Can I change my heart? (Part 2)

There is this story I have heard as part of a sermon - It goes something like this- Inside of us all there are 2 ravenous dogs- they fight all the time. The one is good and true and pure- full of Love and Mercy and Grace. The other is evil and deceitful and perverse in every way- full of anger, bitterness and pride. These dogs are at constant war inside of me- Sometimes with one winning the battle of the moment and sometimes the other. Oh, but which will win the war and in the end possess my soul? As the story goes- I am the one who decides. I utimately determine which of these 2 beasts will claim me as his own. It all comes down to this- Which one will I feed?- Which one will I nourish moment by moment- day by day? I will be claimed by the one I feed.

Phillipians 4:8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think (feed) on these things.

John 6:48-58 (Excerpts) Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life- I am the Living Bread that comes down from Heaven- Whoever feeds on this Bread - My Flesh and My Blood- will have Eternal Life- My Flesh and My Blood are Real Food-

So the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

So then- What will I feed on? Will it bethose things that nourish and strengthen the vile dog or will it be those things that strengthen and nourish me as a Child of the King?

Father in Heaven, I do believe I can change my heart- I do believe I can shape my soul- even lead it to the place of Life- to a place of Contentment and Hope and Love and Goodness. Thank You Lord Jesus that You have made that possible. Thank You for redemption. Thank You for food that is Real Food. Holy Spirit move my spirit today to constantly- moment by moment- take my nourishment from Jesus- to be sustained in Him.

Amen

Can I change my heart?

What have I stored up for myself? What is it that I value- that I chase after? What is it that has hold of my heart- That I spend my energy pursuing? Pleasure- Acclaim- Strength- Admiration? How about Position- Success- Power or Respect? Or is it Possessions- Youth- Money or Popularity? I have to confess I have spent no small amount of time in pursuit of these things- and I have even caught a few of them from time to time. When I did catch them there was a time of pleasure- brief as it was- always followed by,"Okay-What Now?' A good friend recently told me about the first time he took his wife fishing. Now, she wasn't especially excited about the prospect of fishing- Did I mention it was part of one of their early anniversary trips? At any rate, the lovely young bride did catch a few. My buddy went on to tell me that upon their return home his dear sweet wife promptly put a pole in the trunk of her car and began looking for fishing holes. From that point forward, it seems every time she came across a a decent looking spot she would stop the car and proceed to cast a few lines.

The story left me wondering- did she catch some fish or had fishing caught her?

I think it's kind of like that with all of us. If you take a good look at what I spend my time looking for- at what occupies my thoughts, time and energy- you will have a very good chance of knowing what has me hooked- of what has my heart.

Matthew 6:19-23 Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth.........but instead store up for yourself Treasure in Heaven.........

For where your treasure is there will your heart be also........

The eye is the lamp of the body....... if your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light........if not, you will be full of darkness.

I wonder then if maybe I can lead my heart by somehow disciplining my eyes-

I wonder if by intentionally training my eyes to look for some things and turn away from others I can somehow deepen the connection between my own feeble heart and God's Great and Powerful Heart. A Heart bursting forth with Unfathomable Love and Goodness.

Maybe it's not too far fetched to say

Blessed are those who Look for God- For they shall become Pure in Heart and shall see God.

Hebrews 12 (Excerpts) Let us throw off what hinders and the sin that so easily entangles......... Let us fix our eyes on Jesus........so that we do not grow weary and lose heart.

Holy Spirit help me- help me to lead my heart after You. Empower me to fix my gaze upon Jesus. Speak to me- speak words of truth and give me ears to hear and a will to obey. Father Thank You for Your great mercy and patience with me. Thank You the strength and desire You give me to fix my eyes on the Author and Finisher of my salvation. Lord, I will do my best to keep my focus on You.

Amen

What Happened?

It was such a sad and disturbing sight- As I did my weekly ride with my buddies along the Canal Tow Path Saturday Morning we came upon something that has etched itself into my mind- an image that I may never forget. Coming toward us were 2 women- they were pushing a baby stroller- One of those heavy duty strollers that joggers use to push their children in when they go for a run. As we came closer to the women I began to make out what was in the stroller- It was........ well it was just wrong. In this stroller was what must have once been a beautiful regal animal- Full of strength and life and fierceness........ Yes an animal that had once commanded respect as it was approached- Now reduced to a Caricature of it's former self- something laughable. In the stroller being pushed along by 2 well meaning women was a Bulldog. Grand and Powerful at one time- Now the only thing missing was a little bonnett and bow.

What Happened? What happened that reduced this incredible awe- inspiring Beast to being pushed along in a baby stroller?

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image- Male and Female He created them.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field.....

Genesis 3:23 So the Lord banished man from the Garden.......

What Happened to us- Us who were once declared to be made in the image of God. Reduced to sweating and groveling for whatever scraps of pleasure we can manage. What happened- How did it all go so wrong?

Romans 5:6 You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.......

Hope abides- We can yet be what we were made to be!

Romans 5:18 The result of the one trespass was condemnation........the Result of His one act of Righteousness was justification and Life.

Galatians 5 "It is for freedom Christ has set us Free!"

Can we go back? Can we reverse this aberration of the Lives we were meant for?

Oh Yes!

Thanks be to God who through our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from the clownishness of being pushed along in a baby carriage. Thanks be to God who has raised His Son from death to Life and who raises us to Life along with Him. Thanks be to God that He is restoring us as Sons and Daughters of a Great King- Fierce and Strong and Beautiful and Meek.

Let us then press forward to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus has taken hold of us.

Let us put aside the Caricatures of Men and Women we have become and rise up to Life!

Father God, Lord Jesus, King Jesus, Holy Spirit- Thank You for Restoration and Redemption. Thank You for not laughing at us- for not casting us aside, but instead reviving us to the Life You made us for. Spirit of the Living God move in me today to live as a son of the Most High King. Move in me to go forward boldly with Love and Grace and Healing that come from You so that Your Great Kingdom become a reality even in this fallen world.

Amen

What you see is what you get-Really!

2003- Family Picture Day at Church- You know- the time when everyone comes in to have pictures taken for the church directory. I look back at that picture now- the smiles- our Sunday best clothes- Our closeness as we huddled together to capture the memory of............... I was running late and driving like a fool. The woman in front of me began to inch forward as the light turned green, but came to a sudden stop when she saw an ambulance out of the corner of her eye. Me- I was in such a hurry- I had jumped right up on her as she pulled away- when she stopped- I couldn't................ Crunch........... I can't believe this I thought to myself- what idiot starts and then stops suddenly as they pull away at a Green light? Julie (my wife) was spitting mad. By the time I got to the church with news of my wreck, we had missed our appointment and had to go to the end of the line. On top of that, she and my then 13 year old Rebecca were at war over how to dress for the Family Church picture. Matthew didn't help matters- As a typical 9 year old he wasn't exactly a paragon of patience as he relentlessly asked over and over and over, "How much longer Mom- how much longer?"

So what was Real?

The idyllic posed family portrait of beautiful people who have it all together

or

The boiling cauldron of anger and frustration underneath the smiles?

I suppose there is a bit of reality- of Truth- in both.

I look back now, I do see 4 broken people and I do know the back story, but even in that brokenness we were-we are- a family.

If nothing else- at least the pose shows a Love for each other.

It is a Love that binds our hearts together even in the boiling cauldron.

