Day 60 - Mutual Faith

"It was a.blessing to us to be with like-minded people from a similar church background and share our lives."

It is refreshing to share thoughts, ideals and, most of all, faith. Sometimes you just need to hear that there are people out there who believe like you do. 

We can get so bogged down with news, social media and secular society that surrounds us that at times it seems like there isn't a sane person on the planet. If we continue in that belief we may get discouraged or depressed and find ourselves in the cave of doubt, hiding, and like the prophet Elijah telling God we are the only ones left.

The truth is that there are people out there who are sane. Not everyone shares the sentiment of the news media or the buzz on social media. Not every Christian is compromised. God has people all over the world who have not bowed their knee to a foreign god. 

How do you feel when you get with like minded people? How important are friends? 

Day 59 - Pistachio or Banana?

"I got Pistachio ice cream and it tasted like banana. One of the girls in the store also had Pistachio and heard us talking about bananas and confirmed that hers tasted like it too. The clerk at the counter went to the jar of pudding mix they use for it and smelled the powder and sure enough it was banana. It was good but seemed funny to think about."

Everything about that ice cream made me want to think that it was pistachio. It was green, it had chopped pistachio nuts on top of it. The clerk pulled out the jar with the boxes of pudding mix they used to flavor the ice cream and they all said pistachio. The one thing that was most important was not there...the flavor. 

I was so happy that I wasn't crazy. The guy who mixed the ice cream had to pull the mix out and smell it to be convinced. I knew something was wrong. 

It reminds me of the time someone made me some enchiladas and instead of vegetable oil they used blood orange flavored oil. As I was eating I remarked that there was a strong citrus flavor. The cook had a good laugh and complimented my taste buds. They had ran out of regular oil and thought they could sneak by with the blood orange. 

If we know the truth then when a counterfeit comes along we will know the taste is off. We need to sharpen our spiritual senses to be so in tune with God that the devil tries to switch the flavor we will be prepared to catch him and cast him out. Deception is tricky because it is deceptive. That is why it is important to stick with truth. No matter what package a lie comes in you won't be fooled by it. 

How can we sharpen our spiritual senses? How does knowing truth help you spot the lie? 

Day 58 - Pre-Marital Mayhem

"They are experiencing the premarital attack of the enemy. If the devil can keep two believers apart then he has sapped their effectiveness. One can put a thousand to flight but two can put ten thousand to flight. Why would the devil want effective Christians? So he tries to keep them separated or together in sin. Either way he wins. If we keep ourselves pure and come together in marriage we can become exponentially more effective."

During my engagement the company I worked for shut down it's local branch and I lost my job. We were freaking out. Add to that a whole lot of family tension and personal fears of the unknown and it makes for a heavy dose of the cold feet. Thankfully I had a great friend at the time who gave me some sound advice and pep talk I still remember to this day. 

People who want to get married need to know that the devil and all hell break loose against Christians when they get engaged. The devil hates marriage because it is a picture of Christ and the church. If the devil can halt or destroy a marriage he has succeeded in removing a witness of Jesus on the earth. That is why many people have battles before they get married that make them feel like they are on the journey in the movie The Princess Bride. (You didn't think I would talk about marriage without that reference did you?) 

In Ecclesiastes it speaks of the effectiveness of unity and says that a cord of three strands are not easily broken. In marriage that is the husband, wife and the Holy Spirit wrapped all around us. Keep God in the center of marriage and it will be wonderful. He invented it and wants it to be good. For the engaged I say keep it clean! You will be glad you did. If you have messed up, repent and commit your journey to the Lord. God will give you the grace to stay holy. To the single i say wait on the Lord. Sink yourself in Him and He will either fulfill you or bring you the right person at the right time in the right way. 

Did you encounter any trials before you got married? How can we stay pure before and in marriage?

Day 57 - Agents of Change

"I love the example of being a thermostat instead of a thermometer. We don't react to our environment we change it!"

