Grace

My friend Andy sat across from me beaming with excitement-
"You won't believe what happened to me this weekend"
He said, as he seemed to grin from ear to ear.
He went on to describe taking a Trophy Buck while hunting with his son.

Now as a deer hunter myself-
There was just a bit of envy-
As he showed a picture of this 11 point trophy of a life time.

The envy quickly turned to resentment as I heard him say-

"Really I'm not a deer hunter at all"
"This is the first time I have been deer hunting in years"
"A friend just took me out, and put my son and I on a stand"
"Oh, did I tell you I prayed before we went?"
The prayer was-
"Lord, surprise us"

I felt the surge of resentment grow stronger.

God you know how hard I have worked to get a trophy like that-
You know, if anyone deserves that trophy- it's me-
And yet You give such a thing to someone who just walks out into the woods-
No work- No scouting- No sitting for hours in the cold-
You just gave it to him.

Why not me?
What's wrong with me?

And then I hear my Father say-

Luke 15:31

 "My son" the Father said,

"You are always with me and everything I have is yours"

Truth- The Lord gives as He sees fit.

Truth- The Father has given me good gifts-

No check that- The Father has given me perfect gifts-

Exactly what I needed to bring my heart towards Himself-

Oh, sin and the enemy bring pain from time to time-

But in His Love and Grace towards me-

Father takes even this pain and offers healing and wholeness.

Father,

Thank You for my Brother's Blessing.

Thank You for my own Blessings.

Open my eyes to always See and

Trust Your Grace in my Life.

Amen



Just One Thing

"I just need to pick up this one thing"
Dawn said as she closed the car door and headed off into the Publix.
Immediately the banter began as her husband Tony said 2-
Then daughter Sarah chimed in,
"Are you counting the Coke-
I put the Coke in my count and I say 3".
Tony chuckles back, "No, the Coke is a given-
So I guess with that I will have to say 3 as well".

It seems there is a running wager-
Everytime my Sister-in-Law goes into a store-
For just one thing-
How many "things" she will eventually emerge with.
My wife Julie is the same-

Could it be a Woman thing?

I feel like maybe I am treading on precarious ground here-
So I best move on!

Actually, I am the same-
Not so much in shopping, but in thinking-
I start off on one idea, but before long........

My friends call it chasing rabbits-

I call it the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Anyway-
I suppose we all are subject to distraction-
And is there really ever "Just One Thing"?

Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

She came to Jesus and asked,

 “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?

Tell her to help me!”

    “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered,

“You are worried and upset about many things,

but few things are needed—or indeed Only One.

 Mary has chosen what is better,

And it will not be taken away from her.” 

Ah, the one thing that really matters-

The Only Thing-

The Only Thing that will not be taken away.

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit-

I pray that as we go through this day that all the lesser things,

The things that woo and distract-

That they all would fade into nothingness-

As we set our hearts toward uniting with Your Great Heart-

Even in these lesser things.

Matthew 6:33

Amen 

Light brings Truth and Truth brings Life

There was a thick fog all around us-
As we stumbled through the black of night.

The flashlight shining in the darkness only seemed to make things worse as it highlighted the shifting mists in the night. Then there was the swaying Spanish Moss whose every movement with the breeze conjured up age old fears of some dark and evil creature lurking........
Waiting to ravage us.......
As we made our way through the cold stagnant waters of some ancient swamp.

We finally arrived at our destination-
An island of sorts-
At least some dry ground.

I watched in ever increasing terror as my friend left me there-
Slowly moving away with his light........
Into the all consunsuming black of night.
"I'll be back in a few hours", he said-
As he left me there-
Alone.........
Shivering from a combination of cold and fear-
Feeling as lost as a boy can feel.

I was 12 years old-
It was the first and last time
I have ever been Duck Hunting.

But what about now?

What is out there?

What is waiting for us-
As we make our way through the uncertainties of this life?

What kinds of monsters make the hair stand up on the back of your neck?

Do you ever feel left alone........
Like some little boy.........
In a dark, bleak swamp?

As I sat with my back to a tree on that cold wintery morning, looking out into the blackness and shivering, it was not long before I noticed something- I could begin to make out some shapes- Those are trees aren't they?

And that slight rise in the distance........

Yes, there it was-
The horizon.

Glancinging up, there was a break in the fog-

Incredible!

There were a billion stars shining through on this clear winter's night.

My heart rose a bit as I began to get glimpses...........

of Hope.....

of Truth.........

Being revealed by the coming light.

The Truth of the beauty I was surrounded by.

Still fear lingered.........

Until after a little longer-
I began to notice the horizon brightening a bit-

Could it be.......

Was that the edge of the sun-
I was seeing begin to climb in the distance?

Yes!

And what about this place-

I think I have been here before-

I remember.....
Yes my friend had brought me here before.

I have seen this- maybe I am not lost after all!

John 1: 4-5 In Him was Life,
and that Life was the light of all Mankind.
The Light shines in the darkness
 and the darkness has not overcome it.

What about you?
Is there ever something in you-

Something that feels lost-

Maybe even a little afraid?

And yet as Jesus brings Light........

As He brings Life itself.............

As we begin to be able to see-

As we begin to realize the Truth of His Life in us..........

Hope bursts forth like the sun on the horizon.

Welcome to Today-

Welcome to the Truth-
That darkness will always yield to Light-

Welcome to Life in Him.

Father God, Life Giver Jesus, Wonderful Holy Spirit-

Thank You for the Dawn-

Thank You for bringing Light and Truth and Life to put away the darkness.

Thank You for Today.

Amen

Link to "Your Love Never Fails" below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_2qG22SPwU&feature=related 

God is Good- All the Time.......Really?

It was early morning-

The sun was just coming into it's full glory through the window.
The blinds were drawn, but not closed completely.
Now in those ever so small openings-
The openings between each shade panel-
The brilliance of the new morning sun light beamed through-
Right into the eyes of my friend sitting just across from me.
Now this same sun light warmed the back of my own neck just a bit.
For me it was a pleasant start to a promising new day.
Not so for my friend as he first squinted-
Then turned his head awkwardly in an effort to escape his discomfort.
Finally-
After a bit-
My friend picked himself up out of his chair-
And moved to a new spot.

The same sun-

Pleasure for me-

Pain for my friend.

There are times and places in my life-

Where the Goodness of God really feels painful.

Maybe it's the only way though-
The only way I will move-
Move to a better place.

James 1:2 Count it pure Joy, my Brothers,

When you face Trials of many Kinds.

Holy Spirit,

Speak into my heart

The Truth of the Goodness of God

In all my Life.

Amen

Our Mother Who Art in Heaven

Whoa Charles Whoa-
Have you lost your mind?
Don't you dare go perverting the scriptures.
I mean really- Get hold of yourself man!

You didn't really title this

"Our Mother Who art in Heaven" Did you?

Maybe it was just a typo.
 No typo-
But I may be guilty of a little attention grabbing-
You Know- Via the outrageous statement.

Now let me risk even a bit more-  

The Character and Glory of God 

Is expressed as fully in Good Motherhood 

As it is in Good Fatherhood.  

Mama carried me in her own body-
Mama suffered and sacrificed for me-
Mama nourished me-
Mama made a home for me-
Mama sang to me-
Mama held me close-
Mama spoke tender words to me-
Mama taught me-
Mama cared for my hurts-
Mama ......................

 Genesis 1:27 

So God created man in His Own Image- 

In the Image of God He created Him- 

Male and Female He Created Them.  

Children, honor your Mothers today-
Husbands, Honor the Mothers of your Children today-
Not just because it's nice-
 Not just because it's the right thing to do-
Not even just because she was a good Mother-
Let's honor these women today because in honoring them-
We honor the God whose image they bear.
In honoring these Women-
We honor those things about our God-
Those things He chose to show us about Himself-
Those things that could only be expressed-
Through the Love and Tenderness of a Woman.  

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit

 Give me eyes to see today- 

Give me eyes to see a bit more of Who You are- 

As I honor my Mother- 

For all the ways she poured Your Great Love into me. 

Amen

Keeping it Simple

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 "Where o' death is your victory?

Where o' death is your sting?

The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law,

but thanks be to God.

He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Christianity is simple.

Either the tomb is empty or it's not.

Either there is Life in Christ-

Or there is not

Are you looking for Life?

The very title of this blog tells you that I am in a constant search for life-

It's funny how that has worked out-

It seems every time I find a bit of it-

Right there with it-

With the Life I long for-

There is Jesus.

Father, I pray that on this Resurrection Day-

This day that comemorates the Power of Life over death-

That all of us would find Jesus-

That all of us would find Life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bms0ZiM_KG0

Amen

Can You Imagine?

Isaiah 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My Thoughts higher than your thoughts" says the Lord.

Can you imagine trying to explain the love you have for another person-

Say your wife or girlfriend or.....

Better yet your children to............

Let's say a cat?

I would say a dog-

But I wonder sometimes if maybe we might be better off having the Canine species explain love to us than us presuming to explain love to them!

Ah but cats-

Aloof, independent and an "I can take you or leave you" air about them that reminds me so much of myself.

Yep, cats- now theres a challenge.

Next time you get a chance take a cat aside and spend some time trying to explain how you feel about someone you love to such a creature and let me know how that works out for you.

Hmmm..... maybe our best hope with a cat is not so much to explain how we love someone special in our lives to the feline, but instead to let our prized pet know how much we love it....er him.....her..... oh whatever.

Yes sir buddy-

That might be our best hope for getting through to a cat.

It must be a little like that for God with us-

The infinite God explaining His Love to us finite folks.

I mean really- Can it be done with words?

Do we even have words that can give expression to His Thoughts of us?

Can you imagine the words?

Maybe not.

Ah...... but if ever there was an expression to us of His thoughts about us-

I think maybe the best place to look is to Jesus.

And if there has ever been one moment-

One moment in all of time that is the pinnacle of His thoughts about us-

That moment is comemorated today-

Good Friday-

The Cross.......

Oh how He Loves us- Oh how He Loves us-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BetW_6vtNU&feature=related

Can you imagine?

1 John 3:1 How great is the Love the Father has lavished upon us-

That we should be called Children of God-

For that is what we are.

Father, thank you for loving me beyond imagination-

Jesus, thank you for bringing me the Love of the Father-

Spirit, thank you for opening the eyes of my heart even a little to comprehend such things.

Amen

You Have Me

It has been such a long time. Life has been so busy- The thorns and weeds- And maybe even some other good fruit- Has grown up around my writing and choked it out. You remember Jesus parable about the cares and concerns of life...... Choking out the Gospel- Well I feel a little like that with my writing. Oh, don't get me wrong- I am not saying my blog is on par with the Gospel- But it is certainly a good thing for me..... And maybe a good word for a few others as well. Busyness just seems to have swallowed it up. Anyway................. I have missed writing, so a moment to bang the keyboard is a blessing. It gives me a sense of connection with you 2 or 3 who might take the time to read this........ For that I am grateful.

"You feed them" Jesus said.

"But we only have these 5 loaves and 2 fish" came the response.

The density of these men is only matched by my own.

"Bring them to Me" Jesus answered

and well...........

You know the rest of the story right?

How many times has Jesus told me to do something only to have me dismiss Him.

I can't do that-

I only have...............well,

I only have Jesus.......... I only have Jesus.........

Do you hear the absurdity as you read the words?

I spend far too much time walking around like I only have a little bread and fish-

Yet the Truth is.......

I have Christ Himself in me.

I don't know what you or I will deal with today or tomorrow- But it doesn't really matter does it? Jesus has said to us right along with His Disciples on that hillside on that day a couple thousand years ago...........

Bring whatever you have to Me..........

And always remember....... you have

Me!

Amazing..........

Let's live from that today and see what a difference it makes in our lives

Father,

Forgive me where I walk around feeling powerless-

Holy Spirit

Please open me to the Power you have placed in me-

Give me a sense of the Truth of Christ in me

So that I live from that today and everyday.

Jesus,

Thank You that You are in me-

The Bread of Life that is all Sufficient.

Amen.

Is God Really Good?

Have you ever been praying for someone- Maybe a friend- Maybe a family member- Someone who is sick- Maybe even in severe suffering- A good Christian person- Someone who clearly loves Jesus- Someone whose life exemplifies the Love of Christ- And yet God doesn't heal them. The pain and suffering continue. You know God could heal them- He could take away their pain with a word- Or even just a thought- And yet He doesn't. Is this God really good? Does He really Love us? Is He paying attention? Is He really able to do what we ask?

I am here to say Yes, Yes and Yes Again.

God is Good!

God does Love us!

God has not forgotten us!

God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine!

Now that last phrase from Ephesians 3:20-21 might be the key to the whole thing.

Could it be that even in the suffering of the one we Love-

Somehow God is doing more than we can ask or imagine-

Something that will bring this one or even many more...........

To Life

Could it be that even suffering is accomplishing Love and Life in that person and the people around them in ways that are not otherwise possible.

Remember when Jesus told his disciples about how He would suffer and die-

Peter's response was, "Lord this can not be".

Remember how Jesus rebuked Peter-

"Get thee behind me Satan-

For you have in mind the things of this world-

Not the things of God".

Please don't misunderstand-

I do not believe God is the Author of our pain-

I do believe it is good and right to pray for our loved one's healing and comfort-

But in all this we must always remember-

No.........More than remember-

We must get a firm grip on the reality

that God Loves People infinitely more than we can imagine.

Can we fall so in Love with Jesus

That we come to trust Him not only with our own lives-

But also with the lives of those we Love?

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit-

Triune God

I know many who suffer just now- Some Greatly.

I pray that You would have mercy on each one and the people who Love them.

I pray that You would bring comfort in their affliction.

I pray for physical healing where it will lead to a deeper trust in You.

Father in those places where I see no healing coming,

I pray that You redeem every ounce of pain experienced-

To the end of bringing Life.

I thank You for Your Love for each of these who are hurting-

I choose to trust You with their Lives.

Move in me and others close to those who suffer to become

Vehicles of Your Grace, Love and Mercy so that they might feel

Your Love

Through us.

Amen

God Loves People....... Through People

The Bible is Awesome- Worship Experiences are incredible- Prayer is Life Sustaining- Christian Writers and Speakers are Invaluable- But...........

When it comes to experiencing the Love of God-

When it comes to life changing encounters with the Holy Spirit-

To taking the Love of God from abstract theology-

Or an idea-

Or a romantic notion-

To Living , Breathing, Life Changing Experience-

I have come to believe that as much as any of the above-

God expresses His Love for people-

Through people.

Jesus was the great example.

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us"

The great question is- Am I allowing Jesus to live out His Life through me to such an extent that those God brings my way are experiencing His Love and Goodness and Power in all their dealings with me? Truth- If I am a Christian- If I have given my life to Christ- He is in me- I am a New Creation- His Love can flow out through me- I have His endless capacity for Life and Grace and Love. That is Truth.

It is time to Live in Truth.

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you-

And I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking

(In need of expression)

In regard to Christ's afflictions-

For the sake of His Body-

Which is the Church (His People).

Father forgive me where I live out of my own self interests-

Give me conviction and a heart of repentance minute by minute where those around me do not experience Your Love and Goodness and Grace through me.

Amen

Prayer, Life and Revelation

Have you ever wanted something- Pursued something with all your energy- Prayed for that thing- Hoping- Just hoping God would come through? Between Thanksgiving and New Years I spent no less than 30 hours sitting on a deer stand. I spent an additional 15 to 20 hours in preparation for or traveling back and forth to the woods. Now as much as I love the woods- The risng sun in the morning- The scene around me coming to life in ways no other man will behold that particular day- I have to admit that not seeing even a single deer was a bit discouraging. I went hunting primarily to kill a deer- At least to see deer- It is why I was there. It is what got me up at 5:00 am each morning- To brave the cold and sometimes rain. My greatest desire was to hunt down, outwit and kill a deer- The bigger the deer the better- Oh I pretended to myself that it was enough to be in God's wonderful creation- But in the end my disappointment revealed my true desires.

I could not truely be satisfied-

With anything other than what I wanted.

My prayers for the last few weeks-Maybe months-

Have included a request that God give me a greater desire-

A greater Love for Him-

A Love for Him that is greater than my Love for anything else on the earth- Or Beyond. I wonder sometimes if in answering that prayer- God must reveal those places in me where His rivals live-

There can be no confession or repentance-

Without there first being conviction.

God answers prayer for sure-

But what about when the prayers are at odds with each other?

Lord give me a Greater desire for You than anything else in this world-

Or Beyond.

Lord send me a deer this morning.

Maybe the denying of the lesser-

Contributes to the fruition of the Greater.

Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself in the Lord-

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord-

Trust in Him and He will do this.

Father in Heaven-

Thank You for answering the greater prayers.

Move in me to trust You and give me a desire for You-

A Desire that is truely greater than any other desire I have for anything else on this earth or beyond.

Amen