1 Peter 4:8 Above all else, Love each other deeply, for Love covers a multitude of sin

In truth, the whole episode pushes me to think about what Love really is.

We certainly had to find our way past the notion of love being a feeling.

None of us felt particularly loving about each other at that point.

Some might say we were just posing for the camera-

Propogating a lie- trying to cover up our ugliness.

Maybe there was a bit of that for the outside world.

Maybe there was a bit of posing going on-

But with each other- No Way!

None of us tried to hide our frustration with each other.

None of us lived in the illusion that we had it all together.

So what about this deep Love that covers a multitude of sin?

In a way I think the picture is a real expression of it.

At it's core, this smiling, happy looking picture is the reality of us-

Our Family- choosing to set aside our brokeness-

Our anger and ill tempers with each other-

Setting all that aside- for just a moment- to say,

"Hey, I know you're screwed up-

I know you're apt to make my life a little difficult-

I know all that- but I am not going anywhere."

"I'm in this picture and I choose to Love you all."

Lord Jesus, Thank You for our family- Our messed up broken family. Thank You that You have empowered us with Love that covers a multitude of sin. Father work out Your Great Heart for us- through us- in all our days together and apart.

Amen

Body Surfing

Summer Time in the South.....
Ninety-nine degrees in the shade.......
With humidity that can be worn as an outer layer of clothing.

Thunder Storms every afternoon and ........
The Beach!
The cool breeze skips up off the ocean......
With the faint whisper that says......
"Nahhhh, you're not getting burned......
You're hardly even pink"

Sand everywhere....
Hot sand to run across like a ballerina on opening night......
Sticky sand that cakes onto sunscreen......
Sand in shoes and Sand in shorts..............
But it's alright......
We're talking Beach Sand!

And then there's the ocean......
You know.....
The warm white foam that feels so good as it swirls up around your ankles......
But somehow turns a little chilly as you get knee deep......
Then gets downright icy as you slide in up to your belly button.....
Before finally gathering the nerve to take the plunge......
The plunge that feels ooooohhh....... sooooo....... good.

I gotta tell you guys.....
For me the very best of it all......
The coup de gras if you will.....
Has to be the waves.

The bigger the better.
I'm talking
Save the women and children.....
Hold on to your hat type waves.
Waves made for one thing only......
Body Surfing.

I can't tell you how much I love body surfing.
The exhilaration of timing and catching a wave just so...........

All that Power......

That rushing white tipped breaker of pure energy.....
Sweeping me away toward the shore.
This must be what Superman feels like.....
When he leaps into the air to fly.

Yes......
I'm Superman!

2Timothy 1:7.......
God has given us a Spirit of Power and of Love.........

Galatians 5:22-25 
But the Fruit of the Spirit is 
Love, Joy, Peace, 
Patience, Kindness, Goodness, , 
Gentleness and Self- Control............
Since we live by the Spirit, 
Let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

There are times in my life
When I catch hold of the Power of the Spirit just so........
Times when I am right in step with the Spirit of God............
Times when that rushing white tipped breaker of pure energy sweeps me along towards.........
Well....... Heaven.
Times when I am fully alive in the Kingdom of God-
Even here in this place.

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- 
Thank You for those moments of Pure Heaven- 
Thank You for even a glimpse of the Life to come. 
Move me more and more into step with You
So that this Life I long for- 
This life that is Life- 
This abiding in You .....
Becomes my daily reality.

Amen

On Enemies, Weapons and War

Facebook Post of a Friend, "The devil chase me every day of my life- I just pray he never catch me". As a hawk circles slowly above- Gliding along the air currents against the backdrop of a pristine blue sky- the ducks below calmly sit atop the sparkling water ............. floating peacefully .................oblivious to the enemy above preparing his onslaught. Another time- Another place- Another hawk- Perched high on a pine limb surveying his domain- in search of prey- When suddenly out of the sky come 2 Mockingbirds on the attack- The Mockingbirds move in and out with no hesitation- Using stealth and superior maneuverability to drive this devil away.

What about us-That old devil is there- Watching for his chance.

Do we run in fear? Do we sit in oblivion?

Lost to the reality of the threat.

Or maybe.......................It's time to fight!

Ephesians 6:10-18 (Excerpts) "Be strong in the Lord and His Mighty Power......Take your stand against the devil's schemes..........When the day of evil comes, stand your ground..... Stand Firm then with Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God and Prayer.

Colossians 3:12-14 Clothe yourselves then with Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness and Patience. Bear with each other and forgive as the Lord forgave you- And over all these things put on Love, which binds them together in perfect unity.

Strange weapons aren't they- things like Love -Compassion- Forgiveness and Humility? Yet these are the very weapons our Lord used to defeat our great enemy- to overcome death and bring us to Life.

Hey Guys- Let's go to war today- Let's fight using the weapons of Love and Mercy and Forgiveness. Let's take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us- Our Freedom and the Freedom of all those God brings our way today. No more running- No more trying to simply stay one step ahead of a scheming enemy- No more sticking our head in the sand- acting as if all the garbage we endure is just part of life.

No- Today let's take our stand- let's do it by intentionally, courageously Loving on every single human being God brings into our radar today. We can do this. We can rise up in Courage to advance the Kingdom of God- Today- One person at a time. We can do this.

Lord God Almighty, give me eyes to see today- to see all those places Love can make a difference. Lord Jesus, give me Courage today to come out of myself and show Your Life and Glory to all You bring my way. Holy Spirit of the Living God, move in me today to bring the Love and Grace of God to bear on every moment of the Life You give me.

Amen

On Cell Phones, Practicality and Pride

Vacation- Beach Time with family- This weekend specifically with my wife's family. Now, I will tell you close quarters for extended periods of time with anyone can be difficult-but there is real potential for fireworks when you're talking about In-Laws. All that being said- honestly- for the most part I really do enjoy these folks. They are a conglomeration of humanity-People who I am not really sure would ever get together other than the fact that they are bound by blood. Actually it's more than that- they are bound by a committment to each other that goes beyond shared interests. Even in the midst of their differences they really do love each other.

Maybe that's the reason God gives us these blood ties to people we might otherwise never have much to do with. It is a great opportunity to come out of ourselves and share life. Maybe family is where we are supposed to learn to do that.

At any rate, I'm not quite sure where this comes from, but there is scarcely a time when I am in the presence my dear, sweet Sister-in-Law (the one from Memphis in case you read this) that she doesn't ask me if I have gotten around to getting a cell phone yet. I truely believe the dear woman is convinced that some dark, moonless night- out on a cold and lonely road- my car is going to breathe it's last- And there I will be- stranded- lost forever in the clutches of- you guessed it- The Psycho Dentist Monster(Check June 18 blog). I can not tell you all how many strange looks I get when my friends or people I meet for the first time ask me for my cell number and I announce- Uh......... sorry- I haven't moved into the 20th (or is it the 21st) century yet.

"Oh no- you poor man- how do you survive?

What will you do if................"

Honestly, these good hearted folks have me wondering- What's wrong with me? Why have I not caved in? Why have I not joined modern civilization with all it's wonderful convenience and marvelous communication capability? I wish I had a good answer................. As I think about it- I suppose the truth is I might just be too cheap. In fact, I think it just might be a combination of the curse of Male Pride and Generational Poverty all wrapped into one. Let me explain- In my upbringing all purchases were examined from one major perspective- Do we really need this thing? You have to understand- We did not have money to spend on things that were not really, I mean really, really, really needed. Now combine that with my Male Ego constantly creeping in to say, "Charles, you can't let them know you need anything- you can't ask for help- that will just expose how weak you truely are". I know, I know- It's incredibly stupid and really messed up, but in those classic words of today's culture..............."It is what it is". I do think I am getting better

1 John 3:1 "How great is the Love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called Children of God"

It's strange- all of this reminds me of the episode in Mark 14 with Jesus being anointed by the woman at Bethany. You remember- Jesus is having dinner with his disciples and some religious types and in comes this woman- This woman who procedes to break a very expensive bottle of perfume- and in an extravagant display of love and humility she uses the perfume to anoint Jesus- pouring it out on Him to honor Him before the crucifixion. All those around Him are caught up in a tizzy saying things like,"Why do You allow such waste- We could have fed the poor for an entire year with the money that perfume brought". Ah, but this woman- this woman who had no thought of practicality at the time- Her only thought was Love- Love for the Man who had saved her- The One who had lifted her out of hopelessness and judgement- It was pure Love on lavish display with nary a thought of what was practical.

Lord Jesus, Father God, Friend Jesus, Holy Spirit- make me like this woman- So capture and captivate my heart with Love for You and the people you bring my way that I simply forget what is practical- just for a moment- So that I am able to set aside pride- just for a moment- and then another and then another................

Move powerfully in me to pour out the Love that You have poured in-

Help me to pour it out wrecklessly- so that all the world may see Your Life and Your Love.

Amen

On Cubicles and Community

As she settled her body into the seat next to me after a long night's work, my sweet wife seemed a little tired- Check that- She was whooped! On this particular morning Julie needed a ride- Her car was in the shop. "How was your night?" I asked as we pulled out of the parking lot to head to the house. "I was in Triage" she answered wearily, "I saw 13 patients last night". "Is that a lot?" I asked. "Oh yeah" she answered with one of her classic eye rolls- "We only have 6 beds." "So how does that work?" I asked- "Are they all in one room together?" "Well, yes and no Julie shot back- they are in one room, but seperated by cubicles"- and then she added these words,

"We can't let these people be exposed to each other."

Oh how those words hit me- Only moments before I had heard a song on the radio- The lyric that started the song went like this-

"So you thought you had to keep this up- all the work that you do so we think that you're good"

In my mind- right then and there- Triage became the living image for the religious life so many of us are caught up in- a life that is not life- certainly not the Life Jesus had in mind in His Sacrifice for us.

We are all in one room together- Triage if you will. We are hurting, but there is a Nurse or a Doctor there to help- no more than that- To heal.

While it's difficult, we will let the Doctor or Nurse help- but we have put up these walls that keep others from seeing us- these cubicles we exist in- We can't let ourselves be exposed- We must keep to ourselves- We must hide- It would just be too embarassing if others really knew how broken we are.

It takes oh so much work to keep those walls up- It's exhausting.

Oh, and we can't forget our enemy- the evil one- the one who makes a living off isolation, secrecy and deceit. He is right there- shaming us at every turn.

I do not think it is possible to live the Life Christ has in mind for us outside of Community.

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

John 17:20-26 (Excerpts) Jesus prayed- "I pray that all of them may be one, Father just as I am in You and You are in me- may they also be in Us.......... Father, I will continue to make You Known so that Your Love will be in them and I Myself may be in them."

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Three in One- Triune God- Just as You Live in Community fully knowing and being fully known within the 3 persons of the Godhead- Lord Give us -me- people I can connect with in honesty- in Humility- Work in and through our relationships to encourage and strengthen one another in You. Give me the Courage I need to make it safe for those You bring my way- safe for them to be real- to be authentic. Lord, give us all friends- real friends- to share the Life You have created us for.

Amen

On Seeing Jesus

I looked at Julie in amazement as the words tumbled from my mouth, "Are you kidding me?" I asked- "Did you really get me a Dentist appointment for 7:00 o'clock in the morning?". I really do love my wife, but this is pushing the limits! Okay- so upon arriving right on time- you got it- 7:00 stinking a.m.- a nice enough lady (Elizabeth) led me to my doom- I mean room. As I sit, I can't help but notice an instrument tray to my left filled with what looks like all sorts of torture devices. There were hook- like instruments and drills and well other shiny sterile looking metal things that might............. well let's leave all that to your imagination. Guys, I am not sure if it's been done, but a Psycho/Slasher movie with a Dentist in the starring role could be a real money-maker. Come to think of it- wasn't there a movie called the "Little Shop of Horrors" back in the 50's? As I sat back in the chair - Elizabeth- her face covered with a surgical mask- like I would imagine any good Psycho-Dentist's assistant would be-approaches with one of her "instruments". On the radio- What is playing, but the Cat Stevens song- MoonShadow. In the background-just above the sound of the drilling from the next room- I can hear those classic words,

" I'm being followed by a moon shadow- moon shadow, moon shadow- And if I ever lose my mouth, all my teeth north and south"!

God really does have a sense of humor doesn't He? However, when I pointed out the lyric to Elizabeth, for some reason she was not amused. Oh yes, there is one other thing I noticed as Elizabeth went about her business- Sitting in the window where a flood of light poured into the room was one of those word puzzle thingys- you know the kind of thing that if you look at it one way it appears as jibberish, but

If you focus your eyes just so- you can make out a word-

"Jesus" is what it said.

Isn't it amazing the places He shows up if we can just get our focus right?

I am reminded of the C.S. Lewis children's book "Prince Caspian". There is a scene in the book where the children think they see Aslan (the Christ figure) in the distant fog. Oh, but it couldn't really be Him- they convince themselves- as they go their own way- Only to get in all sorts of trouble. As they decide to turn and head back toward Aslan- they catch a glimpse of Him once again. He is beckoning them to follow.

Still not able to really make Him out in the mists, they decide by faith to follow anyway. The funny thing is-

Every step they take in following by faith- Aslan becomes more clear-

More real- until finally He is right there.

He was right there all along- just like He is right here with us- even in a Dentist Office at 7:00a.m.- All it takes is the right focus to see Him-

Looking through the eyes of Faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Lord Jesus I will look for You today. Holy Spirit help my vision to be clear- my focus right- and as I see my Jesus- fill me up with the Faith and Courage I so desperately need to follow Him- even as He goes places that I would not

Amen

Jesus in the Flesh

I am not really sure where it came from, but when I was about 7 years old or so I started eating. I wonder now if it was to fill the void of losing my Daddy? Eddie Lee Welch' s suffering from cancer came to an end in December 1966 just before I was about to turn 7 years old. Edward Charles Welch's suffering from loneliness began around the end of December 1966. I loved my Daddy the best any "know nothing about Love" 6 year old boy could. I suppose what I did know was what it felt like to be loved by a Father- but now that was gone. Fast forward to 1972- now 12 years old, 5 foot 2 inches tall and 175 pounds of self loathing, loneliness. Appearing happy, I suppose- but disconnected from what mattered most in a twelve year old boy's world -the acceptance of other kids my age who seemed to have it all together. They didn't want me- especially not the boys who were on their way to manhood- strong and able. Fat, incapable athletically, rejected by girls, picked last for anything that even hinted of manliness- I had gone to food for comfort. I had gone to other things as well. A boy has to find relief somewhere from the pain of loneliness, rejection and isolation. The enemy had a field day- Attempting to steal away any real hope for happiness or freedom. I did start going to church regularly for the first time around this time. My sister and her husband took me. The people seemed nice enough at first and the more I heard about this Jesus character the more intrigued I became. He was different- He would never make fun of me- He would never laugh at me- He would never have left me to be picked last- He could even save me from my sins-Yep this Jesus guy was pretty awesome. Hey- during that time I even walked the aisle- I got saved and baptised. I remember going to Sunday School- Witnessing- Leaving Bible Tracts in magazines at the drug store- Finally my life seemed to have a bit of value to it-

At least Jesus cared about me- I have never doubted that.

His people however- you know the ones who were nice enough in the beginning- Somehow they turned out to be not much different from anyone else. It's really hard for a kid to handle that. Christians are supposed to be different- Like Jesus. Oh I held on to my Saviour- But the Abundant Life- The sense of being Loved and wanted by His people- That seemed to slowly fade out of my life- Oh there were respites of happiness, and I did learn to use what I had going for me- my being kind of smart- to at least have some friends, but still the loneliness lingered.

Loneliness- That sense that no one really cares- no one is interested in sharing life with you. That sense of being disconnected and left out of all you want to be a part of. There is nothing more miserable.

Fast forward to 1976- High School- God is so Faithful- He really never will leave you or forsake you. In all my striving for Love and acceptance I really never had doubted Jesus- I just wished He would send someone to show me His Love- I needed to feel it in a hug or a smile- I needed it to come in flesh and blood reality. It's what we all need- It's how we were built- For Community.

John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us"

Oh how those words became reality in my life in 1976 through a man named Danny Parker. Danny was the Young Life Leader for my High School- For me he became the Hands and Feet of Christ- sent by God Himself to be the father I had lost all those many years before.

God had saved my life yet again. He had sent a man who truly loved Jesus and that love overflowed and spilt out of his life to me as sure as the Blood of Christ Himself has been spilt for me.

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Precious Holy Spirit- Fill me up with Your Love the way You filled this man You sent my way all those years ago. Fill me so that I overflow to the people You bring my way- those who are lonely and hurting and feel the weight of the world and the enemy himself coming down on them. Make me an encouragement- Forgive me where I pass over the forgotten and give me Your Great Heart of compassion for the broken. Do all this in me I pray in the Wonderful Name of Jesus.

Amen

Wrecklessness

Late July 2004- Vacation at Amelia- Riding the Trail at Fort Clinch State Park-

It was a syrupy, muggy Wednesday evening and to top off a fantastic beach day I had set out on mountain bike ride. The adventure was to cover the 8 mile trail of dunes and swamp and mossy oaks that make up the beauty of Fort Clinch. Julie and the kids had driven over to the Park's beach area. They had their own adventure in mind- enjoying an end of the day stroll in the warm waves of the Atlantic looking for sharks teeth. As I got along into my ride, I have to admit- I was riding somewhat cautiously- navigating the single track trail in such a way as to stay in control and not get hurt. A good time, but not really the thrill a man in midlife crisis would call memorable. Ah, but then those immortal words of some base jumper I had heard on ESPN the day before came rushing into my mind.............

"You know you can't have any real fun unless you're willing to break a bone!"

Oh my goodness- Do I have to tell you what happened next as I pushed my speed to the limit over the ensuing series of undulating turns and dunes?

As I lay on the ground tangled up in my bike-

It took a few seconds for me to realize something was not right-

The pain was not immediate- but waited to expose itself- pouncing on me with full force as I tried to make my way to my feet.

Broken hip- Surgery in Jacksonville, Florida- Vacation over-

Two months out of work- Nine month recovery-

Pain on rainy days now 6 years later.

What an idiot.

Wait a minute you say- What about the guy I read about yesterday who poo-pooed the "better to be safe than sorry" philosophy of life.

Come on- make up your mind Welch- what's it gonna be-

A daring life of risk taking- depending on God or.................. Play it Safe?

There is a fine, but clear line between courage and stupidity

I have come to believe that line is Love.

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what Love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Maybe this is the best way to evaluate risk- Is the risk for the sake of Love- Is it for the sake of God's Glory- Is it for the sake of the people He brings our way?

Am I willing to be hurt for the sake of another? Will I risk it-or- Should I play it safe?

Jesus was continually ready to put Himself at risk for the Glory of His Father and the sake of others- Yet He was never wreckless for the sake of a thrill or personal glory.

John 7 (Excerpts) Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take His Life............"for Me the right time has not yet come."

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Holy Spirit- Keep me from foolishness and vanity- Give me Wisdom and Courage so that I never shrink away from risk for the sake of Love.

Amen

Safety

Haircuts- I endure them- Like shaving or flossing my teeth- Hair cuts are a necessary evil- A task on the To- Do List to be checked off. Now don't get me wrong- my Barber (Cathy) is nice enough. In fact, from time to time some fairly interesting folks even come in and grace her chair- so I guess it's really not as bad as I make it out to be........... Still, all in all, there are about a million other things I think I'd rather be doing. I have to tell you though- I do think I am a pretty easy customer- Truth is when I sit down in that chair I only have two requests-

Cut it Short

and

(Now this one is tough)

Make me look good.

Come to think of it- the poor lady must hate to see me coming! Even the "cut it short" part provides it's own challenges- Do you remember the May 15 edition of this very blog concerning a large mole that looks alot like a tick? At any rate, yesterday morning the time had come- yes it was hair cut day. As I sat there while Cathy skillfully worked her way around my rather large head she eventually came to the area with the mole. Guys- I'll tell you- I am not exaggerating here when I use the word area- I swear that thing has spent the last 20 years or so slowly creeping and spreading so that now I believe a good portion of the left side of my head has been overrun and conquered-

Maybe it really is a tick!

Well in the midst of all that snip, snip and "would you hold still please" Cathy suddenly hesitated a moment, fumbled a little with the hair around the mole-tick creature and said to me, "Charles, you need to get this thing looked at-

"You know it's always better to be safe than sorry"

Such an innocent comment, yet something about those words cut me- I don't know why really, but it was as if God Himself had shot an arrow of conviction straight into my fearful heart.

How much of my life has been centered around the spirit of those words-

A spirit of fear- The Enemy's messages of Be Careful- You might get hurt-

You know you shouldn't really try that- What if ........................

How many times have I sacrificed opportunities to live life so that I could play it safe? After all - I wouldn't want to risk the embarassment of failure. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

Luke 12:32 Jesus said," Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father in Heaven has been pleased to give you the Kingdom."

Do not be afraid-Let not your heart be troubled-Be strong and courageous- Do not be terrified- For the Lord your God is with you- He is in you- He will never leave of forsake you-

Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit of the Living God- Rise up in me for Faith and Love and Courage to Live like a man who You have blessed with a Kingdom. Strengthen me for boldness and gentleness all at once. Infuse my heart with Your Great Heart so that I may say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ; It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me." and so to Live in the Power of Your Life in me. Amen

Strangers in a Strange Land

"Go Bullit Go!"

Rebecca squealed as she wildly flung her little 5 year old body back and forth on the newest member of our family. It was early Christmas morning in 1995- Bullit was a plastic Rocker Horse set up on powerful springs that when rocked hard back and forth the way my daughter was that morning- The rider could actually go airborn. It was Pure Joy- She was in heaven!

