Tag Archives: God

What I’ve Seen Today

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I can’t sleep.  It’s Sunday night.  Normally I’m exhausted after a long day of worship, visiting with folks, meetings, and chasing the kids.

I can’t sleep tonight. So, I do what I do when I can’t sleep. I write.

I can’t sleep tonight because of what I’ve seen today.  I’ve seen something amazing today.  I’ve seen God at work.

I’ve been lucky enough to have served God in ministry since 1998.  I’ve been under appointment (i.e. a preacher) since 1999.  I’ve had the great privilege and honor of serving some amazing people and churches in these years.  At Boyle, Linn, and Litton UMCs, those sweet folk taught me how to grow up and be a pastor. At Coy UMC, I found my voice and learned how to preach. At Ripley FUMC, I had the honor of seeing what can happen when a church really tries to impact its community.

I’ve been lucky to serve some great people.

Today, though, I can’t sleep. Because I saw God at work here at Asbury Church.  I saw Him in our children as they led us in worship.  I saw Him in the praise team as they communicated the grace and mercy of God through song.  I saw Him in a line for lunch that literally stretched out of the worship center. I saw Him in the laughter and joy of those same folks waiting in line to eat.  I saw Him the hands of folks working the kitchen as they served a teeming mass of people lunch. I saw Him in the fact that so many people, people I literally didn’t know stayed after worship to fellowship, to laugh, to just be together as the Body of Christ. I saw Him in children running to get Easter Eggs and sliding down slides.  I saw Him in the youth gather back tonight, eating crawfish listening to music and enjoying the company of fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.

There’s an old song my wife used to sing some in church – “There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place.” Today, I saw the effect of that spirit.  I saw God move in the lives of people. I saw people draw close to God and close to each other.

I saw God move in church today. And I am so thankful that my eyes have gotten to see it.

And I can’t wait until next week to see what He’s going to do here at Asbury.

I can’t sleep tonight. And I’ve never been more happy about it.

Thirsty

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When you are thirsty, I mean, really thirsty, nothing will satisfy but something to drink. When you wake up and parched, you must have something to drink.

When you are exercising and finish, your body demands something to drink.

After certain foods, your mouth is dry, and you must have something to drink.

It’s almost like our body says to us – you will get me something to drink!  I am thirsty!  I must have something to drink!

Listen to the words of Psalm 42 this morning:

As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?

The Psalmist says that he thirst for God.  I think that’s a very powerful image.  He is craving God.  He must have God.  His life and soul demand God.

And nothing will satisfy but God.  Nothing will sooth and give life but God.  In our lives, we have cravings.  In our lives, we have needs.  In our lives, there are things that we want, things that we think that we want or need.

Today, in this passage, we see our need. We see what we desperately need. We see what it comes down to. We see what we are actually craving and actually needing.

God. We are thirsty today. We are thirsty for Him.

And today, and each day, only He will satisfy.  Today, are you thirsty for Him?  Are you thirsty for life?

Today, may you walk deeper with Him than ever.  And in Him may you find your thirst satisfied.

Don’t Worry About it

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First, two points of personal privilege, if you’ll allow.

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary.  Ten years ago Holly made me the luckiest man on the face of the earth.  I don’t know what I did right to deserve her and what she did wrong to be stuck with me 🙂

Second, because of that, I’m doing something I hate to do. Next Monday – Friday we are going to take a trip. I hate traveling, but I love my wife. So, no devotionals next week. We’ll start back the following Monday.

Today’s reflection could really just be scripture.  There’s nothing more I can really add to something as powerful as Psalm 37.  Listen to these words:

Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Good stuff.

Don’t worry about “them.”  Or whatever “they” are doing. Don’t worry about the wicked.  Don’t worry about their lives and what happens.

The Lord sees them. The Lord sees us.  The Lord sees all.

Don’t live your life with eyes focused on other people.  Don’t live your life with your eyes focused on “them.”  Live you life with your eyes focused on God.  Live your life with your eyes, your heart, your soul, all that you are, focused on God.

On knowing Him.

Serving Him.

Seeking Him.

Living for Him.

Don’t worry about what other folks are living for, what they are chasing, what they are choosing. The Lord knows. The Lord is aware.

Don’t worry about it.

Today, and each day, seek after God.  Live for Him. Chase after Him.  Follow Him.

And He will take care of you. You can trust after Him. Today, and each day.

Who are We Chasing?

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I can about what God thinks about my life.

I can about how God thinks about living, my choices, my direction.  God’s opinion matters greatly to my life.

But, so does the crowd. So does the opinion of my peers. So does the opinion of my neighbors.  So do other people.

And so, the question is then asked, whose opinion do to value most? God’s?  Or other people’s?  Who do I worry more about pleasing?  God?  Or other people?

Listen to what Paul says today in 2 Timothy 2

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them

Today, who are you worried about pleasing?  Are you worried about pleasing God?  Or are you more worried about pleasing the world?

Today, who are you trying to please?  As Christians we say that we want to please God, first and foremost.

But, sometimes I think we live in a way that says we are more worried about trying to please the world than we try to please God. Paul reminds us, if we are worried about the things that we shouldn’t be worried about then it becomes very hard to please the one whose opinion actually counts.

God’s.

Today, whose praise do you seek?  God’s or other people?  Whose approval do you want?  God’s or other people?  Toady, who are you trying to please? God or other people?

If we are chasing after God, we will find true life. If we are chasing after the crowd, we will never be happy.

Today, Who are we chasing?

 

Trust

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Trust is the kind of thing that is hard to earn, and very, very easy to lose. It takes a lot for us to trust people sometimes.  Some of us are just more naturally trusting that others.

But, when someone has broken that trust, no matter how trusting or not we may be, it’s hard to trust them again.  It’s hard, once we’ve been burned to not look at the situation the same.

But, trust is a powerful thing. When we trust someone, we can let go. We don’t have to worry. We just “know” it will be there.  We just “know” it will be done. We just trust.

And that is a great feeling.

Many of us do not trust easily.  I understand. But, all us, whether we do, or not, listen to the words written in Hebrews 13 this morning:

God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”

People have failed us.  It happens to all of us.

Even family and friends have failed us. That is part of the human experience. We have all felt let down by those that we love, and trust, the most.

Even the church, even preachers, many of us have been let down by them. One of the things that makes me the happiest in ministry is when I hear someone talk about how the are enjoying going to church again for the first time in a long time.

We have been let down by a  lot of people.

But, not by God.  Today He says – I will not fail you. I will not abandon you.

You can trust.  You can trust God. He will not forget or forsake His children.   He will not fail us.  He is with us.

We can trust in Him to be who He says He will be.  His word is true.  He will not let us down.

Today, no matter what you are going through, trust.  He will not fail you. But your faith in Him.  He will not fail.  You can rest easy in Him. Trust today.

You will not be disappointed.

Where is Your Mind?

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When I played football a million years ago, I was prone to let my mind wander.

I would be thinking lots of things, other than what I was supposed to be thinking about. And, it would usually end with my coaching yelling at me!

In our lives, our minds can wander. We can have our minds thinking about so many other things. So much distracts us.  So much calls to our attention. So much tries to steal our thoughts and our minds.

And this is dangerous.  For where our minds are determines our actions a lot.

When my mind was not in the right place, I wasn’t able to be the football player that I needed to be.  I wasn’t able to play the way I needed to play

When our minds are not on the things of God, we will not be able to serve Him as we ought.

Listen to Paul today:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Paul says to focus on what is good and true. And that will help us to live as God wants us to live.

That will help us to have the perspective. That will help us to be as God wants us to be.  That will help us to focus, love, and live what God wants.

So, today, where is your mind?  What are you thinking about you?  What are you focusing on?

Is your mind on God?  Or other things?

Will you think on what is good, noble, and pure?  Or what is wrong?  negative?

Will you look for the best in others?  Or the worst?

Will you see the positive? Or the negative?

Today, where is your mind?

It’s Not about You (or me)

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The devotional guide I’ve been using thus far in the new year gives you time to read a scripture passage, but also read beside it another “devotional or spiritual text.”  I’ve been reading along side of scripture a book that’s been a constant companion in my spiritual life for years now, The Rule of Benedict.

This is a guide for monks (yes, monks) that helps them order their life and focus on the life of prayer. The version I read has along with a commentary.  That explains how this can be relevant today.

I tell you this to tell you that today was one of those neat days where God used a sledge-hammer on me to get something across to me. Those are always cool days.

In the Rule this morning it talked about how much plead for God’s grace, for only in His working in our lives, can we be faithful to the tasks that God sets before us. Only with His working in our lives can we be the people who God is calling us to be.

Convicting.  In an age where we try to do it all, it’s good to know that God is the one at work.

Then, the text I read from Acts 2 this morning:

22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Notice who is at work in this text?  God.  He is at work. It is His plan.  He is the one that is doing all these things.

In my life, in your life, it is God.

Not us.

It’s not about you.  Or me. It’s about God.  It’s about His working our life.  It’s about Him moving in our life.  It’s about His faithfulness.

God is going to be faithful to us. God has a plan.  God is making a way.

He wants us to trust and be faithful.  And know that we are not directing this life.  He is.  It’s not about us. It’s about Him.  Trust today.  He has a plan.  He is at work.

He’s got it under control.  Trust.

Human Civilization is Not Dependent on You (or in others words, don’t forget to breath during Christmas)

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Sometimes it’s good to remember our place in the universe.

Yes, we are loved.  Yes, we are sacred. Yes, we are of great worth to an awesome and amazing God.

Yes, we are priceless beyond compare to Him.

But. . . . .

We are not God.  The entire fate of human civilization is not resting on you.

And, if Christmas is not just absolutely perfect, you know what?

It will still be ok.

Life will continue.

God will still be God, the sun will still come up in the east.

Even if Christmas is not perfect.

Listen to the words of Isaiah this morning:

15 Ha! You who hide a plan too deep for the LORD, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, Who sees us? Who knows us? 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay? Shall the thing made say of its maker, He did not make me; or the thing formed say of the one who formed it, He has no understanding

You are not God.  You don’t have to live with that pressure to be perfect.  You will make mistakes. Things will happen. All will not perfect.  Things will go wrong.

And it will be ok. Relax. Breath. And enjoy.

Don’t let all that goes into this season detract the real reason for the season from you. Remember what it’s all about and why we celebrate.

God is good. God is love. And Love Came Down at Christmas.

Never forget.

Where Is Your Trust

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The Psalms have a way of getting to the heart of what is most important sometimes.

They can ask questions that cut to the chase and hit us with what is really most important. They address the root issue of the problem.

Today, in Psalm 62, the Psalmist talks about who we trust when he writes this:

9 Put your trust in him always, O people, *
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11 On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
all of them together.

Our security comes from God. Our hope comes from God.  Our very lives come from God.  He is the author of it all, and He is the one that we trust.

In all of our lives.

It is tempting to put our trust in other things, people, power, places. This tempting and easy to do.

But, life is not found there.

And, in the end, security is not found there.  One of my favorite Psalms says that only in God do we find safety.

This Psalm echoes that theme today.

Our ultimate safety, strength, hope, peace, joy, all of this, lies not in ourselves, or in others, or anything else.

It lies in God.  He is our hope.  Safety. Security.  Life.

Place your trust in Him today.

Where is your trust today?  What do you place it in?

Today, and each day, may we place out faith in the rock that is higher than us. May we be reminded that our life, in the, rests in God.

May we trust Him today, and each day.

Days of Trouble

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I had a conversation with someone this week about our calling to God in hard times.

It seems like, and I believe it to be so, that there are two “types” of walks with God.

Type one is that one that has a good walk when things are good and smooth, but the trouble comes when there are rough seas and things are hard. The tough times try the faith and sometimes they wander away at that moment.

Perhaps that is you. Perhaps the tough time cause you to stray.

The other is actually drawn closer to God during times of trial, but the smooth road is tough to walk upon. The hard times make them cling close to God, but when things are smooth and calm, it’s easy to fall away.

That’s more how I’m wired.

Either way, there are times when we feel far away from God, no matter what is going on. There are times in our lives that are days of trouble.

Listen to the words of Psalm 50 this morning:

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and make good your vows to the Most High.
Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.”

No matter when your trouble comes, be it a time of testing, or a time when things are “easy” God is there.  God is waiting on you to turn to Him.  To come to Him. To rest upon Him.

God is waiting on you today.

In this day, in this moment, God is waiting on you.

Will you turn to Him today, no matter trouble you are facing.

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.  Today, no matter what you weakness is, will you turn to Him?