Closing Thoughts for Memorial Day

It has been several weeks since my last post and alot has transpired in my life. I pray that all is well with each of you. As Memorial Day 2010 comes to a close here in the next few minutes, I wanted to sit and share some thoughts. First, I thank God for our liberty and freedom. I believe, much as our founding fathers did, that the creation of our nation was with providential care. I believe that God had his hands on us from the beginning. That doesn't mean that we as a nation has always done things the right way. We are human and humans make mistakes. When the revolution broke out in the late 1700's, one of the common cries given out by our soldiers was "No king but Jesus!" Second, I thank God that in every generation there are those who answer the call to serve in the military for the purpose of making our borders safe. It is not an easy life and many sacrifices have been made through our nations history. How often we forget that blood has been shed all over the world so that we could enjoy a cook out with family and friends today. Finally, I pray tonight not only for our soldiers, but also for all of the mothers and fathers, spouses and chilren that are also paying the price during this time in our nations history. May we never forget or take advantage of what has been afforded to us at the expense of someone else. God bless

Does It Matter?

The question that has been on my mind the last few days is, "How does my life matter?" What kind of difference am I making? Am I really enjoying my work? I have been reading through Ecclesiastes this week and it has really made me look at things with a new prospective. For instance it tells us that many of us are simply chasing the wind. We are working for things that bring no real happiness and peace. The things that we are giving our lives to will one day be gone and our life will have been in vain. However, if we give our lives to pursuing God, then we will have eternal rewards that never perish. I am concerned that alot of us, myself included, have given our lives to pursuing something that will eventually dissapoint us. Even within the church, we are guilty of this. We start out chasing God but get caught up in our jobs that we lose sight of Him and focus only on our duties. Eventually the "job" becomes unfulfilling and many get burned out. If you are in the "burned-out" place today then please stop where you are and regroup. Fall in love with God again and let Him remind you why you do what you do. Let it be about Him and not about us and our agendas. Only God can make your life meaningful again. God bless.

I Will Praise Him With JOY!

How do you praise God? From what emotions does your praise come? David tells us in Psalms 63:5, "I will praise Him with joyful lips." Joy is not the same thing as happiness. Happiness means that I need something to "happen" to make me happy. Not everything in life is going to happen the way I want it too. There are going to be situations to come up in my life that will not allow me to be happy. However, I can still have joy! Joy is not based on what happens, but what I know. Jeremiah 15:16 says, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD god of hosts." Jeremiah says that as he came to know God's words it brought Joy to his heart and life. I Peter 1:8 says, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." You see, your joy is not based on what happens in your life, but Who and what you know. Jeremiah says that his joy came from knowing God's word and Peter says that it came through knowing Christ. Depression, anxiety, and fears all come to us based upon what has happened in our lives or what we anticipate to happen. These will keep us joyless and afraid. I encourage you today to look to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Cast your cares upon Him and learn of Him that He might give you rest. You see, "In His presence there is a FULLNESS of joy!" When was the last time you pressed your way into His presence? I pray for you today that your mourning and sorrow be turned to joy. God bless

Satisfied

Psalms 63:5 says, "My soul shall be satisfied." This entire Psalm is about the joy that the fellowship of the Lord brings to one's life. As David makes this statement, he is telling us that God alone has satisfied him. We live in a world where many are not satisfied. They are looking all over for that "thing" that will fill the void of their hearts. While there are many options that this world offers us, none of them will work. You can not make enough money, buy enough things, have enough sex, do enough drugs, drink enough, or go on enough vacations. There are many in the celebrity status that can get anything they want, but they still are not satisfied. How about you? Are you satisfied yet, or are you still trying to find that "thing"? You will not find it until you come to Jesus. The thing that so many are missing is the fellowship of the Lord in their lives. We were created to have relationship with Him and nothing can take the place of that. Many have died with the wealth of this world, but their souls were poor. I would rather be rich in Spirit, than to be rich with gold. I pray that each of us would reach a place of satisfaction with God. Meaning that we are so connected to Him, that we are no longer looking for other options. God bless and have a great day.

As Long As I Live

Today, I am going to continue to look at Psalms 63 and in particular verse 4. Here David says, "I will praise you as long as I live." I other words, "as long as there is breath in my body, I will praise you." David understood that his real life purpose was not to be king, though God had anointed him to be so. His lifes purpose was not to be a great military man, though he was. His life purpose was not be be wealthy, though he was. His lifes purpose was not to be popular, though he was that as well. David knew that the real reason for his existence was to praise God. David knew that God had created him for worship. David worshiped God by being a great king, military leader, family man, and so forth. Everything he had and did in life, he used as an opportunity to bless the name of the Lord. He knew that all he had in life had come from God and without Him he was nothing and had nothing. You see, some of us have it all wrong. We identify ourselves by our professions or possessions. We should identify ourselves by Who possesses us. Our reason for existence is not for us to just enjoy life and life's benefits, but to bless the Giver or life and His gifts to us. Don't waste another day praising yourself, begin to turn the praise to the one who really deserves it. Accept your calling and "bless the Lord." God bless

Better Than Life!

In Psalms 63:3, David prays to God and says, "Your Lovingkindness is BETTER than life." Wow! What a statment. In other words, without God's love life isn't worth living. There is nothing in this life better than God's love toward us. The Bible teaches us that God "so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son for us." It also says "while we were yet in sin, did Christ come and die for us." That is an awesome kind of love. Too many times we decide whether we are gonna show someone love or not based upon their treatment of us. That is not God's love. He loved us first and proved it through the Cross. You see, not only is His love better than life; but His love is life. Without His love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, there is no life here or in the future. His love gives us our future hope. Christ in us is the hope of Glory according to the book of Colossians. How has His love impacted you? How has it made a difference in you? Think on these questions today and remember, you can't earn His love, He already has loved you. God bless