Sunday Praise & Worship Message - A Little Rain Must Fall

The noted American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, once wrote, “Into each life some rain must fall.” When you think about it, depending upon your current situation, you can view that quote differently. If you are happy, you can see each drop as a blessing. On the other hand, if you are going through a horrible time in your life, you may wonder when the rain is going to stop.

I, like so many of you, have experienced both sides of that quote. There have been times when I felt those “showers of blessings” while other times, I felt that I would drown in a sea of tears and misfortune. I know that some of you are nodding your head as you think about those periods in your life. It is all about perception and how you choose to view your condition in life. You can either see the good and concentrate on it or only see the bad and dwell on it. It is all up to you.

When you really think about life, it’s just that way.  There are going to be good times and bad. Longfellow hit the nail right on the head. Some rain will fall in our lives. But, it is up to us to see the good and not dwell on the bad. 

Habakkuk, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, wrote in chapter three of his book, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!”

In this prayer, Habakkuk looks to the Lord even when he doesn’t understand what is going on or happening. In this book, we see that God will send the Chaldeans (also known as the Babylonians) to punish his people. Habakkuk, like so many of us, questioned God’s decision. When you examine his book closer, you can see that Habakkuk is trying to come to grips with the Lord’s decision to punish His people for their sins. In fact, he openly questions God’s judgment. 

Over time, Habakkuk embraces God’s decision and understands that God’s judgment isn’t simply to cause His children to suffer. He did what He did to show them the error of their ways. 

If we look very closely at the end of his prayer, we can see that Habakkuk praises the Lord no matter what happens. He knows, without a doubt, that God is his salvation no matter what the circumstance is.

When I consider my life, I have been the recipient of God’s blessings as He showered me with them and I praised Him for them. During other less than ideal times in my life, I have wondered whether or not God was there or even listening to me. I was unable to see the gift of learning a lesson.

Habakkuk, in chapter one, says, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen!”

As I traveled through the valley of darkness, I uttered those same words and felt that I had been forsaken by God. I felt alone and unloved. It didn’t take much for me to feel that way. It seemed that every problem I faced, no matter the size, was yet another time for me to question God.

But, I finally realized that I shouldn’t look at each situation as good or bad. I see them as an opportunity to praise God for His love and salvation. I know it is hard to do when you are going through difficult times. I sometimes find myself going back to my old ways and start to question God. It is at those points I stop and praise God for never leaving or forsaking me. I know that He is there with me. 

When I start to slip into my old ways of thinking and feeling sorry for myself, I remember the words of Job.

In chapter nineteen, Job responds to Bildad, one of his friends, by saying, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”

I know that my Savior lives and I know that God loved me enough to give His own son as a sacrifice to atone for my sins. It is that salvation that gets me through the good times as well as the bad. I can never thank or praise Him enough for all that He provides me. In the end, I realize that, in time, my body will begin to fail and that I will one day close my eyes in death. It is on that day that I will see God. What a joy that will be. I will be able to behold my creator in all of His glory.

So, I say this to you, “Be joyful and rejoice in the Lord in all situations.” Don’t question the Lord. Just have faith. He has, is and will always see you through every situation. When you have a faith like that, you can rest assured that you can stand firm in His grace.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Daily Word of God - Job 42:1-6

Job 42:1-6 New International Version (NIV)

Job

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

Morning Scripture Reading - Job 19:23-27

Job 19:23-27 New International Version (NIV)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on[a] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemer[b] lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[c]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[d] in[e] my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

Footnotes:

1. Job 19:24 Or and
2. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
3. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
4. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
5. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - The Virtues of Character

While I was driving to take care of some errands, I ran across a roadside sign that caught my attention. On it was a quote from the American novelist and short story writer, James Lane Allen. It read, “Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.”

As I continued to drive, that quote began to bounce around not only in my mind but also in my heart. That quote really struck me deeply. I really thought about the words. I began to apply it to Christian faith and our daily walk and life with the Lord.

As we go through difficult situations, character is not something we build in order to face problems. If we relied on ourselves and what we possess in our character, most of us would just run away or curl up and die.

When Job faced his problems, the loss of his wealth, children and his livestock and boils all over his body, he sat scraping his skin while sitting in piles of garbage and ashes. His wife, after seeing all of the things that had happened, did not even try to console him. She abruptly said this in Job 2, “9 Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

A lot of us would just give up and let the vultures and other animals feed on us as we slowly died. Or, we would look to others for help knowing that they could not help us. That would happen if we looked to ourselves for the strength to go on and for the courage to stand up and fight. 

