"I was in my early forties with a lot of life before me
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime
and I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays,
talking about the options and talking about sweet times.
I asked him when it sank in that this might really be the real end
how’s it hit you when you get that kinda news man what’d you do
I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t
and I became a friend a friend would like to have
and all the sudden going fishin wasn’t such an imposition
and I went three times that year I lost my dad
well I finally read the good book and I took a good long hard look
at what I’d do if I could do it all again
Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about
what would you do with it
what did you do with it
what did I do with it
what would I do with it?
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying".
By Tim McGraw
I was driving down the road the other day and this song came on. I can’t say I am a country music fan but it made me think of God’s Word. God’s Word tells us to die to self daily. The key line in the song above is found in the chorus. “Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying…… We have that chance by dying daily to self as God asks of us in his word. I understand what the song says from an earthly perspective. I certainly don’t discount being a better husband or friend. I just think as Christians we need to have an eternal vision (Matt 6:19-21). Hopefully we learn this early on and have the chance to live our life as a testimony to Christ (Phil 1:21). In this song above he describes this exciting new life he found because he faced death and it made him appreciate life. I say we should live our lives excited about what God can do through us because other people are watching and we should want people to have a chance to know the exciting new life in Christ (II Cor 5:17) that we have found. Simply said we do have a chance to live like we are dying!
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
God's Math
This is old article that I wrote for a Christian Newsletter. So this actually took place the summer of 2008.
Phil 4:19
This article started almost seven months ago when our church announced that there would be another Father/Son Rafting Trip this summer. They made this same trip the summer of 2007 and the Father's had a great time bonding with their sons. All of my kids are grown, gone and doing their thing. So I decided to volunteer to take a boy that didn’t have a dad. Well many months went by and the Dad that was heading up the trip said no one had come forward yet. Then things suddenly changed!
It was two weeks before the trip and I get a call on a Thursday afternoon informing me that a seven year old boy had come forward. I was also informed at the same time that I needed to bring $149 to church Sunday to cover both me and the boy. I hung up the phone and immediately said to my wife well this will be interesting I have to come up with $149 in three days and the Lord is going to have to work fast.
Two hours later I am working in my office and my wife walks in and tells me that she was just in the laundry room and the sump pump was broke and not pumping any water. I went down and sure enough it was done and I needed a new sump pump. I am now thinking ok Lord I need money for trip and sump pump. Yep it is getting more interesting by the moment. I wake up early Friday morning and go to Home Depot. I buy a sump pump and new hose and the total is $102.99. This means that with the $149 + $102.99=$251.99.
I guess I should stop and explain that my wife graduated from college about a year and half ago and then had knee replacement surgery and is currently looking for work. So my paychecks are all we have coming in. We are going paycheck to paycheck. Just about every dime is earmarked for bills. So I knew when I went on Friday June 27th to spend the $102.99 that I was spending money from a paycheck that was going to be deposited on Monday June 30th. I was actually spending money that was earmarked for other bills that needed to be paid. Just keep that in mind as I continue with the story.
I rushed home to install the sump pump and get back to my real job which is not plumbing. I was done by 9:00am and in my office working when I receive an email from my insurance company telling me that they made changes to my policy. I picked up the phone and asked what changes were made. The lady explained that back in February when they did the automatic renewal they dropped my discount for having Homeowners and Car on same policy. They were automatically withdrawing my payment on the 7th of every month. I said ok how much is the credit. She said it was $252. Well you see where I am going with this. I found out later when all the paperwork was sent to me that the actual credit was $251.27 so at first I thought Lord you send a penny extra then to found out I was $.72 short. No big deal! Well come to find out about a week later they sent me a check for $175.00 more on top of the credit. I called and found out that the credit was for the car insurance and the check was for the home insurance that was already paid.
Bottom line God never wakes up one day and is taken by surprise or says I never saw that coming. God’s economy is not ours. I still have the Home Depot receipt in my wallet to remind me of what God does each & every day for us. He prepares a way even as we make our way to the point where the need arises. How thankful I am that his riches are limitless and he is not making promises he does not have the ability to provide.
Phil 4:19
This article started almost seven months ago when our church announced that there would be another Father/Son Rafting Trip this summer. They made this same trip the summer of 2007 and the Father's had a great time bonding with their sons. All of my kids are grown, gone and doing their thing. So I decided to volunteer to take a boy that didn’t have a dad. Well many months went by and the Dad that was heading up the trip said no one had come forward yet. Then things suddenly changed!
It was two weeks before the trip and I get a call on a Thursday afternoon informing me that a seven year old boy had come forward. I was also informed at the same time that I needed to bring $149 to church Sunday to cover both me and the boy. I hung up the phone and immediately said to my wife well this will be interesting I have to come up with $149 in three days and the Lord is going to have to work fast.
Two hours later I am working in my office and my wife walks in and tells me that she was just in the laundry room and the sump pump was broke and not pumping any water. I went down and sure enough it was done and I needed a new sump pump. I am now thinking ok Lord I need money for trip and sump pump. Yep it is getting more interesting by the moment. I wake up early Friday morning and go to Home Depot. I buy a sump pump and new hose and the total is $102.99. This means that with the $149 + $102.99=$251.99.
I guess I should stop and explain that my wife graduated from college about a year and half ago and then had knee replacement surgery and is currently looking for work. So my paychecks are all we have coming in. We are going paycheck to paycheck. Just about every dime is earmarked for bills. So I knew when I went on Friday June 27th to spend the $102.99 that I was spending money from a paycheck that was going to be deposited on Monday June 30th. I was actually spending money that was earmarked for other bills that needed to be paid. Just keep that in mind as I continue with the story.
I rushed home to install the sump pump and get back to my real job which is not plumbing. I was done by 9:00am and in my office working when I receive an email from my insurance company telling me that they made changes to my policy. I picked up the phone and asked what changes were made. The lady explained that back in February when they did the automatic renewal they dropped my discount for having Homeowners and Car on same policy. They were automatically withdrawing my payment on the 7th of every month. I said ok how much is the credit. She said it was $252. Well you see where I am going with this. I found out later when all the paperwork was sent to me that the actual credit was $251.27 so at first I thought Lord you send a penny extra then to found out I was $.72 short. No big deal! Well come to find out about a week later they sent me a check for $175.00 more on top of the credit. I called and found out that the credit was for the car insurance and the check was for the home insurance that was already paid.
Bottom line God never wakes up one day and is taken by surprise or says I never saw that coming. God’s economy is not ours. I still have the Home Depot receipt in my wallet to remind me of what God does each & every day for us. He prepares a way even as we make our way to the point where the need arises. How thankful I am that his riches are limitless and he is not making promises he does not have the ability to provide.
Haiti and the Wilderness
I was recently asked to bring the devotional at the Fellowship of Christian Lumbermen meeting at the IHLA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana. About two weeks before the meeting Haiti had their major earthquake and the devastation was unbelievable. I could not get this earthquake off my mind and the Lord had not given me a message until two days before the meeting he clearly spoke to me.
Haiti
200,000 dead
600,000 homeless
2,000,000 in need of food and water
The US sent millions of dollars, thousands of people & every type of equipment man has created that could help in the rescue operation. We all began to hear that the devastation was worse than expected. The greatest nation and military on earth could not help fast enough to save many lives. They are still struggling today to get food and water to the survivors. We see how limited man's power can be in time of crisis.
Now let's take a look at a Biblical crisis that helps to show what God can do when we ALLOW his involvement. We can read in Exodus 12:37-42 about Israel leaving Egypt.
600,000 on foot that were men
3,500,000 in need of food and water
I shared with one of the FCL board members my thoughts. He immediately said I have a great one page sheet with details of what it would take to care for Israel in the wilderness. I was traveling at the time so he did not get it to me till after the meeting but the facts were quite telling (See Below). My message is basically get God involved and you will see results! Lasting results that can change your future, your children's future, and even a nation. The greatest nation on earth is struggling to help but let's be encouraged that God does not just make promises but be encouraged he has the ability to fulfill those promises. Don't read God's Word with doubt! Read it today with confidence not based on false promises but fulfilled ones.
Now take a look at the article sent to me the week after the FCL meeting:
How Big is Your God?
What would have happened had Moses tried to figure out what was needed to accomplish God's commands? One of the biggest arithmetical mircles in the world was required in the desert. Moses led the people of Israel to the desert. Now what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 3 1/2 million people required a lot of food. According to the US Army's Quartermaster General, Moses needed 1500 tons of food a day, filling two freight trains each a mile long. Besides, you must remember, they were out in the desert, and needed firewood to use for cooking the food. This would take 4,000 tons of wood and few more freight trains each a mile long-just for one day! And they were 40 years in tansit? Oh, yes, they needed water!!! If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day-enough water to fill a freight train 1,800 miles long. And another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and require 35 days and nights to get through. So to get over in one night there had to be space in the Red Sea three miles wide so they could walk 5,000 abreast. Think about this; every time they camped at the end of the day, a campground the size of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles. Do you think Moses believed in God. He had faith that God would take care of everything. Let us take courage, we have the same God!
From "Christ For The Nation" April 1993
Haiti
200,000 dead
600,000 homeless
2,000,000 in need of food and water
The US sent millions of dollars, thousands of people & every type of equipment man has created that could help in the rescue operation. We all began to hear that the devastation was worse than expected. The greatest nation and military on earth could not help fast enough to save many lives. They are still struggling today to get food and water to the survivors. We see how limited man's power can be in time of crisis.
Now let's take a look at a Biblical crisis that helps to show what God can do when we ALLOW his involvement. We can read in Exodus 12:37-42 about Israel leaving Egypt.
600,000 on foot that were men
3,500,000 in need of food and water
I shared with one of the FCL board members my thoughts. He immediately said I have a great one page sheet with details of what it would take to care for Israel in the wilderness. I was traveling at the time so he did not get it to me till after the meeting but the facts were quite telling (See Below). My message is basically get God involved and you will see results! Lasting results that can change your future, your children's future, and even a nation. The greatest nation on earth is struggling to help but let's be encouraged that God does not just make promises but be encouraged he has the ability to fulfill those promises. Don't read God's Word with doubt! Read it today with confidence not based on false promises but fulfilled ones.
Now take a look at the article sent to me the week after the FCL meeting:
How Big is Your God?
What would have happened had Moses tried to figure out what was needed to accomplish God's commands? One of the biggest arithmetical mircles in the world was required in the desert. Moses led the people of Israel to the desert. Now what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 3 1/2 million people required a lot of food. According to the US Army's Quartermaster General, Moses needed 1500 tons of food a day, filling two freight trains each a mile long. Besides, you must remember, they were out in the desert, and needed firewood to use for cooking the food. This would take 4,000 tons of wood and few more freight trains each a mile long-just for one day! And they were 40 years in tansit? Oh, yes, they needed water!!! If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day-enough water to fill a freight train 1,800 miles long. And another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and require 35 days and nights to get through. So to get over in one night there had to be space in the Red Sea three miles wide so they could walk 5,000 abreast. Think about this; every time they camped at the end of the day, a campground the size of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles. Do you think Moses believed in God. He had faith that God would take care of everything. Let us take courage, we have the same God!
From "Christ For The Nation" April 1993
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Don't Trust the Mirror-Vision Part 3
God's Word is not a mirror. A mirror reveals how we see ourselves (James 1:23-24). I submit that our vision is flawed. God's Word reveals how God sees us (James 1:25). As we read God's Word our vision changes and we begin to see what God sees. It's his vision for change in our lives. Our faith determines how much or how little change we are willing to accept in our lives. We read God's Word and it brings light on our sin and we have to determine how we will respond. Don't look and compare yourself to others or look in the mirror and judge yourself. God's Word is the truth. A truth we may not want to see but the truth just the same.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Miss California Dilemma
I sat back and watched how Hollywood has castigated Miss California for standing up for what she believed in. I have to admit I fall on her side when it comes to marriage and I have even written about the subject on my blog. We all find out what we really stand for when challenged like Carrie Prejean. The left will always fight for your right to say and do as you please as long as you agree with them on a particular subject. They do have the right to say as they please but so does Carrie Prejean. Carrie certainly proved what she was made of when she stood before a national audience and answered with her convictions knowing it would cost her dearly in the eyes of Hollywood. She had an eternal view that I hope all of us will have when we are challenged. I am a firm believer we are getting daily closer to our faith being challenged like never before. Let's prepare now and decide what we will do when our faith is questioned.
Late Update: I am sure you have read about the pictures that are now coming out of Ms. Prejean. This is clearly is a tactic to water down her message on marriage. I don't agree with her posing for the pictures but this does not change the message of marriage. We should use this as a reminder that our life's testimony can water down our message. I pray we will pay close attention to our life's work so our message is not lost in the noise that the world can create.
Late Update: I am sure you have read about the pictures that are now coming out of Ms. Prejean. This is clearly is a tactic to water down her message on marriage. I don't agree with her posing for the pictures but this does not change the message of marriage. We should use this as a reminder that our life's testimony can water down our message. I pray we will pay close attention to our life's work so our message is not lost in the noise that the world can create.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Golf's Lessons in Life
I took up Golf a couple of years back and I quickly found out how tough this sport can be to learn. I love the game and decided to take some lessons from a local golf teacher. This teacher is excellent and I would recommend him to anyone. When we worked to together I found myself hitting the ball with more confidence and the ball traveled further and went straighter. We would work for 30 minutes together and then he would move on to his next student. The frustrating part of this equation comes when I begin to practice without my teacher. I very quickly lose confidence and can't seem to replicate the swing that he helped me find. This is clearly not the teachers fault. He can't be there every second. I have to learn to reproduce the same swing that he finds when we work together. As I thought about this dilemma recently I realized how thankful I am that the Lord does not give us instruction then walk away to another student. He is patiently there all the time wanting to be our constant companion to teach us how to replicate Christ (Phil 2:1-5) in our life. I soon realized as much as I would like my golf instructor to be with me on the course that was not going to happen. The truth is we have the ability to have the Lord with us all the time.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Deeds
I was involved in a group discussion recently about good deeds before salvation. I guess I need to start with how this came up. We were in discussion about I Cor 3:10-15. We were talking about our works as Christians and what would survive the trying fire. The moderator asked what about our good works before salvation? There were varying thoughts on the subject but I think we need to stick to what God's Word says not our human reasoning or quote wisdom. The first thought that came to my mind were two verses Jeremiah 17:9 & Isaiah 64:6. The previous verses both exclaim our sinfulness. One says our hearts are desperately wicked and the other says our righteousness is as filthy rags. When we are apart from God our best is like filthy rags. I then turn to Hebrews 11:6 and I read that it is impossible to please God apart from faith. If it is impossible to please God apart from faith I would have to come to the conclusion that only things that please God would survive the trying fire. This means that everything that we do before salvation will not count in heaven. Someone said to me this means all the good things I did before I got saved count for nothing. I said yes I believe that is true but lest we forget all our sins are no longer counted either. Praise the Lord! For his righteousness and his grace and mercy.
Monday, March 2, 2009
A Look at Circumstances-Vision 2
Ex 3:4-8 Num 13:17-33 Num 14:1-9
We have looked at what distorted vision does when looking at people (see: A Look at People-Vision I). Let's now take a journey down a different road called circumstance. The people of Israel looked this square in the eye as they approached for the first time the Promise Land. Moses was told by God in Ex 3:8 of a great land that he was going lead the children of Israel too and give them in spite of who occupied the land. God told Moses in great detail who would be there so they would not be surprised. Let's pickup the story again in Number 13 with Moses sending out the spies. These twelve men were told to go and report what they find. Caleb & Joshua came back and reported a true report with details about the enemy. The other ten were afraid and this fear distorted their view of the circumstances. These men in Num 13:33 said that the Children of Israel were like grasshoppers in the sight of their enemies. They were looking through their own eyes and seeing the circumstance. Think about what they were saying they could have said we look like children to these men and maybe that would have a more accurate view but no they said grasshoppers. Caleb stilled the crowd and told them let's go now and possess it. He knew even through seeing the circumstance that God had made a promise. Caleb & Joshua begged the people of Israel not to rebel against God and allow their circumstance to defeat them. The Lord rewarded Caleb for his great clear vision by giving him and his ancestors that very land. See Num 14:24! Caleb loved God which allowed him to see what God saw there in that land. Our circumstances in life can overwhelm us without clear vision. Here's the key to clear vision! Always Always remember that even when we don't know what God is doing we can trust He knows what he is doing! Praise God that Moses was told there will be enemies in the valley! This reassures me God was not taken by surprise. God knew where, who & what he was sending his people into! All he wanted was for them to trust him. Caleb did....
We have looked at what distorted vision does when looking at people (see: A Look at People-Vision I). Let's now take a journey down a different road called circumstance. The people of Israel looked this square in the eye as they approached for the first time the Promise Land. Moses was told by God in Ex 3:8 of a great land that he was going lead the children of Israel too and give them in spite of who occupied the land. God told Moses in great detail who would be there so they would not be surprised. Let's pickup the story again in Number 13 with Moses sending out the spies. These twelve men were told to go and report what they find. Caleb & Joshua came back and reported a true report with details about the enemy. The other ten were afraid and this fear distorted their view of the circumstances. These men in Num 13:33 said that the Children of Israel were like grasshoppers in the sight of their enemies. They were looking through their own eyes and seeing the circumstance. Think about what they were saying they could have said we look like children to these men and maybe that would have a more accurate view but no they said grasshoppers. Caleb stilled the crowd and told them let's go now and possess it. He knew even through seeing the circumstance that God had made a promise. Caleb & Joshua begged the people of Israel not to rebel against God and allow their circumstance to defeat them. The Lord rewarded Caleb for his great clear vision by giving him and his ancestors that very land. See Num 14:24! Caleb loved God which allowed him to see what God saw there in that land. Our circumstances in life can overwhelm us without clear vision. Here's the key to clear vision! Always Always remember that even when we don't know what God is doing we can trust He knows what he is doing! Praise God that Moses was told there will be enemies in the valley! This reassures me God was not taken by surprise. God knew where, who & what he was sending his people into! All he wanted was for them to trust him. Caleb did....
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