Bro-mancing the Stone! – 2 John 1:5

5 But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other.

– 2 John 1:5

Bro-mancing the Stone!

The author of Love, THE Originator and Creator of the deepest, most gut-wrenching, mind-warping, soul-soaring emotion (which is the "batter" that is poured into our very souls and baked to a golden-brown perfection), must be shaking His head at the way we've made a mess of His purest gift.

We've lost site of what love really is, and we've come to throw the word around like a stone that skips across the surface of a placid pond.  It hits where it hits without aim or precision, and in fact, the flatter the rock, the more skips it makes – and we stand back and look on in pride at how many times our stone strikes the surface.  Huh?  OK, OK, I know I'm really reaching here but if you think about it, the way we throw around the word "love" nowadays is just like skipping stones.  We LOVE ice cream; we LOVE music; we LOVE sports; we LOVE food; we even LOVE I Love Lucy, but our true "charter," our original purpose, is to LOVE our Lord with ALL our mind, heart, and souls, AND to LOVE one another as we do ourselves.

What? As we love ourselves?  I think I've found the problem . . . at least in our culture . . . here in the good old U.S. of A., we DON'T love ourselves, at least not as God intended us to, so we can't even begin to understand how to love each other.  Our society puts a premium on how imperfect we are, and how this new car, or that new tooth whitener, or the latest whatchamacallit will make us "acceptable," all so that retailers and manufacturers can make more money.  We've become so obsessed with ourselves that we've forgotten about the people all around us – the ones who we are supposed to show the love of Christ to, through our time, and our words, and actions, and deeds.  Oh, and we should also let our faces know that we are doing it.  I can't tell you how many scowling, frowning Christians I know, and I must admit that I've been one of them.

By being so negatively wrapped up in ourselves, we have lost the true Source of love in our lives. The power that comes from the Stone, the Rock of our Salvation . . . the Love OF Jesus and the love FOR Jesus and ALL that He stands for.  We've become selfish in our time, our resources, our energy, and our lives, and we've become unwilling to share who we are with those who really need us to be open, and available, and willing to sit and listen.  

I am as guilty of this selfish behavior as anyone, and today's verse has really convicted me of the fact that sometimes I would really rather just do my own thing and not be bothered with anyone else's problems or their neediness.  I bet there is one or two of you out there who have felt this way a time or two as well.  I mean we all go through those times right?  But here's the rub, if those times are "normal" for you, then some changes need to be made.  And the changes aren't a "new commandment," but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter; that we start loving one another . . . like we were created to do.

How about it?  Ask God to reveal your heart to you today.  Do some soul-searching and see if you can find the "Love" that God put there.  Think on the way you interact with those around you: your co-workers; your neighbors; your circles of influence; your family (ouch!).  Ask the Lord to help you to love a little more each day, and start with yourself.  Ask Him to help you see yourself like He sees you, and not like the advertisers and marketers want you to.  You can do it . . . and I can do it . . . and together we can change the world!

Prayer

Father thank You for reminding me that I was put on this earth to love.  Help me to learn how to love myself so that I can be healthy, and whole, and capable of showing the real You to a hurting world.  Help me to be a loving husband, and father, and friend, and let me see You in everything I do today. Thank You Lord!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Can't We All Just Get Along? – 2 Thessalonians 3:16

16 May the Master of Peace himself give you the gift of getting along with each other at all times, in all ways. May the Master be truly among you!
– 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (The Message)

Can't We All Just Get Along?
Are there people in your life who seem to just get under your skin? How about people who make your skin crawl just thinking about them? You've probably come up with all kinds of creative ways to avoid contact with these people and on the occasion when interaction is unavoidable, you do your best to grin and bear it (or at least you make a half-hearted attempt at it).

We all have people like that in our lives. God, in His infinite wisdom (and sense of humor), created us all as opposites. No one is exactly the same, and no one has the exact same tastes in music, food, fashion, sports, entertainment, etc., etc. Even when we find someone who likes the same things we do, we end up liking different aspects of the very things that we have in common. It's unavoidable, it's not debatable, it's just the way it is.

So understanding that we are all different, what is it that makes us have such strongly opposing feelings about those certain someones whose differences drive us crazy? Sometimes, we don't even know what it is that we don't like, we just know that we don't like them. It's kinda crazy if you think about it. It's a little bit like brussels sprouts . . . some people love them, and the people that don't have probably only tried them once and have never given them a chance since. That's how I was, but I decided to give them a chance; I found a recipe that looked promising, prepared them a little differently, and now I really enjoy brussels sprouts. I took the steps to change my own mind about something that I used to gag at the thought of, and all it took was a little effort and a willingness to try.

Maybe the next time you have to sit next to, or with, or across from, that person who just always finds a way to ruin your day, ask the Master of Peace to give you a new recipe – a new preparation of your heart; a new attitude, mixed with a little bit of His love, throw in a dash of patience, and a pinch of kindness, and make the effort to get along. Who knows, you might just find a new BFF. And even better, the other person in the room, you know, the one who secretly can't stand you but puts on a good face in your presence (ouch!), will see you differently too because of your new attitude, and EVERYONE will start getting along better!

Peace . . . it's a gift from the Master! Let's all unwrap and open His gift today and see how pleasant His present can be, no matter who we're with.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your Peace! Thank You for reminding me that it's our differences that make us the same and that if I just focus on You, then I will find Peace with those whom I couldn't get along with before.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Shut The Front Door! – Revelation 3:8

 8 I see what you've done. Now see what I've done. I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep my Word. You didn't deny me when times were rough.
– Revelation 3:8

Shut The Front Door!
Have you ever been discouraged because you think no one knows or even cares about all the work you are doing?  Does it seem that everyone else gets the praise and the recognition?  Have you thought about giving up because you feel like your efforts are for naught?


Well . . . I'm here to tell you that Someone has taken notice.  He is right there with you while you diligently give your all so that the greater good is accomplished – no matter what it is.  You might be the one who has to clean the urinals at your place of employment – He is right there with you.  You might be the one picking up trash in the parking lot, or maybe clearing the messes that people leave behind – He sees your work.  You might be the one organizing, and making phone calls, and arranging details so that events are well organized and run smoothy, only so someone else can shine and get recognition – God knows your heart, and He applauds your efforts, and He is preparing  a special event just for you.


No matter what it is that you do, as long as you are giving your best effort, and you are doing it because it is what God has put in you to do, He is checking you out and He is getting ready to promote you in His business.  He is going to open a door for you that no one will be able to shut, block, or step in front of.  It's going to be a you-sized door and like a key fitting into a lock, YOU will be the only one who will be able to walk through it.  You will get the best attention and recognition and your promotion will be handed down from the Master Himself.


Now here's the rub . . . you have to keep at it. Don't give up. Don't get discouraged. Keep scrubbing those urinals – and sing praise songs while you do it.  Keep picking up other people's messes – and smile while you do it.  Keep organizing, and arranging, and making other people look their best – and pray for their success as you give your best.  Keep up the good work . . . the selfless, sacrificing, down-in-the trenches labor of love that God has put in your heart to do.  Use what you have and give all you have.  Go until you think you can't go any more.  Serve with a servant's heart and a grateful smile.  


Your Father, see what you have done and He sees what you are doing, and He is going to take all your hard work and use it to let people see His Love in action.  God sees you, He is cheering you on, and He is applauding all the work you are doing, and He is so very proud of you.


Prayer
Father, thank You so much for noticing us. Thank You for loving us so much and for cheering us on as we keep our heads down and do the work we need to do. And even if we don't get recognition for our efforts from people, it is so good to know that You take notice and have a plan for prospering us.  Thank You Father for loving us so much!


Have a blessed day everyone!


– Richard

Gifts From The Father – Matthew 7:9-11

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 
– Matthew 7:9-11

Gifts From The Father
Father's Day is this Sunday and it is a tough time for me.  My dad was my hero but he is no longer with us and even though it has been over ten years since his passing, it is still difficult for me to want to "celebrate" Father Day.  I have come to the understanding however, that even though I don't have my dad to share this celebration with, I do have the years of wisdom and love that he so unselfishly and freely gave to all of his kids.

When I was growing up I felt that my dad could do anything and I used to marvel at how he could "fix" things with other "things."  I believe that he was the original MacGyver because he could take a Coors can (after he drank the contents), some electrical tape, and a popsicle stick and turn it into an engine part for a '65 Rambler Station wagon.  He never seemed to use "conventional" methods for constructing, repairing, or creating anything, but everything he put his hand to worked just fine for us (or so it seemed so to my pre-adolescent mind).  Dad was also an artist. He created the most wonderful Christmas displays out of materials most people would throw away (mostly he used empty Coors cans).  He also played Honkey Tonk on the piano better than anyone, and boy could he dance.  My dad was the life of the party, and he always made everyone feel welcome.  As a kid, I absolutely knew that my dad was better than any other dad out there.

Like all kids, I grew up fast and like all fathers, dad was very busy, but he always had time for heart-to-heart talks and he would patiently listen to my ramblings and complaining, and after I was done, he would offer sage advice.  Even when I became a rebellious teenager and I said and did horrible things, dad always took the time to listen, and he always made me feel loved.

"Dad, you always gave and I always took, and the greatest thing I think I took from you was your love for your children.  You showed me the tools I would need to be a father - a lot of love, a lot of patience, a huge amount of forgiveness, and a big sense of humor."

Now I know that not everyone has fond memories of their father and I can't say that I know what that must feel like.  But I do know that the void that I feel in my life because my dad is no longer here, is filled when I look to our Father in heaven.  I do know that He loves us so much more than our human fathers ever could.  His love is pure and He will never leave us.  He wants us to let Him fill that void in our lives and He wants you to know that He sees and knows the emptiness in your heart and He wants to take that hole in your heart and replace it with wholeness of life.  His desire is that you get to know Him so that He can show how to overcome all the hurts and disappointments that your father may have left with you, by turning all your focus and attention and energy on Him.  He is our Father - forever!

On this Father's Day, I know that there are many of you who have dads that do not know the Lord, or who have hard hearts and won't even talk about Him.  I think we should pray for each other's dads this weekend.  Pray that someone else's dad would come to know the Lord - pray that they would open their heart to His Word.  Ask God to reveal someone in your life whose father needs salvation or maybe you know someone who IS a father but desperately needs the Lord - pray for them.  I would even go as far to say to commit one year to praying for them - let's see what God has done when Father's day rolls around next year.  I am going to predict a lot more saved dads and a lot more faith functioning families as well.  I have the dad I'm committing to pray for in mind - how about you?

Prayer
Father, I am so thankful that I can call you Abba - Daddy - Papa.  I love You so much and I am so grateful to You for this life of faith that You have designed for me.  I thank You for the father that you blessed me with - he raised me to be the man I am today and even though I was so rebellious, I know that he prayed for me every day.  I pray that the fathers that have hardened their hearts against you will come running into your loving arms through the prayers of their loved ones.  I ask that You especially work on the father that I lift up to you today Lord - touch his life today and let him feel Your redemptive love and grace.  Most of all Lord, Happy Father's Day!

have a blessed day everyone - and have a blessed and happy Father's Day as well!

–Richard

Who Me? – 1 Kings 1:1

1 A time came after the death of Joshua when the People of Israel asked God, "Who will take the lead in going up against the Canaanites to fight them?"

2 And God said, "Judah will go. I've given the land to him."

– 1 Kings 1:1

Who Me?

"All right everybody . . . Listen up!  I need a volunteer to caddie for 

Tiger Woods at the opening round of the U.S. Open this morning . . . 

any takers?"

or,

"I need a volunteer to go to the Olympics this summer and report back 

on all the fun you've had - all expenses paid . . . anyone up for it?"

How about . . . "I need a volunteer to gather up some men and women from local congregations and lead them into East Oakland to take down the gangs and clean up the neighborhoods" . . . 

"Hey, where did everybody go?"

Can you imagine the scene? Some 2.5 million men, women, and children of Israel weren't just looking for someone to lead them around a mountain, they were looking for someone to fight the "Big Ugly" Canaanites!  I bet there were plenty of reluctant nominees, but I doubt if anyone jumped up and said 

"I'll do it!"

Then God spoke up and said, "Judah will go!"

Can you picture the look on Judah's face? "No way!" he must have thought.  Or maybe he even felt honored, but I can almost guarantee you that inwardly he was shaking in his boots.  Who wouldn't? This wasn't some cake-walk assignment he'd been tasked with, and even with the reassurance that God had given that he would be victorious, the self-doubt and second-guessing had to be tying him up in knots!  But Judah obeyed, and not only did he lead his army in defeating the Canaanites, they defeated the Perizzites as well.  God equipped Judah to be the leader and to make the decisions that had to be made, and to answer the hard questions that were constantly being asked.  God took Judah's potential and He watched it blossom because of his willingness and his obedience to the call of leadership.

Have you been feeling God's tug or even His outright call into leadership?  Are you holding back because you see your flaws, and faults, and inabilities?  Are you looking at the task and thinking that it's just too big?  I mean with all you already have going on in your life - the job, the family, the other commitments to play, and socialize, and other self-interests, you just don't have the time to be able to devote to one more "thing," . . . right?  Believe me, I get it.  I've been there. I know the felling only too well.

But let me challenge you today.  Be called.  Let God lead you into leadership.  Take a giant leap of faith, put down your remote, and see where God will take you.  It could be something as simple as leading the parking lot ministry or the coffee ministry, or it might be something like leading a home Bible study group. Who knows, He might even be calling you to pick up and move around the world to run an orphanage or to become a preacher.  In any of these cases, it will take you out of your comfort zone and it will stretch you. But you know what happens when you are stretched?  You grow!  You grow into the leader that God has called you to be and if you let God lead you and teach you, not only will you succeed at the initial task, but you will go beyond yourself and you will see God move in ways you could never have imagined.

Who me?  Yes . . . YOU!  God is calling you – to serve, to work, to stretch, to grow, to love, to go farther than you ever thought you could go . . . to lead.

Prayer

Father, Thank You for Your wisdom and for the way You call us into leadership.  You know what is inside us and the potential that we have to go beyond ourselves, and I pray that we would be willing to take the responsibility and step forward when the call comes - the call to be the leaders You know we are, the leaders that will encourage this dying world to run back to Your loving arms.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Aren't You Listening? – Joshua 1:9

9 Haven't I commanded you?   Strength!    Courage!    Don't be timid;    don't get discouraged.    God, your God, is with you every step you take." 

– Joshua 1:9

Aren't You Listening?

When I was a kid my teachers were always asking me that question - "Aren't you listening? Wake up! Pay attention! Stop daydreaming!"

It seemed that my head was always somewhere else . . . the bird on the window sill; the cloud formations; the crazy doodlings and drawings on my test paper; the pretty girl sitting a few rows over; the kid picking his nose to the back and left of me, etc., etc.  It was always something, and most of the time it was anything and everything.  I guess if I was a kid today, I would be labeled with ADD, but back in those days, I was just a "normal" kid who had trouble staying focussed.  The nuns, completely frustrated by my inattention, did their best to beat it out of me but no matter how hard they tried, I stayed delightfully distracted (and perpetually bruised).

God must get somewhat frustrated with us too, at times.  Especially when He has been with us and seen us through so many disasters, and He has orchestrated so many of our victories.  But there we go, as soon as the first hiccup in our day-to-day utopian mindset presents itself, we tend to forget all that He has done for us and we start trying to figure things out on our own.  Like a struggle in quicksand, the more we fight, the deeper we sink until we finally come to our senses and we stop struggling. We relax, and we look up, and almost instantaneously, we gain a new perspective; our fear subsides; our courage returns, and we are able to slowly but surely, crawl out of the mire that has been sucking us into despair, and we rise victoriously one step at a time.

Most of the time it will go something like this:

Us - "I can't do this!"

God - "Aren't you listening?!"

Us - "I'm too weak."

God - "Have Strength!"

Us - "But I'm afraid."

God - "Have Courage!"

Us - "I . . I j-just don't know . . . "

God - "Don't be timid!  I'm right here with you!"

Us - "But it's just so difficult."

God - "Don't be discouraged!  I am your God!   I am Here!   I will ALWAYS be here - every step of the way!   I will see you through, if you will just look into My Heart and see the you that I see . . . My child!   Strong!   Victorious!   A Conqueror!   Mighty in all you put your hands to!    You are my creation and I have made you good . . . SO BE GOOD!"

Ever been there?  I have. Far too many times in fact (and sad to say). But the more I walk with the Lord, and I trust in His Holy Spirit to guide me, I find myself able to focus on the Big picture of my life. I'm able to walk freely and confidently in every situation because I am so aware of God's presence in my life. I walk in time to His rhythm and in His timing. It's kind of like a military unit or a marching band; everyone steps in unison - left - right - left - right . . . everyone headed in the same direction, marching as one, with the same goal in mind . . . to be as one.

That's all God wants from us.  To walk in unison with Him.  To let Him set the pace, and the timing, and the rhythm, and for us to walk with strength, and confidence, and power . . . with our God!  When we can do that; when we can see Him in the middle of our storms as well as in the middle of our victories; when we can march to the beat of His Heart for our lives, THEN those quicksand moments will be like splashing through mud puddles, and we'll get past and over them with hardly a second thought.  

Prayer

Father, Thank You for being by my side, walking every step with me through my life.  I am working towards walking with You - to Your rhythm and design for my life.  Forgive me for simply taking You along and even forgetting You're there sometimes, I don't do it on purpose, sometimes I just get distracted.  Help me to stay focussed Lord so that my mind will stay sharp and attentive to You and Your ways.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

There Once Was A Man . . . – 1 Samuel 1:1

1 There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham and grandson of Elihu, from the family of Tohu and the clan of Zuph.

– 1 Samuel 1:1

There Once Was A Man . . .

God knows who you are. He knows where you live. He knows who your parents and grandparents are, and in fact, He knows more about you than you will ever be able to find out from Ancenstry.com.  He knows every place you've ever lived, and every job you've ever had, and it is ALL important to Him, and unlike most of us (me especially), God is good at remembering names.  Names are His invention, so you know He takes extra care to think on you by name.  

It would have been very easy for Him to give us all numbers as way to identify each other, but in His wisdom, He knew that it would be much easier on us to have to go through our day-to-days with only 3 to 12 (or-so) letters to remember.  I mean come on, Adam and Eve would have had it easy; Adam would have been "1" and Eve would have been "2," but what about you and me?  I can't even fathom what my number would have been, especially if we were all named chronologically!   Can you imagine?!  Anyway, I'm getting off track here . . . God knows us all because He carefully crafted each one of us, and strategically placed us in this life so that we could have a story . . . HIS story.

So what's YOUR story? What will be said of you long after your bones have been laid to rest and your spirit is soaring with His Spirit in Heaven?  Think on that today. Ponder the narrative of your life – not just the "you" part, but think about all the people who have had influence over who you are today, and how they would fit into that narrative.  Think about all those who have come and gone; those who were once so close to you when you were younger, but who you may never see or talk to again now that you are in this era of your "life."  Thank God for them today and ask Him to bless them wherever they are in their lives because they were a blessing to you.  Thank Him for the laughter and the tears, the good times and the bad, the trials and the victories.  Praise Him for putting ALL those people in your life so that your story would be a good one; one filled with mystery and suspense, intrigue and drama!  It's all there, the makings of a tale worthy to be told.

No mater how boring or un-interesting you think your life may be up to now, It's a great story nonetheless.  And God is interested!  I mean who ever heard of the clan of Zuph?  I don't even know what a Zuph is, but God was so interested that He found a place for it in His Holy Word.  He thinks that much about you too.  He knows who you are and I know that He delights when you make Him a part of your story.

Prayer

Father thank You for knowing my name. Thank You for caring so much about every detail of my life.  My story is so good because You are in it, and the way You came in to my life is the best part!  I love you Father!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard