Day of Praise

Thur, 06/01/17, 47th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name." - Psalm 103:1

My poor dad. 

When I was eight, I would praise the Lord with "all my inmost being" every time we went to church so much so that even my left leg got involved. Ya see, my left leg would start praising God by tappin' up and down, usually while we were sitting and listening to the sermon.

However, my praises had a tendency to drive my dad, (who always sat on my left), and his right leg, nuts.

And then, like magic, without even looking, he'd reach over and touch my left leg and send my praise of God directly to my right leg!

It was amazing!

Then, without looking, he'd reach toward my right leg, and before he even touched me, he could send my praise of God to my neck, which would swirl my head all around like a praise-filled bobble head doll. 

And then, he'd finally turn his head and look at me. 

To this day, I have no idea what expression he had on his face because his look would freeze my whole body.

For at least three or four minutes. 

And then all my praising God would start all over again. 

My poor dad.

Now I just lift my heart and voice all the time. And I lift my hands a lot of the time. And I really can't get enough worship. 

I could worship at church seven days every week, probably three times a day, and I wouldn't get tired of it. 

But since my current station in life as a husband of an amazing wife and father of three amazing kids won't exactly permit being at church that much, (though, I'm quite sure my wife and kids would love to worship that much too if it was practical because we've now started to have Tuesday night worship at our house that's open to all of you and anyone else who wants to come), I just walk around with a song of praise to God in my heart. 

Most of the time. 

I do have my moments. 

But all the time I really do walk around, thanking God for my dad, who endured my younger years of worship, and for my wife and kids and my mom and my church family and all you Day of Praise friends who send inspiring stories and/or uplifting brief replies. 

I pray that the praise of God will overflow from us all so much that we, well, maybe we move a person or two to look our way and wonder what in the world all the leg-tappin' and head-bobbin' is all about. 

"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name." - Psalm 103:1

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Wed, 05/31/17, 46th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

"As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." - Proverbs 27:19 

Another translation of today's verse from Proverbs 27:19 is "As water reflects the face, so others reflect your heart back to you." 

This is what I hear in either translation: Today is a gift from God. Take a walk. Wave at some people. Call out to strangers with a "Hello!" Practice your British accent. Be silly. Lay on your back, and count the clouds. Set up a lemonade stand, and give it away for free. Go to Krispy Kreme, and buy two dozen donuts, and then go to Tony's Hot Dog Shop in Pelham, Alabama, and get a Giant Cheeseburger "all the way." Go into a pet store, and bark at the cats. And chirp at the fish. 

Enjoy life. Life's too short. 

Spread the love, and a lot of it will come back to you. What doesn't come back to you is clearly needed by the one's who couldn't return it, which is satisfying in itself. 

Spread the love of Jesus. 

Spread the love. Spread the love. 

"As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." - Proverbs 27:19 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Tues, 5/30/17, 45th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

As I continue to reflect on yesterday's Memorial Day and give thanks for the people who have fought battles for me, here's one of my favorite Day of Praise devotionals from the past. 

"Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down." - Proverbs 26:20 

We all have different battlefields. So we all have different battles. But ultimately the war is all the same. 

Every human being lives a life of faith, not because every human being has faith in God, but because every human being has faith in something. 

Of course, it's only when our faith is in God that the battles and the war can be won. And therein lies the war that's set before us all. 

Today, every single one of us is going to encounter a number of quarrels. Some of those quarrels will be between two people. Most of the quarrels will be within the one person who's in front of us. 

Here are the words of God through Paul in Romans 7:21-25, describing the quarrel within, "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" 

In sum, God's word alone through Jesus is able to deliver a human being from the war being waged within us. 

So, be a warrior today. 

Acknowledge that there's a battle going on in every person. But instead of "adding fuel to the fire," speak the word that alone can deliver a human being from the war being waged within us. 

Speak of Jesus. Speak the love and truth of the word of God to the most important person in the world...which is the one standing right before you. 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Mon, 05/29/17, 44th of 50 Days of Easter, Memorial Day, "Day of Praise"

John 15:13 - "[Jesus said,] 'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.'"

As we take time this Memorial Day to thank God for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and the freedoms we enjoy, let's remember that Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the spiritual freedom of every nation, was raised from the dead to pour out his life everyday to set people free.

As my wife, Amanda, and I are away in Tennessee with two of our three kids for the 100th anniversary of the church I grew up in, we got to hear John Sparks, son of Pastor Lemuel C. Sparks, who was my pastor when I was a kid. John recounted his dad's service in WWII and the many who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms we enjoy in this that is the greatest nation in the world. 

Such testimonies remind and inspire us that we can lay down our lives for others because 1) others have poured out their lives for us, as we celebrate today on this Memorial Day, and 2) Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, continues to pour out his life for us everyday!

To God be the Glory!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Sat, 5/27/17, 42nd of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

"Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping." - Matthew 8:24 

Fellowship with the Sovereign God, as we have through faith in Jesus Christ, gives us rest and peace in every storm!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Fri, 05/26/17, 41st of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." - Proverbs 30:7-9

When I was a kid, my mom went with my dad on a business trip. My dad worked in the international division of chemical sales for Tennessee Eastman, which was a part of Eastman Kodak at that time. Their trip was to Europe, which meant that somebody had to stay with us four kids for about a week. 

Her name was Mrs. White. I have no idea how old she was. My goodness, I can't remember how old I was. All I knew then was that she looked old and over-matched by us four kids, of which I was the third. 

To the best of my knowledge, we kids had never met Mrs. White before her stay with us, and, afterwards, we never saw her again. We must have terrified her. 

I know I did. I can't remember anybody's age, but I can remember my offense. All I wanted to eat was macaroni and cheese. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a week. 

I thought I was in heaven. 

She must've thought I was unstable or something because every time she asked me what I wanted to eat, I'd say, "Macaroni and Cheese." Then she'd look at me like I was crazy. And then she'd make it for me. Every meal for a week. 

It was like I was saying, "Give me only my mac and cheese." It was a child's version of the heart of today's Bible passage where God teaches us to say, "Give me only my daily bread," which is what Jesus also teaches us in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread," which is only to ask for each day's portion of bread for the belly and bread for the soul. 

Can you imagine how awesome the whole world would be if every single person was content with the day's portion of bread for the belly and bread for the soul? Everybody would have God and friendships and enough food for the belly to satisfy. Everyday. Forever. Can you imagine the peace and contentment and joy?

Oh sure there'd be some who would look at us like we were crazy as they were thinking, "You're able to live and be satisfied with 'only your daily bread'?"

Can you imagine?

I can. It would be the adult version of a kid who was happy for a week with only his mac and cheese!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Thur, 05/25/17, The Celebration of The Ascension of Our Lord, 40th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"And after [Jesus] had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight." - Acts 1:9

Forty days after his resurrection, when Jesus was taken up in a cloud into heaven, the disciples looked up as if to say, "Wait! Where are you going? Don't leave us!!!!!"

Be honest; you've done the same thing. Ya know, acted like Jesus just left you in the lurch, which means left as dead to be buried. Ya know, whenever something goes wrong, especially if it's gone really wrong, and especially if it's another thing in a series of things that have gone really wrong. It's right there on the tip of our tongue, "Hey, Jesus! Wait! Where are you going? Don't leave us!!!!!"

Well, here's the good news that comes straight from today's Bible verse and The Celebration of The Ascension of Our Lord, HE HASN'T! He hasn't left you or me or anyone else in the lurch. 

And here's the 1, 2, 3 of encouragement from The Ascension:

1) The Promise - Though sometimes you can't see Jesus, Jesus can always see us. What's that mean? It means HE'S ON IT! He sees what's going on in your life, and he's on it! So hang in there. He'll come through! Though sometimes you can't see Jesus, Jesus can always see us. 

2) The Test - Whenever you can't see Jesus, God's inviting you to a stronger faith. After all, faith is believing even when you can't see why. When you can't see God, your mind says, "He's gone." Your God says, "I'm here. Trust me." Go with God instead of your mind. That's how faith grows, trusting God to be there for you as he promises, even when your mind thinks he's not. The old saying,  "Faith precedes understanding" means your mind will catch up. Whenever you can't see Jesus, God's inviting you to a stronger faith. 

3) The Command - If you want to see Jesus, don't look up; look out and around. In other words, look for people who need the promise that, though they can't see Jesus, Jesus can see them. When you invite those people to faith, when you invite them to believe God's promise instead of their mind, then oftentimes you'll see Christ born and grow in them. Pardon the Ascension pun, but Jesus doesn't want us believers to walk around with our head in the clouds!!!! Jesus wants us believers to come to discouraged people with the clouds of heaven, which Biblically represent the presence of God. If you want to see Jesus, don't look up; look out and around.

So, there you have it; that's the 1, 2, 3 of encouragement from The Ascension of Our Lord. Spread it around, and watch people be lifted up before your very eyes today just as Jesus was lifted up before the disciples long ago!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Wed, 05/24/17, 39th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

"Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil." - Proverbs 15:16 

I didn't go looking for today's verse. It's a long story, but the verse presented itself to me as a number of people in my life have actually been talking about the substance of today's verse recently. 

And guess what? 

They all agree. It's true! "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil" (Proverbs 15:16). 

It's not that wealth is bad, in and of itself, just as Jesus makes clear in the parable of the talents. The one who humbly, skillfully, and faithfully manages much wealth is always praised above the one who greedily, carelessly, and haughtily manages little. 

The issue is not how much you have, but instead the issue is what are you having to do to get what you have? And to keep it? And to protect it? And to manage it? If whatever you're having to do is causing great turmoil in your life, then you might want to ask yourself if your life would be better with less. 

And if your life would be better with less, then that's ok because God's word says, "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil" (Proverbs 15:16). 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Tues, 05/23/17, 38th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" - John 14:6

I could say, "Sometime today, you're going to need direction. Stop! Ask Jesus."

And someone (none of you, of course) could reply, "I tried that, and Jesus didn't reply."

I actually did hear a conversation once where one person asked another for guidance. The person responded, "Have you prayed about it?" And the first person got mad because the other person seemed "holier than thou."

Here's the deal, gang. Jesus and Jesus alone is The Way to God. When the eventual St. Paul of the Bible was still Saul, he persecuted and killed followers of "The Way" as noted in Acts 9:1-2, "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem."

And what, pray tell, might be the reason that those people were willing to lose their lives at the hands of the unbeliever Saul? And why, through the ages, have countless Christians been willing to endure persecutions at the hands of unbelieving emperors? Or why do Christians today continue to share the Gospel in countries where there are real threats to those who trust, love, and speak of Jesus? And why were five missionaries to Ecuador in the 1950's willing to lose their lives in 1956 at "The End of the Spear" in service to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And why do Greg and Melissa Segrest in Mexico and Calley DeGreen in Honduras  live like paupers to share the good news of Jesus?

People do these "foolish-to-the-world" things because there are lots of ways to live your life. 

But only One Way, namely The Way of Jesus Christ, works.

So, let's try this again. 

I could and am going to say right now, "Sometime today, you're going to need direction. Stop! Ask Jesus."

And someone (maybe each of you) could and is about to reply, "Amen!"

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" - John 14:6

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Mon, 05/22/17, 37th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly." - Proverbs 14:29 

Wait on the Lord. God has great things in store for you today!!! Be patient, and you'll see!!!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Sat, 05/20/17, 35th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

Jesus came to us long ago to die in our place on that cross so that, if we surrender our whole life to him and his saving work, we will have 1) forgiveness of our sin, 2) reconciliation to Papa God, and 3) an unfailing hope that we'll see God ALWAYS come through.

At the same time, it's true that Jesus comes and is known to us today in each moment by the work of Holy Spirit so that we might joyfully live in him, remain in him, and bear much fruit to the glory of the Father, as we hear in today's Bible verse.

And at the same time, it's true that Jesus will come to us again when God the Father sends him on the Last Day in order to bring us both to the final judgment and also, by faith in his grace through Jesus, to our everlasting home.

Live today, thanking Jesus for his saving work, finding strength in Jesus's presence, and anticipating him coming again with all that the end will entail.

And encourage others to do the same.

Happy Day!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Fri, 05/19/17, "Day of Praise"

"Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment." - Proverbs 12:19

I understand that Abraham Lincoln once said, "No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar." And it follows then that if part of continuous living is being remembered, then the "unsuccessful liar" can't even remember himself, which means that their lie lasts only a moment. Oh, that's what God had already said long ago, "A lying tongue lasts only a moment" (Proverbs 12:19).

Well, anyway, what was mostly put on my heart with today's Bible verse is this question: "What are your lips bearing?"

And I don't feel preachy, so I just want to offer one simple thought from the Bible verse. 

If you have a person in your life, who is "dying on the vine" spiritually, then please love them enough for your lips to bear the truth of the word of God. 

Please don't tell them, "It's all gonna be okay" or anything else that sounds nice but doesn't speak The Truth to them. God's word is Truth. And when you speak God's word of Truth to someone, then you're breathing life into the "dying vine" of their soul. 

So often we're so worried about sounding spiritually "uppity" to someone that we speak our words to them instead of God's Word. To begin, just read your Bible or read some Biblically-rooted devotional material and latch on to the words that breathe life into your soul. And then take those same words that encouraged you and speak them to that friend of yours who is dying on the vine. 

I'm not trying to turn everyone into a preacher or an evangelist. All I want is what you want. I want to live in a world where marriages last. Where parents make lasting impressions. Where friendships last. Where companies thrive...and last. Where coaches and teachers and scout leaders and professors and mail carriers and garbage men and mayors and governors and presidents make positive and life-giving and lasting impressions. 

And God's word says that the only way that a world like that is gonna be and is gonna last and is gonna be filled with positive things that last is if we trust God enough to have courage enough to love enough for our lips to bear the truth of the word of God.

"Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment." - Proverbs 12:19

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Thur, 05/18/17, 33rd of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." - Psalm 5:3

Dear Lord,

Good morning! 

Well, you've given me another day. Thank you. 

And I thank you also for bringing me safely through the night. 

Father God, you know what I've got going on today, which is certainly more than I know. You've taught me to accept that everyday has its own twists and turns, and not just to accept them but also to see those twists and turns as, well, kinda like your toys. You put everything to use for good just like you promise. So whenever something unexpected happens in my day, I've come to expect some other wonderful surprise to follow. So I wait expectantly. 

Also Lord, can I please ask you to protect the hearts of my family? And also the hearts of my friends. Oh, and the innocent children in this world; you know how much kids depend on their parents and depend even more on you. Please Lord. 

And Lord, about my job, well, please make this a day that has some good job stuff. Good news. Good opportunities. Good attitude. 

And Lord, if it isn't too much to ask, could you please do something miraculous for maybe a few people in my life. I know you're smarter and wiser than me, but it really bothers me that I've got a little baby friend in one hospital and a little older friend in another and a really nice old friend, who has always been so good to everyone, in another hospital. 

Oh yea, please help a couple of my friends to cheer up. You know who they are; I don't even like to say their names sometimes because they're so negative that the mere thought of them just kinda depresses me. But I pray for them because it must be even worse for them to have to live with themselves. 

Oh oh oh, and thank you so much for the prosperity that you've brought to my friends who have turned to you in recent months. Most of all, thanks for showing them that the greatest prosperity is a connection to you, through Jesus, by the awesome power of Holy Spirit. Everything else just pales in comparison. 

Well, Lord, I've got a lot more requests to lay before you, but I'll just sprinkle 'em your way through the day since I'm so grateful that you taught me that prayer is just a way for us to share amazing fellowship with you all day. 

Okay, God. Thanks for hearing my voice this morning and letting me lay my requests before you. 

Now I'm listening for you. 

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Wed, 05/17/17, 32nd of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3

When I was a kid, I did some things that, well, were not too smart. 

What about you?

Like when I was in first grade, I got a rush out of leaning back in my classroom chair and falling backwards. All the way to the floor. To this day I have no idea why that seemed fun. I do know, however, that the fun did indeed stop when, with one of the falls, I broke a chair. I remember being sent to the principal's office and getting a different rendition of "you'll shoot your eye out, kid." My teacher, Miss Deakins', and the principal, Miss Carmack's version was, "Don't you know you could crack your skull open, kid?"

"Uh, no, Ma'am, it never occurred to me," was what I thought, I think, but I really don't remember because, well, I don't think I was thinkin' at all. I mean that's why we all do stupid things as kids...and as adults. 

We just don't think. 

That's clearly the point in the contrast of today's Bible verses. 

The only reason that we "walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers" is because that's what we do (walk, stand, even sit) when we don't think. We do stupid, wicked, sinful, mocking, destructive stuff. 

In contrast is the one who thinks...with their heart. The one "whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night." To delight is to think with your heart. To delight is to want to please another, to want to find out how to please another. So day and night thought is given, one meditates day and night on the law and commands and statutes and word of the Lord. 

I know people who admit to going weeks at a time without even once thinking about the Lord or his word or worshiping him. I want to say, "what are you thinking?" But, of course, that's the point: they're not. 

Hey, I'm not condemning anyone; we're all sinners for whom Jesus died. But the one who's not thinkin' about the Lord, who just walks/stands/sits, well, they're missin' out on a lot of good livin'. 

I mean God says in today's verse, "That person [who delights in God's Word and meditates on it day and night] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers." Whatever they do prospers!

I mean think about it this way. Don't people in this country want to prosper? And yet around every turn, people are either tryin' to get rid of God's Word or find every way under the sun to not make time for it. And look at the result. Our country's not prospering. By any earthly measure, not one thing is really getting better. What are people thinkin' that they could possibly have a better life by getting rid of God's Word or by neglecting it? What could they possibly be thinking?

Uuuuuuuuh, they're not.

So, let's all do this. Let's all pick one person who clearly doesn't walk with God, and let's think about 'em. Study 'em. Think about 'em some more. And ask God to help us see how we can feed 'em with and invite 'em to God and to his word and to the worship and praise of Him who made us...with a brain...maybe a simple brain...but a brain nonetheless...so we can think of Him...and delight in Him...and meditate on his word day and night...and prosper. 

Come to think of it. I've got a person in mind right now. What about you? Think about it!

"Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night...whatever they do prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Tues, 05/16/17, 31st of 50th Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Guard my teachings as the apple of your eye." - Proverbs 7:2

When God calls us to have his "teachings as the apple of [our] eye" (Proverbs 7:2), God's calling us to have his word as the love of our life.

Our inspiration to have God's word as the apple of our eye, to have his word as the love of our life, comes from the very fact that God promises to have us as the apple of his eye. He promises that we are the love of his life!

God makes this plain in Deuteronomy 32:9-11, where it's written:

9 For the Lord's portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.
10 In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.

You may not love the poetic style of God's words there in Deuteronomy 32, but how can you not like the substance?

In sum, God's saying that what he wants out of life is us! The love that he longs for is a relationship with us. We are God's "portion." And so much does he love us that he comes and looks for us when we're lost and rescues us from the gutter. He then shields us, cares for us, and guards us "as the apple of [his] eye," like an eagle vigilantly watching its young, so that when we fall, God catches us and "carries [us] aloft" and lifts us back up.

Friends, whether or not you resonate with poetry, I beg you to ponder God's testimony here as to how deeply he loves you "as the apple of [his] eye."

And if you will ponder his deep love for you, you will gladly "Guard [his] teachings as the apple of your eye" (Proverbs 7:2), and you'll probably even pray to God as in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Mon, 05/15/17, 30th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

A few verses from Proverbs 11: 
2 - "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." 
11 - "Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed." 
17 - "Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves." 
24 - "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty." 
25 - "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." - Proverbs 11:2, 11, 17, 24, 25 

I can't make up my mind. Sorry. Proverbs 11 has five very practIcal ways for us to live with faith in God's grace this morning: 

1 - Be humble. In Proverbs 11:2, God promises that the humble will get wisdom, and who doesn't need wisdom every day?

2 - Speak a blessing on your city. In Proverbs 11:11, God promises that a word of blessing from a believer onto a city will lift up that city, and who doesn't want to live in a city that's growing closer to God? 

3 - Be kind. In Proverbs 11:17, God promises that the one who is kind to another actually also benefits oneself, and who doesn't want more divine benefits? 

4 - Give freely. In Proverbs 11:24, God promises that, well, you can't outgive God. Period! 

5 - Be refreshing. In Proverbs 11:25, God promises that "whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." I'm not sure how to describe "refreshing" succinctly, so let's try this: we all know someone who's refreshing; act like them, and the same will come back to you. So says God, so I say, let's take it to the bank. Ahhh, refreshing! 

So, come what may, there's your formula for a happy day. May God's blessings rain abundantly on you, your peeps, and your city! 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Sat, 05/13/17, 28th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away." - Mark 16:2-4

Good Morning!
This is Dear and Divine, Sweet and Sovereign, Almighty and All-Knowing and All-Present God, who has shown you my face and my heart through my Son, Jesus, and poured my calming, guiding, empowering Spirit into you through Jesus too. I know what's in front of you today, including the large stones that you're wondering how they're going to be rolled away. I will be handling all your heavy lifting today, large stones included. And I will be your strength for everything else.
Okay, now that we've got that established, have a nice day!
Love,
God

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Friday, 05/12/17, "Day of Praise"

"The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." - Proverbs 18:10

Ya know those cardboard "bricks"? Ya know, the ones that every preschool and kindergarten and church nursery has for little kids to play with and build on? I used to love playing with those things and building tunnels and towers. 

Don't tell anyone, but I still do. 

However, there were times when I played with the bricks and I got really nervous, mostly when The Bully, LH, was around. He'd act like he was minding his own business until you finished your cardboard brick project. Then he'd waste no time in coming over and kicking it at you and into you and over you. Quite frankly, it hurt. 

In lots of ways. 

Because I was so focused and put so much energy into building it, LH's bullying made me feel like my whole world was crashing down around me. Even now 40+ years later, I can remember the sensations of anger and hurt and fear and disappointment. What I don't remember was knowing what to do. For some reason, it never dawned on me to tell the teacher. All I could see was my world crashing down and the one who had destroyed it. 

Don't tell anyone, but I still do. 

Has your world ever come crashing down around you? Maybe when you were 5? Or were you 25? I can relate to 45 and 50.

Sensations of anger, hurt, fear, and disappointment. And for some reason, it never dawns on us to tell the "Teacher." All we can see is our world crashing down and the one who destroyed it. 

God has a "suggestion" for times like this -- Run.

Run to the "Teacher," the Lord. 

To find shelter and refuge, safety and peace, courage and strength. Treasures of the soul. That lift up our hearts. Like a Lord of the Rings giant eagle scooping us up and bringing us to rest on an Elfish Tower where the masters of healing can do their thing to give healing to a hurting and injured soul. 

Indeed, when your world is crashing down in small ways or large, run to the Lord. Call on his name. 

For "the name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10).

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Thur, 05/11/17, 26th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise" 

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." - Acts 2:42 

Life is so good in the Body of Christ, which is also known as the Fellowship of Believers, the Communion of Saints, and the Church. 

Most of you know that I'm a pastor. But I've got a lot of church gatherings, not because I'm a pastor, but because life is so good in the Body of Christ. 

For example, Tuesday was Latino fellowship and then Elders and then Missions, Wednesday was dinner, dessert fellowship, class and conversation, worship, and then more study and fellowship, Thursday will be jail ministry and more jaw-dropping work of God in the lives of those that many have given up on. Last Friday was Prayer Summit. This Saturday will be a 9-1 Missions Car Wash so you can wash your wife or mother's car for Mother's Day and support the spread of the Gospel and eat hot dogs and chips while you're at it. 

I tell you all this because there are hundreds of you who read this devotion, but not all of you are enjoying all that's available to you in the Fellowship of Believers. In the path of walking with and growing in Jesus that God sets in front of us in the Bible, the Fellowship of Believers is called Pastoring the Saved. It is being in a network of relationships, being pastored, being encouraged and built up to have a growing confidence that God's love and Jesus's saving work and Holy Spirit's guidance will never fail you. God chooses to sustain your faith in Him by encouraging you through others. 

I realize that hurtful or disappointing things happened to many of you in a church, but there are so many more positives available for you going forward than there are negatives behind you. 

Besides, the Everlasting and Eternal Heaven is going to have other believers in it, so you might as well start to enjoy the everlasting heaven and those that you're going to share it with now! 

Get involved in a church. And if you are involved, get more involved and/or invite others to get involved. 

Because life is so good in the Body of Christ. So good! That's why in days of old "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Wed, 05/10/17, 25th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together like sheep in the fold; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture They will be noisy with men." - Micah 2:12

The Elcott commentary puts it this way about today's Bible verse, "With a characteristic abruptness Micah turns from the height of sin and punishment to the height of the deliverance... Israel and the remnant shall be gathered together as a goodly flock in the luxuriant pastures...The return from captivity symbolized the eventual restoration of the people of God into His everlasting kingdom."

With similar words, I'd put it this way about today's Bible verse, "With the snap of his fingers, God can turn a really bad situation into a really good one...everyone who trusts the Lord will be gathered together...such a turn around and gathering symbolizes God bringing everyone who trusts Him into His everlasting kingdom and feast." 

Sounds good! But what does that even look like? 

Maybe this story will help. (I've changed the prisoner's name in this true story.)

I once met a total stranger in the lobby of the jail that my wife, Amanda, and I had gone to serve. The person we met had been beaten up by her son, who in serving our country in Iraq has come to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The mom was there because her son was being released for her to take to the VA. His name, she said, was Tom Post. We swapped phone numbers, and Amanda and I invited her to church and fellowship. 

Well, as my wife and the women went to serve on the women's floor, the jailers led us six men to one of the multiple men's floors; we had no choice in the matter. 

Apparently God did. 

Apparently God did have a choice in the matter because after the jailer chose the floor, then one of our men kinda said "eenie, meenie, miney, moe" and chose the blue, non-violent offenders side of that floor instead of the green, violent offenders. Then my partner, Roderick, randomly picked one of the five blocks on the blue side for us to enter for Bible study. When we entered the block, God first spoke to the prisoners for 40 minutes through Rod and then for 10 minutes through me. All of a sudden a jailer came in and asked for someone to get their stuff to leave. Well this taaaaall guy moves to go up to get his stuff but turns and looks at me and steps to me, so I moved toward him. He thanked me for what I said, saying it changed his life. I asked his name...Tom Post!!!

Hmmmmm!

Like I said earlier about today's Bible verse, "With the snap of his fingers, God can turn a really bad situation into a really good one...everyone who trusts the Lord will be gathered together...such a turn around and gathering symbolizes God bringing everyone who trusts Him into His everlasting kingdom and feast." 

What's in front of you today? No matter how it goes at first, expect God to do great things for you, to turn bad things into good in the snap of a finger, and to bring you together with the right people you need. 

Your job is to believe!

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Tue, 05/09/17, 24th of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." - 
1 Corinthians 15:17-20 

So let's see here. 

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile...But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." (1 Corinthians 15:17 and 20) So our faith is not "futile." All of God's word and all of God's commands and all of God's promises are true. So you can put your faith in God. You can count on him. He'll always come through for you. God is with you. Your sins are forgiven. God's peace is yours. And more and more and more. Our faith is not futile 

And let's see. 

"And if Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins...But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." (1 Corinthians 15:17 and 20) So we are not "still in our sins." They're washed away. They can't keep us stuck in the past. They can't drive our future. We are not "still in our sins." We are in Christ...who is the Word of life and the Lord of life and the Word of love and the Lord of love. So we can love life. We can love God. We can love ourselves. We can love one another. And God surely loves us; ah yes, a love that will not fail. 

So in sum, "if Christ has not been raised, your day's most certainly gonna be pretty rotten...But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." Well, alright then, your day's gonna be quite superb. So have a superb day with Jesus. 

And don't forget to praise God continually for it. 

Wow, life is good!! 

Because "Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." (1 Corinthians 15:20) 

Praise God! 

Day of Praise

Mon, 5/8/17, 23rd of 50 Days of Easter, "Day of Praise"

There's an old saying, "If you want to see if what you're doing matters to anyone, then stop doing it!" Thank you to so many of you who reached out to me these last couple weeks, both asking if I was okay and also letting me know you missed the Day of Praise. I just needed a break after 5 1/2 years, and I thank you for ministering to me while I took the break I needed. I'm so grateful to God for all of you and the love of Jesus that you shared.

 

Okay! Today's devotional...

"For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy." - 
1 Corinthians 7:14 

God tells us through Paul, in today's verse, that the faith of one believer in a home has the power to sanctify everyone else. "To sanctify" means "to make holy" or "to set apart for God's purposes." 

What that means is this: if you are worried about the soul of someone you live with, then live the faith with them. Live in Christ around them, just as you do everywhere else, if you are a believer. Always talk about Jesus as the friend he is to you and the one with whom you spend your whole day. 

(If you yourself don't know Jesus personally but only believe things about him, then get to know him personally. It starts with a simple turning your heart and your attention upward, and then you just call on him like this, "Lord, I know you're there. I need to talk. Help me to hear you speak to me as we share a little talk together." Jesus talks with believers through the whole life of faith, not just some 3 or 4 minutes when we're talking at him.)

Just as light scatters darkness, when Jesus lives in you personally by the power of Holy Spirit, the Light of Christ dwelling in and through you will battle and conquer unbelief. It may take a while to see the victory of Jesus Christ in someone else's heart, especially if they're battling belief, but it's God's promise in today's Bible verse that you will see change for the good in others when the light of Jesus shines through you! 

The faith of one believer in a home has the power to sanctify everyone else. 

Live in Christ, and you will see. 

Praise God!