in the open. Are you ready? Well, you think you are but you're not. Lol!

My wife and I used to listen to Barry Manilow back in the 80's. There. I said it. We even went to one of his concerts. I remember that night very well because the Brewers were playing the Cardinals in Game 7 of the World Series. And there I was missing the game!

Last week I was on YouTube and I saw an old song of Barry's so I played it to give my wife some laughs. But as it played the lyrics caught my ear and the way the song was put together made me wonder what it might be like to be singing songs of worship in heaven one day.

It will be like a giant Zoom meeting, only everyone will be together!

Just one voice. Singing in the darkness. All it takes is one voice. Shout it out and let it ring

Just one voice. It takes that one voice. And everyone will sing!

"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!”

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped." - Revelation 5:11-14

One voice! They worshiped and spoke as one. All worshipping Jesus, giving Him honor and glory and power forever and ever. We will all be doing that together one day, worshipping in one voice. Better get practicing in church on Sunday. We'll want to be in our best voice, our "one voice", when He returns.

One Voice - Barry Manilow

I, Robot

An interesting string of events has led me to write this morning's story. First, the local channels feature on our DirecTV have stopped working. And lastly, I prayed, sang worship songs in my head, and quoted Bibles verses until I fell back asleep early this morning.

I'll keep this as brief as I can. I spent most of the day yesterday trying to get our local channels back. They disappeared on Friday. I don't really miss them but my wife sure does. I was on the phone with tech support, staring at "the guide" for our satellite dish, and trying all sorts of things to get those channels back. Checking connections, cutting limbs off trees to make sure we had "a clear view f the southern sky."

While staring longingly at "the guide" I kept noticing the movie I, Robot. Hence the title of today's post. Perhaps I should have called this story I, Idolater instead. Let me explain.

I spent hours trying to figure the missing channel thing out. HOURS. Do I spend that much time reading my Bible? In prayer? At worship? No. Why not? That's just "too much time." But I have enough time to devote to an electronic device?

Isn't that idolatry? Worshipping something more than God?

So I started an investigation, just like I, Robot's Will Smith, and guess what? I AM an idolater! Actually, we probably ALL are.

Time spent on our phones, on the computer, in front of the television set, that all adds up to hours of screen time. In fact, my wife and I got a data usage warning from the phone company yesterday. Too much time!!

That brings me to the time spent quietly singing hymns, praying and going through Bible verses in my head this morning. Do you know what that's called? That's called repentance. And this morning I am changed. But will it stick?

Last night already I had dismantled my phone. I even took the battery out!

I am reading the Book of Psalms right now. Perhaps that is where all the verses, prayers and praise came from. Those things don't usually get a prominent place in my daily life. That must change.

I don't want to be an idolater. Nobody should. So how do we change that? Verse 11 below has the answer.

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

We were washed, sanctified and justified! By whom? Jesus! And by The Holy Spirit! God is worthy of our praise. Let's not forget to do that today. And let us devote more time to doing that. More so than anything else. Amen.

The Four P's

We are an impatient lot - we humans. Just like the Queen song says, "We want it all, and we want it now." Haven't people ever heard of the saying, "Good things come to those who wait?"

Do you have patience? No? Got tired of waiting for it, huh?

I had a brief cognitive thought yesterday and came up with this - The Four P's - Prayer, Patience, Provision and Praise.

I am building a tiny home in our yard but I hit a snag - me. I think I got burned out. Anyway, I prayed about it, asking God to provide someone that could finish it. Anybody.

Then the phone rang and it was a friend of mine who wanted to talk about the tiny house. Someone she knew was interesting in tiny houses and providing low income housing in our area. Interesting.

A few days later my wife needed a shed built fir the community garden she is in charge of. She volunteered me to build it along with another guy. So, the shed building took place yesterday and the day before. Guess what. This guy I am working with really like tiny houses and living off the grid. He's a carpenter. Do you see God's hand in this?

As we were cleaning up the job site my new friend said this to me, "If you ever need any help with finishing off your tiny house, I'd be interested. Call me."