In Proverbs 25, the author writes these words, “19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.”

Relying on someone else who is equally frail and unable to help is truly like “chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.” Our friends who are very dear to us cannot really do that much for us. Do not get me wrong. I appreciate their words of encouragement and their empathy. It is most welcome. Just talking with them does help as we voice our feelings and thoughts.

When I share my feelings and thoughts, I am not looking for a solution. I am just expressing what I am feeling and thinking. No one can give me a solution. All real solutions can only come from God. God can speak those words through someone, but the mere words of a man or woman cannot give us the direction we need. It is only God’s direction and plans for us that will get us through our difficulties. 

You notice that I am not relying even on myself. When I go through a horrible walk through the valley of darkness, I seek the Lord and His way. In Proverbs 3, the author, once again, tells us about relying on ourselves and our own knowledge and understanding, “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

When you consider the wisdom of Proverbs, you see that you cannot depend on yourself or rely on the help of others. It just will not work. Neither will help you in your time of need. You have to rely on someone bigger and greater than yourself. That means you have to rely on Him and Him only.

In his epistle to Titus, Paul writes, “7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.”

As Christians, we must set an example of integrity and seriousness in all that we do. These character traits do not just simply appear. They come from God as He works in our lives. As these traits are nurtured and cultivated, we are to become the example for others. By not relying on our own understanding and seeking His will in our life, we develop our character. As we persevere through life’s problems, we see that our character is revealed not only to us but also to those of the world.

In John 15, Jesus puts this into a context that the disciples could easily understand. He tells them, “5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

Unless we have Jesus in our lives, we are not able to produce the fruit that God wants us to produce. We become barren and devoid of the fruits of the spirit. When we become useless, there is nothing left for us. The barren, cutoff vines that are useless are gathered, piled and burned. 

By realizing our character traits come from God and using them in accordance to His will, we are able to produce much fruit, be examples to others in times of trouble and trial and, most importantly, bring great glory to our Father. We may lack the strength to even go on or to fight the good fight, but remember the words of Jesus, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”

When we trust in God and in our savior, Christ Jesus, we know that when times do get rough, our character will be revealed to the world and they will see the glory of the Father reflected in our life as we persevere and continue to, as Paul counseled Timothy in his first epistle to the young man of faith, “12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”

When we face problems of varying severity that will invariable come up, our true character will be revealed and will be the example to the world that God and His son, Jesus, are working in our lives daily. We will soon discover that we can, through the power and love of our Heavenly Father, stand firm in His grace.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Morning Scripture Reading - Job 37:14-18

Job 37:14-18 New International Version (NIV)

14 “Listen to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - Supreme over Everything Everywhere

2019 has been a year of great change and blessing for us which is a lot different than last year. 2018 was, without a doubt in my mind, a very troubling and trying year. My family and I were put through the wringer with my sudden, horrifying illness, financial woes and so many other problems that shook our faith to its foundation. Even as I write this message, we are within seven more days of another big change in our lives.

Although the new change is welcome, I cannot help but think about all of the other things that have gone on in our lives that got us to this point. Those events did not seem like they would lead to good. When I look back and reflect on those moments in a hospital room fighting for my life, I honestly could not see a blessing there. How could God allow all of these horrible things to happen to my family and myself?

I still, to this day, ask God for the wisdom to understand those moments of trial and trouble. It is only human to ask, “Why did this have to happen?” The best example of this can be found in the Old Testament story of Job.

Job, who is faithful and righteous, is put to the test in a wager between God and the devil. Satan bets that Job will turn away from God if He removes His hedge of protection from around Job. God tells Satan that he may test Job. Satan does not waste any time. Soon Job loses everything in his life and is reduced to sitting on an ash heap scraping his sore-covered skin with a piece of broken pottery. 

Job wonders why all this happened to him. Three of his friends drop by to talk to him and give him advice regarding his state of affairs. They tell him that he must have done something to be disobedient to God and all of the things that he is reaping are punishments from God. Job, being faithful and obedient, tells them that he has not sinned or done anything that would make God angry with him. Job stands firm on this point, but he does want to know why God has seemingly turned His back to him. Like all of us going through horrible circumstances, Job wants God to provide an answer.

