Ain't It AWESOME! – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

9  God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ.  
10 He died for us, a death that triggered life.  Whether we are awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we are alive with Him!  
11 So speak encouraging words to one another.  Build up hope so you will all be together in this – no one left out, no one left behind.  I know you are already doing this – just keep doing it!
– 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Ain't It AWESOME!

I love this scripture because it quickly reminds me how much God loves us.  Yes, He loves us – YOU AND ME!  In His perfect wisdom, He knew we needed a Savior – not just so that we can go about our daily business, living life and all that that brings here on earth, but even when we pass from this world and on to the next – with Him!  Do you know what that means?  Can you grasp the awesomeness of it all?

The same Christ – the One who we all look forward to living in eternity with, is already here with us!  We have Him with us – in ALL His magnificence and Glory!  We don't have to look forward – we just have to look inward!  The same Peace; the same Joy; the same Love; the same Forgive-ability-ness; the One and Only Christ is HERE . . . right NOW . . . WITH US!  

So REJOICE!  

WE LIVE WITH CHRIST!

  –  Victorious!  

  –  Righteous!  

  –  Free from condemnation!  

We are His chosen priesthood, designed from the beginning of the world to share in His love and amazing grace – right now and forever – AMEN!  

Remember this the next time you start getting down on yourself or when life starts seeming a little too "much" (or even a lot too much)!  Remember who is inside you – giving you the strength to get through it and cheering you on.  Remember that He willingly became YOUR sin (and mine), so that He could defeat it forever, and you will never, never, never have to be slave to it again!  Remember ALL that He has delivered you from so that you can encourage those around you.  Walk in the fullness of Christ, who is ALWAYS with you, and you will see miracles . . . not only in your life but in the lives of anyone and everyone you come in contact with.

THANK YOU JESUS!

Prayer
Father, thank You for giving me life through Your Son Jesus.  I pray that I will always remember that I have Him HERE with me NOW!  May I be a blessing to someone today by building them up and speaking encouragement into their lives.  Also, let me accept encouragement from others in all humility.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Hope and Encouragement

7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us;

8  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed ; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 

11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
– 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 (English Standard Version)

Hope and Encouragement
It's only just barely Wednesday and already, this has been a long and tiring week – at least it has felt that way to me!  The rainy weather has my old friend arthritis playing havoc on my body, and work has been crazy, and even though I got them done last night, the stresses of having to get the taxes done has taken its toll, and the fact that I've been neglecting my school work and the semester looms ahead has me all stressed out, and-on-and-on, etc., etc., (now would be a good time for someone to play me a hauntingly sad song on the violin).  Add not feeling well and having no energy to the mix, and all I wanted to do today was crawl back into bed and sleep until weekend.  I know I can't do that though (sigh), . . . and so I press on.

How about you?  Has your week been as crazy, and tiring, and stressful as mine?  We all have different things that we are going through, and we are all affected in many different ways.  We can choose to give in to the pains, and the pressures, and the stresses, and use them as an excuse to escape from the world, but I think the Lord would rather we remember His Word that says, ALL of this happens "...so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies." 

He does not, and He will not, give us more than we can handle (even though it may seem too much when we are in the moment), but He wants us to continually look to Him for our strength – our energy – our peace – our rest – our healing, and our delivery.  Christ IN us can do anything!  He will be our champion when we feel like we can't do one . . . more . . . thing.

He will be our smile and He will be our joy when we are so distraught, and sick, and tired, and stressed, and it seems like life has no meaning.  He will carry us when we feel like we are too weak to move.  He is so that we can be!  So let's look to Him today! Let's cry out to Jesus with eyes and arms and spirits lifted up! Let's show Jesus that we believe what He says and we are willing and ready to receive the life that only He can give us. 

Because according to God's Word to us, we may be afflicted in every way – but we will NOT be crushed. We may be perplexed about our situations – but if we look to Him we will NOT be driven to despair. We will be persecuted by the world – but because He is our Lord we will NOT be forsaken. We may, from time-to-time be struck down – but because of His shed blood, we will NOT be destroyed. 

He is our Deliverer, and He is our Redeemer, and He is our Portion! 

Thank You Jesus!

Prayer
Lord, I am so tired.  I have had a tough week and I need You right now.  I need You to help me to do the things I need to get through my day.  I know that in You I can do it all, and so I am asking You to be my strength and my energy today.  I need You to carry me a few steps so that I can get the momentum from Your love and joy.  Just a jump-start Lord – that's all I need right now, then I can carry You with me throughout the rest of my day. Thank You Lord – You are always there for me, and You never neglect me.  I love You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

The Cross Roads – Luke 23: 26-27 / 32-33

26 As they led Jesus away, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country just then, was forced to follow Jesus and carry his cross. 
27 Great crowds trailed along behind, including many grief-stricken women. 
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 
33 Finally, they came to a place called The Skull.  All three were crucified there – Jesus on the center cross, and the two criminals on either side. 
– Luke 23: 26-27 / 32-33

The Cross Roads
Do you remember the road that led you to the Cross?  Perhaps you skipped down the road as a child and have spent the majority of your life celebrating the Love and Grace of our Savior;  maybe you crawled down it after leaving a bar  or a night of partying;  maybe you traveled down the road for 40 or 50 years and after a life of searching, finally reaching the Cross.  Or maybe, like me, you were drawn to the Cross after a life of defeat, and despair, and perverted living – the Lord reaching down from heaven, rescuing you and walking hand-in-hand all the way to the Cross.  Regardless of how you got there, the point is that you got there, and once there, our Lord Jesus changed your life forever.


Jesus took a very different road.  The road He took was filled with betrayal, and hate, and chaos, and confusion.  It was lined with jeering crowds, weeping women, and Roman soldiers.  It was paved with the blood and sweat of criminals past who were led to their deaths in the same way He was being led . . . or was it?


As I was reflecting on the events of Good Friday, I began to look at it from a different perspective; I began to imagine seeing everything from heaven's perspective.  Looking down at the events of that day,  I began to see a road filled with joy and celebration. A road lined with choirs of angels singing the praises of our King – "Glory, Glory, Glory to the Lamb – He is the Righteous King who takes away the sins of the world!"  I began to see a road paved with gold and pearls and diamonds, shining brightly in the sun as Jesus, dressed in brilliant robes of white and purple, and crowned with brilliant light marching purposefully and gracefully into victory over sin and death!


This was The Plan after-all; the saving Grace of our Father setting His seal upon His people – giving us the keys to the kingdom so that we could face Him through the unblemished blood of His perfect Son.  This was His way of saying, "You are my beloved children and I will walk with you in the cool of the morning, and we will fellowship in the mansions of heaven - forever!"  What an awesome and  wonderful Father we have!


Yes, this was a horrible day as humanity reared its ugliest head and showed how truly evil we can be – but it was a Glorious day that was carefully planned, and perfectly executed, and triumphantly realized . . . just for us . . . just for you . . . and just for me!  Thank You Jesus!


Take some time today to reflect on the road that got you to the Cross.  Thank the Father and our Lord Jesus for guiding you there. Thank the Holy Spirit for giving you the power to live this Victorious Life.  Live this day – for Him, and reflect His Love, and His Grace, and His Compassion to those you meet today.  Celebrate the day as I believe it was celebrated in heaven – with singing and rejoicing, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty!  He saw me and He saved me!  He rescued me from uncertainty and I will dwell in the house of the Lord - forever!"


Prayer
Lord You are a mighty and an awesome God.  Your plan to redeem mankind was perfect and I thank You for remembering me and for leading me to the cross.  My life is so different than it was and I am so grateful.  You reached down to me and You lifted me out of my sin and You held me to Your chest – what a glorious day that was!  I will celebrate this day and I will let Your light shine through me as I go through my routine so that others might be drawn down the road to the cross.  I love You my Lord!


Have a blessed day everyone!


– Richard

Beast of Burden – Luke 19:35

35 They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on.

– Luke 19:35 MSG

Beast of Burden

The colt . . . the lowly colt of the lowly donkey . . . designed, created, crafted for a life of service, a life of toil, a life so ordinary and filled with hardness and never-ending labor; the only peace it will ever know is when it is no longer any use and is set aside to await its final rest. 

Ah . . . but what an amazing life! This lowly colt, tethered and owned, and awaiting it's tumultuous life; this "beast of burden," has a place forever in the pages of scripture as the very vessel which ushered in the King of Kings – our Lord – our Savior – our Beautiful Redeemer! What a wonderful way to start your career eh? I mean if even the rocks knew who Jesus was, surely this simple-minded beast knew, and walked as tall and proudly as it could as it carried our Lord through the streets of Jerusalem. The finest hour of any animal ever to parade through any town, any time, and anywhere.  This was THE gig - the big time - the BIg Show!

But was the colt the real Beast of Burden in this story?  Hmmmm . . . I'd like to think the real "Beast" in this story was the Burden that our Lord was carrying upon His shoulders. The knowledge – oh the very real knowledge of exactly what He must do . . . the weight of the entire world, present and every future generation, riding and cutting, and digging, and burning into His very flesh with each step of the colt's hoof against cobbled stone.  What a beast that load must have been! What a horrible burden our Lord had to carry.  A burden He gladly and willingly accepted as He purposefully made His way through those crooked and dusty streets.

I imagine He could see into the hearts of every soul, and He could hear every heart-beat of every person watching, and cheering (some jeering), as the "parade" marched along. As Jesus, the man, the terror must have been unbearable, but as Jesus/God, the purpose and the promise made from the beginning of time, drove Him onward - keeping the resolve. The conflict between man's Flesh and God's Love all wrapped in one, sitting on a lowly colt, marching through the crowds of unsuspecting, undeserving, un-repenting souls – a slow-moving procession if ever there was one!

We all carry burdens don't we? The burden of our children, our careers, our family and friends, our communities, our countries, our world . . . does it ever end?  The real problem is that we hold onto our burdens; like tight-fisted monkeys not willing to give up the grain of rice, we stay captive in our own unwillingness. Our unwillingness to just open our hands, palm-up, and fingers-wide – stretched high over our heads in complete surrender to the one who already took care of all of it.  Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ! He resolved all of it! He Overcame it completely and with undisputed finality! He handed to each of us the Victory over all of our burdens . . . now we just have to be willing to believe it, and accept it, and then live like we have.

Don't get me wrong, we will always have burdens, but what I'm saying is that our Lord, already resolved all of our worries, and our cares,and our hurts, and anything and everything else that is keeping us awake at night. We just need to believe it! We just need to give it up because we weren't designed to carry these burdens; because no matter what we do, no matter how much we worry, no matter how many nights we lay awake stressing over our lives . . . the only One who can do anything about it . . . already has!

Jesus is your solution, and He is my solution . . . to ALL of it!  Let's believe it, and then let's let our faces know that we believe it.  The smile that results will let the rest of the world see that we have the answer to overcoming any and ALL of life's "little" burdens. The Answer . . . the Solution . . . the Victory . . . IS JESUS!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for carrying that terrible burden and for enduring the hardship and the suffering so that we could have victorious lives. Thank You for Your Sacrifice for us.  Lord I am so sorry for the worry, and for doubt, and for the despair that I know I can hold on to for far too long. As I get to know You better, I am learning to "give it up" that much sooner but I know I still struggle sometimes.  Help me Lord to always go to You first because I know that You are my answer, You are my Healer, You are my Victory over ALL of my burdens.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Would You Be Invited? – John 2:1-2

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.  Jesus' mother was there, 
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
– John 2:1-2

Would You Be Invited?
As Christians, it is our responsibility to show the light of Christ to the rest of the world.  From everything I have read in the Bible, Jesus was a fun guy to be around.  He liked to tell great stories, He liked to work hard, He liked to go fishing, He served His friends by feeding them, He enjoyed a good stroll, He wasn't judgmental, and He always had compassion for people – even the people nobody else cared about.  It's no wonder that he would be invited to eat with sinners, to stay at their home, and to be invited to the most important of celebrations – the joining of a new couple in marriage.  People just wanted Him around – I'm sure He just made every gathering better.

How about you?  How about me?  Are we good to have around?  Do we make the atmosphere better wherever we are?  Oh, I know that at church we are all at our best and we love everybody, but what about when we are not at church?  Would your coworkers invite you to their parties and gatherings?  Here's the kicker – would you go?  Would you be willing to subject yourself to crude language and possible drunkenness?  Would you be the life of the party or would you make everyone feel uneasy because they know you are a "Christian?"

"What would Jesus do" is a popular saying these days but we need to apply it in all situations because if You take the Bible as truth (and I know you do), then Jesus would be the guy at the party that everyone wants to talk to.  He would be serving the dip and starting the conga line, and finding chairs for all the ladies.  He would be helping to clean up after everyone else has gone home, and He would be the first one on the next invitation list.

I think we need to start being a part of this world.  Otherwise, how is anyone going to see Love in action?  How is the myth that Christians are uptight and no fun going to be busted if we keep ourselves safely cocooned within the Christian community?  The bible tells us that we need to shine our light from the hilltops but for some reason we hide ourselves away and the only light we shine is towards those who already have their own light.  We need to be willing to let our light expose us to some things that maybe we are uncomfortable with so that Jesus can be shared – with everybody.

I'm not suggesting that we go out drinking and partying all night, but I am saying that we need to be such positive forces in our circles of influence that our un-churched coworkers and acquaintances want to be around us and they want their friends to get to know us.  We should be such a good thing, maybe the only good thing, in their lives that they would make it a point to add us on their invitation lists.  When we can do that, then we will show Jesus the way He deserves to be shown – as The God who loves people and desires to be involved in every aspect of their lives.

Prayer
Father thank You for the example that Jesus set for us to follow.  I pray that I can be a very good influence in the lives of my coworkers and friends.  Forgive me for not being willing to expose myself to things outside the church.  How selfish I have been!  Thank You for opening my eyes so that I can see that this world needs to see You through my willingness to be there.  Help me to love like You love so that the light of Christ can shine brightly in my life - for everyone.

Have a blessed day and a great weekend everyone!

– Richard

Reach Up! – 2 Corinthians 1:8

9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
– 2 Corinthians 1:8

Reach Up!
When I was a kid, my brothers and my friends and I would all gather in front of my house and we would sit on the curb on summer evenings and we would play the "cut" game.  We would all take turns "cutting each other down" to see who could come up with the funniest "cut" line.  It was ALWAYS funny when someone else was the target (not so much when it was my turn), so when it was my friend Alex' turn, someone came up with this line in reference to how short he was (and he was VERY short):  Alex is so short - he has to look UP to see DOWN!

For some reason, that line has always stayed with me and it came to my mind again when I was doing my devotion time this morning and I read this scripture.  In order to have to look up to see down, a person would have to be at a real low point – I mean rock bottom – having to look THROUGH themselves in order to see themselves. I picture it as someone who has been slammed down so hard that the force has jammed their top side down past their bottom side, and now they are inverted by the shear power of the slam.

Ever felt that way?  I have.  What did you do when it happened?  Did you wallow around in the muck of your own self pity like I used to do?  I was a champion at it – oh, poor me . . . I might as well not even exist because nobody loves me . . . wah, wah, wah – whine, whine, whine – boo-hoo, boo-hoo!

So what changed for me?  One day, when I was in a particularly low-low-low spot (I had to get a step ladder so that I could climb to a place where I could look up to see down), I noticed that despite my best efforts to convince them otherwise, nobody would climb down to join me in my pity party.  So instead of trying to see down, I decided to look up to see up.  I decided to cry out to Jesus.  You know what?  He reached down and He pulled me out of my despair.  He changed my heart and He changed my mind.  He changed the way I looked at my situations.

Notice that I didn't say He changed my situations.  We are ALWAYS going to have situations.  We are always going to face adversity and we will ALL always have to go through our trials.  He changed my attitude and my outlook when I am facing those situations, and adversities, and trials.  He let me know that when my world comes crashing down around me and I am feeling pressed down to a point where I feel as if I've been handed a death sentence, all I have to do is look up – and reach out – and call on Him.  He raises dead people up, and He can, and will reach down to you, and He will be your portion in time of need.

He is Jesus!  He is the risen King!  He is Lord, and He loves you so very much!  So next time you are feeling your world crashing in around you, look up to see Jesus – HE IS ALL YOU NEED!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for always being there when I call Your name.  Thank You for being the one constant in my life, and for showing me the way to overcome my trials.  I pray for my brothers and sisters who are going through adversity right now.  I ask Lord, that You would put an urgency in their heart to look up.  Compel them to reach out and take hold of Your hand.  Show them that they can move up out of despair, and into the abundance of Your wonderful blessing. 

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard 

I'm NOT "That Guy" Anymore – Genesis 32:27-28

27 And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 

28 Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."
– Genesis 32:27-28

I'm NOT "That Guy" Anymore
Last night I wasn't feeling very well and I was home by myself – so I took the opportunity to have some quiet time with the Lord. In our conversation, He took me all the way back to the events that led up to my accepting His invitation to join Him in this brand new life.  It was kinda cool to relive the way He carefully designed each step of the way so that I could go from despair to a new excitement and a zeal for my new life. I recalled how after the excitement and joy of giving my life to Jesus had a chance to calm down a bit, He came to me and asked "what is your name?" . . . with a sly smile on His face.

I knew my name of course, but I could no longer associate it with the person I was before.  I could imagine Him nodding and smiling as I tried to go through all of the old ways of describing me:
Liar
Thief
Coward
Drug Addict
Sneak
Sex Addict
Damaged
Abused

Angry

Violent

Stupid

No-Good

Worthless

No-Account

Failure

Weakling

Untrustworthy
Flawed
Scarred
Sinner

He was smiling because He knew that that old man didn't exist anymore.  He smiled because He could hardly contain His excitement as I came to the realization that I was walking from death into blessing and that my future was paved with light and grace.  I was about to start on a new journey with Jesus and my new name was Hope, and Peace, and Friend, and Forgiven, and, and Redeemed, and Victorious!  I was a living example of God's Grace in Christ.

I can sometimes forget about that experience – especially when I'm going through tough times.  I can see the old me in the rear-view mirror, you know - appearing larger than I really was, and I know that if I'm not careful to guard the quiet places in my heart, the enemy will find a way to work his way back in.  I am so thankful that Jesus' love is so strong that it keeps me refreshed.  And in Him,  I can keep moving forward and the enemy can just keep chasing me – because I am riding with Jesus, and He doesn't even have a rear-view mirror.

Take some time to remember your salvation experience today.  Thank God for taking the time to wrestle with you as you made the decision to accept Jesus into your heart.  Thank Him that you are no longer who you used to be and the new you is wonderful and marvelous and full of joy and light.  Claim the blessings that are yours and hold your head high because you are a child of God!  Share the Joy of the Lord with someone today!

Prayer
Father,  Thank You for giving me a new name and a new identity.  I pray that I never forget the depths of where I came because I know that it will keep my rejoicing fresh and new each day.  Help me to stay focused on You as I go about the busyness of today – I want to show others just a small portion of the love You showed me.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Blue Light Special! – Psalm 104:33-34

33 I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
    –Psalm 104:33-34

Blue Light Special!

What do you do when you are feeling blue?  Some people like to shop, treating themselves to something nice in order to pick themselves up.  Some people like to eat . . . but we all know the consequences of that trap.  Some people like to wallow in their misery and even use it to seek validation from others who feel sorry for them.

I have found that the very best way to overcome the blues is to praise God.  It works every time.  There is absolutely no way you can continue to feel bad after you have poured out your heart to the Lord in song.

Can't sing you say?  No problem – there are lots of good worship CDs or you can download music from the internet.  There's also the radio if you happen to be a low-tech kind of person.  And even if you couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, God doesn't care what you sound like.  Sing your praises to Him, off-key and at the top of your lungs. Be proud of that awful voice of yours and make sure the neighbors can hear too!  They might just find Jesus (you never know!).

The point is that it doesn't matter the abilities you do or don't have, it doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter how bad you feel, and it doesn't even matter if you make up the words as you go along – the point is to sing.  Sing praises to God with everything that is in you!  He will hear you and He will minister to you as you minister to Him.  And even if it's just for a few minutes that you feel better about your situation, a few minutes can be a wonderful start to turning your focus off of your situation and back on to Him and how wonderful He is and the marvelous things He has done in your life and will continue to do.

Let's face it, we all go through times of depression and doubt – it's one of the many tools the enemy uses to take our focus off of our Savior.  It's recognizing when those time are upon us and conditioning ourselves to react positively by having a praise plan at the ready.  We do it for other disasters right?  How many of you have an earthquake kit?  How many know exactly what to do if the tornado sirens should sound?  Like boy scouts, we are prepared for just about any emergency – except for when the enemy attacks.  It's time to create your Emergency Blue Light Preparedness Kit (EBLPK for short).

1. Pick out 4 or 5 of your favorite praise and worship songs - about 30 minutes worth.
2. Burn them on to a CD or download them as a group or album to your mp3 player.
3. Learn all the words to the songs (typing or writing them out will help you learn them quickly).
4. Put the CD and written lyrics in an envelope and put it in your night stand or somewhere you can easily find them (in case of emergency).
5. Do a few "fire drills." 

Walk through exactly what you will do the next time you start to feel depressed or you feel doubtful that God is with you, or even when you aren't feeling well and the enemy is putting fear into your head of what the ailment might be. Take out your EBLPK and go to the exact spot where you will listen to the music and sing along.  It might be a comfortable chair, it could be a spot in your back yard or even taking a walk – this practice will be beneficial because you will be able to jump right in when the actual "emergency" comes.

This might all feel silly to you but it really shouldn't.  As effective Christians we should be proactive in our faith and always be at the ready for when the enemy comes prowling around.  Give it a try, it might just save you from wallowing around in the pit of despair as you Rejoice In The Lord!

Prayer
Father, I pray for all my brothers and sisters who are going through tough physical and emotional times right now.  I ask that You wrap them in the warmth of Your loving Spirit and place in their hearts the urgency to praise You.  Remind them of all of the wonderful things You have done in their lives and put a new song in their hearts.  Help them to put aside any feelings of inadequacy so that they can sing praises to You with total abandon.  I thank You for the joy You bring to me whenever I sing of Your love and faithfulness and i will continue to sing - all the days of my life!

Have an awesome day everyone!

–Richard