Blinded By The Light

You are the light of the world.  A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.  People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  (Matthew 5:14-15)

Fair or not, people who do not yet know or who are not in a relationship with Christ hold Christians to higher standards.  If my lifestyle is drastically different throughout the week than when I walk through the doors of the church, it's only a matter of time before I am discovered to be a fraud and labeled a "hypocrite." 

We just experienced a difficult situation in our marriage when I attempted to purchase SEC Championship tickets from a seller on eBay.  Everything turned out to be a scam and I lost a great sum of money not to mention that my wife was as mad at me as she has ever been in our five years of marriage.  I was convinced that the way we dealt with this situation needed to be different because Christ's light should shine brightly in our marriage despite our circumstances. 

Whether we are with our family, friends, or co-workers, we need to "shine" in such a way that others take notice. When others see us live our lives in service to God, the glory goes to Him and people on the outside begin to be interested in what makes a follower of Christ different.   

We as Believers are here to be a reflection of the Lord that we serve. Regardless of what happens to us in this lifetime, we are to shine brightly like a city on a hill, realizing that we are nothing without God! 

Glad

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.  (Psalm 96:11)

As we were looking for the perfect Christmas tree over the weekend, I just couldn't get into the spirit of Christmas for some reason and really wasn't ready to listen to Christmas music as we decorated our home.  I feel that this year has quickly passed by and the month of December is only one day away and so is the whirlwind that ensues this time of the year.  I have since prayed that God would prepare my heart for the birth of our Savior. 

Christmas is about so much more than the beautiful lights and decorations, time with loved ones, wonderful food, parties, and of course, gift giving.  It's a time to reflect on the goodness of God for the birth of our Lord and King!  "Heavens" in the above verse from Psalms 96 refers to the sky, sun, moon, and the stars.  Not to go "Avatar" here, but Christmas is a time that not only all people are to be glad, but everything on this earth; after all, this planet IS God's creation. 

So not only people must say the Lord is great, but the earth, sky and sea must say it as well!!

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  (Jeremiah 17:7)

As a Sunday school leader, the youth often impress me with their questions and today I was asked what exactly "Advent" was.  I didn't get too deep with my answer, but explained that four candles are lit every Sunday leading up to Christmas and then finally, the Christ candle is lit on Christmas day.  With yesterday being the first Sunday in Advent, below is an explanation of what the first candle is symbolic of. 

The First Candle (The Candle of Prophecy/Hope)

The first candle is sometimes called the candle of prophecy because it symbolizes the promises the prophets delivered as messages from God; promises that foretold Christ’s birth. Others consider the candle to be a symbol of the hope we have in Christ and so it is called the Hope candle.

Prophetic Verse: Arise, shine; For you light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. (Isaiah 60: 1-3)

The Fulfillment of Prophecy: ‘Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (Matthew 24:44)

Glory be to God in the highest!!!!

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.  Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.  (Isaiah 58:10)


As Christmas quickly approaches, it's hard not to think about people who didn't have money to spend at retail stores early in the wee hours of the morning on Black Friday.  There are so many people in our local community that are living day to day on a street or depending on the warmth and generosity of a shelter for food and their basic needs.

God promises that those who help the needy will be rewarded, both in this life and the next.  God has compassion for the poor and so should His followers.

Helping those less fortunate is not just an obligation, but a privilege that will bring great joy!

I Still Believe (Great Design)

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. (Matthew 8:13)

Things looked pretty dismal for the Auburn Tigers during the first half of the 75th Iron Bowl. The Tide looked unstoppable early, and Auburn's explosive offense was regulated to -8 yards of total offense at one point. Was this how the perfect season was to end? The Tide was going to play spoiler and prove all of the talking heads on sports talk correct? Did the pressures of the allegations finally impair Cam Newton's play on the field? What bowl would Auburn go to now?

There were many questions from the Auburn fans that had gathered at the Bucketshop Cafe yesterday to watch the big game. Despite being down, most of the folks I talked to hoped for some adjustments from the coaches during the half. We still held onto our belief and look what happened...the largest comeback in the history of the Iron Bowl and in the history of The Crimson Tide!! To win our biggest game on the road in Tuscaloosa in a come from behind thriller by one point is still almost unbelievable!! War Eagle!

To believe in someone is to put your faith and trust in someone. We easily believe in our favorite teams and athletes, but what about Jesus Christ? Who is He in your life? Do you have enough belief in Him like the centurion in the passage from above? Do you need more proof that He is the risen Saviour and not some raging lunatic?

