God doesn't sleep

From the Word: Esther 6:1 “That night the king could not sleep…”

"Not when there is injustice. The King of Glory never sleeps nor does He slumber. He will bring justice swiftly for those who love Him. The devil is plotting and we are not unaware of his devices. Even more so the all knowing God. Will He not arise and carry out His good plan according to His mercies? Will He not see us in the court, dressed and ready for Him and extend his scepter to us? Will he not hang the devil on the gallows he meant to hang us on? Will He not bring us to His banqueting table and hang His banner of love over us?"

It is Easter weekend as I write this. So many thoughts and emotions come with this time of year. Beauty is all around as flowers are in bloom and for a few weeks in California we get to see green hills instead of brown ones. 

Even with all the beauty we are constantly reminded of the fallen world we live in. Just last week the headlines were "Shooting at an Elementary school." Sin and the devil are at work. They don't take a day off. We read that after Jesus overcame the temptation in the wilderness that the devil went away looking for an opportune time to trip him up. 

The good news is that God doesn't sleep either. In fact Jesus said that He and His Father were working from the beginning. God doesn't change and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Jesus is alive and working on the earth. 

Jesus told a parable of a widow who went to an unjust judge to get deliverance. Eventually she did because the unjust judge didn't want to be wearied with her coming anymore. In the explanation of the parable Jesus tells us that we shouldn't give up either. God is not unjust! He hasn't forgotten you. Jesus ended his statements by saying that God would bring justice swiftly. 

Don't give up or give in. When you see the devil taking lives and sin destroying people press in to God. He isn't off taking a nap or an extended vacation. He is intimately involved in the events of the earth bringing justice, comfort, peace, healing and especially the good news of the gospel that Jesus took our sin on the cross and defeated death and the devil when he raised again to life! 

God loves you so much. Easter shows us that. The beauty of spring shouts that there is a resurrection and we can be made alive with Christ. I would encourage you to take some time to meditate on the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Get into a Bible believing church and experience the wonderful presence of God. Tell God how thankful you are for His love and love on Him right back. Finally, take some time to pray for those who are bound by sin and the devil, that they would be delivered and experience the salvation and love of Jesus this Easter weekend as well. 

One Year After a Terrorist Attack

"Looking back over today I never would have thought it would turn out as it did. The head of our safety ministry came in to our pastors meeting to tell us that there was an active shooter down the street and that we were locking down the facility. Soon after we started working again our administrator came and asked if we could bring the people from the site to our church while they were interviewed by the police. I immediately thought of the school but then knew that in a time like this we needed to be a light and extend care to our hurting community. We watched some of the news reports and then started preparing for the arrival of the people. We had snacks, sodas, water and coffee available for them. Some counsellors showed up and set up in the youth auditorium. Police and probation officers arrived first. One of the detectives who attends our church showed up with a shirt soaked in blood. I remembered I had two shirts in my office that were samples from Man Day that I went and grabbed. I gave him one and his partner the other one. They were both very grateful. When the people arrived they separated them by who saw something and who was just there. The people had tears in their eyes. They were very grateful we were open for them. When the bus pulled in and parked at the church one person yelled “Thank God we're safe!” One of our members who worked at the IRC said she has never been prouder of her church than today. Some of our other members were there and greeted me as they walked in the building. Many of the officers and peer support personnel were from our church as well. The cafe was packed. They were getting most of their names and pictures and busing them to another site to be picked up. We had a second bus load of people come bringing the total from 200 to probably 400 not counting the hundreds of volunteers, chaplains, police, detectives, and counsellors. They started to ask about if we were going to have a church service. I had told Pastor Luke we would have a prayer service tonight. They were concerned about opening the campus. We decided to move forward and believe God for safety. A guy went to Costco to buy a pallet of water for the people and when Costco asked him what he was doing and found out they dumped chickens and bagels, croissants and bread in his truck to bring. It was great to see pastors from other churches and the community uniting for this. When the sun had set I walked across to get ready for the prayer service. It was God orchestrated. There were 16 salvation's and who knows how many online. We prayed and preached the gospel. That was all. People from all over the world were texting and hitting us up on social media."

One year later after these events I woke up and came to church to pick up Pastor Luke and our Administrative team and we all headed to the IRC for a memorial gathering where they honored the organizations who opened their doors for the people being evacuated. There were somber moments and words of hope given. They presented a plaque to The Rock Church for our involvement and had Dr. Fred Adams, our administrator at the time of the event, say a few words. 

What I think left the greatest impact was the scripture he read from Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

There are many people whose lives will never be the same after December 2, 2015. Fourteen individuals are now gone from our lives. Their families and friends left in the wake of terror. I am sure many questions and sorrows still linger. Only in Jesus will we find rest for our souls. He alone has the answers. He alone can calm our fears and give us peace amidst the storms of life. He was acquainted with sorrows and if you listen to some of the statements He made regarding current events of His day you will find that there was plenty of tragedy and many questions. 

It was the mission of Jesus to point us to and show us the Father. That is exactly what He did when He went to the cross. Not only in that one instance but also throughout His entire life He showed us the Father through his life, His words, the miracles He performed, His emotions and His actions. 

Now He calls us to the same life. He wants us to show others the love of Jesus through our lives. We can share the words of life. We can act in a way that displays the goodness of God. Whether it is through a prayer, a shoulder to cry on, buying a pallet of water at Costco or giving someone a fresh shirt it all displays the love of Jesus.

We will not forget those who lost their lives. We will work towards love and unity in our nation. Over and above all, we as Christians, will show the love of Jesus to a lost and dying world. 

What the World Needs Now

"I was thinking about how we need to operate in agape love. Love covers!"

People are hurting. Times are not just tough, they are tumultuous. There is fear on every side. Terrors on the outside with divisions on the inside. If you have been following the news or the social media stream you know exactly what I am talking about.

People all over the world read this blog from every walk of life. You are concerned and feel the pain of what is going on firsthand. In our nation we are experiencing things we never would have dreamed of. Some of you are mourning the loss of a friend or the loss of an ideal you have lived by because of the actions of others.

I titled this post "What the World Needs Now" with the old song in mind. We need love. But not just any love. We need agape love. If you aren't familiar with what agape love is let me tell you about it.

Agape is a Greek word for love. It is different than our English word from love in the sense that agape is a very specific type of love. In fact the Greeks had several words they used to describe love. We in our language would say "I love my friends," "I love my spouse," "I love my dog," and "I love nachos" all in the same day. Obviously we do not love nachos the way we love our spouse. Nor do we love our friends like we love our dog. (For some they love their dog more than their friends!)

In the Greek language they had separate words for the different kinds of love. They would use phileo for the friendship type of love. Eros was used for the sensual and romantic type of love. But agape is different. We find that it is entirely a word that was used mostly by the Bible and was used for the love that we as Christians are supposed to have. It is a unique type of love that flows from God the Father.

It was the agape love of the Father that motivated Him to send Jesus to live and die for our sin and salvation. It is the agape love that Jesus lived in that caused Him to touch the unclean and heal them, to stop with a half breed outcast woman by a well and save her soul, and to weep at the death of His friend and raise him from the dead. Jesus is love incarnate because 1 John tells us that "God is love."

God is agape love. It defines Who He is and how He operates. It is this agape love that we are to operate in. It is this agape love from the Father, working through His children, that the world needs. Without it the same problems will keep going on. Division and separation, prejudice and murder will continue without agape love.

When we, God's children, the church of Jesus Christ, come together in love and spread the love of the Father it will tear down the walls of separation. The love of God will show the world that we are His disciples. Our love will be shown in our obedience to the commandments of God and people will see the difference in our lives. This love will compel us to reach out with the Word and power of God. This love will motivate and fuel our prayers for the world and cause us to pray for our enemies and bless those that spitefully use and persecute us.

Agape love is what the world needs now. Love never fails.