God does appear to Job, but does not give him an answer. God, in chapters 38 through 41, appears to Job in a storm and makes it clear that He does not owe him an answer to his question of why. Job realizes the error of his questioning of God and His will in his life. Even after he had lost his health, wealth and family, Job did not waver in his faith and remained faithful, obedient and righteous. 

After Job realized that he should not question Him, God returned his health, wealth and family back to him and did so abundantly by giving him twice as much as he had before. Job, long before this moment, already had the answer to his question. 

In Job 1, after finding out that he had lost all of his livestock and his children, we read, “20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, ‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!’ 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Job had really answered his own question. He realized that everything that he had came from God and all was God’s to give and take away. In verse 22, the author writes, “22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Everything in our lives happens for a reason. Some would argue with me over this point and would tell me that life is just a random set of events and God is just along for the ride as things unfold. I happen to believe that God is in complete control of everything and is supreme over everything everywhere. It is not my place to question God. My place is to remain a humble, faithful servant no matter what the circumstances are. 

Another great example of faith is the story of Abraham. He and his wife leave the comfort and familiarity of his homeland to go to a land that God had promised him. As he travels, Abraham erects altars to God and continues to follow the path that He has laid out before him.

Our faith must be equal to that of Job and Abraham. We must remain faithful, obedient and His humble servants. We need to realize that we have come from God and that He does not owe us an answer when fortunes change and we, like Job, find ourselves sitting on an ash heap scraping our wounds and wondering why.

As my wife and I embark on a new leg of our journey with the Lord, we realize that all we had, have and will ever have comes directly from the Lord. All that we have comes from Him and can be taken back by Him. It is very difficult for us to think of our circumstances in those terms. We would like to have all the things that others have and have a life without struggle or pain, but we realize that those situations hone and refine our faith so that we can serve God in whatever capacity He needs us to serve. 

At times, my arrogance and pride get in the way and cause me to ask God, “Why do I have to live with this?” When I utter those words, I now find myself asking for forgiveness and repeating the words of Job, “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 

Even when I go through the darkest of valleys and face obstacles bigger and more formidable than the last one, I know two very important things. The first is that God loves me more than I could even possibly imagine. The second is that He would never leave or forsake me.

In his first epistle to the churches in Corinth, Paul writes in chapter 15 about the resurrection of Christ and the dead, “28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.”

As I think about those words and apply them to my situation, like the dead rising up when called by God, my life will rise up and it will change. The one fact that will always remain is that God will be “supreme over everything and everywhere”.

My family and I do not know what the future will hold for us. As my body continues to mend and we take the next steps in our journey with the Lord, we continue to praise Him and believe, without question, that He is “supreme over everything everywhere.”

As we start a new week, I ask that each of you take a new approach to the problems and challenges that you face. When you find yourself asking why, just remember that you should be praising Him and knowing that He is supreme. When you do those things, your outlook on life will change for the better and you can stand firm in His grace.  

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - The Sun Still Shines

While I was in college many years ago, I ran across a short yet meaningful poem entitled “The Rainy Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In the poem, the poet painted a picture of a rainy, dreary day and compared it to the storms that people face in their lives. We each have “cold, and dark, and dreary” moments in our lives. There have been so many times in my own life where I seemed to live in a perpetual period of “cold, and dark, and dreary” days.

Each day only reminds me of a mouldering past and the hopes of my “youth fall thick in the blast.” As I describe this to many of you, I am sure that you have faced or are facing these “cold, and dark, and dreary” days. They seem endless and are filled with hopelessness. However, at the end of the poem, Longfellow writes, “Behind the clouds is the sun still shining.”

Even after painting such a bleak picture of a cold, dark and dreary day, Longfellow reminded us that in life, a little rain must fall. It is just part of living in this world. Because of our disobedience in the Garden, we doomed ourselves to life in a fallen world that is filled with darkness, cold and dreariness. We must endure trials and sorrows throughout our lives. However, all is not cold, dark and dreary.

Just like the last stanza of that poem, there is hope for us. As followers of Christ Jesus, we have a hope and promise of a life eternal with our Heavenly Father. We are not doomed to living a mouldering past. We received God’s mercy and salvation by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior and living a life dedicated to loving and worshiping God and loving our neighbors. We live with dread or fears that creep into our lives to steal what God has given us.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 116, “3 Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Please, Lord, save me!’ 5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! 6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. 7 Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears,my feet from stumbling.”

As followers of Christ Jesus and children of a living, loving God, we know that we can lean on the everlasting arms of God and know that His grace will see us through even the darkest, coldest and dreariest days of our lives.

As I think back to the first few days of my illness, I felt that everything in my life had been ripped away from me. The only things I had left in my life were my faith and the love of my family, friends and faith family. Each reminded me that “behind the clouds is the sun still shining” and that the Lord would be there to save me from whatever I faced. My soul could rest again just knowing that the Lord was there and that He would see me through whatever was to come my way.

I, like Paul, felt the thorn in my side and I asked the Lord to take all of this away from me. I received the same answer from the Lord. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12, “8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

It is because of the trials and sorrows that my faith became stronger and able to weather the storms of life. Each time I faced those cold, dark and dreary days, I knew that my Heavenly Father was there to save me from them and that He lives. 

One of my favorite scriptures comes from the Book of Job, Job responds to one of his friends, Bildad, in Job 19, “25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”

For a long time, I wondered why I faced such a horrible illness and why I had to endure one thing after another. It seemed that I went from storm to storm every day. There was no sun shining behind the clouds. Each day seemed colder, darker and drearier than the last. My wife and I felt that 2018 was the worst year of our lives. We had so much taken away from us in such a short period of time. 

As I continued to lament my condition and sit in the midst of my own ash pile scraping my wounds, I began to realize that there will always be good days and bad days. There will be sunny days and there will be rainy days. But, there is one thing that will always remain - the fact that my Redeemer lives. That one immutable fact remains and will always remain as a constant in my life. I know I will face other situations that may be worse than what I faced in 2018, but I know that through my own weakness, I find strength through the power of Christ that works through me.

After hearing my story and how close I came to dying, all have said that I have a beautiful testimony to give to those around me. When things are at their coldest, darkest and dreariest, I tell those facing their rainy days to remember the words of the psalmist, “7 Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears,my feet from stumbling.”

Your soul should always be at rest knowing that the Lord is always good to His children and will not allow harm to come to you. He will always provide a way and will guide your steps. Each step is just one more towards the prize that lies ahead for each of His children, the gift of eternal life with the Father. We must continue to believe that “behind the clouds is the sun still shining.” For His children, that sun is the Father and His glory brightens our day and illuminates our path. We just need to remember that when we face the fears, uncertainties and doubts of this fallen world with the courage, certainty and conviction that God is there to rescue us from “the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles” that we face sometimes on a daily basis.

I know that it is very difficult to face trials and sorrows with courage, certainty and conviction when it seems that everything is lost, but you must always remember the words of God when He spoke to Joshua, in Joshua 1, about leading the Israelites into a dangerous land beset with enemies all around them, “5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.”

As new trials and sorrows come into your life, God’s grace will be all that you need. When you are weak and see another rainy day ahead, you will find the courage, certainty and conviction to stand firm in His grace.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Daily Word of God - Job 19:25-27

Job 19:25-27 New Living Translation (NLT)

25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and he will stand upon the earth at last.
26 And after my body has decayed,
    yet in my body I will see God![a]
27 I will see him for myself.
    Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
    I am overwhelmed at the thought!

Footnotes:
19:26 Or without my body I will see God. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

Daily Word of God - Job 2:3-4

Job 2:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”

4 Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.

Daily Word of God - Job 42:1-6

Job 42:1-6 New Living Translation (NLT)

Job Responds to the Lord
42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
    It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
    things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
    I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
    and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - Two Masters

In the last couple of months, I have seen some major changes in consumer confidence in the economy, slight increases in wages and more jobs for all. The stock market is roaring and everyone seems to be enjoying the ride of plenty. Most economic indicators are pointing to happy days and people are spending more. Consumer credit card debt is soaring again. Student loan debt is now over $1 trillion. Everyone seems to be giddy to make and, with that, spend more money.

There are a few economists who are predicting that this growth cannot be sustained and there will be a day of reckoning. Another recession, according to them, is just around the corner. Most say the same thing, “It is not a case of if; it is a case of when.” In every season of plenty, there are those who will warn of impending doom and remind us that we, as individuals, need to prepare for that moment when the economy implodes and unemployment occurs again.

When you look at what is going on in the economy, you will also see that people are spending beyond their capacity to repay their debt. In a recent article in the New York Times, people age 65 and older are declaring bankruptcy three times more than those in 1991. Everyone is being told to go to college and spend more and more money on degrees in order to hold their jobs. Colleges and universities are pushing students to take out more and more loans to fund that education in areas where the return on investment is very low. Many do not even have enough in their savings account to cover an emergency of less than $1000. Most do not even have retirement accounts.

On the flipside of that coin, there are those who are enjoying the “high life” and are able to pay whatever they want. Mansions, luxury cars and expensive toys are the order for the day. There is no limit to the money and, for most of them, they are on easy street. Life is a walk in the park on a sunny day and there are no clouds on the horizon for them. But, there is a nagging feeling that something is stalking them. Most of those enjoying the “high life” also spend well beyond their means. They continue to buy and buy more and more. Think of it this way. Suppose you were to put a child in a candy store with a credit card. What do you think they will do? Will they just stop at one candy bar or lollipop? 99.9% of the time, they will buy and buy and buy. As long as there is money or credit available, they will continue to buy.

There is an interesting and common trait between all of the financial classes of individuals. All want and desire the “high life” and will work until they die to achieve it. They will work to make more so they can pay for what they purchased on credit or buy more and more things to fill their lives. Some have mortgages they cannot possibly ever hope to repay. Others will just refinance their debt and hope that they can make the minimum monthly payments. Still more will buy cars that they really do not need.

Do not get me wrong. I am not against capitalism and the free market system. I believe that capitalism is a good system and allows individuals to build businesses and enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, when the fruits of that labor become the center of our lives and we end up working not for ourselves but for our lifestyles, then there is a problem. 

Jesus, in his famous Sermon on the Mount, provided us with some very valuable guidance for our lives. Even if you are not a Christian, his words are sound advice to all those who just desire to have more toys and things in their lives. In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

He is absolutely correct. I want you to really think about his choice of words as well. Jesus uses the word, “serve”. That word sums up our relationship to money and the things in our lives. When we make money the center of our life, we serve money as our god and worship it. We believe it will provide everything and more. As we make more money, we desire more things in our lives. We buy more things. Ownership begins to change. We no longer own them; they own us. They require us to spend even more and more money to maintain them. Think about it. If you buy a boat, does the expense end at purchase? No. It does not. There is maintenance and upkeep that costs even more money. Repairs, upgrades and other things add to the purchase. In time, the boat begins to own us and demand more and more from us. Mansions, expensive cars, jets, yachts and so many other things begin to own us. We are slaves to our lifestyle.

In time, we have to make a decision in our lives. We have to decide which will be the one we serve. Do we serve God or do we serve money as our god? Elijah, when he addressed the people assembled near Mount Carmel, made his point very clear in 1 Kings 18, “21 'How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!' But the people were completely silent.”

We have a choice to make in our lives. Do we remain silent and continue to serve money? Or, do we declare before the Lord that we serve Him and Him alone? We cannot remain silent and just continue to go down that path, because that path will only lead to emptiness. That profound emptiness only drives hunger. It is a hunger that cannot be satisfied.

My father often reminded me of one of Aesop’s most famous quotes, “Much wants more and loses all.” That one quote has stayed with me. Yes, there have been occasions when I have, from time to time, forgotten the lesson and soon discovered that I had replaced God with money as the center of my life. I allowed materialism to become my religion and I worshiped at its alter only to be sadly disappointed and unfulfilled. I had received much and only desired more. I wanted bigger, better and more expensive only to count all as lost.

When I had everything almost stripped away from me including my own health, I stopped and remembered the lessons of Jesus and the words of my father ringing true in my heart and mind. I had allowed my lifestyle to be my god and worshiped it. I sacrificed everything for what? I got a few moments of pleasure only to discover that those feelings faded just as quickly as I had experienced them. 

When I was growing up, my family and I did not have much, but what we had was priceless. We had our faith and the love of Jesus in our hearts. We helped those in need and served God. We realized that our real treasure was not here on earth where rust and bugs could devour them. Our treasure rested up in Heaven and a crown of gold and mansion waited there for us.

I had several jobs when I was college. The one that made me think about the lessons of Jesus was working as a night attendant for a funeral home. One evening, I realized something that made me stop and think about my life and life in general. When you are born, the first piece of clothing you realize is a borrowed sheet at the hospital. When you die, the last piece is a borrowed sheet before you are placed on a gurney and carried away. You come into the world with nothing and you leave with nothing. 

In Job 1, Job says, “21 I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” Everything we receive in life belongs to the Lord. He can give and He can take it away. It is His and His alone, All blessings come from Him and He can choose to withhold those blessings when we become disobedient or when we begin to stay from Him. 

It is our choice to make. Will you serve God with all your heart, mind and spirit or will you choose the other master, money, and worship at the altar of greed and gluttony? Just remember if you serve the latter, you will despise the former. During the course of this week, I want you to think about your life and consider whom you serve. Do you serve God or do you serve money? If you serve God, then I can assure you that you will stand firm in His grace. 

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.
~ Numbers 6:24-26 New Living Translation (NLT)

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - “In the Midst of the Ashes”

Over the past couple of months, my family and I have faced one tremendous hardship after another. Just as the pharaoh of Egypt in Genesis 41 had the dream of seven fat, healthy cows and the scrawny, thin cows, we saw 2018 as a season of famine. Things that we had taken as gifts from God, we arrogantly saw as entitlements. We went through the season of feast with no real thanks for His blessings and, in some cases, continued to ask for more blessings. We were no longer good stewards of what He had given to us. Over time, just like pharaoh's dream, the scrawny, thin cows came out and ate the seven fat, healthy cows. We, like pharaoh, began to wonder why this was happening to us. Instead of praying for guidance and wisdom during this time, we questioned God and His taking away of His blessings. We began to wonder even if He was listening to us. We soon learned that He was and was working to teach us something very important about what we were doing in our lives.

God does want to give us the desires of our hearts and to provide only good things to us; however, we, as His children, cannot take Him and His blessings for granted and just blatantly expect Him to give us more and more. Like Job in chapter two, we must realize that God can easily allow things to be taken away from us to either teach us lessons or to show our true character by exposing our true thoughts. Let us look at Job’s response to his wife when she tells him to just “curse God and die.” “10 But Job replied, ‘You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.”

As I considered my predicament, I, too, found myself sitting in the midst of my ashes. My health had been taken away. Because of my illness, my family and I have had to deal with financial hardship. Like Job, I soon found myself doctoring my own affliction and thinking why God had allowed all of this to occur. I began to wonder if I had sinned and was being punished for my action. I began to search my heart and soul for answers and quickly discovered that I had sinned in the most casual of ways. I had let my arrogance and human desire for advancement and greed to become the master of my life. Just the blessing of having another day to serve the Lord and His children soon became just another day and some chore that I was expected to do. I was not even thankful for His abundant gifts. I accepted them and demanded even more.

Have you found yourself doing the same things of accepting God’s blessings without being truly thankful for them and demanding more from the Lord? As I endured more and more heartache and setbacks in my health and more financial problems due to my illness, I felt that God had abandoned me and that He was going out of His way to make me suffer. I questioned His will for my life and, like Job, demanded an answer from Him. Instead of asking for wisdom to discern His will in my life, I wanted a quick and easy answer to my problems and wanted to return to a happy “business as usual” way of life. Let us look at Job 20. “20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you? 21 Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone.”

When we are facing an overwhelming situation as Christians, we can either feel that God is angry with us and just ask to be forgiven in hopes of just restoring us back to our old lifestyle or we can look inside to see if there is deeper meaning to what we are going through. In my life, I began to see that God was not angry with me and that He continued to love me. When I began to search my soul, I realized a couple of things. The first was that God provides all things and they are His to give and take away without an explanation. Once again, I return to Job. Let us look at chapter 1 and see Job’s response when he finds out that all of his children had been killed in a horrible storm. “20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, ‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!’ 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

I, like most people, would blame God for my horrible troubles and trials and could not find it within my heart to praise Him. It is not a natural thing for people to do. It would be easier and more “human” to blame God. Job saw things from God’s perspective. All things, prosperity and even family and friends come from the Lord. We do not have anything without Him. God is the provider of all things and we are just His humble servants and children. All things are His to give and to take away. When I read that passage, I began to realize that all that I had I had taken for granted and just expected them to be there. I expected health, wealth and everything else just to be there for me and that included my family. As I pondered this, I soon realized that I had truly been sinful in my arrogance in believing that I was entitled to His blessings and was guilty of taking them for granted. I further realized that each blessing was special and that each was truly a good gift from Him. Let us look at what Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount about God’s gifts in Matthew 7:11. “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” The operative word is “ask”. We cannot just expect Him to deliver blessings and good gifts to us like a broken slot machine in a Las Vegas casino or make demands of Him like a spoiled-rotten child who screams, “I hate you” the minute we do not get what we desired.

There were countless numbers of times while I sat in my living room recliner when I demanded that God provide a miracle to heal me. I demanded that He take this cup away from from me and did not care about His will in my life. When it did not happen, I, just like a spoiled-rotten child threw a tantrum and demanded answers. I metaphorically stomped my feet and demanded that He tell me why He wasn’t providing “MY” miracle. I quickly reminded Him of His own words in Jeremiah about having plans only to prosper me and not to harm me. Once again, I acted like a child.

The other thing that I realized is that all things work for good in God’s kingdom. Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” It was at this point I realized my second mistake. God causes all things to work together for good even when He withholds or takes away His blessings. It was a bitter pill for me to swallow and a very difficult lesson to learn. Even as my family and I continue to deal with my illness and its financial consequences, I realize that even this is working in accordance with His purpose in our lives. Like good parents who explain their reason for punishing a child, God is telling me the same thing, “I am doing this for your own good.” As a child, I did not understand this and wanted only the good things, but I finally put away my childish thoughts and began to see things from God’s righteous viewpoint. When I began to do so, I realized that, once again, He is teaching me a lesson and reminding me of His place in my life. Like Job said, I realized that everything is His and His alone to give or take and I realized exactly what Paul was saying about everything working for the good of those who love God and are called by Him for His purpose. By removing His blessings for good health, He was reminding me of how I arrogantly expected His blessings and how I took them for granted. I also realized that by Him taking away those blessings that He was doing it for my own good to teach me that I cannot just take Him or His blessings for granted. As Job points out, we must accept the good with the bad. As we experience the bad, we must not look to blame God but rather look at ourselves to see if we are being arrogant, greedy or gluttonous when it comes to God’s blessings.

Are you just expecting God to just continue to provide His blessings and demanding more and more even when He has met your daily needs? Are you acting as a good steward of what you have received or just expecting God to continue to give you more and more as you continue to fritter away what He has provided? Are you blaming God for His withholding of His blessings or miracles in your life when you have not even thanked Him for the simple ones that He has given you like seeing the beginning of new day or seeing the conclusion of that day? When I began to realize that I hadn’t even thanked Him for the simple blessings of meeting our basic needs of food, shelter and clothing or the gift of life, I felt ashamed. Like Job, all I could do was cover my mouth. I had nothing to say or demand.

If you are feeling that God is withholding His blessings or taking things away from you, stop and think about what you are doing in your life. Are you praising Him for what you are receiving? Are you truly thankful for each day, breath and heartbeat? My suggestion to you is to praise and thank Him daily for what you have and always to remember that all things work for the good for those who love the Lord. Once you do that, you can rest assured that you can stand firm in His grace.

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.
~ Numbers 6:24-26 New Living Translation (NLT)

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - God is With Us

During this week, our ministry website, Facebook and Twitter pages have been filled with prayer requests. Each one is very special to my wife and myself. We pray for each one just as we know others pray for us. Whether we are praying for someone or someone is praying for us, we, as Christians, know that God is always with us. He is there to provide for our physical and spiritual needs. He listens and responds to our prayers and gives us strength during our times of weakness. He never falters or fails to provide for His children and His love is everlasting. In Zephaniah 3:17, we see that God rejoices over us with joyful songs. Reading from the New Living Translation, “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Think of this verse this way. When a child is frightened, a mother sings songs to her child as a way to relieve those fears, uncertainties and doubts. By God rejoicing over us, we can rest assured that He is there to give us comfort and remove those fears that plague our lives. 

Looking at my own life and what my family and I are facing, there have been so many times when fear and uncertainty have not only dogged our every step but they have also filled our minds and hearts with doubt. When we consider what we are facing, we begin to falter in our faith. We begin to wonder if God is even listening to our prayers. Instead of praising Him for what He has done and continues to do for us, we plead with Him to listen to our prayers and ask Him why He isn’t listening to us. Our prayers become prayers of desperation and we no longer see Him as El Shaddai, Almighty God. We begin to doubt His promises and forget everything that He has done for us in the past. Yes, we suffer from a lapse in memory and forget the blessings and miracles that He has performed, in my case, to save my life. 

In February of this year, I was literally at death’s door. I was forty-eight to seventy-two hours away from going into a coma and dying from brain infection. If it hadn’t been for God’s hand of mercy acting in my life, I would have never made it. God assembled a team of medical specialists who used the knowledge given to them by Him to save my life. I am truly blessed to have those individuals enter into my life at exactly the moment I needed them to keep me from dying. When I consider the seriousness of my illness and what was happening and what was going to happen, God provided me with the necessary resources and experts to get me through the valley of darkness. Although I am not completely out of the valley, I am a lot closer to the green pastures that He is leading me towards. I know that He will not only restore my body but He will also restore my battered soul. 

During this ordeal, I have learned that I was never alone and that I should never be afraid. God is always there and will always be there for me. As a child of the most high, I know that God listens and responds to my prayers. Sometimes, the answers are not exactly what I wanted, but I realize that the answer He does provide serves His will and plan for my life. Yes, it has taken me a long time to accept that, but it is our faith in Him that will sustain us. We should always remember that we serve God and must live in accordance to His will in our lives. It is difficult for us to accept that part. We want the easy solution. At times, we think that there should be a button marked “God” that we can push and everything just goes away and we are able to return to our comfortable lives as if nothing had happened. I wish I could say that Christianity worked like that. It doesn’t. We are God’s children and we serve Him. He is not a genie in a lamp who grants us our every wish or is there to serve us. 

When Job suffered the loss of family and fortune, he demands an answer from God. Job believes he is entitled to answers. In Job 38-41, God responds to Job and asks him some very pointed questions regarding the creation of the world. God asks Job, “4 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

After Job hears the questions that God put to him, he quickly realizes that God does not owe him any explanation of His actions. In Job 40, Job realizing that he was wrong in questioning the Lord says, “4 'I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. 5 I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.'”

As we go through our trials and troubles, we need to always remember that they, like all things, serve a purpose in God’s plan for our lives. I know that this is a difficult pill to swallow. We pray for the miracle and remind God that we have been His “good and faithful servant” and that we deserve what we want. It is at that very moment that God has been the genie in the lamp and not God as Adonai which is Hebrew for God and Master. That isn’t the way things work. We are His children and we can ask for the miracle, but our prayers must include the most difficult words to utter, “Your will be done.”

God does, however, make a promise to us that He will always be there for us and will provide for our needs. He will grant us the desires of our hearts as long as we realize that they must be part of His plan and will for our lives. Let us look at Isaiah 41:10 and understand what God provides His children. “10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

That is His word to us. Since God is there to strengthen and help us during our times of trials and troubles, we are not to be afraid or discouraged. He will hold us up with His victorious right hand and not allow anything to separate us from Him. We are His and His alone. It is a promise that He gave us through the sacrifice of His son, Christ Jesus.

As Isaiah had prophesied 700 years before the birth of Jesus, he told us of his name. Let us look at Isaiah 7. “14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means 'God is with us').” Jesus’ very name tells us that God has, is and will always be with us. His love is unfailing and infinite.

When you face the fears, uncertainties and doubts that plague your daily life, know this, “God is always there for you and is listening to you.” He will provide you with the grace to get through your valley of darkness and lead you to those green pastures. God will restore your soul and lift you up with His victorious right hand. As Franklin D. Roosevelt so aptly said in his first inaugural speech, “the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” It is the fear that prevents us from going to the Father to ask for strength, comfort or to provide us with wisdom to act in accordance with His will for our lives that will paralyze us. Roosevelt could not be more precise when he called that sort of fear as “nameless, unreasoning and unjustified terror”. When we let fears like that rule our lives, we do not seek Him and we begin to doubt Him. 

When that occurs, we need to stop and remember God’s own words and promise, “don’t be afraid, for I am with you.” If God is for us, who can be against us? The answer to that question is very easy. No one can stand in the way of the Lord. 

As you go through this week and run into setbacks, mistakes, problems, missteps or anything that seems like an insurmountable obstacle, think of what Jesus’s name of Emmanuel means, “God is with us.” When you remember that, you will be able to face whatever comes your way and know that you can stand firm in His grace.

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. 
~ Numbers 6:24-26 New Living Translation (NLT)