Well, there it was. I prayed. I was patient and God provided. All that's left is the praise. Let us praise God with every word that comes out of our mouths, with every action we take.

"Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?" - Psalm 8:1-4

Famous One - Chris Tomlin

Into Your Hands

How focused on, and devoted to, God, The Father, was Jesus Christ, our Lord? Totally. 110% Can we say the same?

I was reading through the Book of Psalms this week when I came across a verse that made me stop and think for a bit.

"Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God." - Psalm 31:5

Gee, that sounded really familiar. That's because Jesus spoke those exact words from the cross. According to Luke, those were the last words Jesus spoke. Jesus quoted scripture just before He died.

"Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last." - Luke 23:46

Wow.

What an example of devotion! I hope that, when I die, I can have that kind of devotion. To use my last breath to quote scripture and to honor God.

But why wait until then? Why aren't we that devoted to God right now? Isn't that what disciples of Jesus should be? Totally devoted? Following their teacher?

When we place our faith in Christ, we should be saying those same words. Acknowledging our sins before God and then surrendering ourselves to Him should be paramount on our to-do list when we place our faith in Christ.

And let that be our prayer today!

Father, into Your hands I commit my day, my life, my everything. Do with my life as You will. I surrender it to you in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

We must do everything in this life with our Heavenly Father in mind. When we wake up, when we take a shower, when we eat breakfast, and when we fall asleep at night - do we think about Him? Do we honor Him? Do we praise Him?

I'm kind of thinking we should.

Into Your Hands - Matt Maher

Giving Thanks

One of the things I enjoy about volunteering is the people I get to meet. Every one of them is different, yet we all have this similar desire - to love and to be loved. Why is that?

It doesn't matter what political party you favor, whether you're a Packers fan or a Bears fan. There is a common thread that runs through the fabric of the human heart that is undeniable. And it is placed there by God. Knit into our hearts from long ago.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." - Isaiah 139:13

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in America. We give thanks to our creator for all the many blessings He has given us. And we truly are blessed in this country. But with those blessings comes responsibility. A responsibility to bless others in God's name.

You see, Thanksgiving isn't really about US. It's not about turkey, football or parades either. It's about God. I think we've forgotten that as a nation. And that's part of our problem today.

The Thanksgiving story I remember from my childhood was the Pilgrims celebrating their safe passage from England, celebrating the harvest. But I also remember the Indians (Native Americans if you prefer) sharing some of their food as well.

That may or may not be true. I'm not going to look it up. But that's almost how it should be, isn't it? Sharing our blessings with others?

I hope that when you gather around the dinner table tomorrow you will take time to give thanks. Not just with a traditional prayer. Make it a special one. For we have a special God deserving of our thanks and praise.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Isaiah 139:14

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." - 1 Chronicles 16:34

Forever God Is Faithful - Michael W. Smith
The Real Story of Thanksgiving

The Doxology

A little music for you today. Familiar to many,  I thought this version by Anthem Lights was particularly good. A good reminder that all blessings come from God.

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,” which was written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, a priest in the Church of England. The familiar words are “Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The Doxology - Anthem Lights

Should I Let Go?

Sometimes we can get to a point where we just don't know what to do anymore. We've tried just about everything we can think of to make something work or to fix a certain situation but nothing seems to help. What do we do? Should we just give up? Should we just quit trying?

The answer to that question is a resounding "mmm-maybe". This week I have seen several examples of people struggling in situations where one of the options is to give up. It's the easiest thing to do. That's why so many people choose to do it. Marriage not working out like you want? Get a divorce! But is that the right thing to do?

I was speaking with a young adult friend of mine this week who is struggling in a relationship. Her boyfriend wasn't treating her like she thought he should be treated. She's tried praying and tried talking things out with him. Nothing seems to be working. What should she do? Is it time to move on?

Another friend has a rebellious adult daughter. Disobedient, disrespectful, time spent in jail. What should the mom do? Should she just give up or should she keep trying? Should she kick her daughter out of the house? Cave in the her daughter's wishes? What?

Another example is a couple who has been married for over a quarter century, Sudden cancer has gotten their attention. They have tried just about everything - prayer, chemo, radiation. What do they do now when the words "just let go" don't want to be an option at all?