Undying and Incorruptible

"Ephesians 6:24 in the Amplified Bible says "Grace be to all those who love the Lord with an undying and incorruptible love." Our love must grow by the grace of God to be able to be like His love for us. Undying, it cannot be quenched by deep waters, blown out by the mighty winds or put out for lack of oxygen. It also will be incorruptible. It will never be tainted or grow weak or tarnished. It cannot be perverted or grow less brilliant in its quality."

The greatest love stories of our day do not compare with the lavish love God has poured out on us. We look at His expression of love and the triumph of love and cannot be anything but humbled and driven to love God back. How could we not?  

Here we see in this passage that the grace of God is given to those who love the Lord with a certain kind of love; undying and incorruptible. It seems that in our human ability this is impossible. With God though all things are possible. 

When we truly have been saved we are forever grateful. A grateful and forgiven heart is one that is not easily swayed. Our love for God will be undying because we have been saved from sin and Hell and our only response is love. 

When we truly have been saved we won't be corrupted by this world. The things that try to get us off track will be nonsense to us. Our focus will be our God. Nothing can take our gaze away from Him nor can we be tarnished in our thinking towards Him. 

When we love like this then grace will be given. Gods ability will be upon us. The power to succeed in life will be granted. We all need that. It starts with love, His love, and then our love to Him. 

Please share any comments below. 

Day 357 - Turn It Up

"The volume level was up past 11."

It is the time of the year for family, friends and food. We all could probably compare the volume levels of our family activities. Even my side of the family which is a total of eleven people and has a few introverts gets loud. 

It is also a time to linger and talk or just hang out. Some like to watch the game or a Christmas classic. 

And the food...dinner, snacks, desserts, baking and the list goes on! I have to detox after the new year starts. Thankfully we fast in January to seek the Lord but it also has added health benefits. 

All of this is an opportunity to turn up another level. It is an opportunity to talk about what is truly important. It is a time to patch up relationships and restore what was lost. It is a good time to pull someone aside and say "I love you" "I forgive you" and anything else that needs to be said. It is a good time to breach subjects that matter. 

Keep the motivation love and look for appropriate timing. But take the opportunity when it is presented. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open the door and then be on the lookout for His leading. 

Too many bad things have happened on the holidays to ruin them for years to come. Purpose this Christmas and New Year that it will be different. Turn up the volume on your life and love. 

Have you ever been able to repair a relationship at Christmas? What are some other things we can present this season? 

Day 294 - The End of Your Life

"Nana was gone. Her closest relatives had all came today to say goodbye. Jess wrote the following in an e-mail to our staff: The family has said goodbye to our beautiful nana Ellen. Tonight she closed her eyes and woke up with our Jesus. She was the best mom, and grandma anyone could have. She loved people with all her heart and she loved Jesus."

I could have included my entire journal entry from this day last year but I am sure you don't want to read the details of soccer practice and grocery shopping in between the point of what this day was all about. Here was a woman who simply loved people and loved Jesus. She would recall her favorite moments again and again and loved to talk. She had a flare for life. She would order things from Home Shopping Network and immediately return it or tuck it away and never use it. We all laughed about it with her. She loved to cook for her family. 

All these things are happy memories but even more so they are her legacy and they have have shaped individuals and families. The real point of what I am saying here is not about my wife's Nana. It is really about you. What will people say when you are gone? What will the legacy be that you leave? 

Life is too short to mess around. We must love passionately and let people know we love them. We must witness like Jesus is coming back today (because if it was the Will of the Father He could). We must work and build for the future and for our families and future generations. As we do the legacy we leave will be one worth having. 

You may have heard the story of the man who had been working with explosives and became wealthy through his work. When his brother passed away there was an error in the newspaper and the reporter did an obituary on this man instead of his brother. It was all about how he had merchandised death and his life was destructive from that point of view. The man decided to change his legacy and poured himself into more honorable pursuits and rewarded others for the same. That man was Alfred Nobel who the Nobel Peace Prize is named after. 

If you don't like the answer you came up with when I asked what would people say about you then it is time to make some changes. You can as long as you have breath in your lungs. It is like a friend of mine used to say to me from his seat in a wheelchair with a smile on his face; 'Any day above ground is a good one.' Now I happen to know that the day of a Christian's death is much better than thousands of days here on the earth but I get what he was saying. 

Let's live and love and leave a legacy so that when we go into eternity people speak of the wonderful things we have done and the impact we had on their lives. 

If you could write your own obituary what would it say? Are there any that you have heard of or read in the Bible or somewhere else that you admired the person after hearing it? Who and why? 

Day 276 - Take My Breath Away

"It was a beautiful sunset and I had trouble focusing on the practice."

Last year my son's soccer team found a need for the dads to step in and coach. I knew only what I had learned the previous year from watching the coach and the game. On this particular practice I was trying to coach but the sunset was so beautiful I kept getting distracted. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I love photography. The main reason is that it captures moments and beauty. Sunsets are a particular draw for me. The rich vivid colors draw me in and captivate my attention. The same sunset in a matter of minutes can change several times over. 

There is an old Calvin and Hobbes comic that shows them sitting on a rock next to a lake with a beautiful sunset. Hobbes is staring dreamily at the sunset while Calvin has a sour look on his face and says "I am probably missing some great television right now." My wife relates to Calvin while I relate to Hobbes. 

My wife and my friends often make jokes about how I get distracted with taking photos. There are times I will intentionally leave my camera behind in order to be in the moment with my family. 

All of this to say that there is beauty all around us. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that God makes all things beautiful in their own time. Let's not miss the beauty or get distracted from what is most important. Each moment has its place and beauty and we need to be wise enough to recognize it and respond accordingly. 

Let me give you two examples. 

The first time I drove on the Generals Highway through the Giant Forest and saw all of the sequoia trees it took my breath away. I almost couldn't stop staring except that I was driving. What was important was that I keep my family safe on the mountain road. In doing so I still didn't miss the beauty. 

The second example comes from my quote from last year. Even though I was coaching I would steal away to look at the sunset. No matter the situation recognize what is important while capturing the beauty. Like when you have to have a tough conversation with you kids that is important but you see the maturing and growing in them. Don't miss the beauty! Or in business if you have to keep your eyes on the task but you see the beautiful impact of your work on people's lives. 

Life can take your breath away if you're watching. Don't neglect what is important but also, don't miss the beauty. 

What takes your breath away? How do we identify what is important versus what is beautiful? 

Day 258 - It won't be as bad as you think

"They both appreciated the fact that we reached out to invite them back to church." 

The anticipation of an event is often worse than the event itself. When I think about confrontation and conversations they play out in my mind as terse and bad. When the actual event happens I mostly get responses like my quote from last year. There is appreciation, respect and love. 

Maybe it is the cynicism of our society that we are immersed in or maybe it is just human nature but don't we often go to the negative. the Bible encourages us to believe the best. If we did we wouldn't dread the conversations we know we need to have with people. If we speak the truth in love then the power of love will be in the conversation. 

Be bold and be brave. Things will turn out better than you think. Especially if God is on your side! 

Do you have any anxiety when it comes to confrontation or important conversations? How do you draw strength to press ahead in spite of how you feel? 

Day 237 - That is How People Get Killed

"It was a stupid move."

A year ago today we were sailing on a large boat and a guy in a Hobie cat cut right in front of us. He was under sail so technically he would have the right of way. The problem is that when you cut in front of a large vessel that is in motion you run the risk of getting run over. 

One of my good friends from the south says there is a saying there that you can't fix stupid. Aside from the humor of that statement I see it in how the events unfolded that day we were sailing. 

After the guy got around us he started to yell at us in anger that he was under sail and we should have gotten out of the way for him. So now we are the bad guys because you're being stupid?! That works in a textbook but in the water might is right. If the boat I was on was under sail and had the right of way but a large oil tanker came along and wanted me to move out of the way, you better believe I would be doing what I could to get out of the way. 

We are encouraged in the Bible many times and in many ways to look out for others and put their needs ahead of our own. When we look out for number one we fall into pride and the snare of the devil which will eventually bring us down. If we don't want him to steal kill and destroy then we need to yield our rights and let others be first. 

What are some ways we can put others ahead of ourselves? What scriptures talk about this? 

Day 221 - Get Outside of Yourself

"After church I got changed and we went over to Perris Hill Park for the back-to-school bash. It was packed with tons of people. The kids volunteered and did a really good job with the ring toss game."

Often when I think of going to certain areas I cringe. "No, not there." I know why I cringe too. I will be confronted with something no one likes to be confronted with; hurting people. Whether it is the homeless panhandler who I know is going to hit me up as I pump gas or it is the person who is arguing with their spouse at full volume in the middle of a store because of financial issues I don't want to be there. 

I think that life is designed to confront us with the truth that not everything is about 'me'. God wants us to get outside of ourselves and help someone else. The greatest commandment is to love God with all we are. The second command is like the first, we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 

That is a problem. I can love myself pretty good. I eat things that I like, drive a nice car and live in a comfortable house. To love my neighbor as myself will cost me. It will cost me in time, money, care, etc. 

Every year our church goes into the inner city of San Bernardino to bless children who are less fortunate with backpacks, haircuts, food and the love of Jesus. Thousands of people come out. I go out with my children. I donate money towards the event. I make sure to walk around and thank the volunteers and look people in the eyes and share the love of Jesus. 

The reason I go out is to get outside of myself. To love someone else as I love myself. I have found that after I do I feel better. Even if I cringe at the thought of giving money to the panhandler or buying groceries for the couple who was arguing I am at perfect peace afterwards. I am outside of myself. God did say that when we do good works to the least of these we have done it unto Him. Maybe that is why it feels so good after we do good to others, the pleasure of God is resting on our life. No matter what you have or don't have, if you have that pleasure of God that is all you need. 

How do you feel when you have reached out to meet someone's needs? What ways can we do this more?

Day 219 - Conflict Resolution

"Both parties are pointing the finger at each other's faults and both are not walking in love nor are they believing the best." 

3...2...1...conflict! It happens that fast. Someone says something cross and your blood boils. "They were stupid!" "They were wrong!" "They, they, they!" 

You can tell a person who is full of themselves by how many times they say "I" but you can tell someone who is not open to their faults when you hear them say "they".  

We are responsible for our own actions. I can't make choices for other people but I can choose how I respond. 

3 quick ways to resolve conflict with 3...2...1...

3. Stop pointing the finger at others. 

What are you responsible for in the conflict? Can you make a change that will help resolve the issue? Pointing the finger will only hurt; not help. 

2. Walk in love. 

The Bible says that love covers the multitude of sins. Forgive through the power of love and move forward. Love is the most powerful force in the universe because God is love. When we operate in love it will work out better than when we operate in offenses. 

1. Believe the best. 

When we choose to believe the best the future is brighter. Often when dealing with forgiveness and conflict resolution I find people don't know how to move forward. They don't want to get hurt again so the close off their heart and don't allow people back in. Love believes the best. When we believe the best we open our hearts and let people back in. Yes there is the risk we may get hurt again but love covers that too. I am not saying to be foolish or to put yourself in a sinful, harmful or foolish predicament. What I am saying is with wisdom and faith you can move forward and be vulnerable to believe the best and let people in through love and forgiveness. 

It is as easy as 3...2...1...

Have you seen these principles work in your life? Is there any other wisdom you could add to resolving a conflict?

Day 207 - Passion

"I preached a passionate word to the end that my voice was starting to go on me."

Is there something you are passionate about? Something that moves you? Something that wakes you up out of bed? 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said "If a man has not discovered something that he will die for he isn't fit to live."

Now before you get down on yourself if you haven't discovered that something yet remember that there is someone Who is passionate about you. When you get a hold of how passionate He is then your passion becomes like a fire within. 

God is passionate about you. That is why Jesus went to the cross. His passion led Him to die for you. 

When I understood the passion of God it changed my life. It has fueled every decision I have made. And now my life's work is telling others the good news that God loves them and is passionate about them. 

God wants to be involved in our lives on the macro and micro levels. He delights in us and dances over us with joy. That is kind of a weird thought, God dancing. It shows His passionate love for us. As a Father with their children so is God with us. 

How does knowing God's passion for you fuel your passion for Him? How can we express that passion?

Day 188 - I Do, and I Would Again

"It is our anniversary today!"

Today marks fourteen years that my wife and I have been married. Two 21 year old kids who fell in love with each other and committed to life joined together as one. 

I remember sitting in a room in the church by myself while I waited for them to call me out to line up. I was in prayer and asking God to prepare my heart for marriage. He has blessed us as a couple and we have made it through a lot together. I wouldn't want to do life without her. 

Marriage is worth celebrating! Our love is worth remembering. 

Day 174 - The Best Woman I Know

"She is the only person I know who keeps a hair appointment with bronchitis."

The best woman I know is my wife. She is passionate, caring, loving, fun, and on and on and on. I try to tell her multiple times a day from the moment we first see each other in the morning until our last talk at night how much I love her and it is still not enough. 

She is a breakthrough personality too. I don't know too many people who push through bronchitis and go to a hair appointment or one of the million other things she did while she was sick because she just couldn't stand being still any longer. 

It may sound cliche but she completes me. Opposites do attract and even though we are like opposite poles of a magnet drawn together we are both magnets and the same in many ways. Only God can bring people together like that. I am so thankful to know and to love her. 

Truly when the Bible says that the man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor with the Lord it was talking about me! 

Do you or someone you know have a personality like this? For those of you that are married what qualities do you love about your spouse? 

Day 151 - Help Yourself

"It touches the heart to help people."

I find that when I help people I help myself. It may touch someone that we meet a need in a practical way but at the same time it touches my heart when I help them. 

Have you ever done something for someone else and afterward your heart was soaring? That is the feeling I am describing. You are helping yourself by helping someone else. 

My heart grows more tender to people and I am closer to God when I step out and help someone. I remember a time we were leading a team of teenagers into Los Angeles to expose them spot the melting pot of cultures and the diverse needs of the community. I was dreading the trip for weeks beforehand but once I got there and started helping people that all changed. I was soaring on a spiritual high for weeks after. 

Don't wait! Get off of yourself and go help someone else. You will be helping yourself!  

Have you helped someone else and felt good afterward? Why do you think that is?

Day 148 - Christian Crossfire

"I think the church is talking to much to ourselves about what we believe and unbelievers are getting caught in the crossfire. Then we wonder why they won't become a Christian. What we need is love and unity in the Body of Christ."

As long as we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot we will walk with a limp. If we as the body of Christ can walk in unity and love we would become exponentially more effective. Jesus Himself prayed for the unity of the body. 

Unity does not mean uniformity. We don't all have to be clones. We just have to live in respect and honor. 

I think that God left some things out of the Word so that we would have to learn to walk in love. We don't have all the answers but we do have 'the' answer, His name is Jesus. Those who are searching would look harder in our direction if we were loving to our own. Jesus said they would know us by our love. Let's love the brotherhood of believers, pray for each other and have each other's back. We are after all on the same side. 

How can we promote unity in the body of Christ? What is the difference between unity and uniformity? 

Day 139 - Loving the Lost

"He was funny. His attitude and mild use of profanity was a catalyst for me to try and win the guy to Christ."

You gotta love humanity. As rough and rugged as people can be they are people. They have love and care, humor, anger passions and drive for the future. 

Sometimes at crowded places like the mall or an amusement park I people watch. If you don't know what people watching is it is where you sit on a bench and watch people. Not much there but fun nonetheless. 

I find people interesting. How did God come up with so many faces? What are their lives like? Where are they going? What are they doing? 

The unifying factor for all of us is that we all need Jesus. Some of us are more aware of the fact than others so we make it our aim to tell as many people as we can. I didn't end up winning that guy to the Lord last year but there is still hope for the future. He would be a great Christian if he wasn't so sure he was doing fine without Jesus. 

A greater unifying factor is that we are all loved by God. Even people who think they don't need God will admit they want want love. So we offer them a God they need by showing His love. Love never fails. 

Do you people watch? What do you enjoy about humanity? How can we reach people with God's love? 

Day 138 - When Love Hurts

"I embrace suffering and problems and trials because Jesus did and I am following Him. It is an opportunity for the glory of God and the shaping of my heart. There is nothing in this world that I can't handle because God already knew it would happen…to me…and has given me the power of the Holy Spirit to endure."

We need reminders that with the life of following Jesus there will be suffering. Wherever He went we are going if we are following correctly. His road was one of sorrows, suffering and sacrifice and ultimately led to a cross and a grave. We now lay down our lives and take up our cross to follow Him.

Thank God for His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. We know that we can endure and that we will make it. In fact we can thrive in the midst of adversity. God will make a way and He will not allow our foot to be moved. He also will not give us more than we can bear.

Remember today that if you are going through pain and suffering that Jesus endured the same. There is a beautiful promise in Romans that says if we share in His sufferings we will also share in His glory. Love came in the flesh, Jesus. Love hurt, suffered and died. But love was raised from the dead and now gives us the power to endure and the hope of glory.

How can we identify with the sufferings of Jesus? What does it mean to take up your cross?

Day 133 - Pleasing God

"Ultimately the goal is to be pleasing to God and if I'm pleasing people I've got the wrong direction."

Everyone likes to be liked...right? It isn't a bad thing to be respected, loved and appreciated. Unless that is your motivation. We ought to please God rather than man. 

In a day and age of political correctness and tolerance we have watered down our morals and let into the church and our lives things that shouldn't be there. If we were aiming to please man at all costs this would be okay. Our aim, however, is not to please man it is to please God. 

There are things we can easily see that are pleasing to God. Obedience is one of them. Jesus was pleasing to God and modeled it through obedience to the will of the Father. We can imitate Christ and know that we are pleasing to God. 

Thanksgiving is also pleasing to God. Think about it, we like it when we are thanked and appreciated for what we do. How much more God?! 

Love is pleasing to God. God is love and He loves us with an undying love. When we operate in God's love back to God and to other we are pleasing to Him. Let's make it our aim to please Him in all we do!

Why do you think obedience is pleasing to God? What else do you see in the Bible that is pleasing to God? 

Day 119 - Someone to Love

"One guy was talking to everyone and probably was strung out. He would repeat himself and eventually was singing a song pretty passionately."

I know you have been there too. You're waiting in a line for something and it is hot outside. People are standing around with frowns on their faces and no one wants to talk. Everyone just wants to hurry up and get home where they can get some relief. 

From nowhere a guy walks up and has no clue about lines, personal space or non-verbal communication. He breaks every rule and when he is told there is a line he politely goes to the back and engages whoever will talk to him in conversation. 

Here is where it gets tough. No one wants to talk. So he continues to talk and look around trying to get eye contact so he knows someone is listening. 

I was raised to be polite and to look people in the eye when they were addressing me. You know what that means? That means that I am the guy the talker wants to talk to. The only respite I get is when the line moves. If I don't look back then my name could potentially become 'Buddy' or 'Dude' so that he can get eye contact again. 

I remember looking at the guy (not the proverbial one we were discussing a moment ago but the real one from last year in the line I was in) and thinking to myself while he passionately sang a song no one knew, "He must have been neglected as a child." 

It is sad but many times people make choices based on a wrong view of love. "Maybe if I do this they will love and accept me." Actions, style of clothing, style of music, systems of thought and morals are all on the table if someone will love them. People will run into bad decisions that lead to bad places in their search for love and acceptance. 

The saddest part is that Jesus is continually there to offer both. Jesus will listen and laugh and weep with them. He will never leave them nor forsake them. They just don't see Him when they are looking for someone to make eye contact with them so they move past Him. That is why it is so important that we slow down, endure heat, step outside of our social rules of engagement and love with the love of Jesus. We can't be the friend that sticks closer than a brother but He can. 

So I guess the fact that I am the only one who will make eye contact isn't such a bad thing. God uses the available and the obedient. Let's love with the love we have received. 

How do you do in situations like the one I described? In what ways can we engage people with the love of Jesus?