If you want it, you've got to believe. Just put your faith in God and one day you'll see...

Eye of the Tiger (Iron Bowl Edition)

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (Matthew 14:27)

It was a cold and dreary day on November 20th, 2004. The Auburn Tigers headed into Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl with a 10-0 record and hopes to keep their perfect season unblemished with a win against their in-state arch rivals, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Before the game began, Joe Nemeith marched into Bryant-Denny stadium and energized the unranked Crimson Tide. They quickly jumped ahead of Auburn, 6-0, with a couple of field goals kicked by Brian Bostick. The No. 2 ranked Tigers came back strong in the second half, starting with the combination of quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams scoring a touchdown. Auburn scored a total of 21 points in the second half to win the game 21-13 and eventually moved on to beat UT in the SEC Championship a few weeks later.

That year, the stakes were high for the Tigers, much like the Iron Bowl that will be played today. As an avid fan, I think I was more fearful that something would happen that day in Tuscaloosa; I feared our season was going to come to a dreadful end with the Tide coming out on top. We all live in fear, and God knows this. There are dozens of passages in the Bible that address living in fear. God knows this and asks us to turn over our fears and to simply trust Him. When we completely trust Him, our faith grows, and He gives us a sense of peace that can only come from above so that we don't live a miserable existence of fear on this earth.

We all have our own fears, but they should never paralyze us because we have a God that is greater than anything we can possibly fear on this earth!!!! War Eagle and Beat Bama!!

Thankful

Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20)

As I have grown older, I have come to really appreciate Thanksgiving as one of my favorite holidays. It's not just "Turkey Day" or the eve of "Black Friday" or the day before the Iron Bowl; Thanksgiving is a day to show the people you love gratitude for all that they have done. Giving thanks is a way to celebrate the giver and the gift.

When you give thanks to God, you honor and praise Him for everything He has done-in your life and the lives of others. Adopt the attitude of grattitude so that you can truly enjoy all of God's many blessings and don't forget to give Him thanks in everything!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

God Give Me Strength

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.  (Proverbs 3:7-8)

On my lunch break the other day, I really wanted to have something "healthy" for lunch, but then a tractor beam pulled my car into the drive-thru "south of the border" and I ended up having Taco Bell. Let me defend this choice by stating that it's hard to turn down a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, especially since they only appear on the Taco Bell menu for a limited time each year, much like the McRib sandwich at McDonald's. I felt somewhat guilty the entire day knowing that I had probably blown through my weekly caloric and fat intake in one meal.

The truth of the matter is God's plan and purpose for us on this earth require us to value our time here on this earth.  To be an effective servant of God, we need to also take care of our bodies as well.  Taking care of our bodies mean that we need to make the proper choice as pertains to eating, we need sleep, and we need to exercise on a regular basis.  If our bodies are God's temple, we need to treat them that way.  I sound like I am preaching, but I am just as guilty for overeating and making poor choices when it comes to eating.  I do try and exercise every day, but I honestly wouldn't have to run as much if I didn't eat so poorly.

When we put God's principles to work in our life, we will live with health and strength!

For What It's Worth

"Woe to the rebellious children," says the Lord, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit"... (Isaiah 30:1-2)

Have you ever made a decision on your own that turned out to be a wrong one?  Sure, we all guilty of this, whether we will publicly admit to it or not.  Have you ever made a decision after seeking the counsel of someone else and still went against the grain and made the wrong decision?  I know that I have and the price can be costly.

Most people are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve.  Eve listened to the serpent and made a fatal decision to eat forbidden fruit from the tree in the garden of Eden.  Most advice comes from people we love and trust, sometimes it comes from co-workers and even outlets like the media that bombard our thoughts different perceptions and philosophies.  It's when we take our eyes off of the Lord that we can often choose to listen to the wrong advice and make costly mistakes.

We have to be cautious of deception and lies in today's world more than ever.  Stay grounded in the Word and let His truth guide you on all your decision making.

Joy

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:16)


It's easy for me to be joyful when good things are happening.  It's when something goes wrong that it requires a great deal of effort.  On Friday, I was on my quest to find tickets to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, that just happens to fall on our fifth anniversary weekend.  I found a deal that was almost too good to be true-and it was!  Turned out that the so-called deal on tickets was nothing but a scam on eBay.  I am out of almost $1,000 and it now looks like our anniversary weekend is going to consist of us staying at home and watching the game on TV while enjoying a frozen pizza.  I noticed that this huge and foolish mistake had robbed me and my wife of our joy.  We argued, we stressed, we were angry (and still are) at the whole thing.

It was not until Sunday morning that a friend texted me the above verse from Thessalonians.  We had to make the conscious decision to be joyful.  Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings.  Obeying these commands often goes against our natural inclinations.

It's when we are following God's will that we can find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

Power of Love

For this reason I remind you to fan into the flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying of hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  (2 Timothy 1:6-7)
 
Just like most parents, we experiment with ways to effectively discipline our three-year old son.  Sometimes, we are effective and other times, he is unfazed by our attempts.  I am no professional in child psychology, but it seems that when we use positive reinforcement, Elliott reacts positively.  This morning, Elliott was being extremely difficult and whined a bit more than he usual does.  Let me preface that an extended period of whining seems to elevate the stress level in the Fisher home and it's one heck of a way to begin the morning. 
 
People will rise or fall to meet our level of expectations for them.  If you expect people to let you down, they often will.  The flip side is that if you put trust and belief into others, many times people will often exceed your expectations with being their very best.  Another wonderful side effect of believing in others is that both people will begin to benefit.  It's one of the greatest gifts we can possibly give to another person. 
 
Believing is a quality of God that we often dismiss in the way we treat others.  God believes in each of us enough to believe in us.  Do the same for others. 

You Are Good

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  (James 1:17)

What a cool and crisp fall morning it was today!  The sky was clear and was illuminated by the glowing of many stars.  As the morning quickly changed, the yellow and orange leaves seemed to glow under the sun's light. I couldn't help but stop and give God thanks for His wonderful creation.  (Not to mention this was only the beginning of the day!) As I continued to pray, I took some time to give God thanks for many blessings that He has bestowed upon me.  I am thankful for a wonderful and beautiful family, the great friendships that I have made, our neighborhood, my career, the ability to exercise, etc. "Hey Will...save it, Thanksgiving is next week!"

I will save something for Thanksgiving, but when you humble yourself and marvel at how 'good" God is, it's hard not to be thankful and grateful.  Our life, comes from God, and everything else you can imagine-challenges, opportunities, family, friends, nature, and love.  I sure have come a long way from thinking that God is going to send something bad my way if I, myself, am not good.  God simply doesn't work that way. He is incapable of anything 'bad."  Yes, I realize that bad things happen to good people, but everything that you can imagine being good comes from the Lord above!

The Lifting

Do you not know? Have you not heard?  The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.  He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.  (Isaiah 40:28-31)

After two full weeks with my wife going back to work and both boys in daycare full time, sleep is a precious commodity in our home.  Now on a lean schedule, I always attempt to multi-task with my iPhone, iPad, Macbook, etc. and do more and more things at the same time, but just end up feeling exhausted.  If you think about it, when we attempt to do anything without God's supernatural power, we can expect the same feelings and weariness.

When we try to do things on our own, we are limited by our own strength and limits. It's when we humble ourselves and depend on the Lord for His strength, that we really can soar on His power.  It's like tapping into a never ending energy source!

Let go and let God lift you up so that you too can soar on the wings of eagles!

Unanswered Prayers

Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day. (Psalm 23:1-3) 

A little less than three years ago, I decided that it was time to make a career change.  I was earning a pretty comfortable living in Atlanta, but felt that I was capable of doing more.  (It's funny how children will change your perspective, isn't it?)  I went through the proper channels and pursued a newly vacated sales position within the organization.  The entire process began and took several months of interviews, tests, and praying before they selected another candidate for the position that they felt was 'better qualified."  Sure, I was disappointed and felt like a failure, but not too long afterwards, God blessed me with an opportunity of a lifetime in Knoxville, TN!

How many times do we pray for things that we really want, but may not necessarily need?  God knows our hearts, and yes, He also knows exactly what we need.  Sometimes He answers prayers after making us wait patiently, some are immediate and some are never answered; they are always in accordance to His perfect will for our lives. 

Trust Him and keep focused on Him; He will give you a clear direction for your life, even if it's not the one you may have chosen!

Spirits In The Material World

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.  (Romans 8:9-11) 

I am not sure what is going on lately, but it seems like there is so much negativity everywhere I turn.  Whether it is in the news, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and most recently sports talk/media, people are not living with a sense of peace and life that God gives to each of us when we choose to live in the Spirit.

We all now that our days on this earth are numbered the second we take our first breath.  There is no fountain of youth or time machine DeLoreans that I am aware of, so you can bet that one day you will leave this earth.  The sinful life is on a collision course with death, hostility, insubordination and unacceptability to God.  The latter, life in the Holy Spirit, is in every believer.

We must make sure that we are living our lives in such a manner that the Holy Spirit is in total control; not our selfish flesh lives.  Christians are indwelt by the life-giving Spirit as a result of their justifications.

Broken

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 8-10)


We had just tucked our son into bed for the night and had settled in dowstairs in front of the television when we heard our son crying.  I quickly ran upstairs to check on him to make sure everything was all right and discovered that he was upset because he had broken a toy.  It was easy fix and he was very happy to have his action figure repaired.

How does this relate to matters of faith?  It's simple and part of being sanctified.  You see, when we are self-righteous, we are virtually telling God that it's "My way or the highway."   When we rely on ourselves, we are not following God's will and rejecting the ways of Christ.  We have to let go instead of trying to be fixed.  Brokeness conflicts with what the world tells us we should be. Let go and let God do His part in your life....

Thankful

Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.  If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.  (Psalm 50:23)


This past week I had the honor of taking part in a "Man on the Street" video shoot for my church's upcoming Thanksgiving service.  My assignment was to find several people in downtown Knoxville and ask them what they are thankful for and what it means to express gratitude.  One of the ladies I interviewed said something before the cameras began to roll that caught my attention.  She mentioned that she was listing one thing that she was thankful for each day on facebook for the month of November.  What a great idea...

If you start to be thankful, your attitude changes for the positive as you recognize all of the blessings and provisions God gives us.  The gratitude also keeps you focused on everything God is doing for you instead of the things you lack.

We should take the time to count our blessings and give thanks to God every day!

Forever Young

Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 18:2-4)


Our three-year old, Elliott, pitched a royal fit yesterday morning before he left the house to go to a birthday party.  The cause of the drama, was that Elliott wanted to bring his "Thomas the Tank Engine" train track to the birthday party at the local bounce house.  Had you witnessed this childish outburst, you would have thought we told Elliott that Santa Claus wasn't planning to stop by our house this Christmas or something worse!  Oh what I would do to deal with the troubles of a three-year old again.

Jesus' words from Matthew were directed to his disciples about being self-centered.  We are not to be childish like his disciples sometimes acted, bickering over petty issues, but childlike-humbled and sincere in our behavior.

I think often about the way our children act with sincerity and humbled hearts.  The adult world sure could use more of it, IMHO!!!

Stand!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:10-14)

I don't even know where to begin with my Blog today.  As an Auburn University Alumni and a college football nut, this has been a dark week for fans of AU and the sport in general.  The allegations over Cameron Newton began over a week ago and almost daily, new twists and turns have been painstakingly revealed.  At the time of writing this, Cam is still set to start for Auburn against UGA this afternoon. (I am still hopeful that all of this turns out to be false, but the reality is that things are not looking good.) The lines between fact and fiction have been blurred and the damage has been done; an extremely talented collegiate athelete's performance and reputation has been forever tarnished by the attacks issued by the media. 

These attacks remind me of the warfare waged on each one of us on a more personal level every day by the enemy.  How are we supposed to defend ourselves against such vicious attacks?  The Word says to to put on the full armor of God and to "stand firm."  We are normally attacked in areas of our lives where we are weak.  If your weakness candy, for instance, is it a strange coincidenece the candy bowl at the office always seems to be full of your favorites?    We must walk hand in hand with Christ to ward off temptations and to "stand firm."  This one area that I am constantly having to turn over to Christ.  You just can't do it alone....

Advice For The Young At Heart

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding.  That you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge.  (Proverbs 5:1-3)
 
I remember when I was growing up my mother used to warn me repeadily not to touch the stove top, especially while it was hot.  Being young and naive, I did what any child does, I didn't listen to my mother's advice, reached up and touched the hot stove top and burned my hand severely!!  I have noticed the same pattern with my own children and can only imagine how it will be as our youngest grows up. 
 
As an adult, I can give advice all day long, but it's hard to take it and follow it sometimes.  The Bible tells us that the wise do not only give good advice, but they heed it as well.  One of the best places we can only go for advice is the living word found in Scripture.  It's one thing to read scripture, but another thing to apply it in your life. 

Time Won't Let Me

Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days.  That I may know how frail I am.  Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.  (Psalm 39:4-5)  

As I scheduled an upcoming meeting in January, I couldn't help but come to the realization of how quickly time has flown by this year. In a few weeks we will sit at the table with our family for Thanksgiving, the Iron Bowl will be played the following day and then Christmas will be here before we know it.  Looking back, I feel like have accomplished a lot this year, even this week, but I need to be mindful that may days on this earth are numbered.

David asked God to help him number his days, which should be our prayer more often.  If we don't know where our time goes, that's a dangerous signal that we are not using our time as wisely as we should-according to God's will.  Of course, I am not referring to how much time we spend sitting in a pew or behind the walls of a church, but how often do we utilize our time doing things for other people?

Use your time wisely, because we are not promised tomorrow....

Coconuts

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

I woke up this morning and went into the kitchen to brew some coffee and a horrid smell came from the trash can.  It was a half of a banana that had been thrown out a few days ago and the smell almost made me pass out becuase it was so bad.  One of the most recognizeable verses from Galations is the verse above regarding the "fruits of the Spirit."  The rotten banana got me thinking-what kind of fruits am I producing from my walk with Christ?

Do I love others regardless?  Am I joyful despite my circumstances?  Am I at peace?  Am I patient in waiting or do I need immediate results?  Am I kind and compassionate to others?  Do I want the best for others?  Am I faithful?  Am I firm but tender?  Am I in control and disciplined?

Looking inward you can tell if you are displaying the above list of qualities.  Ask yourself these questions and look to the Holy Spirit for guidance in your life.

The Voice

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father ; and I lay down My life for the sheep. "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold ; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. (John 10:14-16)

What a great weekend I had taking our oldest son, Elliott, to his first Auburn football game.  Mommy and Elijah stayed home so we could embark on our first "Big Boys Road Trip." Something I noticed over the course of the weekend is that when he would ask me for a toy or the iPod Touch while I was driving the car, and I could not immediately reach the toy he wanted, he would ignore my response and continue to ask for the same toy repeatedly.  It's funny how God rolls, becuase I started to see a lot of myself in my son especially when it comes to me praying and waiting patiently on the Lord to answer in His perfect timing.

We live in a very noisy world-there are many answers often coming from the wrong places.  It's sometimes hard to discern God's quiet voice.  God asks us to simply drown the outside world and all of the "static" that interferes with His voice.

Are you able to be patient and still enough to listen for Him?

An Innocent Man

Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.  (Acts 20:26-27)


The Auburn family and fans of college football were rocked by the allegations surrounding quarterback Cameron Newton this past Thursday.  As the Tigers prepare for the last two regular season games against rivals Georgia and Alabama, "Amen Corner," much of the talk on ESPN and sports talk radio circled around weather Cam Newton was "shopped" illegally to Mississippi State.  I certainly hope that the Heisman hopeful and undefeated QB is proven innocent, but in the public and media's eye, you are often guilty until all of the facts are discovered to prove otherwise.

Have you ever been guilty or falsely accused of something?  Paul was often wrongly accused of many things as he diligently spread the good news of the Gospel, and found himself imprisoned and beaten for his belief.  When we falter and sin, as long as we repent, in God's eyes, we are found innocent.

Are you willing to face the judge and jury for what you believe?  Will you be found innocent or guilty?

Can't Buy Me Love

Just as death and destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.  (Proverbs 27:20)

Just like most people, I enjoy being compensated for the work that I do. I only hope that I am able to provide a comfortable living for my family. What I can't seem to understand is what motivates someone like Donald Trump, who has more money than some countries do, to continue to make even more money. It's not like he's taking any of it with him into the grave! Not that I am jealous, but at what point are you satisfied? I have heard story after story of people who win the lottery and only to lose it all and become worse off than they were before they were rich.

Jesus tells us that if we drink the "living water" we will thurst no more. Regardless of who you are or what your net worth is, Christ is the only way to the riches of heaven promised to us in eternity.

There is nothing wrong with making money, as long as we are willing to use our resources to expand God's Kingdom on earth. The Beatles said it best when they sang the line "Money can buy me lots of things, but money can't buy me love!"

(A Sort Of) Homecoming

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? Says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?' (Acts 7:48-50)

Our three-year old lit up with excitement when I told him we were planning to go to the Auburn Homecoming game this weekend. My family and friends all live close to Auburn, so naturally I was excited to come home to see everyone as well. Not to mention, today will be Elliott's first Auburn experience!!

The cool thing about God is that we don't have to drive any distance to find Him. You see, He dwells within each of us if we make a "home" for Him. All creation is the temple God himself has made. He is omniscient-His spirit is everywhere at all times and moves through all things.

Praise His name!!!!

Don't Stop Believin'

"Everything is possible for him who believes." -Jesus "I do believe; help me overcome my belief!" (Mark 9:23-24)


Just like most people, my faith can sometimes falter and it's normally my disbelief that is the root cause.  I like to rationalize things through in my mind; it's impossible because faith often requires us to defy our human reasoning.  Look at the obvious for believers-we believe in a God that loved us enough to come to the earth and live a sinless, spotless and blameless life which He selflessly gave up for us on a cross to save us from certain death.  Sounds a little far-fetched, right?  It's called faith-believing in someone that we know exists, but cannot be seen.

When our faith wavers, we miss out on all of the joy and blessings that God has in store for us.  We must turn to God and ask Him to strengthen our faith when we feel it is weak.  Jesus didn't mean that anything is possible if we believe, because nothing is too difficult for God to accomplish.

If you feel your disbelief and doubt is causing you to miss out on all of the blessings God has promised, ask Him to help you believe.

Riding The Storm Out

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.  (Psalm 37:5)


I don't what it is, but crazy stuff seems to happen to me at work on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Yesterday was no exception as I had a difficult situation arise that I really didn't want to face, quite honestly.  No, this was not "the situation" as in the chiseled abs guy from that horrid reality show, but one that could have cost me the business of a client that I had worked hard to write earlier this year.  I had lifted the problem up to God in my prayers and every solution or idea that I had to resolve the problem ended up being a dead-end. Regardless, I dealt with the problem and reached out to God in the midst of a storm.

I am convinced that God sometimes requires us to wait patiently before He sends His blessings.  Just like the disciples on the boat during the storm in the Sea of Galilee, Jesus eventually calmed the storm and commanded the waves to be still.

The lesson Jesus taught His disciples that night was to be still, trust Him despite being in the middle of a storm.  I believe He asks the same of us when we are faced with trials and tribulations of our own.

These Days

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  When their sprit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.  (Psalm 146:3)


Well, it's the day after the mid-term elections and hopefully we can go another few months before we are inundated with more political ads for the next campaign season.  One of my favorite slogans from the past 2008 presidential election was "Got Hope."  People put their hope endlessly into a politician and most have already been sadly disappointed.

The psalmist portrays man as an inadequate savior, and a false hope, no matter what affiliation or campaign promise someone makes.  God is hope and the help of the needy.  Jesus doesn't separate the social and spiritual needs of people, but attends to both.

While God, not the government, is the hope we need, we are His instruments to help here on earth.  Put your hope in the One who can deliver...
  

Dreams

Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all there was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)

Is the American dream not to do your very best and surpass the success of your parents? I feel like I have tried to do my very best professionally, but life in sales is rewarding when it is going well and stressful when you are not selling. I could attend many after-hours events to socialize with potential clients and customers, but I would be missing out on time spent with family. Is it a paradox to be a great salesman and Christian at the same time?

Solomon, the wise king of Israel, wrote the words above when he reached the highest level of success because he still felt empty. What is it that you are focused on? Is it the things in life the world tells you to pursue or is it the things in life that really matter?

I have heard this before and the same holds true for what we focus on: if you chase two rabbits at the same time, both will escape.

Focus on the things that will reap Heavenly rewards and be blessed in this lifetime and the next.

It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming...but keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  (2 Peter 3:11-13)


As I was preparing to lead Sunday School this past weekend, I Googled the phrase "the end of the world" and found several websites dedicated to this coming event.  Most of the websites based this fact on the end of the Mayan calendar which means the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012.  I don't think that we should be too concerned with that date, after all, people have been trying to predict end times for thousands of years; all of them have been wrong.

The Bible gives us a prophecy that we can rely on; Jesus will come back to judge this earth.  The thing is that we don't have any idea of when that is going to take place.  Since we don't have any clue as to when this will take place, it's important for us to live each and every day like it will be our last.

Christ's second coming will be a sudden and terrible surprise for those who do not believe in Him.  For those of us that do believe, it will be a great and glorious event!!!