Day of Praise

Mo, 06/30/14, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 100
King James Version (KJV)

1Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Y'all have a great Monday!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/28/14, "Day of Praise"

Exodus 8:1 - Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'"

I think God is serious about our worshiping him. In Exodus, chapters 8-10 alone, God speaks seven times through Moses to tell Pharaoh, "This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me." In essence, God is emphasizing to us that all of his work is ultimately for two things: 1) to shape us in the original, perfect creation where we loved to worship God and 2) to set people free both from Pharaoh long ago and also from all the other distractions today so we love to worship God.

When God sent Jesus to die for us and set us free from the power of sin (which is guilt) and the power of death (which is fear), he might as well have said to guilt and fear, as in today's Bible verse, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." (Exodus 8:1)

What is keeping you from worshiping God at least once a week? I know we like humor with this "Day of Praise" devotion, plus it's usually lighter on Saturdays, but a strong, successful businessman came up to me in tears this week and confessed that God had shown him how ultimately worthless was the "everybody-does-it" distraction that was keeping him from worshiping God at least weekly.

And here's another worship testimony from another person this week:
"I didn't realize just how much I missed Wednesday night. The meeting, the study and then the worship and sermon, and the training -- God was with us and he is alive and showing his glory at [our church]. We just have to be there to experience what he is doing. I know God is with us in our everyday life, however, when we are at home, ball field, lake, movies, etc, our focus is not on Him, we get distracted from His glory. When we are with like-minded people, worshiping and studying his word, he blesses us abundantly, changing our mindset. [My husband] and I both said to each other that the study and the sermon spoke directly to [my husband]. It is what he needed to hear that night."

Friends, we were made to love to praise and worship the Lord, and God has blessings waiting for us when we do. So whether you worship together in a hotel room like my kids and I did at Disney or you visit a church where you're vacationing or you go to your home church, please remember that you are free to do as you please because God set you free in Christ. But I pray you'll use your freedom as God calls us to, namely, to worship and praise God, and in so doing, to receive immeasurable blessings from God!

Exodus 8:1 - Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'"

Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 06/27/14, "Day of Praise"

Ephesians 1:3-4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him."

Last night, sixty or so young men, aged 19 or 20, were chosen by thirty professional basketball teams to play on the best basketball teams in the world. As I understand it, each of the first thirty young men who were chosen are all guaranteed to make millions of dollars a year, at least for a few years.

I'm sincerely happy for the young men who were chosen, especially the ones who were not picked as soon as they thought they'd be and who gave testimony to their trust in God, even when things don't go exactly as you hoped.

But as sincerely happy as I am for those young men who were chosen, that whole selection process creates a reality where many, let's even say most, people in our society begin to compare the importance and value of their own life to the lives of these instant-millionaire, mostly-teenage, athletes, whose primary skill is pretty silly when you think about basketball as jumping up high to put a ball in a hoop! In sum, many people hear the soon-to-be million-dollar salaries of these teenagers and immediately begin to devalue and underestimate the importance of their "ordinary" life when compared to the ballplayers.

Well, here's what God has to say about that in today's Bible verses. God says, when you truly put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are given to know two very real and very important things.

First, when you truly put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are given by God to know that you were chosen for the most important team before the foundation of the world. In other words, God picked you for God's team, and he picked you long before there was anything, let alone professional basketball. Everyone who believes in Jesus is a first-round draft pick on God's team.

And second, God says, that since you are a first round draft pick for the team of the Living God, then your pay, to be sure, is not in the millions of dollars. It's actually more!!! "In Christ, [we have] every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3-4). Wow! "Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!" How can you put a W-2 on that? You can't! Not only is it not taxed, but it is yours to have every single day, if you will just believe and pursue God's Word for instruction on how to claim it and enjoy it!

Friends, let's be happy for the instant millionaire teenagers who God gave talent to jump high and put a leather ball in a metal hole. But even moreso, let's rejoice that every single human being who will put their trust in Jesus is a first round choice of the Living God and therefore has infinite riches to claim!

Let us be found believing!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 06/26/14, "Day of Praise"

Romans 8:26 - "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

Some days, I know exactly what God wants me to write about. But most days are like today where 1) either I have a bunch of possibilities to write about and I can't choose which one to go with or 2) I'm totally drawing a blank. So, however I arrive there, be it plenty of possibilities or lack thereof, I'm not confident what to write on most days. And God seems to like it that way because, no matter how confident I am or not, if I'll just turn my heart to the Lord and start writing, everyday there's always somebody who replies to this devotion and says how it was exactly what they needed to hear. Amazing. It must be a God thing because it sure wasn't something that I could bring about.

It's just like God talks about in today's Bible verse. Some days, we know exactly what God wants us to pray. But most days I hear people say that 1) either they have so many possibilities to pray about that they can't choose which one to focus on or 2) they're totally drawing a blank. So, however they arrive there, be it plenty of possibilities or lack thereof, people are not confident what to pray on most days. And God seems to like it that way because, no matter how confident we are or not, if we'll just turn our hearts to the Lord and start praying, everyday there's always somebody who testifies that they sense other people are praying for them exactly as they need. Amazing. It must be a God thing because it sure wasn't something that we in our weakness and confusion could bring about.

Specifically, in Romans 8:26, God inspires Paul to write, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

God permits us to be weak and to "not know what to pray for as we ought" so we will constantly remember our need for Him, who alone is our Source of all good things. To be sure, God is a God of clarity and not of confusion. But make no mistake that God loves it when we groan or cry out, "Lord, I don't know what to pray" or "Lord, I don't know what to say" or "Lord, I don't know where to begin" or "Lord, I just don't know much of anything right now," and we couple our "I don't knows" with a "So Lord, you better do something here, or nothing is going to get prayed or said or started or whatever you want to happen." And the reason God loves it when we groan or cry out in such a way is because, then when something does happen, which it always does if we'll just look, guess who gets the glory? Yep, God gets the glory! And guess who gets amazed! Yep, we are amazed! And guess who is drawn into deeper dependence on God? Yep, that's us, drawn into deeper dependence on God, which is exactly what God wants us to be most clear about, namely, we all need the Lord. Wow, do we need the Lord!

And those who give their confusion, cries, and groans to the Lord will see his answers and work most clearly!

Give it to Him, People! Give it all, give it all, give it all, every bit of it to Him! And He will show you He's got it covered!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 06/25/14, "Day of Praise"

Luke 23:43 - Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Yesterday morning, I was at the room in a hospital where pastors go to sign in. A person greeted me, nice and cheerful. But, when I asked how they were, they said, "Well, I made it through Monday, and I hope God will help me make it through Tuesday."

And I thought, "Here's another who doesn't understand." So I said, "Ya know, God wants us to more than just make it through a day. That's a weary existence. God wants us to be genuinely joyful in every moment as he lives in us by His Holy Spirit."

The person stopped and said, "Wow! That's exciting! I feel better already! I guess I was just thinking about normal days where it seems we go it alone."

Ah, it seems!

Friends, whatever may seem true to you, here's the truth in today's Bible verse: Today, you will be with Jesus in Paradise.

We tend to hear this as, "Well, someday down the road, when I die, I'll get to be with Jesus. But for now, I hope I can make it through the day like I did yesterday."

But this is what Jesus wants us to hear, "Dear Children of God, whenever I tell you something will be today, it's my promise to you for today. And when you believe my promise, it's immediately your reality in that moment. So, when I promise that today you will be with me in Paradise, if you will believe it, you'll immediately have a joyful Paradise with me. And your weary existence is no more."

And that's the way it is in the whole Bible. Whenever God speaks and uses the words "will" and "today" together, God is making a promise that immediately becomes reality when we believe. God's blessings are right in front of us to claim in faith: His Victory, His Presence, His Preparing the Way, His Prosperity, His Providence, His Provision, His Paradise and more, as are listed in the Bible verses after today's "Praise God!"

So, don't just survive the day; instead, you can thrive today! All you need to do is believe the promises of God, and you will!

Praise God!

Exodus 14:13 - Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."

Exodus 34:11 - Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the [enemy].

Leviticus 9:4 - For today the Lord will appear to you.

Deuteronomy 9:3 - But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.

Deuteronomy 28:1 - If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.

Deuteronomy 30:16 - For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

Joshua 3:7 - And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses."

Psalm 2:7 - I will proclaim the Lord's decree: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have become your father."

Luke 12:28 - If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!

Luke 13:32 - He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'"

Hebrews 1:5 - For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/24/14, "Day of Praise"

Luke 15:20 - "And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."

When I was a kid, just 3-4 years old, living with my family in the Fox Meadows section of Memphis, Tennessee, one of my favorite activities in all the world was standing on the front porch of our house at 3117 Flint Drive and watching my older sister and brother walk home from school. I loved spotting them in the distance of our long, straight, treeless street. As if it was yesterday, I remember how excited I was for them to get home, after their long, hard day at elementary school, so my mom and I could greet them and welcome them home.

How much more does God through Christ eagerly wait to welcome us home?

In today's Bible verse, from Luke 15:20, the story has gotten to the point where a son who, in essence, had told his father, "you're as good as dead to me, so I want my inheritance," has come to his senses, realizing that it's better to be a slave in his loving father's house instead of being free in his own pig pen and pig slop. So the son "arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."

I, as a young child, eagerly watched everyday for my sister and brother to appear in the distance so I could greet them and welcome them home. So too God, who is the father in today's Bible verse story, eagerly watched everyday for the son to appear in the distance so he could greet him and welcome him home.

Ya see, Friends, we all know people who have been away from the Lord, maybe their whole life, maybe just for a season. Maybe that person is you.

But no matter who it is or how long they've been away, God is eager to welcome you home and spread his arms wide as we see on the cross of God's Son, Jesus Christ. God loved you enough to let you go and explore and see for yourself that there is nothing as joyful and satisfying and lasting and life-giving as daily fellowship with our God through His Word.

Have you been away from daily fellowship with our God through His Word? It's about more than reading a devotion at the start of the day. Do you know His presence and listen for Him and call on Him through the day? As His child, you have been given access, through faith in Jesus, to all the power and wisdom and riches that belong to God.

Arise and come to Him.

He will welcome you home.

He will eagerly greet you.

And he will shower you with gifts in Jesus Christ.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/23/14, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 34:14 - "Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

1 Timothy 6:11 - "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness."

So, it's Monday. What shall we pursue today and this week? May God help us to pursue what is truly valuable!

When my kids and I were at Disney World a month ago and went on the Animal Kingdom safari, we got to see a Black Rhinoceros. Our guide told us that Black Rhinos were almost extinct in the wild, with barely 5,000 remaining. The reason for their downfall is that people keep pursuing and killing the Black Rhino to get its large, front horn. Our guide told us that the tragedy in this is that the Black Rhino's horn is worthless in substance because it's made of the exact same material as human hair and finger nails. In essence, people are wasting a lot of time, endangering their own lives, and threatening the end to a beautiful creature because they're pursuing something that, in substance, is worthless.

Such pursuit of the Black Rhino's horn is a tragic parable for what many people will do this week, namely, waste a lot of time, endanger their own souls, and threaten the end of the beautiful creatures they influence by pursuing things that are worthless.

But God calls us, in today's Bible verses, to turn away from, even flee from, worthless pursuits, and calls us instead to pursue peace, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.

Every man, woman, boy, and girl, should ask the question each morning, "What am I ultimately pursuing today?" And if we go a small step farther each day and ask God to help us see the true worth of our pursuits, the Living God, who is a God of clarity, will help us to truly see our pursuits for what they are, namely, a worthy and lasting pursuit or not. And then if we ask Him, God will gladly help us to not only shape and mold what we pursue but also our motives and reasons for our pursuits so that our own lives both are truly worth living and also serve to encourage the same substantial reasons in others!

Dear God, please help us to "turn away from evil and do good; [to] seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14) and to "flee [worthless] things [and instead] pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11). Amen

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/21/14, "Day of Praise"

Ephesians 5:21 - "Submit to one another out of reverence for Jesus Christ."

In my silly moments, thinking about today's Bible verse, I picture two people endlessly bowing in honor back and forth to each other. How does anything ever get done if all they're doing is bowing and submitting to each other? Doesn't someone need to take charge and make something happen?

However, in God's economy, submitting to one another is not an endless waste of time where people constantly bow and do nothing while waiting for the other to act. To the contrary, submitting to one another is a mutual affirmation and a mutual encouragement. Submitting to one another is a way to say to the other person, "I value the gifts that God has given you. Please use them so that we'll both be blessed. I value the perspective that God has given you. Please speak so I can see what I'm missing. And I value the work you do. Let's work together so we can do what needs to be done."

Mutual submission works when two people share Jesus Christ, because it's not about knocking yourself down, but, instead, it's about valuing, building up, and celebrating the other person. And when both people are doing this, as I like to say, "Everybody wins!" And so it is, when Jesus is in it: Everybody Wins!

So in our society where everybody loves to win, let's be found heeding the Great Coach's strategy for victory in Ephesians 5:21, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Jesus Christ."

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 06/20/14, "Day of Praise"

1 John 4:20 - If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

If God is God, which God is, then the odds are that sometime today someone is going to come right before your very eyes and, in some outlandish (extremely different) way, ask you for help. And because of their outlandishness, you're not going to want to help them. This may happen at your work or the grocery or the gas station or right at your front door. But no matter where it is, put down your inclination not to help the poor souls standing before you and go right ahead and help because God, who is God, is going to work on your conscience with today's Bible verse until you do.

Like God did on me yesterday.

People come to our church all the time and ask for help, but these folks yesterday were outlandish. This guy comes to the door and rings the doorbell and, with a raspy voice, asks if we can fix him and his family a hot meal while they get a shower and start to bed down for the night. I just about started laughing in his face because I didn't know we had "hotel accommodations available" posted anywhere on our property, and nobody had ever asked such.

But then it got better as I saw a woman and about six year old boy walking to the door, and, in a totally surreal way, they're walking forwards but in circles and straight-legged, as if they're in some sort of old timey, black and white, Charlie Chaplin, Keystone cops, silent movie kind of thing. And I'm thinking, this is some sort of "Smile, you're on Candid Camera" 1970's show-stunt that friends of mine had planned for 4 p.m. on a Thursday.

So I let them in too, and I could feel our new secretary also watching in disbelief as the little sweaty boy makes a bee-line for me to hug me, saying something about his appreciation for the shower, beds, and hot meal we're going to give them while the man and woman start this Abbott and Costello dialogue, arguing about the real problems with the car even as they can't agree on how far they've driven and where they're going and who's about to die when they get there.

I mean, this had to be a show because the boy then looks at me like Opie Taylor off Andy Griffith and sounds just like Forrest Gump as he asks me where the "faciiiiilitieeeees" are. So I point them and tell them I need to escort them because we have a preschool and, as he and the woman get going in the women's restroom, I hear all sorts of potty-mouth talk that ends with her saying that she's gonna have to git im to the hosPITuuuuul because she can't tell if it's Kool-Aid or blood in Opie Taylor's "stool," as she said.

So our secretary has gotten a food box as we return from the "faciiiiilitieeeees" and I start to my car because I'm going to fill their gas tank instead of give cash and I cannot believe the 30-year old, light blue, so filled with stuff that you can't see the kid, straight out of a smash-up derby, variously-sized tire, car that's coming my way and God starts saying, "Chris, this is so outlandish that it's not funny."

Well, then we get to the gas station and their car is hippity-hopping toward the pumps and they get out and start the Abbott and Costello thing again as they argue as to whether or not the gas is going to spew out when they take off the cap since they say some guy put a new fuel pump on wrong 200 miles back but about 50 miles ago they fixed it alongside the road. Well, he's yelling at her about where she learned to drive and she tells him just to start bouncing the back of the car so it'll take the gas and as he actually starts to bounce it he's also getting the gas pump to the car and he hits her on the head with the black hose because he didn't realize she was bending over, looking under the car to see if it was leaking gas and taking in air through the fuel pump and the boy starts asking if he can either help with the hose or go inside and have more bloody Kool-Aid come out of his body. At this point, literally the whole gas station is watching and listening in disbelief. And the surrealness continued through pumping the gas and driving next door to Wendy's where we went inside and the next Abbott-Costello dialogue continued about the best hot foods to eat so they could stay cool in their un-air conditioned car which was when I finally noticed that none of the people had teeth.

So in addition to the food box at church and the $12 of gas that barely trickled in with their trick fuel line and some air-conditioned hot food, I offered them the $60 in my pocket, at which point they all gave me sweaty, stinky hugs, told me they loved me, and asked if we could stop right there and pray with all the good folk there at Wendy's Old-fashioned hamburgs, yes, hamburgs. So we prayed, the boy gave me one last hug and told me I must've been Jesus, and I walked to my stinkin' $31.000 car and started to cry.

After all, what else would you do when the invisible God visits you on a Thursday afternoon through visible people?

1 John 4:20 - If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Sometime today someone is going to come right before your very eyes and, in some outlandish (extremely different) way, ask you for help.

Help 'em, and in so doing...

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 06/19/14, "Day of Praise"

1 Corinthians 13:12 - "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

It's wedding season around here and most everywhere else. And 1 Corinthians 13 is one of the all-time favorite Bible chapters that brides and grooms choose to have read at their weddings.

You know 1 Corinthians 13 - Love is patient; Love is kind; Love keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13 is all about love. That's why couples choose it. It's clearly about love.

But towards the end of 1 Corinthians 13 is this part in today's verse that is not so clear, "For now we see in a mirror dimly." Say what? That's not clear. And that surely isn't about love.

As they say, "Not so fast."

Some, hey, maybe all of you may know that seeing "in a mirror dimly" refers to the quality of mirrors that they had in Bible days. My training on the matter was that mirrors in Bible days were like pieces of glass that people often use decoratively today where you can see both a little reflection of yourself and also a foggy view of things on the other side. I think they call it bubble glass nowadays. Bottom line is that your own reflection in that kind of mirror is dim, at best, and you actually can also see through it, but dimly also at best. In sum, as the verse goes on to say, the mirror glass of Bible days only let you "know in part" both your present (your reflection in the glass) and your future (your seeing through the glass).

Such dimness and knowing in part is also, like the rest of 1 Corinthians 13, about love - God's love.

God's love reminds us that we often don't see ourselves too clearly. We often kick ourselves over things that God (and others) have long ago forgiven and/or forgotten. We often see ourselves as far less beautiful and handsome than the child of God that our Heavenly Father adores. And we often see ourselves as far less worthy than the worth that God obviously attaches to us by deeming that we're worth it to him to send His Only Son to die for us and our sin! We have a dim view of ourselves, but God sees us clearly as His own, so he calls us to listen to his voice about us instead of our own. God loves us!

Similarly, God's love reminds us that we don't see our future too clearly either. The future looks unclear to us, but it's perfectly clear to God. We look through the bubble and our future looks most uncertain, but God certainly knows what's ahead, namely, He Himself. In other words, God doesn't want us to see clearly all the details of our future. Instead, God wants us to see Him! God wants us to focus on the fact that, though the "what's" of our future are unclear, the "who" of our future is very clear, well, when we look in faith, because nothing about our future is clear apart from faith. But, in faith, we clearly see who is in our future, yay, the Sovereign Loving God. And since God is already there, our future will clearly be blessed.

So right now take a look in the mirror or better, before you hop in your car today, look in your car window, which is kind of like the dim mirrors of old. And, as you see a dim reflection of yourself and a little bit through the glass, remember the love of God that sees you and your future clearly. He loves you right now and will be present in all that's ahead to clearly guide your ways.

Trust Him, and you'll see!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 06/18/14, "Day of Praise"

Romans 1:8 - "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."

Yesterday, I was listening to Christian radio when I heard a news report of a man who "was in critical condition after being in a fatal accident." At first, I was really sad about the accident. And then, I thought to myself how that was such a funny report because they made it sound as if the man was a fatality but now his condition was upgraded from a dead condition to only a critical condition. And then the Holy Spirit cut my heart to remind me how many things that I surely write in this devotion or say in sermons which come out even more funny and strange than that little radio report which seemed to speak of a death being upgraded to only critical. And the Holy Spirit touched my heart and told me that I simply needed to thank all of you for your grace in sharing this Day of Praise devotion with me because each day, after I push "send," I always find some spelling error or other mistake I made in writing.

I am sincerely grateful to all of you for your grace in receiving this devotion and looking to God for encouragement through it, instead of looking for mistakes and dwelling on those errors.

It's the same spirit of faith that St. Paul was writing about in today's Bible verse when he says that "your faith is proclaimed in all the world." (Romans 1:8) In other words, when we're kind and gracious to one another, instead of dwelling on each other's shortcomings and errors, word gets around, maybe to all the world, and people are drawn to Christ because that's what people are, namely, people are drawn to a graciousness and kindness born out of faith in Jesus Christ.

So, thank you, all! You are dear and encouraging friends in the gracious and kind ways that you receive this devotion everyday, some of you for almost three years now. I am sincerely grateful to God for all of you! Have a great day, and know that you're making a difference in my life, as I'm sure you are with many, as you are kind and gracious to them too!

Romans 1:8 - "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/17/14, "Day of Praise"

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 will direct your paths."

What does God mean by "all your ways"? God has taught me, through his word, that "all my ways" can be summed up as follows. Knowing and trusting God through Jesus is the only "Way" (John 14:1-7) for us to live if we want to live abundantly now and forever. And then, within the overall Way of Jesus, there are two smaller "ways" that cover everything also, namely, the way of praising God and the way of thanking God.

For example, last night I had a huge meeting. Through the day, as God stopped me at various times to pray for the meeting and entrust it to him, I found myself either being quite calm and peaceful about it. Or I found myself becoming a little nervous and anxious about it. When I was calm and peaceful, I thanked God, for God alone can give peace (Galatians 5:22-23). And when I was a little nervous and anxious, I praised God as the One who alone can promise to give peace (Galatians 5:22-23) and then does! In other words, I was either thanking God for what he had done (giving peace). Or I was praising God for who He is and what He alone can and will do (giving peace).

Ya see, when we're in Jesus Christ through faith, in everything that comes upon us in the course of a day, there are only two possible ways to see it, namely, thank God for the good thing he's already done or praise God for the good thing that he will do for he is a good and gracious God all the time!

So, may we be found acknowledging the Lord in all our ways today! May we taste the Way that is the Life of Truth in God through Jesus Christ as we thank him for the good thing that we're tasting or as we praise him for the good thing that he'll surely bring about!

Trust him in these ways, and you'll see!

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 will direct your paths."

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/16/14, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 14:17-18 - "[The disciples] said to [Jesus], 'We have only five loaves here and two fish.' And he said, 'Bring them here to me.'"

We had our annual church picnic with our late morning worship yesterday. There was plenty of food: chicken, pasta, fruit, watermelons, desserts, desserts, more desserts, and a Kona Ice truck, which basically makes fancy snow cones. We had about 150 people or so, plus we had a blast personally inviting all the people in the park to join us for worship, food, and Kona Ice. I'd guess we had about 300 people total then for some part of the picnic, which also included lots of ball game equipment and water canons, which were a huge hit to many of the new friends in the park on a hot summer day. So bottom line, we had a good number of people and plenty of food for our picnic.

In today's Bible verses, Jesus was teaching about 5,000 people in the middle of nowhere when he decided that the disciples should host a picnic for all those folks. Bottom line, there were a ton of people but basically no food, as indicated by the disciples saying, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

But then Jesus responds with one of my all-time favorite lines in the Bible. Jesus says, "Bring them here to me." In essence, Jesus is saying, "Give me what you've got." And by implication, he's saying, "I will make sure that there's plenty to go around."

And Jesus did. Jesus made sure that there was plenty to go around.

For after giving Jesus their meager supply, the disciples distributed the food, fed the masses, and gathered up far more leftovers than the "five loaves and two fish" that they started with.

Ya see, Friends, here's the deal. Just like the disciples had far more people to serve than they could possibly serve, many of you have the same. Some of you have territories that one can barely drive in a year let alone serve all the families, children, or businesses within it. Some of you have multiple jobs where demands are coming from all directions as the work piles higher and higher. Some of you oversee large departments of your company so that the emails flow in an endless cycle of requests for feedback and coordination. Some of you work by day and go to school by night. And most of you have family that want you to feed them physically and emotionally at the end of a long hard day. Whew, it makes me tired just thinking about what y'all got going on in your lives.

You must be exhausted. You must say, "Lord, how can I possibly manage and serve and feed all these people?"

But, if you'll take a deep breath and listen, Jesus replies to each of us with what I pray will become one of your all-time favorite Bible verses too. Jesus says to you, as he said to the disciples of old, "Give me what you've got. And I will make sure that there's plenty to go around."

And Jesus will.

If you'll stop and take a deep breath at various moments through the day and give Jesus what you've got, he will personally and powerfully make sure that there's plenty to go around and cover all that you have to do.

Trust him, and you'll see!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/14/14, "Day of Praise"

Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

May God grant such joy and peace to us all today and always!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 06/13/14, "Day of Praise"

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God works through all things together for good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose."

God works through and orchestrates a whole lot of things, but surely we're not supposed to credit God with orchestrating all things. I mean, did God yesterday orchestrate me locking my office keys in my car at the same time that I'd locked my car keys in my office? As Forrest Gump says, "Stupid is as stupid does." I would never put my stupid key orchestration on the Lord.

But the Lord (not luck, mind you) certainly gets credit for orchestrating that the only other person in the building at the late hour of my stupidity was one of only two people who had a key to my office so I could get the material to the Home Discovery Bible Study Group that was waiting on me.

And, yesterday also, God certainly gets credit for orchestrating the timing of me standing next to a hospital elevator at the exact time a church member exited the elevator because it required no less than three straight, separate incidents of people I didn't know, calling from behind me, asking me to come back down the hospital hall to talk and pray with them, which created the exact two second window that was needed to bump into the church member at the elevator.

And, yesterday also, God certainly gets credit for orchestrating the timing of me bumping into the one person I really needed to see at the next hospital as they, amongst thousands of people, happened to be walking out a wide, long corridor at the exact time as I was walking in the same way.

And, yesterday also, God certainly gets credit for orchestrating the timing of a church member who said they'd had a dream about prison ministry and then awoke to read an appointed devotion that was on the exact verse that they'd preached from the Bible to the prison inmates in their dream. Furthermore, God gets credit for orchestrating that I myself recently met someone who's just starting prison ministry so I could connect the person who had the prison dream and devotion with the person who's starting the prison ministry.

In sum, when God says through Paul "that God works through all things together for good" (Romans 8:28), God doesn't mean that he's only reacting to bad things that happen and hurt us or reacting to stupid things like my stunt of locking up all my keys in different places. God is not just reactive.

God, being all-knowing and therefore knowing what's ahead of us, is proactively working out a plan to orchestrate blessings that will encourage us, even when we're touched by things that aren't so encouraging.

The one and only mighty and good God is greater than anything that will come your way today. And he is already orchestrating your blessings for today through those things. So believe it, and spread the word because, through faith in Jesus, we can 100% know and also see that it's true.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 06/12/14, "Day of Praise"

Between some friends being at the Parent-Child camp I went to with my daughters and the fact that there are many new recipients of Day of Praise in the last two years, here's a Day of Praise that we shared on Tuesday, June 19, 2012.

"Samaria's king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of
the waters." - Hosea 10:7

While away these past few weeks with my children, Calley-Taylor, age 19, and
I went white-water rafting as a part of our amazing Father/Daughter week at
JH Ranch in the mountains of northern California, about an hour from
beautiful Mount Shasta.

An interesting thing about the white-water rafting for Calley-Taylor was
what she's known for years, namely, her daddy hates water, because he's not
a very good swimmer.

So here we are, with five others, in this little yellow boat, white-water
rafting down a seven-mile stretch of the Klamath River. We'd already made it
through the most dangerous spot called "The Rattlesnake," so I'm starting to
feel pretty confident about this particular "conquer your fears" activity.

Too confident.

As we approached the next white-water rapid, I locked in my feet, as
instructed at the start. But wanting to really conquer my fears, I leaned,
not into the boat as instructed, but out over the water.

Not smart.

My daughter, along with the other fathers and daughters in our raft, later
had some rip-roarin laughs, recounting the horrified look I had on my face
as the next rapid rose above me, pulled me out of the boat, and "swept [me]
away like a twig on the surface of the waters" as in today's verse from
Hosea 10:7.

Lesson learned.

As life comes at ya, lean in, not out.

Lean in towards God and his word and his people. Not out over the world,
where the next wave is lurking to rise up and sweep us "away like a twig on
the surface of the waters."

To be sure, God is gracious. Our white-water guide, John, was more than
capable of rescuing me from my foolishness.

But next time? Well, maybe God will say what he, in essence, says in today's
Bible verse, "I'm just gonna have to let you learn the hard way."

So, as the white-water of life comes at ya today...heed God's instruction,
and lean in, my friends. Lean in.

Lean in toward God and his word and others who do the same.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 06/11/14, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 7:7 - "[Jesus said,] 'Ask, and it will be given to you.'"

We promised we'd tell, so I'm tellin'.

I'd just finished grabbin' a very quick bite of lunch at Tony's on my way to Shelby hospital. And when I walked out the Tony's door, there was a come-out-of-nowhere monsoon comin' down. The wind was also kickin' up, so the rain was gettin' blown back under the 12 feet of sidewalk cover. So this other Tony's customer, who I'd never met, and I just kind of looked at each other like "there's no way I'm goin' out in that."

But then, like the exact same time, we looked at each other and said, "Let's pray!" We introduced ourselves, and Terry and I started havin' a good ol' time. We told the Lord how great we think he is. We told him that Terry had to get back to work, and I had to get to the hospital. We reminded him that we were two or more gathered in Jesus' name, so we were claimin' his promises to hear our prayer and stop the rain NOW!!!

And we also promise God that if he does stop the rain, then both of us will glorify Him and tell a whole bunch of people what he did.

And that's when big ol' Jemaine (who we'd never met) stepped out of Subway, so we asked his name and told him to start prayin' too. And he did!

And then Matt (who we'd never met) stepped out of Tony's, so we asked his name and told him to start prayin' too. And he did!

And then Steve.

And then Cordell.

And then Joe.

And we're all just a bunch of men who are strangers until now, lookin' like a bunch of fools, and we're talkin' to God very winsomely while our eyes are open so we can look at the monsoon to see if God's doin' anything about it.

And then we catch a glimpse. The rain starts slowin'. And we all start goin' crazy with cheers for God. And we realize that now there's about 20 people out on this Subway/Tony's sidewalk, and everybody's smilin' and cheerin' for God, and smack-talkin' the monsoon because the monsoon is under God's Lordship. And we're just havin' a grand ol' time.

And you could just tell that we all realized that we don't even care about the monsoon anymore.

Now it was just the sheer joy of a sidewalk prayer meetin' breakin' out with 20 strangers on a lunchtime sidewalk in Pelham, Alabama.

The rain didn't quite stop, but we didn't care because even better than true to his word was the fact that we jovially asked God to stop some rain, and he gave us 19 new friends in Christ instead. We asked God for one thing. And He gave us somethin' better.

Like always.

"[Jesus said,] 'Ask, and it will be given to you.'" (Matthew 7:7)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/10/14, "Day of Praise"

Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Have you ever felt like your life was out of control? Like someone else was in control of your life?

Yesterday, I experienced a hospital shift change, and for as many times as I've been to hospitals early in the morning over the past 24 years, I'd never experienced a shift change. I'm sure that all the employees at that hospital are lovely people. But as I walked from the parking garage to the hospital with a couple hundred employees, I distinctly felt like I was in a scene of "The Walking Dead." No one was even talking to each other, let alone joyful and loving. There was no "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22, today's verses).

So, I did what I do, namely, I started looking at the employees and smiled and talked to them about God's promise to bless their day even though they were walking to work at 6:20 a.m. It didn't go over very well. But, quite frankly, though sad for all those employees, I was fine with their lack of response because, though all of them seemed to be marching in the direction of some alien force that controlled their life, I knew, by God's grace, who and what was in control of mine and even 200 zombies were not going to change that.

I'm not saying that I'm the perfect Christian, but what I am saying is that all too often we act like there's some alien force that's controlling our life. We act like our life is out of control or like someone else is controlling our life. But what God is telling us in today's Bible verses is that God is in control of our lives, even as, paradoxically, we're still free and in control when we're in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

It simply goes like this. Since Jesus loves me with an everlasting love and I surrender to that truth, I can have love and share it! Since Jesus loves me with an everlasting love and I surrender to that truth, I can have joy and share it! Since Jesus loves me with an everlasting love and I surrender to that truth, I can have peace and share it! Since Jesus loves me with an everlasting love and I surrender to that truth, I can have patience and share it! And so on with kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Nothing and nobody controls my life except the Living God through his everlasting love for me in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit!

So, let's be God's instruments to change the world today. As we walk into work or any other setting where we don't feel like going early in the morning or any hour, for that matter, remember who's in control. Your employer is not in control. Your government is not in control. Your feelings are not in control. Your life is not out of control.

Since Jesus loves us with an everlasting love and we surrender to that truth, i.e. we believe in God's love, we can have "the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23) and share it!

So have a great day and spread the love, people; spread the love.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/09/14, "Day of Praise"

Deuteronomy 4:29 - "But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul."

It's a little over-dramatic to say that I was in a panic, but how about we say that it was not comforting that I couldn't find my red stole yesterday morning before our 8:15 a.m. worship service? Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, which is the celebration of God pouring out the Holy Spirit on Jesus's disciples, and worship leaders traditionally wear a red piece of fabric, called a stole, over their robe. Furthermore, the whole congregation was encouraged to wear red. So when I couldn't find my red stole in the little closet of my recently refurbished office, I started a singsongish, "Ooooooh nooo-ooooo, thiiiiiiis is not goooooood." I even started to think of alternative plans, but none were really viable. None were capable of working successfully.

And that's when I heard God speak as plainly as if He were standing right next to me and thinking with me what to do. God simply said, "Keep searching; it's there."

And sure enough, there, stuffed at an angle in the back corner of the hanger rack, was the hanger with my red stole. And I shouted to the Lord, "Thank you, Jesus!"

Now here's the point, yesterday in worship, I preached from the scripture about Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I preached that many Christians have a sense that something is not quite complete and fulfilling about their life. And God's testimony at Pentecost is that the missing piece is the personal reception of the Holy Spirit, which brings all sorts of previously unknown treasure, such as a daily ability to see God working wondrously in our lives. And just as God spoke to me yesterday to keep looking for what, in the grand scheme of things, is an unnecessary piece of fabric, God speaks to you today to keep looking for what, in the grand scheme of things, is the most important piece of your life, namely, the daily presence and blessed work of the Living God in your life.

God wants to be a present help for you with your daily work. God wants to encourage you and cheer you on with each situation that arises. God wants to counsel and guide you with each person and conversation that's before you today.

The question is, have you gotten so used to doing the day on your own that you don't even think about God's presence and help? Or maybe you "wish" God would help, but you feel so pressured to get it aaaaaaall done that you don't leave enough time for God to speak.

Friends, in God's economy, taking more time to heed God's call in today's Bible verse ("you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul") is much more efficient than taking less time to leave him out.

It's a faith proposition.

God is with you, whether you acknowledge him or not. And God is eager to help you whether you accept his help or not.

So, just like He encouraged me yesterday morning with a piece of fabric, He encourages us all today with His presence and blessings, saying, "Keep searching; it's there."

May God bless us, as He promises, that as we patiently look, we will indeed see!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/07/14, Easter Day #49, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 126:2 - "Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'"

May God bless you with a laugh-filled, joy-filled, hope-filled, rest-filled, praise-of-God-filled Saturday!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 06/06/14, Easter Day #48, "Day of Praise"

Luke 22:19 - "And [Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'"

Memory is a powerful tool in life that God has given us.

I'm here at my mom's in Tennessee. I came up late last night with the very special woman, Amanda Green, that God brought into my life a couple months ago. We came up for a couple reasons: 1) for Amanda to meet my family, and 2) to be with my mom around the date that would have been my mom and late father's 55th wedding anniversary.

To be here brings back a flood of memories. Mostly good. But some that I wish were different. Like I have this memory of throwing an ice ball at an unsuspecting friend who really got hurt from my antics. At the time, as teenagers, all of us, except Brad who got pelted, thought it was hilarious. Now I'm not laughing so much.

When we remember things that we regret, memory has the power to invoke that wonderful feeling called guilt.

When you remember your past, do you ever have guilt stirred up? Or what about that self-destructive memory that's called a grudge?

Jesus knew the power of memory. That's why in today's verse he calls us to use the best memory. He calls us to remember that He, as the Son of God, has poured His life out for us in order that the most powerful memory might rule in our lives, namely, that God's love and forgiveness have no limit in our lives. Well, actually, our unbelief can keep God's love and forgiveness at arms length in our lives. But when we remember daily, and multiple times through a day, that God sent Jesus to pour out love and forgiveness, then the memory of Jesus trumps all others.

God's love and forgiveness trumps guilt. God's love and forgiveness trumps grudges. God's love and forgiveness trumps regret. God's love and forgiveness is a memory of the past action of Christ that is powerfully present in this very moment because the Christ who died to give that love and forgiveness is with us now, risen from the dead, and dwelling in the hearts and minds of all who will believe that the memory of Jesus's love and forgiveness is greater in lifting us up than any past memory that would pull us down.

Remember Christ today so that your past, present, and future may be filled with positive, life-giving memories!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 06/05/14, Easter Day #47, "Day of Praise"

Yesterday was an extremely hard day for many of you. The burdens that many of you shared made me think of my most difficult season in life and the Bible passage from Psalm 71 that someone sent to me. In that season, God spoke to me through Psalm 71 in a way that I felt encouraged to press on even though I was heart-broken and body-weary.

May God bless you all to press on even in your sorrows and difficulties, as I commend Psalm 71 to you. Let God speak to you through His Word.

Psalm 71 - In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.
7 I have been as a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
    those who watch for my life consult together
11 and say, "God has forsaken him;
    pursue and seize him,
    for there is none to deliver him."
12 O God, be not far from me;
    O my God, make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually
    and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
    O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
    O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
    will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
    and comfort me again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have redeemed.
24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
    who sought to do me hurt.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 06/04/14, Easter Day #46, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 6:8 - "[Jesus said,] 'Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.'"

When Jesus says, "Do not be like them," there are many things that he's referring to. But they're all tied to two fundamentals, namely, being anxious and having peace. Come what may, Jesus is calling us to trust that God knows what we need, so we don't need to be anxious, and we have the miracle that is peace in the face of storms.

Let me illustrate. Yesterday, a member of our church called to give an update on their child's overnight hospitalization and release. This young couple has trusted God more and more each day to provide as God promises. However, the cost of their child's ambulance ride, emergency room visit, and overnight hospital stay had the potential to create a great deal of anxiety. Yet, of course, the importance of their child's health was non-negotiable and they trusted that God valued the same. They had peace in trusting God to provide.

So, when the dad went home from the hospital in the wee hours to get some necessities, he also checked the mail, of course. And what do you know? There was an envelope from some loved ones, who, weeks before these hospital costs came about, had decided to pass on some encouragement in the form of a check that would wind up covering more than their child's ambulance ride, emergency room visit, and overnight hospital stay.

Just as Jesus said in today's Bible verse, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

So, what's upon you, Dear Friends? What has the potential to stir anxiety in you? Or what has already stirred your pot of concern? Jesus invites you to give it to God and trust God's promise that "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

No, it may not be with a check in the mailbox, but somehow God has a plan to bless you and provide, even before you know the need.

Dear Heavenly Father, we tend to be anxious and wonder how things will work out. But you more than tend to be faithful each day, for faithful in provision you are. Thank you for your promise to have a plan of provision long before we know our need. So move us, Dear Lord, to turn all our cares and concerns over to you. For in your hands, our cares will be blessed, and we ourselves will have peace. In Jesus's name we ask this, Amen.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/03/14, Easter Day #45, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 77:1 - "I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me."

God is amazing. The things he sees. The things he hears. They're often invisible to the rest of us.

Yesterday, after a wonderful time away with my children, I returned to Tony's, the best breakfast-lunch, burger-hot dog place in the world. After fourteen years of regular visits, I know a few people there. But I'm sure I need to know more because I'm sure I miss things that I should see. Like yesterday.

Everybody looked happy to me with a big tray of food in front of each. But Misty, who's the owner Joseph's wife, motioned to me and pointed me to a table where a solitary person sat, yes, with a big tray of food in front, but just kind of staring into space. So I went over and sat down in front of this person, who I'd never seen in my life, and they immediately looked at me, reached to grab my hands, started to cry, and bowed to pray, as if saying, "Pray with me. Pray for me. Please!" So we did.

And just as we hear in today's Bible verse, God did.

So what did Misty see with that person that none of the rest of us saw. Misty saw what God saw because she was looking as God looks. In our weakness, we tend to focus on the hot dog. But God is always focused on the heart, which is plainly seen through the eyes and body language, if someone will just look.

God is looking.

And therefore sees and hears our cries.

He sees us in a vast humanity, suffering, silently pleading for someone to come sit at our booth and look us in the eye and take our hand and pray with us.

I've cried out that way. Stood in my office. Sat in the sanctuary. Or my car. Countless times. Heavy-hearted with my own or someone else's brokenness. Looking up toward God. Tears rolling. Begging for some help.

And you have too. In your own places. With your own or someone else's brokenness.

And God saw. And God heard.

And God did something about it. With his presence. With his hands. Reaching to us in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Sitting down in our booth. Taking our hands. Bowing his head to say, "Pray with me. I hear you. I see you. I know your pains and your sorrow."

It is given to us only to believe.

And to look for hearts more than hot dogs.

And to sit down next to someone and pray as in Psalm 77:1, "I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me."

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/02/14, Easter Day #44, "Day of Praise"

2 Thessalonians 3:1 - "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you."

Long ago, St. Paul, asked others to pray for him and his partners in spreading the Word of God. Today, I have a similar prayer request. Would you all please pray for my daughters and their partners in spreading the Word of God?

My oldest, Calley, is in Apalachicola, Florida, and Cassidy is in Port St. Joe, Florida. My son, Caden, and I dropped off Calley and Cassidy on the way back from Disney on Saturday. In Apalachicola, Calley is living in a house with a missionary team of college girls who work jobs and become a part of the summer community so they can meet people in normal everyday situations and offer the good news of Jesus Christ. In Port St. Joe, Cassidy is living in a house with a missionary team of college girls who go out and do various service projects so they can meet the needs of people and also offer the good news of Jesus Christ.

Here's a prayer you could pray to God for them, or, of course, you could lift up other prayers from your heart.

Dear Heavenly Father,
So that the good news of your Son may spread to others, watch over, surround, protect, empower, and loosen the tongues of Calley and Cassidy DeGreen and the teams of girls that they're serving with. Please bless the boys teams there too. Help them all to know your presence in their unique ways of serving the people who both permanently live in and who also are on vacation in those communities over the next two months so that those people are changed forever with the good news of the person and saving work of Jesus Christ. I ask this in Jesus's name, Amen.

Thank you for praying for my daughters!

How can I pray for you today? Please reply.

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson