Our Dad Loves Us

Last night I got another glimpse of God. You see I almost always put my daughter to bed and kiss her goodnight. But last night was different. She has the flu and mom is the only one who got her flu shot. (I am a big baby and hate needles...but that's a different story). Anyway, my daughter woke up in the middle of the night hurting. I wanted so desperately to go in and just hold her tightly until she went to sleep. But I had to watch as my wife took care of her. She did such a great job with her, but I was longing to comfort my daughter and couldn't step in.

I think that is how God must feel with us sometimes. How He must hurt when we hurt. Afterall we are His children. We matter to Him. As much as I love my daughter, He loves her more. I know that many of my hurts, I bring upon myself as a consequence of my sin, but I believe God is still there wanting to come in. Wanting to take care of us. Waiting for us to ask.

If you are going through a tough time because of sin...turn back to God. Ask Him to help you through it. The consequences of sin will still be there but He will help you through. If you are going through a tough time and it is not because of sin...call on Jesus. Let Him hold you through it all.

Pass It On!

What a week it has been and it is only Wednesday! Monday, I spent all day at the hospital as a 38 year old member of my Sunday School class had open heart surgery. (He is doing well, praise God). Monday night my son got ill. He has the flu. Tuesday night I had my first Seminary class (Biblical Hermeneutics---I had to look the meaning up too). I got home last night around 11:20 and tonight it is 17 minutes until I have to be downstairs and I am writing my first blog of the week...Thanks for the encouragement Sara.



I always thought that whenever I read God's Word that the ultimate goal was to take what God says and apply it to my life. I have always thought that whenever I taught a lesson that the ulitimate goal was that my students take what was taught and apply it to their lives. It sounds good and application is part of what God wants from us. However, it doesn't end with just application for our own lives.



No, God wants us to teach others so that they may in turn teach others. The ultimate goal of any lesson I learn is to be able to teach someone else. The ultimate goal of any lesson I teach is that my students be able to teach someone else.



This "teaching" could be leading a class, preaching a sermon, or it could be helping my son or daughter understand God and His Word, or help my wife grow in Christ (although most of the time she helps me). In any case, my challenge for you today is that you not only spend time learning God's Word but you also apply it. And not only apply God's word but teach or share it with someone else.



Well, gotta go to Wednesday night service. I get to go find out what I am suppose to apply and pass on tonight!

Proud Daddy

As I am continuing in my PDL study, it brought a smile to my face today. I was reading of how I was designed to bring pleasure to God. I immediately thought of Friday nights. You may be wondering, "What's so special about Friday nights?" "What great spiritual thing happens then?" Is it a great sermon, a concert? No. It's.......basketball!

Now, it is not just any basketball. It is 1st and 2nd grade basketball. My daughter is on a co-ed team here and her daddy is the coach. To watcher her on that court having fun, giving everything she has got makes me proud. She doesn't even care who wins (She gets that part from her mom not her daddy).

Everything she does makes me smile. When she shoots the basketball, I hang on every shot. She's a good little ball player. She usually covers and is covered by boys on the other team. But you know what...even if she wasn't, her daddy would be proud.

Every Friday night, I get a glimpse of my heavenly father's feelings about me. Sometimes in life I stumble and fall. Many times I shoot an airball spiritually. And yet when my Father in Heaven looks at me trying my best, giving everything I have for his glory....He smiles. The Creator of the Universe smiles because he is proud of me. That's amazing!

The Simple Life

As we continue in the Purpose Driven Life, I am reminded of the value of the simple life. I think if we are honest, many of us have lived or are living lives that are too chaotic. We are too busy. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.

If you can identify with any of those statements, there is good news. God doesn't intend for things to be that way. Sure we all have seasons of times where we are too busy, but this shouldn't be our lifestyle. If you are too busy and life is too chaotic, odds are that you have said "yes" to something God never intended for you.

Being in ministry, this is a constant struggle for me. There is always something that needs to be done, someone in need, a new study that needs to be started, a new ministry idea. The most powerful word that I have ever learned is "No".

Knowing my purpose allows me to say "No" to things I shouldn't be doing in order to focus on the things that I should be doing. Today's challenge is that if you are too busy, ask God to reveal to you the things that you are doing that are not from Him.

Warning: Odds are you probably know what this is but cannot let go of it.

Tomorrow we will look at FOCUS, and how knowing our purpose will help us focus.

Purpose Driven Life Day 1 and 2

Thank you to those of you going through this study at church again with me. As I read days 1 and 2, I realize that of all the times that I have taught this study God has us studying together for a reason. In fact, if you are reading this blog right now it is because of God's plan for your life. It is no accident, even if you thought you were just randomly surfing the net.

I am reminded during these two days that God created me for a purpose, His purpose. Though we live in a world that constantly teaches us that "It's all about me." in reality, as the first sentence in the book says, "It's not about (me)." God cares about me. God loves me. God created me. But I was created for His plan not my happiness. He loves me, but if it will accomplish His purpose more for me to be Job than to be Solomon I have to be ok with that....so am I?

To be honest many days I am not. Just because I am a minister does not mean that I do not struggle. It isn't easy for anyone to go through disappointments, hurt feelings, and hard times and I fail God more often than I would like to admit.

But somewhere along the way, God has assured me that He is still in control. It is no accident that I am where I am today, doing what I am doing today. And through it all, God continues to bless.

I love the story of Joseph. He was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and placed in prison...all to become the second most powerful man in the nation at the exact time his brothers (the very ones who threw him into the pit and sold him into slavery) needed him.

God, may thy will be done here on my earth (in my marriage, in my family, in my church, in my nation) as it is in heaven!