True Happiness – Psalm 32:1-2

1 Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, TruHappiness. 
2 Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from all deceit.
–  Psalm 32:1-2 (Good News Translation)

True Happiness
Have you ever noticed that people who are constantly in turmoil and/or trouble attribute their constant state of woe to not being "happy?"  They are constantly looking for happiness, but they just can't seem to find it!  They go from thing to thing, thinking that the new "thing" is THE thing that will finally bring them the happiness they seek.  The problem is, that soon that "thing" loses its flavor and the temporary excitement of finally finding "it" is replaced by more sadness and depression.  It's a vicious cycle and it is very sad to know that there are so many that seek to be happy by accumulating "things" instead of looking up, and letting go.

You see it's only when we "let go" of our own wants and desires, and we look up and forward to what God wants for us and needs us to do, that we put ourselves in position to realize true happiness.  It is only by coming to the saving Grace of Jesus Christ that we can realize true happiness – anything else is just temporary and meaningless.  The freedom that we can realize when we finally get what living "in" Christ means is the only way to truly live happy and contented lives.  That is not to say that we will never be sad, or experience tragedy or depression . . . it IS to say that when our time of weeping or sadness or depression is over, the joy of the Lord will strengthen us back to a time of peace, and excitement, and yes, happiness.

The Bible tells us that there is a time for everything, and our lives will always experience cycles of opposites.  Highs and lows, light and dark, big and little, alive and dead, sick and well, sad and happy – the time for these is appointed to each one of us, but the one constant, the one truth, the one promise we can hold on to, is our place with Jesus for all eternity. THAT is our source of happiness and nothing the world can throw our way can take it away from us.  

Now, then . . . those of us who have found and accepted that truth, are required to share that hope with those who don't have it yet.  I heard (on the radio I think), someone posing it this way:  If you suddenly found the cure for all cancer, would you not be obligated to share it with the world?  Would you not be excited to share it? We have the cure for death itself!  We have the answer to finding true happiness!  Now WE have to have the boldness to share it. 

Are we sharing the secret to happiness?  Are we making a difference in this world?  Maybe if we spent a little less time feeding our own walk, we could find a little more time to help someone else find the happiness they are so desperately seeking.  I know I am as guilty of this as anyone. It is so much easier to focus on my own need to get as close as I can to Christ, but I need to balance that with feeling the need to share that closeness and His love with those around me.  So that's what I'm working on . . . will you join me? Maybe, just maybe, we can help the world find the true happiness that keeps eluding them.

Prayer
Lord, I thank You for the true happiness that You have given me.  I thank You for  being my source of joy and for making my life wonderful.  I thank You for bringing balance to all my days and for being my life Source.  I pray Lord, that I can be a difference in someones life today and that I can be the light that puts them on the path to finding their own salvation and ultimate happiness.  Forgive my busy-ness in Your name Lord.  In my attempt to serve, I have wound up serving myself, and while I so enjoy growing to know You and learning how to live as a Christian, I realize that I may need to lighten the load I have placed on myself, and focus more on finding the fire that compels me to share Your love and happiness with the rest of the world.  

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

What is Your Reason? – 2 Samuel 7: 22

22 "For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 
– 2 Samuel 7: 22

What is Your Reason?
From where I started to where I am today is miles and miles apart.  I have the saving grace of Jesus to thank for that, and yet I know that sometimes I don't show Him enough gratitude for delivering me from my old life – with all the rusty chains that held me down, and the one-way ticket to hell.  I was a mess, and I know that a lot of you have the same kind of story.  Kind of a "rags to riches" tale that speaks of God's Grace and unending Forgiveness.

After I was saved, I used to envy those people who grew up in Christian homes, and I would wish that I could go back and live my tumultuous childhood all over again, but this time with a "Godly" family.  I thought it would have been an easier life.  But as I grew in the knowledge of God's Grace, I soon realized that all of that baggage; all of the hurt; the innocence that was taken from me, and all of the years that were lost due to drugs and partying, only proved the greatness of His Love for me.  He, in all of His glory and wisdom, spoke my name one day, and I found myself giving my life to Him – the greatest day of my life.

I still think it is a very special thing to be able to grow up in a good Christian home, and I'm glad for my son that I was able to offer that to him, but I no longer wish I had grown up differently.  I am who I am because of what I was when He reached down and saved me – and for that, I am eternally grateful!

What is your reason for proclaiming God's greatness?  Has it been a while since you told Him how much you appreciate all He's done for you?  Take some extra time today to reflect on the grace He's shown you, and proclaim Him and His awesome plan for your life.  Really talk to our Lord, and share from your heart how much you appreciate ALL that He has given you through your salvation.