Fast forward June 2010-Julie and I were in the car- her driving- me riding and running off at the mouth. There was tension- I don't know where it came from- or at least right now I can not tell you it's source- but it was there-probably something silly- at least in my mind- but tension none the less- it was there- it was real. A far cry from pure Joy. On the radio was the Steven Curtis Chapman Song- "Heaven is the Face". What a great song- a song where he describes Heaven as he reflects on his fairly recent loss of his adopted daughter through a tragic accident. As I listen to the song- a little nonchalantly- there comes a lyric that reaches out and grabs me by the throat, reaches down deep into me and seizes my heart-

Heaven is a place with "No More Enemy"

I do not think we begin to understand or take seriously the devastation our Enemy brings to bear on us every moment of every day.

Right there- in that moment of Tension and Truth- it was like a revelation- an opening of my eyes to the reality of my own sinful nature and my wife's own sinful nature with an enemy standing there pouring gasoline on our smoldering embers.

An effort the divide our hearts-

To steal our peace with one another-

To destroy any joy we might find in one another-

And get this- he never rests.

Matthew 16:15-18 Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." .............Jesus replied,"on this Rock, I will build My Church and the Gates of Hell will not stand against it."

I so look forward to the day when the last enemy of the Life I long for has fallen- Sin- Death- The Devil himself- all gone- all put away- the onslaught over- finally able to live with Love and Joy and Peace unopposed. In the mean time, I pray-

Lord God Almighty, rise up in me for power to stand against my Enemy, my own sin nature and the corruption of this world's kingdom so that I might be a part of advancing Your Great Kingdom. Thank You for even small glimpses of the Love and Joy You bring into our lives. Amen

God is Beyond Me

If God had wanted me to have a Systematic Theology why would He have not given me one? Instead I have His Word- filled with Stories and Poetry and History and Ideas that are in constant tension with one another.

I love theology- this idea that I can learn more about God- that He has revealed Himself- in His Creation- In His Word- In making us in His Image and all the nuances of human relationships- In the Sacraments and most of all in Jesus. I love that God wants a relationship with me and has made Himself knowable and available.

I have come to abhor the idea of Systematic Theology. There was a point in my life where I thought it would be great to have God all figured out- to have Him become a predictable entity in my life that followed a certain set of rules all the time. I think in my own efforts to understand God- to get a handle on Him- What I was really trying to do was contain and control Him. If I could understand His rules- I could play the game in such a way that I could win- I could get what I want. I asked a good friend recently how many different systematic theologies he thought there might be- His answer- Not sure, but many upon many. So then, which one is right? Which one of these systems has been able to correctly corral God and predict His Ways? In the realm of Christianity how many versions of the rules do you think there might be? Please don't get me wrong- I am not talking here about ultra liberal ideas that deny the diety of Christ, but instead I am talking about people and groups who hold to the core beliefs- God is Sovereign- God created all that is- Men are in need of a Saviour- Jesus, the God/Man came and died for the sins of men- Jesus literally overcame death and resurrected - Upon our calling out to Jesus in Faith He can give us the abundant/eternal life that was lost in our rebellion. Even among those who hold to these core teachings there are so many disagreements in their systematic theologies that it is truly mind boggling how the Faith has survived these 2000 plus years- Yet at the same time- God will not be thwarted- His purposes will not be lost in my own attempts to cage Him- to make Him fit my agenda- to win the game- to satisfy my need to control things.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways declares the Lord. As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways higher than your ways and My Thoughts than your thoughts."

Father in Heaven- I pray You give me insight into Your Ways and Thoughts- I pray You lead me in the Way of Wisdom. Father I give You thanks that You are beyond me and my limited understanding in so many ways. I give You thanks that ultimately You are Sovereign and Good and Loving. I give You thanks for Jesus- Your express image for me to see- I give You thanks for Your Holy Spirit and Your Word to Lead me in all Your Ways. Move in my heart Lord God Almighty for one agenda only- to grow in my Love for You and the ability to live that out in this foreign land.

What did you See?

As we approached the intersection with a green light I noticed a car approaching as well. It was approaching from my right on the street crossing the line of traffic we were in. From my angle I could see that the driver's view of the traffic light for his road was clearly red. Fortunately this driver had his window down as he slowed down preparing to make a right turn-

but looking right through my two partners and myself

as we made our way on our bicycles through the intersection and into his path. As he began to pull on out into what seemed like inevitable disaster for us- I was able to catch his attention with a loud Hey-Hey-Hey. In the nick of time (Thank You Lord) he saw us and was able to quickly stop. It was classic-

He couldn't see us because we were not what he was looking for!

Over the years, this has become one of my favorite tendencies to point out to my students.

It is a tendency that has several variations-

People usually only see what they are looking for-

If you know what you are looking for at the outset you have a much better chance of finding it, but maybe really missing some other pretty cool stuff-

How you see something will many times determine what you do with it- that is how you process what you are looking at.

I don't think this has a greater effect anywhere than when we approach Scripture.

It is very difficult to approach Scripture without our preconceived notions-

our upbringing-

our personal experiences-

previous teachings-

our cultural biases-

our........... you name it coming into the mix.

The great determination as we approach God's Word must be to intentionally and wholeheartedly go into the process looking for the Truth.

What I find myself and many others doing is going to the scripture looking for justification- Looking for those things that will show that my own views are right.

So many times we look right through or past those things that don't seem to help our position.

Like all the rest of our Great Faith- Bible Study Requires Humility. I must come to the Scriptures willing to be shown wrong- willing to give up my position- Dedicated to finding Truth above all else. If we come to the Scriptures seeing only what we want to see there is a severe danger that we might just run right over someone.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-Breathed.........so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is Living and Active.......It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit........It judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Holy Spirit of the Living God- move in me for a relentless pursuit of the Truth. Give me a willingness to give up my own way and see what is real. Lord Jesus, Thank You for living out all these things for me to see. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear You alone. Amen

What's this all About?

The only things that matter in this life are the things that somehow connect us to the Heart of God and Eternity.

Every single thing in this life has the potential to connect us to the Heart of God and Eternity.

I can be a procrastinator of the worst kind- not always mind you- but sometimes..........

Upon arriving home from work one day this week, I was greeted with the result of one of my instances of procrastination in the form of an upside-down bathroom closet door-

Yep- you read right- there it was for all to see.

It all started several months ago when I finally got around to remodeling our bath room after over a year of delay. Well, I must say- with the help of a good friend the job came out wonderfully- almost perfect with just a few finishing touches to complete- including painting and rehanging the closet door. I completed the painting- oh I guess about 3 months ago- but never quite got around to rehanging the door with it's shiny new brass hardware.

I must tell you as well- It is not my wife's habit to nag (a trait for which I am ever so thankful). Instead, after a while of waiting for a task to be completed, Julie will simply roll up her sleeves and do it herself. Normally her efforts are flawless, but this time................. well you read it before- An upside-down bathroom closet door.

Oh and one last little detail-in her effort to take the door down and start over my sweet wife had accidentally stripped the head of one of the screws holding the hinge to the door jam.

Charles to the Rescue!

Genesis 1:27 So God made man in His own Image. In the Image of God He made Him. Male and Female He created them.

Doesn't it feel great to be who you were made to be? To feel a sense finding your place- It's like everything in the universe aligns and Life is just................well............. Right.

Men were made for lots of things- but I am convinced one of the primary things we were made for was to come to the rescue of the women we love- to play the role of a man.

I can not tell you how good it made me feel to fix that stupid door.

There is something about God- the male part of His Image- that I think I connect with when I can bring the strength He gave me to bear on a problem, and well......... fix it. Maybe it's sinful pride, but I don't think so. The sense of satisfaction is enormous over something as mundane as a bathroom door.

I sit in wonder at what Jesus must have felt as He hung on the cross and uttered those incredible words-

"It is finished"

The rescue is complete- He has done what He came for- He has lived out at least a part of who He is meant to be in His Father's Kingdom.

Thank You so much Father in Heaven for little gifts. Thank You for the opportunity to feel a sense of satisfaction in living out what you made me to be. Holy Spirit, Lead me more and more into manhood- into connection to Your Heart and Eternity. Amen

Courage, Wisdom and Love

Another Birthday! Matthew turned 16 a couple of days ago- HooRay! Sixteen year olds can be difficult- Although he had said he did not want a party, at the last possible moment he had a change of heart- So here we go- It seems he decided it would be fun to celebrate at a friend's home with a bunch of other kids who happened to be there "just hanging out". No problem- right? At least we didn't have to worry about getting our own place ready for ensuing shin-dig! Julie is such an awesome mom. As she is apt to do- she put together a last minute incredible Red Velvet Cake from scratch and we picked up some pizza and sodas and headed over to the friend's house with all the goodies. After meeting the kids who were there, singing Happy Birthday as well as talking with the parents a bit Julie and I were about to leave them to their fun when Matthew cautioned us, "Hey Dad, make sure you don't look at the movie they are watching as you go out- it's pretty graphic."

Rewind One Day- Monday Morning Men's Bible Study.

My friend David looked me straight in the eye and said, "The problem we Christians have- the reason we cave in so easily- is that we care more what the people around us think than what God thinks." Those words haunt me. How often do I cave in- compromise- what I know is right because I am more worried about what the people around me will think than what God thinks? How often do I take the coward's way out and not stand up? Yet I really don't think it's always that simple. In the end, isn't the point to bring people to Christ? Many a soul has been turned away by self righteousness and judgement. These things are not simple.

There is no patented formula for what is the right thing to do- Other than Love God and Love People.

Oh and I believe our Enemy is fully aware of these moments of inner conflict. He is quick to come rushing in with doubts no matter what we do.

I stand for righteousness and here he comes saying-

Look, you just turned a whole group away from the possibility of knowing Christ-

Now they think Christians are all like those they hear everywhere judging them.

Not only did the wall between them and you just get bigger, but you added height and thickness to the wall between them and Christ.

or

I pass by the scene- Not viewing this as the time or place to raise a stink. Here comes the Enemy saying-

You are such a coward-

A real man who loves God would not let someting like that go.

A real man would stand for what is right.

You should be ashamed- you're no real Christian-

Oh you talk a good game when it's easy but when things get tough you're just like Peter.

Coward!

This Christian Life is not simple- I don't believe there are many "One size fits all" kinds of answers.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you O' man what is good- and what does the Lord require of you but to Do Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with your God.

Father, I am continually humbled as I seek Wisdom from You to balance Your Call to Justice and Your Call Love Mercy. Give me Courage to do the right thing- to stand as a man for You- Rise up in me Holy Spirit for that Courage. Lord also move in me for Love and Mercy- the Love and Mercy you have shown me so many times. Lord God, I pray as well that You would give Wisdom in all these things so that I would do what expresses Who You Are to everyone you bring my way. Please Dear Lord- Bind my Enemy- Keep me from his accusations and confusion. Move in me Holy Spirit for Clarity and Love and Truth. All Praise be to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

What will God give me?

My wife says I am needy- She is right. Oh by that she means I am needy in terms of her time, her presence, being engaged with her- wanting to have deep conversation and undivided attention. Again- she is right!

Truthfully, my neediness goes far beyond those things- to depths of my own spiritual poverty and abject weakness. I am truly a Man in need of a Saviour on every possible level.

John 16:23-24 Jesus said,"I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your Joy will be complete."

So what does all this mean- this asking in the Name of Jesus? Are these the magic words we can throw on the end of our prayers and somehow obligate God to come through? I don't think so.

A man is known by his name- In a sense, when I hear a name and I know the person, immediately impressions based on that knowlege rise up in me. I have a sense of the man's character- who he is- really. On the other hand if I don't know the man I have no impression - the name means nothing to me. Maybe asking in the name of Jesus is somehow dependent on knowing Jesus- Intimately- Personally.

So then, maybe this business of asking in Jesus Name is at it's core, really an invitation to get to know Him.

In all this- some would accuse me of watering down the power of asking in His Name. They might say that My faith is weak and I am just looking for an excuse to cover that up. They might say if I really beleived I would boldly ask specifically for what I want and God would come through because of my faith. I will be the first to admit that my faith is not stong enough- I cry out with the man in Mark 9 who brought his son for healing

"Jesus, I do believe- Help me to overcome my unbelief."

There is power in Jesus Name. There is power in Prayer- asking in Jesus Name- I believe that with all my heart. He will give me what I ask in His Name- that is in accordance with the Father's Will- those things that will bring the Father Glory- Express the Father's Character- and to the extent that I am in touch with the Heart of God- that I know Jesus- that I am united to His Heart- I will be able to ask in His Name.

Lord God Almighty, I ask in the name of Jesus that You give me Courage to overcome fear. I ask that You give me Wisdom that I might know Your Will- what is the right thing to do or say in all my dealings in this life. I ask that You give me a will to follow You more closely. I ask that You make Love and Truth and Justice the marks of my Life. I ask that You come against my enemy the Devil and all his work and plans and demons that attack me and my family. I ask that You be at work in Julie and Rebecca and Matthew's lives to bring each of their hearts to be united to Your own Great Heart. In the name of Jesus I ask that You increase my Faith- my Trust in You. Do this Lord God, please do these things by supernatural means and natural means. Father, give me opportunities to be Courageous and Wise, but please Lord, beyond these opportunities rise up in me to actually be Courageous and Wise. I am needy- I need Your salvation in all these things. I do believe- help me overcome my unbelief. In the name of Jesus I pray all these things. Amen

Medication

1982 or there abouts- Summer time- June or there abouts- Ponce de Leon Mall- St. Augustine Florida- Selling Toy Airplanes- It seems like another lifetime- maybe just a bad dream. Ah, but real it was and there is nothing quite like the pain of an abscessed tooth to burn the time into my memory. Honestly, I don't know if there has ever been another time in my life I have been in more pain- yet needed to function- to perform well in fact. Money was short and I needed to come through- I needed to have a good- no, a great week- selling those silly styrofoam gliders to all the beach combing tourist I could convince their own quest for happiness was only a Toy Airplane purchase away! Still..............

I had to do something about this pain- ANYTHING that would give me some relief!

What about you (and me still for that matter)- What are we doing with our own pain? How are we managing it- the dissappointments- the losses- the failures- the cutting words that have left deep and festering wounds.

Is Tylenol enough? If not Tylenol, how about Alcohol, or Work, or Achievement, or Soap Operas, or Pornography, or Romance Novels, or Prescription Drugs, or Food, or Religion, or ...........................Choose your Medication.

What am I using to escape my Pain?

The way I see it there are 2 kinds of Medication.

Both are really important in their own way.

There is Medication that helps me get through- that helps me manage my pain.

Think of Perkocet (misspelled I think) or Zoloft- neither promises a cure, but both are critical to help us manage pain as we go through a healing process.

Then there is Medication that actually heals.

Think of Antibiotics or Chemotherapy- neither gives you any sort of on the spot relief- in fact the Chemo really makes you "feel" worse for a while- right? And yet these Medications go to the core- they attack the sickness rather than treating the symptoms.

Two Questions

Is my Christianity more about pain management or healing?

How much have I looked to other things to give me some relief- some escape even- from those deep places of hurt in my Heart?

Isaiah 61 Excerpts "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me (Jesus)......to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners......to comfort all who mourn.......to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise to replace a spirit of despair.........They will be a planting of the Lord for the display of His Splendor.

Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Father God, Great Counselor- Thank You that You have promised healing, that You have promised rest for the weary, that You have promised not to allow more on me than I can bear. I come to You Lord for relief and yes for healing. Strengthen me to go through Your Healing. Give me Courage to go into those painful places in my life. Father God, be a surgeon if need be to cut out all that festers and steals my Life and Joy. All Praise be to You Most High God. Amen

Wisdom

Have you heard the story about the Preacher who was hired to take over at the Local Baptist Church? It seems after his first sermon on Kindness the congregation was ecstatic- the Search Committee had indeed landed a fine catch. Well come the second Sunday on the job it seems for some reason the new Pastor got to the Pulpit and once again delivered exactly the same sermon on Kindness. The congregation was a little distubed, but no one quite had the courage to say anything. Well it seems that after 2 more Sundays of the same, finally the people could bear it no more and as Baptist are apt to do- They called a Deacon's Meeting to address the problem. As a result, the Chief Deacon was sent to confront the new Pastor over his lack of variety in Sermon topics. Cautiously the Deacon approached the Pastor with those classic words,"Pastor, we've been talking, and the congregation has some concerns. We are concerned that for 4 weeks now you have come to the front and delivered the same sermon week after week- Don't you have any other material?" At this point the New Pastor simply looked at the nervous Deacon and smiled as he said,"Oh yes I have plenty of other material, but I figured it would be good to wait on that until I saw some sign that you all were actually listening to my Sermon on Kindness!"

Proverbs 1:7 "The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom"

Isn't this really where we seperate Wisdom from knowlege?

That is that we take what we hear seriously enough that it actually becomes transformative in our lives.

I have come to believe that Fearing God has little to do with being scared. I am not even sure respect is the best way to paraphrase the word Fear. Standing in awe of the One who made us and holds our lives in His hands is closer, but .........

I really believe Fearing God means taking Him seriously. It is the idea that as He speaks, I take what He says and put it into action in my life.

We can become great Biblical Scholars with immense knowlege and a Systematic Theology that stands as intellectual genius, but still have wisdom elude us. I think it was Oswald Chambers who suggested if we really want to know God- we will get a whole lot farther with a tiny bit of Faithful Obedience to what He has already revealed than many hours searching the mysteries of the scriptures and trying to fit them into some sort of workable systematic theology that lines up with our own notions. I may have added a bit of my own mindset there- if so- I will be sure to ask Chamber's forgiveness when I see him.

James 3:13 and 17 "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life- by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom." ........

"But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

Father, rise up me for true Wisdom- for knowlege of You that is transformative. Seal Your Word to my Heart and work it out through my hands. Holy Spirit be ever present in me to remind me of all that has already been revealed. Bring others into my life that will spur me on to Love and Good Works. All praise be to You my Lord Jesus for how You showed me the walking living breathing Wisdom of God. Amen

God's Great Purpose

Hey- Let's brainstorm a minute (some say for me that might look like one of those 30 second summer showers- one quick little burst then what?). Let's brainstorm about what God's Purpose for us might be-Why we are here. Some possibilities: God just wants us to be happy. We make Him happy. It all went wrong so He just wants to save us and get us to heaven. He's just playing with us- for His amusement. He wants to express His glory through us. He is using us as pawns in His great contest with the Evil one- Satan. No purpose- He just created us and set it all in motion to see what happens. Maybe we are just comic releif for His boredom. Maybe He's an ego-maniac and needs us to make Himself feel important. Maybe we are simply an outlet for His Love. Maybe it's because He is Creative at Heart and just had to express Himself. Maybe He is building something bigger and we get to be a part. In terms of how I live my life- I know what I say I believe- but which one of those ideas above would be the natural conclusion of an objective outside observor? Which one reveals the true state of my heart?

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans of a man's heart, but it is the Lord's Purpose that prevails.

What about you- do you have children? If not, have you ever "created" or built anything? What were your motivations? Did it have anything to do with expressing who you are? Maybe that is a little of what it means to be made in His Image- That we have this inherent desire to express ourselves- To propogate our glory. There is a problem with that. It is not what we were made for. Our personal glory falls short. It can not bring us into the life we long for.

John 15: 5 Jesus said,"I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

I firmly believe we are made to be living, breathing expressions of God's Glory- that is- His Character- His Love - His Justice- His Goodness- All of who He is.

To the extent we live in that Great Purpose and advance His Great Purpose-His Kingdom- where ever He has placed us- we will live the Abundant Life Jesus Promised. I make it sound so complicated- I'm sorry Let me just put it this way- the Great Commandment

Luke 10:27 Love God- Be about Him in every possible way-This will bring us into His Great Purpose and the Life we long for.

And along with that-Do what He does. Love People- Live in Community-Knowing and Caring for those around us- much like His relationship in Father, Son and Spirit- Three in One

1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we Love one another God lives in us and His Love is made complete in us.

Father God, never let me forget who I am in You- that in You I have my being. Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Be in me today- fill me to overflowing so that Your Life is expressed through even this jar of clay. Pour Ypurself through me so That I experience Your Life and it flows out to all I come in contact with. Use me to advance Your Character- Your Glory in my world. Pour Your Gospel through me- Your Love and Goodness and Grace. Help me to find my Life in all these things. Amen

Prayer- Just some Thoughts

My work place has very interesting- strange- thermostsats. I say this because sometimes they work perfectly- responding almost immediately upon adjustment, but other times.......... Well, like today when my buddy Dave came into the break room (which really was a bit warm) and went immediately to work in great earnestness trying to reset the temperature. The first thought that went through my mind and the immediate words out of my mouth were,

"You're working on that thing like you really expect to get some results."

My words oozed sarcasm.

James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

John 15:7-8 Jesus said,"If you remain in Me and My words remain in you- ask whatever you wish and it will be given you-

This is to My Father's Glory."

How many times do I approach prayer like I do those thermostats at work? You know- it works sometimes- if I hold my mouth just right- Or if I punch the buttons in just the right way- Maybe it will work this time. Maybe it will give me what I want. It can't hurt to try. Maybe the great air conditioner gods will have mercy on me this time. I suppose this is better than denying the possibility the thermostat may work...........or is it? I wonder what God must think of my prayers- Is He pleased when I come to Him looking for a little comfort- You know- like when the room is a little warm and playing with the thermostat looks like the best alternative.

Where is the Power of God in that?

How is the Father Glorified in those pissy little prayers?

Oh now, don't get me wrong- I am not one of those who believes if I pray with more fervor and tag Jesus name on the end.......... God is somehow obligated to give me what I want- No, I am more inclined to believe the Power of Prayer is not so much to manipulate God into more favorable circumstances for myself as it is about connecting with God in such a way that He changes me. Chambers calls it "Forming the Mind of Christ".

Can God change my circumstances? Absolutely Yes!

But many times He offers so much more-

He offers to give me a part in expressing His Glory-

He offers that I may become United to His Heart-

United with Him in His Purposes-

Even in all the things that are making me uncomfortable.

Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, Jesus fell with His face to the ground and prayed,"My Father if it is possible may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not My Will, but Thy Will be done."

Great Father in Heaven- I do not pretend to know all that You have in mind and so this one thing I pray- Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit - bring me into Your Great purposes. Work out Your Power in my life in such a way that somehow I may have a part in expressing Your Glory- Your Character- Your Goodness- Your Love- to all those around me. Amen

Following Dad can be Dangerous!

That phrase has stuck with me for a couple of days now and I have wondered a bit about why I am so apt to feel that following Jesus is dangerous. Is it that I am not sure of the way He is taking me- Maybe I think I see a better way- Is it that I have never been where He is taking me- Is it that I have my own destinations in mind- Maybe it's because I am not certain He can he really get me where I want to go- Maybe it's because it doesn't feel like He's making the path easier- Maybe it's because I have crashed so many times before- Maybe it's because I am looking at where the rest of the Peloton is going. John 21:21-22 "What about him Lord?" Peter asked. Jesus answered," What is his life to you- You must follow Me." John 14:5-6 Lord we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered, " I am the way" John 10:4 The Shepherd's sheep follow Him because they know His voice. Matthew 8:18-22 A teacher of the Law said, " I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus answered, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His Head." Another said, "Let me go bury my father." Jesus answered, "Let the dead bury their own dead- you follow Me." John 11: 16 Thomas said, " Let us also go (follow him to Judea) that we may die with Him." In the end following means giving up control- which is fine as long as I am in agreement with the way He is leading- Ah, but that is not really giving up control is it? The central question in Discipleship (following) comes down to this- Do I believe so strongly in the one I am following that I will go after Him forsaking all others- including my self? That is the rub- I often think I know a better way. Luke 9:23 Jesus said, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." The call is to set my way aside- to commit to Jesus as the Way of Life- Daily- minute by minute staying fixed on Him. Indeed a dangerous thing in this world where happiness is measured in security and bank accounts. Lord Jesus, I do believe- I will follow You- help me overcome my unbelief. Become so real in my life- as my Way of Life- that I only see you. Like You did for Peter, Lord- when he took his eyes off You and began to sink in the waves- Reach down and take hold of me when I begin to drown in my own doubts. Have mercy on me Jesus. Holy Spirit fill me with Your strength to follow My Lord Jesus. Increase my Faith in this dangerous discipleship. Amen

Birthdays (For Julie)

Happy Birthday! It is amazing to think that just those few short years ago you were simply a desire in your Mom and Dad's hearts. Ah, but take a simple yet beautiful desire........ Add a bit of Love.......... and VOILA....... You have it- One of the most wonderful lives to ever come into existence! And yet...... even before all that.............. God knew you- He purposed you - He had you in mind as a demonstration of who He is-

In you He has shown forth a bit His Glory-

His Grace- His Character- Yes even His Love and Goodness.

You have indeed been "Fearfully and Wonderfully" made. I am so glad God imagined you. John 1:12-13 Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God- Children born not of natural descent nor human decision nor a husbands will- but born of God. Another Birthday! Born Again! Born of God- His Life infused into our frailty. His substance- Even the Life of Jesus- Yes the amazing, wonderful, wild, extravagant Life and Love of Jesus birthed in us. I see it in you- I see it in people all around- even in this broken world. Maybe especially in this broken world. Thank You Father in Heaven that You have purposed us. Thank You for finding us when we were lost- for bringing us home to Yourself. Thank You for our Rebirth into Yourself. Thank You especially for Julie- the one You have made for me- The one You have brought me into union with. Thank You that we have received You. Help us to believe in Your Name more and more everyday. Help us all to live out being born of You. Amen

Following

What a great day to ride! Sure it was about 90 degrees and syrupy humid- but we were gliding down the Greenway- A paved path on the river draped with a canopy of lush green trees that provide bountiful shade for anyone wanting to get outside for a bit of exercise- even in the hotter parts of the day. Combine that with coolnes of the air rushing across my face as I pedalled easily along the way-and the icing on the cake- I was sharing the experience my daughter Rebecca.

It was almost perfect!

This particular day I thought it might be a good idea to teach Rebecca a little about drafting. The idea was she would fall in behind me about 6 inches off the back of my wheel. This would make her ride a little easier, as I broke through the wind resistance and she could hide in my slipstream. There are 2 rules for drafting that must be minded if the venture is to be successful for the person following. Stay as close as possible. If contact is lost the benefit of the leader's work is lost. Keep an intense focus on the rear wheel of the person you are following. If you become distracted you can easily run right up on the leader and take a tumble. Looking back now, the focus required may have been too much to ask of a 13 year old. Okay- so you guessed it- something else did catch my beautiful daughter's eye and in just that moment of distraction she ran right up on my rear wheel and down she went- hard. All I know was I heard the terrible sound of crashing metal on pavement and a scream of pain I never want to hear again. A beautiful day together gone terribly wrong.

Unfortunately, that was the beginning of the end of our bike riding together.

Following Dad can be dangerous.

Matthew 4:19 "Come, Follow Me" Jesus said.

Galatians 5:25 " Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit".

I suspect following Jesus is alot like drafting behind the perfect pace setter. He never gets tired. He always knows the perfect pace. He clears the way for me. He stops for a drink at just the right time. He knows the best way to go. All I have to do is follow closely and keep my focus on Him. Lose contact and all of a sudden the way becomes much more difficult. Lose focus and I will go down hard. Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit of the Living God, Father in Heaven- Today I will follow closely- Today I will keep my focus on You. Be powerful in me to do these things- Enable me- rise up in me for all You have in mind for me today. Father help me to learn from my past crashes- to fix my eyes on You To trust You with my way- no matter what distractions might come. Amen

Doing the Right Thing

I told a lie. It was the expedient thing to do. The people who need to know the truth know the truth. It will be compensated for. No one was hurt by it- nor will they be (I hope). If others need to know the truth I am prepared for full disclosure. The rules of the work place forced it to some extent.............. Yet still there is this nagging sense of guilt- this sense of wrong doing. I don't really know if it comes from God over a loss of integrity or my enemy the Devil attacking my sense of legalism with accusations. I do know one thing- If I had told the whole truth I would not be feeling this moral angst. So- what can I learn from this? Life is simpler when you tell the truth- when you do the right thing. The need for all the justifications- as good as they may be- simply disappears. There is a sense of real separation when I go against my conscience- separation from God. It comes even in writing this blog. The sense of connection to God in hearing what He might have me to write about is overwhelmed with a need for confession of sorts. I am humbled- I am reminded of my own inadequacy to write something like this, because of my own lack of moral integrity. There is a realization of a real need for Christian Community and accountability for encouragement to do the right thing when short cuts seem easier. It is time to let move on- Confession has been made- Repentance is real- Restitution is accounted for. It is time to move on in God's forgiveness. I will do better next time. Psalm 51 (Excerpts) Have mercy on me,O' God- According to Your unfailing Love- According to Your great compassion- Have Mercy on me. Wash away my iniquity and cleanse my sin.........You desire truth in the inner parts...... Cleanse me and I will be clean.......... Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast Spirit in me.......... Restore to me the Joy of Your Salvation and grant me a willing Spirit to sustain me- then I can show transgressors Your ways.........You do not delight in sacrifice...... but a broken and contrite spirit You will accept. Father God, move in me today for Holiness- for doing the right thing. Take me past my sin so that Your Life flows through me to all those you bring my way today. Amen