Mark 1:35

After lots of thought and prayer, I've decided to move my blog back home. From this day forward, you will find updates at http://www.tracekuhn.com.

I set up Mark135.com because I wanted a really easy and fun way for guys to share God's word with one another. The idea around this blog was to get a group of guys to read a chapter of the Bible each week and then blog about it.

The guys, I thought, would blog once a week and keep the others accountable through comments and feedback.

The problem is... I was the only one blogging. Several guys expressed interest, but no one actually followed through.

I haven't given up, but since most of the posts here have been more about me than about the original intent...I thought I should shut it down and move it back home.

So if you have been following... keep reading... just do so at http://www.tracekuhn.com.

Hope to see you there.

Even though married partners should eagerly ask for forgiveness when they hurt one another, it becomes a hard thing to do in the give & take of life.

But marriages can only grow in intimacy and flourish when we give and receive forgiveness for the offenses that hurt unity.

Every offense that is not forgiven drives a wedge into the oneness of marriage.

And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Col 3:12-15

Have you ever had to "bear with one another"?

If you are married you do it everyday. Right?

Bearing with one another is essentially the proper response to unintended offenses. Sure, it may hurt. Sure it may sting. But if your spouse didn't intend to hurt you, can you really build a wall around that situation?

Forgiveness is the harder work. It should be the response to intentional offenses. If your spouse does something, or says something on purpose, then they will need to fess up and ask for forgiveness. When they do, your proper response should be to forgive.

Why do you need to forgive?

How can I imply that it should be your "proper" response?

Look what Paul says, "Just as the Lord forgave you, so should you."

Forgiveness is possible when we look at it through the lens of Christ and His forgiving work at the cross. He died for the penalty of our sins!

So shouldn't we also forgive? Isn't that the least we can do?

Every offense that is not forgiven drives a wedge into the oneness of marriage.

Let's get in the habit of forgiveness with our spouses. With it, we have the ability to create intimacy and transparency. Without it, we build walls and cause unnecessary hurts that are not easily repaired.



Portions of this material were originally written by Tommy Nelson in The Power of Two. The bible passage is from the NASB.

Max Lucado is a gifted writer who has written dozens of books. His writings never seem to tire or repeat. God has given him a unique ability to translate his thoughts to paper with feeling and passion. Just as a preacher can communicate through metaphors & stories, Max Lucado speaks to your heart in a way that is easily understood and visualized.

His latest book, For The Tough Times is a small, compact book. It would be perfect to give away. I'm thinking about keeping a few copies around to give to people facing difficult circumstances.

Have you ever been through a hard time? Ever felt like life was unfair or harsh? Or, do you know someone who may be experiencing a dark time? This book is perfect reading during when uncertainty approaches.

Max Lucado uses excellent imagery when speaking of how much God is for us. My favorite is that if God had a car, my name would be on the bumper sticker. Love that!

Overall, I would highly recommend this short book. If you pastor a church, teach a bible study or just have a heart for people, I would recommend picking up several copies. Listen to people today, they are hurting. This book may be what they need to receive a glimpse of God's love.

The last bible I purchased is my current "everyday" bible. It is an 8 year old black leather bound thin NASB bible with lots of scribble notes and underlines. I take it with me everywhere. I like to curl it up while I walk with it, so it has a unique curved shape. I love everything about that bible. It has served me well!

But for my morning "routine" quiet times, I have been looking for something that will help me dive into God's word in a fresh, new way. I wanted something different, but familiar. Something to stretch me but something I can read with the familiarity of a well worn rounded bible. Thanks to a great friend, I'm pretty sure I found it.

Today I bought a new bible. Yep, a fresh new bible. The One Year Chronological Bible

James Patterson shared with me recently that this bible helped him more in terms of spiritual growth than anything else he has ever read in his quiet time. That's a powerful testimony!

So 2009 will be the year of the Chronological Bible. I'm praying for spiritual growth beyond anything I could ask or imagine!

I received a copy of Max Lucado's For The Tough Times today from Thomas Nelson Publishing. They've asked me to read the book and write a post about it.

This book will be my very first online book review. So check back in a week or so and my comments should be posted. Hopefully the publisher will allow me to continue as this gig really fulfills two of my passions: reading and blogging (and the free book is a nice bonus too!).

Have a great day!

This is an awesome video by the guys at 12 Stone Church in Atlanta. Sometimes you just have to mix it up a little bit to communicate the message. These guys definitely jumped outside the box on this one!

I can't believe it has been 12 days since my last post. Where does the time go?

The honest answer is weak, but true. I've been working too much and haven't had time to write anything. Although the economy is a horrible mess, the mortgage refinance market is smoking hot. Mortgage rates are extremely low and lots of people want to refinance their home. So I've been busy helping those people and too busy to blog.

But I need to blog. It has become part of who I am. It is part of my story. I need the release, I need the interaction. Most of all, this is part of the mission God has called me to. I'm not a natural writer, so I do this because of God's prompting. This is truly not about me...but about Him!

So once again, like the kid who walks forward once a month to "rededicate himself to the Lord," I am refocusing and rededicating myself to writing and blogging. But I can't think that my rededication alone will allow me to write five posts or seven posts per week.

Setting unrealistic goals is part of my story. I tend to set the bar high and when I realize my goal is impossible, I give up and quit. So I'd like to make my goal attainable. I plan to post 3 times a week. That gives me some outs and some free passes, but still gives me something to focus on. Look at my history over the last 12 days and you'll see this isn't a slam dunk! Lord, help me!

See, that wasn't so hard. One down and two more to do this week. May God receive the glory!

When was the last time your spouse gave you a compliment in front of other people?

How did it make you feel?

I know for me it is awesome. I’m on cloud nine for the rest of the day. My chest bows up a little bit and I walk in confidence knowing my wife loves me enough to express it verbally in public. Oh, yea!

How about you? When was the last time you praised your spouse in public? Been that long, eh?

Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” Proverbs 31:28-29

My wife is a gift from God. She was made to compliment and complete me, as I am to her. She’s to be treasured and cherished. She should be praised in public and private.

I’ve been so encouraged by following Michael Hyatt on twitter. I don’t know him or his wife Gail personally, but I know he loves her very much. His love is expressed in words and deeds seen through 140 characters on twitter. He praises her publically as often as possible. My favorite tweet from him was something like, “I'm out with my girlfriend, shopping for my wife. Fortunately, they are one and the same!” Very cool.

So what stops us from expressing our appreciation to our spouse more? Is it pride? Selfishness? Whatever it is, you need to pray and ask God for the right time and the right place to share your appreciation. Then just do it. Make it a habit. If you do, I promise your marriage will be better.

As I stumbled out of bed this morning, I didn't want to get up. Oh it would have been easy to tuck the pillow against my face to keep the light out and roll over. Boy that would have been nice! But I didn't. My New Years Resolution still fully in tact, I got up and prepared for my morning run.

My attire was laid out the night before so I could fumble, struggle and cry, but still manage to get dressed. There they were... Nike shorts, Nike shirt, Nike socks and of course... Nike shoes. Everything was ready to go. So I got dressed and headed for the door.

After normal stretching, walking & warming up I was off. Running like the wind! Or more like slowly trotting like an injured donkey! After a short distance I was tired, my legs ached and I wanted to stop. It was at this moment that I had a revelation...

Running is the ultimate NO POSERS sport!

You can't fake it running. There is no hiding your lack of endurance or lack of muscle, lack of oxygen, lack of stamina. It is all out there and it can't be kept in. In your exhaustion, in your wheezing, in your puking, the truth will be found out!

Running isn't like other sports. Golf comes to mind. To me, golf was made for posers! I'm one of them. I always LOOK good with my perfectly coordinating hat/shirt/shorts/socks/shoes. (Fashion Tip: Coordinating includes the brand. You can't wear a Nike shirt with Adidas shorts). As I stroll through the clubhouse or walk on the putting green I FEEL like a golfer. That's where the majority of people see you so they THINK you are a golfer too. Most of those people will never actually see me hit a club, so I can keep the poser game up for a long time. And the ones that actually see the truth, there are plenty of stall tactics for them; the clubs, the weather, my wrist, my back, and the course itself (ah, this place is a goat track!).

How about other places in our lives? Are you a poser? When? Where?

Sure, everything looks great on the outside, but what is REALLY going on under the surface? In Matthew 10:26, it says, "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known."

My lack of golf skills, by the way, is widely known among my friends. Posers only last so long, even in golf.

Father, remove the false fronts in my life caused by my pride and selfishness. Strip away everything that does not reflect Your true character. May You become so much more in my life today. Amen.

In my teaching time this week we looked at a few passages in Genesis. As we went through the scripture and discussed it, one of the verses and one of the questions jumped out at me and seem to cut right through to my heart.

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

God created us in His own image. He formed us in the likeness of Him. We are His creation. He could have created us from dust. But He chose to make us in His image and likeness. Powerful!

Thinking along those lines, God created my wife in His image. She is His creation. He could have formed her out of dust, but He chose to make her in His likeness. Wow!

So If your spouse was created in God's image, how should that effect the way you treat her/him?

As I stood there teaching, I started mentally recounting past conversations, past judgements, past hurts that I have caused...

Knowing she was made in God's image, I should treat her with the highest respect. With honor. With dignity. There are so many things that I would never do or say TO God, but casually do or say to my wife (who was made in His image).

Father, forgive me for going astray and taking my wife and marriage for granted. Help me to see her in Your image. Lord please give me eyes to see her the way You do. Amen.

Christmas is bigger than trees, wrapped presents and LED lights. It is bigger than even Santa Claus...yes, you heard it here first. Christmas is bigger than Santa Claus!

Or at least is should be... but somehow every year Christmas ends up being about the gifts and the consumerism. We buy, we give, we receive.

If you have any doubt whether Jesus is bigger than Santa, let's compare:

• Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere.
• Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
• Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever present help.
• Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs.
• You have to wait in line to see Santa... JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
• Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
• Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our head.
• Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love.
• All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS offers health, help and hope.
• Santa says "You better not cry"... JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
• Santa's little helpers make toys... JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
• Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS gives you a joy that is your strength.
• While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

Merry Christmas!

The comparison is not unique to me. I'm giving credit to an anonymous author since I couldn't locate the actual source.

Here's an incredibly cool story of how social networking can be used for good. It is also a story about passion and determination...qualities the Body needs to embrace.

Shaun King is a "friend" of mine on twitter. We joke and follow along with our daily lives. I know more about his wife's pregnancy and eating habits than I do about members of my family!

The Lord laid on Shaun's heart the desire to help kids at a school with uniforms and toys for Christmas. It was a lofty goal for a "yet to be launched" church to raise $20K+ for the items. So to help reach his goal of buying uniforms and toys for 500 needy children this holiday season, he took his crusade to cyberspace.

Shaun used twitter, facebook, myspace and a couple of websites to "share his story." He didn't pester, he didn't beg (well, maybe a little towards the end), but he used the tools to allow everyone to follow the progress. Someone volunteered to create the websites and he used paypal to collect the funds.
ing his start-up church this month and I'm excited that I'll be able to follow along with twitter. If you want to follow along too, click here.

Front Page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Shaun's Blog

Courageous Church's Website

My daughter asked me for something the other night. It wasn’t a big thing, but I told her no. She persisted and asked again. Um, no again. She asked again a little later in a not-so-nice kind of way. The third time I was less than pleasant and told her to stop asking. She also received a punishment for her attitude and disobedience.

What she didn’t know was that in two days I would give her what she wanted three-fold. It had been planned for a while and was a surprise. I could have come clean, but it would have ruined the surprise and that wouldn’t have made anyone happy. I withheld from her request because I knew that something much bigger was in store for her in the future.

I wonder how often we do this to God?

We ask for something and don't receive it right away. So we ask again. But when we don’t receive it immediately, we demand it or try to do it on our own. We turn our back on the loving God who will provide everything in His perfect timing.

All along God had something for us. His perfect plan. Its much more than we wanted or could conceive on our own.

But we never see all that He had for us because of our attitude and disobedience. Caught in our own selfishness, we lose fellowship with the Father and also lose the blessing.

I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Jeremiah 29:11

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

I’ve been asked this several times by friends and family.

Here’s the typical response when I explain Twitter.

1. Blank Stare
2. Scrunched up face and a question, “huh?” or “why?”
3. Muttering of something along the lines of “your stupid.”
4. End of conversation.

Actually, those that have the most trouble understanding the purpose of Twitter are non-twittering, non-facebooking, non-online types of people.

• They think it is an invasion of privacy.
• They think it is a waste of time.
• They don’t understand what ‘follow’ means. “Are they physically following you?”

The funny thing about this is that THOSE people will never read this blog. They won't ever see my explanation because they're not blog readers or aware of social networking.

So what is Twitter?

Microblogging is a form of blogging that allows users to write short (140 characters) updates and publish them to be viewed by anyone or by members of a niche social group.

Twitter is a neat microblogging application that helps define your niche social group by allowing your friends, fans or interested parties to “follow” you, meaning your updates are shown on their twitter page.

Likewise, you can “follow” your friends, or people you are fans of, or people you are interested in.

Through Twitter, you can send text updates, as well as links to video, pictures, whatever. Think of it as “what are you doing now?”

Okay, I get the what…but why?

For me, Twitter gives me insight into people’s lives. We all see people from a distance, but only a few get to see people close up. Twitter bridges that gap in 140 characters, pictures and video.

Through these microblogging friendships, I can

• Ask advice or get directions from peers.
• Offer information or resources.
• Learn the “next new thing” from my peers.
• Promote my interests or projects easily.

It is a channel of discovery, sites, breaking news, trends, etc. I love being close to the action and twitter takes me to the heart of it.

Okay. Now I have the what and the why...but who are you following?

Mostly, I follow pastors and people associated with churches from around the US. These people are on the cutting edge of ministry. They are reaching people for Jesus and I want to know how they are doing it. Twitter makes it possible.

I’m also a following fan. Mark Lee from Third Day, Max Lucado, Mark Hall from Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, etc. It is entertaining to see their tweets, look at their pictures, videos, etc.

Just a few weeks ago I learned through Twitter that Mercy Me is showing their concert series online. My invitation came through Twitter and I was able to watch a live concert from my living room. How cool is that!?!

Lastly, I follow people in my line of work. Realtors, bankers, and people of interest in the financial world. I learn tons from these folks...all in 140 characters or less.

But that is just me. You can follow anyone with similar interests of your own and I promise you they are on there. Homeschoolers, stay at home moms, working moms, small business, big business, CEO’s, you name it and they are there.

So have fun with it…and Twitter.

P.S. Don’t forget to follow me at twitter.com/tracek .

Okay, so this is my first holiday season as a twitterer... And I'm curious. Is is acceptable to use xmas in text and twitter when you refer to Christmas?

Does the "Keep Christ in Christmas" bumper sticker apply to twitter and text messaging?

Send this link to everyone one you know. Let's get some feedback and figure it out.

Thanks!

Recently I sat in a business marketing presentation on customer segmentation. From the presentation we discussed three major customer groups:

Advocates

• These people are raving fans and love your business/service.
• They tell everyone they know about your organization.
• About 15% of your customers fall into this category.
• Lots of referrals.

Apathetics

• These people are passive.
• They have a “take it or leave it” attitude about your organizaton.
• About 60% of your customers fall into this category.
• Low referrals.

Assassins

• These people were displeased with your service.
• They talk about their experience 50% more than advocates.
• About 25% of your customers fall into this category.
• No referrals and will denigrate your business/service at every opportunity.

I wonder how this relates to the local church? Is this applicable?

Is the local church treated as a commodity by its congregation thereby making these segmentations relevant for discussion?

If this is appropriate for discussion, then that offers more questions.

1. How can we encourage advocacy?
2. How can we move people from apathy to advocacy?
3. How do we identify the assassins in our midst?
4. How can we address an assassin's concerns to make them advocates?
5. Is in the local church's job to move people up the ladder?
6. How does this effect giving? Serving?

Lastly, Where are you? Are you an advocate, apathetic or assassin for your church?

What could possibly go wrong in a marriage to make someone go from love to hate? How could someone’s heart change so drastically?


As David and Michal begin their marriage, Michal “loved him.”

When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 1 Sam 18:28

After a rocky relationship and at one of the highest points in David’s life, Michal “despised him in her heart.”

Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 2 Sam 6:16

No one goes into a marriage thinking it will end this way.

But time and time again, it goes from good to bad to worse and then divorce.

Why?

What can be done to keep us from turning love into hate?

Father I pray for my marriage. I realize that it is only through the love You have shown us that we are able to love each other. Help us to love each other in spite of our faults, our sinful natures and our selfishness. In Jesus name, Amen.

Instant gratification has been given a bad name these days. If it is immediately pleasing, it must not be good for you.

How does the saying go, “Good things come to those who wait.”

So is the idea of anything good that appears immediately wrong?

While that may be true for many things, instant gratification for the marketer rocks!

That is why marketing peeps like the internet. It provides everything at lightning speed. You can measure, make changes, try new things, abandon a project and start over, whatever you want…all with the blink of an eye.

A good friend once said that internet marketing is like drinking from a fire hose!

As I think about the church, I wonder if we’ve taken on this instantly gratifying approach?

• We want bigger numbers in the worship service…now
• We want bigger numbers in bible study…now

Is this wrong? Is the approach wrong?

What is good for internet marketing, is probably not good for the church.

The church uses the marketing strategies they know best like direct mail, programs, flyers, inserts, etc to “sell” the church.

They create program after program to reach everyone. Choirs and groups and studies and this and that. You name it and there is a program designed to reach it.

These methods often only accomplish surface level results. People may come once, but there is no lasting change.

People need community before commitment. Without community, they visit and leave… never to return again.

We need to get beyond the surface if we want to reach people for Christ. So rather than spending time, energy and resources on surface level marketing, how about drilling down and engaging your audience through personal connections.

• Empower your people to start a small group at work.
• Encourage your people to start a new couples small group with their neighbors.
• Empower your people to reach out to people in need.
• Encourage discipleship through accountability groups.

These are not “quick fix” programs, but life changing, powerful connections where lives are transformed and people are changed by the power of Jesus Christ. It becomes a place where people can be transparent. A place where people can be real.

It is through the power of people connecting with other people that we form community. Through community people connect and only then will they commit.

Sitting in your pew now becomes an option for them. Only now. Not before. Only now.

I love reading the psalms. David wrote about half of them and his writings were incredibly transparent. He was by no means a perfect guy, but through his struggles he was always repentant and always sought God's mercy and forgiveness.

This short psalm gives us David's principles for living a life that glorifies God and allows us to accomplish God's work while we are on earth.

Honesty

O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. Ps 131:1

We have to accept ourselves and who we are in Christ. Once we can do this, then the way others view us becomes less important. It is how Jesus sees you that makes a difference. We spend SO much time trying to impress others. This gets in the way of the impression we should be making for Christ. Forget about all that other stuff. Keep the main thing, the main thing.

Let go of the dishonest views of yourself and grab hold of the way Jesus sees you. He loves you the way you are right now. He will love you no more or no less if you wear the right clothes, or say the right things or drive the right car. He Loves you!

Humility

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. Ps 131:2

It is time to humble ourselves and yield to God's plan for our life. What is it that God is calling you to do? It is time to get after it. How long can you sit comfortably resisting His calling in your life? Listen, pray and then put it into action.

God is calling us to be spiritually and emotionally mature. It is about time we step up and humbly accept His will for our lives.

Hope

O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever. Ps 131:3

The child wants things to remain as they are. safe. secure. They have a routine and everything is known to them. But the mother has other plans. She knows that for the child's next phase of life, they need to be weaned. The child resists, but mom knows best!

We are the same way. When everything is comfortable, then there is no reason to do anything different. But God in His wisdom, has a way of shaking us loose and allowing us to move forward.

When we move forward, this verse reminds us to have hope. We have hope from this day forward. Sure, it will be challenging and we'll look back. Sometimes wishing we could go back to that comfort. But it isn't available anymore. Now there is only the future and we must hope in that day.

Martin Luther said in life there is only "this day and that day."

"this day" refers to today.
"that day" refers to the day we'll see Christ face to face.

So let's live "this day" with all of the honesty, humility and hope we can muster. God will provide the rest and will do so until "that day" comes.

Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:10-14

Jesus makes an incredible promise here. He says (paraphrasing) that if you believe in Him, you will be able to do even greater things than He, because He is going to the Father. Wow.

We have the potential, according to this promise, to do the things that Jesus did and even greater things are possible.

It all begins with prayer. In v. 13 Jesus says, "You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father."

The prayer is a partnership or collaboration between You, Jesus and the Father.

Imagine the power of prayer when you are collaborating with God the Father.

Credit to Rick Richardson in Reimagining Evangelism.

Job was a man of wealth. A man of power. He "had it all." But more than his wealth, he had an incredible relationship with God.

But Job lost it all. In the blink of an eye, he lost it all.

Job's wife lost is all too. She undoubtedly suffered intense heartbreak and pain right along side of her husband. In v. 2:9 she tells Job to "curse God and die."

In the midst of trials, do you stand up for your spouse or cave in under the pressure?

Do you stand up strong for your spouse, or do you become part of the process of tearing him/her down?

We need to be our spouse's biggest fan at all times!

Why is that so difficult? Why is it hard to be a positive force in your spouse's life?

Part of the reason is that we see our spouse up close and personal. We know them better than anyone. We know the "behind the scenes" experiences.

Maybe the trial was self-inflicted. Maybe we warned them and they didn't listen.

Before you get caught up in the details, take a step back and look at the situation from a higher perspective.

Could it be that God provided that trial for a purpose.

1 Peter 4:12 - Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing was happening to you.

So embrace the opportunity to grow your faith.

Look at it like Job did in v. 1:21-22:

And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

So how can we be a fan of our spouse?

1. Encourage your spouse every day. Notes, email, text, whatever is available...
2. Communicate with your spouse every day. The key word is "LISTEN"
3. Speak highly of your spouse with others. Don't ever bad mouth your spouse in public.

What are some other ways we can encourage our spouse? Chime in...

Sharing video from FBC Columbia. Who says senior adults are not contemporary?

Thanks Shane Waldrop for sharing the link to the video.

The election is over. Now what?

Are the issues that you thought were SO important yesterday at the voting booth still important to you today?

Sanctity of Life: I've already written about my belief that this is the single most important issue of the election. If it was an important issue for you too, then do something about it. Waiting 4 more years to care about it again will not solve the problem! Here are some options:

1. Call, write, email your leaders and let them know your opinion.
2. Find a clinic and volunteer.
3. Get involved in your youth group at church.
4. Get involved in an adoption ministry. Here's one.
5. Support groups and organizations that are already making strides in these areas.
6. Pray, pray, pray.

Orphans & Widows: Contrary to popular belief, this is not a liberal issue. This is a concern for all of humanity.

1. Find an organization helping "the least of these." Here's one.
2. Go on a missions trip. We can best understand poverty when we see it in person.
3. Talk to your pastor about doing something in your local community. Adopt a school, or adopt a community. Provide meals, shoes, coats in the winter. You don't have to do it all. You just have to start the effort. Others will join when you lead.
4. Pray, pray, pray.

Real change in America will not come at the hands of a man, but when God's people humble themselves, drop their own agendas and start living for Christ.

Be a catalyst for change. America needs YOU to step up in a fresh, new way today. Technology will give you the platform. We just need your commitment, your drive and your honest effort to lead and create a difference.

So what say you? Are you ready to make a difference? Start today.

This is a re-post from Mark Driscoll:

This election season which has dominated the cultural conversation for many months has been particularly insightful regarding the incessant gospel thirst that abides deep in the heart of the men and women who bear God’s image. Without endorsing or maligning either political party or their respective presidential candidates, I am hopeful that a few insights from the recent election season are of help, particularly to younger evangelicals.

First, people are longing for a savior who will atone for their sins. In this election, people thirst for a savior who will atone for their economic sins of buying things they did not need with money they did not have. The result is a mountain of credit debt they cannot pay and a desperate yearning that somehow a new president will save them from economic hell.

Second, people are longing for a king who will keep them safe from terror in his kingdom. In the Old Testament the concept of a peaceable kingdom is marked by the word shalom. In shalom there is not only the absence of sin, war, strife, and suffering but also the presence of love, peace, harmony, and health. And, this thirst for shalom is so parched that every election people cannot help but naively believe that if their candidate simply wins shalom is sure to come despite sin and the curse.

The bottom line is obvious to those with gospel eyes. People are longing for Jesus, and tragically left voting for mere presidential candidates. For those whose candidate wins today there will be some months of groundless euphoric faith in that candidate and the atoning salvation that their kingdom will bring. But, in time, their supporters will see that no matter who wins the presidency, they are mere mortals prone to sin, folly, and self-interest just like all the other sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. To help extend naïve false hope as long as possible, a great enemy will be named and demonized as the one who is hindering all of the progress to atone for our sins and usher in our kingdom. If the Democrats win it will be the rich, and if the Republicans win it will be the terrorists. This diversionary trick is as old as Eve who blamed her sin on Satan rather than repenting. The lie is that it’s always someone else’s fault and we’re always the victim of sinners and never the sinner.

Speaking of repentance, sadly, no matter who wins there will be no call to personal repentance of our own personal sins which contributes to cultural suffering and decline such as our pride, gluttony, covetousness, greed, indebtedness, self-righteousness, perversion, and laziness. And, in four years we’ll do it all again and pretend that this time things will be different. Four years after that, we’ll do it yet again. And, we’ll continue driving around this cul de sac until Jesus returns, sets up his throne, and puts an end to folly once and for all.

In the meantime, I would encourage all preachers to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance of personal sin. He alone can truly atone for our sins. He alone can deliver us from a real hell. He alone is our sinless and great King. And, he alone has a Shalom kingdom to offer.

Lastly, for those preachers who have gotten sidetracked for the cause of a false king and a false kingdom by making too much of the election and too little of Jesus, today is a good day to practice repentance in preparation to preach it on Sunday. Just give it some time. The thirst will remain that only Jesus can quench. So, we’ve still got work to do….until we see King Jesus and voting is done once and for all.

Thank you Mark Driscoll for your words today.

Thanks to Shane Waldrop for sharing the link to this video.

You can learn more about John Piper and his ministry here.

P.S. Don't forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night!

Label me... go ahead. Yep. I'm a SIV.

A Single Issue Voter.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to be. I'd much rather walk into the voting booth to cast my ballot for a person that I like, or have a passion to see running this country.

I'd really like to see a candidate that I wanted to follow. A candidate that I wanted to rally behind, to make calls for, to stand on corners with. But not this time. Not this election.

I'm okay with John McCain. I really liked him in 2000. But not as much in 2008. His message has changed. He's changed. Rather than waiting for the nation to get behind him and his passion for change, he tried to jump in front of the nation and he changed. He's negative, he's shaky, he's boring. He cannot connect with the immediate and future leaders of our nation. He's nearly out of touch with America.

But...

John McCain is pro-life. John McCain voted against Roe v. Wade and has stated "To me it is an issue of human rights and human dignity." John McCain voted for the ban on partial-birth abortions.

His opponent co-sponsored a bill titled, "Freedom of Choice Act" (S.1173) which would make partial-birth abortion legal again, require taxpayer funding of abortion, and invalidate virtually all state and federal limitations on abortion, such as parental notification laws.

Robert George reports that McCain's opponent may be the most pro-abortion candidate to ever run for presidency. Read it here.

For the record, I voted the same way in 2004, 2000 and 1996. While George Bush has not been my favorite president. Okay, he's not been very good at all. But he did appoint John Roberts as Chief Justice and Samuel Alito, Jr. to the Supreme Court. These were monumental appointments and this feat cannot be overlooked when considering W's legacy.

So here I stand. A single issue voter. Not happy, but comfortable knowing that I used my constitutional right to vote for Life.

I opened up the the CNN Money page online today and saw the following headlines:

Does anyone really know what is going on in the financial markets or when everything will settle down? How are you holding up in the midst of this turmoil?

I read these verses recently and was reminded me that the Lord knows what's happening in the world today. In the midst of this turmoil, He is in control.

Psalm 16:5-8
Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

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Christians say this all the time. We tell each other we'll pray for them. Usually it is said at the conclusion of a conversation or as a way to end a conversation. Kind of like good-bye or see ya later.

It is kind of like saying "How are you" as you pass someone in the hall at church. You don't really want to know how the person is doing because you are not stopping to have a conversation.

"How are you"..."I'll pray for you". Opening and closing of a conversation without any substance or words in between.

At times I have wondered if people actually follow through with their prayer offer. The Lord is the only one who knows for sure.

Today my wife had out-patient surgery. We told our bible study class about it and many said they would pray for us. We even added it to the prayer list. We enlisted some family to pray as well. They told their small groups/churches too.

I can tell you that people prayed! When we walked into the hospital this morning, we felt the peace of God. A peace that surpasses my understanding. A peace that cannot be measured. It was an surreal experience. Our God is real and He cares about His children!

The surgery was flawless from beginning to end. The recovery has been quick and my bride is now sleeping comfortably in our bed. Praise God!

Thank you Lord for listening to the heart of your people who, in the midst of their own lives, are willing to carry their friends to the Cross in prayer. Amen.

I never thought this day would come. Really. I say this with all sincerity. I never thought the Tampa Bay Rays would ever make it to the World Series.

My wife and I had season tickets for the inaugural season of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. We proudly sat in the "partially obstructed view" seats. They were at the TOP of the Trop. Last row. A support beam for the roof was in our way and we couldn't see the fence in right field. In fact, we often couldn't see the right fielder. We also couldn't quite see the whole jumbotron and many players names were cut off from our view. You know, like Fred McGri, Wade Bog, Quinten McCrack. Oh those were the days! The Rays went 67-95 that year and didn't get much better any time soon.

In 2007 the Rays had the exact same record at 67-95. Fast forward one year and we are going to the World Series. Wow!

I've not yet jumped on the Rayhawk bandwagon, but am a proud supporter of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Here's hoping that our Rays are able to beat the Phillies and win the World Series! Go Rays!

Yesterday was a great day at church. Our pastor started a new series on Rethinking Marriage. During his sermon he hit us with something he's said before, but this time it stuck. It was good stuff, so I thought I'd share:

Three words and they all start with D. I'm not a big alliteration guy, but I liked these three.

1. Dialogue Daily: Talk to your spouse everyday. Not about surface stuff, but drill down a little bit and find out what's going in his/her heart.

2. Date Weekly - Take your spouse out on a date at least once a week. This could include a private dinner at home after the kids are in bed. It doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive, but do it weekly.

3. Depart Quarterly - Once a quarter, take your spouse away for a night or two. This is an excellent time to decompress and unwind. It is also a chance to chase your dreams together, or laugh together or to just enjoy each other's company uninterrupted.

Let's keep each other accountable. Are you taking care of the TRIPLE D with your spouse? Let me know.

Sorry for the time off between posts. I took a couple of days with the family for a homeschool adventure. Here's a picture from our trip.

Today I'd like to discuss a very moving story in the Bible. The story of Jairus in the Gospels rips me apart every time I read it.

Jairus is a leader of the local synagogue, likely at Capernaum. His only daughter is dying. He was waiting for Jesus to return in time to possibly help and his hope is realized as Jesus passes through again.

In Mark 5:22-23 Jairus falls at the feet of Jesus. The greek word used is Pipto which translates "falling down, throw oneself to the ground" as a sign of devotion. Jesus was his last resort.

This very prominent synagogue leader has humbled himself before the very simply attired Jesus.

No one is above Christ. No one has enough money or power to go beyond the need for Jesus.

In Mark 5:23 Jairus says, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

The story goes on from there and eventually the daughter of Jairus dies. But Jesus says she is simply asleep and in verse 42 Jesus commands the girl to "...arise" and she does.

But I'd like to go back and look at a directive from Jesus:

..."Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." Mark 5:36

Jairus was freaking out. He had been waiting for Jesus to pass through and upon seeing him with the multitude he makes a b-line for Jesus. He needs Jesus to act fast, but Jesus does not. Jesus gets distracted (from Jairus' point of view) with a women who has touched his garment and been healed.

Have you ever been Jairus? Desperate? Worried sick? Exhausted all of your options?

How we handle these situations says a lot about our faith. It says a lot about the development of our faith. Would you be able to stand on the Rock today?

Here are a few verses to consider:

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15a

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18-19

I've been where Jairus stood. It was painful and I'm sure I did not handle it the way I would have liked. I did ask "why" and I did have fear. But God stretched me in ways I could never have done. My faith grew and saw the hand of God at work.

Thank you Lord for not leaving us on our own. But through trials You move us towards You. I'm ripped apart Lord and cling to You for life. May I "...just believe."

In John 5:1-9, a story unfolds before us that is powerful, yet leaves us wondering how and why. Let me explain.

After the feast of the Jews, Jesus goes to Jerusalem. While there he comes to a pool. This apparently was not a regular pool, but a special pool where people could get healed. In v.4 it says that an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons and "stirred" the water. So after the water is stirred, there is apparently a race to the water. First one in gets healed.

Stop and think about this scene. The magnitude of the moment and the incredible drama taking place. There are hundreds (a multitude) of people gathered around the body of water watching and waiting. The waters are stirred and there's a crazy rush towards the pool. In and you win. Too slow and you lose. Wow.

So along comes Jesus. He walks up to this scene and is heading towards the edge of the pool. But with a multitude of the lame and sick, Jesus likely had to make an awkward step by step path to get there.

This is the part that I've missed every other time I've read these verses. Jesus walked past lots of people. Lots that deserved to be healed. People that needed to be healed. People who were sick, blind, lame and withered. But there is no record of Jesus healing those people.

Jesus, in v.5-9, identifies a single man who had been by the pool for 38 years, heals him and sets him free. In v.8 Jesus says, "Arise, take up your pallet, and walk."

Why did Jesus choose that one man and not the others?

What was the selection criteria Jesus used for healing?

Think about this in terms of today.

Sometimes you hear about someone with cancer or some challenging circumstance. They are about to have major surgery. But right before the operation they take one more x-ray or whatever and all of the sudden the person is cancer free or disease free. The family is praising God for a miracle.

That miracle is the guy that has been sitting there for 38 years. That's the guy that Jesus sets free. But that is not the norm.

On the other hand, most of the time the people we know are the multitudes of the sick, blind, lame and withered that do not get healed. They are the ones who do not realize the miracle of instant healing. I'm not saying that God is not involved. He is sovereign and in control. For unexplainable reasons, the miracle of instant healing does not take place.

This is an incredible story about the randomness to life. We can't explain everything that happens around us. We can't fill in the blanks and know how God works. It would be a scary world if we could, because in essence it would make us God, right?

I'm thankful today that I do not need to fully understand God's love to trust it. I'm thankful that God is sovereign and His love never fails.

What do you think about God's "random" acts of kindness in the book of John?

This is an incredible song from Fireproof The Movie. It is by John Waller. You can buy it here.

Enjoy!

Click on the image above to download Phil's newest album for free... YES FREE.

Everything we hear today demands that we put ourself first.

"If you don't, who will?"
"You deserve it."
"It's time for some ME time."

But God's word has something different for those who follow Christ.

Paul wrote the book of Philippians because he was concerned that people thought they were better than others. Paul saw this as a serious problem.

Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

I'm challenged to take myself out of the equation daily. Sometimes I can't...most times I can't. My flesh wants to be front and center to make sure things go my way. Can you say, "control freak?"

Part of my morning prayer each day is to ask God to remove my agenda and replace it with His plan for the day. I so desperately do not want to run around under my own power. Doing so will lead me astray and end up as a wasted effort. But under His control and His road map, I can find my way and accomplish His will.

Lord may you pour your grace and mercy upon me today and take my selfishness away. Selflessness is my cry, Oh God.

Someone PLEASE help me understand why gas prices are not dropping along with the price of oil.

On July 16, the average price per gallon of gas was $4.13. On that same date, the price of a barrel of oil was $146. Today the average price per gallon of gas was $3.61 while the price per barrel of oil was $101.

So here's the summary: Oil - Down 30%, Gas - Down 10%

What's up with that? And while I'm asking questions, what is going on with the gas shortage in the Southeast? Florida doesn't appear to be affected, but Georgia and Tennessee are getting hit hard. Why?

I realize this isn't a spiritual topic, but I have questions and I want answers. See, my blog really is full of Random thoughts from a Christ Follower!

Yesterday I talked about our biblical responsibilities as a parent.

With those responsibilities in mind, what are some practical steps we can take to help our kids grow up to be responsible, loving, productive adults?

There has been some research on the topic. University of Michigan has done some specific studies and came up with a clear #1 predictor for growing healthy children into adulthood. It is... Family Mealtime.

Family mealtime is the strongest predictor of:

Studies have shown that the simple act of sharing meals with your children can have more sway than:

Powerful stuff, right? So let's take a look at our schedule this week and find a way to add one more family meal! It is worth it...your kids are worth it.

Yesterday I spoke to the class about Isaac & Rebekah. Their story is one of incredible dysfunction within the family unit. The children grew up to be liars, thieves and cheaters.

As you read the story and consider how things went wrong, the parents were certainly major contributors to the calamity. Right?

As parents we have biblical responsibilities to our children.

What are some other responsibilities we have towards our children? Chime in and let me know.

Take out your bibles and turn to...

The next time your pastor says those words, stop for a moment and look around. People who were raised in the church or have been going for a while have a routine. Perhaps they unzip a neatly packaged leather case with a big cross on it. Inside they have a bible, notepad and pen...all appropriately placed and organized. What's your routine?

Are you a note taker? I have been at different times in my life. I take notes on my blackberry occassionally. Yes, I actually take notes. No I am not sending twitter updates! And no, I am not checking my fantasy scores either!

So my question today is this... "What do you do with your notes?" Do you ever refer back to them or review the notes?

Most of my sermon notes actually look like sermon outlines. I'm thinking that if God calls me to full time preaching, then I have LOTS of sermons ready to go! Think about it. Most of the notes on the big screens at church are bullet points already alliterated. Throw in a double greeting, a few connecting stories and a joke or two and you have yourself a sermon! Can I get an amen?

Seriously, how do you use the notes you've taken to help your walk with Christ? Here are a few reasons to take notes.

1. You retain information better when you write it down. The same thing holds true when memorizing scripture. If you write it, you will remember it.

2. You'll pay attention when you have to take notes. No temptation to read the bulletin or allow your mind to wander.

3. You can refer back and look up scripture on your own time. I would encourage everyone to not just accept the "cliff notes" version of the bible presented in the pulpit. Go home and look up the references. Study and pray over it. Allow God to further develop your thoughts regarding His word.

So next time your in church, don't forget your notepad or your smart phone. It can't hurt and you just might learn something!

On Sunday night after watching the Bucs beat the Bears, my son wanted to challenge me to a little game of Madden O8.

The Nintendo DS has a really cool feature that allows two devices to wirelessly compete head to head. I had no idea they could do that!

Andrew had a few rules for playing his dad.

Rule Number 1: Andrew got to chose MY team. I somehow ended up with the 2000 Giants. Apparently a pretty mediocre team by Madden's standards.

Rule Number 2: Andrew chose his own team. He chose a team compiled with the best players of ALL TIME for the Steelers. John Madden was pretty big on this team!

Rule Number 3: I had to run the ball most of the time.

So after intense negotiations, we were able to play a little football. It was SO fun watching him get excited over a sport I love and to see his enthusiasm. Quite amusing!

Did I win the football game? Nope. Andrew drilled me as I knew he would!

Did I win as a dad? Hope so. It sure was fun for both of us.

Spend some time with your kids today!

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world..." John 18:36

How do we live in this world without being consumed by it?

My best answer today is "I don't know."

What I can tell you emphatically is that God did not call us to stay away from the world. He didn't call us to only be with our Christian friends and to keep our family and children far from anyone other than Christians.

We need to look through Jesus at the world. It is through the lens of Christ we see a hurting world that needs to hear the message of redemption and the message of hope.

God calls us to be in the world. We have opportunities to share our story and our experiences for the betterment of those we meet.

How many non-christians do you see daily? How many of them do you know?

Stay grounded in God's word and pray. Now go!

This is an incredibly fine line and one we should consider consciously. Passivity in this decision leads to destruction. How will you choose? Consider scripture:

"...the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." 1 John 5:19

"...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.... Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." Romans 12:2, 9

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." John 18:36

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19-20

"Friendship with the world is enmity to God." James 4:4

"...the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed." John 3:19-20
"...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.... Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" Isaiah 5:20-21

"He [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'" Matthew 16:23

"Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Psalm 40:4

"Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' Awake to righteousness, and do not sin...." 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent." Proverbs 1:10

"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on." Proverbs 4:14

"...all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:21

So how can we live IN this world but not live OF this world? We'll discuss it in more detail tomorrow.

A new study of 6,500 traveling executives says 35 percent of them would choose their PDA over their spouse. What?

87% percent said they bring their blackberry into the bedroom.

84% check their blackberry just before going to sleep. 80% check their blackberry right after they wake up.

Send me your comments and let me know what you think.

Many thanks to Carlos at ragamuffinsoul.com for sharing this funny clip. Turn it up and jam!

As for me and my house, we will serve the __________?

Whom will your house serve? Big question that demands an answer. It defines much of who you are and what you are about.

How would your spouse or kids answer that question? Is it the same answer you would give?

Our home represents many things. It is the essence of who we are and what we are about. But the enemy wants to invade your home. He wants a seat at the table.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve did not protect their home and it was infiltrated by the serpent. Tragic results of not keeping watch.

How do we protect our homes? Let's look at 1 Peter 5:6,9

v.6 - Humble yourself before God. Ask for help.
v.9 - Resist satan and stand firm in your faith.

Okay, you are probably wondering how this works in everyday life? HOW do we resist satan and stand firm in our faith? How? Practically? How?

Let's start by not forsaking the gathering. Hang with friends. Get some accountability. There is strength in numbers.

Also...tell your story and stop holding everything inside of you. The battle within creates losers, not winners. Talk to someone about your struggles and ask for help.

Lastly and the place to camp-out, is prayer. It works and is powerful. Pray for the Holy Spirit to free you of the sin that so easily entangles you. It works, I promise!

So... who or what will your home be known for?

Joshua 24:15 - ...As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

John 8:12. Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

Matt 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Lord Jesus, thank you for cleansing me of the sin and stain that makes my heart impure. Only through faith in Christ, can I have a pure heart.

Now Lord, continue to show me daily how to live a life worthy of the calling. On my own, my flesh and darkness creep in. So show me how to die daily to myself and to pick up your cross and live for you. I am in awe of your love for me and cannot fathom your perfection. But I rejoice in it and praise you! Amen.

I'm a little perplexed as I read Genesis 2 & 3. In 2:25 is says, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." But then Adam doesn't show back up again until 3:6.

So the question today men is this, "where was Adam?" What was so important to him that he allowed his wife to become entangled with the serpent? Why wasn't he standing up for his wife and giving her the encouragement and support she needed to endure this trial?

We, as men, have become passive and allow so many things to overtake our families. Much is preventable but we do not have the courage and nobility to stand up for what is right. By the same token, we do not have the courage and nobility to say out loud what is wrong. Passivity has taken over and we need to repent.

Now...I write the facts. But inside I am a deep offender of this information. My lack of courage has caused my marriage to stop progressing at times. It stops by relationship with Christ from progressing.

It also gives satan a foothold where he would not otherwise have the ability to stand. The power of Christ is enough to breakdown that foothold and I call upon the name of Jesus to provide power where I am weak.

Father I love you today and thank you for the example set by Christ. He was never passive and never willing to settle for anything less than God's best for humanity. Amen.

Hebrews 12:29 says, "Our God is a consuming fire."

As I looked over this verse and prayed, I asked myself a couple of questions. First, what does this mean? Is this a warning of God's judgement? Does he cleanse us through trials of fire? I don't really get the fire thing, especially a consuming fire!

Our God as a consuming fire is a good thing. It is a great thing! God wants to purify us by burning away the sin in our life. He wants us to run towards Him and leave behind the burned and charred remains of our life in sin. To fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Are you ready to burn the bridges that connect you to your sin? To your past? To your shame? Let it go and prepare to be swept up in the Consuming Fire!

Jesus, you are a Consuming Fire and I stand in awe of the intensity of your love towards us. Ignite my fire to burn hotter so that everything that is not of you will be burned away. Amen.

Ps 3:3 But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

Verse 3 has long been a memory verse. The Lord has used it many, many times in my life when I feel like the situation at hand is overwhelming or out of control. The Lord gently reminds me that he is present. He is my shield. He is my glory and the lifter of my head. It is Him alone. Not my wife or my friends, nor my own desires. It is God alone that sustains me and keeps me in His loving arms. He loves me deeply and I need to let go of everything else and allow His love to permeate my very being. As John says in 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.

What do I have to lose:

My life? It is His!
My money? It is His!
My family? They are His!
My prized possessions? They are His!
My pride? My arrogance? My selfishness? My sin? These things are not from God but are self created as a means to hold onto something that I don’t own. They are created to manipulate myself into believing I’m in control. They are worthless and fleeting. Symptoms of my flesh.

God, I pause right here and relinquish all desires to hold tight to what you own already. Release me to be free to love you and not grasp to that which is perishable. Amen.

Let’s continue. In v.5, I notice that the morning was a very important time for David. He really enjoyed the morning and gives us another example of Mark 1:35 in action. Some other examples are Psalm 5:3 as it starts with, “In the morning…” Psalm 30:5 refers to this as well, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is thy faithfulness.”

Does joy come in the morning for you? Do you think of God’s compassion towards you each morning?

Let’s live the words sung by 33 Miles in “Thank You” as we seek to understand Mark 1:35.

"What if in morning when I wake up
Even before I fill my coffee cup
I said thank You

What if I look at the day and the hours ahead
And before I move forward I bowed my head
And said thank You

What if I looked at my life in a different way
Took a little more time to stop and pray
I know it would change all the moments in between "

Today we say thank you God for loving us and for giving us life... eternal life. Thank you today and everyday for the gifts you bestow and the blessing of having this incredible relationship with you. I'm humbled and in awe. Amen.

Does God speak to us today? It is a question that has been on my mind lately. Here's why...

When reading through God's word, I like to pick a book and then labor over it for a while. Ponder it. Consider it. You know what I mean? So I was praying recently about where to read next in the bible. Anyway, Through prayer, I decided that Jonah would be my next study.

Jonah appears to be a pretty easy read. Four books...no problem! In fact, being an avid Veggie Tales viewer, I kind of feel like I have Jonah nailed! I've seen the movie a dozen times and know every line and every song! Although I've not read anything in the bible about the "pirates who don't do anything"...but I digress.

Jonah 1:1 says, "The word of the Lord came to Jonah..." Wow. One and done. I can’t read further and am stopped in my tracks as I contemplate these words. Does God speak to us today?

I say yes. God hasn't changed, has He? Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus is the same, yesterday and today, yes and forever.” So if He spoke to Jonah then, He should still speak even now.

Personally I can’t ever remember hearing the words of the Lord (part of me really hopes it never happens. Talk about the “Fear of the Lord!”). But he guides my thoughts. He speaks through His people. Through His word…It somehow all comes together to point me in His direction. He speaks to me and I cherish those times.

Lord, may You speak to us today and share Your will and Your desire for our lives so You may be glorified and Your perfect love be felt and realized in our lives.

My drive home from the office is suppose to be a transitional time. Intending to pray and prepare my heart for my time at home, I usually open the sunroof and begin to drive. About 200 yards down the road and realize the sunroof is REALLY noisy and makes the car awfully hot! Then my mind begins to race as I recount the day at work. Did I get this done, or that done? Oh no, I forgot to return those 16 messages...Or how many half done projects did I leave behind on my desk and which ones will I need to complete later that evening? Oh wait, I have to check my blackberry a couple of times in case a super important email was sent to me within the last 15 minutes. I usually end up returning phone calls and pretty soon I am pulling in the driveway.

But sometimes, I get it right. It usually starts with a song. What is it about music that escorts a person into worshipping our God? It is as though the right song has transformational power. Is it the melody, the lyrics? How...why? I love to listen to Christian music. I have listed to the JoyFM for a long time. But now my drives are usually spent enjoying music from my ipod. God knows how to bring the right song across the speakers so my time of worship will make my drive easy and unabated by the traffic, the day, the night.

David knew about this power. In Psalm 7:17 he says, "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Do you think David had struggles with balance? I imagine it isn't a new problem, so most likely he did. But in the midst of everything he went through, he continued to sing praises to the Lord Most High. Inspiring and motivating! I realize to many of you, this isn’t a new revelation or an inspiring thought. But to me, it is awesome and offers hope and encouragement.

Lord, thank you for the privilege and ability to worship you. May it be a sweet song to you and may I make it a priority today. Amen.

John Chapter 1 is HUGE. What was I thinking asking us to write for 5 minutes or an hour on 51 verses? It would take quite a bit of time to truly dive into this chapter. I only wish I had the time to adequately speak to the awesomeness and depth of this chapter. But I’ll do my best to make some sense of it as a whole and then go a little deeper into a few verses.

I’ve read it five or six times so far. It is a great read and quite deep. It breaks down into some distinct directions (thank you Matthew Henry for your commentary):

* The presentation of Jesus (1-5)
* Jesus as divine and human natures (6-14)
* John the Baptist and his personal testimony (15-18)
* John and other public testimonies (19-36)
* Other testimonies and the calling of the first disciples (37-51)

The first verse is almost poetic. It flows and brings me back to Genesis 1. They both start with, “In the beginning” and flow very poetically. Genesis 1 uses “God” and John 1 uses “Word.” Very interesting how they seem interchangeable. But John never replaces God with Word, they are side by side almost. The first several verses are very deep and really grab my attention.

As I read John 1, I knew I wouldn’t be able to write about the whole chapter. So I read and re-read and then I became stuck on the following verses.

[b]John 1:11-13. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.[/b]

V. 11 - [em]“…those who were His did not receive Him.[/em]” - He came into the world as a human and the human race rejected Him. God the creator of the heavens and earth was walking among the people and the people wanted nothing to do with Him. Mankind, the nation of Israel whom He came to redeem and gift life to…rejected Him.

V. 12 - He says that some did believe - As “many” as received Him. Mark 10:45 says that Jesus gave His life for “many.” So some did believe and they were given [em]“the right to become children of God.”[/em]

V.13 - The children of God were not:

- [em]“born not of blood”[/em] - The “children of God” were not offered salvation through family inheritance or of anything that their parents had done (born of blood).

- [em]“nor of the will of the flesh[/em]” And not because of anything related to themselves or their flesh. Think about Romans 8:6 where it says the mind set on the flesh is death or 8:8 where it says that those in the flesh cannot please God.

- [em]“nor of the will of man”[/em] So the ones called the “children of God” didn’t do a single thing on their own to “earn” this salvation. Without God’s calling and the work of the Holy Spirit, man cannot choose his eternal destiny.

Father, thank you for picking me up out of a life that was leading to Hell. A life that was without fruit and purpose going no where...fast! I now realize that on my own I was on a path of destruction. I also realize that You called me LONG before I accepted you. I see the places in my past where you longed for me and I rejected you. Forgive me for doubting that my life could be better with You. I’m not a doubter anymore as I realize how much better I am when serving You.

Help me today Lord to be the husband and father that you called me to be. I complicate my life so much by injecting my own flesh and want so desperately to surrender to You more and more each day. If you are willing Jesus...help me to do so today.
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