Prayer
Lord, You are a mighty and a great God.  I have seen Your power and I have felt Your compassion as I have grown up in You these past 20 years.  I want to thank You for protecting me as I was growing up.  You held my hand and even carried me through all of the evil that the enemy tried to destroy me with.  You restored me and You have given me gifts beyond what I could even ask or think.  You are MY God and I will love You with my whole heart – all the days of my life!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

And Be At Peace! – 2 Peter 3:13-14

13    But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14    Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 
– 2 Peter 3:13-14

And Be At Peace!
As we work through our "issues" and try to become more like Christ, are we at peace? With God? With our families and friends?  

Good! Now here's a tough one . . . are we at peace with ourselves?  

For some reason, we are our own worst enemies and so we can find it difficult to let things go.  Especially when we make the same mistakes over and over again.  We hold on to our disappointment and embarrassment like a child holds on to an ice cream cone, or a greedy miser holds on to a shiny coin.  We can be at peace with the whole world, but when we take a look in the mirror of our soul, we only see our flaws and we question God as to why we can't change or are having difficulty changing.

God wants to let you know today that it's OK to let go.  It's really that easy.  Just raise your arm, open your hands up, and start visualizing your self-beratement drifting off to space like some colorful group of helium filled balloons. 

"But I can't!" you say? 
"You just don't understand?" you think?
"How can I just let go of all the damage I've done and the people I've hurt?"
"How can I be at peace when I just can't seem to stop doing the same dumb things time-after-time?"
"How can I . . . (enter your own question here)?"

Well I do understand.  I go over and over my own mistakes all the time and I think of all the should've, would've, could've scenarios over - and over - and over again.  I don't know why I do it, but I do.  But you know what?  I'm getting better at just letting go.  I'm getting better at asking the Holy Spirit for help in doing it.  I'm getting better at laying at Jesus' feet . . . and leaving it there.  I'm getting better and I have to tell you that there is so much freedom in not having to revisit my mistakes every day.  Not living in and dwelling on your past mistakes will help bring you closer to being at peace with yourself. 

Won't you try it today?  Won't you lift up, reach out, and let go?  Try to be at peace with your life!  Start with doing it just for today.  Forgive yourself and let the blood of Jesus wash everything out of your mind.  He went through so much . . . just for you, and He wants you to know the freedom, and the joy, and the peace that He is holding out in front of you!  Reach out and take it!  NowTHAT is something to hold on to!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You so much for all that You went through just so that we could know the freedom of Your love.  I am so sorry for discounting Your sacrifice by refusing to let go of my past sins and failures and for dwelling on things that I have no power to change.  I need Your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me each day so I can overcome this tendency to go back to my self-hating ways.  Thank You Lord, I know I will learn to live in peace - with myself  - with Your help.

Have a blessed day everyone!

–Richard

He Nailed It! – Colossians 2:13-14

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 

14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
– Colossians 2:13-14

He Nailed It!
I don't know about you but I was as dead as dead can be . . . and I was proud of it.  I was so wretched, and my sin was so repulsive, and disgusting and I was so blind, that I even welcomed the thought of going to hell!  I was THAT lost!  But God had other plans for me, and like the scripture says, He made me alive with Christ – Halleluiah!

I can really appreciate the concept of Christ nailing my sins (and those of everyone else) to the cross and the significance of His sacrifice for us.  What I have always had trouble wrapping my head around, is just how difficult it must have been for Him to become my sin.  That must have been more painful and revolting than any of the beatings He took, or even the crucifixion itself.  Have you ever tried to put on clothing that was soaking wet and muddy?  Not only would it be very difficult, but every inch of exposed skin would be able to feel the disgusting "ickiness" of the heavy material as it passes over.  Christ must have felt each sin of every person that ever existed as He transformed Himself into the very sin that He was about to destroy.  The weight of the cross must have been nothing compared to the weight of the sins of the entire world bearing down on Him.  I don't know that I will ever fully understand what He must have gone through, and it saddens me just to think about it.

What a joy however, to know that because of His sacrifice, I am alive, and ALL my sins have been forgiven!  Now here's the best part.  I get to put on Christ! Every day!  Think about the most favorite piece of clothing you have ever owned and how good it felt as you put it on for the very first time . . . that was like putting on rags compared to putting on Christ.  He fits in ALL the right places.  He accentuates who you are and He makes you look so very good.  He covers up all the flaws and He fits so well that wearing Him even puts a pep in your step so that you can breeze through your day!

Try putting on Christ today.  Try to imagine His brilliant and marvelous light covering you as you fasten each button of His Righteousness.  Visualize lacing His Peace to your feet . . . go ahead – wiggle your toes!  Run your finger across the brim of His awesome Salvation . . . feel how it fits your head just right!  Fasten His belt of Truth around your waist, and experience how He helps everything else stay perfectly in place . . . there's nothing like it.  How does He feel? Pretty awesome huh?  Now you are ready to face the world!  Now you can show everyone what a Christian should look like.  Now you can have victory – every – single – day!

Prayer
Father, I am so humbled knowing all that Christ had to do to save us from ourselves.  I am thankful however, that He did . . . and also for Your Love, and the wisdom of Your plan for bringing us all home.  I pray that as I put on Christ each day, I will be ever mindful that I am Your representative here on earth so that I never cause anyone to turn away from You because of my actions.  I want to draw others to You Lord and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I will now be able to do so because You saved me from my sin and from certain death.  I love You!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Ask for Something - His thing! – John 16:24

24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
– John 16:24

Ask for Something - His thing!
Over the years, I have learned to listen to my Father during prayer time, and I have heard Him speak to me (no, not in a James Earl Jones, R-I-C-H-A-R-D . . . THIS IS GOD SPEAKING . . . way, but in a silent confidence kind of way), and I am slowly becoming more in tune with what and how He wants me to pray. After all, He already knows what I need in my life, so anything I can come up with is no surprise to Him.  My goal for prayer nowadays is to find His will in the everyday walking through of my life.  How does He want me to see His children?  How does He want me to act – in good and bad circumstances?  Where does He want me to position myself in my home, my church, and in my community? Who does He want me to be available to and to pray blessings over, etc.?

I believe that God wants to use our quiet time with HIm (if we let Him), to speak truth into our hearts – the truth of what He wants Us to do to create change in our world.  After all, we are His hands extended here on earth.  We are how He gets things done.  We have to be willing to step outside of our neat and controlled lives and be willing by faith, to be a miracle.  It needs to start somewhere right?  It might as well be here with you and with me.

Today's scripture says that until now, I/we have asked "nothing" in His name.  Oh, we all know that we have asked for plenty, and in my case, most of it has been selfish desires.  It's time for me to start asking for "something" – something that will bring glory and honor to our Father.  We need to stop thinking of what we want and focus on what He wants.

We can still ask for the kinds of things that we all want and need, but just do it from a different perspective:  

Do you need a new job? 

Ask for the position that our Father (who loves you) has all ready set aside for you – and then be prepared to rejoice when maybe it isn't the job you were looking for but it will be the job that will bring you the greatest joy and fulfillment in your life, if you accept it with gratitude and praise.  

Do you need a relationship restored? 

Pray that God would bless the other person and bring joy and abundance to their life that they might see Him in everything they do – their coming back to you will be a result of them realizing God's goodness and grace on their life, and restoration might not come about the way you thought it would – but it will come in a way that God is glorified.  

Do you a need financial miracle? 

Pray that God would bless those around you who are in greater need than you. Pray that your finances would be met according to His plan and then rejoice during your time of lack. Your miracle will come, but it will probably come in a way that you never could have dreamed.

Let us ask for things and pray according to what God wants!  THAT will bring us answered prayer.  THAT will bring us the fullness of joy that He wants so much to give us.  THAT will bring about  a glorious change to this crazy world.  THAT will honor our Father in heaven!

Prayer
Father You are so great and I offer praise to You right now.  For far too many years I have offered half-hearted and selfish prayers to You and I know and am so thankful that You have forgiven me for that.  This year and on this day, I seek Your will in my prayers.  I will no longer bring an offering of fools to You but I will wait on You and I will listen for the Holy Spirit to guide me in fervent and effectual prayer. Thank You for reminding me that in Your name I will find my joy and my life will be fulfilled.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

So What? – That's What! – Colossians 3:1

1  So, if your'e serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it!

– Colossians 3:1  (MSG)

So What? – That's What!

I love this . . . So What?!

Remember the "So What" back-and-forth that went on when you were a kid? 

Kid #1: I did this or that!

Kid #2: So What? 

Kid #1: That's What!

Kid #2:  . . . (the still and silent sound of crickets in the background)

That's all there was . . . there was really no come-back once the "Thats What!" was used.  That's What, is all there is and nobody can argue the validity or the finality unless . . .

As a Christian, if your That's What isn't reflected by your What's What (your actions), then those observing –  everyone you know, knows you, or is even on the outside just observing, are left to say So What!?  He's a Christian - So What!?  He doesn't act like it.  He's no fun to be around; he's always depressed and just mopes around; he's always negative and critical; he badmouths his coworkers; he steals office supplies; he speeds and cuts people off in traffic (even though he has a "fish" on his bumper); he cusses like a sailor; he drinks like a fish; he's always late to work; and on-and-on it goes.

If we really want our "That's What!" to be the exclamation point to the question of our Christianity, then we need to show who Christ really is in our lives.  We need to be the light in the ever-growing darkness that is spreading across our land. We need to stop and take a look at the things that we say and do, at the places we go, and at the way that we get there. We need to always be aware that there are people watching us and taking notice of this "Christian" life, and we need to act like we believe that who we say we are is really who we are.  Knock-off Christianity is easily spotted and quickly dismissed, and I pray that I will never be the "Christian" who causes someone to decide to say So What to Jesus.

So . . how about it?  Are you serious about living this resurrection life with Christ?  Me too . . . so let's act like it!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the wonderful resurrection life that I have in You. I am so sorry for the times that I have not been a good example of that life. I pray that I can act like I know the Love, and Power, and Grace, that You so freely gave, so that everyone who knows or sees me will never say So What to my life in You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

–  Richard

Jesus is praying for you! – Luke 22:31-32

31 "Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. 

32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers."
– Luke 22:31-32

Jesus is praying for you!
What comfort to know that our Lord prays for us.  He knows that we are going through many trials, both from the world, and also the trails that we put on ourselves – out of pride, or fear, or doubt, or anger, etc.  He cares that we overcome and that we get through it all so that we can stand strong in our faith.

The scripture also implies that we will surely be tested and that the enemy will even be given permission to try our faith.  And that's OK – because we have an intercessor (Jesus), who has a direct line with the Father.  Jesus' prayers for us are powerful, and if we are faithful to not turn away when things get tough, He will hold us up to the Father, and He will present us worthy.  As long as we hold on to Him, every day, He will pray for us, every day.  And every day – for that day – we will have victory over the enemy. Praise Jesus!

Now here's the important part . . . the scripture tells us (and this is so important), He (Jesus), expects us to encourage (strengthen), one another with our victories.  In fact it says we Must strengthen each other.  The victory that we receive shouldn't be hidden or hoarded like the "precious" in the Lord of the Rings movie.  It needs to be out there – shining brightly for all to see.  Your victory, or healing, or sobriety, or restored relationship, or new job, or paid bills, or whatever the situation might be, need to be told to everyone, so that they can receive encouragement, and so that they can know that we serve a God who cares – who loves us so very much that He takes the time to see to our every need!  No matter how small or insignificant we may think it is – Jesus covers it in prayer. People need to hear that so that they can have confidence when they face the same thing . . . or their own thing. They need to know that Jesus is there for them too!

I don't know about you, but I need His prayers every day, because when I open my eyes in the morning, I am waking up to a world that is out to destroy my faith.  I need Jesus to be speaking life to the Father . . . about me.  I need Him directing His angels before me (and after me), because I can leave a messy trail wherever I go.  I know that I need Him . . . believing in me . . . each and every day.  How about you?

PrayerLord Jesus, Thank You for being my Prayer Warrior.  Thank You for speaking to the Father on my behalf.  Thank You Lord for taking the time to see me through this day and for believing in me – so that I will persevere; so that I will overcome; so that I will stand victorious – this day – over anything and everything the enemy can devise to throw my way.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

The Key to Victorious Living – Galatians 2:20-21

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.   The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.   

21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
– Galatians 2:20-21

The Key to Victorious Living
Can you remember back when you first became a Christian?  If you were like me, you were so enthusiastic about your new life that you would have laid claim to being willing to be right there with Jesus, taking every lash of the whip, enduring every thorn as it was being pressed down upon your head, and ultimately hanging on the cross . . . in fact, willing to hang with Christ on the opposite side of the same cross!  Yeah . . . Peter claimed the same thing – until the time came where it was actually a possibility.  How quickly we can change the tune we are singing when adversity smacks us right between the eyes.

It's easy to be a Christian when things are going great – especially in this country, where we have an abundance of luxuries and we can choose where and how we want to worship.  I've often fantasized that I was on the front lines of "life-and-death/in-the-jungles of evil" evangelism, standing firm in my faith and shielding the unfortunate peasants from the on-rushing rebels (oh the stories that would be written).  Then I remember that I am still anxiously afraid to go downtown and share my faith with a stranger!  Earth to Richard . . . time to come back to reality!

The good news is that God knows our weaknesses, and He knew that we would need a Savior, so . . . He sent Jesus, who willingly, and with much love, and forgiveness, accepted His role in the reconciliation of all God's children.  He knew what He was walking into, and He even had 32 years to try to get out of it, but His love for us was (and still is), so strong, that He took every taunt, and jeer, and slap, and spit, and lash, and thorn, and nail, until He died – but that's where the real story begins!

Because Jesus died, we, who are called by His name, are alive!  We have Christ IN us.  We have the secret of the power of the universe coursing through our veins!  We ARE victorious Conquerors because of the new life we have been given!  But here's the rub . . . we must CHOOSE to take advantage of everything that Christ is.  In order to be victorious we have to choose to live victoriously.  In order to conquer our demons, we must choose to put on the armor of Christ and to live as conquerors.  In order to realize the power of Christ that each of us has at the mere whisper of His name, we must choose to live by faith in Him.  We must have faith in the fact that by His choosing to go to the cross for us, we, who are called by His name, have the ability to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, move the unmovable, and speak life into those who would oppose us.

We have Christ IN us!  Let's think on that today!  Think about what that really means!  Ask God to show you how to tap into that power – that love – that life . . . in, through, and with, Christ.

Prayer
Father I thank You that You gave us Your Son in order that we might live.  I pray that as I draw closer to Him and to You, that I will be able to increase my faith and start living beyond my own understanding.  I need Your Spirit Lord, to grow beyond the limitations of my simple mind so that I can live in the fullness of the power of Your Son.  I thank You for the work that You are doing in my brothers and sisters and I pray blessing over each one of them as they also draw closer to You. I thank You in advance for the victory that is on the way for each one of them.

Have a blessed day everyone!

–Richard

I Hope So – Psalm 33:20-22

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
– Psalm 33:20-22

I Hope So

Help for any situation is available through our Lord, Jesus.  The Bible is a book of HOPE and in it we can always find scripture that reminds us that God is our help and our shield; that we can rejoice, and our hearts can leap in our chest at the mere thought of His grace, and His goodness, and His love for us.

I don't know about you but I need to remember these things.  I need to read the words and think on how truly amazing God has been in my life – especially when I was weak and I needed Him the most.

I had a nervous breakdown once and it wasn't pretty.  One day after work (when I was living in Texas), I got in my car and I just started driving. I didn't know where I was going but I just wanted to get away.  Looking back, were things really that bad? No, not really, but in my mind they were, and all I knew to do was to just get away.  I wasn't in my right mind and if I'm to be truthful, it crossed my mind during those 3 days of driving to plow my car into an embankment or off a bridge – but God. . .

God knew the confusion in my mind and the pain in my heart, and He knew that I needed protection to get me to a place where I could be safe and let Him help me regain my thoughts and see clearly again . . . He lead me safely to my parent's house in Oregon.  When I arrived, I slept for days.  I don't even remember how I got there or which route I took – that's how out of it I was.  God got me through that "glimpse" of time in my life, and He protected me until I was able to see and think clearly again.  I know that I, in my debilitated state of mind, cursed Him a few times during that breakdown, but He still loved me and He still saw to it that I was OK.

He loves us so very much!  He knows that we aren't perfect, and that from time-to-time, we are going to make a mess of things.  He never questions and He never accuses – He just says:

"Come into the strength and protection of my loving arms and let Me care for you. I will hold on to you and I will see you through. I will make you strong once again because I made you. I know the success you are to become, and I have a plan for you to bring others to Me.  You are mine and I will never leave you."

So you see, no matter what you are facing today, no matter what is up against you, there is Hope!  God is our Help and He is our Shield, and He will get you through whatever it is that you are facing. Just call out to him . . . He will never fail you!

Prayer
Father thank you for Your loving arms of protection. You are my hope and I thank You for all those time when I needed You and You were faithful.  You hear me cry and You reached Your hand across the heavens – just for me.  I trust in Your love and in Your peace.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Don't Be Afraid! – Acts 18: 9-10

9 And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent ; 
10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city."
– Acts 18: 9-10

Don't Be Afraid!
This is such an interesting bit of scripture for me because in it, we are told that Paul, the mighty preacher of the Gospel, the champion for Christ, was afraid.  I guess it shouldn't be surprising, considering all the beatings he took and the countless times he was left for dead for speaking the truth to his own people.  It seemed like every time he opened his mouth to try to convince folks to turn to Christ, he was either arrested, or jailed, or beaten, or stoned, or shipwrecked.  Come to think of it, I guess I would be downright shaking in my boots if every time I mentioned Christ those things happened to me.

But God knew just how to comfort Paul.  He knew that Paul needed encouragement and he needed to know that God had his back.  He came to Paul when he was at rest so that He could re-energize him and put fire back into his soul.  He gave Paul the pep talk he needed so that he could go on with his mission –  just like He will do for us today.

Now our problems are nowhere near the level of Paul's (at least not for anyone I know).  We don't have to face the kinds of attacks and persecution for our faith that he did, but God still speaks to us and encourages us all the same.  I think that He might be just a little disappointed sometimes in the way we can get down and discouraged.  I mean, look at the things we have to go through – we think God has forgotten about us if we get a flat tire, or we lose our job, or we get a bad report from the doctor.  All valid concerns, and I don't want to discount how very heavy these things can weigh on our lives . . . but at the same time, none of it is too big for God.  Still, He is patient with us, and He wants us to know that He has our backs today . . . just like He had Paul's back.

You see it doesn't matter that we aren't on a conversion quest like Paul – that was his mission.  What does matter is that we know what our mission is and we do it to the best of our ability.  Can it be scary to witness to a co-worker – you bet.  Will you be persecuted for speaking out against things like gay marriage – probably (especially in this valley).  Will there be times when you are afraid to say anything because of fear of not being accepted or liked – almost a guarantee.  But that's OK.  Our God knows what we are facing.  He knows the hearts of the people we will be witnessing to, and He knows the motives of those who will come against us.  We can take heart in knowing that He will come to us, and He will encourage us through it all.  In Him we have all the hope we will need to be re-energized and refreshed so that we can carry the gospel to everyone we know.  After all, He has our backs, and He's telling us "Don't be afraid any longer!"

Prayer
Father, thank You for understanding the things we face each day. And while for the most part, they might not be life-threatening events like Paul had to deal with, they are very real and often scary just the same.  It is beautiful to know that You care and that You want us to be encouraged and refreshed through it all.  I am so humbled to know that You see each one of us in our moment of weakness and You say, "Don't be afraid, I am with you."  Thank You Father.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

What Shape Are You In?

3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel.
4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.
– Jeremiah 18:3-4

What Shape Are You In?
Ceramics was my favorite class in high school – OK, I know it was a "skate" class and I probably should have been taking my core studies more seriously, but I thrived in that class.  I loved everything about it.  I loved the way the clay smelled; I loved the cool feeling of it in my hands; I loved the way I could squish it between my fingers; I loved its forgiving nature, and most of all I loved the way I could shape it into interesting and cool things.

I would get lost in the clay – my imagination coming to life in the figurines and sculptures that I was able to skillfully produce.  Each piece would take on a life of its own and it usually came out completely different than what I had initially planned for it to be – usually for the better.  Not so much because of my lack of vision or skill as I started out, but because each piece of clay had characteristics of its own and so it would kind of dictate what I could do with it.  I quickly learned however, that I could work the clay into submission, and by kneading it, and twisting, and punching the air bubbles out of it, I could reconstitute the clay to get it to be what I wanted it to be.

Our lives are very much the same in the hands of our Father.  He has a plan for our lives but because of our will and sinful nature, we fight against His craftsmanship.  And, if you are anything like me, it usually takes a lot of reshaping and twisting, and punching the air bubbles out, before the Lord can get you to a place where He can mold you into something beautiful.

For me it took years of painful experiences, culminating in a nervous breakdown, 2 divorces, and a lot of lost brain cells, before I was at a place where God could work with me.  The beauty is that He was patient, and He was willing to let me try to work things out on my own until I got to a point where I needed Him.  He knew the plans that he had for me – the plans He STILL has for me, and He waited until I was willing to submit to his waiting hands so that He could take my life, and begin to work out all of the "air-head" bubbles.  And now, when He sees that I am starting to work against Him, He skillfully kneads my back into shape – it isn't always gently, but He knows which areas of my life need to be worked on, and He holds me gently in His hands while I go through the lesson.  I always come out with a brand new perspective on the direction He has designed for me, and I become more pliable as He continues to mold me into the masterpiece my life will become.

He is working on your masterpiece as well – He is working to shape you into His unique and wonderful design.  Will you submit to His touch on your life today?

Prayer
Father, You are the master Potter and I am so willing to allow You to mold me and to shape me into the man you want me to be.  I am so thankful that You understand just how to work the clay that is my life in order that I can become pliable in Your loving hands.  Shape me Lord – take out all of the impurities like lust, and pride, and conceit, and stubborn unforgiveness.  Mold me Lord, so that I can become what You have designed and then I can make a difference in my world . . . for You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Just Believe! – – John 1:12

12 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God ...
– John 1:12

Just Believe!
We talk about faith and belief but we mix it with our own understanding of how things work so what ends up happening sometimes, is that our faith and belief end up being a by-product our own point of view.

Growing up in Catholic school, we used to say the Apostles Creed every morning (right after the Pledge of Allegiance).  For those not familiar, it starts out like this:    I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
    the Maker of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord...

The problem was that I didn't even know who God really was.  I  sure didn't know who Jesus really was.  I recited the words of that prayer because the authority figures in my life told me to – not because I truly believed in them.

I see a lot of that still today.  I see well-intentioned Christians who talk of faith and belief but who, by their very words and actions, don't really buy into everything God says about who He is and who Jesus is.  I've even heard people who consider themselves to be Christians who say that the Bible is just a book of stories, and they only consider parts of it to be true.  I worked with one lady who told me that her pastor was teaching them that there were many ways to get to heaven and that Jesus was just one of the many ways.  How confused must that congregation be!

Sometimes, we don't have to look much further than our own beliefs to find incredible stories of half-hearted faith and we can end up wondering (doubting), if God can REALLY get us out of the trials we find ourselves in sometimes.  If we take an honest look back at the times when we were faced with something really big, we will most likely see that we finally turned to God AFTER trying to figure things out on our own.  But God knows how weak our faith can sometimes be, and He is ALWAYS faithful to get us through to the other side of the problem – despite our weak belief.  It might not always be the way we would have done it, but we always end up learning and growing as a result . . . that is, until the next time we're in trouble and we question God's abilities all over again.

What awesome victory we would have, if we just "got it" one day.  If we just woke up and realized that God is who He says He is; that Jesus is Lord, and He IS the risen Christ, and that through Him ALL things ARE possible for us because we BELIEVE IN HIM.  That Jesus IS our life source, and He IS our portion for every need and every desire . . . because He IS our every need and desire.  How beautiful would our lives be if we would just believe; believe that the Bible IS the very breath of God, given to us as a gift for survival in this crazy world; believe that every book, every chapter, every verse, and every word IS absolute and not open to our own understanding or interpretation.

Maybe one day we will learn to truly believe and when we do, we will see amazing power in our lives and we will see the world change . . . and our God, who loves us even in our unbelief, will be glorified!

Prayer
Father, I believe in You.  I believe every sentence of Your Word and I am so thankful that You have given me the way to find Your Heart through the pages of Your Word.  I have seen You change me as I explore it, and I am in awe of Your Holy Power that pours from every page.  Lord Jesus, I lift up those who are being deceived today.  I pray that their eyes can be opened to the lies that the enemy is feeding them, and that they can experience Your true Love through the Power of Your Word.  I thank You that You are a patient God and that You are putting fire in the hearts of Your true believers to reach out to those being led astray.  May we reach out in Love, and Joy, and Peace, without condemnation or accusation – just like You did for us.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

It's Already Yours – Ephesians 1:3

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
– Ephesians 1:3

It's Already Yours!
In the movie Trading Places, Eddy Murphy plays a down-and-out street hustler who because of a bet between two wealthy businessmen, is taken from the streets and thrust into the lap of luxury.  He is given a new, fully-furnished luxury town home (complete with butler, limousine,  and chauffer), a new job with a Wall Street investment firm, and enough wealth to sustain him for the rest of his life.  In the scene where he is taken to his new town home for the first time, "Valentine" (Eddie Murphy's character), starts taking the nick-knacks and valuable antiques from around the living room and hiding them in his overcoat – his face is all lit up like he just hit the jackpot or won the lottery.  The two businessmen just look on and chuckle in amusement, and they try to explain that he doesn't need to "steal" the valuables because they are all his to do with as he pleases.  In a classic comedic move, Valentine looks directly into the camera with a huge grin and a "Can you believe this?" look on his face.  It isn't long before we see Valentine fully integrated into his new life and living as a successful Wall Street executive.  He is even giving investment advice to seasoned stock brokers and market analysts.  He is no longer the down-and-out street hustler – he has become a new man – a new creation if you will.

I can picture God standing by with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, chuckling in amusement as we discover the blessings that have always been available to us, and are ours for the taking.  I think that too often we timidly approach God, and with feeble prayers, we ask for a small blessing when all the time there is a huge blessing in the waiting.  God is just waiting for us to get to a point in our lives when we have the faith to take it, and to be ready to handle the responsibility of receiving it.  Like a parent eagerly waiting for a child to open a marvelous gift, He delights when we discover the blessings He has already designed for us.

Scripture tells us that God has already blessed us in the heavenly realms with EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ.  It doesn't say that He WILL bless us – it says that we are ALREADY blessed.  We just have to have the faith to take and accept what is already ours.  And once taken, we have to be mature enough to live the blessing and take on the new life in that blessing.

Example?  You ask for and believe/have faith, that God will bless you with a boldness to preach the Gospel.  God sees that you are spiritually ready, high-fives Jesus, and sends the Holy Spirit to the "Heavenly Storehouse" with instructions to deliver your blessing.  Next thing you know, you receive an invitation to give your testimony in front of the congregation at church.  Afterward, someone who just happened to be visiting your church, comes up to you and says, "You know,  I am headed to India for a missions conference, and I want to pay your way to go with us and tell your story on the opening night of our conference – there will be thousands in attendance!"  You had a small street ministry in mind, but God already had a global outreach blessing ready for you . . before you were even born!

I know not everyone is called to be a speaker or a preacher, but I think you get the idea.  So how do I tap into these blessings that already mine you ask?  It's simple really – you ready for it?  Here it is:

Love the Lord with ALL your heart.
Love the Lord with ALL your soul.
Love the Lord with ALL your mind.
Love the Lord with ALL your strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.

The key is love – the love OF Christ and the love we find IN Christ.  If we can just figure out how to stop loving ourselves so much, and stop focusing on what it is that WE want, and how WE want our lives to unfold, then we can put our focus where it belongs.  The blessings which are already ours and have always been waiting for us, will be at our disposal and we can realize the abundance of life that God has designed for each one of us.

Prayer
Father, I thank You for the blessings that You have waiting for me.  I pray that I can take hold of the faith to handle the awesome magnitude of Your vision for my life.  Teach me to love with all that I am so that I can claim the  spiritual blessings in Christ that Your Word promises.  Grow me Lord, so that I can handle the blessings once I receive them.  I look forward to seeing the direction my life will take because of Your great love for me.  Help us all Lord, to catch Your vision for our lives and to have the faith to believe in them . . . like You believe in us.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Pour Out Your Heart

8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
– Psalm 62:8

Pour Out Your Heart
Have you ever heard the saying He wears his heart on his sleeve?  It is usually used to describe someone who is emotional and is quick to let his emotions take over.  Have you ever know anyone who hides their heart in a vault?  They never let on what they are feeling, and they tend to hold in all their emotions so as not to let on what they are feeling.  Not only is this unhealthy for the person, but it is unhealthy for everyone else around them when all the pressure of their pent-up emotions finally reach a boiling point!

When we go to God in prayer, He not only wants us to wear our hearts on our sleeves, but He wants us to fully expose it, and lay it completely open at His feet.  He wants us to trust Him and to be completely transparent about what we are feeling – even with the things we might feel are silly or insignificant.  He wants us to be completely vulnerable (naked if you will), so that nothing is hidden or held back, because we are totally exposed.  He already knows everything that's there anyway.  He just wants us to acknowledge Him as God – you know . . . the one who created every fiber of our being.  He wants to know, that we know, who He really is.

It's funny the things that we do sometimes.  There are times when I've been praying and found myself thinking, "I can't tell God that – it's too embarrassing!"  Isn't that just dumb?!  That would be like trying to hide an elephant behind my back!  Everyone would be able to see it no matter how hard I try to deny or hide it.  God knows ALL about us, even the things we try to hide or keep secret.  He knows our thoughts, He knows our dreams, He knows our hurts, and He knows our past, so we might as well give Him ALL that we are – the good, the bad, and the embarrassing!  But if we aren't willing to give Him our ALL, how can we expect HIm to show us ALL that He has for us?  I believe that God will use the degree of openness of our hearts to help us along the way, as our future turns into our present – the more we are open to Him, the more opportunities He will open up for us.

We need to understand that God is our refuge – our hiding place.  He is with us when we are all alone, and we are completely safe in His embrace.  But sometimes, (a lot of the times), we just totally ignore Him.  How that must hurt.  He opened up His arms wide, totally exposing himself to the world, and He overcame sin and death . . . for us, and we aren't even willing to share our hearts with Him.  

I know it's difficult for me to do, but I also know that if I want to realize my dreams, if I want to get where He wants me to go, if I want to experience All that He has planned for me, I need to expose all there is about me.  I need to let Him mold me, and take all of the disgusting, dirty, beautiful, awkward, excellent, demented, creative, embarrassing, and wonderful parts of me, and use them (because they are me), to expand His kingdom.  I have nothing to lose by having nothing to hide, and I have everything to gain by exposing everything to Him!

Prayer
Father, I want so badly to pour out my whole heart, everything I am to You but sometimes I am so ashamed.  Sometimes I forget that You know it all anyway, and I realize that my stubborn pride and shame is just blocking the blessings that You have in store for me.  Help me to be vulnerable.  Help me to trust and to let go of all my inhibitions.  Help me to come to You like a child, full of awe, and wonder, and pure delight.  Help me Lord to see, and know, and trust You as the God of ALL of me.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard