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

Are You A "Stealth" Christian

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 

55 But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.
– Luke 22: 54-55

Are You A "Stealth" Christian
Peter thought he could go in to the courtyard and blend in with the crowd.  How wrong he was!  Stealth Christianity  didn't work out so well for Peter in the courtyard, and it absolutely won't work out for us either.  The resulting realization of his denying Christ cut him to the heart, and it should cut us to the heart as well.  It should send us to our knees, begging for forgiveness.

Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy fame), was constantly trying to blend into situations, but because she was out of her element, it never worked out like she hoped and she always found herself in plenty of hot water.  Peter Sellers (The Pink Panther), made a career for himself as Inspector Clouseau; he would go to great lengths to blend in with very ingenious (but quite silly) costumes and he would always be found out . . . usually after blowing himself up.  Tom Hanks started his career in a show called Bosom Buddies by pretending to be a woman – he did it because it was the only way he could stay in an affordable apartment.  The lengths he went to to keep his secret were truly comical.  All these characters would end up in some sort of disaster or another and they would usually leave us wondering why they would put themselves through the misery – week, after week, after week, one episode after another.

I think that a lot of us are just like those characters – we live our lives as "stealth" Christians.  In fact, I have even heard people boast about being in stealth mode when they are amongst people of mixed belief.  It is sad really.  We aren't effective when we take on this attitude of denial – and make no mistake about it, it IS denial.  When we try to mask what and who we really are so as not to offend someone, or so that we don't make anyone uncomfortable, we are denying Christ.

I have done this at work for many years – in fact, most of my Christian life.  Oh, people knew I was a Christian, but instead of being bold and unashamed, I rationalized that I could be more effective by just blending in with everyone else and letting my "light" shine.  And while it is good to do that, what it boiled down to, was that I was really afraid to speak out because I didn't want anyone to think I was weak or silly because of my faith . . . how weak, and pathetic, and silly was I!?  In my desire to be liked, I was denying Christ and my witness was ineffective at best.

Christ walked boldly into death for me and for you.  He made no apologies and He didn't try to sugar-coat any of His messages.  He didn't deny us the privilege of eternal life and I am truly saddened that sometimes we will go with the flow in order to blend in, or to not "offend" anyone; the whole time telling ourselves that we are doing good because the people who are going to hell around us, are getting the little nuggets of Godly wisdom that we toss around (even though we never mention the name of Jesus).

We should never think that just because we speak of God in our conversations that Jesus is lifted up.  There are many gods in this world, and unless we specify and boldly proclaim who our God is – the Lord Jesus – The Risen Christ – The Way, The Truth, and The Life – The ONLY Way, then we kid ourselves and we deny Him.

Peter denied Christ 3 times.  How many times have you denied him by not including Him in your conversations?  I have denied Him so many times I can't even count them.  But I am changing.  I have made a choice to no longer deny my Lord.  Jesus is my Savior and He is worthy of ALL my praise.  I will NOT be ashamed and I will Not deny Him . . . and if someone is offended by hearing the name of Jesus, then they are the ones who need to hear His name proclaimed the most.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive us for thinking we can leave You out of our conversations.  Forgive us for denying You.  Forgive our selfishness and our unwillingness to stand boldly and proclaim Your name to a world that needs You the most.  I pray that each time I am given with the opportunity to tell others about You, and to stand on who I am in You, that the image of Peter in the courtyard would come to my mind because I don't ever want to deny You by being in "Stealth" mode again.

Have a blessed day everyone – tell someone about Jesus!

– Richard

The Devil likes to Fish! – James 4:7

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

– James 4:7

The Devil likes to Fish!

My brother and I used to go fishing all the time when I lived in Dallas.  We would get up so early and we'd be on the lake at sunup.  We had some good times but at first it was just plain frustrating.  You see, before I moved to Dallas, my brother used to tell me about all the fish he would catch – sometimes 30 to 40 in one day!  I don't care who you are – that's good fishing.  The frustrating things is that when I moved and we started fishing together, we didn't catch anything – nothin – nada – zilch – zero!  I began to question his stories of abundant fishing.

After about a month or so of getting "skunked" every outing, we decided to change our bait.  We switched to live minnows on a double rig – in no time we were catching limits of hybrid and small striped bass.  Fishing was fun! 

As we had more and more success, we moved on to Black Bass and we learned all we could about how to catch them – we bought topographic maps that showed the underwater structure where they lived, we could see where water channels and deep  pools were located so we could strategize our trips.  We checked out the different lures and techniques and we learned what was effective and what wasn't.  Soon we were catching good size keepers.  I really miss those days fishing with my brother!