These situations are tough, tough things. We humans really struggle when it comes to fixing these kinds of things. The prevailing thought in our culture today is cut your losses and move on. And sometimes that actually can be the right thing to do. But if something is worth everything, isn't it worth fighting for?

If I was in a major battle like the ones I've mentioned here today, I'd want the best weapons available and the strongest soldiers fighting for me. If I want to win I must be prepared to do whatever it takes. First, I'd start with prayer. All of these people I have mentioned have already been doing that. That's good. Having God guide us into battle is ALWAYS a good thing.

The second thing I'd do is get those experienced soldiers - the best doctors, seasoned Christian counselors, a support group, prayer partners, an accountability partner or that best friend you can just dump on if you have to. All those are important. Vital in fact.

But I think the most power weapon we have in ANY battle is a two-pronged one - hope and faith. Placing our hope and faith in God can get us through anything. God is merciful and compassionate. He can fix any situation He sets His mind to. But what if He doesn't decide to help?

The one thing we must remember is that this life we are living right now is only temporary. The  next one is the one that matters. What also matters is how we handle our struggling while we are here. Do we whine and complain? Maybe initially. But then do we ultimately put everything into God's hands and let Him take control of the situation? We might struggle to do that but that's what God wants us to do.

And although we might eventually have to let go in certain situations, know this: God will never let go of us. So when we struggle, when we have tried everything we can think of, when we no longer know what to do anymore. Give God thanks and praise for getting you as far as you've gotten. Thank Him for walking with you. Never let go of God for He will never let go of you.

^"6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

You Never Let Go - Matt Redman

In The Storm

We all have an idea of what our lives will be like in the future - where we'd like to see ourselves. We all have a way we'd like to answer the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" But what happens when all of our hopes and dreams suddenly change?

Sometimes our lives change based on our own decisions.  Deciding to drink and drive can lead to some pretty substantial consequences. We often do things in the dark that we would never do in the light. Bad decisions change lives in a bad way.

But what happens when we get a call from the doctor with some bad news or when a uniformed soldier knocks on the front door. Our lives can change in a second. "Why" has got to be the most often-asked question at times like that.

So, what do we do? There are no answers that pop into our heads to make life all warm and fuzzy again. What do we do? Where do we turn? Where can we possibly find hope?

Right now I am reading through the Book of Job. Now there's a guy who definitely went through the wringer. His entire family died, he lost all of his possessions AND he got extremely ill. He had it all, then he lost it all. Far from where Job thought he would end up.

Why? Why did God allow this to happen? The main reason was that God wanted to prove a point. These are things that we can take away from the Book of Job. They will help us walk through the toughest of storms.

1. God is God. We are not. When life gets "comfortable" we humans tend to not rely on God so much. That is a mistake.
2. God allows things in our lives for a reason. God always has a purpose or goal in mind. Sometimes God wants to get our attention.
3. God will bless us IF we are faithful. To those who believe and follow God, He has promised to bless us. Forgiveness of sins, eternal life, no more pain or suffering.

Although Job complained and whined through most of the book, God blessed Job for his faithfulness. We need to remember ALL of these things when we struggle in life. We all have hopes and dreams but the only way we can be truly blessed in the end is if God is at the center, the focus, of those dreams.

"And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” - Job 1:21

I'm not saying that everything bad that happens is from God. What I AM saying is that, WHEN bad things happen, how we react to them defines who we are in God's eyes.

None of us knows WHY painful things happen in our lives. The important thing for us to remember is to praise God through them.

"1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." - Psalm 46:1-3

Praise You In This Storm - Casting Crowns

You Are

I'm not sure when it occurred to me. Was it on my ride home? Was it later that night? No, it was yesterday morning during my prayer time. That's when it hit me. It was a message behind the message! See if YOU can figure it out.

First, a little back story. I am building a Tiny Home to be used by those who are in need of a place to stay. Construction has been going slowly all summer. All I have done so far is the floor. It's time to build some walls but I am just one man. So I had an idea - a wall-building party on Saturday. The trouble was, only one person came to help. Together we built and raised one wall. Still, I couldn't have even raised THAT one by myself.

To make things worse the temperature was in the 90's and just about that humid too. By the end of the day I was wiped out - physically, emotionally and spiritually. That's when I made up my mind to hire someone to finish the work. It's nearly October. In Wisconsin! Time is short!! I was depressed at my inability to get more done for those who need homes.

I called a contractor on Sunday but there was no reply. Nor the next day. Remember that bit of information for a few moments.

Monday night I had a meeting with a group of people trying to make a difference in our community. My friend Dana did the opening devotional. It was about Nehemiah and about how the first thing Nehemiah did when we heard about Jerusalem's walls being broken down was he prayed. A great devotional and a great reminder about putting first things first.

But there was a hidden devotional in Dana's devotional about Nehemiah - specifically for me it seemed. Who rebuilt Jerusalem's walls? Most people would answer that Nehemiah did. His name is all over the story. The story is in the Book of Nehemiah. But he did NOT build the walls. The people of Jerusalem did. God used His people to build the walls!

When I told our group about my decision to hire someone to finish building the Tiny Home, they wouldn't hear of it.

"We'll have a barn raising party only for the Tiny Home!"

"I know some carpenter friends."

"I'll make a lunch for everybody."

"I'll help out too!"

Although I am the guy with the trailer and all of the lumber in his garage, I'm not going to be the guy building and raising the walls. It will be the people of our community. Think about it. It's perfect. That's the way it should be! That's why no contractors are returning my calls. Just like in the story about Nehemiah and the Israelites, God had the people build the walls.

God had this plan all along. Who would have ever thought that!! (sarcasm) No wonder things were moving so slowly. It was because I was trying to do things on my own. Without God. God will build this house. I just have to get out of the way.

Lord, you are the God of these people. You are the light in this darkness. Who's building this tTiny Home, Lord? It's obvious. YOU are.

God Of This City - Chris Tomlin
Chris Tomlin talks about "God Of This City"
Building The Barn - Witness

Nehemiah

Who rebuilt the walls?

Staying Warm

Ten below zero! That was the temperature on my way into work yesterday morning. It was C-O-L-D cold!! When it’s really cold like this it can be downright dangerous! Pipes freeze, cars won’t start and frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes.

Our faith can get like that if we don’t actively engage in efforts to keep ourselves spiritually warm and toasty when life gets “cold”. If we let our faith grow cold through inattentive behavior we soon can find ourselves on the side of the road with a spiritual car that just won’t run.

So, how do we stay warm in a world that wants to suck the heat right out of us? Here’s a few things that help keep ME stay warm. I hope they do the same thing for you.

Read - Spending time in God’s Word can warm our hearts. Reading God’s promises can lift us up and remind us of “warmer weather”. The sun will come up tomorrow. Spring is approaching. Read!

Pray - Talking to God, our Father, can be a very warming experience. Especially when we remember that He DOES hear us and that He DOES love us.

Praise & Worship - I personally get great enjoyment out of singing worship music. I don't sing very well but when I am alone in my car I am one of the loudest. LOL!

Serve others - Helping others brings great joy to the heart of a Christian. It warms our hearts to serve God by serving others. The widow, the orphan, the sick, the poor. It is an honor to become less in His name.

And now for a little bedtime secret about how my wife and I stay warm when it's time for bed. Don't worry. Nothing TOO "hot". LOL!

I am usually the first one in bed so I get the unenviable job of warming the sheets. Someone has to do it, right? Ephesians 5, husbands . . . sacrifice! So I shiver under the covers until things get warm. Then do you know what I do? I scoot over to my wife's side of the bed and I warm her side of the bed as well. You would not believe that shouts of joy she emits when she climbs into a pre-warmed bed. HA! And it's even Biblical!

“9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

So, on those cold, lonely nights when you're feeling downright chilly, put a log on the fire and pick up your Bible and read a few chapters about Moses wandering through the desert. You will be warm in no time! :)

Let It Go - Pentatonix
California Dreamin' - The Mama's and The Papa's