"Like God's Family" (Part 5)

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).

As we come to the next section of the parable the curtain falls on the first act of this little drama and we see something that can be very helpful to us in our families. In the first act, the father exercised calm wisdom at the son’s request; in the second act we see forgiveness in action.

A great deal has happened between the leaving of the young son and this point in our story. To set the story for you, I can imagine the father standing at the crest of the hill, where he has gone every evening since his son left. He stands there and waits until he can no longer see because of the darkness. However, on this particular night he sees something on the horizon. He strains to see clearly, something catches his eye. He’s not sure at first, but then he realizes that it is no stranger as has been the case so many times before. He runs to meet his son and opens his arms to welcome him home. The son has a little speech he’s been rehearsing over and over in his mind since he began his journey home. Every bend in the road he’s rehearsed it: how wrong he was, how he didn’t deserve to be his father’s son anymore, how he just wanted to be a servant in his father’s house. His father met him in the road, they embrace, and the boy begins his little speech, “Father…” and the father puts his hand over his mouth and says, “Son, you don’t have to tell me anything, not where you’ve been, or what you’ve done. I know. The important thing now is that you’re home.”

He takes him home and the curtain falls on the second act of this drama. NOW WATCH THIS… DON’T MISS IT! We learn something very important about the love of God from this scene. When we come back to God, he doesn’t ask us where we’ve been or what we’ve done. He doesn’t demand an accounting of the way we’ve spent our money. He just puts his arms around us and welcomes us home. He forgives us. And, isn’t that just what we want and need? It is what all of us want and need, including our children. This is the example of God’s methodology of parenting and family life. I wonder how many families have been destroyed simply because we have not followed God’s example of grace and forgiveness. Tomorrow we’ll get more specific about these principles of forgiveness. Today, is there some member of your family that has become as a stranger to you simply because you cold not, or would not extend grace and forgiveness? Maybe it’s time to take another step toward making your family like God’s family.

"A Family Like God's" (Part 4)

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).

It occurs to me that in the exploration of the practicing calm wisdom in our families that some basic elements of communicating appropriately might prove helpful So here are ten of them that I think are essentials, especially when dealing with issues in our families. By the way, these work whether the conflict is with your children or your spouse:

• Don't Be Judgmental - You need to avoid words and phrases that attack your child/spouse and speculate on their flaws real or imagined. (i.e. You are so selfish - you are so stupid sometimes - look at you, you can't even have a conversation without acting like you are five)
• Skip the Labels - Don't slap a label on your child/spouse. They have names, use them.
• Use “I communication” - Don't use the word you when you are talking about a problem - instead talk about I (i.e. I feel overwhelmed or I am being pulled in too many directions, I need help)
• Skip the History Lesson - You don't need to drag up every incident that ever happened in the last five years - it's important to be constructive and not destructive (i.e. We had this conversation every month for the last 12 months, you never listen - instead try: We have tried to resolve this before, can you help me think of ways we can avoid having this same problem next month?)
• Eliminate the Negative - We are none of us perfect, constantly reminding your child/spouse of their flaws is not going to help them in any way - in fact, it's more likely to do harm than good.
• Use description, not attacks - You want to communicate what is happening to you and how you feel - not emote and scream at them so they have to guess (i.e. You always do this to me! - instead try: Yes, I am angry and I am frustrated. I need your help.)
• Don't bottle up your body language - When was the last time you wanted to talk to someone who had their arms folded or their back to you with their shoulders bunched up? We communicate nonverbally extremely well and we can see when people are not wanting to listen much less hear us, try to relax your shoulders and keep your arms down, look at them and not away.
• Don't Caption Your Message - Say what you mean and say what you feel - tell them the whole of it and not just the highlights. You aren't delivering the top ten reasons why you are unhappy in pithy commentary, you want to use all forms of communication to express yourself - whether you are conveying positive or negative messages
• Don't Threaten - Threats put someone in a corner - they demand acquiescence and promise consequences - too many people will do exactly the opposite because they don't want to be threatened and a positive family relationship needs cooperation and not intimidation.
• You are not a Mind Reader - Avoid assumptions, you are not a mind reader and neither is your child/spouse - their silence may indicate they are listening to you intently and not ignoring you; ask and be clear in your statements.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Even if you make a mistake, start over and keep working at it. Your family is worth it! Don’t give up… God didn’t!

"A Family Like God's" (Part 3)

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).

Yesterday we saw the calm wisdom of the father as he faced the demands of his youngest son. Today I want to focus your attention on the events that most likely led to the son’s demands. The Scripture merely says, The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” It is a story of recurring conflict. This is a very familiar theme, one that all of us have at least seen, and perhaps experienced. While I have taken some liberty with the story, I believe it may have played out in the following manner.

The young son comes to his father and says, “Father, I have come of age. I want my share of the inheritance. I want to live my own life. I want to leave home.” The father is certainly stunned. He is shocked. He must have asked why? The son’s reply is predictable. “I am tired of living under the shadow of your rules, restrictions, and demands. I want to be on my own. I want to decide life for myself.” The father is so shocked, he can only stammer, “My son, wait, listen for a moment. The reason I have these restrictions is for your own good. The reason I have made these requirements is for your own good.”

The son still refuses and the father divides the inheritance and gives the portion to his younger son. Then he walks out of the house and down the road up to the crest of the hill with his son. Arm around his son, the father quietly and gently speaks to his son, “I hardly know how to accept what you are saying, and the decision you are making. To be honest, I think you are making a mistake. I just hope everything turns out like you hope it will. But, son, it is a vast, cold, hard world out there and I want you to know something as you leave: your daddy is going to be right here in the house. If you get out there and decide you want to come home, I want you to know I’ll be here.” The son coldly shakes his hand and the father waves goodbye with a tear in his eye as he watches his son disappear over the horizon.

Calm wisdom prevailed. We really see that truth more as the story unfolds. But it is there from the beginning. I have found that in families of all types, one truth exists universally: the tighter the grip, the more the struggle; the more the struggle, the tighter the grip. As parents we fear for the security and well being of our children. Therefore we tend to over protect and thus overly restrict the growth and independence of our children. Children, on the hand, must experiment with boundaries. They are always testing the edge and pushing the limits. Sometimes the best course of action is a deep breath and calmness of response. With younger children that usually means we step back from a “drill sergeant” approach and use the power of choices. With teens that usually means we lower the volume of our voice and change the tone. Participating in a shouting competition with our children simply doesn’t work well. You might “win,” but the loss suffered may cause greater conflict later. Commit yourself to calm wisdom today!

"A Family Like God's" (Part 2)

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).

For the next few days we are going to be looking deeply into the Parable of the Lost Son. Our reading is the first few verses of that teaching. It is the best model in concise form that God has given us for creating a family like His. Jesus begins with the description of a “wise man” that had two sons. It is no accident that Jesus calls this man wise. The way he handled both of his children in the ensuing challenges was nothing short of perfect wisdom.

So, let’s look more closely. The father realized that behind the youngest son’s request was a real basic need. All of us need to understand that from birth through every successive stage of our development we have general needs. The first need is that of physical care. All of us have a need for shelter, food, and a home. The second need is that of security. We all must feel a part of the family unit, to feel safe, to have a place of retreat. Though the world is against us, we need a place of secure rest. The third progressive need in our lives is that of love. We must have personal love and companionship. There is a fourth need though. We all need independence. The wise parent will learn to recognize this need in their children’s lives. We also have a need to be set free.

The real key in parenting is to find the balance at each stage of our child’s life between each of these basic needs. For example, while providing for their security we can go too far and shelter them from age appropriate challenges leaving them unequipped and incapable of handling themselves as they grow. Or, we can be so intent on providing love for them that we fail to give them the freedom they need at each stage of their life. I won’t bore you with the psychological jargon and labels for these different kinds of parenting style, but let me simply say that the example of Scripture is that of graceful parenting.