We decide the atmosphere around us. We can either react and show the climate that surrounds us or we can set our hearts on God's truth and speak in agreement with His word until our surroundings change. Some would say we are just full of hot air and my response would be in this case 'exactly'. The more hot air we push out the more the cold world heats up. We are agents of change. 

Have you ever been in the midst of a heated argument and cooled it down with a kind word or an apology? You were the thermostat. A thermometer would only let its heat levels rise until it blew it's top. 

Rather than react lets respond with faith filled words and loving actions. As we do we will see the change in the world around us. 

Have you experienced being the thermometer or the thermostat? What advice would you give to someone wanting to be an agent of change? 

Day 56 - The Song of the Heart

"'Open our eyes Lord; we want to see Jesus.' This line from an old song came to mind after reading tonight's devotional. The desire for Christ should be our highest. It should move us, prioritize our lives, keep us and eventually bless us. They that seek shall find! And what a delight to find the One who is perfect, love incarnate, and the lover of my soul. My aim has been off. My focus blurred by things in the periphery. Thank you Lord for a realignment."

How refreshing to hear the songs of the heart. Whether it comes from a devotional, a scripture, or another song, it takes you to a place of intimacy. I think of Moses and Mary and others in the Bible who had songs bursting forth from their hearts. After battles and victories and of the greatest news of the coming Messiah spring out of their mouths. The richness of doctrine, prophecy and joy overwhelm. 

As I look at that one line that I remembered last year and the wealth of what it did for me then I see how God uses music, melody and repetition to place in our hearts His song and His plans. At the right moment my spirit was in tune and was singing a song I once sang and it ministered to me. What a delight. 

What song ministers to you? Have you ever had a song just rise out of your heart? 

Day 55 - The Dead Guys

"I like how my uncle says that he likes to read from the dead guys. There is something to that. Their life and the outcome has been proven. They have finished their race and the outcome of their faith plus the legacy that they left shows the work of God and trustworthiness of the writings they left. There are a ton of books out right now (many of them in my office) with authors literally giving them away in a desire that someone reads them as the latest and greatest. But a dead guy has no need of gain. Just a heart for what he believed and knew of God to be true. Especially if they ran to the end and endured. That is a book to be digested."

I think I am a bit book overloaded and reading fatigued. I can't read for enjoyment as much as I would like because I read so much for study on a daily basis. 

That being said even in my studies I still like to read after the dead guys. I get some of my best illustrations and insight from them. They have something to say because they endured and showed by their lives that what they believed was true. They are a part of the great cloud of witnesses now. 

I have also felt the disappointment of reading after someone and later they failed in their marriage or ministry. It makes me want to throw their book in the trash. Same thing when I read from someone who goes after a pet doctrine or the latest wave of teaching. Get the Holy Spirit's wisdom that He wants to express through you and write that down. Or just tell the story of what God is doing in you. That is worth hearing about. 

What dead guys do you like to read after? Which titles impacted you the most? 

Day 54 - The Purpose of Church

"I am overjoyed that we have a place where we can connect with God, use our gifts and relate with others."

The place I am referring to here is the church. I remember walking our campus that day watching the various ministries do what they do. Children were coloring pages about Bible stories, the cafe was filled with people, some talking, some listening to the message and taking notes. Our Spanish service was packed out and the message was passionate and being received (even though I didn't understand but a few words). 

It seems that in the blogosphere it has become cool and even common to bash the church. People get down on church. We need to remember that this isn't man's idea. It is God's plan for the earth. It is the pillar and the ground of truth. 

I know that there is the potential for hurt in the church but that shouldn't stop us from loving the church. Jesus said He would build His church. I want to help Him build what He is building. There was no other plan, no para-church organization or back up. 

Church is where we can connect with God like Jacob on his journey, dreaming of a ladder. God opens Heaven over Bethel, the house of God, the church, and speaks to us. 

