One Big Happy Baby!

Luke 10:21
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Have you seen the some of the videos on the Internet of these beautiful babies laughing? Why is it that we could be in the middle of the worst day ever but see this and smile or even laugh aloud with them? It must be something about the innocence or purity of their laugh. The smile of a baby can drive out the darkest of depression. It's just amazing.

This morning I am rejoicing along with Jesus. The scripture tells us that Jesus rejoiced in the spirit. I wish I could have been there to see my Savior smile and rejoice. To hear Him laugh from the belly. You know what I'm talking about? Someone who rejoices does it with every ounce of energy. I would have loved to see Jesus rejoicing.

But something greater than that causes me to rejoice this morning. It's the reason that Jesus rejoiced. He said that His Father didn't reveal Himself to the wise and prudent, but unto babes. It wasn't that God didn't reveal Himself to those who were learned and educated, it was that they couldn't see Him because of their self-righteous wisdom. But the babes, they saw Him. We saw Him! We see Him!

Most babies at Christmas will play with the wrapping paper and boxes more that the toy. You see those wise and prudent men looked for someone wrapped in gold and who would be carrying a sceptre. But I rejoice today because my Savior was wrapped in a sinful, shameful robe carrying a cross! They looked for someone to tell them a way out, but Jesus showed me the way up! I feel like One Big Happy Baby!

Clay Jars

2 Corinthians 4:6-7
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

What a privilege! What an honor! God, who is greater than the greatest. God, who is higher than the highest. He has chosen to shine the light of the glorious gospel into our hearts. He has chosen to speak His words of life into our sinful lives. He has chosen to place His glorious Gospel light in us. Did you hear that? God has put His prized possession of the Gospel inside of us.

Who are we? Who are we that God would think of us? Much more than that, who are we that we could house this glorious light? We are an earthen, fragile, clay vessel. I understand that we keep gold bars in Fort Knox. I understand that we keep our valuables locked up in a safe where thieves cannot steal them. But I sometimes struggle with the understanding of God putting a valuable treasure such as the Gospel inside of clay jars. Not to mention weak, clay jars.

But then we see it... "The excellency of the power may be of God, and not us." God's Gospel will never be about us. The treasure isn't a treasure because of what it is kept it. It's a treasure because of the value of the treasure itself.

God, thank you for placing your glorious light in me. I am so humbled that you would allow me to carry the Gospel light. Help me to reach others every day. May they find in an old clay vessel the treasure of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Dancing in the Rain

Psalms 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

What would it be like to be in the very presence of God? Have you ever given thought to this? I have most everyday of my life. It seems that my prayer every morning is to be in the presence of God. I long so much to feel the Lord in every area of my life. My prayer many times is... "Lord I want to be so close to you today that I can feel your breath upon my neck as you speak to me."

If I can be honest with you this morning, not everyday is like this. Some days I wake up and feel as if God is miles and miles away from me. I feel like there is a wall between our communication and sometimes there is, but it's always on my end of the line so I deal with confession. But then there are other days that I believe I have everything confessed. I trust that I am seeking Him and walking after Him and the closeness I desire still seems distant. Then I'm reminded that Paul tells us we must walk by faith and not by sight. On these days I trust that He is there even though I may not feel Him through emotions of certain ways that I have in the past days. I still just trust He is there.

Do you understand what I'm saying this morning? Some days I want the sunshine and all I get is rain, but that doesn't take away from God still being God or my desire to be in His presence. When my days are cloudy I try my best to ask God for His presence to be strong in my life. Then through His Word He gives me the strength that I need.

Our scripture this morning says there is joy in the presence of the Lord. God said He would never leave us nor forsake us. He would be there to see us through. When Jesus ascended to Heaven He gave us the Holy Spirit so we would never be without His presence. This is where my joy comes from.

So if it's raining outside and I can't see the sun, I'll just dance in the rain and know that His presence is with me even when I can't see or feel Him. That's faith!

Stick Out Your Tongue

Proverbs 18:12
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
and before honour is humility.

I do not like to be sick. Why? Because that means there is a doctors visit in my near future. You walk into the waiting room and enjoy your two hours of reading magazines that are at the latest four years out of date. Finally your name is called and you jump up with excitement and rush in. The nurse greets you, weighs you, gets a blood pressure and temperature reading and then tells you the good news once more... "Wait here, the doctor will see you soon."

The door knob rattles and all of the sudden there stands the doctor. White coat, stethoscope and a notepad or tablet. The general questions ensue and then the doctor reaches for the old trusty popsicle stick. Walks toward you and says, "Stick out your tongue." Doc looks around in there while you spew an "aaaaaaaahhh" at them. They take a super sized q-tip and touch the bottom of your stomach with it then rub it on a drink coaster. "I'll be right back with the results" they say.

Isn't it amazing that a doctor can understand what is going on inside the body by looking at the tongue or checking your throat? Well if you think that's something, look at what God said in His word. A haughty heart is a sure sign of destruction. When people are infected with pride it is clear that destruction will be their diagnosis. But what about those who are infected with humility? God says that honor is their diagnosis. We must be humble in our lives if we want God to move and use us.

Stick out your tongue and say, "Aaaaahhhh O Lord"

While There Is Hope

Proverbs 19:18

Chasten thy son while there is hope,

and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

As a dad, some of the most unpleasant and difficult moments are when I've had to discipline my children. To punish them for their disobedience is needed and although I know that God has given us this duty, it still hurts me. I suppose it hurts because of the disappointment of their choice. I still can't handle the tears because of the punishment.

When I think of sparing them or being lenient, my own dad comes to mind. I can remember as a child being punished (for something that I deserved to be punished for) and thinking... "Why aren't you whooping them? Why aren't you whooping my friends?"  My dad would say, "They don't belong to me". 

Remember Peter walking with Jesus on the shore of Galilee after his resurrection?  Jesus was correcting him and bringing him back to the fold. Peter asked Jesus about what would happen with John and Jesus answered with, "You follow me".  Did you know that shepherds will break the legs of wondering sheep in order to keep them from going astray?  Well, God has told us that if we love our children then we will discipline them. We will chastise them for their wrongs. (Please don't break legs, that's abuse not discipline)

Our scripture tells us that we should do it while there is hope. By being a dad or mom who corrects their children that they love, we are giving them hope. I have heard many parents say that there is no more hope for their children. They are too old to discipline. I wish we could do it all over. My answer is always, we can't go back. We can only go forward. 

Although I may be the one who goes into another room after I discipline my boys and cry, I can't let their tears deter me from disciplining them. Just as my earthly dad and Heavenly Father disciplines me, because I belong to them, I must never forget to do the same. Just as my dad loved me very, very much (haha) I love my boys the same. 

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not...

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not.... He loves me!  Did anyone do this when you were young?  We depended on daisies to tell us our fate in the love category. Something that is funny to me is young children today. They have invented these paper fortune tellers. They write girls or boys names underneath these little flaps and turn it in and out by counting numbers. And then the flap is lifted with their loves name on it.  They giggle and shout sometimes. At times they don't get the person they wanted and feel down about it. Isn't that funny?

We all at times feel unloved. We look at how people treat us and evaluate their love for us. We count all the things that people have given us and talley up their love for us. We say, "They love us, they love us not..."  Some even feel that God has changed His love for us. They sometimes feel unloved because of suffering and trials but the love of our God is not dependent upon what we have or don't have. It's not given because we have deserved it or earned it. He loves us, and that's all.

Maybe you're thinking, "He loves me, He loves me not..."  But let me tell you this!  "He loves you, He loves you, He loves you, HE LOVES YOU!" 

1 John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

Crackers in the Meatloaf

Luke 9:13-17

But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

With God, there is always enough!  Sometimes there is more than enough, but all the time there is enough. As I think back upon my life this morning and take inventory, I recall the sufficiency of God. Even as I recall my childhood, God was always sufficient. 

I remember this one time my dad bragging on my great-grandmothers hamburgers. I suppose I remember it well because of the argument that it started. My mom made hamburgers and dad begin to recall his grandmothers style of burger. Then the statement came out... "Boy Granny-Clay sure could make a good hamburger". (From dad of course) Then my mom told him to just go on over there and let his granny make him a burger if they were so good. (it wasn't intense, just picking at each other). Well somehow we got on the subject of how moist and tender Granny-Clay's burgers were. And then I heard it. Mom said, "She puts crackers or old bread crumbs into her burgers and meatloaf". I said, "What? Why would someone put crackers in the meatloaf?"  My mother then begin to explain of hard times. She said they would do this in order to stretch out the meat. They didn't have much meat at times to feed everyone so they would put the crackers in the meat to stretch it out. 

In our scripture today, God takes a little boys lunch and turns it into an "All You Can Eat Buffet". Remember little is much when God is in it. 

As you take inventory this morning on how blessed you are, I'm sure there were times that you've had plenty. Blessed more that the freezer could hold. Other times you probably think that you were not blessed as much. But if you will stop and think about it those could have been the blessed times that God was, and is, being sufficient. You look at your five loaves and two fish and believe it's not enough. It's because it is in your hands. Put it into the hands of Jesus. 

Maybe there are crackers in your meatloaf or hamburgers, but "Boy they sure are good". AND ALWAYS ENOUGH! 

Everything That Glitters Ain’t Gold

Acts 17:19-20
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

When I was younger my mother would always tell me, "Everything that glitters ain't gold son". She would always say this to me when I was dating a girl. I would come home talking about how pretty they were and how popular they were. Most every time it would end with her making this statement. It wasn't that she didn't like these girls, she didn't even know many of them. It was they way I spoke of them and what attracted me to them.

I really never understood what she was trying to teach me by always telling me this statement until I grew older. You see I always saw the face, the features and sometimes even the status of a girl. My attraction was just skin deep. I'm almost certain that I wasn't alone in this battle. Boys always wanted the pretty girls and girls always wanted the good-looking guys. It's our youthfulness. What is funny is how my mom would say it. Her eyebrows would raise and give me that look of, "Be careful son... Remember, everything that glitters ain't gold".

Can I tell you that we live in a world today that will tell you that all is well. Everything is okay if you are enjoying it. "Do what makes you happy" is the motto of America. But always remember this, "Everything that glitters ain't gold". It's sad to say, but even in our churches this attitude has flooded our pulpits. The lack of conviction, preaching and repentance is prevalent. The scriptures say that God once winked at ignorance but now commands that everyone should repent. Repent means to feel sorry, or convicted for your sin to the point that you confess it and TURN from it. Feeling bad or sorry about sin isn't repentance, turning from it is. Repentance is like gold because of its worth.

Thank you Lord for giving me an opportunity to repent. Thank you for showing me that repentance isn't just skin or statement deep. It goes to the point of turning from sin and turning toward you. Please help all today that are at this point right now. Help them to see the golden opportunity and not just fool's gold of feeling sorry.

Beating Out Of My Chest

Job 37:1
At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

Job's friend, Elihu, is telling Job of how great God is. If you could take the time this morning, go back and read Job chapters 36 and 37. It tells of how awesome are the works of God. He is above all things. Our God is perfect in knowledge. He is mighty in strength and wisdom. Our God is a preserver of life to the righteous. He is a provider and blessing to those who keep His commands. It also tells of how great God is in His justice and judgment. If we will keep His words and commands, He will establish us and bless us. If we choose to disobey Him then He will have perfect judgment.

Elihu goes on to ask Job, "Who can teach God?" He says that God is great and no man can number His years. He is found in the light. He shines always, even above all the clouds of doubt and sin. He sends His wind (Holy Spirit) to remove those clouds so that His light can shine through. He is God!

While talking about God and His greatness he confesses, "My heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place." He was saying that when he thought about God and His greatness that it felt as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

How do you feel when you think about your God? Let me try to explain the way I feel. When I saw my wife coming down the aisle of the church as my bride eighteen years ago, I felt like my heart was in my throat. It was pumping so fast that I thought I was going to spit it up right there in front of everyone. I was so overwhelmed with love that I though my heart would escape my chest. I still feel the same way about her. Well, when I think of God and what His Son did for me... It's magnified!

I need to go check my blood pressure now...

What Are You Talking Aboout?

Acts 8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Our scripture tells us about a man of God named Phillip. He was preaching a meeting where hundreds were being saved and God told him to leave and go down to Gaza. God had someone there for Phillip to witness to. He found this man riding along and reading the word of God. Phillip asked him if he understood it and he answered by saying, "How can I, except some man explain it to me."

So Phillip opened his mouth at the same scripture and preached Jesus unto him. He shared with him how Jesus fulfilled the words of God that he was reading. Jesus was the sacrifice that Isaiah was speaking of in those scriptures. In short, Phillip's message was Jesus Christ!

Paul said that he only knows the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What more do we need? Why do we feel that stories, jokes or flare is needed for people to understand the Gospel. I understand that each person is different and is used greatly by God because of their character. My point is when will we realize that the message is simple. It is plain. It is truth and it is powerful. It's Jesus! Give people less of you and more of Jesus.

God help me always to know that people will still die and enter Hell if they know me, but can have salvation eternally if they surrender to you.

So let me ask you, what are you talking about? Or better yet, who are you talking about?

The Benefits of Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

What are the benefits of bodily exercise?  Well for me personally it is...better shape of the body (less round), no medication to help with my blood pressure or diabetes, a better feeling of energy and accomplishment. The benefits of exercise can be awesome!  I never, in my whole life, thought I would say that I like to run and exercise but I do.  The stress that comes off of me while listening to my Christian music and running is just so crazy. But what is cool is that not only do I benefit from it, but my wife and boys benefit from it as well. I hope I'm a better husband and daddy because of the benefits of a healthy body. 

But notice what the scriptures say, "Bodily exercise profiteth little:". God did not say that exercise wasn't good for you. You know what is so funny?  I've heard people use this scripture to teach exercising does you no good. That's not what God is teaching here. He is saying... Compared to Godliness, that profits unto ALL things, the benefits of bodily exercise is little. You see, bodily exercise benefits for years, but Godliness benefits for eternity!  Bodily exercise benefits here on earth, but Godliness benefits in this life and our life of eternity which is to come. What is really cool is that not only do we benefit from exercising Godliness, but our spouses will, our children will, our churches will, our employers will, our friends will, our neighbors will.  Can't you see how much greater it is?

So while we exercise our bodies, never forget to exercise our spirit in Christ Jesus, because that's what will profit the most in the end. 

Somewhere I Have Never Been

Joshua 3:4-5
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

What was your prayer this morning? What would happen if we would pray, "God, take me somewhere I've never been"? What if we asked God to do something in our lives that has never happened before? What could God do? Where could God take us?

God told Joshua that He was going to do great things on this day. He said that He was going to cause them to pass by a place that they had never been to. Do you know what God did with Joshua and these people? He allowed them to cross through the middle of the Jordan river. Right through the middle of it. While the priests stood in the water with the ark of the covenant, all the people passed through. Praise the Lord! When God brought them through the Red Sea, He was breaking them away from the bondage of the Egyptians. When God brought them through the Jordan River, He was breaking them of their doubt and disbelief and bringing them into a land of promise and hope.

Oh, Lord will you please take me to places I've never seen? Not states or countries, but to a place of worship, ministry and service that I have never experienced before. I will trust and I will follow. Take me Lord to a higher place. To a place that you desire for me to be and that I have never seen before. As I cross through, remove me from all of my past burdens and bondage. Remove from me the doubt and disbelief. As they did, so do I. I sanctify myself unto you my Lord today. Cleanse me, purge me, forgive me, lead me Lord and I will follow.

Take me somewhere I ain't never been.

A Hill of Beans

Mark 8:36 says: 

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

What does it profit to start with God, and end with Satan?  What does it profit us to gain the treasures of the world and lose our souls?  Many today are selling out to the world and its pleasures. 

King Saul was one of these men. He had everything he could have ever dreamed of. Fame, fortune and the hand of God was upon him as well. But he chose to listen to the world and not God. He leaned upon his own understanding. This lifestyle of Saul brought him misery and heartache. He was even driven to madness at times and had to have David come and play music to calm him down. See King Saul seemed like he had everything under control. Everything was great for him!  

King Saul was from Gibeah, which in one scripture is defined as "the hill of God" and in another, "Saul's hill". But today it is called "Tel el Ful" which means "Hill of Beans". Which I've always heard doesn't amount to much. Do you think it is a coincidence that it was called these names in the order I have wrote them?

A life that is not surrendered to God will never amount to a hill of beans.
What will this life profit you?

TO GAIN THE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR SOUL DOESN’T AMOUNT TO A HILL OF BEANS

Getting It Done

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

How many of you have a detailed list of things to do for today?  9am, go to the dentist... 10am, pickup medicine... 11am, meet homeowner... 12pm, go to lunch with new client... 1pm, go to the office... 3pm, pickup children in the carline... 4pm, go by resturaunt and get dinner... 6pm, pickup children from ball practice... and on and on until bed, then the same things the next day. 

We all have many things to do on our lists. Some may even be important things to do. But have you given much thought to "How" you get those things done?  The Bible teaches us that no matter what it is we do, we need to do it all in the name of the Lord. Look at it again... "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed..."  This deals with everything we say and do. "Do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus..."  We are to do it ALL as we would be doing it unto Jesus. 

So looking at step one, I would say we have that down pretty good. We realize that we have things to do. Step two, the way we get it done. We may have that down as well. But now on to step three, giving thanks while getting it done. This could be difficult. The Word of God says in whatever we do, do it in the name of Jesus with a thankful attitude. 

Why do you think the Lord wants us to be thankful about what we do?  It's because of the reason we do them. If you were to do all things for Steve, you would be disappointed. But if you do it all in the name of Jesus, you will never be disappointed. 

Let's give thanks to Him today for what is on our lists. Ask Him for the strength this morning to get those things done. Be thankful that we have something to do through Him. Lord help us today to get it done and to be thankful about it. 

I Could Sure Use a Drink

John 4:13-14
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Now I'm not old enough to even remember these days but I have relatives and parents who do. In fact I heard someone just the other day talking about the fountains for the "white" and the "colored" people. When I read it in my history books it seems as if it was years and years ago when the truth is that it wasn't just that long ago. Well let me just get to the point this morning...

Jesus was tired and sat on a well. A well that was known as Jacob's well. When a woman who was known for her character came out to draw from this well at a time when no other women would come. She came in search of some water for her thirst and Jesus was ready. Notice something about this story with me. Jesus didn't tell this woman to follow Him to Jerusalem for some good Jewish water. He didn't satisfy her with any of Jacob's well water either. No he offered her living water!

You see, Jesus doesn't look toward the "white" fountain as the "white" Jesus with His "white" portrait of Himself. He does not look to the "black" fountain as the "black" Jesus with His "black" portrait of Himself. He didn't look to the Jewish fountain or the Samaritan fountain. HE IS THE FOUNTAIN! He is that Jewish Messiah, Son of God and Savior of the World fountain of life. The drunkard can have a drink. The prostitute can come and drink. The heterosexual and homosexual can come to drink. The adulterer and fornicator can come drink. The lost, hopeless and helpless sinner can come and drink! I don't know about you, but I sure could use a drink of that!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2 Timothy 1:16

The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

Have you ever had the breath knocked out of you?  That's probably one of the scariest things that could happen to you. Not being able to breathe is so painful and scary all at the same time. How many times have you thanked God for that breath you just took?  The old phrase that goes, "You don't miss your water till your well has run dry" comes to my mind. We aren't very thankful for the air we breath until we find ourselves gasping for it. 

Brother Paul tells us that one man effected him in ministry so much that he says he was like a refresher to his heart. Paul was thankful for a man named Onesiphorus. He said that he had "oft" refreshed him. This means that Onesiphorus impacted Paul's life!  He was someone that when Paul needed help, he was there. When Paul needed encouragement, he was there. When Paul needed prayer, he was there. When Paul needed a shoulder or ear, he was there. Paul was saying that this man was like a breath of fresh air to him. When Paul was gasping for air and there was a man named Onesiphorus to come into his life. 

My grandad, who is with Jesus now, couldn't walk across the room without gasping for air. He had COPD and emphysema. A hard working and tough man, would find himself bowed over struggling to find air. I hated to see this happen!  It would bother me so much that I would begin to cry and pray for his breath to be restored. He would puff the inhaler, and somehow calm down enough to find his breath. 

I see people on a daily basis that are struggling to find air. They're struggling to stay above water. It bothers me so much. I pray everyday that I would be able to be an Onesiphorus. Lord, let me often refresh others when they can't seem to find their breath and thank you Lord for always refreshing me.  

How many times have you thanked those for being there to often refresh you? First of all Jesus, who always refreshes!  Try and thank them today.