I visited a farm this week. A real working farm. Complete with chickens, pigs, cows, horses, and dogs. While there, I learned some things about some of the animals, I didn't know. One thing in particular, was a fact about chickens and laying eggs. It appears that the frequency in which a chicken lays eggs is a direct result of how much sun light they are subjected to. During the long summer days, chickens lay more eggs than during the shortened winter days. Now, maybe you already knew that, but I had no idea. Of course, you may be wondering how knowing this fact really helps you, and I would have to say unless you're raising chickens, I'm not sure it's really something you have to know.
Its just that facts like this often get me to thinking. Thinking about the awesomeness of our Creator. When you mix truths like this with other truths it speaks volumes about God's intelligent design. How anyone can question the idea of a divine Creator leaves me dumbfounded. I mean just think about it. Bees and other bugs fly from flower to flower helping to pollinate them. Accident or divine design? A process in which water evaporates, condensates, and then falls as rain. Then there's forces like gravitational forces, electrical forces, and magnetic forces. A sun that constantly burns but is never consumed. An earth that is exactly far enough away from the sun to keep us from freezing or burning up. A never ending space full of innumerable galaxies.
Of course, nothing I've ever seen screams intelligent design quite like the times I've held my two newborn babies in my hands. How anyone can hold to the philosophy that somehow all we see around us is the result of nothing more than chance truly astounds me. Evidence of our Creator is all around us. From chickens to far reaching galaxies.
Man's futile attempt to deny God's existence will always fall short. I wonder how tickled God gets when mankind in his arrogance tries to drum up arguments disproving the very Creator who gave them the ability to make any kind of argument. I kinda feel like He just kicks back, paints a sunrise sky with colors He created, in the sky He created, so that on the earth He created, mankind, who He created, can catch a glimpse of the creativity of a God who is real.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Lessons From A Six-Year-Old Knight
Last week we took our two boys to the park. They both love the park and like any other kid, they ran, climbed, and slid. About 30 minutes into our visit my 6 year old grabs a stick, and for the next 20 minutes or so, he's in a world of his own. Apparently, he had been swept away to a place in need of a knight. I'm not sure if it was a galaxy far, far away where Jedi knights attempt to curtail evil or back in time when medieval knights fought dragons and rescued princesses. Wherever he was, one thing is for certain, the bad guys didn't stand a chance. His technique made it obvious to everyone around him, he was no novice. Utilizing spin moves, and quick lunges, with both left hand and right hand assaults, the pole, er... um... I mean the enemy would receive no mercy from him this day.
Isn't it funny how young ones can so quickly escape to another world? Whether it's pretending they are a knight, a basketball player hitting a last second buzzer beater, or pirate in search of a buried treasure. Or, maybe a little girl pretending to be a beautiful princess, or a famous singer complete with hair brush microphone, or pretending to be a mother taking care of her little dolls, dressing them, feeding them, and rocking them to sleep. Truth is, most little ones have very little difficult forgetting about this world for a few moments.
Maybe, its creativity? I don't know. I kind of like to believe that its a bit more than that. Perhaps, it's a part of our DNA. Part of how we are wired. After all, the world we live in, is not the only world we live in. Ok, that statement doesn't make a lot of sense, but let me clarify. Believe it or not, parallel to the world we live in, is a world we can't see. Or should I say, can't see with the natural eye. Yet, it's a world that we are a part of. Actually, we are more a part of this "unseen" world, than we are of this "seen" world. Scripture tells us that we are nothing more than pilgrims, or travelers through this "seen" world, but we are citizens of another place.
Ok, I know that sounds like some sci-fi flick, but believe it or not, it's true. The kingdom of God is a real place, a real kingdom. Although our natural eye can't see it, we can still "see" it. At least those who are born again can see it. How can you see something that you can't see with your natural eye? Remember algebra? At first those concepts were hard to get, hard to understand. But, then one day, finally that light went off and you got it. You could "see" it as clear as day. Ok, so maybe you never got the algebra thing, but hopefully you can follow that line of thinking.
To those who are born again, Jesus tells us that we can see the kingdom of God. We can understand it, and comprehend it. Though, oblivious to our natural eye, we can begin to see it clearly. As a result, our lives take on, or should take on, a shift from doing life the way we've always done life. We begin to do life with the knowledge and understanding that although we are in this "seen" world we are not of it. Our citizenship belongs to an eternal kingdom and the 70, 80, 90 years here is nothing more than a vapor. We learn to walk through this life not becoming too attached to the things in it, too overwhelmed by the problems in it, or too worried about the uncertainty of it.
To those who can't see the kingdom of God, it's nothing but foolishness to them. They don't understand it. They struggle with the concepts, principles, and character that lay at the foundation of this kingdom. While we live there, because they can't see it, they view us much like those watching my son fighting evil in another world. To them it's foolishness.
Next time you see your little one's pretending to be of another world, remember it's not foolishness. I would go so far as to say, it's simply training for that day, when they can "see" that other world that they are so much a part of.
Ok, I know that sounds like some sci-fi flick, but believe it or not, it's true. The kingdom of God is a real place, a real kingdom. Although our natural eye can't see it, we can still "see" it. At least those who are born again can see it. How can you see something that you can't see with your natural eye? Remember algebra? At first those concepts were hard to get, hard to understand. But, then one day, finally that light went off and you got it. You could "see" it as clear as day. Ok, so maybe you never got the algebra thing, but hopefully you can follow that line of thinking.
To those who are born again, Jesus tells us that we can see the kingdom of God. We can understand it, and comprehend it. Though, oblivious to our natural eye, we can begin to see it clearly. As a result, our lives take on, or should take on, a shift from doing life the way we've always done life. We begin to do life with the knowledge and understanding that although we are in this "seen" world we are not of it. Our citizenship belongs to an eternal kingdom and the 70, 80, 90 years here is nothing more than a vapor. We learn to walk through this life not becoming too attached to the things in it, too overwhelmed by the problems in it, or too worried about the uncertainty of it.
To those who can't see the kingdom of God, it's nothing but foolishness to them. They don't understand it. They struggle with the concepts, principles, and character that lay at the foundation of this kingdom. While we live there, because they can't see it, they view us much like those watching my son fighting evil in another world. To them it's foolishness.
Next time you see your little one's pretending to be of another world, remember it's not foolishness. I would go so far as to say, it's simply training for that day, when they can "see" that other world that they are so much a part of.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reflecting His Image
I caught my reflection in the mirror the other day. One of those full length, can't hide anything, kind of mirrors. You know the kind that makes you do a double take, because you are convinced there is no way you are that big. Problem is, mirrors don't lie. What you see, is an accurate representation of the real thing. I would love to say that the gray hair and excess weight I saw in the mirror was a result of bad lighting, but let's face it, the mirror was telling the truth. It was a reflection of my actual image.
It's moment's like these that I wish mirrors could do what Photo-Shop can do to pictures. Take a few pounds off, remove the blemishes, and make you look years younger. But, then again the result wouldn't change the real thing would it? The reality is when we gaze into a mirror, the image that we see looking back at us, is really us. So, whether we have a firm 6-pack or if we have 6-gallon abs, we can rest assured the mirror will reflect the truth.
Like a mirror, we too are to accurately reflect an image. That image is of our Heavenly Father. As a believer, our lives should be a reflection of God to the world. Trouble is, sometimes we are like those mirrors in those crazy houses you see at carnivals. You know the kind that offers up a warped view of the original image. As a believer, the world sees in us a reflection of who God is, and if we aren't careful, we will reflect an image of Him that is in no way an accurate representation of Him. No, I'm not saying we are going to be perfect at this, but too often we aren't even close.
Let me give you an example. One day, Jesus and the disciples where traveling through Samaria. Samaritans and Jews, didn't exactly get along and the Samaritans were anything but accommodating. They did not welcome Jesus and the disciples. James and John had the answer to the problem. They approached Jesus and asked them if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven and kill all the Samaritans. I can picture Jesus, stopping and looking at them like they had just said something absolutely unacceptable. He goes on the rebuke them by telling them that they have no idea what spirit they are of. Or, in other words, they have no idea whose image they are reflecting. Ouch! Remember, when Jesus looks straight at Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!" Same thing. In both instances, these guys were not allowing their lives to be an accurate reflection of God.
Jesus, on the other hand, was able to perfectly present to the world, an accurate reflection of our Heavenly Father. Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father do. He told His disciples time and time again, if they wanted to know what the Father was like, all they had to do was watch Him. Jesus spoke like the Father, acted like the Father, and lived like the Father. His life served as a mirror image of God, so that the world could better know what God was like.
It's been said that the greatest cause of atheism today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their mouths but deny Him with their lifestyle. Let's face it, as believers, we've driven more people away from the kingdom of God than any other entity in this world. The world is looking at us, and it is vitally important that we learn how to be a reflection of God's image.
Are you like James and John and reflecting a perverted view of who God is, or are you like Jesus and reflecting accurately the image of God? We are often good at reflecting judgment but often fall short on reflecting grace and mercy. It is true that God is a God of judgement and justice, but He is also a God who is full of mercy and grace. He is love, He is full of love, and loves each of us unconditionally. Trust me when I say, the world will never listen to what we have to say until they see in us, a reflection of God's goodness. Our lifestyle will always serve as a much powerful testimony than empty religious jargon.
Choose today to reflect the character and nature of God to the world around you. Choose to become better acquainted with Him, so that when the world sees you, they will better understand who God is. We are His mirrors to the world. Let's learn to reflect Him well.
It's moment's like these that I wish mirrors could do what Photo-Shop can do to pictures. Take a few pounds off, remove the blemishes, and make you look years younger. But, then again the result wouldn't change the real thing would it? The reality is when we gaze into a mirror, the image that we see looking back at us, is really us. So, whether we have a firm 6-pack or if we have 6-gallon abs, we can rest assured the mirror will reflect the truth.
Like a mirror, we too are to accurately reflect an image. That image is of our Heavenly Father. As a believer, our lives should be a reflection of God to the world. Trouble is, sometimes we are like those mirrors in those crazy houses you see at carnivals. You know the kind that offers up a warped view of the original image. As a believer, the world sees in us a reflection of who God is, and if we aren't careful, we will reflect an image of Him that is in no way an accurate representation of Him. No, I'm not saying we are going to be perfect at this, but too often we aren't even close.
Let me give you an example. One day, Jesus and the disciples where traveling through Samaria. Samaritans and Jews, didn't exactly get along and the Samaritans were anything but accommodating. They did not welcome Jesus and the disciples. James and John had the answer to the problem. They approached Jesus and asked them if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven and kill all the Samaritans. I can picture Jesus, stopping and looking at them like they had just said something absolutely unacceptable. He goes on the rebuke them by telling them that they have no idea what spirit they are of. Or, in other words, they have no idea whose image they are reflecting. Ouch! Remember, when Jesus looks straight at Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!" Same thing. In both instances, these guys were not allowing their lives to be an accurate reflection of God.
Jesus, on the other hand, was able to perfectly present to the world, an accurate reflection of our Heavenly Father. Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father do. He told His disciples time and time again, if they wanted to know what the Father was like, all they had to do was watch Him. Jesus spoke like the Father, acted like the Father, and lived like the Father. His life served as a mirror image of God, so that the world could better know what God was like.
It's been said that the greatest cause of atheism today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their mouths but deny Him with their lifestyle. Let's face it, as believers, we've driven more people away from the kingdom of God than any other entity in this world. The world is looking at us, and it is vitally important that we learn how to be a reflection of God's image.
Are you like James and John and reflecting a perverted view of who God is, or are you like Jesus and reflecting accurately the image of God? We are often good at reflecting judgment but often fall short on reflecting grace and mercy. It is true that God is a God of judgement and justice, but He is also a God who is full of mercy and grace. He is love, He is full of love, and loves each of us unconditionally. Trust me when I say, the world will never listen to what we have to say until they see in us, a reflection of God's goodness. Our lifestyle will always serve as a much powerful testimony than empty religious jargon.
Choose today to reflect the character and nature of God to the world around you. Choose to become better acquainted with Him, so that when the world sees you, they will better understand who God is. We are His mirrors to the world. Let's learn to reflect Him well.
Friday, February 6, 2009
In God We Trust
In God We Trust! Really? No, I'm not referring to our country here, I'm just talking about us. Me and you. You and I. Do we really trust in Him? Is our confidence in Him? All around us, things are a bit unstable. Hardly a day goes by without some major corporation laying off large numbers of employees. The markets are crazy, banks are in trouble, foreclosure is common place, and what in the world is the deal with gasoline prices? If you dare to watch the evening news, you'll more than likely go to bed praying Jesus, come quickly.
The real problem with our economy is that we've learned to trust in other things. Things like debt, Wall Street, banks, unions, capitalism, and the hard working American worker. And of course, when those things become shaky there's always our leaders in Washington to lead us out of financial destruction and into the paths of good ole American prosperity.
Well, here we find ourselves as a nation in debt, Wall Street going crazy, and banks without cash. We have unions who could face the impossible task of protecting workers when a complete industry could go belly-up. Capitalism as we know it is being tainted with the ideologies of socialism, and the hard working American worker is finding it increasingly difficult to find a place to be a hard worker. As for our leaders in Washington? They have no answers. No real solutions. They are about to throw nearly a trillion dollars out there hoping that maybe it'll do something.
Before you start to think that I'm down on America, and its leadership, let me assure you I am not. I love this country and respect and pray for it's leadership. Sure, there are those in Washington, I disagree with and long for the day when their tenure is up, yet while they are there, they have my respect as one of our nation's leaders. The truth is, that through the years I have just learned that everything in this world that I put my confidence in, will somehow disappoint. That's not being negative or pessimistic, it's called living in reality.
When we choose to place our confidence in anything other than our Creator, we have placed our confidence in something that has the ability to crumble. In times like this it is important for all of us to assess what our trust is in. Is it in your job, your education, your bank account, your investment portfolio, your government, our economy, American Express, or some other unstable thing?
Scripture tells us of a story of two men who were building houses. One chose to build his without a good foundation. He built it simply on sand. The other built his on a good, solid foundation. Of course, as in every life, storms came. The one house built on sand was washed away, while the other stood firm. Our generation is being hit with a storm right now. Those who put their confidence in anything but God, run the risk of it all crashing down around them.
Enough of the bad news, now lets talk about those who choose to trust in God.
Psalm 5:11 - But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them...
Psalm 18:2 - The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:30 - As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Want more?
Psalm 31:14 - But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;I say, “You are my God.”
Psalm 31:19 - Oh, how great is Your goodness,Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!
Psalm 56:11 - In God I have put my trust;I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Now, that kind of news is so much better than listening to the evening news, isn't it? We serve a God who is unchanging. He is not affected by the economies of the world, increasing unemployment, or anything else that's going crazy in the world. He created this world by speaking, and it remains as a result of His power alone. This world and everything in it will one day fade away, but the God who always has been and always will be, will still be on His throne. When we trust in Him, we have placed our confidence in something that can not come crashing to the ground.
In saying all of this, I'm not saying that we forget about everything that's going on around us. We are in this world, and it's important that we seek God for wisdom on how to handle the storms that life throw our way. In the middle of it all though, the fact is that life goes a lot more smoother when we choose to place our confidence in our Creator rather than His creation.
So, where is your confidence? Can you honestly say, "In God I Trust"?
The real problem with our economy is that we've learned to trust in other things. Things like debt, Wall Street, banks, unions, capitalism, and the hard working American worker. And of course, when those things become shaky there's always our leaders in Washington to lead us out of financial destruction and into the paths of good ole American prosperity.
Well, here we find ourselves as a nation in debt, Wall Street going crazy, and banks without cash. We have unions who could face the impossible task of protecting workers when a complete industry could go belly-up. Capitalism as we know it is being tainted with the ideologies of socialism, and the hard working American worker is finding it increasingly difficult to find a place to be a hard worker. As for our leaders in Washington? They have no answers. No real solutions. They are about to throw nearly a trillion dollars out there hoping that maybe it'll do something.
Before you start to think that I'm down on America, and its leadership, let me assure you I am not. I love this country and respect and pray for it's leadership. Sure, there are those in Washington, I disagree with and long for the day when their tenure is up, yet while they are there, they have my respect as one of our nation's leaders. The truth is, that through the years I have just learned that everything in this world that I put my confidence in, will somehow disappoint. That's not being negative or pessimistic, it's called living in reality.
When we choose to place our confidence in anything other than our Creator, we have placed our confidence in something that has the ability to crumble. In times like this it is important for all of us to assess what our trust is in. Is it in your job, your education, your bank account, your investment portfolio, your government, our economy, American Express, or some other unstable thing?
Scripture tells us of a story of two men who were building houses. One chose to build his without a good foundation. He built it simply on sand. The other built his on a good, solid foundation. Of course, as in every life, storms came. The one house built on sand was washed away, while the other stood firm. Our generation is being hit with a storm right now. Those who put their confidence in anything but God, run the risk of it all crashing down around them.
Enough of the bad news, now lets talk about those who choose to trust in God.
Psalm 5:11 - But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them...
Psalm 18:2 - The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:30 - As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Want more?
Psalm 31:14 - But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;I say, “You are my God.”
Psalm 31:19 - Oh, how great is Your goodness,Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!
Psalm 56:11 - In God I have put my trust;I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Now, that kind of news is so much better than listening to the evening news, isn't it? We serve a God who is unchanging. He is not affected by the economies of the world, increasing unemployment, or anything else that's going crazy in the world. He created this world by speaking, and it remains as a result of His power alone. This world and everything in it will one day fade away, but the God who always has been and always will be, will still be on His throne. When we trust in Him, we have placed our confidence in something that can not come crashing to the ground.
In saying all of this, I'm not saying that we forget about everything that's going on around us. We are in this world, and it's important that we seek God for wisdom on how to handle the storms that life throw our way. In the middle of it all though, the fact is that life goes a lot more smoother when we choose to place our confidence in our Creator rather than His creation.
So, where is your confidence? Can you honestly say, "In God I Trust"?
Friday, January 30, 2009
3 Feet Of Pure Energy
Oh, to be young again. As I watch my young toddler running around the house, I'm at a loss to where he finds all that energy. I'm talking from the moment he wakes up in the morning until his eyes finally close at night. He goes through each day at full throttle. He knows no other speed but fast. He runs, he jumps, he climbs, and sometimes he climbs, runs, and jumps at the same time (those are the scary moments). He's like 3 feet of pure energy and if I could figure a way to bottle it up I could make a fortune. I know I'd buy several bottles for myself.
Wouldn't be great to have that kind of energy as we get older. Imagine what all we could accomplish with our increased knowledge and the energy of a 2 year old. But the truth is, as we start to get older, that kind of energy starts to subside a bit. I think there are a lot of variables as to why that happens. I won't touch the habitual lack of exercise that we so often fall into or our poor diets, cause since it's the first of the year I know we are all working on those. Stress, worry, responsibilities, life's struggles, fears, uncertainty, and wounds all have a way of weighing us down and zapping all of our energy. All of these things can lead to exhaustion and burn out. You know that feeling. You wake up in the morning and just want to stay in bed.
We all face moments like these. Thankfully, we have a power source that is continually available to us in order to recharge, and re-energize us. Scripture tells us that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Waiting on him is not a difficult thing. It just requires us to include him in our life's journey. When we go at it alone and try to take on all of life's obstacles on our own, we may hurdle a few but eventually we'll come to the end of our ability. That's where we meet exhaustion, burn-out, and defeat. We were never created to take on this thing on our own. The God who created us, created us to be dependant on Him. Not an unhealthy kind of dependency in which we never grow up and accept responsibility for ourselves, but that's another topic altogether. God created us to need Him. There are things in life we can't fix on our own and it requires us to reach out to Him.
If you listen to the news right now, it would be really easy to get into fear. The forecast for our immediate future is not all that bright. And our leaders in Washington have no real answers. Sure, they are going to try something, but it is nothing more than a shot in the dark. If we rest in the fact that we've got those in Washington with our best interests at heart, we will be grossly disappointed. If our confidence is in our job, it can be shattered in a moment. If our trust is in our investment portfolio, things don't look good. If we are confident in our self and our abilities, at some point they will come up short. But, when we learn to rest in Him. When we learn to trust in Him, and find our confidence in Him, regardless of what is going on around us, we can find the strength to handle it all. God is an unlimited source of energy and He is just waiting on us to turn to Him to re-energize us. Let's learn to wait on Him.
Wouldn't be great to have that kind of energy as we get older. Imagine what all we could accomplish with our increased knowledge and the energy of a 2 year old. But the truth is, as we start to get older, that kind of energy starts to subside a bit. I think there are a lot of variables as to why that happens. I won't touch the habitual lack of exercise that we so often fall into or our poor diets, cause since it's the first of the year I know we are all working on those. Stress, worry, responsibilities, life's struggles, fears, uncertainty, and wounds all have a way of weighing us down and zapping all of our energy. All of these things can lead to exhaustion and burn out. You know that feeling. You wake up in the morning and just want to stay in bed.
We all face moments like these. Thankfully, we have a power source that is continually available to us in order to recharge, and re-energize us. Scripture tells us that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Waiting on him is not a difficult thing. It just requires us to include him in our life's journey. When we go at it alone and try to take on all of life's obstacles on our own, we may hurdle a few but eventually we'll come to the end of our ability. That's where we meet exhaustion, burn-out, and defeat. We were never created to take on this thing on our own. The God who created us, created us to be dependant on Him. Not an unhealthy kind of dependency in which we never grow up and accept responsibility for ourselves, but that's another topic altogether. God created us to need Him. There are things in life we can't fix on our own and it requires us to reach out to Him.
If you listen to the news right now, it would be really easy to get into fear. The forecast for our immediate future is not all that bright. And our leaders in Washington have no real answers. Sure, they are going to try something, but it is nothing more than a shot in the dark. If we rest in the fact that we've got those in Washington with our best interests at heart, we will be grossly disappointed. If our confidence is in our job, it can be shattered in a moment. If our trust is in our investment portfolio, things don't look good. If we are confident in our self and our abilities, at some point they will come up short. But, when we learn to rest in Him. When we learn to trust in Him, and find our confidence in Him, regardless of what is going on around us, we can find the strength to handle it all. God is an unlimited source of energy and He is just waiting on us to turn to Him to re-energize us. Let's learn to wait on Him.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Noise
As I sit down to write this, my neighbor is having a new roof put on his house. Of course, with that comes a constant hammering, mixed with air compressor noise and intermittent banging as things hit the ground. Noise, noise and more noise. Thankfully, the job will only take a few days and it'll all stop.
Not so, when it comes to life. The noises never stop. The voices are everywhere and they never truly shut-up. Ok, before you get worried, I'm not talking about hearing the kinds of voices that require a lengthy stay in a psychiatric ward. But, there are millions of voices out there screaming at us and if we are not careful, we'll follow all the wrong ones. You've heard them millions of times. "Buy this car," "You need these clothes," "Just do it," "You deserve it, "If it was me, I'll tell you what I'd do." Or, how about, "You were born that way," "It's only a little lie," "Everybody's doing it," "Whatever feels good, do it." Then there's voices that say things like, "You aren't good enough," "You don't measure up," "You'll never amount to anything." Then there's ones like this, "I need you to do this," "Can you buy me that," "Can you get me that," "Can you fix this,""I need your help."
Several years ago, I worked at a commercial radio station. One of my responsibilities was to produce radio commercials which sometimes required me to write the copy. It was actually one of my favorite things I got to do in radio. In writing commercials, you can simply give lots of info and facts and be done in just a couple of minutes. But the great commercials take some time to write the verbiage. They are the ones that hook you. The ones that leave you saying to yourself, "I want that! I need that! I can't live without it! And, therein is the goal of commercials. Then again, therein is the goal of all those voices. They want to control and dictate how we do life. They want us to listen to them, believe them, and act accordingly. Trouble is, we often fall for it hook, line, and sinker.
Somewhere in the middle of all that noise, is the voice of our Heavenly Father. Trust me He's continually speaking to us. His voice is the one that we need to hear most of all. Unfortunately, the noise can be so loud that we struggle hearing His voice in the midst of it all. It is vital for us though to learn how to drown out all that noise and find that still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes in order to do that, we need to take a step back and find a quiet place where all those other voices are minimized and His becomes predominate. I think the more we do that, it becomes increasingly easier to distinguish His voice in the middle of all that other chatter. Believe it or not, there were times Jesus had to step away and get alone with just him and his father in heaven.
Of course, those quiet places can be hard to find. Especially, when you have kids running around the house, the phone constantly ringing, and people constantly pulling on you for attention. Although its difficult, it is possible and extremely necessary to each and every one of us. My wife gets up early in order to spend a few moments alone. I find that the evening works better for me. Perhaps, for you it might be a few minutes during your lunch break, or while the kids are at school, or on the drive to work. Whenever it is, turn off as many inputs as you possibly can. Turn off the TV, the radio, and the computer. And yes, its ok not to answer the phone for a few minutes. You'll be surprised how easily you'll be able to hear His voice, when you eliminate some of the noise, and really listen for His voice.
Not so, when it comes to life. The noises never stop. The voices are everywhere and they never truly shut-up. Ok, before you get worried, I'm not talking about hearing the kinds of voices that require a lengthy stay in a psychiatric ward. But, there are millions of voices out there screaming at us and if we are not careful, we'll follow all the wrong ones. You've heard them millions of times. "Buy this car," "You need these clothes," "Just do it," "You deserve it, "If it was me, I'll tell you what I'd do." Or, how about, "You were born that way," "It's only a little lie," "Everybody's doing it," "Whatever feels good, do it." Then there's voices that say things like, "You aren't good enough," "You don't measure up," "You'll never amount to anything." Then there's ones like this, "I need you to do this," "Can you buy me that," "Can you get me that," "Can you fix this,""I need your help."
Several years ago, I worked at a commercial radio station. One of my responsibilities was to produce radio commercials which sometimes required me to write the copy. It was actually one of my favorite things I got to do in radio. In writing commercials, you can simply give lots of info and facts and be done in just a couple of minutes. But the great commercials take some time to write the verbiage. They are the ones that hook you. The ones that leave you saying to yourself, "I want that! I need that! I can't live without it! And, therein is the goal of commercials. Then again, therein is the goal of all those voices. They want to control and dictate how we do life. They want us to listen to them, believe them, and act accordingly. Trouble is, we often fall for it hook, line, and sinker.
Somewhere in the middle of all that noise, is the voice of our Heavenly Father. Trust me He's continually speaking to us. His voice is the one that we need to hear most of all. Unfortunately, the noise can be so loud that we struggle hearing His voice in the midst of it all. It is vital for us though to learn how to drown out all that noise and find that still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes in order to do that, we need to take a step back and find a quiet place where all those other voices are minimized and His becomes predominate. I think the more we do that, it becomes increasingly easier to distinguish His voice in the middle of all that other chatter. Believe it or not, there were times Jesus had to step away and get alone with just him and his father in heaven.
Of course, those quiet places can be hard to find. Especially, when you have kids running around the house, the phone constantly ringing, and people constantly pulling on you for attention. Although its difficult, it is possible and extremely necessary to each and every one of us. My wife gets up early in order to spend a few moments alone. I find that the evening works better for me. Perhaps, for you it might be a few minutes during your lunch break, or while the kids are at school, or on the drive to work. Whenever it is, turn off as many inputs as you possibly can. Turn off the TV, the radio, and the computer. And yes, its ok not to answer the phone for a few minutes. You'll be surprised how easily you'll be able to hear His voice, when you eliminate some of the noise, and really listen for His voice.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thank God It's Friday
Have you ever had one of those weeks? You know the kind that you were just glad it was over? I think its safe to say that if you have lived any length of time on this planet, you fit into that category. We all have those kind of weeks from time to time. My week this week was one of those weeks. Without going into detail, let's just say it involved a Volkswagen, spewing antifreeze, overheating, and a freeway with road construction and closed off exits. And that was just Tuesday.
Navigating through one of these weeks can be pretty difficult. One thing after another hits you and you are left standing there wondering what in the world is going on. In the middle of it all, we can get frustrated, upset, and completely stressed out. Of course, some of us handle life's inconveniences better than others, but truth be told I don't think any of us truly enjoy them.
I think one of the reasons we struggle with life's unplanned challenges is that it leaves us feeling as though we aren't in control. Let's face it, we like to be in control of things. We like it when things go as planned and life goes on without any major inconveniences. But the truth is, cars break down, cable goes out, people drive slow in the fast lane, we get sick, the kid's puke all over the floor, friends and relatives die, the neighbor has a party until 3am, and traffic lights turn red. If you live life, you'll experience days, weeks, months, and even years that you wish you didn't have to experience. Scripture tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. It also promises us that in this life we will have tribulation. And the only control you have over it all, is how you react to it.
Some blow their stack, others throw pity parties, some feel victimized, some panic, while others look for ways to escape or ignore it all. None of which changes anything at all. Bad things happen to us all and the only healthy way to deal with it is to deal with it. Sometimes life's challenges are bigger than we are and require God's intervention. That's when our response needs to be prayer mingled with faith in a God that answers prayer. Then there are those struggles that hit us that just require us to jump to action.
The other day when my car began spewing antifreeze all over the place and overheating and the closest exit to me was closed due to construction, and there was no shoulder to pull over on, I began praying that the car would not overheat and cause damage to the engine. As I watched the temperature gauge, it literally began going down. I was able to drive another couple miles until I could exit without the temperature doing anything but going down slightly. Once I exited though, some action was required on my part. Had I screamed, hollered, and kicked the car, I would have done little to remedy the problem (although it might have made me feel better at the moment). The action required was to get it to a repair shop. Problem solved. Life's challenge overcome. Meeting life's challenges head on, whether it's with prayer, action, or both, is the only way to overcome the problem.
Naturally, some of life's struggles involve things much bigger than a car overheating. And as I mentioned earlier, some require God's involvement. We serve an awesome God who promised us that we wouldn't face anything in this life that we would be unable to handle with His help. Believe it or not, God wants us to live victorious, overcoming lives. When this life throws challenges our way, God wants us to face those challenges with the confidence that we can overcome them. God created you to overcome this life, not to allow this life to overcome you. Trust me when I say, that overcoming challenges in life is an exciting way to live. It starts to make you look forward to life's challenges. Sure, we often thank God it's Friday, but I truly believe that the place God wants us to get to, is when we can say, "Thank God It's Monday!"
Navigating through one of these weeks can be pretty difficult. One thing after another hits you and you are left standing there wondering what in the world is going on. In the middle of it all, we can get frustrated, upset, and completely stressed out. Of course, some of us handle life's inconveniences better than others, but truth be told I don't think any of us truly enjoy them.
I think one of the reasons we struggle with life's unplanned challenges is that it leaves us feeling as though we aren't in control. Let's face it, we like to be in control of things. We like it when things go as planned and life goes on without any major inconveniences. But the truth is, cars break down, cable goes out, people drive slow in the fast lane, we get sick, the kid's puke all over the floor, friends and relatives die, the neighbor has a party until 3am, and traffic lights turn red. If you live life, you'll experience days, weeks, months, and even years that you wish you didn't have to experience. Scripture tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. It also promises us that in this life we will have tribulation. And the only control you have over it all, is how you react to it.
Some blow their stack, others throw pity parties, some feel victimized, some panic, while others look for ways to escape or ignore it all. None of which changes anything at all. Bad things happen to us all and the only healthy way to deal with it is to deal with it. Sometimes life's challenges are bigger than we are and require God's intervention. That's when our response needs to be prayer mingled with faith in a God that answers prayer. Then there are those struggles that hit us that just require us to jump to action.
The other day when my car began spewing antifreeze all over the place and overheating and the closest exit to me was closed due to construction, and there was no shoulder to pull over on, I began praying that the car would not overheat and cause damage to the engine. As I watched the temperature gauge, it literally began going down. I was able to drive another couple miles until I could exit without the temperature doing anything but going down slightly. Once I exited though, some action was required on my part. Had I screamed, hollered, and kicked the car, I would have done little to remedy the problem (although it might have made me feel better at the moment). The action required was to get it to a repair shop. Problem solved. Life's challenge overcome. Meeting life's challenges head on, whether it's with prayer, action, or both, is the only way to overcome the problem.
Naturally, some of life's struggles involve things much bigger than a car overheating. And as I mentioned earlier, some require God's involvement. We serve an awesome God who promised us that we wouldn't face anything in this life that we would be unable to handle with His help. Believe it or not, God wants us to live victorious, overcoming lives. When this life throws challenges our way, God wants us to face those challenges with the confidence that we can overcome them. God created you to overcome this life, not to allow this life to overcome you. Trust me when I say, that overcoming challenges in life is an exciting way to live. It starts to make you look forward to life's challenges. Sure, we often thank God it's Friday, but I truly believe that the place God wants us to get to, is when we can say, "Thank God It's Monday!"
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