Help Your Brother

Good morning and happy Friday. It's about the team really. We talked about edification of the body and how we have to pick each other up. A team is just that, help. When we are seeing one of our brothers and sisters struggling we need to come along beside them and support them. Reminds me of the Footprints poem and the moment that Jesus is carrying the dreamer. Well we are Jesus-like now and it's up to us to do the carrying no matter the cost. Do what you can, when you can. You don't have to and sometimes can't do it all so don't be discouraged by that and take comfort in what you can do. It may be someone else's season for that person. Just be ready for yours. We have to reach out and be Jesus to a hurting world. If you find yourself in a good place, then reach out to others to help. If you find yourself in a rough spot then reach out to others to be helped. The hiding are harder to find. Shine your light. In love always. <>< 

How Safe Are You?

Good morning and happy Thursday. So is the devil sitting next to you in church? Could be. Is the church a safe place? Is faith in Christ safe so far as we just have it and we're good?  No. Paul talks to the Ephesians about unity and building up the church. As we are the church, that means us. We are to be in unity with each other and build one another up. To think that Satan is not tempting you right at the church door if not the pew itself, is not wise. To think that because we are doing all we can to be Christ-like keeps us from needing correction from another is crazy. Many Christians today have a very false since of security in the fact that they follow Jesus so they are covered. Yes to a degree, but as humans we fall and are in need of help from our Christian brothers. And in seeing a brother or sister falling we are to be about helping them without condemning them. This is judgement made in love and out love for God to not let one of His people fall. Yes, God protects but only to a point of letting a lesson be learned from continual disregard to what we know is right. Love each other and get a long with one another so that God is glorified and His church is built up. In love always <><

We Are The Body

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I watched my daughters basketball team play a game last night for the regional qtr finals that blew me away. They played so well together that they were never behind a single point. The usual scorers didn't make as many points and the usual lower scorers did. They worked as a team like I've never seen. Everyone filling a role and playing it to their best. Each part doing it's part for the good of the whole. Sounds a lot like Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. In it he describes the body as many parts working together for the glory of God. We have to realize and take hold of our role in the season we are in. I believe that as our circumstances change we become another part and so on. God has designed as amazing structure to life. We have to be on board with His plan though to see it through or we may just miss all the good stuff we thought we have. It's not asking much of us to be a part of the whole body by being the pinkie toe. That's an easy season, but sometimes we have to step it up and be the head of the situation. And by our surrender to His will, we will have Him leading us through it. Take comfort in that for a while. In love always. <><

Be The Vessel

Good morning and happy Tuesday. How available are you?  I need some help with some stuff around the house can you come over and help? I bet there would be plenty of offers of help and use of stuff to help. Most of us are good at that sort of thing. But I need some help with a problem I have. I need some guidance in an area of my life I've been letting go for a while. I'm stuck in this,_____, and I can't get out, would you help me? Some would of course but fewer options would be there. Our friends and family need us. They need Jesus in us to be in them. And no matter how inadequate we feel in this area, it's not us that is helping. We are merely the vessel God uses to do what He needs done. There's no inadequacy when you trust God to do the work. " I don't know how to help with that" is not gonna cut it. A friend is in need, no a co-worker you're not real close to is in need of spiritual guidance. Why then did they come to you?  Because they see something in you they trust and want. That's your first clue that it's not you but God at work here. Allow Him to wash over you and fill the vessel you are, to full. In love always. <>< 

Hiding To Be Found

Good morning and happy Monday. So a kid goes missing and the people look and search to no avail. People are praying and no one is giving up. A man is woken from his sleep and hears God tell him to go to this place and find the boy. He does and finds him cold and afraid but ok. The man who woke up is telling this story to a group of troubled kids and teaching about Gods love for them. When the guy leaves, that night a young boy went missing. They found him in almost the same way as in the story. When asked why he did that the young boy replied, " I wanted to see if God loved me that much to send someone after me too ". He knew inside his heart there was a God. He had never been shown to him, but he knew something was missing from his life. We have no idea of the impact we have on others. Show Jesus to the world around you so that His light is seen in the dark world of others. In love always. <>< 

The Lin Craze

Good morning and happy Friday. Have you caught on to the Lin craze in the NBA yet? Surely you've seen him in the news?  I think it's great how his life has taken the turn it has, especially his humbleness and faith in the Lord. But really, is he doing anything that's more spectacular then many other players. I've seen a few highlight reels showing him do pretty much what he's paid to do. I haven't seen the things of say Michael Jordan. What I see is a regular guy overcoming some huge odds and making a difference in his teams season. How well are the regular guys, you and I, doing on God's team? You don't have to do this in a big headline grabbing way. Just do what you are lead to and the impact may be bigger than you can imagine. Lin is a great example of just being a regular guy doing what he's supposed to and being humble in the process. He gives glory to God who has put him on a bigger stage to reach a global group of people. Think about his families reach in the Orient who may not know God but might learn to now. Do you part for our team. In love always. <><

Practice Makes Better

Good morning and happy Thursday. I was reading an article in the paper about my cousin shooting a game winning three pointer to win their basketball game. The part of story that caught my attention was that he shows up to the gym at 7:00 am and shoots 100 three pointers a day. In the game he said he didn't want to think about the shot, just get the ball and shoot. No thinking, just doing. That sounds familiar. When we practice our faith we live it much easier. When we're faced with a tough shot in life, our practice in our faith prepares us to do our best. Being prepared to face the questions asked by those seeking Jesus is a sign of our maturity in Christ, but more over demonstrates our preparedness. It's important to exercise our muscles of faith and be prepared for life ahead of us. In love always. <><

Valentine's Day

Good morning and happy Wednesday.  Sorry about yesterday, I just wasn't feeling well. I had a great Valentines day that came with a great reminder. We, like many, had a day on the weekend. And through the grace of God we were able to be a part of something really special. And two wives let me and another husband know exactly how they felt because ""we love them all year long". Not just the one day. So that one day is now a day to do for others since it's not needed in our homes. Please don't misunderstand, it's a great day to celebrate with your loved ones. The love we have is from loving God first. When we put Him first and our families second, the love increases abundantly. I have truly been blessed with a wife who does that. And understands me doing the same. Just like the prodigal sons brother in the field, our families are with us always and get our love always. It's the people around us who may not be getting that at home. Just as we are with God everyday and receive from Him, we need to be in our homes. And from our homes we need to pour out to others. My wife didn't need a dinner or candy or flowers to know I love her. But there are some who don't know that people love them at all. That's who needs our affection for Jesus shown to them. As I grow in my relationship with Jesus it becomes clearer and clearer to understand His message. It only comes as we strive to seek Him. In love always. <><

Following Where He Leads

Good morning and happy Monday. God is in control and if you don't believe me ask Him. So we were gonna follow a leading of the Holy Spirit this weekend, and that there would be a quiz. The quiz is simply what were you led to and what did you do about it? I had a breakfast for the communion team at church and knew, giving the weather, we had cooked too much. Heated up really. But then I felt it couldn't go to waste so down town I went. Found a city of about twelve to fifteen tents under the bridge. So with coffee, eggs, pancakes, and sausage I thought this would be a great place to help. I walked through calling out and no one was home. Too late, they had already moved on in their day. I know, drive the neighborhood and let God lead you where you need to go. All over I drove. Nothing. I was even in one driveway with engine off. Nothing. I called it a day and headed home. Then it hit me. I called my wife and asked her of any single moms from their school. She made a few a calls and I will have a name today of someone who could really use some good heat and go breakfast food. See I was forcing an issue and not allowing God to really lead. I'm glad He made it clear at the house I thought was it. They may need some help too, but it's not my time there. It's not for me to question anymore. It's my job to follow Him. It doesn't have to be a really big show, it just needs to be Spirit lead. Let me know some of what happened this weekend. If you forgot your homework, I'll take it late. I miss school sometimes. In love always. <>< 

Receiving the Gift

Good morning and happy Friday. At my wife's school there is group of students that run a coffee and donut shop for the staff to raise money. I don't get to go by there so I send some money with her to buy someones coffee and donut every Friday. She was telling me about a few of the reactions from the staff members who got there's bought for them. The one the got me the most is the one who couldn't believe it and thought my wife wanted something in return. When it was explained to her why it was being done and that today was the the day she was chosen, it all changed. The point to this is how we are given to by God and still are hesitant to receive His gift. How we think that there are strings attached to it too. We've talked many times about helping others and all, but what about receiving the gift first. Maybe that's our hold up in our own walk. A gift is just that, a gift. No strings attached. I'm amazed at how conditioned we are to not trust when something is being done for us out of pure kindness and love. Receive the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit and yes be thankful and not leery and untrusting. Be joyful in the gift and pass it on to others. In love always. <><

PS  remember to listen to prodding's of the Holy Spirit this week end. Test on Monday. 

Will You Follow The Spirit?

Good morning and happy Thursday, (Friday eve). How do you feel about Jesus? What do you make of all that you've heard and learned about Him over the years? As you sit there nodding your head in thought and saying how you believe in Him and the things He's done, He's my Lord and Savior and all, get it all sunk in deep. Now how much are you like Him? Where in your life are you the least like Him?  If He came to you now and said "Follow me", would you?  Of course you would you've heard the stories already so now it would be easy to act in faith if asked. But wait for it, He's already asking us to follow Him. Our faith is much more than that of the first ones to follow Him. We all have a calling to do His work. We believe in Him to be just who He is but don't put forth the effort He is asking of us. And if you are, bless you. The rest of us have to find it within us, the place we've put the Holy Spirit, and move on it. My challenge to us all this weekend is to move and act on a prodding from the Spirit. When you feel it, you do it. No thinking about it at all just do it. Let's begin to let our God rule our lives so others see what we have and that they will want it too. In love always <><. 

PS. There will be a quiz on Monday 

Savior On The Water

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I have many favorite Bible stories of Jesus and His disciples, but one of my favorite, for many reasons, is when He walks on the water to them. They gave up everything and left their homes and families to follow Him. He sent them out on the lake into a storm. They were afraid, even with all they had seen, because they are human. Just like them in our storms of life we fail to trust or have the faith to believe it will be ok. In their storm Jesus walks to them and simply says "it is I". The storm calms  and things are easing back to normal. These men are as close to Him as one can be and yet they were in a spot that they feared for their lives. We have storms of all sizes and depths of despair and just like with the disciples, Jesus will be right there with us. What He did then, is what He still does now. We can look at the past to see what He does because He has not changed. He will walk to you in your storm and by your faith in Him He will calm it. In love always. <><

Share Your Faith

Good morning and happy Tuesday.  So we've talked about ourselves being ready to die, but what about others in our lives? Are we ready for them to go home? Have we done our part to show them the "Way" home?  A friend of mine once was grieving pretty hard over a friend of his passing. I asked about how close they were to bring on such sadness. He told me that he was sad because his friend did not know Jesus. He said this was really the last time he would be with him. His grieving was not because his friend died, it was because he did not share his faith in Jesus with him. Grieving here when someone we love passes on is normal because we will miss them. It's our selfishness for them to be with us and us with them that makes us sad. I really doubt that anybody near the presence of God is ever gonna want to leave. Are you sharing your faith with others? Especially our family. Don't take it for granted that they know or are getting it somewhere else. Make sure by sharing it and living it. Love them enough to help get them home. In love always. <>< 

God Chose You

Good morning and happy Monday. The battery on the car is dying. I have to get a new one. It's been a good battery. It's taken us to a lot of places over the years of it's life. Never once left us stranded. Reliable and dependable, doing the job it was meant to do. Well done battery. I hope that my life to Jesus reflects the same to Him as that battery did to me. It's really not asking much is it, to do what you're designed for.  To do the job that has been given for you to do. Jesus has shown us how to love each other and help each other. He didn't come here to make more rules and to make it harder to get to Heaven. He simply showed us what God is like and how we need to be to join Him. I picked that battery to go into my car. I chose it for the job I needed it to do. It may not have been the best one, but it was the one chosen and it did the job needed. We may not be the right one in our mind for the job but for God we're just the one He's chosen. Take joy and comfort that He will be there with you through it all. He chose you. In love always. <><

Rescue A Lost Soul

Good morning and happy Friday. I watched a couple of FB and YouTube videos last night of dogs that had been hit in the road by cars. It showed how their friend, another dog, was trying to help them. One was even able to pull his buddy to the side of the road. These were some busy streets and no one, people, was stopping to help or even slow down much. They stood filming and taking pictures from their phones instead. How many of us are watching people, run over by life, struggle to survive without lending a hand? Ok, it may be easier to lend a hand or money to homeless person, then to show a lost soul the way to salvation. People all around us are drowning in the world and we are just watching. It's time to start caring more about them than ourselves. Those dogs were in danger of being run over themselves but chose to help their friend instead. Is that a picture of yourself or have you been watching someone else do it? Our military is perfect example, but it doesn't have to be a war like that. There's a war for our souls going on and it's time to get in it and fight for our brothers, sisters and neighbors. Stop standing by and "filming" the life of others, be the one being" filmed" helping another find Jesus. In love always. <><