Thank You!

When you get to be my age (73), thoughts of mortality creep in. Aches and pains become daily occurances. And we begin "thinking" before we do things. Like "I should take my phone with me into the woods in case I fall," or, "If I sit on the floor with my granddaughter, how will I ever get up?"

Such things are all part of life as we get older. But there is another part of aging that is absolutely wonderful. Our relationship with God, and with others. This morning I am grateful for both.

God has blessed me with many young friends. These are mostly former youth group kids who are now in their thirties. I keep in touch with a few and we are all very close.

Then there's the older friends. I have a few of them as well, and again, we are all very close to one another.

The thing that binds us all together is what I am MOST grateful for. Jesus. The Trinity really. If it weren't for God, I would have none of these wonderful gifts (these dear friends) in my life.

Let me drop a Bible verse here, as I just finished reading Psalms.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your hands, 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 8:3-4

More personally, "Who am I, that you are mindful of me?"

All these gifts, friends, and blessings, are from God.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." - James 1:17

But why does He give us such amazing friends and family members? That's easy.

Love.

"God is love." - 1 John 4:8

We sure could use a whole lot more love in this crazy world right now. And I think we will be getting it soon. But in the meantime. . . . 

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

Who Am I? - Casting Crowns

Thank You Jesus For The Blood - Charity Gayle

Hold On Loosely

"I've learned to hold all things loosely, so that God will not have to pry them out of my hands." - Corrie ten Boom

Great words to remember from a Holocaust survivor. And just to prove that her words are timeless, here's a similar quote from the band 38 Special.

"If you cling too tightly, you're gonna lose control."

The point here is that if we cherish anything too much it will become an idol to us, and a stumbling block. And if we have any "idols" other than God it is a sin and He WILL take them away from us.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." - Exodus 20:3

We must constantly examine ourselves and our habits. Are we consuming ANYTHING that God might consider an idol?

What about the Green Bay Packers? Their recent success has a lot of people excited. However, if we are praying that the pastor's Sunday sermon would end on time so that we can make it to a watch party before kickoff, we've got a problem. 

When I was younger I used to consume two 16-oz bottles of Mountain Dew every day. I am now Type 2 diabetic. Is that God's doing? To take away my idol?

How about my phone? My computer? The television? Relationships? Work? Our politics? Even church duties can take us away from God.

The only thing we are supposed to hold on tightly to is God Himself. Worship, praise, and devotion are to be His.

I am reminded of a song that we sing in church. It goes like this:

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grown strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace."

We need to remember that in our walk with Jesus, in our worship of Him, and in our daily lives, HE is the One who created us. And why did He do that? So that we would honor, praise and worship HIM, not "things of earth."

Hold on Loosely - 38 Special 

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Alan Jackson

The Mechanic

Have you ever had a divine appointment? A "random" meeting with someone that was for your mutual good and God's glory? They happen more often than you'd think.

When God wants you to meet with someone it's going to happen. Whether you want it to or not. Like Wednesday for example.

I took my car in to see the mechanic to get a few things fixed. It was done that same day but my wife and I had our granddaughter over and we were too busy to pick it up.

"I'll pick it up in the morning....sometime," I told the mechanic.

[And there you have it. The stage was set for one of God's divine appointments.]

The next morning I walked in the door at my mechanic's shop and there was a friend of mine I hadn't seen since her husband's funeral.

"Well, hello my friend. Fancy meeting you here."

And the conversation began. We talked for an hour before the mechanic came in and said the work on HER car was done.

God knows when someone needs to talk or simply touch base with someone. And if it doesn't happen, He can make it happen.

My friend and I had tried to find a time to talk after her husband's death but it never worked out. So God made an appointment for us both.

God IS The Mechanic. He not only makes appointments but knows exactly what's wrong with us and He fixes us.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." - Psalm 32:8

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;" - Psalm 37:23

"Thanks be to God!" - 1 Corinthians 15:57

One-On-One

Back in the early- to mid-eighties my brother and I played an Apple II video game called One-on-One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird. Look at those graphics! Pretty lame by today's standards. But the game's title taught me something about relationships.

One-on-one conversations with someone can really allow them to open up and share what's on their hearts. Going for a walk, grabbing some coffee, it's all good.

Look at the example of Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus and the woman at the well, Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. He was alone with each of these people and they really had an opportunity to ask questions and to learn. One-on-one, away from friends and people who know us, can be very beneficial. Even restorative.

There are two things that really make one-on-one conversations work: the willingness of a person to open up and share their struggles without fear of judgement. That can take some time before a person feels comfortable enough to share.

The second thing that is beneficial is if the other person is a good listener and asks the needed, and sometimes difficult, questions.

Words like trust, mercy, compassion, love, grace, and honesty are some of the required characteristics for a good listener.

The cool thing about talking with someone, one-on-one, through their pain, is that at the end you both usually end up being really good and close friends.

Jesus was, and is, really good at helping others through a tragedy or storm. The hardest part is for us to get to the point where we are willing to open up to Him, one-on-one, and trust in Him. But once we do that we have a friend for all eternity.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

The Best Thing

Whenever my wife and I go on vacation we always ask each other the same question on our the way home. "What was your favorite thing from this vacation?"

The answers always vary with each vacation it seems. It might be eating at Big Boy, a walk on the beach, or car bingo. This time however our answer was different.

It wasn't anything we did specifically. It was more of a general 'joy.' And, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this feeling we had, our 'best thing,' is what God wants for us to feel every day.

Our 'best thing' this past week had two parts to it. The first was being away from all of the 'noise.' And by 'noise' I mean no television news to watch and no busy, over-stuffed schedules to keep.

Once that first part got accomplished, part two was a whole lot easier. And that was just simply being with, and enjoying, each other.

For example, my wife wanted to go to a glass blowing shop in a nearby town. We never got there. And why not? We were enjoying ourselves in the moment - eating 'ice cream products' on a shady porch at the visitor center. With a side of people watching.

Our joy became complete simply by just being with each other, wherever we were.

"The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone." - Genesis 2:18

Like I said, I like to play disc golf, and I did so upon occasion, but on our 'ice cream date,' disc golf was the farthest thing from my mind. Why? Our time together was our priority.

Before Adam sinned, he and God had a wonderful time together, enjoying each other's company. Walking through the garden, naming animals....

Later, in Genesis 2:25, Adam and Eve were still in the Garden of Eden. Paradise. "They were naked and felt no shame."

"Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." - Genesis 2:25

They had no schedules to keep, Eve wasn't fretting over what outfit to wear. Adam didn't foresake his wife to go play golf. Nor did Eve leave her husband to go watch someone blow glass.

Their joy was found with each other and with God.

If both halves of a marriage, or any relationship for that matter, place their own interests last, the relationship will thrive. Why? Because doing so honors God.

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” - Mark 9:35

When we think of others and their needs before our own, we become their servant. If both halves of a relationship do that won't we be fulfilling God's desire for us?

Joy is found in God. It is the reward we receive when we place ourselves last, as His servants. As Jesus said, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11

"And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known." - In The Garden

In The Garden - Alan Jackson

Using God's Gifts

Each year, in the month leading up to Christmas, my wife can often be found in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies. She loves to bake. And those of us who have tasted her yummy yuletide treats love that she does.

Today's story is about how one of her cookies, lovingly called a date pie, led to a moment of compassion and prayer with a friend.

Before I retired my wife used to plate up some of her Christmas treats for me to take to work. My coworkers loved them. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, instead of traditional 'Good morning' greetings, I would hear, "When's your wife sending in those cookies?" Ah, the power of the stomach.

One co-worker in particular loved my wife's date pies. So much so that, after I retired, I always stopped in to make sure she got some. This year, my wife's Christmas cookies served as a door opener to a deeper conversation with that friend.

Do you believe that God orchestrates meetings for the good of His children and for His ultimate glory? I sure do. I have witnessed His doing this far too many times to think otherwise.

That day at work, all of the people that I had planned to talk to were somehow too busy. Hmm. Except for the one God wanted me to talk to.

We must always be open to a sudden change in plans. Perhaps God has something wonderful in store!

You know, if my wife hadn't used her gift of baking those cookies, would I even have had an opportunity for a conversation about God and to pray with my friend? God knows. But my wife used one of her gifts to bless others.

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." - 1 Peter 4:10

What is YOUR gift? And how will you use it for God's glory?

Symbiotic Relationships

Good morning class! Today we will be learning about different types of symbiotic relationships. There are three basic kinds. Which ones do YOU have in YOUR life?

The first is called mutualistic. That's where both people benefit in the relationship. If you have a best friend, that would be a good example. Mutualistic relationships are mutually beneficial. 

Another example of a relationship would be commensalistic. That's where one benefits and the other gets nothing out of it. This is basically a one-sided relationship. Unrequited love would be an example. One person loves another but does not receive that love in return.

The third type of relationship is parasitic. That's when one party consumes and damages the other. They are parasites, like a tick or a mosquito.

Look at the relationships in YOUR life. You probably have experiened all three types at one time or another.

There is actually a fourth type of symbiotic relationship. I'll call it a sacrificialistic. One person benefits at the willing sacrifice of another. Jesus is an example of this. He died so that we might live.

There ARE examples of these sacrificial people in our lives today. A kidney donor, a surrogate mother, a soldier.

Look at the relationships in your life. Can you find examples of all four? I hope and pray your relationships are teaming with mutually beneficial and sacrificially offered relationships.

And if you don't have a sacrificially beneficial relationship in your life, you can find one in Jesus. All you have to do is ask Him for that relationship. He has already paid the price for it.

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:13

Tim

I'd like you to meet my friend Tim. The two of us met earlier this year out at the local disc golf course. Tim is a walking reminder of why God wants us to have relationships.

During our first conversation a few months ago, I learned that Tim had lost his loving wife eight years earlier. I also learned that Tim had suffered a heart attack four years ago and had taken up disc golf as a way to get some exercise.

Well, I saw Tim again this past Wednesday. He was playing, I was cutting down trees.

I put down my chainsaw and walked out to talk with my buddy. As our conversation progressed, I learned that Tim was moving back to Missouri, where he was originally from. That's where his family is. His kids and grandkids.

His heart attack had scared him a little when he came to realize that he was literally all alone here in Wisconsin, familywise. Should he have another medical emergency, well, it's best to have family close by. If all goes well, Tim will be moving back home in just a few short weeks.

None of us knows when we will be spending our last day on this earth. What will we be doing when God calls us home? Will God find us loving others? Or will he find us too busy for a friend or for Him? Always take the time to love one another.

"Hey Tim. Before you leave, can I pray for you?"

"That'd be fine."

I don't know what Tim's faith is. Whether he has any or not. Whether he knows the Lord or not. I don't know if he's a Democrat or a Republican, what his sexual orientation is or whether he's a member of the NRA. But I DO know that I will miss my friend, and that is enough for today.

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

Jesus gave us that command three times in two sentences. What do you think? Does Jesus REALLY want us to love one another? Really?

Count Your Blessings

So, today is my birthday. Birthdays are a time to reflect on one's life - the accomplishments, the memories, and the relationships. It is also a time to be thankful. And THAT is why I am writing this story today.

I couldn't sleep last night. I woke up at one and laid awake until two, trying to get back to sleep. Then I got up and went into the living room and tried to do the same in my chair until three. Not a great night's sleep, but I did sleep.

During my sleepless night I had lots of time to think and to pray. There are so many more things to be thankful for than just being able to sleep. Like being in a warm house for example. There are millions of Ukrainians who don't have a warm place to stay.

As I fix my breakfast, I am thinking about those who will go hungry today. I read in my Bible about people who "had a severe famine in the land" for seven years. And I get cranky if I haven't had my morning breakfast?

Facebook tells me that I have hundreds of friends, but they are really just people I knoww for the most part. I have a handful of really good friends', and of course, family.

Family is a gift that keeps on giving.

Sometimes family or friends die, but the memories we have of them live on, and those memories are with us forever.

"Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." - Proverbs 17:6

Family is the best gift. I am currently reading through 2nd Chronicles. The first ten chapters are all about family. Good people and bad people to be sure, but the overall concept of family and generations are a big thing in God's eyes. Mine too.

Despite my age and the sounds my body makes every time it tries to move, I am grateful it moves at all.

I can no longer do some of the things I used to do when I was younger but that's probably a good thing.

Remember that old saying, "Don't write checks your body can't cash?" Yeah.

So, what am I thankful for today on my birthday? There is no doubt in my mind. I am thankful for God. Without Him I wouldn't exist, nor would any of my family or friends. God has given my everything and for that I am eternally grateful.

And speaking of things to be thankful for, let me not forget Jesus, who gave is very life for us so that we might live with Him forever. And what a precious gift that is!

So today I count my blessings. Thank you for being a part of my life. And my God bless you as richly as He has blessed me.

In my church we sing a song that goes, "Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done." Today, I will do that very thing.

Our Heart's Desire

"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

The desires of our hearts tell a lot about our relationship with God. What ARE our heart's desires? Are they self-gratifying? Self-indulgent? Self-ish?

Deep within each of us are our secret desires. They might be sinful in nature, or they might be God-honoring. They might even be unknown to us. Truly though, I think our secret desires are those we never even speak of out loud. They remain hidden. Only those who truly know us have any idea these desires are even there. But God knows them.

I received a letter this week from a long-time friend of mine. We spent a lot of time together in our high school - college years. We canoed multiple whitewater rivers together. Climbed cliffs in Door County's Peninsula State Park together. Little did I know the effect I had on him. I thought we were just good friends.

In his letter to me he opened up about how much he looked up to me, and still does, like an older brother. His real-life brother got involved in drugs and grew distant. Today, that relationship is still disconnected.

Going back to my opening verse, what does it say we have to do to receive the desires of our hearts? "Delight in The Lord." Do we do that?

I try to live my life according to God's Word, to love everyone I meet, and to honor God in my daily walk. Do those things qualify as "delighting in the Lord?" They must, because God has given me my heart's desire - to be used by Him.

God will bless those who honor him, and who "delight" in Him. It is an amazing feeling and an honor to be used by God in some way. What is YOUR heart's desire?

Refiner's Fire - TWP Band

Exploding Hearts

My wife and I were playing a game of Exploding Kittens the other night but we stopped. The instructions were too complicated and confusing. Our desire to continue waned.

Simple is better, we decided, and each of us picked up a book to read. That's when I got the text. That's when my heart exploded.

Relationships are precious things. At least they are supposed to be. We all watched with great sadness as the story of Gabby Petito unfolded these past few weeks. What a sweet, young girl. What a tragedy. But what if the story had turned out differently? What if she had been found alive?

Now you can understand the title of this story a little better. Her families hearts would have exploded!

I retired several years ago but I still visit the office where I used to work. I love return there because that's where many of my very closest friends are.

On one of my visits a few years ago I stopped to see one of those close friends and was saddened to see their office dark and empty. When I asked about them I was told that my friend had resigned.

Well, that hurt. No phone call. No text. Nothing. I thought we were close. I sent messages but responses were few and far between. My heart was not as "full" as it once had been.

But then (there's two amazing words for ya!) I received a message from that person last week, asking if we could have lunch. I thought my heart was going to explode with joy!

Have you ever read Luke 15? The story that Jesus told about The Prodigal Son. What an image of an exploding heart! When the father and the son got back together! Oh, my!

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." - Luke 15:20

All of our relationships should be like that.

God loves it when we come to Him. Maybe it's been a while since we were with Him in prayer. Perhaps our hearts have grown cold and dark like my friend's office. It's not too late to change things. Reach out to a friend. Get down on your knees and talk to God.

While love is not a one way street, sometimes it just is. Maybe someone needs a "delivery truck" to pull up to their house and deliver some much needed love.

The world is a scary place to be living in right now. Many people have closed their doors AND their hearts. God has commanded us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. The instructions couldn't be more clear. Explode someone's heart today!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

I Saw You

Today's story comes from a family reunion my wife and I attended over the weekend. We met some distant relatives (from California and Idaho), many of whom we had never encountered before.

The older visitors had been to the farm years ago and had many stories to share. Wonderful stories of their childhood and also of my father and grandparents.

After completing a tour of the barn, and as we returned to the farm house, I noticed three teen boys sitting under a cedar tree, looking bored. So I turned aside and struck up a conversation with them. Nice young men. We talked for half an hour and then it was time for lunch.

After we had eaten, one of the older visitors came up to me and said, "I saw you talking to the boys under the tree. What is it in you that enables you to do that? The boys were so interested in what you were saying."

The reason I decided to speak with those teen boys was because I had once been in their situation - bored and waiting for my parents to get done visiting. I knew what they were feeling and wanted to make their visit at least a little more tolerable.

The point of this story is something we ALL need to remember - someone is always watching. Maybe it's a distant relative or maybe it's God Himself. Someone always notices what we say and do.

"Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

48Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” - John 1:47-48

Do we act the same in private as we do in public? When God watches us interacting in the world around us, and He does, what does He see? Does he see a worldly human doing what "the pagans" do? Or does He see one of His children showing compassion for and loving others the way HE would?

There is an old saying, usually reserved for job interviews. It says, "You never have a second chance to make a first impression." That's true. But I think we ALWAYS have a chance to impress God with the decisions we make in life. May we always reflect the truth, honesty, humility and compassion of Jesus. That is how people will know who, and whose, we are.

Such As These

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” - Luke 18:16-17

As I write this story our granddaughter is sleeping in the other room. All is quiet. For now. She is all tired out from teaching her grandfather life lessons.

Things were different yesterday when she was running all over of yard, exploring. She talked and giggled and sang little songs as she went. That's why I paid particular attention to her when she ran over to a tree stump, stood on it, and posed, motionless, like she was a tree. Kids are wonderful examples of how our relationships should be. Innocent, doubtless, pure, happy, wonder-filled and thoughtful.

Do we approach our relationships in ways like a child? Are our relationships pure with no ulterior motives? Are we 100% committed to each relationship we have? Or do we doubt and question when someone disagrees with us or rebukes us in some way?

I looked at the picture of my granddaughter again. Was she really pretending to be a tree? Or was she forming the shape of a cross? Does our relationship with Jesus reflect the love of life that a child has? And, speaking of Jesus, shouldn't we be making sacrifices in order to make our earthly relationships last?

One of our main problems as adults has been that we grew up. We attended seminars, Bible studies, and leadership summits. All in an effort to grow in our faith. But really, Jesus wants us to have the faith of a little child. Simple, pure, unquestioning.

Children can be all over the map when it comes to their behavior. But they also can have incredible moments when they become the teachers. The question facing us adults is, are we willing to learn from our children?

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “’From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?" - Matthew 21:16

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

His Many Blessings

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8

How have you ever been blessed in your life? A wonderful spouse? Kids? Grandkids? A special friend?

Of course the world tells you that blessings come in the form of wealth, power and fame. God's blessings seldom come with price tags attached. That's because God's blessings are usually priceless.

I was sitting in church this past Sunday when the pastor asked us to stand for the last worship song. We were just starting to sing the first verse when I sensed movement to my left. Someone was approaching me. It was my friend Chris. He walked up and stood right beside me.

I put my arm around him and patted him on the back. Chris has been through a lot recently. His brother is battling cancer right now and he is Chris's best friend.

Each time Chris sees me in church he always asks me if I am going to Lifest - a Christian music festival in Oshkosh.

"You goin'?" he asks.

"Yep" or "We'll see," are my usual replies.

As we sang I prayed. Why had Chris come over to stand by me? He'd never done it before. Did he think I looked lonely? Or did he just want to hang out with a friend?

Chris and I finished singing the worship song and then we turned and gave each other a hug.

Who cares why he came over. It was a blessing to me. I looked at Chris as we walked out of the sanctuary.

Nope. No price tag.

How will God bless YOU today?

Blessings - Laura Story

Spiritual Intimacy

Imagine knowing someone so intimately that they knew when you were hurting, when you were struggling, even what you were thinking. It IS possible. Here's how.

First, Let's clarify the word 'spiritual.' That's a pretty broad term. Today, and every day, I am writing about the God of The Bible. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God of the Trinity - God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus.

Another thing we need to get out of the way before we can talk about spiritual intimacy is that God already knows everything about us. He knows everything we've done, everything we have thought, and everything we WILL do. Every intimate detail. The problem with our lack of spiritual intimacy with God is us.

Do you have a close friend you share your inner most feelings with? Is it God?

The problem with many of our earthly relationships is that we are "unequally yoked." We believe in different things, we have different interests. We don't actually know the other person or where they are coming from. The same thing can happen in our relationship with God.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" - 1 Corinthians  6:14

Are we "equally yoked" with God? Probably not. God is God. All-knowing, all-loving. We are not. And that's the problem. So, how to we become equally yoked with God? Well, we can't, but we can try. We can start by reading our Bibles. Get to know Him, His likes and dislikes. His laws.

I just finished reading the Book of Psalms. There's a lot on information inside that book. All of it good. We should read it. A lot!!

"For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies." - Psalms 57:10

"Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!" - Psalm 63:3

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." - Psalm 103:13

"Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul." - Psalm 143:8

The best way to have an intimate spiritual relationship with God is to get to know Him more and more. We do that by reading. We do that by praying. We do that by following His commandments. If WE are the problem in our relationship with God, shouldn't we try to change that.

Your Love, O Lord - Third Day

The Image of God

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him." - Genesis 1:27

We watch our news feed and comment from the safety of our bunkers. "How dare they." "What an idiot." "That's just wrong." "Black lives matter!" "ALL lives matter!!" We're forgetting one very important thing. We, and the people we comment about, were all made in the image of God.

Rioters, police, politicians, looters, terrorists, news reporters, black, white, you name it - ALL were created in the image of God.

We tend to forget that these days. We get all wrapped up in OUR beliefs that we fail to acknowledge the beliefs of others. Whether right or wrong, we all have things that we believe to be true.

But what should the Christian do when he or she encounters a Muslim, or anyone else with a different point of view? I think we must listen with our eyes and speak with our hearts.

"You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar." That's what my grandpa used to say. Jesus told us that we must love one another. That's the honey - love. It was SO important a concept to Jesus that He said it three times in two verses.

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

What does "love" look like on Facebook or Twitter? People get bashed on social media over a simple comment they have made. Total strangers then join in on the attack because they disagree. That's not love. So, what DOES love look like? How should we respond?

• Don't comment right away. Maybe the other person will think twice about their comment and delete it.
• If you do comment, apply some honey. Comment in love or ask a respectable question.
• When you post something, be considerate of others opinions. Or don't post at all.

We aren't going to change anyone's mind by getting up in their face about something. Our biggest weapon in any battle should be prayer. Do we pray about something before we post it? Honestly, I seldom do. I need to change that.

"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." - James 3:5-6

We must love one another because all too often we forget that we are arguing with and bashing the image of our God.

Wide Eyed - Nicole Nordeman

Observations of a Sick Boy

There are many things I have discovered while being sick. Some of them are really good, some unexpected, and others were rather disappointing. Some downright depressing. But the good gratefully has seemed to outweigh the bad and God, my King, is ALWAYS in control.

My relationship with God has definitely improved. Although reading has decreased dramatically, daily conversations, minute-by-minute chats have soared in both frequency and intensity. Even LOOKING at my Bible has proven beneficial.

My appreciation for my wife has grown massively. Just lying around watching what she does all day has been tiring. She works pretty much full time, which is amazing, but throw in her daily chores and the spare time things he likes to do and she's really getting tired. Now, add in all MY daily chores, needs, trips to the hospital and . . . wow.

Probably the saddest things I have observed during this week-long illness has been in my relationships. My relationship stock has crashed! I haven't really let a lot of people know that I am sick. I'm not someone who does that really. But I DO love all of my relationships. Those are pretty much gone.

Food tastes better. I should be gaining weight, but I'm not. I've lost 16% of my body weight. I am free to eat!! Anyone wanna go for a burger? HMU!

Turn off the television. It will make 25% of your worries and fears disappear. IMMEDIATELY!

I'm currently running low on energy so I have to end this post by encouraging you this these ways:

• Never take your relationships for granted - whether with God, your spouse or friends, relationships are the most precious things we get in this life. Especially our relationship with God.
• Don't think your doctors and nurses are able to read your mind. They can't. Just like in any good relationship, there must be trust. Tell them everything. Expect the same from them.
• Offer appreciation when someone does something for you. No matter how small. It's an act of service. They didn't HAVE to do that. Then where would you be?

I will leave you today with my favorite verse. I have written about it many times. Call it my life verse if you will.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

In The Living Years

The world is going a little nuts right now. People are panicking over things they cannot see. Self-preservation is paramount in everyone's mind. We just want to live through this, right? Right! But we're forgetting something.

I've had this song in my head for the past few days -  In The Living Years by Mike and The Mechanics. It's about a failed relationship between a father and his son. Strained, awkward, insufficient, but then the father dies and there is no longer an opportunity for reconciliation. The son regrets that fact.

How sad. If the son could have only reconciled the relationship with his father . . . in the living years.

We are so busy right now, thinking and doing things to avoid this virus that has changed our lives in so many ways. All that's good I guess but many of us are forgetting the most important thing we should be doing right now - restoring our lost relationship with God, The Father.

As the song says, "It's too late when we die."

I came across this parable in my reading yesterday so I think I'll just leave it here and see if you can't understand its meaning. Let those who have ears, let them hear.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." - Matthew 25:1-13

This parable was told to us by Jesus. Why? It was His way of warning us to reconcile our relationship with God before He returns. When the doors of the wedding feast are closed it will be too late. Reconcile with God today. And please, do so . . . in the living years. His return is close.

In The Living Years - Mike and The Mechanics

Yours To Hold

There are times, I think, when our faith gets stale. We kind of flat-line in our growth. That's when God intervenes and says, "Clear!!!"

I was praying with a friend of mine last week and afterwards, on my way home, I found myself thinking about why prayer and compassion are so important.

Think about God and the compassion He showed for us and why God created us in His image. It's for relationships! It's true.

Think about the first relationship - the one between God and Adam. What did God do for Adam? He created Eve. Why? Because "It is not right for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18) And when God came walking through the garden in the next chapter He was looking for His two creations. Why? Because God had a relationship with them. Even AFTER they sinned.

Fast forward several thousand years to when Lazarus died. "Jesus wept." Why? Why did Jesus cry when He already knew He was going to bring Lazarus back to life? Why did He cry? He didn't cry for Lazarus. He cried for those who were hurting.

"When Jesus saw her (Mary) weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept." - John 11:33-35

Jesus wept because of the pain and sorrow Mary, Martha and the rest of them were feeling about the loss of someone they loved.

If we were created in God's image and we feel all these emotions, God can, and does, feel the same things about us. God is not this absolute ruler of all things. Well, He is. But that is not ALL He is. Think about that for a moment.

And Jesus is our example.

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." - John 13:15

Think of all the emotions Jesus exhibited. He loved deeply, He got angry when we turned God's temple into a marketplace, He wept for His friends in their grief, He prayed so deeply that He bled, He prayed for His enemies while hanging on the cross.

And now look at OUR relationships. If Jesus is our example, how do our relationships compare? Is the way we pray for people deep, to the point of tears? When we see someone hungry, do we feed them? Do we clothe the naked? Do we look after the widow and the orphan?

I have some work to do. How about you?

We are God's to hold. He wants that relationship with each of us. Don't you think we should want that relationship with Him? With others?

Your To Hold - Skillet