Seasons Of Change

These days we are in are seasons of change...

Today was the first day our church has started meeting in a home for our Sunday service. There are many financial reasons that sum up to insufficient funds for us to rent a building at this time; but to be clear, lack of tithing by our congregation is not one of them.
For the past two years, up through last week, we had been meeting at an elementary school and that had been okay, but it became clear that we were to move on. For nine and one-half years prior to that we rented a building from another church until that church decided they could/should get more money than we were able to pay.

Today's service was very much a blessing! We are where God wants us to be in this season. What more can we really ask for? It was an intimate time together.

Our church doesn't seem like much when compared to the many mega-churches in our city, but it is more than okay because God hasn't called us to be one of those. I believe that we get caught in the trap of the standards by which today's churches are judged against other churches and the "successful" church is the one that has grown to have thousands of people and built large edifices and have multiple services. If you don't have that and don't look like that, your church appears to be a failure. There were times that Jesus had a church of thousands. Most of the time he had a dozen or so followers. If that was good enough for Him, shouldn't that be good enough for us if that is what he has called us to? I think it is. Additionally, His Word tells us that when we judge ourselves against others we are without understanding spiritually.

On a different but kind of related note, our son left to go back to Norman, Oklahoma yesterday. He needed to be back this evening for his job as an RA. Originally he was going to leave today, but prompted by the Holy Spirit decided it would be better to drive part of the way yesterday afternoon and then complete the drive today. We had been keeping an eye on the weather in relation to his need to travel, but the forecast on showed a very slight chance of any precipitation or possible bad weather through today, but we each one had that feeling from the Spirit that he needed to leave yesterday. I'm glad we heard that prompting so clearly.
Snow started falling this morning about 6:00 a.m. and we had about 3 to 4 inches in less than two hours. Roads quickly turned to sheets of slick, icy, packed snow, and I'm sure that similar conditions existed all the way to the South where he would have had to drive today. That would have been pretty lousy conditions for him to drive in.

The time our son was home, short though it was, was very much a blessing. When he is home, the average decibel level in our home escalates unbelievably. His voice is resonant (a.k.a. loud) when he isn't being attentive to keep it down. That's okay. That's just who he is. We had some good talks and just enjoyed being together as a family again. Also, as he noted on his blog recently, he is perhaps as happy as anyone can remember seeing him in a long while. Hurray!
I am grateful beyond words for the work God has done and is doing in him. What more can a parent ask for?

Our older daughter (middle child) was home from her first semester of college as well. She had a very rough first semester, but we are able to see God's Hand at work in her life. There is much He is desiring to teach her about herself in this time. It is hard as a parent to wait and watch as this process takes place. We have this desire to want to save, or at least help, our children when they are in difficult places in their lives. Our daughter came home very down and very discouraged. She had a hard time making new friends which is odd for her. She had a hard time getting plugged in with any of the college ministries because she found there wasn't the depth there that she was expecting. She was talking about wanting to change schools, change majors, wanting to change pretty much everything. There were many difficult emotional things that occurred and our feeling is that she felt like she just wanted to run away from what this semester of school has been. Fortunately, she has calmed down and started to hear the Holy Spirit speaking His peace to her heart and spirit and soul. We're praying for this next semester to be better for her. We are also praying for her to invest in the ministry where God calls her to.
She will be home for a couple more weeks before returning to college and I'm hoping for more opportunities to talk with her during this period of time. This is her season of change...

I want to take a line and note for my kids that I am so very proud of each of them. Each one is special and each one has their special gifting and nothing can take away from who God has made them to be.

It is a season where many of us are reflecting on things of the past, things that are happening in these days and considering things that will soon come about. I could write pages of the other things that this relates to for us, but I think you get the idea.

I am so thankful that we have the One that cares about us and leads us in these changing seasons.

May God bless you!

I Wouldn't Have Missed It For the World

They got married yesterday and I wouldn't have missed it for the world... but we almost did!

I posted The Announcement back in September about a young couple's engagement and forthcoming wedding.
- God had some things for me to learn along the way... especially in regard to casting my cares and burdens upon Him. I had to learn more about letting go and trusting the Lord with the lives of those that are precious to me. -

Their wedding, you see, was in a city 130 miles to the North of where we live -- about 2-1/2 hours drive in good weather -- and yesterday was a snowy, borderline blizzard-like day here in Colorado. It took us over three hours to drive up to where the wedding was. There was blowing snow, very icy roads, and several accidents along the way up and back. We got tied up in traffic about 20 miles from our destination and moved about two miles in half an hour... needless to say, we started getting a tad nervous about making it on time. We have other friends that had planned on going, but decided not to go because of the bad weather. I can't say that I blame them since it was less than an enjoyable drive, but for us it was well worth it.

My previous post is about a group of four young men that have been together all of their lives. The groom was the second born of those young men. He and my son have been best friends pretty much all their lives. The bride was a close friend of my son's through high school and his date for the senior prom. This young couple is very special and important to us. Our son was the best man and our oldest daughter was a bridesmaid.

So this is a rambling post to say that we spent about six to seven hours driving yesterday to be able to spend about six hours celebrating (wedding and reception) with a precious young couple as they joined their lives together.

Thanks and all praise be to God Who made it possible for us to be there with them and to get us home safely.

Four Boys Became Four Young Men

Last evening four men gathered together to remember a time 11 or 12 years ago when we got together to pray over four boys. These are our boys: all within two years of age, that have grown up together from birth and have been friends all along the way.

This is not so common in these mobile days where families move from place to place and state to state for jobs and such. We've been extremely blessed that we've all been able to stay in one place and have our church family for the entirety of our children's growing up years, and so have our children.

These four boys played together, fought thousands of imaginary battles together, fought amongst themselves a time or two (more than once over a stick imagined to be a light saber), and played countless hours of XBox together. Most importantly they have prayed together and encouraged one another.

Now all four have left home and gone off to college.

Yesterday one got married.

Last evening we remembered these little boys that we prayed over. When we prayed for them, prayed that they would be Godly brothers for one another. That their friendships would endure. That they would be there to encourage one another. That as they were growing up there would always be the place to love one another, be able to bring correction to each other, that they would rally to each other and be there to help each other. God, in His amazing faithfulness, answered this prayer.

And last night at a wedding reception, we remembered.

Remembrance

The sermon our pastor brought last Sunday (11/25) was about being a remembrancer.
It was a reminder that we are to remember that which God has given us and that we have a testimony in establishing that which He has done in us and for us.

I spent a good amount of time this week thinking back over much that He has brought me (us) through in these years that I've known Him. (I use the term known very loosely, because I know that I still have much to learn to know my God.) That He knows me, I have no question. How well I know the Living God, well I must take from His word to answer that:
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

I remembered back to when I was a 16 year-old in my room asking God for a sign to show me He was real. That evening He provided for me a sign that was specifically what He knew I needed. Oh how God knows us and our individual needs (I consider how Jesus appeared to Thomas). God revealed Himself to me the way I needed in that moment at that time. He had His hand on me before I came to know what a wonderful savior He is; He has lead me and guided me since.
Many more things I remembered and all those things point to His absolute faithfulness to bring me through. There are so many times that I didn't understand and I wasn't able to see how His hand was at work. He has delivered me from my ugly and utterly detestable failures; from the sin I could not deserve to be delivered from. He has healed hurts. He has spared my life, my marriage, and my family and allowed me to be called his child, a son of the living God.

As King David said:
I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
For You have delivered my soul from death,Indeed my feet from stumbling,So that I may walk before God in the light of the living. Psalm 56:13
Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink;May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters. Psalm 69:14
For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. Psalm 86:13
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;He delivered them out of their distresses. Psalm 107:6
He sent His word and healed them,And delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20
(All scriptures from the New American Standard Bible)

Lord, to You I give all glory, all honor, and all praise. You alone are worthy.

Re-reading James

The morning after my last post I went back to the book of James and read the first chapter again.
The Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of highlighting the things we need to see.

James 1:19-21 (Amplified Bible)

19Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.

20For man's anger does not promote the righteousness God [wishes and requires].

21So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls.

This has been echoing around inside me since I reread it.
I so easily get frustrated and angry with myself and with the church, when it seems that we miss the calling so obviously. Yet, it isn't always obvious. And my anger and frustration absolutely will not, and indeed cannot produce or promote the righteousness of God.
Thank God for His Spirit to convict me and remind me that there is always more to every circumstance than I can see, but there is never more to any circumstance than He can see.

I know there are those out there that have needs that need to be met, and I know God knows who He wants to meet those needs. I pray when it is for me to do, I am attentive to the prompting of the Spirit.

I read somewhat recently in My Utmost for His Highest that Jesus never gives up on us, therefore how could I dare to give up on anyone or cease hoping and praying for the breakthroughs in peoples lives that are so needed (paraphrased).
With God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

Almost Thanksgiving...

Four days from now we will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday as a nation.

I pray that we as a nation will remember the true meaning and purpose for this day.

To thank God of heaven and earth for the multitude of blessings that He has poured forth upon us as individuals, as communities, states, and as a nation.

God has blessed us abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think...
Yet we, for the most part, take it for granted. We act as though we could somehow deserve the favor God has shown to us; that we, as a nation, are somehow predisposed to receive His wondrous grace and blessing.
We are not.

Without the blood shed for us by Jesus Christ, the Living One, we can never come close to God, the Father.

Forgive us our sin, oh God, as we turn and repent from our truly wicked ways. Forgive us, oh Lord, and heal our sick and broken land. Be gracious to us for Your Name's sake, Lord.
Jesus, we thank You for all that You have done and for the life You have to bestow upon us, if we will only yield to You our hearts and lives.
Father, we ask for Your abundant mercy to be with, and Your covering to be over, the men and women of the armed forces of this country who are overseas serving, that do not have the opportunity to be with their families for this Thanksgiving. Guard their lives and keep them in the safety of Your busom. Dear Lord, thwart every evil plan of the enemy that is desirous to destroy them.
I ask these things of You, oh Mighty God, in the precious name of Jesus Christ the messiah, that You would show forth Your Glory in these dark and perilous times. -- Amen

If I Only Knew...

How many times, I wonder, have I said, "If I only knew then what I know now, I would have done things so differently."

I just caught myself thinking it again about something. Not anything really important, but just that thought crossed my mind.

I've thought it a couple different times lately with regard to the mountain bike I bought. If I only knew a year ago that I would have gotten into it like I have, I would have purchased a higher end bicycle... one with rear suspension and higher quality shifters, derailleurs, and brakes. But as my friend at the bike store reminded me, there wasn't any way to know. Not that the bicycle I bought was not a good one, it is just that there are things I've learned since that would have affected the decision I made at the time.

I know I have thought it many times over the past couple years regarding some really stupid choices I was making a few years ago; thoughts about quitting on God, my marriage, my kids, and my church. I got burned out on the boring doldrums of day-to-day life. I was looking to see what my life was about. Had I done anything worthwhile? Was I a success or was I a failure? I was trying to find my worth in the world. The events of September 11, 2001 kind of kicked it off. All of a sudden everything that I thought had been secure, wasn't feeling so secure any more. I thought I might be able to find my self-worth somewhere else, maybe with someone else. --- Lot's of nonsense really. Thankfully God kept me and showed me very clearly how foolishly I was thinking and acting. Thankfully He also restored all that I had considered throwing away. I have since seen through eyes of His Spirit how much would have been, not just lost, but destroyed. So now, with 20-20 hindsight, I look back and can say "If I only knew then what I know now, I sure would have done it differently."

Of course God knows and I have to remind myself of that.

So now I am trying to be attentive to those times when I am apt to utter the phrase, or even to think it, that I am to take every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ Jesus and demolish every lofty thought and speculation that would raise itself up against God...

Thankfully, every time I consider "If I only knew...", it just means I've learned something important and I need to be mindful of the lessons that God teaches me through the life He has given me to live. I'm pretty sure He meant for me to live it in fullness. After all Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has a plan for our lives that include a future and a hope.
-- This is something that I'm glad I already know!

Lights to the Soul

There have been a lot of painful experiences going on in lives around us. I understand that pain is part of this life, and that we can't avoid it.
* A friend of ours, a financial officer for a worldwide ministry, had one of the employees that worked for him brutally murdered in the parking lot of their workplace yesterday morning. She was a single Christian woman with two daughters and was caring for her mother.
* Another friend of ours has a friend with breast cancer. (Also a Christian.) The lady had major surgery this past Monday. She is now recovering and awaiting pathology reports. She will have to start chemotherapy in a couple months.
* Another friend of ours knows a lady who lost her 10 month old baby.
* A lady my wife has worked with lost a son this past week. (Also a Christian.) Not sure from what or how old he was.
* We know several Christians with physical afflictions of some sort or another and with varying degrees of pain; some are pretty extreme. Some have had knee surgeries, some ankle surgeries...

Jesus did not promise us that this life would be free from all pain just because we chose to follow Him. Rather, He told us that we would encounter pain and difficulties; then we are to count it all joy. That we are to persevere through these trials. That is no small order.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

I saw a picture of a friend the other day and was reminded of something I've read in scripture: That the eyes are the lamp (or light) to the soul.
The person in the picture is a Christian and it was a wonderful picture of that person. But behind the smile, the eyes reveal years of hurt and pain. I had to stop and pray for this one, and it has been heavy on my heart since.

Father God, You know the plans You have for us and Your Word says that Your plans are for good, not for evil. We live in a sinful, fallen world and we are affected day after day by those around us; some believers, some not. Only Your mercy and grace extended to us allows us to carry on and still have hope. We cannot hope in ourselves nor can we hope in even those close to us whom we love and care about. We can only place our hope in You, the Sovereign King of all Creation. Lord I pray for these around us that are enduring such difficulties and pain and I humbly ask that You would send Your ministering angels to them and Your Holy Spirit to comfort them in their hours of distress. Thank You precious Lord Jesus for interceding for each of these and for us before our Father in heaven in the perfect way that only You can do. I love You Lord and I continue to place my trust in You especially in the midst of these times in which I am not able to understand or comprehend Your purpose and plan.
I would also ask for my friend in the picture, that You will heal the scars of the deepest hurts and pains of heart that this person bears. I know that Your will and desire to do so and You will accomplish it in Your perfect time.
Amen.

Getting Tuned In

Have you ever had to mess with an analog radio to try to get it tuned in? Do you remember those, the kind with a little dial that you have to move back and forth just so to get it so you can hear the radio station without the static. I know those are fading into the past in this digital age. Today the tuners on our car radio still have a dial that you can turn to the left and the right to change the station, but it moves from one digital channel setting to the next so when you get to the exact frequency the radio station is broadcasting (like 98.3 MHz), you have a corresponding digital setting.
I remember when I was younger, before everything was digital, radios had dials and the tuning knob would take you through all the space in between 98.1 and 98.9 when you were trying to get to 98.3 and getting it set could sometimes be just a little touchy... and radio stations didn't announce that they were broadcasting on the decimal somewhere in between the whole numbers, they rounded up or down; the local station that broadcast on 92.9 announced its location as 93. Simple.

I started considering this this evening after an adventure...
I am trying to find new places to go ride my mountain bike in hopes of actually getting this decaying body back into something resembling being in shape again (which is no small task). So even though the weather forecast was gloomy and the skies were threatening, I went out to ride in a city park close by that provides some moderately challenging terrain. I was hoping to get about a five mile ride in before the weather got bad. I had mapped out my route before going, but since I had not ridden there before I was not familiar with where all the trails went. I was having fun and I missed the place where I had intended to turn off to the trail to take me back to my pickup. About that time I was crossing an open area on the top of the bluff and it started lightning and thundering pretty intensely.
Now I often talk to God while I'm on little outings because it is usually a good time to do so. There generally aren't too many interruptions. [Sometimes I also ask for help to keep breathing.] Well I mentioned to Him that I noticed the static electrical show that was dancing around me was impressive, but it was also making me a little uncomfortable and that I understood that I needed to get back, but the trail was leading away from where my truck was parked. I reasoned that it shouldn't be too much further to where the trail was supposed to head back the other way so I went on a little farther, maybe another 1/4 mile. *** This is where it ties back to the fine tuning. ***
I need a digital tuner so that I can clearly GET the frequency God is broadcasting to me on. Somehow it seems that I am still using an analog tuner that gets a little fuzzy from time-to-time and I am not quite getting the clear signal. And I think the lightning was messing with the reception too.
I know God speaks clearly, so the reception problem has to be on this end. God said, "You should stop and go back that other way to the truck." What I got was something like, "You should <crackle> go <crackle> that <crackle> way to the truck."
Okay, so not really... there weren't any static crackles in the reception, though there really was plenty of electrical static. I confess that there was just that stupid thing in me that says "just a little further and I can turn around there and go back..."

"I'm sorry Lord. You spoke. I heard, but I only kinda listened. Thank You for having mercy on this servant and only allowing me to get a little wet, when if I had really listened I would have been back at my pickup before the rain started to fall. You truly are merciful."

Oh, and as for the analog tuner, I think I need to replace it with a digital tuner attached to a PA system so it can get through my hearing difficulty.

--God bless.

In the Battle

We are in a battle. It is real. It is everyday.


Our enemy is real and he hates us.



Sometimes I think we forget that.



When we are keenly aware in the spirit, we know the battle is coming, we prepare our armor to get ready and go into it head on.
How is it that somehow we forget that when we head into the battle we are liable to take some blows, not just deal out the blows.



I remember that "my God is for me, so who can be against me"... well that word says in more fullness, "who can stand (or be) against me and prevail." The answer to that is, if I am doing God's will and fighting the spiritual battle against the principalities of darkness in the heavenly places, then the enemy will fall, and through Christ who strengthens me I will prevail. But it doesn't mean that I am guaranteed not to take any blows. It means that I will take blows from the enemy, but he will not overwhelm me or defeat me. It means there are going to be hurts (wounds) inflicted during the battle and those may take time to heal. Thankfully we also know our healer and that He is Mighty and Powerful and True.
Going into worship this morning, I sensed in the spirit that we were in for a battle against our worship. We prayed against our enemy and for our worship time to be glorifying to God. Then we really entered the battle. Our enemy came ready to fight. I believe we were not as ready for battle as we needed to be. We took some casualties and were wounded but we were not defeated.
God prevailed! Just as He always does and always will.
I am reminded of a song by Danny Daniels that we used to sing:

I am a wounded soldier,

But I will not leave the fight

Because the Great Physician

Is healing me

So I'm standing in the battle

In the armour of the light

Because His mighty power

Is real in me

I am loved (I am loved)

I am accepted (I am accepted)

By the Saviour of my soul (Saviour of my soul)

I am loved (I am loved)
I am accepted (I am accepted)

And my wounds will be made whole

Dear Saints, Do not lose hope! Do not give up! We are NOT defeated! God is on our side!

Gird yourselves now for battle, (Ephesians 6:10-20) for many battles are coming and the battles will be bloody. Now is the time to stand and fight the good fight to fill the breaches in our walls. Our enemy is sensing that his time is growing short and he is starting to bring in the heavy artillery.

Stand firm therefore and be not dismayed, for our God will show forth His glory through His people... His remnant.

God loves you!

Do You Love Me?

“Do you love me?”
This is a question that Jesus asked Peter. It was not a rhetorical question. It had a specific purpose behind it, as did all the things Jesus spoke. Jesus was expecting an answer from Peter, but it required Peter to look inside himself to really see if the answer was true. True, meaning not what Peter understood love to be, but true based on what Jesus had taught Peter that love meant.
So while Peter answered, “Yes, Lord I love You.” Jesus knew that what Peter answered was not the answer to the question asked, so He asked the question again, “Peter, do you love me?”
Peter answered again.
Jesus asked a third time, “Peter, do you love me?”

Jesus was not asking Peter to answer about having emotional love. Jesus was asking a deeper question requiring an answer that pierced to the depths of Peter’s soul.

Now, my question to you... Do you love me?

Those of you reading this that do not know me may be thinking, “how can I love you, I don’t even know you?”

Some of you reading this may think, “I’ve known you a long time, you know I love you.”

If you are answer either way or even another way, I ask you to consider what it really means to love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a is the answer.

I know I still have much to learn about how to love as Christ does. My love is still so superficial in so many ways; still filtered through my human experience and so prone to my fleshly, non-spirit lead ways of thinking. Thanks be to God that He is patient to continue to show me and teach me His way, in His perfect time, to bring me to His perfection... all in due time.
Be not anxious, oh my soul for that which God will bring to pass in His merciful perfected timing.

I wrote most of this post a couple weeks ago. Reading a 'The Ark' postings by Mike Duran in his blog (referred by Ame) brought this back to me. It is really about the body of Christ learning to be what God intended: Imperfect people learning how to love other imperfect people with and through the perfect example of love Jesus exemplified.