The enemy uses the same techniques on us – trying to lure us into sin by presenting us with things that are appealing and seem good.  He knows what whets our appetites and he watches our reactions to each attempt.  He is patient and quiet, and he knows just how to dangle that hook right in front of our faces so that when we get hooked, we don't even realize what has happened.

The Bible tells us to be big, mature fish (Christians).  A fish only gets big and mature by avoiding the temptation of the lure – in fact, most times, when a lure is dropped in the water, the mature fish will swim the other way.  It won't try to get a closer look (it has already seen others get yanked out of the water too many times), it won't dance around the lure or even try to smell it - the mature fish knows that the lure means danger and it avoids it at all cost.

As you run away from sin, the devil will try to find less experienced fish to prey on – oh, don't be fooled – he will NEVER leave you alone because he wants to bag the trophy fish, but he will turn his attention elsewhere until you make a mistake and he will try out a brand new and shiny lure to get you when you are at your weakest.

So if the devil won't ever completely leave us alone, what chance do we have to get big and fat (so to speak)?  The key is to stay where the devil won't go – in the Word.  You have to be so into God's Word that the devil will run away when you come around.  The power of the Word is such that the enemy MUST flee, he has no choice.  You also have to put on your armor every day – the day you forget is when a dart will come flying in from a distance and you will be vulnerable to attack.

The Word of God and the Armor of God – the best things to put in any tackle box!

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your Word.  I submit myself to You today and I ask that You lead me in the way that I should go.  I look to You for every direction and I submit every thought and every action to You.  I need Your Word to protect me against the attacks of the enemy and I will put on my armor every day so that I can stand with my brother and sisters against his attacks.  Thank You Father!

Have a blessed day my Brothers!

– Richard

I Hope So! – 1 Peter 1:13

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
– 1 Peter 1:13

I Hope So!
Hope is one of those catch-all words that can mean a lot of different things depending on who is hoping, and what they are hoping for.  As Christians, there is only one hope for us – or at least that's what it should be.

When I was a kid I used to hope for a lot of things.  Most of them would never come true but I hoped for them anyway.  Like most kids in our country, I was preoccupied with material things and satisfying my need for "stuff."  I used to wish and hope and dream and plan about things that I would never realize.  I remember one time hoping that I would be a millionaire so that I could buy myself a fire truck.  I was 6 at the time and if I remember correctly, the year before I hoped I could BE a fire truck!  That just shows the kind of silly things my imagination put priority on.

God built the need to hope in us.  So even though as kids we all hoped for silly things (I know I'm not the only one), it was because of the wonderful gift of hope that our Father in heaven, in His infinite wisdom, blessed us with.  He knew that one day, we would come to realize the fullness of the meaning of hope, and the one true reason He birthed it in us.  I believe He sits in eager anticipation of that Aha! moment when each of us recognizes Christ as our Savior and our one true Hope.

So understanding the hope that we now have, the bible tells us to prepare our minds for action and to keep sober in spirit!  Keep hoping and realize what and who you are – in Him!  The resurrected Christ is our King, and our Way to the Father, and we are given this blessed hope because He first loved us and called us to Himself!  It is nothing that we did or could ever do – it is only by grace that we were given this precious gift.

He is our eternal Life and our proclamation of Glory!  We need to share our hope with a world that has none – or that is hoping for material or worldly things.  We need to show them the difference that they can have in their lives by displaying the hope that we have!  We should be beacons of hope that will lead those with lost or misguided hope, to the Hope and to the Light of Christ!

Prayer
Father, I am so thankful for the hope that You have given me, in the gift of Christ.  Lord Jesus, you are my reason for being and my hope for the day when I will be with You in eternity.  You have brought joy to my life and I am forever grateful.  I pray that I can share that same hope with those who you bring across my path and that I never pass on an opportunity to share the Hope that I have in You!

Have a blessed day everyone!

–Richard 

You Have It In You! – Philippians 4: 11-13

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 

– Philippians 4: 11-13 

You Have It In You!

What kinds of challenges are you facing in your life?  Are there obstacles that seem to just come faster and faster like some out-of-control video game?  Have you reached the point where giving up is looking like a pretty good option?  Well where are you going to turn to get you past this trial?  How are you going to find the strength to come out victorious?  Who do you turn to for help?  What is your next move?

The obvious answer is to call out to your Father in heaven and ask for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and the wisdom to overcome.  The not so obvious answer is that after seeking the Father's face, to look within yourself.  Find the you that is there when you are at your best.  Dig deep, dig hard, and dig until you find the strength and the spirit that God created you with.  The human spirit that He, in His glorious wisdom, so generously poured into you so that you could realize how special you really are and how awesome He created you.

God will help you and the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and power from on high, and Jesus has given you the grace and love to remain humble, but in the end, our Triune God wants you to show the entire world the wonder that you are.  God did not create us to be weak and powerless - He created us with an incredible potential to overcome - to reach unreachable heights - to defeat the giants of this world, and to push beyond our familiar selves.  He gave each of us His seal of approval and He called us "good."

You and I are amazing and powerful beings - but we need to come to that realization of, and have the faith to know that God said it - and it is true - no ifs, ands, or buts about it!.  Just take a minute to reflect on all the things that you have made it through - God was there through it all.  Yes, the Holy Spirit also gave you the wisdom you needed to make right decisions, and yes, our Lord Jesus has saved you and He set your feet firmly on solid ground.  But you lived through it.  You survived.  You overcame because of the human spirit that our wonderful Father created inside of you.  You honored the power and the wisdom and the love of God by not giving up.

So now, in the midst of your trial, in the make-it-or-break-it time of your life, recall your victories and start praising God for creating you with the ability to walk through it all -  full of hope, full of joy, and full of life!

Prayer

Father I am so thankful for the human spirit that You designed me with.  You are constantly showing me that I can do anything as long as I put my faith and trust in you.  Each time I have had to reach deep and realize the strength that You have given me in order to walk when You told me to walk or to act when You told me to act, I have gained more confidence in You.  I know that it is not in my own abilities but by drawing close to you that those abilities become supernatural.  I am able to overcome anything the world throws at me - because You created me to live a victorious life!

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard

Dying to Live – John 12:24

24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone ; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
- John 12:24

Dying to Live
Can you recall the day or the time when your Christian "honeymoon" came to a screeching halt?  You know what I'm talking about...the day when the enemy finally took you seriously as a Christian and decided to put his full effort into seeing you stumble?  It could have been a major illness, or the loss of a job, or betrayal by a loved one; it could have been almost any negative thing that burst your baby Christian balloon.  That was a tough time wasn't it?  I mean, none of us could have been prepared for the full-on attack, and I think it's safe to say that almost none of us handled it all that well.

But do you remember when you finally realized that it was an attack and that God hadn't forgotten about you?  The revelation probably came about because some brother and/or sister in Christ came alongside and taught you how to pray for breakthrough – and prayed with you –  through your trial.  It was your first baby step towards becoming a mature Christian and it was then that God was able to advance you in ministry.

For me, divorce was the attack.  Don't get me wrong, I was as much to blame in the failed marriage as she was but the enemy used our past hurts (pre-Christian) to drive a wedge between us, so that as I drew closer to Christ, it pushed her into the waiting arms of the enemy.  I thought I was going to die through that experience.  I was so hurt and at first, like a spoiled child I blamed God, but with time and the help of praying brothers and sisters, I was able to grow and to see God as the Healer and my Redeemer.  I was able to see Him in a new light and I loved Him more than I ever did.

He restored me and He brought me to a new level in my walk, and when I was ready He brought me a wife who would challenge me to be a better man – and she still challenges me today.  He birthed in me a desire to share His Word and to help others who were hurting.  He expanded my capacity to serve and He showed me how to love – even when things aren't going well.  He brought me out of the dust of my despair and He lifted me up to heights I could never have imagined.

There have been many many trials since then and through each one, the enemy has tried to ruin my relationship with my Father – but God has seen me through each trial.  And through each trial, as I have looked to Him to sustain me, He has changed me and molded me into a new fruit tree.  And now, when I start going through a trial, I know that the enemy is at work trying to establish a stronghold in my life, and I am able to recognize it and I draw closer to my Father.  I draw near to Him and I start thanking Him for the new work that He is about to do in my life.  I start praising Him for the overabundance of joy that He will bring into my life and I am humbled because I know that He has a mission for me and that He has chosen me to further His kingdom.

Are you going through a trial?  Are there people at work who are trying to make you look bad?  Are you beginning to feel depressed about something that is out of your control?  Just know that God has something bigger and better in store for you.  All you have to do is draw close to Him.  Start praising Him and let the world see you smile (the enemy hates when you smile).  God is about to promote you and He is going to grow you into such a beautiful fruit tree and all who taste your offerings will know that God is great and that His love is far better than anything this world has to offer.

Prayer
Father, I am learning to count it joy whenever I am faced with a trial.  I have seen You bring me through so many tough times in my life, and through each one, I grow stronger in You. Thank You for being there and for sending Your Holy Spirit to comfort me and to help me keep my head held high.  You are my Joy and the Light of my life and I will praise You throughout my day.  

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

By Faith... – Hebrews 11:32-34

32 And what more shall I say ? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 
33 who by faithconquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. were
– Hebrews 11:32-34

By Faith...
What are you facing today?  How are you going to face it?  Do you have the faith to know that you will make it through successfully - no matter the outcome?  God is looking for that faith in His people.  The faith to believe and trust in Him.  To know, beyond a shadow of doubt that He is God.  The faith that will make Him smile and say to all of heaven, "You see!?  Here is my son!  Here is my daughter!  They get it - they can taste and see that I am their God!"  I think He loves those opportunities to boast on us.

Unfortunately, most of the time, we cower in the face of adversity.  I know there are times when I do.  And I know that it hurts God.  I can only imagine how disappointed He must be sometimes because I give in to fear and doubt when all I have to do is look up to Him.  He is a prayer away yet there are times when I am facing a real trial that I neglect Him altogether because I am so busy trying to figure it out on my own.  Even though I know He has brought me through before - many times before, and I can clearly account for each time He provided a miracle, I can still catch myself with little or no faith at all.

The good news is that God is so loving and patient with us that He will never turn His back on us.  He is always there to make a way.  The men in today's scripture still faced lions, and fire, and enemies, and weapons, and war, and on-and-on but the word says that by faith they conquered, they overcame, the performed, they were made strong and their enemies were put to flight.  By faith... not in their own abilities but in God. 

Prayer
Lord, thank You for always having my back.  Thank You for the love and patience that You show me each and every day.  You are always by my side.  I need to tell You how sorry I am for the times that I have doubted You and have given in to fear and doubt when facing trials in my life.  Even though I know that You are bigger than any trial that can come my way, I still tried to face them on my own.  Please forgive my neglect.  I pray for Your strength and wisdom Lord for every day of my life - not just when I am in trouble.  I just want You to know that I am trying everyday to get to know You better and to live by the Spirit's leading so that when the next trial comes, You will be first on my mind - with a smile and a cheerful heart.

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard

28 But as for me, how wonderful to be near God, to find protection with the Sovereign Lord and to proclaim all that he has done!
- Psalm 73: 28

Time for Some "Props"

I have been reflecting lately on how good God has been to me and it really surprised me to realize that I have been living in the Favor Of God yet I have not spent the time acknowledging His marvelous grace and goodness. Oh I have been singing His praises and I have been lifting Him up and definitely spending more time in His Word, but I haven't really thanked Him for the specific blessings that He has so graciously sent my way. Here is just a short list (for illustration purposes) that I want to thank Him for:

• My wonderful and beautiful wife (she is an angel)
• My health (even though I still suffer from arthritis, I know that without His help, I would not be doing well)
• My family (they love me despite knowing me)
• My grandchildren (they are a joy to behold)
• My job (I am productive and prosperous)
• My sanity (life is crazy good)
• My ability to laugh (my favorite blessing I think)
• My ability to see the good in people (I wasn't always able to)

. . . . . . and on-and-on . . . etc., etc.

I think it is good to thank Him for even the small and seemingly trivial things in our lives that are good - like being able to wiggle your toes for instance. Isn't it awesome to be able to do that?

Start reflecting on all of the things God has blessed you with today. I'm pretty sure you will start to see His providence and His love for you in the details of your day and in your life. Share some of those things with someone and let them know how good God is - He deserves the recognition!

Prayer
Lord thank You for my life. Thank You for making sure that everything I need to live has been taken care of - the clean air, the warmth of the sun, the light of the day, and the cool of the night. Thank You for being a God of details and for loving me so much. I pray that I can adequately proclaim the blessings that You have poured out for me and in so doing, glorify Your name to all those around me!

Have a blessed day everyone - and tell someone about it!

-Richard

6 No man can serve two masters. He cannot give his heart to two services at the same time. He cannot follow two callings successfully.

– Matthew 6:24 (People's New Testament)

Some Sticky Stuff

In my prayer time this morning, my conversation with God kept turning to situations of being double-minded.  I kept asking forgiveness for doing the things that I know I shouldn't be doing.  The list is fairly long and while there really isn't anything major (in my eyes anyway), the usual traps for me seem to always present themselves.  Things like, anger - traffic is the worst;  lust of the eyes - images are everywhere;  pride - I can do all things...because, well . . . I can do all things;  hate - some people just tend to bring it out in me;  greed - I want, I want, I want, and contempt - sometimes I just can't help it.

God knows all of my flaws (and now you know some of them too), but I know that He is working on these things with me.  I just wish that my pursuit of holiness wasn't riddled with re-occurring sin.  I know that as long as I'm alive I will sin - I mean, I'm under no illusions here but it would be nice to be able to wake up and know that the rest of my day will be holy - that I would be worthy to be called His child.  One day it will happen, but until then . . . 

So I was talking with God (back to my morning prayer time), and these images or descriptions of being double-minded kept popping up.  Two-faced, wishy-washy, straddling the fence, night and day, hot and cold, up and down, in and out, etc., etc.  I even had to stop and laugh at myself as I imagined God rolling His eyes as I went on-and-on.  But then this image of double-sided tape popped into my mind and I think that for my life anyway, it sums up being double-minded really well.

Double-sided tape is one of the greatest inventions there is (in my humble opinion).  For the Graphic Designer (me), it can be an invaluable tool for creating mock-ups of things like my package designs.  I've learned all the tricks for using it effectively but it as also ruined quite a few mock-ups.  The problems is that everything sticks to it!  "No Duh" you say?  "That's what it was invented for" you say?  Well I know this (thank you very much), but it takes practice using it so that only the things you want to stick get stuck. The problem with double-sided tape is that if you aren't very careful, you will end up letting something unintended touch one of the sides which will end up ruining your entire project.

No one wants sin sticking to them, but by being double-minded, the tug-o-war that will be played out in your life can cause some nasty consequences.  It isn't so much the sin itself (we all sin), but it's the mindset that you can continue to sin and that you have the sin under control and convincing yourself that you can clean up your act any time you want that will ruin your life.  It's allowing the sin to become part of who you are because you are double-minded that will drive you from God's presence.

Examine your life today.  Ask God to reveal any tendencies of double-mindedness in you.  He will help you to get off the fence - be light and not dark - be up and not down - be His and not the world's.  Life will be less messy and your relationship with Him will be so much more fulfilling and blessed.

Prayer

Lord thank You for bringing to my mind all of the ways in which I allow sin to stick to my life.  I repent of being double-minded and I ask that Your Holy Spirit cleans me of that mindset and help me to remain focussed on You as I go through my day.  I know that my life will be more fruitful by keeping my eyes firmly fixed on You and seeking Your will for my life.  I praise You and I devote this day to You.

Have a blessed day my Brothers!

Our Great God! – Job 35:9-11

9 "Men cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. 
10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, 
11 who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?'
- Job 35: 9-11

Our Great God!
When do you find yourself crying out to God more - when you are going through a trial or when everything is going great?  If you are like me (and I had to take a hard and honest  look at this), then you lean more towards the trial side of things.  Why do we do this?  


I know that when everything is going well for me, I can get into an automatic pilot mode and just assume that God must be pleased with the way I am living so I just go happily about my days,  and except for my morning prayer time or my devotion time, there are times when I don't really give Him much thought.  I have really needed to repent of this kind of cavalier approach to my Creator.


I have come to realize that God is not a tool to use when I need to get out of a tight spot - like some omnipotent slim-Jim that will get me back in the driver seat when I've been locked out of my "normal" life.  He shouldn't be regarded as a quick-fix for my problems.  He is not a genie in a bottle to be used and called upon only when we want something, and I feel so ashamed for the times I have treated Him like that.


God is "the lover of my soul!"  He is the one who painstakingly designed each hair, each pore, each cell of skin and He molded me and shaped me and gave me breath.  He is the one who has taken me through my life, and He washed me clean of all my sin, by sacrificing what was most precious to Him - His Son - just so I could be with Him.  He is God of ALL things and He deserves better than what I give Him - better than what we all give Him.


He deserves All of our praise All of the time in All of our circumstances.  He would love to hear from you today too.  Why don't you take a few minutes and just let Him know how much you appreciate ALL that He has done for you.  Take some time to Love Him today!


Prayer
Father I just want to let You know how sorry I am for taking You for granted sometimes.  I must sound like a spoiled brat - only wanting my way and whining and complaining when things aren't just right.  I repent of that way of thinking and living.  I just want You to know that I love You.  I am so grateful for the life that You have given me and for taking the time to speak truth into my life.  I know that without You I can do nothing and I would be nothing so on this day, I give myself to You and I say "Here I am Lord, Take my life and use me - Let me be Your arms extended and show me how I can serve You.  


Have a blessed day everyone!


-Richard

You Better Believe IT! – Hebrews 10:22-23

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies 
washed with pure water. 
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
- Hebrews 10: 22-23

You Better Believe IT!
Have you ever made an important promise and had the person you made the promise to look at you like they didn't believe you?  How did that make you feel?  Even when you tried to explain that you were sincere, and that you would follow through and deliver, and that they could trust your word . . . you could still see doubt in their eyes?  It's not only frustrating but it hurts to know that someone doesn't believe in you.


Imagine how God feels!

He gave us a promise and then went so far as to seal it with the blood of His Son.  Jesus even came to earth and lowered Himself to take on a human body and then lived in a time when the things that were considered modern conveniences were animal skin flasks, sandals, dirt floors, and dust in your food.  It wasn't a pleasant time to live in, but He did it, and He put up with all that humanity had to offer. You know, things like scourging and stoning, and ultimately crucifixion.  He did it all to show us that He was willing to give Himself, under any circumstance, so that we could receive the fullness of His promise.

That's pretty hefty stuff - but I think for many of us who call ourselves "believers," the real understanding of exactly what has been promised to us still escapes us. I don't think it is necessarily out of a lack of love or respect for our Father, it's simply that we live in a "show me" world.  Unless we can see miracles, and feel the Holy Spirit breathing on the back of our necks, we hold on to our faith with cautious optimism instead of total abandon.

I have struggled with this throughout my Christianity and there have been times when I have doubted God's presence if I wasn't able to feel it.  Most of my disbelief has been with God wanting to do things – for me.  I have never doubted that He can, and will do miracles for other people, I have always just had a problem believing that I would be healed, or that God would want to use me - for anything.  I know that kind of thinking isn't right, and I have dealt with my doubts and my questions, and I now have a much better understanding of the relationship that I have with Jesus, and my Father, and the Holy Spirit, but it has been a process.

How about you?  Have you ever doubted God?  Have you not believed His promises with total abandon? You know, God said it so it must be so type of stuff?  If so, join me this week in reflection and repentance.  Ask God to forgive your unbelief and I believe that He will take us all to new heights in our walks.  I believe that as He renews our doubting hearts, and refreshes our bodies with Living Water, we will grow closer to Him and our love for Him and our faith in Him, will grow beyond our understanding. We will be transformed, our faith will be strengthened, and our Father in Heaven will be High and LIfted Up!

Prayer
Father forgive my unbelief.  Forgive me for doubting Your Word and for taking for granted all that You have done to ensure my promise in You.  I need You to help me put aside my own thoughts and understanding of how and why You chose me for Your kingdom so that I an be totally available to You - heart, body, and mind.  I want to be the man You have called me to be and I know that I can be - because You promised me that I would be.
Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard 

Who Are You? – 1 Corinthians 15:10

10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that He gave me was not without effect.  On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.
– 1 Corinthians 15:10

Who Are You?


There is a musical group called "Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians" and they have a song called "What I Am" - here are a few of the lyrics:

What I am is what I am, 
are you what you are or what?
Oh I'm not aware of too many things,
I know what I know if you know what I mean. 

In my mind, that kind of sums up the world view on self realization.  Everyone thinks they know who they are and they know that everything they know is the right thing to know.  They are so certain of themselves and the way they think that they won't even consider that God exists - only that they exist.  What a sad way to live.

I know who I am, and I know what I am, but most importantly, I know THAT I am because God saved me from myself and the certain death I was headed for.  I know what I know because He lives in me and I can see, through the power of the Holy Spirit, a world that is hurting and in need of a Savior.  I have compassion for them because He had compassion for me and He pulled me out of the pit of despair.  He set my feet upon a rock - and now I know!

I love you, my brothers and sisters and this I know - God loves you - Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit has your back!  No matter what you are going through, no matter how difficult it might seem at the moment, the Love and the Grace and the Peace of Christ is always with you - to strengthen you - this day, and all the days of your life.

Prayer
Lord, I pray that the love and grace and peace that You showed me all those years ago, be showered on my brothers and sisters and that this day, they are able to know that You are with them - no matter what they are going through.  I pray Lord that the warmth and comfort of Your Holy Spirit envelope each one of them as they face their day.  Help me Lord, that by Your grace, I would be able to demonstrate Your love to someone in need today. 

Have a blessed day everyone - and know that you are who you are - because of who He is!

-Richard

2 God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. This is the kind of God I have and I'm telling the world! This is the God of my father - I'm spreading the news far and wide!
– Exodus 15:2

Sing!
Did you start the day singing the Blues or did you start the day singing praises to our God?  I know I could have started singing the blues.  I just got in to work and my day is already in full-swing.  I haven't even had a chance to peruse the latest sports headlines like I usually do (I know - isn't that awful!).  Phones have been ringing, and emails needed answering, and the package art that was supposed to be done last week needed a last-minute change . . .  and then I was told that the  audio files that absolutely need to be sent for replication today (no ifs ands or buts!), are going to be delayed a few days, and because of ALL of this commotion . . . my coffee (which I haven't had time to drink) is stone-cold!  Blues - Blues - Blues (and a weird off-shade of purple!).

But I've chosen instead to start singing this little made-up praise to the Lord -

"God is Great!
He's never never late!
He never makes mistakes!
And He'll help me through this mess - NO MATTER WHAT IT TA-A-A-AKES!
He always gives me PEP!
He knows my every step!
He laughs when I dance and sing!
He created everything!
OH-OH-OH,  God is Great!

(sung to the tune of whatever is in your head right now).

I know, I know - not exactly a chart buster, but It has put me in the right mood to take care of all the tasks I have before me.  It has also put me in the right frame of mind to remember that all of the stresses and distraction that will come my way today are just passing moments that really are meaningless in the big picture of my life in Christ.  I can sing and be close to Him all day long – and I know that He does delight in my silly made-up songs.  After all, they are His gift to me to get me through my day.

How about you?  What can you sing about that will delight the Lord?  It doesn't have to be silly (not all of us are the silly type).  But if you try praising Him about who He is in the midst of your trial, He will delight in helping you get through it.

Prayer
Lord, may I always sing silly made-up praise songs because they remind me of Your love for me.  I pray that I can find joy in the midst of any circumstance and I hope that others can see Your love through my silliness.  I give the rest of my day to You Lord, and I lift up songs of praise and thanksgiving to let You know how much I love You!

Have an awesome day everyone!

–Richard

Fixinta Rest – Isaiah 26:3; 30:1

O God, you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on you; for in returning and rest we shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be our strength.
– Isaiah 26:3; 30:1

Fixinta Rest
In Texas, we all say "fixinta..." like "I'm fixinta go to the store." or Are ya'll fixinta leave?"  In this passage though, I think we should all be "fixinta" rest.  Keeping our minds "fixed" or focused, or concentrating on our God, our Creator, our Champion, our Savior . . . the Lover of our very souls.  If we do that then the rest of the business and/or troubles of the day will have to take a rest - a back seat if you will, to what God's has planned for us.

We have to learn to fix our minds on His ways and quiet our own selfish desires - our desires for physical well being.  Things like financial security, material possessions, relationships, and even good health are not really that important to God.  He is more concerned with our spiritual well-being.  Our relationship with Him and with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Our ability to hear His voice and to think on Him first.  Our faith that He will supply all of our needs.  Our understanding that He is God.  He is the author of life and the Creator and designer of each and every one of us.  He is concerned that we be strong in that knowledge so that we can be used by Him to reach the lost.

Our reward is not in this life and we should be looking for more opportunities to quiet ourselves, to fix our minds on Him, and to be strong by reading, and absorbing, and trusting His Word.

Prayer
Lord I pray that can find that rest and strength in Your loving arms.  I know that I can get too busy and it is easy to forget why I'm here and I am so sorry for neglecting You.  I know I need to always keep my mind fixed on You so that I can find the strength and peace and rest that You are so willing to give . . . but I confess that I keep focusing on me and what my selfish desires are.  Forgive me Lord and help me to grow closer to You each day.  I need Your help to remain fixed in Your embrace.

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard

Forgiveness is the key – Genesis 50:19-20

19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 

20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

– Genesis 50:19-20

Forgiveness is the key

The enemy is set out to destroy us because of our love of Christ and he will use anything in his power to make us fall.  His favorite tool to use is to set those we love against us – our friends and our families.  The people closest to us who can sometimes treat us worse than enemies because it is assumed they will be forgiven. Those are the people that Satan will set against us, and most of the time it isn't anything that they have purposed to do, it is just out of everyday living that pettiness, jealousies, or even simple misunderstandings can escalate into real hurts, which can be deeply felt; wounds that can cut to the heart and are so hard to understand because they came from those who are supposed to be on our side.  After all, people who love you aren't supposed to hurt you . . . are they?  Unfortunately, it can be those we love that hurt us most – and whom we hurt in return.

God knows the pain that can come from those you love.  After all, He experiences it every day.  The rejection of His love and forgiveness is worldwide, yet He still forgives and He still loves us.  We must ask for His help in forgiving those who have hurt us.  It is only through forgiveness that God can heal our wounded hearts and restore our lives.  Our ability to forgive others is directly related to His ability to accomplish the good that He has called us to.  If we remain bitter then we are not good examples of His grace and compassion – we are not good witnesses.

Let us all search our hearts this Valentine's day and see if there isn't someone we need to forgive and then ask God to give you the strength to do it.  I know we will all feel better and our Father will honor our efforts!

Prayer

Lord, help me to recognize the unforgiveness that I am still holding on to.  Help me to have the strength and the courage to forgive and to love those who have wronged me.  I ask your forgiveness for the pride in my heart that has kept me from forgiving before now.  Teach me to love like You love so that I can be a light to this hurting world.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone - Have a great and blessed Day!

– Richard

Sing Aloud Upon Your Beds – Psalm 42:8

8 May the Lord show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life. (Good News Translation)
– Psalm 42:8

Sing aloud upon your beds!
The Lord loves you!  He cares for you and He walks with you and He sits with you every minute, of every day – Rejoice!  

It's easy to remember that when everything is going well and the sun is shining and Spring has sprung . . . but what about when things aren't going so well?  


God is still right there!


He's waiting for us to acknowledge Him and to discuss our problems with Him.  He delights in turning our cloudy days into bright smiles and having us become a witness of the great and awesome love that He has for us.  It is when others, who know we are going through hard times, see us walking in victory—when it is clear that we should have stayed in bed—that God is displayed and glorified.  It is those times that the light that lives within us shines brightly . . . despite our circumstances.

Remembering that He is right there with us isn't always easy, but with practice, it becomes quite comfortable and even though the world, (and other Christians for that matter), would understand us moping around with our heads hung low, they can only watch amazed at how gracefully we seem to go through trials.  As we acknowledge Him and celebrate His love for us throughout our day, He gives us songs to sing aloud upon our beds (try not to wake up your spouse)!

Prayer
Lord You are my best friend.  You know when things are going wrong and when life seems to be ganging up on me –  but I am so thankful that I only need to whisper Your name and you always bring a smile to my lips.  May I learn to always acknowledge you first on both my bad days and good days so that my conversations with you become a natural, easy part of who I am.  I am so grateful for Your loving attention during my day and I thank You for the peace You give me as I lay my head to rest each night.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Looking Out for #1 – Philippians 2:3-4

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
– Philippians 2:3-4

Looking Out for #1
Being that we really can't fully understand all that Christ gave up in order to come to earth and take the form of man, it is difficult to appreciate the examples He gave us of humility and how to serve one another.  I mean He is the King of Glory yet He came to earth and lived through some of the harshest circumstances imaginable.  He lowered Himself and allowed unthinkable acts to be committed to Him in order that we might live out eternity in His presence – and He did it with gentleness, and peace, and kindness, and love, and forgiveness.

I know some Christians who have the mindset that in order to get what you want, you have to be rude and make a lot of noise and be so insistent that others will give you almost anything in order to avoid further conflict.  It makes me cringe when I hear stories like that because I know that type of behavior should not even be a part of a Christian's personality.  I mean, that kind of behavior is contrary to the fruit of the Spirit and is more like the result of sin.

Now I know that not all of us are like that . . . but what about having to wait in line at the grocery store?  Is the fruit of patience evident in you then?  What about when your inconsiderate neighbor has a loud and rowdy party and their guests leave beer bottles in your yard or on your car – how's your forgiveness and kindness working then?  How about a coworker who talks about you behind your back all the time – is your love, gentleness, and long-suffering on display at work?

We all experience "life" and everything that it has to offer – both good and bad.  It's easy to be quick to point the finger when others are doing wrong but if we take a good look at ourselves I think we can call to mind a time or two when we weren't such good Christian examples – especially when we think of what Christ endured so that we could have salvation to begin with.

So the next time you are really wronged, or the next time someone gets on your last nerve, or the next time someone takes your parking spot, just remember that your fruit is showing (positive and negative) and that you can do more to further the kingdom with a smile and a wave than with a frown and a stare (I know I need to work on this when I'm driving - my wife calls it "The Chavez Stare!")

Prayer
Father thank You for reminding me that You humbled Yourself and gave up all that You had in order that I might see heaven one day.  I am so sorry for being so self-centered and short-sighted sometimes.  I want others to be able to see You and to think of You when they are with me so please help me Lord - help me to think before I act.  Help me to remember Your sacrifice so that I can humble myself and show love, compassion, and patience which I know will always bring peace to any situation.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit!

Have a blessed day everyone (and an awesome weekend too)!

– Richard