I learned a part of this lesson when Kyle was just beginning elementary school in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. It was my habit to either drop him off or pick him up as often as possible. The doors to the classroom fronted onto a common outside covered walk. I was parked, waiting to pick him up as were many other parents. The car was in full sight and I could watch and see him exit his classroom immediately. Both of us could find each other easily in the crowd. One day I was in my usual spot and waiting for the bell to ring dismissing the school for the day. As it rang the children poured out of their classrooms. Kyle was among the crowd. Accidentally an older child ran out of their class and knocked him down. I jumped from the car and ran to him, scooping him up in my arms. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? However, his response was telling. He said, “Dad, not in front of everyone! I’m okay!” And, he was. There was the chance for balance. I missed it. There would be many other lessons, but thankfully I was a pretty quick learner. The key is we must all find balance in the four basic needs for our families. It will make them what God desires for them to be… grace-full! We’re going to be looking at more of these principles in the coming days. Today, commit yourself to having a family like God’s! Find balance and keep it!

"A Family Like God's" (Part 1)

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:26-28 NIV).

I may ramble a bit in today’s Morning Devotional. I suppose it is because I am caught between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” The “rock” is a vital principle. The “hard place” is the amount of space I have to develop the truth in this venue. So, here goes… I believe there is nothing more powerful in heaven or on Earth than family. It is the single most influential force for good or for evil in all human existence. From birth, it marks you. Your family crafts your conscience and shapes your soul. At home you learn life’s lessons and begin the art of practicing them. At home you learn to love and to do what’s right. More than merely giving you a street address, your home and family imprint you with a spiritual identity shaped by the two people who gave you life. Truly, nothing compares to the strength of being tightly wrapped in the protective fiber of family. It’s who you are. It’s where you belong.

And if all goes well, as it should, it is your family that surrounds you when you start life’s journey, when you face life’s hardest trials, when you go through the valleys and when you die. More than anyone else, the members of your family are the ones who are there for you, caring for you and mourning the loss of you when you’re gone. This should come as no surprise, because God created the family. Look at today’s reading again. At the very dawn of time, “God created man in His own image ... male and female He created them.” Of all the ways He could have chosen to inaugurate His creation, He chose to start with family. In fact, the Bible begins with a marriage in Genesis and ends with a marriage in Revelation. Marriage and family have always been central to what God is doing on planet Earth.

I believe family is still of utmost importance to our heavenly Father. It holds the key to our health, our success as a society, and our future. And I believe it is worth whatever effort is required to nurture, encourage and support it. Its worth whatever sacrifices necessary on your part to make it what it ought to be. Sacrifice everything before you allow anything to come between you and your family. And, here’s the real question: What’s your family like? Regardless of the model you presently operate within today, nuclear family, blended family, or single parent family, I believe it is essential to make it the best that you possibly can make it by following the example of God with His family. Will you make that commitment today? We’ll get more specific in the days to come. Today take the first step. Renew your commitment to family first!

"Permanent"

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30 NIV).

As many of you know, jobs are very difficult to find in our economy today. One of the challenges of starting Grace Restoration Ministries full time was being able to secure a part-time position that would allow me to earn a little money while I secured a base of support and give me the time to do the work of the ministry. God opened a door at Home Depot for a “part-time temporary” job several weeks ago. The only down side of the job is that I have to wear an orange apron! I am kidding about the orange vest for all of you who are Longhorn fans. There is one real downside though. It is temporary, which means that it will only last through their “busy season.” On Friday of this week that status changed. I was told that I was definitely going to be offered a “permanent” position!

That gave me a thought. The concept of permanence rarely applies to anything. Almost everything in our lives is temporary. The one thing that is truly permanent is our eternal life. There's nothing more tragic than a Christian fearing they will be disowned by their heavenly Father. Much of the time they end each day wondering if they did enough good that day so that they will continue to hear that they are a child of God. Today’s reading is one of the clearest proofs that my salvation is permanent. There may be days I don't feel like His child but feelings don't erase my identity. I’ve talked to a lot of people who cannot wrap their minds around that truth. They have difficulty with the concept of the eternal security of their salvation. They argue that an earthly father can disown a child, or a child can leave home, declare himself free of his family, and never return to home turf again. However, I’d remind them that if DNA testing were done on the father and child, evidence would still show that they are still very much related. Regardless of that argument, god is simply not bound by earthly habits or practices. Scripture speaks of being born again into the kingdom through faith in Christ.

Birth into any family means a new and permanent identity. I am called a child of God. There are many days I don't feel like His child, even act like His child, yet I am because by His grace I was called into this relationship as a freshman at Texas A&M University! No disgracing behavior can erase whom I belong to. If I had decided along the way to say that I had somehow disqualified myself from being His child, my proclamation wouldn't have nullified my adoption. No matter what I say or do today, it's irrelevant as far as my standing with Christ. Though I may break my Father's heart when I sin, He is still my Father. When I come limping home, He will be scanning the horizon looking for my face to appear.

Perhaps you struggle with your faith when the sun goes down. When you think of the Second Coming of Christ, you fear you will be left. Perhaps you suffer from a disease where the days ahead of you are few. The thought of dying seizes your heart with fear. Look at Jesus’ promise again! He has you in His hand and no one or no “thing” can snatch you out of it. The same hand that created the world, threw the stars into place, and causes the sun to rise in the morning and keep our earth on its axis, can and does hold you in a firm grip!

"Astern in the Boat"

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:35-41 NIV).

I know there are those of you who are much more knowledgeable about ships than I am. However, when I read the verses from our reading today, something very odd struck me. Jesus’ position in the boat was noted by Mark as being “in the stern.” I’m told that the proper language for this place on the ship is “astern” or “aft.”

Now, here’s the interesting thing about that description. I have seen replicas of these ships in Israel. In fact, I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee sailing in one. The way these ships are built, the weight of the boat is astern (at the back). That's what gives the boat its stability. So, I did a little more research after discovering this simple fact. It seems that boats of all kinds find their stability; their strength in the weight near the rear and bottom of the boat. Then I went back to today's scripture. It seems that Jesus was asleep in the part of the boat which gives it strength. The "stern", or the rear of the boat, is where the weight to anchor the boat down is found. If the "stern" area has enough weight, it will help keep the boat from turning over. Around the area called the "stern" one would most likely find the rudder of the boat which would give it direction. Jesus was in the "stern".

Maybe you didn't need a boat lesson today, but maybe you do need to hear that when the storm came upon the disciples, Jesus was in the place of strength. When life appeared most dangerous for the disciples, Jesus was in position to provide direction. At the weakest point, Jesus was still fully in control. By the way, He's in the stern of your life today; and as an added bonus, now He never sleeps!

Isn’t that good news? Don’t react to Jesus’ work in your life with amazement. He’s just doing what He promised to do. He said He would always be with us, to the very end! I like that, especially when the weather is really stormy in my life! Trust Him! He won’t let you down. He’s astern in your life!

"People or Programs?"

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:1-6 NIV).

I never want to write anything that might be offensive to anyone, however, yesterday’s devotional Adapt to Change must have touched the nerve of at least one reader as they wrote and wanted to know where I found any example of Jesus “changing” the way things were done in His earthly ministry? Well, I can think of many, but our reading today is one of those examples. And, while I only received one negative response to the thought, I wondered if it might not do us all a little good to look a little closer at the need to refocus our priority on people rather than program.

I once asked a group of pastors, in their opinion, what was the number one weakness in today's church? One of the quick witted and humorous pastors said, "Apathy, but who cares?" We all got a good chuckle from that, but I went a little further with them since I was leading a session in strategies for church growth. I said, “The real issue deals with the root of that apathy.” In many instances we have become program centered rather than people centered. In our relationship to God we need to be Christ-centered. In our doctrinal teaching and manner of living we need to be Scripture centered, but when ministering to people we need to be people-centered, whether it's from the pulpit or in our one-on-one relationships to others.

The majority of religious leaders in Jesus' day were doctrine centered. That is, they loved their doctrinal teachings more than they loved people. In fact, they used their teachings to control and condemn people. Some religious leaders still do this today. Other leaders love their programs and use people to support and work their programs. Not good. Instead of loving people and using programs, they love programs and use people. In ministry Jesus was never program-centered, but rather, was always people centered. That is, he started with people's needs and applied his message and what he did to meet those needs.

To Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector, the little fellow who climbed a tree to get a good look at Jesus when he came to town. Jesus, sensing his need for acceptance, didn't preach at him or quote Bible verses to him. He simply said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Upon entering his home, Zacchaeus began confessing his sins. Amazing. When Jesus met his presenting need for acceptance which was a social and emotional need, Zacchaeus then became aware of his deeper spiritual need. To the blind man, and other needy people, Jesus' basic question was, "What do you want me to do for you?"

If our churches and you and I are to be as Christ to others, whether we are leaders, teachers, or lay persons, we, too, need to be aware of people's presenting needs and seek, in Christ's name, to minister to those needs. There’s really little point in preaching the gospel to homeless, hungry people without trying to first feed them and find them shelter. Furthermore, there's little point of telling hurting, lonely, disappointed people, that God loves them if we do little or nothing to help meet their present need. True, there is a need to tell the gospel, but before we tell it, we need to live it and demonstrate it in what we do much more than in what we say. When we change from being people centered to becoming program centered, we begin to lose our effectiveness and begin to die.

"Adapt to Change"

Heads up! The days are coming when I'll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. I'll throw out the old plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn't keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go. This new plan I'm making with Israel isn't going to be written on paper, isn't going to be chiseled in stone; this time I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I'll be their God, they'll be my people. They won't go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They'll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean. By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust. (Hebrews 8:6-13 The Message).

Today’s reading is from a version that I rarely use, though I do read sometimes for a different perspective. It speaks of the “new” plan of God to deal with the people of Israel. I think it has a very important truth for us as well. Somehow we get accustomed to doing things the same way in church and feel that anything different from that must not be good. It is difficult to adapt to change, especially in the church. However, even God understands the importance of change. Sometimes it means that the old plan simply is not best for that moment. At other times it means that the old plan just needs to “shelved” in favor of a better one.

Church music can be that way. Don’t get me wrong, just because it’s new does not make it better. I love the old hymns. They have a wonderful way of communicating theology in a way that choruses often don’t. But, I don’t want to chase that rabbit today. What I am addressing is the need to change when change is necessary. There are so many churches that fail to grow beyond the 300 barrier in membership simply because the structure they are using prevents their growth. The last verse of our reading in the Phillips paraphrase says: "When a thing grows weak and out of date, it is obviously soon going to disappear. That's true of churches, too. If a church cannot change, it will eventually die."

Certainly that’s a paraphrase, but it conveys the central truth well in reflecting Israel’s practices. They refused to let go of their beliefs about what the Messiah should do and be that they failed to recognize Him when He walked the earth! This same principle applies to many areas of life. No, we don't want to make changes where change is not to our advantage, but there are times when we do need to make changes. When it comes to communicating the gospel, while the message itself never changes, our way and means of communicating it have to change in order to communicate effectively to the particular group we are addressing. One size doesn't fit all! Whether it is in our professional or personal life, let's be open to and willing to change where change is both essential and necessary. We can adapt in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit!

"Guarding the Low Places"

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:13-14 NIV).

Yesterday I used the last of today’s reading to encourage you in the fight against the destruction of our families. Today I wanted to explore the preceding verse. This is the strategy that Nehemiah used to protect the people from the enemies threatening the people of Israel. He was most concerned with the “lowest points of the wall.” It occurs to me that most of the time our greatest challenges come at our weakest points too. The critical question then becomes how we can guard those positions better? Thinking more about that I’ve got some practical suggestions for you to practice; these are “do’s” instead of “do not’s.” They apply both in your relationship with your spouse or child.

1. Never both be angry at once. Perhaps the most essential element in our failure to extend grace in our relationships is that of anger. When we are angry, we simply cannot think clearly. Before you react, realize your feelings will affect your thoughts and words.
2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire. Isn’t it strange how easy it is to raise our voices when situations become emotionally charged? The truth is that our voices are either a wonderful tool of love and grace, or they are a weapon of unmatched destruction.
3. If you must criticize, do so lovingly. This principle falls naturally from the previous one, but is just as essential for us to understand and practice.
4. Never bring up a mistake of the past. It goes without saying that the past ought to remain in the past. The only issue that ought to be dealt with is the one before you. Past failures should never be used as a weapon in any discussion. That’s not God’s way, and it shouldn’t be our way!
5. Neglect the whole world rather than each other. There are so many things that pull at our time and energy. We should be very careful to guard our relationships so that nothing may drive us apart. Make sure that your family sees you place them ahead of everything else in life.
6. Never let a day end without saying a good word to each other. What a difference a simple word of encouragement makes in the lives of those closest to us! There are so many different ways to accomplish this. It may be something as simple as “I love you,” or as complex as a “teachable moment.” Whatever the circumstances, don’t let a day go by without speaking a positive, affirmative word to your family.
7. Never allow the other to come home without a warm welcome. Home ought to be a place of peace and security. You can communicate this with a warm welcome when your spouse or your children arrive. Don’t be too disappointed if it is seemingly ignored or taken for granted. Most good things are in our busy lives. But, they make a huge difference in the crises of life. Can you imagine what the Prodigal would have done if he didn’t feel he could have gone home? The story may have had a much different ending.
8. Never go to bed mad. The apostle Paul wrote, don’t get so angry that you sin. Don't go to bed angry and don't give the devil a chance. Like a campfire left untended, anger that smolders overnight can turn into a vast and destructive fire! Even if you do no more than agree to settle your differences at a later time, don’t let anger simmer in your home.
9. As soon as you realize you’ve made a mistake, admit it and ask for forgiveness. This is especially true when parents are dealing with teenagers. Here’s the principle: The tighter the grip, the more the struggle. One of the ways of relaxing your “grip” is to be able to admit to mistakes and ask for forgiveness. It will amaze you how much more you will be respected and honored.
10. It takes two to argue, short circuit arguments with calm wisdom. Just don’t play the game! I know that is certainly much easier to say than do, but the action will be prompted by the commitment. This is especially true as your children begin to stretch for more independence and freedom. Parenting is not a competition to be won. It is a journey to be experienced. The goal is to help our children become positive, mature, affirmative adults. At least one of the ways we can accomplish that goal is by setting the example!

Once again, let me encourage you to “Get Your Fight On!”

"Get Your Fight On!"

Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. (Nehemiah 4:14b NIV).

I suppose you could say that I am fired up! Early on Sunday morning I sent Kyle a text to confirm our Sunday schedule. He sent me a message back with times and places. Additionally he sent me back one Scripture reference that had touched him. It was our reading today. I’ve read the Bible through several times, but I guess it wasn’t yet time for this verse to make such an impact in my mind. It got me fired up!

The background is from the period when Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to lead the people to rebuild the walls of the city and make it safe once again for the people. There were threats made against them from every side, yet he stands and reminds them that the need to do two things: remember the Lord and fight! They had a great reason to fight. It was high stakes. They were fighting for their brothers, sons and daughters, wives and their homes!

Can there be anything more worthy of fighting for than our families? Is there anything more valuable that we have in life than our families? I’m afraid that I often see people who act like the answer is “yes.” Their priorities reveal the sad truth that there are many other things that are more important. They put their careers, their possessions, or any of a dozen other things ahead of their family. Well, in case I haven’t been plain enough up to this point, let me get a little “exuberant” in print – THERE IS SIMPLY NOTHING MORE INPORTANT IN LIFE THAN YOUR FAMILY! And, before some of the sanctimonious saints reading this devotional email me back with the exhortation that god must be first in our lives, let me remind you that God is in a separate category altogether. He is not first in a list of things to prioritize. God should be the center of our lives and from Him we receive the power to fight for our family!

The world, the flesh, and the devil would love nothing more than to destroy your family. And, with even a cursory examination of our culture, they are having a great deal of success. I know there are rarely simple answers to the powerful forces of evil seeking to destroy our families, but can I say that the place to begin is first cast away your fear of them. “Don’t be afraid. Remember your God. He is great and awesome!” then second, get your fight on! If you go on to read a little further in this chapter of Nehemiah it records how the men went to work, carrying brick and mortar in one and a sword in the other! The time for political correctness is long past. We must be men of compassion, grace and mercy; but, we must remember we are at war. We can not be complacent, lazy, or ignorant when it comes to the protection of our families spiritually, physically, or emotionally. Come on guys… GET YOUR FIGHT ON!

"Reflections of My Dad"

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4 NIV).

Our reading today speaks to two principles of life. As children we are to honor our parents. That doesn’t mean that they are exonerated from their mistakes. Every parent has their shortcomings, however, we are still to give them honor. It is a two-way street though. As parents we are to act in such a way as to train and instruct our children in a way that they will be successful in handling the experiences they will face as they take their place in society.

Thinking both about my fatherhood and my Dad’s parenting brought me to some interesting reflections. My dad was a remarkable man in many ways. Born and raised in a nearly exclusive Italian culture during the early 1900’s, his spirit of independence and commitment to work hard served him well. Although he only had a third grade education, he taught me some of my life’s greatest lessons. I would like to have a conversation with him about some of these things, but for now I must wait. He died in 1974.

He taught me how to make do with less and understand sacrifice. He taught me how to “figure out how things worked” so that I could fix them instead of discarding them. He taught me the value of hard work, and doing things “right.” Most of all he taught what family means. I must admit that it was not until later in life that I fully realized the value of those lessons, but they were there all the same. Don’t misunderstand, I haven’t bestowed sainthood on him by any means, but I have learned from both the good and the bad he did that above all, family is everything.

I have spent a good deal of time thinking about some specifics that have grown out of that one principle. Someday, when I am gone my prayer is that these things will stand out for my boys:

• Always keep your promises. Your family deserves nothing less.
• Work hard and be proud of what you do. Even when it seems that your “job” is not “high profile,” the way your approach everything you do will serve as an example to your children.
• A good imagination is one of life’s greatest gifts. Use it often and wisely.
• When faced with a problem, don’t say, “It can’t be done.” Get busy and figure out a way to do it!
• Don’t give up! Persistence is often the best tool to insure success.
• You don’t have to preach to teach people about the love of God.

It seems impossible that he’s been gone 36 years, because he is still so very much a part of my life. I often think of him and his ways. It brings me to a final question for you: what will your kids think when they reflect over time at the lessons you have taught them?

"Moses' Father" (Part 3)

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. (Hebrews 11:24-28 NIV).

Moses had a great Dad. We have seen that over the past few days. I hope you have both learned some new things about this wonderful Biblical character and been inspired by his testimony. Amram is not someone you may have studied before, but I think he is an excellent example for all of us as we approach Father’s Day this year. By the way, those of you who are moms can also learn from these principles!

Today I want to go in another direction before we end this little series. Let’s look at Moses' other Dad. Moses was raised by Pharaoh's daughter, but when he grew up, he realized he could no longer be satisfied living the life of luxury. Although he had access to all the wealth of the land, Moses knew he was called to a higher purpose. Moses soon came to realize that he cared less about the comforts of life and more about serving his God, his heavenly Father. Moses recognized that he was part of the family of God. He had a Father who was bigger and better than all the others. Moses knew that he could not forsake who he was, that he was a child of God.

I suppose this knowledge was the strength he needed to face his own people when they didn't want to leave Egypt. I suppose this knowledge kept him steadfast in his task, even when the Pharaoh was threatening. I suppose this knowledge helped him answer the grumblers when they complained about the lack of food and water on the journey to the Promise Land. I suppose this knowledge gave him energy to climb the mountain, receive the Ten Commandments, and then go out and distribute God's laws among the people. I suppose this knowledge was with Moses even as he appeared with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. In fact, it was indeed enough for all of this and much, much more!

Moses had a great earthly father. Many of us do; some of us do not. One thing we can be sure of, however, is that if we are a child of God, we have a Heavenly Father better than all the rest. We can depend on Him, just as Moses could, because He is able to see us through each situation of life. Moses had a great Dad, and so do you and I, the children of God! Turn your attention to Him also this Father’s Day!

"Moses' Father" (Part 2)

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:1-6 NIV).

Yesterday we started this short series looking at Moses’ father. Most of us are very familiar with some of the other patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, Moses father, Amram, is relatively unknown. In fact, even Moses didn’t know much about him. Remember that had been raised under Pharaoh's ruling. He was trained as an Egyptian. It was only later in life that Moses realized he had to be true to his Israelite heritage.

Moses' father must have been quite a man. Being a Levite, we know that he was from the priestly line. As we look at today's verse, which occurs as Moses stood before the burning bush, we realize that Moses' father, whose name we do not even know until later in the Book of Exodus, is given equal status with the likes of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the father, son, and grandson of the Israelite faith. God evidently wanted Moses to understand his family background. Moses didn’t have the advantage of growing up under his father's care, but Moses had a father of stature within the eyes of God, and that must have meant something to Moses. He must have been proud to hear God speak of his father in such a way.

As we approach Father’s Day, I am called to evaluate what kind of Dad I’ve been. I know this is a tough subject for some. We live in a culture where every father/son or father/daughter relationship isn’t as strong as it should be. If yours is one of those, then make a firm commitment today to be the kind of dad that God would add to the list of great patriarchs in the Scripture. The way to insure that is to love your children unconditionally, spend both quality and quantity time with them, and teach them the ways of the Lord by both words and actions in your life.

Then, if you are a child and had a great Dad, tell him so. Those words of encouragement go farther than you could ever imagine! I know that when I get a card from my boys and they express that kind of appreciation to me, it means the world to me!

"Moses Father" (Part 1)

NOTE: I have written Morning Devotionals long enough to anticipate questions. If you are already married, and your spouse is not a Christian, don't be discouraged over the principles below. The Bible is also full of examples where God’s people married outside of their “tribe.” You may just have to work harder to have a godly family. But God's grace is sufficient.

So, with that being said, and Father’s Day near, let me spend a little time in the study of Moses’ father. While we don’t know a lot about him the following verse give us some basic principles that we can apply in our lives that will lead us to a better family.

Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. (Exodus 2:1-3 NIV).

You know the story. The Egyptian Pharaoh was concerned about growth in numbers of the Israelites, so he ordered every newborn boy to be put to death. His fear was rooted in the fact that Israel could have become stronger and turned on him, ultimately taking over the kingdom. His plan could have worked had it not been for God’s sovereignty and grace. Can you imagine a baby, hidden for a few months; then placed into a basket to float in the river; and, then being found and raised by none other than the Pharaoh's daughter? Only God could make that happen! Pharaoh's own law worked against him! Pharaoh's household raised it’s someday opposition. Moses would one day oppose this same Egyptian government so that God could deliver the Israelites from slavery. But, back to Moses’ father. In our reading today we are introduced to Moses' father. In one verse we learn a couple of things about him.

 First, he was from the tribe of Levi. Levi, one of the sons of Jacob, became the namesake for the tribe of priests. They were in charge of the tabernacle. They were keepers of the holy articles. They were to be set apart from the rest of the tribes.
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Second, we learn that Moses' father married a Levite. In other words, he stayed within his own “tribe.” He would have been free to marry an Israelite from any other tribe, but he chose to marry a Levite, which meant his wife came from a priest's family. She understood the demands of the calling to care for the Holy places of God.

It says to me that Moses' family was different. Each of his parents came from the clan God had set apart. This had to have had a major impact on Moses and all that happened to him in life. God promises that righteousness blesses the generations that follow for thousands of years. Surely a part of Moses’ blessing was because of the faithfulness of his parents. Also, it reminds me that Moses' father was careful who he married. There is a reason God says we should not be unequally yoked! Date only Christians! Marry only a Christian! If you want a successful family, and to raise great kids, it sure helps to start with the blessings of God!

"Under the Wings"

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalm 57:1-3 NLT).

We’ve had quite a few calamities strike our nation lately! It hasn’t been that long since Nashville and some of the surrounding areas were struck with what some are calling the worst flood of the area’s history. Recently, Arkansas suffered a similar fate. There was loss of life and significant damage done in both cases. Of course, we are still dealing with what might be one of the biggest calamities to affect the Gulf and perhaps the Atlantic in the BP oil disaster. It has been understandable that people seem to be emotionally flinching with every clap of thunder or lightning flash through the sky. Many people are beginning to question if there is any place of safety!

I don't think it should be any surprise that most folks are feeling some effects from some kind of storm in their life, weather related or not. They feel the pressure of a burdensome society; the changing of the very fabric of our culture; and the ever increasing demands of life and family. They are STRESSED OUT at times!

Do you feel that way? Has life tossed you some problems you don't feel prepared to tackle? Have you heartaches that you can't begin to mention to most of the outside world? Are there burdens in your life to numerous to count? Could you use some relief?

Why not hide out in the safety of God's care? David, the great warrior of God, wrote this verse as he was hiding from Saul. God had already promised him victory, but for now, trouble was his lot in life. He felt all alone; desperate; afraid. He needed something he knew he really didn't deserve: God's mercy! He needed a place to hang his hat until this storm of his life was past!

Praise God that He is still in the Hiding Place business! He is still available to provide shelter for His people. God invites His children to call for His protection and He opens His wings where we will find rest and security until the storm passes, and we can regain our place on the path of life which He has chosen in advance for us to take.

Why don't you come join me under a wing today? There's plenty of room! It’s not a hard place to find. Open your Bible to the psalms. There are so many promises of His protection there for you to claim!

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 9)

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:8-11 NIV).

Today we come to the end of our look at this psalm. I’m struck with two things. First, sometimes the hardest part about waiting for God is the view of those who don’t trust God. Those people closest to us are often those least supportive of our decision to “wait on the Lord”. When tragedy struck Job, it was Job’s own wife who said, “Curse God and die!” I must be honest. I know I am in the center of God’s will for my life, but sometimes the voices of those who doubt resonate louder in my mind that the truth of God’s promises. The only solution I have is the one the Psalmist had. It’s the one we have looked at for the last nine days. I have to look not to the world, but to the promises of God in my life!

There is a second thought here as well. The Psalmist ends with a reflection of the truth. Why should he be discouraged about life when there is a God? He is not just a distant God. He is not an absentee God. He is a God who comes to save! Your life is not going to be perfect. Your life is going to take twists and turns that will many times make you feel that you are drowning in troubles. When situations of life are difficult, you need a faith that can overcome adversity. You need to be so grounded in the truth of Scripture, that when doubts come, your heart and mind naturally goes back to the reality of God as your Savior.

Someone recently asked me to summarize my ministry in a few words. The first thought that came to mind was “my calling is to help Christians live life.” My passion is to help people realize and apply the principles that will make them over-comers. It is to help people live by fact instead of feelings. Feelings are unpredictable. You may not always feel like God loves you, that He is in control, and that He is working all things for good. Feelings are fickle, dependent on the weather, our health, relationships, when we had our last meal, and all the other circumstances around us. God’s promises in Scripture are not dependent on any of these things! They stand the test of time and experience.

Put your trust in God! Stand strong in Him. Trust Him through every stage of life. Allow Him to direct you through the storms of life. He and He alone is secure forever! You’re thirsty already. Do something about it! Run to the Water! Risk it all to get there! When you drink of it, it will never leave you thirsty!

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 8)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:5-8 NIV).

So far I’ve done a lot with Psalm 42 to encourage you. Today I’d like to be a little more practical and look at some of the things that can be done. The Psalmist has a secret. It’s not as earth shattering as you and I might think it is. The secret is not found in a self-help book or in the horoscope. You won’t find it on Oprah, Dr. Phil, or Dr. Oz! Most people think it sounds a little too easy. The Psalmist’s secret to overcoming hopelessness is an active prayer life.

Look at the emphasized verse in our reading today: By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life. There it is. He came to understand that constant communication with the Father kept him from slipping into extended periods when he couldn’t seem to manage. So here are some “principles” of the continuous practice of prayer:

 First, learn to pray conversationally. Just like you might chat with a friend or loved one, chat with God through the day. It may be no more than a phrase or two. The important thing is to train your mind to recognize that He is always there. You are never alone.

 Second, practice “His song.” That’s not listening to Christian music, though there’s nothing wrong with that at all. I encourage you to listen to praise and worship music as often as possible through the day. However, this is the act of worship. It is practicing gratitude with God. Concentrate on the little things that happen, or even don’t happen each day, and thank Him.

 Third, put yourself in the way of receiving God’s love. This is a horizontal, you and others, experience. We give and receive God’s love when we interact with others in a godly way. This is a little tougher than the others. It requires that we both give and receive love. I’m pretty good at giving. Sometimes I’m not very good at receiving. Get good at receiving. It brings a blessing to you and those who give!

 Last, recognize that no storm of life is forever. Your “forever” has been secured by Christ and it is going to be perfect in every way.

We’ll see more of the Psalmist’s declaration tomorrow. Today, would you begin to form these habits in your life? It will make a difference. God guarantees it!

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 7)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. (Psalm 42:5-6 NIV).

I’ve added another verse to our reading from previous issues. The imagery the Psalmist uses here is that of water. The thought of one drop of rain reminds him of many drops of water. Soon he is thinking about running water, then a waterfall, then maybe an ocean! But, the idea is that one drop leads to another drop. This illustration really represents how the Psalmist feels about his problems. The Psalmist has so many troubles it feels like he is drowning in them.

Have you ever felt like you were “in over your head”, drowning in a sea of difficulties? Does it ever seem like the waves of despair have overtaken you? Deep calls to deep. One problem leads to another. What starts as one little problem, soon becomes a major disaster! It’s like Murphy (of Murphy’s Law) has gone crazy in your life! It has happened to most of us from time to time.

Still using the water theme let me say that none of us can do anything about the tsunami problems of life that overtake us before we knew what hit us. These major disasters hit us without warning, but all of us can stop the slow leaks in our life before they become a major flood. The reason we each need a daily time alone with God is because we have to be prepared to stop the slow leaks in our faith. We have to build a strong defense against the periods of doubt that will surely come our way.

Just last week I was visiting with a lady who was a Nashville flood victim. She said her house had never had so much as a drop of water in it since it was built in 1992! This year it had four feet of water in her basement after the rain finally stopped! She remarked how helpless she felt about it. She had not prepared for the flood because it had never flooded before. That same weekend a stark contrast played out in our neighborhood. I was down the street helping some neighbors sandbag their house. They stayed dry. If you want to be prepared when the floods come, then you must daily do some sandbagging.

The first sandbags I would lay would be a daily exposure to the Scripture. There’s nothing like reading the Psalms or Proverbs to give you some encouragement for those tough times. But, I would also lay some other bags. Find those folks that you can trust to come alongside you and help shoulder the load. They may be your family, friends, or minister. Whoever it is, involve them in your life. Build the right wall and the floods won’t destroy you.

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 6)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6 NIV).

I want to continue to look carefully at Psalm 42 with you this week. The more I ponder the verses of the psalmist, the more I am convinced it is a very contemporary message. Whatever challenge you face the answer is to be like that Thirsty Deer who will risk anything to get to water as you seek a renewed relationship with your heavenly Father. It is the presence of God through the Holy Spirit that will give you the strength you need to walk through any experience successfully.

I suppose that’s what caught my mind in verse six of our reading today. When the Psalmist wrote this verse we cannot be sure where he was. It is not named or referenced. Even a deeper bit of research cannot lead us clearly to where he at the time of the writing. One thing we can surmise, however, is that he is not at home. This fact is a good indicator of the life the Psalmist is living. He feels that he is far away from help and that life is caving in all around him. Ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that you were all alone in your suffering; like there was no one who could help you with your pain?

When life finds us in desolate situations and places, there should be a deeply implanted reminder in our hearts that God is our source of strength, “an ever present help in time of trouble”. We shouldn’t have to wonder where God is. The reality of His goodness and mercy should permeate our very beings. I realize those words are but good goals when we are struggling through a time of suffering, but still, part of the Christian experience should be a growing recognition of who God is, what God has, can and will do, and then allowing those truths to replace our feelings of doubt. The Psalmist, in the midst of his troubles, reminded himself of God. It was that information that gave him the strength to get through the day.

It is a reminder to us as well. I received one of the most encouraging emails recently. It was from someone I have known for a long time. I was her pastor for twelve years. She recounted the difficult experiences of this past year after reading this series. It was quite a year for her! Yet, she ended the email with the declaration that God had been so faithful to walk with her through it all. She knew that by looking back at the wonderful things God had accomplished for her during those times. They were still very challenging, but He was more than enough to guide and empower her to make it through them. So, here’s my thought for you today: When looking forward is filled with fear and unknowns, try looking back at the victories God has won for you. That won’t change the present experience, but it will change you. And that’s the key to retaining your hope and confidence for the future.

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 5)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6 NIV).

Today ought to be an easy day for most of us to celebrate. After all, it’s Friday! I often browse through the Face Book updates on Fridays and there’s always one common theme: Just a few more hours and the weekend begins! Wouldn’t it be great to be able to have that feeling everyday? And, I know about now you are saying, “easy for you to say, you don’t have the kind of job that I do. Well, let me tell about the three jobs I have right now! I’m trying to balance working three schedules. One of them is a part time job with Home Depot in the flooring and wall department. I can tell you that one is keeping me hopping! Most of my schedule there is the late shift, sometimes working until 11 PM! There’s not a complaint in any of that. There are others who are doing far more than I am. What I’m saying is that Friday or Monday, we can have a GREAT day!

Believe me, there are plenty of days when I begin to let the “pity party” take over. The last two weeks have been really challenging. Moving to a new house has really been both physically and emotionally challenging. Thankfully the words of the psalmist come roaring back at me: Put your hope in God!

I got a call from the Red Cross reminding me about my appointment to go and give blood this week. I’ve got to tell you that my first reaction was, “please not that again.” I must give blood regularly to maintain the right levels of iron in my body. That’s the only way to treat hemachromatosis. It always knocks me down. Just makes me so tired and out of sorts for a day or two. But it is the only thing that will keep me from really getting sick. So, grit your teeth and go give blood! I know that’s one perspective. However, here’s the other perspective. God has provided a means of treatment and it is working. Wonder how many folks can’t say that about their illness?

It’s just another reminder that God is trustworthy. That means that I recognize and acknowledge that God is still in control. God is still on His throne. God is working all things for good. I can trust Him, regardless of the circumstances in my life. I have nothing and no one to fear. In fact, if my faith is not solid enough to survive the storms of life then I really have no faith at all.

I’m glad it’s Friday! But Mondays can be just as good, really. Remember “the Land of Jordan.” That’s the place God has reserved for you to inhabit in perfect peace and joy. It is bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ on your behalf, and no one or not circumstance can take it from you without your permission.

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 4)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. (Psalm 42:1-4 NIV).

Yesterday we saw that the Psalmist was enduring a difficult trial of some kind. However, it hadn’t always been like this. There had been times of real contentment; real joy. In fact, there were times when the Psalmist led the procession, when he was the chief cheerleader of what God was doing in his life. But, that was before. That was before the day of trouble came; before the day when everything fell apart in his life; when it began to seem that his world, as he knew it, was failing.

I also shared with you some of the trials of this past year in my life. The more I think about them, the more I am convinced that they have been a significant tool in God’s hand to help me keep a positive perspective. This is especially true when I begin to look at some of the challenges that others have faced. In fact, when I look at my challenges compared to theirs, I really haven’t faced much of a trial at all! Yet, the temptation was to somehow forget the greatness of God and his immeasurable grace.

That doesn’t erase the challenges. They are very real. But so are the times of peace. Those times of peace serve as an anchor to our soul. Of course, they can also cause us to see our future without hope. I’ve found that the best approach is to fondly remember past times of peace, recalling the faithfulness of God, and anticipated the good God is going to do with our future. God is working, even right now, towards an ultimate good in your life!

Let me be a little personal. In 1969 God issued an unmistakably clear call to me in ministry. I have never felt that call more clearly than now. It is a call to bring grace to the hurting families and ministers of our world. It is a call to focus on what I have called Grace Restoration Ministries. That has necessitated that I do some very bold things. However, I know that God has brought me to this place, shaping me with so many diverse experiences and planting a deep sense of compassion for people for this time. You see, I remember when the procession led us to worship with shouts of joy. I have found lots of shouting in today’s church, but very little joy. There is an absence of grace that has blinded so many to the incredible measure of God’s presence being poured out among us. Have you found that joy more and more elusive? If so, here’s my pledge to you. Call me. Email me. If you know others who need that joy, have them call or email. It is a wonderful journey and we can get on the path together now! The next step is yours.

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 3)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. (Psalm 42:1-4 NIV).

Did you notice that I added two more verses to our reading from Psalm 42 as we continue the series of The Thirsty Deer? There are several things we may learn about the Psalmist here:

 First, the Psalmist is enduring a trial of some kind. These are not tears of joy, these are tears of pain.
 Second, the Psalmist has made the appeal to God before. This has been a recurring prayer request for the Psalmist.
 Third, the activity of seeking the Lord and crying out to Him has been the primary activity of his life. His time has been occupied with seeking the Lord.
 Finally, the Psalmist continues to cry out to God even when the world tells him he’s crazy to keep trying. The Psalmist doesn’t give up on God!

I’ve made a small reference to the challenges of this year for me. Some of them have been physical. I’ve had more testing this year than any other since they first discovered my hemachromatosis. All of those tests merely confirmed the fact that I do have the disease and yes, it is affecting some of the major organs, like my heart. I loved the last doctor I saw. He was very nice, but after all of the tests he merely said, “Actually your heart is in better shape than I thought it would be in given your disease.” That was very encouraging! Some of our challenges have been financial. Like so many people in our nation we were caught in the downturn and had it not been for the generosity of our family, we would have been in great trouble indeed. Of course, along with these kinds of challenges there is always the devil whispering in your ear, telling you how badly you have made past choices. Sometimes the only hope I have had in overcoming those past regrets has been my stubborn unwillingness to forget the marvelous way God has poured His grace out on me!

But, enough about me; let me ask you, what trial has been going on in your life? Maybe it’s been going for so long that you’ve almost resolved that it will never get any better. Is there something so very painful in your life and yet you just can’t seem to do anything about it? Does it almost seem strange at this point to be continuing to trust God to work out the situation for good? You may just be able to identify with the Psalmist. The Psalmist had been crying out a long time. If the psalmist were living today, I would encourage him to trust Him even more? Yes, trust Him even more! He IS trustworthy!

NOTE: Don’t miss tomorrow’s devotional… I’m going to share with you some of the heart of Grace Restoration Ministries and how that has been God’s answer for me this year. Perhaps it will be a part of your answer as you struggle through the challenges of your life!

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 2)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV).

We are nearly moved! Another few days of loading the truck with boxes and we’ll be able to settle into out new address! We won’t be done by any means, but at least we can start to put everything away make it our home. That being said, I hope this devotional “catches us up.”

I do appreciate all the response to the first in this series. One struck me as particularly common to all of the rest. One follower of Morning Devotionals wrote:

Oh, Don, I am that thirsty deer this morning, every morning! And, sometimes, in I dart around without first asking for the guidance that is there with me. Each morning your obedience nourishes my soul, reminds me of my role in my life (an obedient vessel for the Lord) and puts me back on track!

Please know that I write as the Lord speaks to me. Usually it’s a common experience for many. I hope that these short thought are practical and inspiration as you navigate through all the challenges of your life. Perhaps you can tell that the last year has been a real challenge for me, as many previous years have been. I must be honest and say that there have been times when they seemed overwhelming. I’ll share more about that as we continue in the series, however, let me say that I have often found myself praying something like this: “Oh, God, I know you are here, but please just let me know what you want me to do!” You know, He has always answered that prayer clearly. In fact, one of those prayers has a great deal to with the establishment of Grace Restoration Ministries in a way that will be fuller than ever before. I can also tell you that this is the “scariest” thing I have done in a long time! However, my prayers have led me to desperation for more of God and the accomplishment of his call and will in my life.

Have you ever been desperate for God? Have you ever passionately desired an audience with the living God? Has there ever been a time when you didn’t want to hear anyone’s opinion except God? Perhaps you are going through a time right now when you feel your only hope is God! Great! You’re in the perfect spot to hear a clear word from Him. I’m convinced that in your quietness before God you will see and experience the activity of God. God is working, often behind the scenes, to bring about a plan far better than anything you or I could have ever imagined. God is Sovereign. He does care. God does watch over His children; and God truly does work all things for good!

Don’t quit yet! Let’s continue to thirst for the Living God!

"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 1)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV).

Mary and I have been moving the past few days. What I thought would be a relatively easy task has turned into quite a project! We are still not finished completely as of this writing! An interesting thing happened while we were moving that sparked a line of thought for this series The Thirsty Deer. Kyle and Brandy, as well as Faith and Logan were present to help us move. They were indispensable. However, the kernel of the devotional thought came to me when Logan saw me taking my guns out of the cabinet and safe to move them to the new address. He knew they were real guns, but wanting to help, he asked, “Grandpa, can I help you carry the guns?” I answered him that I’d better do it myself. Even though I had checked to make sure they were unloaded, I felt it was safer for me to carry them down the stairs and into the truck. I didn’t want him to feel left out though, so I asked him to carry some of my other hunting gear.

On the way down the stairs he began a rapid fire series of questions about the rifles and what they were used for. When I told him that I used some of them to deer hunt, he became very interested in that. He asked when he could go deer hunting. I told him that was up to his mom and dad. He ran inside to ask immediately! Kyle said he might be able to shoot a gun when he was twelve. Then Logan came back to me and recited his plan to go deer hunting on November 28, 2015. That’s the day after he will be twelve! He allowed a day to travel back to Texas after his birthday, since he thought that would be the best place to hunt deer!

There are many places in Texas where the deer population is very dense. I’ve hunted many of them. Some of the roads that took me to those places were some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. These roads could also be some of the most dangerous to travel at night. There are so many deer along the side of the road that you must exercise extreme caution. Sometimes they will dart in front of you without any notice at all. I’ve often wondered why they were in such a hurry to cross the road. Maybe they were being chased by some unseen threat. Maybe they were just thirsty!

I wonder if that is the background the Psalmist uses meant in today’s reading. Had he witnessed deer in such a frenzy to find water? Had he seen the anticipation of a deer who was heading to quench its thirst? I’m not sure exactly what correlation the Psalmist was making to deer in their search for streams of water, but I’m fairly certain he was saying that He had a deep thirst for God. Whatever the reason the deer was in such a hurry, I know it must have been critical in its mind. At that moment nothing mattered like getting to the water. What matters most in your life? What do you need most? Run to the God who cares for you more than you can imagine. Develop a passion for Him so great that you will be like the deer who panted for water. Let your soul thirst for God!

"Driven to KNow"

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12 NIV).

Have you ever wondered about how much information we have nearly immediate access to in this day of burgeoning technology? The simple pressing of a button on our phone connects us to virtually any of dozens of news sources or data bases. We can find more information than we ever dreamed possible even ten years ago! Yet, I wonder with all of these sources available, why is it we seem to be so driven to know more? Some of the answer must be rooted in our reading today.

Like most of the Old Testament prophets, Amos was chosen by God to deliver a message of repentance and judgment; "Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire" (Amos 5:6). God was calling His people to return, but they had wandered far from His presence and showed no interest in a life of worship. The economy of their day was thriving and the people had few needs which went unfulfilled; they were content and saw little need for God. Through Amos, God sent a strong warning. Although He promises to answer all who respond to His call, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Joel 2:32), and He promises to be VERY patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), God also warns that the opportunity to hear the truth may not always be available. I think that’s what so many people are longing to hear today!

Haven’t you found yourself listening to leaders in government, society, and perhaps the church, wondering if what they said was really the truth? I have. Perhaps that has been the case because we have found that in reality they weren’t telling us the truth. Perhaps it is simply because our expectations were too high to start with. Whatever the cause, the result has been that we have neglected the one source for the truth.

We have been blessed to live during this time in history. Yes, we face the unrelenting pressures of an over-indulgent, self-consumed society; but we have also been blessed with a wonderful access to the truth in the Scripture. In most parts of the world we have the freedom to worship with other believers and full access to truth-filled teaching. I urge you to make yourself available to the fullness of that truth and the presence of the Holy Spirit to lead you in application of that truth in your life.

"Happy Birthday, Mary!"

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:1; 18 NIV).

Today is Mary’s birthday! Of course, you will not see me put into print the number of years we are celebrating - I often remark that, while I may be ugly, I’m certainly not stupid! However, suffice it to say that she and I have traveled quite a long road together so far. Some of that road has been uphill and steep; while other parts of it have been easy and pleasant. Because there has been so much of the road traveled, I confess I had a difficult time deciding what to write today. Then the Lord seemed to bring to mind another Mary in the New Testament, Mary Magdalene. I chose two verses from the larger context of the appearance of Jesus at the tomb to her to single out one defining moment in our journey.

Most of you have heard the story of how Mary and I met. I won’t detail that here. However, the key element in all of it was the manner in which my Mary conducted herself in respect to my relationship with Christ. While I was a member of a church, I was not a believer. Just like Mary Magdalene took the story of the resurrected Christ to the others, so my Mary took that message to me. I have had a long time to ponder what my life might have looked like if she had not been willing to be the instrument in God’s hands to show me the truth about who Jesus was and what He wanted to be in my life.

Of course, I know that the sovereignty of God is such that someone would have been led to me with that message, but I am convinced that she was God’s first choice and her obedience in that “small” detail has been the root of all the tremendous blessing we have experienced together. We have so much to be thankful about in our lives. All of that over the past forty years, our three wonderful children, their incredible spouses, and our amazing grandchildren all are direct results of that one moment of faithful obedience!

So, to close today’s devotional thought, first I want to say Happy Birthday, Mary! And second, I want to say Thank You for being faithful! Additionally, could I encourage you to be careful to be faithful even in those seemingly insignificant moments of sharing the risen Christ with others in ways that at the time don’t really seem very “evangelistic”? Especially for those of you who may be younger than I, please know that you never know which person you meet along your path may be that one person you will begin a lifelong journey with just as I did long ago!

"Fold Me Closer"

Jesus said, “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” (Matthew 25:23 NIV).

The title is not a typographical error. I really did mean to say, “fold” me closer. It comes from an old hymn that I ran across recently. It was written in 1900 by Leila N. Morris. The title of the hymn is Sweet Will of God. The song is a treasure trove of insight. I hope you will Google the lyrics and look at them. The chorus goes like this:

Sweet Will of God, Still fold me closer, 'till I am wholly lost in Thee.
Sweet Will of God, Still fold me closer, 'till I am wholly lost in Thee.

When I first read it, I thought the lyric must have been "still hold me closer". It would be one thought to be hidden in the hollow of God's hand, protected from the challenges and difficulties of this world. But the word is fold. And, this is a very different thought. It reminds me of Origami. If you've ever done or seen origami done, it is a very complex folding. A flat sheet of paper, in the hands of someone more skilled than I, is conformed to the shape of an elegant bird. There are places where the folds or the turning of the paper is not easy as though the paper would consciously fight against its reconfiguration. What Leila Morris is expressing is the desire to have God reshape her. Not her body, but the essence of who she is - her spirit. It is a complete reshaping as well… 'Till I am wholly lost in Thee. What an amazing expression of what is the ultimate goal of our faith, to be so completely conformed to God and His perfect will as to become invisible that we would perfectly reflect the Lord we serve.

It is not a simple journey, nor is it sporadic. It is a life long journey. There are awards given that mean more than others. Not to diminish any effort, but there are recognitions like the lifetime accomplishment awards that are given near the end of the Academy Awards. The people who are given these awards can only be considered after decades of work in the field of film making. This is an example of a very special moment in someone's life. To receive this kind of recognition must be both heartwarming and very humbling. If Jesus were to appear to us as we are today, I doubt any of us would be standing. We would be face down in the blinding light of His glory. But, with His patience and my slow surrender, my hope is to be conformed to His will. Even that will only be perfected when I shed this flesh and I see His face. And the life journey to understand the will of God will be complete. It is a journey of a thousand miles taken one step at a time. Our part is to keep walking toward home following the Shepherd's voice and trusting in His strength, grace and mercy. At the end of it all is not some golden statue. At the end of it all is the voice of the Master saying, “Well done!” Now that’s worth being folded!

"Get Ready!"

Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24: 36-44 NIV).

In a couple of weeks I will begin a class at my church dealing with “End Times.” I’ve done similar studies before and much of the material has not changed. However, each time that I teach the series I like to spend some time dealing with current events and how they point toward the funneling of time to that moment when God will send Jesus back to gather us home. Certainly the events we are seeing in our world today call clearly for us to examine them and to remind ourselves of the importance of being ready.

Not long ago I read an email from Ron Clarke who wrote about a legend that sounds as if it may have come or been adapted from C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. As the legend goes, the devil held a graduation ceremony at his evil spiritual academy. During the day he questioned three of his evil spirits. To the first he said, "When you get out into the world, what are you going to say to the people?" "Oh," the evil spirit replied, "I shall tell them that there is no God." "That's no use," said the devil, "Creation tells people that there is a God. Not many will believe you." Then he said to the second evil spirit, "And what are you going to tell people?" "I shall say that there is not going to be a judgment" was the reply. "That's not much use," answered the devil, "Conscience tells them about judgment. Not many will believe you." Turning to the third evil spirit, he asked, "What about you?" "I shall tell people that there is a God and a judgment to come," answered the third evil spirit, "But I shall add that there is no hurry." "Excellent!" said the devil. "Many will believe that!"

Some might simply mark this as a silly story; however, I have found that it altogether too close to the truth! There are too many folks who are looking for this sign or that and miss the point. Jesus calls us to be ready at ANY time. Of course, all prophecy will be fulfilled. However, I think some of us who like to talk about what the prophecies will look like as they are fulfilled are going to be quite surprised! So, get ready! That means you indeed are a born again believer in Christ. If you have any doubt about that, please email me so that I can send you some simple steps to take.

"Conquering Your Past" (Part 2)

Jesus said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:37-38 NIV).

Today I want to focus your attention on a key principle in conquering your past. At the outset, I must confess that there have been times in my life when I have done well with this principle and other times not so well! Never-the-less, the principle is true. As difficult as it can be, forgiveness is imperative if we want to move our lives forward. The myth about forgiveness is that it's something you do for the other person. Actually it is something you do for yourself.

So, let’s begin at the beginning. If forgiveness is such a good thing, why is it so hard to do? Why would we refuse to forgive? For one thing, we may be holding out for vindication, for an apology that may never come, or even for revenge. I find that when someone is willing to admit that they hurt me, forgiving is easy. But if they repeat the injury or refuse to acknowledge it, I want to hurt them back. We may enjoy the feeling of righteous anger, which can make us feel strong and powerful. Or we may want to punish the other person by withholding our forgiveness. But illogically, we often withhold forgiveness from someone we're not even in communication with. So who are we really punishing?

Refusing to forgive keeps us connected to that person and anchored to the past. When you hold onto the anger, hurt or resentment, you tend to play out in your head either the scene where you were wronged, or more likely, a scene of revenge or vindication. And that takes some of your energy, every day. By forgiving, we can reclaim the energy that is going into playing out this scene over and over and release ourselves from that past. Also, we tend to be least forgiving about qualities we find hard to forgive in ourselves. So how do you forgive? Do you just say, "I forgive you"? Yes, sometimes that works. But more often, there are a few steps you need to take first:

 First, realize and acknowledge what you're doing that you're holding onto old anger, hurt, resentment, and perhaps trying to punish someone, feel sorry for yourself or create an excuse not to move forward in your life. These are hard things to admit, but important to the process and to your growth.
 Second, express your feelings. Often, we hold onto negative feelings because we don't feel heard. If possible and appropriate, talk it out calmly with the other person. Let them know how you feel and why. If this doesn't feel right or the person is not accessible, you can still have a conversation with them in meditation or your journal; it will still have impact. Or express your feelings to a trusted friend or a counselor, so that you feel heard.
 Third, look at the situation from the other person's point of view. Why would they have chosen to hurt you? You may be surprised at some of the insights that can surface with this step that will make forgiveness much easier. Also, there may be times when it's difficult to forgive what someone did, particularly in cases of serious abuse, but it is usually possible to understand and forgive why they did it.
 Fourth, be willing to let go. This step is important to all types of healing. We must at some point intentionally and actively choose to let go. Be honest about this one. If you're not ready to truly let go, you may need to repeat the earlier steps, or even the whole process.
 Last, forgive. This may be as simple as saying, "I forgive you," or you may want to perform some sort of actual or meditative ritual of release. Perhaps light a candle, write "I forgive so-and-so for doing such-and-such" on a piece of paper, see yourself releasing them, then tear up the paper and burn it. Visualize taking back your energy from that person and situation. Feel released, renewed and revitalized.

Once you've done this process, if you later find yourself feeling angry or running the scene of revenge again, stop and change your thoughts. Or do the process again until you feel clear. You may have to go through it a few times to truly forgive and let it go. Whether you choose to continue a relationship with that person or not, the act of forgiving will free you both.