Trouble

 

So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.  2 Corinthians 4:18

It's hard to not be troubled by all that's going on in the world today.  Just tune into the national news (ANY channel) for a few moments and you will find that there is never a shortage of disaster on any given day. 

Regardless, God promises us that the troubles looming in front of us will not last forever.  Our goal should be to shift our focus away from the trouble we now see and look instead to the things that will last forever-God's love, his gift of salvation, his care for us, and eternity in heaven with him.

When we live with a heavenly perspective, it puts the hurt and troubles we experience in this world in their proper place-temporary and we know they won't last.

We can live with confidence despite our struggles today knowing that God promises each of us a world where there is no more hurt or pain.

Running On Empty

 

All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.  We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.  Colossians 1:10-11

I am lucky that I haven’t run completely out of gas in my effort find the cheapest prices at gas stations around town.  My car displays a “Low Fuel” notice light when I only have 50 miles left in the tank.  

The other morning, I was preoccupied with work and got caught in some traffic on the way to take the kids to school, but thankfully made it to a gas station just before my car ran completely out of fuel.

Just like our automobiles, we require fuel to help us persevere through life-the power of God working in us.  As we become more obedient and more in tune with the Holy Spirit, God’s power will provide us what we need to strengthen us and ignite our abilities to persevere.

Let us not just endure, but persevere with peace and joy, in Christ Jesus!

Tomorrow's Dust

 

So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.  2 Corinthians 4:18

It's hard to not be troubled by all that's happened in our country over the past few years...war, endless hate, economic hardship; tune into the news and there is never a shortage of disaster and heartache taking place on any given day. 

God promises us that the troubles looming in front of us will not last forever.  Our goal should be to shift our focus away from the trouble we now see and look instead to the things that will last forever-God's love, his gift of salvation, his care for us, and eternity in heaven with him.

When we live with a heavenly perspective, it puts the hurt and troubles we experience in this world in their proper place-temporary and we know they won't last.

We can live with confidence despite our struggles today knowing that God promises each of us a world where there is no more hurt or pain.

On Our Side

 

If God is for us, who can be against us?  Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?  Romans 8:31

Looking back on my life on this earth, I have wasted a great amount of time and effort being a "people-pleaser" and not necessarily following what God has planned for me.  The most striking difference in being a "God-pleaser" rather than a "people-pleaser," is that we don't have to depend on our own futile human efforts to earn favor with God.

Come to think of it, why does it really matter what people think of us?  (It is easier said than done!) Our weaknesses and inabilities do not matter to God in the least bit.  With God, there is no hidden agenda, no list of talents and abilities that you need, only your availability.  Simply stated, God is looking for people who are willing and able to yield to His lead.

Let God shape who you are, what your perception is and what path you need to take in your relationships and career.  He always keeps His promise and takes care of His people and will never fail to deliver you from adversity!

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

 

Beloved, if God loved us so very much, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

As believers in the body of faith, what a blessing it is to be loved by God.  The problem for a lot of Christians is that we tend to hoard our love away rather than follow God’s will for our lives and give it away.  In fact, we are to love others unconditionally just as has He loved us.

There is not one person on this earth that does not desire to be loved and to find acceptance.  God’s love is the most wonderful gift He could possibly give to any of us.  We all have the privilege to share that love by letting it flow through us into the lives of others.

Many people enjoy ‘getting’ but real joy is found by ‘giving.’  Do you remember those Pez candy dispensers?  We all need to be like a Pez dispenser in the sense that people come to us as a dispensary of blessings and love.

It is comforting to know that we are lovable, now it is up to us to share that love with someone else!

Simple

 

You were wearied with the length of your way in trying to find rest and satisfaction in alliance apart from the true God, yet you did not say, there is no result or profit.  Isaiah 57:10

We have a close friend who always seems to complain about not having enough time to do everything they want to do.  (Boy, have I used that excuse many times before)?!!  It's not that we don't have enough time, it's that our once simple lives have become too complex in doing trivial things that eat away at our schedules.  How/when does life move away from being simple to something so complex?  It is relative to where we are in our journey. 

I recall thinking how stressful college was; having to balance showing up for class in between Phish and Widespread Panic shows, going out four and five nights a week, waiting tables, and working as a disc jockey.  Looking back, I had it made!  I didn't have the pressures of performing in my career and a family to support.  Then again, I wasn't exactly walking the straight and narrow path either, but that's another story for another day.

The above verse from Isaiah states "You are wearied out through the multiplicity of your ways."   It is widely accepted in today's society that more is always better, but at what cost?  Are we truly following God's will for our lives when we are so busy filling our days with our self-centered agendas?  I believe the answer is a resounding "NO."

Instead of making everything difficult and centered around ourselves, we should simplify and enjoy the peace and satisfaction that comes from following God's plan for our lives. 

"Fear, mismanaged, leads to sin.  Sin leads to hiding.  Since we've all sinned, we all hide, not in bushes, but in eighty-hour workweeks, temper tantrums, and religious busyness.  We avoid contact with God." -Max Lucado

Under Pressure

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.  I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.  Matthew 11:28

Many people today are stressed out far beyond anything a human being was ever meant to endure.  Chalk it up to both husbands and wives having to go to work outside of their homes in a an attempt to ‘keep up with the Jones’ in addition to balancing their home lives, families and friends, but many people, including our family, are stressed-out!

We are all created different, uniquely created by God’s design.  What is difficult for me may be simple for someone else, and vice versa.    Unfortunately, if you are like me, it’s hard to resist comparing and contrasting ourselves with other people.

Jesus was not stressed out.  Then again, He was not controlled by His circumstances or the demands of other people, either.  In John 14:6, Jesus simply states, “I am the Way.”  And you know what? He’s right-His way is the way to peace, joy, and righteousness.

The next time you feel like you are under immense pressure, ask yourself how would Jesus have you handle things?  Allow Him to fill your soul and learn to take His approach to life and it’s never-ending challenges!

No Reply At All

 

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.  

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Recently, in seeking God's wisdom and guidance about a situation, I began to grow tired and frustrated because I just couldn't seem to hear a clear answer.  In fact, I felt like I was hearing other people's insight, but not God's.  It finally dawned on me that I was neglecting an important aspect of my faith walk by not digging deeper into the Word, hence the reason I was not feeling God's nudge either way.

God can and will speak His truths into our lives if we allow Him to.  When seeking Him, He will always move us closer to His will and His never ending love.  He always leads us to what is right, never wrong, and His answers to our prayers are clear cut, definitive, and absolute.

If you think you can truly seek God by only showing up to church on Sundays or just praying your personal wish list, save yourself some time and frustration by incorporating God's Word into your daily routine.

Human Touch

 

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me.  He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners.  Isaiah 61:1

As usual, I felt energized after a great morning of worship @ Cokesbury Church on Easter Sunday, just a few short weeks ago.  Now with May quickly approaching, the celebration of Jesus' resurrection is a distant memory in many people’s minds as life is back in full spring.  In an effort to continue building upon our Savior’s resurrection and what it means to all believers, I began pondering why God chose to come in the form of His Son in human flesh to this earth… 

I am convinced that in addition to showing us His love for us, it was also God's divine way of proving that He is truly concerned about our human needs.  Jesus walked and lived among us, God in flesh form, and experienced the same temptations, struggles, and triumphs we did.  While He never once sinned during His time on this earth, Jesus came to a much greater understanding of the human condition.

No other 'god' offers the same love, understanding, and sacrifice that our loving Father freely gives to each one of us through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?

 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.  Psalm 34:18

Have you ever struggled for the words to offer a friend or neighbor when tragedy strikes and a loved one is lost?  I know that I certainly have and quite honestly, there is no easy cure for a broken heart, especially one that is in mourning.  There is no prescription you can take to make everything better and the healing process simply takes time.

A broken heart needs a different kind of healing. Generous doses of compassion, comfort, encouragement, love, and listening will eventually restore the joy and hope to a hurting soul.

We must never forget that God is the 'master healer.' As a loving friend, we can offer help, but none like the power that comes from our loving Father. When you are hurt and heartbroken, move closer to God instead of running away from Him. 

He is the greatest source of healing, peace, and joy; there is nothing this world as to offer that even comes close....

Send Your Mind

 

“The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver.  He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.”  Zephaniah 3:17

I must admit that I have struggled from writer’s block over the past few weeks.  I can’t pinpoint a specific reason, but can say that I haven’t spent as much time in God’s Word as I should have and for that very reason, I feel that my writing has suffered a bit...

With that said, I came across the above verse from Zephaniah in yesterday’s devotional by Sarah Young from “Jesus Calling.”  When I read the verse, a light bulb seemed to have turned on inside of me.  For far too long, I have let my mind get wrapped up in all sorts of thoughts and, sadly, have left God out of much of my ‘world-view’ lately.  This has brought me to a dark place and just hearing the words of comfort from our Loving Father has renewed my spirit.

God takes delight in all of His beloved children.  Even when we veer off-path, as much as he patiently waits to hear us cry for help, He will never step in and violate our freedom.  We must give up trying to ‘fix’ everything in our lives as none of us were ever created to carry our burdens on our own.

Let go and let God!

Walking In Your Footsteps

 

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in You.  Psalm 25:1-2

I am proud to say that both Elliott and Elijah are following in the steps of their old man by embracing the realm of pretty much any and every 80s based cartoon, toy, comic, and movie that I loved growing up: from super-heroes (Marvel and DC) and Star Trek, to Star-Wars, Transformers, Legos, Thundercats, GI Joe, M.A.S.K. and Voltron-the boys are into much of the same things I enjoyed when I was growing up.  We have certainly watched our share of Marvel and DC movies and it warms my heart! Disclaimer on the photos, neither would dare dress up in a superhero costume outside of Halloween and both would be embarrassed if they knew that I was posting these photos of them.

A proud daddy moment occurred a several years ago, when I took the boys to their first 'Comicon' in Knoxville...it was a blast from the past for me as there were multiple vendors selling old comics and collectible toys that were popular when I was growing up.   

Regardless of my extensive knowledge about the various characters and story lines that I have enjoyed since my youth, our oldest son, Elliott, sometimes questions me because he has heard something different from one of his buddies at school, which always leads to friendly debates. 

We are all called by God to trust Him alone to meet our needs.  God's only requirement is that in addition to trusting Him fully and completely, we are also to obey Him.  We are foolish to ever think that our ways are better than the Good Lord's and I can't possibly recall the many times in my life where I listened to myself and failed to be obedient.

We must trust completely that He is good and His timing is always right and that things will be done according to His will.  It's when we fail to trust Him and do it our way that things fall apart.

Let go and let God!

The Seeker

 

You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.  Deuteronomy 4:29

Being a creature of habit, I like to keep to my same and familiar routines in the mornings.  Feeling somewhat convicted about not seeking God more by spending time in His Word, I read Luke 11 yesterday morning and, as always, that verse was exactly the one I needed for the day that awaited me.

To seek God means to pursue Him as the only source of definitive truth and wisdom.  Instead of letting our problems pile up and seeking God out of desperation, how different would our lives be if we sought Him first and foremost in all matters?

To seek God and His way puts us on the path of a life that is blessed and pleasing to Him.

Gimmie A Little Sign

 

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.  He will not rebuke you for asking.  James 1:5

Have you ever asked God for a sign?  Looking back, there have been many instances where I have asked God to perform a miracle so that his guidance was crystal clear.  While God sometimes works that way, many times he does not.

The best road map or guidance for our lives can be found in His Word by reading the Bible.  If you are looking for guidance in any situation, study the Bible.  If you want God to personally guide your steps, study the Bible.  At the expense of sounding cliché, God intended the Bible to serve as our guidebook for getting through life.

God also wants us to have faith in him and trust him every step of the way.  In summary, we are to read the Bible, ask God what to do next, and then take a step of faith each and every day.  God promises to lead us and guide us in the right direction!

You Can't Change That

 

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  1 John 4:16

Unlike what the world offers us, God does not love us, accept us, or forgive us based upon our performance.  God doesn't play favorites either.  He does not love the more beautiful people more than the plain.  He doesn't favor the rich and famous over the poor and unknown.  He doesn't choose the high achievers over the low achievers.  In fact, there is nothing you can do, regarding status, appearance, or performance, that will possibly elevate you one inch in God’s eyes.

Our loving Father accepts us because we come to Him believing in Jesus Christ as the One who has paid the full price for our sins.  He loves us, because He created each of us, and has chosen to love us from the moment He first though of us and there is nothing you can do to change that!

Under Pressure

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.  I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.  Matthew 11:28

Many people today are stressed out far beyond anything a human being was ever meant to endure.  Chalk it up to both husbands and wives having to go to work outside of their homes in a an attempt to ‘keep up with the Jones’ in addition to balancing their home lives, families and friends, but many people, including our family, are stressed-out!

We are all created different, uniquely created by God’s design.  What is difficult for me may be simple for someone else, and vice versa.    Unfortunately, if you are like me, it’s hard to resist comparing and contrasting ourselves with other people.

Jesus was not stressed out.  Then again, He was not controlled by His circumstances or the demands of other people, either.  In John 14:6, Jesus simply states, “I am the Way.”  And you know what? He’s right-His way is the way to peace, joy, and righteousness.

The next time you feel like you are under immense pressure, ask yourself how would Jesus have you handle things?  Allow Him to fill your soul and learn to take His approach to life and it’s never-ending challenges!

Hold On

 

"Not as I will, but as You will." –Jesus Christ,  Matthew 26:39

The above statement was Jesus' final submission to God in the garden of Gethsemane before He was taken captive by a large crowd of armed men who ultimately led Him to His death on the cross after He was brutally beaten, publicly humiliated, and tortured.

I have a bad habit of selfishly asking God to answer my prayers in the way that I would like them to be answered.  Even when He gives me clear direction, I still do not always remain obedient and follow His will.  Regardless, I truly believe that the content of our prayers is less important to Him rather than our willingness to actually obey Him.

I can't begin to imagine what Jesus must have felt that night in Gethsemane.  The fear of knowing that His death was close at hand...seeing one of His Twelve disciples betray Him with a kiss and turn Him over to an armed mob.  Despite all of this, He remained faithful and obedient to God's will...even to the point of death.

We may not ever face a life or death decision, but God wants us to come to a place where we trust Him fully and obey Him, with every aspect of our lives.

Slip Sliding Away

 

I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.  Acts 24:14

Have you ever contemplated just how short our time on this earth really is?  We should make the most of our time here, but all too often, we let time slip away from us and we don't follow the path that God intends us to follow.

To live without regrets, we must choose to live in such a way that we do our very best in every task and with every relationship. We must choose to love and obey God's commands; they weren't written to restrict us, but are there for our protection and to unlock His many blessings.

We must choose to forgive people who have hurt or harmed us freely.  And lastly, we must choose to follow God's will and not our own.

What's My Name?

 

God's gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.  Romans 11:29

I was just reminiscing the other day about the mini-van that my wife used to drive and one of the greatest features was the built-in DVD player that it came with.  An even cooler feature is that the van came complete with wireless headphones so the boys used to be able to watch their favorite movies and I was able to listen to music instead of just the audio from movies like ‘The Lego Movie, ‘The Avengers’ or ‘Wreck It Ralph.’ We used to only utilize the DVD feature on a longer trips, and I will never forget the time our youngest son was so mad because we wouldn't let him watch a video on a five minute drive that he demanded that his last name be changed to something else other than 'Fisher.'

Looking back, it's pretty humorous, but God's call on our lives is much like our family name; even when you feel dishonored by your family, you still keep your family name.

The exact same principle holds true for our spiritual gifts, which are given to all believers upon accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  Because we are children of God, we are given special gifts and are expected to use them to perform certain tasks for Him.  Sometimes, we squander away our time and we don't use our gifts to bring glory to God and expand His kingdom on earth.  Regardless, God does not take the gifts away from us; we just miss out on all of the good and blessings God has in store for us.

Every day that you greet the morning, you are given another opportunity to use your Spiritual gifts to live out God's will for your life-don't waste another day!!