One-On-One Time

Thanksgiving week was a good week. We had fun getting together with the relatives and spending some good one-on-one time with the kids. There weren't the normal distractions of school and work. This made our interactions more precious since there was nothing to disrupt our time together.

Shouldn't we relate to God in such a way? Shouldn't we give Him more one-on-one time so we can get to know Him more intimately? It is easy to allow distractions to interfere. Since we can't "see" God, we sometimes neglect His presence even though He is with us always.

How can we generate some quality time with the LORD? Try getting up early and reading through a chapter in the Bible. There are limited distractions when you are awake before everyone else in the household. The phone isn't usually ringing off the hook, and the kids aren't asking you where they put their homework or for the new shirt they were going to wear.

By creating a habit of early morning fellowship with God, we are opening ourselves up to hearing what the Creator of the universe has to say. And He has lots to say; like how much He loves us and how much He wants us to seek Him when we have doubts and to cling to Him when we have fears. Getting to know God is a good thing. Try it. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, and you will be blessed by the one-on-one time you spend with the LORD of Lords.

Taking a Few Days Off

To spend time with my family, I will not be posting Wednesday or Friday of this week. Happy Thanksgiving and see you on Monday!

A Season of Thankfulness

This is Thanksgiving week. A time to give thanks. But who are we to give thanks to? Some people would have you believe we are to thank each other. Actually, we are to thank God Almighty. Since the time of the Pilgrims, this nation has recognized that we have been blessed by God; that everything we have received comes from Him. Will our current administration thank God this year? It's hard to say. But I know that at the majority of dinner tables this Thanksgiving, especially with our strained economy, there will be many who still will acknowledge the One who has deserves our gratefulness each and every day.

Do You Call Him LORD?

Jesus said in the 14th chapter of John that if we love Him we were to keep His commandments. That means if we call Him LORD (note the caps), then we must be obedient to what He says we are to do. We aren't to pick and choose. We aren't supposed to disregard His commands because we don't feel it's relevent or it's not what we want to do. James 4:11b in the New Living Translation says, "But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it."

Are you calling Him LORD? Then heed His words and obey His commands; otherwise, He's really not that significant in your life.

Accepting the Facts

As the years go by, I can't avoid the fact that my body is no longer that youthful, energetic one of my youth. Bones are starting to creak more often. Joints are beginning to ache. I can no longer kneel on my left knee without a sharp piercing pain as if I were pushing on a teeny-tiny rock.

When did I start to age? When did that slow slide from youthfulness begin? I can pull out my hair trying to pinpoint an exact age, but the signs have been evident, particularly in the last five years after my trip to Israel. It was there that my knees first started to buckle as I climbed up the stairs to see the tel at Beit Shean. No wonder the LORD opened up the doors for that visit. I may not be so energetic the next time.

I have accepted the facts of this aging process, but I am not going down without a fight. I will still try to keep active as much as possible. I will still try to play ball or have fun with my kids. I may not be able to run fast or to ride bikes as far as I once did, but I won't let this eventual deterioration of my body get the best of me. As long as the LORD allows, I will continue to be and to do, and I will thank Him for every creak and twinge because it says I'm still alive and can still make a difference.

God-Given Glimpses

None of us knows the exact plans God has for our lives. I think He does this on purpose for our protection. He knows that our egos or our pride or our fears may get in the way. But sometimes He gives us little glimpse; little hints of something in the future.

This may come in the form of a Scripture verse that He gave one day while reading His Word. Or it may come by a chain of events leading up to a certain point. Whichever way God chooses to give you some insight, be thankful for it and learn from it. You were given a glimpse for a reason. Sometimes it is to help you prepare. Other times it's to give you hope. Ultimately, the lesson is that God loves you and wants to show you He is involved in every aspect of your life.

The I Have List

When my son is ready to walk out the door to go to school, he begins his "I have" list. He'll say, "I have my lunch, I have my homework, I have my school I.D.," etc., etc. He goes over this mental list to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything and that he's prepared for his day.

The other day as he went through his routine, I couldn't help think of the "I haves" that we often forget: I have a God who loves me, I have a Savior who sacrificed His life for me so I can go to heaven when I die, I have family and friends who care for me, I have food on the table, I have a roof over my head. The list is endless if we stop and think about it.

It's easy to forget all that we have. Let's try to make the time each day to go over the true "I have" list and thank God for all that He has given us.

Happy Veterans' Day

To all who have put on the uniform to defend this great Nation, we give you thanks and lift you up in our prayers!

Does God Hear?

There is so much suffering in this world; so many injustices. People often wonder if God really does hear, or if He even cares.

God not only hears, He understands our sufferings. He watched His Son be beaten and then crucified. He allowed this because of His great love for us. No one else was capable of taking the sins of the world upon Himself but God Himself who came down to earth in human form.

So how does this help in the midst of suffering? By showing us that if God loved us enough to allow His Son to take our punishment for sins past, present, and future, then He will be there to give us hope and strength as we experience whatever trial that comes into our lives. If we turn to Him, call out to Him, and then cling to Him, He will see us through to the end.

Take your sufferings and give it to the Lord, and then see how He shows you His love and touches your life.

Not All That You See

I had purchased a 20 pound sack of extra large potatoes the other week with the purpose of stretching out my money with the multiple ways of cooking them. All the potatoes were nice and brown and big, with few if any bad blemishes to the skins.

Yesterday, I grabbed a rather large one from the sack to add to the turkey soup I was making. I peeled, then started to cut it into chunks. But as I began to slice deeper into the spud, I started to see some dark sections in the center. I sliced more, thinking perhaps it was just a bad spot, but it turned out that the whole tuber was rotten, with an ugly, cavernous hole in the middle.

Isn't it funny how we are all fooled by the exterior? We think that just because something looks good on the outside, then the inside must be fine. But that isn't always the case. Jesus warned us about this when He told His disciples about false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20). They may look okay, and even seem to speak well, but they are actually wolves in sheep's clothing.

Don't be fooled by what you see and hear. Investigate further to make sure the facts are true. You don't want to end up with something rotten to the core.

Trudging Through Trials

We all experience trials throughout our days. They're just part of life. We don't like them, especially when they last a long time, but if we are honest with ourselves we will see that we learn a lot from them.

As I was reading my devotions this morning, I came across a Scripture I had underlined some time ago. It was Psalm 105:19, which says, "Until the time came to fulfill His Word, the LORD tested Joseph's character." Depending on one's attitude, you can either look at this verse with frustration or with joy. It is frustrating to realize that our trials have determined lengths: that we will experience difficulties until God has decided we've learned what He has to teach us. It can be joyful as we realize that it is only for a season, and that there is an ultimate purpose behind the struggle that will not only bless us, but will most importantly glorify God.

When I look at the life of Joseph, I see hardships and struggles in the beginning. I also see his faithfulness as he kept his eyes on the LORD. But, most specifically, I see that his perseverance paid off with rewards that were beyond his comprehension when he was experiencing his trials.

So as we trudge along in our hardships, remember that it will not last forever and God has a wonderful plan for you at the end.

Peripherals

I used to love going to the video arcade when I was much younger, long before the days of home entertainment systems. Since I was too young at the time to drive, I would sometimes play the driving games where you would sit in a make-shift car seat and race along a track against computerized players. It was fun zooming around a countryside or through a city, trying to maneuver around other cars. But the problem was that you couldn't see a car coming from behind or alongside until they were right up on you. You weren't given a peripheral view.

Although we often hear the phrase, "Don't look back" in reference to not dwelling on our past, we actually need the opportunity to see where we've been. Knowing our past helps us to see how much we've grown and how far we need to go. We also need to take a look around us to make sure we haven't sidetracked. And, knowing where we are helps us to be thankful for the direction God is taking us (that is, as long as we are asking Him to lead).

Take the time to check your peripherals. It may make you better focused for the long road ahead.