Church is a place where we can use our gifts. God has given each one of us unique and powerful gift for ministry linked up with and for the benefit and growth of the church. As we all do our part God causes growth. 

Church is a place where we can relate with others. Our best friends and most trusted confidants are in church. Something happens when you know there are like minded people of faith on your side. Church will love you when the world will leave you. 

I love church! 

What is your favorite part of church? What would you add to my list of what happens in church? 

Day 53 - Drugs and Losses

"A man who used to be involved in our ministry met me after church. He has been on and off drugs for months. Mostly on. He was wearing a tattered shirt and he was very thin. He said hello and tried not to cuss. Eventually he did while he was talking about things he was seeing because of the drugs. I asked him if he was staying clean and he said no. He told me that God told him to smoke dope. I told him that God would never violate his Word and smoking dope was against the law and against the Word so God would not have told him to smoke dope. He kind of clammed up after that but he did ask why he was seeing things coming out of his hands and stuff written on them. I told him that the drugs had opened his eyes to the spirit realm and that he needed to get clean. He expressed his love and shook my hand. I saw him out by the burned down meth lab house by the entrance to the church sitting by the gutter drain. My heart broke for him. I recalled another drugged out guy who was standing in the lawn there staring off in to the distance. He probably had no idea I was driving by. I went into prayer and intercession for him."

I hate this post. I hate it because one of our people who had victory over drugs went back to it. I hate the devil and I hate evil. I hate the fact that this man's life and family and future have been ruined. 

This man isn't the only one. I know many who have went back to the things they left to follow Christ. We cannot afford to play with sin and evil. The old saying that he who plays near the mud hole will eventually fall in is true. If you play with fire you will get burned. 

We have to watch what we are watching, guard our hearts and make sure that we have godly relationships. Accountability, disciplines of church attendance, prayer and the Word of God are all so important. Not just going through the motions of dead religion but a personal and passionate relationship with the Living God. 

I am still praying for that man to return and the he be saved. I pray for you. I pray for myself.

How can we guard against slipping back into old ways? What has kept you strong in your relationship with the Lord?

Day 52 - Pray Pray Pray

"We prayed together and gave it to God."

Prayer is so simple it often escapes us. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is connecting us to God. 

There is a release that happens when we pray. I love the image the book of Psalms gives when it tells us to commit our way to the Lord. It is the image of a camel under a burden who kneels down and rolls the burden off itself onto the ground. 

What a picture of what happens when we pray! We roll the care and the burden off our backs as we humble ourselves and give Him our faith and trust for the outcome. 

M.C. Hammer was right, we need to pray just to make it today. 

How do you feel when you pray? Do you feel that prayer is simple or complex?

Day 51 - Decluttering

"We store so much stuff thinking that some day we will use it. I think throughout my lifetime once a year, every year, my family had cleaned out our garage or our storage spaces. Once every few years we clean out the junk drawer. If fact we have several junk drawers currently. We need to get rid of those things. Most of the stuff in them we don't use. It would actually be nice to have a drawer with nothing but a pen and note pad in it. I can never find what I actually would use!"

I have heard it said that The U.S.A. is the only place where we have storage units we rent to store things we don't use. Recently television shows have made this phenomenon popular with titles like Storage Wars, American Pickers and Hoarders. People just have tons of stuff these days. Some have argued against the consumerist waste and for the case of the collector. I get that but there is a fine line between a collector and a hoarder. 

In my house we have a rule that if we haven't touched something in a year then we need to consider if it should stay in our home. This obviously excludes categories of things like our important papers and our keepsakes. But for the most part we have a ton of stuff that we never use. Every year when we do our purge we end up with a bunch of yard sale items or donations. 

All this talk of cleaning reminds me that I still haven't got to those junk drawers. 

How do you manage your clutter? What would you add to this conversation? 

Day 50 - True Strength

"I had the privilege to preach the Word tonight. It was a good night. I counted eleven hands and more than that showed up at the altar. I ministered on God our strength."

The world is looking for strength in various forms. Strength in numbers. Strength in money. Strength in fame. Lately they are looking for strength in a serum or a mutation. 

The truth is that we have no strength outside of God. we can build the biggest, richest, strongest empire and still we would be a speck in the universal scale. When you think of a God who speaks and planets exist and who destroys his enemies with the breath of His mouth you realize where true strength lies. 

Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing. Never was a truer word spoken. His advice for us is to remain in Him. It is like a lamp that stays plugged into the wall. As long as it stays plugged in it gives light. If we will stay connected to Jesus we will have the power available to us. 

Have you felt weak and yet God moved on your behalf? What ways has God given you strength? 

Day 49 - Stuff you have to do

"Jess and I spent the better part of the day doing our tax preparation. Every year at least one or two days is spent preparing to file."

There are things in life you just have to put your head down and get to work on. If you don't do them they won't get done. As awful as tax prep and many other painful operations of life are I am thankful for things like returns, the feeling of a job well done and the sense of accomplishment when you can mark something off your list. These rewards can go a long way. Little by little you get stuff done and then you can relax and play. 

What sort of tasks do you dread but know you have to do them? What is your reward for completion? 

Day 48 - Giving it all

"We leave it all out there. We spend and are spent. I guess you could say we go big and then go home (and crash)."

In any endeavor of life we should give it our all. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. I found out that in college if I wanted to get a passing grade all I had to do was show up and turn in all required work on time. Life is no less. If we show up and do what is required we will pass our days. 

The problem is that I don't want to just get by. I want to excel and thrive in life. I think we all want meaning and a greater purpose. Real purpose outlasts our time and goes on perpetually. For the Christian we see beyond the natural and finite into eternity. 

In a world of mediocre and halfheartedness we have to preach a radical gospel and live a radical life. Nothing less will do. In fact Jesus calls us to wholehearted commitment from the get go. Taking up your cross means you are headed to die. That is total commitment. 

What kills commitment? How can we invest everything into life?

Day 47 - Toys

"The kids played on the computer drawing thing today. It is funny because they will pull out toys they haven't played with in months and it is all the rage. Something that was collecting dust suddenly becomes a point of contention because everyone wants to play with it all of a sudden."

Kids are often windows into human nature. They hold an innocence lost at the fall in one had and sin nature at its boldest expression in the other. Here in this little thought from last year I see both. 

First is the innocence and the joy of being together. We can find that if we will dust off simple things we have neglected like fellowship, corporate prayer, church, praise in the assembly, etc. we will find that joy once again. I love having a good conversation with an old friend or family member. There is a joy that comes when I get an e-mail or a message from someone I haven't connected with in a long while. 

While I wish we could stay in that innocence the fact is that the sin nature likes to try to resurrect every now and then. We don't like to share. Whether it be the attention, our friends, blessings, etc. something good can turn bad quickly. If we can yield our rights, desires and selfishness to the joy of love and others we will overcome. Celebrate someone else and they will celebrate you, do unto others...

Have you experienced the innocence and the joy of others recently? How can we stay joyful and avoid selfishness? 

Day 46 - No Complaints

After playing a game of golf with some godly men I wrote this thought last year:

"We made a pact that there would be no complaining. A good hit was not to be looked down on even if it wasn't the desired result. And a bad hit wasn't to be complained about even if we were disappointed. Oh that we could carry that attitude into our entire life."

I know that there are times when I say things because it is the thing to do. If someone is playing golf and hits the ground with their swing I say "You hit the big ball first." If my kids say "Daddy it hurts when I do this" I say "Don't do that." These may be funny things to say but if I am honest I am only saying them because I heard my parents or friends say these things. They are an automatic response. 

The danger here is that complaining may be an automatic response from our flesh. God doesn't like complaining either. So if we are saying things from an automatic response that God doesn't like we are quenching the Spirit and don't even know it. 

We guide our lives with our tongues like a ships rudder (check out James chapter 3). I don't want to steer myself into complaining or complacency. How much greater a life that speaks the best and steers us into the good things of God?

Do find it easy to complain? How can we speak better things over our lives?

Day 45 - Downward Spiral

"Continued thoughts from David's life: David went to the land of the Philistines. He sought refuge for his life from the enemy rather than from God who had delivered him. How many more stories of David sparing Saul's life would there be had David stayed in the land? Eventually at the height of David's trek down into the enemies camp we find him ready to ride into battle against his own people. Praise God he saves us from greater shame than we can bear. God is faithful and provides a way of escape, sometimes contrary to our will and fallen nature's desires. David is rejected from battle by the lords of the Philistines lest he deflect. Maybe he would have in the midst of battle seeing the slaughter of his people. We can only speculate. After leaving the battle formation we find David returning to his camp where the Amelekites have raided. What he has sown he has now reaped. Again, thank God for mercy and grace. David now seeks The Lord and finds strength to pursue the enemy. He overcomes them and is delivered from the hand of his men who would have killed him for their loss."

One decision in the wrong direction can cause a domino of decisions in that same direction. Thankfully God protects us through our times in the land of the enemy. Examples in the Word abound. Whether it is Abraham in Egypt, Isaac and Abimelech, or David in the land of the Philistines. 

Thankfully God is gracious and long suffering with us. Even in our wanderings He watches over us for our good. Eventually God calls His sons out of Egypt. He will not leave us out of the promised land. Victories await those whose hearts are loyal to God. David strengthened himself in the Lord. David also recovered all. So will we when we seek the Lord and find our strength in Him. 

How can we make the right decisions so we don't end up in the enemy's land? How can we strengthen ourselves in the Lord?

Day 44 - Pride

"I could sense that I was witnessing the real intense emotion of the inner turmoil of pride and the fruit of it which is the desire to be right, to be heard and to be respected. The part that amazes me is that he was right, heard and respected but pride wanted more. I guess that is why it is the snare of the devil. Like a fire that eats but is never satisfied."

I fight pride. Every day I pray from James and 1 Peter the scripture that "God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble therefore I humble myself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift me up". Pride wants an exalted position. God wants to give it to us but He wants it to happen His way. The way up is down. As we humble ourselves, or if I could say, come under the mission, and will and way of God, then He will exalt us. 

The last thing I need is God working against me. He opposes the proud. Who can stand against God? 

On the other hand God gives grace to the humble. Grace is His power and ability for life. When I can't do it God does it in and through me by grace. That only happens when I totally depend on Him and submit myself to His will, His way. 

How do you fight pride? How can we stay humble? 

Day 43 - Practicing what you preach

"It always amazes me that when we preach on a subject the it pops up in our life. We have often joked about getting sick when we are preaching about healing. I remember I preached a message on spiritual warfare and my son was admitted to the hospital with croup while I was preaching. Tonight was one of those times that this was evident. Pastor's message was about the protection of God and while he was telling a story before the message a guy comes walking right up to the front of the chairs and is stopped by our security before he can continue. He had missed his aisle and then when he was told that he couldn't go around the front he got angry and left. Then, right as we were ready to sit down one of our ushers had a heart attack. May we be loyal in our hearts and rest under his wings!"

Jesus beautifully illustrated this concept in the parable of the sower. He pointed out four types of soil and four ways that the Word is received. Three out of the four don't make it. I believe that even though Jesus spoke in terms of four types of soil all four can apply to our own hearts. 

When we say we believe something the devil immediately comes to test the Word we believe. "Did God say...?" will be his deceptive lie to get us off the Word as he deceived Eve in the Garden. Only by professing the truth can we fend off his advances. 

Then comes the persecution for the sake of the Word. It comes daily like the rising of the sun. If we are deeply rooted in God's Word then the same sun that scorches will be the sun that nourishes. 

Finally the weeds will try to grow and choke the Word. We have to focus our hearts on the Word. Otherwise the cares of this life, deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things will distract us to a place of unfruitfulness. 

If we have passed through all these tests then we can know for sure that we will be fruitful. That night that I referred to ended up being a night where 25 people came forward for the altar call. Also, our usher who had the heart attack was just fine. He still serves faithfully to this day. 

Have you experienced these types of trials when you got a hold of the Word? What scriptures helped you through? 

Day 42 - Not so bad

"I don't think the actual event was as devastating as when the initial news was first announced. I think most of life is that way. We are more hurt by the news than the event because we fear, process, and then for the Christian we pray and get strengthened in faith."

I can remember times when news hurt. Once I even felt sick to my stomach when bad news came. Other times it felt like a slap in the face. No matter how bad the news though it seems that the anticipation of the events associated with the news is worse than the actual events. 

How many times have you been called to the office for a 'bad' meeting where the outcome was good? How many bad financial reports have come where you didn't know how you were going to make it and then another pay period rolled around and you were still standing? What about that devastating doctors report that you laugh at now because you are totally healed? 

Even if the event is as bad or worse than the news it still shouldn't bring you down. God is greater than our fears, our bills, the diagnosis and the events of life. Light will always overcome darkness. The smallest light in the blackest darkness still shines. 

Have you had news that took your breath away? How did God bring you through the events that followed? 

Day 41 - What's Better

"A thought from the Word. When David was amongst the Philistines he became someone who he would not have been proud of. He acted like a mad man, he lied constantly and raided towns murdering everyone to cover for his lies. Better to suffer persecution for righteousness than to have comfort in a compromised life."

The last line of this thought I wrote last year I believe was Holy Spirit inspired. How often do we have the opportunity to compromise for the comfort of not suffering? The flesh will happily dive in. The devil will lie and tell you it is okay and Jesus died so you wouldn't have to suffer. No, Jesus died to save me from my sins. Suffering is a part of Christian living. Why else would Jesus tell us to take up our cross and follow Him? The road to glory is marked with pain, sorrow and suffering. That shouldn't back me off of following though. God gives grace and the Spirit to carry us through every trial. 

David's compromises ended up getting him and his companions in trouble. While they were away their town was raided and their families and goods were taken away. David's men actually talked of killing him. Thankfully the Lord is gracious. David strengthened himself in the Lord and they pursued the enemy and recovered all. 

If you're sitting in compromise it is time to repent and pray the Lord strengthens you for the pursuit to regain what the enemy has stolen. Like David you will recover all. 

Have you been persecuted or suffered for not compromising? How do you stick to your guns when the temptation comes? 

Day 40 - Our Testimony

"There is a lot that could be said of today. The Word of God was rich. Souls were saved. I met new people to the church and was impacted by who we reach. One lady got out of jail recently and was getting her life right with God. I was impressed meeting her because we showed a testimony about how a lady in our church had been in prison 8 years and was blessed to get two jobs in two weeks. Her son who was a self professed atheist was saved and now raises his hands to The Lord in church. God is good."

There is often shame associated with our past. The devil would love to remind us of who we were and lie to us that we aren't changed and that we aren't forgiven. If you have been born again then where you have been just tells of how great God really is. If God can take the outcast, the murderer, the pimps and the prostitutes and make them preachers, witnesses and power packed Christians then He truly is great! 

I love our church. We often say that we are the church of the ex-es. We are all ex-somethings. Ex-drug addicts, ex-perverts, ex-cons, ex-you fill in the blank. Oh sure we have doctors and lawyers and business professionals and even politicians in our church. But even they were once something that now they have been redeemed from. 

When we tell our testimony it does something. Is releases the power of God and breaks the power of the enemy. In Revelation it says that the saints overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony not loving their lives even unto death. We need to tell of the great and mighty deeds of the Lord. We need to shout Hiss goodness to a lost and dying world! 

What is your story? What has God been up to lately in your life? 

Day 39 - God is still God

"A couple at church from our prayer teams prayed for a girl and all they heard her say through her sobbing was “My…mom…” So when he prayed for her mom she started speaking in tongues clearly and loudly. We found out later she had never prayed in tongues before. We were all amazed."

Moments like these remind me that God is still God. This couple was praying for a girl's mom and thought they were praying for one thing but God was doing another thing. 

We see this in the Bible when Peter was preaching to the household of Cornelius. While Peter preached they were all saved and filled with the Spirit and started to prophesy and speak with tongues. Peter was amazed and said that if the Gentiles had been given the Spirit that they should also be baptized in water. 

We should never put God in a box. He is God! He can do whatever He wants. I still see that girl who was prayed for in our church. She is there every week faithfully. God has done great things in her life. I believe in that moment when she was so broken over the situation with her mom that God gave her the gift of Holy Spirit fullness to strengthen her so she could endure. 

Keep your eyes open and look for what God is doing. Let Him lead and follow what He is doing. 

Has God surprised you lately? What do you see Him doing?

Day 38 - Late Night Parenting

"The kids stayed up later then they should and were besides themselves by the time we got home. Just another reminder why we as parents stopped staying out late. We reminisced about the days where 11 pm was our starting point. Of coarse that was before kids and a lot of responsibility. Times have changed."

I don't care what anyone says, routines are a parent's stability and sanity. The baby stage of life prepares the parent to be tired so that they appreciate putting the kids to bed at a decent hour. I have heard a lot of trendy talk about breaking out of the routine. I get it...I do it from time to time when needed and with certain things. But when it comes to enduring tears and rage from my children I would rather have a 'bed time'. 

Some of the most freeing verses in the Bible for me contained the simple words "as was his custom". These words refer to both Jesus and the apostle Paul. If they had customs then it may not be a bad thing to have a routine. I believe God works with us. Think about it; God created all the systems of earth, space, time, biology, etc. 

God also created parenting...and sleep. 

What systems or routines help you from day to day? Why?

Day 37 - In a good bind

"From the Word today Abigail's words ring in my soul, “bound in the bundle of life with The Lord”. We had a fire drill today and it shook up a lot of us. I could tell that our staff was frustrated that they did not have the specific direct solution to what they were supposed to do with the drill. Can we predict the path of a fire or devastation from ground shaking? This would be unstable except for that we are bound in the bundle of life with The Lord. God is for us. He is our sun and our shield. He is the strong tower we run to and are safe."

It is good to be bound in certain circumstances. If I am bound may it be in a good way. May my boundaries be for my safety and blessing. May the fences set around keep my heart from wandering from my God. May the ties that bind me hold me near to the Lord. 

Since I am bound to Lord I am secure. It is the bundle of life and not death. I can be confident and cast of fear for I know Whom I am bound with. He never fails and I am bound to Him! 

Can you see a binding force that is for your safety or your good? What does the saying "Bound in the bundle of life with the Lord" speak to you?

Day 36 - Compassion

"There was a guy that wanted to wash our windshield on our car for money who I found out was in the process of an SPT at church. I invited him back to church and then watched as the employee asked him to leave the parking lot. We minister in a tough city. It is interesting to me how many people pass through our church. And probably not just our church but all the churches."

Tonight my wife preached a great message about Good Works. We don't do good works to be noticed or to feel good but because we are displaying the love of God. I found it appropriate that this was in my journal from last year on this day. 

One of the motivations for our good works is a compassion for people. I remember talking with this guy in the parking lot and really wanting him and his wife to get back to church. I knew he would grow and be helped if he would put in the effort to come. It broke my heart to watch as an employee of the store we were at ask him to leave. 

Church is a place where all are welcome. We open the door with loving acts of service. In other words, good...works. 

How can we have compassion on others? what are some practical good works we can do to reach others? 

Day 35 - I Just Don't Care

"I had bean dip and chips for dinner. Not sure how healthy that is or is not but whatever."

Often on busy days and some lazy ones an attitude of "I don't care" settles in. That is not always bad unless you think having chips and dip for dinner is bad. My wife confesses that when I stay long at the office she and the kids have cereal for dinner. I don't mind that if they had eggs and bacon for breakfast. Somehow in my mind it makes a well rounded set of meals. 

We have to pick our battles. There are things worth fighting for and things worth fighting. The attitude of "I don't care" is a tricky one. You can't turn your back on it too long because it may start with dinner, go to bath time, and end with a late bed time. With kids though they don't always sleep in when they have had a late night. Their internal clock still wakes them up before dawn. Then later in the day they may be irritable because they are tired and fighting or whining may ensue. 

Can I be honest? This isn't just with kids. Sometimes (and I'm being polite with that word) adults can play into the trickery of an "I don't care" attitude and cause all kinds of irritation. We need to fight against it where it counts. And when it doesn't matter, go ahead and have the bean dip for dinner. 

Do you find yourself fighting an "I don't care" attitude? What is a funny dinner food you have eaten because you didn't care?

Day 34 - Manufactured Memories

"We all went to Disneyland for Chloe's Birthday. I was thinking about it, I don't really have memories of Disneyland. There is a lot of activity but not much happens. I think we remember more of the fights and temper tantrums and bad experiences than we do the good experiences. Maybe it is because the good experiences are manufactured by the rides and shows. Oh but I could show you the patch of concrete where my son climaxed his one hour fit that started in the restaurant. I could point out the chair under which my son's diaper overflowed. And finally I could bring you to the handrail where my daughter fell off and hurt her arm and it later resulted in a midnight ER visit."

Disneyland is the self-professed 'Happiest place on earth'. I have had lots of great days at Disneyland holding my children's hands and seeing smiles on their faces. It has been a place I can go and turn my brain off and just enjoy a nice day outside walking around the park. 

That being said I couldn't tell you specific happy moments. Just that we were happy while there. The real memories I have are the ones mentioned above. We laugh about them now but they made real impressions on us. 

The point of all this is that I think we have to work at remembering good. We have to strive to be positive. Negative comes naturally. Maybe that is why Paul told the Philippians a laundry list of things to think about that were positive. If you don't do it on purpose you won't do it at all. 

In thinking about happy experiences at Disneyland I do remember when my friend was going to propose at the castle with the fireworks going off. A friend and I drove down with no money and begged the lady at the gate to let us go and see him propose. She had mercy on us and let us in. We raced to the castle during the fireworks show and were franticly looking at everyone while they looked at the fireworks to see if it was our friend. The show ended and they started ushering everyone out of the park. We finally found a payphone (What? This was fifteen years ago!) and got ahold of our friend. He had proposed hours earlier and was eating dinner at a nearby restaurant so we met them there. That night still puts a smile on my face.

Are you like me and find it harder to remember the good than the bad? How do you keep your mind on the good?

Day 33 - Just Ask

"Just before Chloe was born when Jess was still pregnant the church staff had a raffle to win a overnight stay at a time share on Coronado island. Jess prayed and asked God for it so when they drew my name she was jumping up and down praising God. We got it because she was the one that asked."

This thought from last year actually is a memory from over a decade ago. What brought it on was that a lady in our church had prayed to receive a free overnight stay at a resort our church was giving away as a prize for people who came every week to our marriage series. That night she won. She jumped up and down praising God. Her husband told me later that she prayed for it and then practiced her praise dance she was going to do when she got the prize. He also shared she did the same thing when they won a trip to Hawaii. I remembered how My wife Jessica had done the same thing with the timeshare stay on Coronado island. 

The point off all of this is that we need to ask. Even if it is petty or silly in our thinking. Just ask! The Bible says we have not because we ask not. Don't be shy, God knows you want it. Just ask! How many things have we missed out on because we thought God was too big to ask? Just ask! 

Have you had an experience like this where you asked in prayer and God handed it to you against the odds? Taking some time to pray and ask right now!