Dallas Ministries Information God's "Other Book" The Point Concern vs. Worry Why Me? Priorities Riding the Fence Glory to God? Preaching On Purpose Proactive Prayer Patience Are You Ready? Not Yet A Servant's Reward Getting Around to It Don't Panic Just One Minute Doing God’s Will Our Daily Bread Changing the Message Thanks to God Letting Go New Friends Old Friends Email Regrets Signs From Above An Extra Day Wishing Well Family Values? God Is Near Persistence End of Time Making Time Spending Time Finding Time Christianity in the News Resistance Destination Preparation Communication Frustration Dedication Motivation Procrastination It’s Not Just a Job… All-Stars Hitting the Mark Hold on There, Partner Big Ideas Spiritual Shoplifters Who, Me? The Day After Super Bowl Sunday Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author God's "Other Book" When you refer to "God's Book", everyone immediately thinks of the Bible. However, are you aware that God has written another "book"? It is the reality that we live in, elaborately scripted with billions of characters, unimaginable settings, stories and plot twists. Just as a human author, He created every detail to exact specifications, and every story, character and setting are His masterpiece. Unlike human authors, in God's "book" each character has a complete back-story that takes an entire lifetime to tell. Each setting has been sculpted down to the sub-atomic particles to be just as He wishes it to be. Each story is perfectly written to coincide with every other story in this "book". All are intertwined, and all are related to one another. He is free to step out of the timeline of the book, to move forward or backwards through the pages and delight in any detail, all the while knowing exactly what every page of the book already contains. There is no one character, setting or story in the book that is any less, or more important to Him than any other. He has put Himself into every character's shoes, crafted every setting to perfectly suit its purpose, and authored every story to contribute perfectly towards the overall script. Take time to rejoice in what God has created, "read" God's "original book", but more importantly, take time to read the book He sent to us here on earth, the Holy Bible. See how they interact and relate to one another, and how each has the potential to enrich your life beyond any expectations. Everything in His world has already been written in His Word. And only by taking pleasure in His Word, it is possible to find true pleasure in His world. Back to Top The Point Every Sunday (or Saturday) morning, millions of people get up, dress up, and head out to their local Church, Temple, or Synagogue to participate in their weekly ritual of worship. For many people, this has become a habit, and taking a little time every week to give thanks makes them feel pretty good about themselves and keeps them thinking that all is right between them and the Lord. However, it seems that many of these people are simply "going through the motions", and don't really understand the true reason behind devoting one's self to worship. If you don't believe me, go to any large church and attempt to get out of the parking lot immediately following the service. The person who was shaking your hand while smiling and telling you, "Good morning" a half hour ago will now run you over if you attempt to get in their way as they speed off to start another week thinking about what a good person they are for taking the time out of their busy schedule to visit God's house. The people who get it are not in a hurry to leave, they are hanging around, chatting, and saying long goodbyes, or rather, "so longs" to friends and loved ones. These are the people that understand that church is not just a place to come show God how much you love Him, but rather, it is a place to come experience how much He loves you. God does not need for us to demonstrate our love to Him, but rather His love is demonstrated through us in the way we treat others. God is perfect with or without any one of us. But only through Him can we ever hope to share in His perfection. We should not go to church out of a feeling of obligation, or a sense of showiness, for God knows our true intentions. We should not wave around our money as we put a large donation in the collection plate. Just as Jesus said of the widow who gave only two mites, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than anyone". She did not make a show, or really give much at all, but it was all the money she had in the world. God recognizes such offerings, and though a rich person might make a big show of putting a large amount in the collection plate, it does not mean nearly as much to God as the small offering given out of love by one who truly believes and lives in His word. So what is the point of getting up early on your day off and spending the morning, or even the whole day in worship? The point is this: God loves you, and He wants you to know it. More importantly, He wants you to know Him. It's not really about the religion at all, it's about the relationship. Back to Top Concern vs. Worry Webster's Dictionary defines concern as: to relate to, be about, or to have an influence on. It defines worry as: to afflict with mental distress or agitation or to feel or experience anxiety. That's a pretty big difference, yet many of us cannot seem to separate one from the other. If we feel a need to concern ourselves with something, that means that worrying must certainly go hand-in-hand with that concern, right? Not necessarily so! As children, we can understand the difference, but something happens to us as we grow older that blurs the line between concern and worry. As a child, each of us had certain responsibilities that we had to concern ourselves with: cleaning our room, studying for school, respecting our parents. Everyone remembers having to do these things, but did you ever really worry about any of these? Not really. As children, we counted on our parents to handle all of the worrying for us. If we were hungry, we were concerned about what time dinner was going to be served. But did we worry about it? No, because we knew that our parents would take responsibility for feeding us. If it started raining, we might be concerned about getting wet, but we didn't worry, because our parents had provided a roof over our heads to keep us dry. In the same manner, God, the Father of us all, wants to shoulder the worry for each of His children. It is He who is truly responsible for everything we have, and without Him, we have nothing, so where is the need to worry? I'm not saying that there are not things that we should concern ourselves with. If we need money to pay the bills, we should do our part to relate to, be about, or to have an influence on the means of obtaining the necessary funds. However, we should not afflict ourselves with mental distress or agitation or feel or experience anxiety over the situation, for it is far beyond our power to resolve any problem without God's help. He alone can make the way for us to meet each challenge we face. He has set our lives in motion, and it is He that guides our thoughts, actions, and the events in our lives, just as our earthly parents did for us throughout our childhood. We must learn to be "child-like" in our devotion to God, and to have faith that will allow us to cast aside worry, which really is possible once we realize and accept that it is He who is truly in charge. If you are worried about a situation in your life, speak with God, and ask Him to remove your worry, and instead to replace it with concern. It may not happen immediately, but through persistence and faith, you will experience a true change in your perceptions. As worry becomes concern, you will find the strength that others speak of, to be truly joyful in all things, good and bad, through faith in the Lord. Our Father wants nothing less for each of His children, including you! Back to Top Why Me? Why Me? Certainly, each of us has asked this question at some point in our lives. Our car broke down, we lost a friend or loved one, or we just felt like life was continually kicking us in the teeth. Many of us feel this way, even as we read this. Some of you are sitting out there right now saying, "Yeah God, why me?" "Why does all of my stuff constantly break?" "Why is my boss such a jerk?" "Why do bad things always seem to happen to ME?" Well, I believe I have the answer to that question. The reason anything happens to you, good or bad, is because this life is not about YOU. That does not mean that you are not important or that your life has no meaning. Quite the contrary! Your life is as precious to God as mine, the Pope's, or anyone else's. Your life has a very specific purpose that was designated by God, and you were designed specifically to fulfill that purpose! However, your purpose is not for your benefit or detriment, but rather for the benefit of those around you! When something bad happens to us, those around us see how we react, and they learn. When something good happens to us, those around us see how we react, and they learn. The key is to realize that the things that happen to us are not meant as punishment, or as a reward. They happen simply to teach those around us. If we react poorly to the struggles of life, we generally accomplish nothing other than creating additional problems for ourselves. If we react as God wishes, with unshakable faith, we can be joyful, even in our sorrow. Either way, people are watching, and they learn from our successes, and they learn from our mistakes. Once you realize that the reason bad, or good, things happen to you, you start to feel a responsibility towards others. We ARE our brothers' (and sisters') keeper! God does not set out to punish us for our mistakes. He saves His judgment for the Day of Judgment. The world, however, is judging us every day. Have you ever known someone who faced an incredible hardship with a remarkable attitude? How did you feel about that person? We recently had a friend pass after a long bout with cancer and I heard, over and over, people asking, "Why him?" "He was such a good Christian, why did he have to go through such a long, drawn out departure from this world?" In my opinion, they answered their own question. His purpose in life was to show everyone around him how to be faithful to God, no matter what this life dished out, because he knew that God had a place for him waiting in heaven. Everyone at our church still speaks his name with a reverence that indicates precisely how respected and loved this man was. They speak of his strength, his courage, and above all, his faith. So the next time life is treating you bad, before you ask, "Why me?", take a quick look around, and see how your reaction to your situation will affect others. Will you use your hardship as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself, or as an opportunity to show others the power of God's love? It's not always easy to do, but it is the right thing to do, and it is what God intended for each of us. In sports, we try to teach our children the value of being a "good loser", and also the value of being a "good winner". Those are good lessons to learn, and if each of us can be a "good sport" in life, we can learn that it's really not about winning or losing, but rather it’s about teamwork, and enjoying the game. Back to Top Priorities What are your priorities in life? A while back, I wrote an article here that detailed my own (see Motivation). When last I touched on this subject, I finished by stating that my current priorities, or motivations, were: 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Me, 4. Friends, 5. Money That was just over a year ago, and after looking back, it seemed a good idea to examine where my priorities are today. After a lot of time, hard work, and praying I feel that currently my priorities are: 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Friends, 4. Me, 5. Money It's about time! It took a while, but I finally feel my priorities are getting to where I want and need them to be. Now, that doesn't mean I have reached any plateau of perfection, and I realize I cannot get too comfortable, lest I could easily slip back into my old selfish ways. But I'm happy to report that I honestly feel I am doing much better than I was a year ago. So what happened? Why the change of heart? Well, as I said, it took a lot of hard work and prayer to get to where I am today. There are a couple of things that I feel helped me in my quest to straighten out my priorities, and I would like to share them with you. 1. Prayer This was the big one. I fully realize, as should every Christian, that we simply do not possess the strength or moral fortitude to effect a change in our lives without help from God. He alone can change us into a new person. No matter how badly we want to change, without Him, we will inevitably slip back into our old patterns and habits. However, when we possess a true desire to change, God will fill us with the Holy Spirit, which will allow us to achieve permanent change. 2. Recognition As a certain addiction recovery program is famous for saying, "The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem". While I personally do not agree with everything that particular organization has to say, I do agree strongly with that particular statement. How can we change what we don't recognize as a problem? We must first evaluate ourselves and realize our imperfections if we ever hope to overcome any of them. This brings me to my third point: 3. The List, Part I A while back, I started a list that outlined my priorities in life. I was very specific, and included any responsibility, hobby, or vice that I could think of in which I participated at the time. I used a spreadsheet (although pen and paper would have worked just as well), and arranged each of the items in the order in which I felt I was acting as if they were priorities in my life. That is to say, I didn't put them in the order in which I felt they were most important to me, I put them in order according to how much time and energy I was investing in each item. It was, for me, a very eye-opening experience. As a child of the digital age, I grew up during the 70's and 80's, and one of my main vices has always been video games. It's not that I think video games are necessarily bad (not all of them, anyway!), but the amount of time I was spending each week playing video games was definitely overkill. When I saw 'video games' near the top of my list, I didn't like it being up there at all! So, I resolved to myself to put down the controller and do something more productive with much of the time I would have otherwise spent racing sports cars, or blowing up bad guys, which didn't really do anything for anyone once the game was over. Again, I'm not coming down on those who wish to play video games. In moderation, they can be fun and relaxing. It's all about how you prioritize the activity. Once I had resolved to cut back on the gaming, I prayed about it. Not just once, but daily, and not just until I felt I had changed, but even now, I thank God for allowing me to step back a bit from an activity that was eating up too much of my free time, which I am now able to use more productively. 4. The List, Part II The second column of my list was dedicated to outlining the same priorities in the first column, but this time they were arranged in the order in which I felt they should be for me to be the person I want to be and, more importantly, the person I feel God wants me to be. I revisit this list often and reorder the 'current' side to reflect where I am at the time. Not too often, however, as I feel real change takes time, and updating the list daily would not be a true indication of my current habits and actions. Reevaluating every two or three weeks seems to work pretty good for me, for others it might work better to update more or less frequently. This is a very personal matter, and each person must decide what works best for him or herself. The Bottom Line Have I achieved a perfect order of priorities yet? Nope! But I'm a lot closer than I was when I started. I'm not a perfect person, and I know for a fact that I never will be. They key for me is to keep trying. God works with each of us every day in so many ways, and true change is possible if we place our faith in Him, and not in ourselves. We've all heard people say, "Believe in yourself and you can achieve". It would be better, however if we were to say, "Believe in God, and what He can accomplish through you, and you can achieve anything!" So, I ask once again...Where are your priorities? Back to Top Riding the Fence Have you ever known someone that just couldn't make a decision? Perhaps you offered to take them out to dinner, but when you asked them where they wanted to go, they simply replied, "You decide." This can be especially frustrating if you are someone who knows exactly what they like, and have no problem making a decision. Or maybe you're like the first person described, and simply don't want to have to make decisions, or possibly you are afraid your decision will not be to the liking of others. Many people face the same dilemma in their relationship with God. They can never seem to make a decision as to where they stand in their faith. It could be that they are afraid of making the wrong decision, afraid their decision will offend others, or it may be that they'd just rather not take the effort to figure out where they stand. However, to quote an old song, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice". Some decisions are ok to pass on. If you don't want to pick a particular restaurant, that's ok, you'll eat again later. The decisions facing each of us about our relationship with God however, are not ones we should avoid. Choosing to develop your relationship with God is never the wrong decision, and it certainly doesn't have to offend others. Ignoring the decision will not make it go away, it will simply postpone the inevitable. Unfortunately, many people jump onto the religious side of the fence and attempt to drag others over with them, or rather through the fence, which can seem like barbed wire to the person they are pulling on. Others make the decision to stay on the fence and simply help others over. This does not help much either, as it is very hard to convince others that they are on the wrong side, when the fence-sitter refuses to go over themselves. The key is to pick the side you wish to be on, and then, as others approach, simply tell them how good it is to be there. Then, if they decide the time is right to climb over, help them to cross. Again, the emphasis should be on talking to those that approach, not reaching out and pulling on everyone that passes by. Someone who is not ready to face the decisions we must each make is more likely to pull away than submit, and they are much less likely to approach the fence in the future. Our goal as Christians should be to lead by example, not by applying pressure to others. With the right attitude, you can make the decision that is right for you, and assist others in doing the same. So, which side of the fence are you on? Back to Top Glory to God? Almost everyone has heard the phrase "Glory be to God", but all too often we are seeking glory, not for God, but for ourselves. There are too many Christians who go to church expecting a pat on the back from the pastor or congregation, only to find out that their own hand is already in the way. Many people will make a big presentation of putting five or ten dollars in the collection plate, and then run the other parishioners down getting out of the parking lot in their overpriced SUV. It is far past time that we examine the motives behind our worship and service to God. Something that few people realize is that many of the people who appear to be serving God are in fact, serving themselves. Going to church is not enough. Helping others is not enough. God is not glorified by acts if the intentions are not correct. God is glorified by personal relationships with each of His children. When your relationship with God motivates you to get up early on Sunday and go to church, God is glorified. When your relationship with God motivates you to help others, God is glorified. Without the relationship to motivate you, anything you do for the supposed glory of God is, in fact, glorification of self. God does not add up the amount of money you place in the collection plate each week, He adds up the amount of love and selflessness demonstrated by His children, and that can only come from knowing and loving Him. He would rather a penny be given out of love than a million dollars be given out of a sense of obligation or showiness. It's not the amount, it's the intention. The key to making sure our actions are, in fact, giving the glory to God rather than to ourselves is to determine whether or not God is involved in the decision to act. If so, the glory belongs to God, if not, the glory is towards ourselves, which ultimately results in no glory at all. Back to Top Preaching On Purpose There is a Christian book that is very popular right now called "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren. As one might expect from the title, the goal of the book is to help you find, understand, and act upon the reason behind your existence. Many books will try to help you find your purpose for life. Many religions throughout history have been devoted to the search for the meaning of life. Much of this information can be found on the philosophy shelf. Often these books will provide more questions than answers. Other books will try to help you understand your purpose. Many of these are found in the self-help section, and most are actually of little help. This is because no one can truly help themselves without God's help. The third type of book seeks to inspire action. Good luck finding this kind of book. They are few and far between. Unless you plan on starting a full-blown ministry, there just aren't many books in this area. What people really need is to know and understand the purpose for their life, and then they need to know how they can put their talents to use in relation to that purpose. That is the goal of "The Purpose-Driven Life". Do I think this book holds the answers people are seeking? I truly cannot say, I think everyone must be reached in their own way. I do think everyone should read this book and think about what its message means to them. It is very important to realize that you were made the way you are for a very specific reason. Most people already know what they are good at, but many people don't understand why they were given the certain talents and gifts that they received. The answer lies in using what you have to benefit others. Think about the things you are good at. Now think about how your talent(s) could be really be put to use to benefit someone less fortunate than yourself. Whatever service you just thought of is, at this moment, your purpose. So what are you waiting for? Once you know your purpose, God expects you to act upon it (do it!!!). If you find, and attempt to fulfill your purpose, understanding will come naturally. Back to Top Proactive Prayer Do you pray? If you do pray, when do you pray? Many people say prayers as part of their bedtime ritual, maybe even using the time to simply give thanks for the gifts they received that day. This is a wonderful practice, but if it is the only time they are praying, these people are missing out on the wonderful opportunity for proactive prayer. Every day should begin with a prayer of thanks and hope and excitement for the day ahead. We should all take the first few minutes of each day to imagine the possibilities before us, then thank God for those opportunities and ask Him to bless us throughout the coming day. Any new task should start with at least a small prayer. Think of it like this: If you were hanging out with a friend, you wouldn't just suddenly take off on your own to do an activity without discussing it with them first, would you? Well, God is the one friend that is always right by your side, who is always interested in what you are feeling, saying, or doing. So before you do something, tell Him about it, ask how He feels about it, and enjoy His company as you take on the day together. Back to Top Patience Are you a patient person? Do you keep your cool when things aren't going your way, or do you panic and fly off the handle? We have all heard that patience is a virtue, but for many of us, it can be one of the most difficult virtues to attain. I myself am a man of action, when things go wrong I want to fix it, and fix it now. I also have a hard time being patient when I'm bored, such as when waiting on someone else. I find it easier, however, if I remind myself of God's wonderful plan. If I stop an take a moment to think about it, I can realize that God wants me to be exactly where I am at any given moment in my life. Realizing that I am where He wants me to be reminds me that He has a reason behind putting me in that spot at that moment. Often, it occurs to me that the very reason I must wait is to teach myself the patience I lack. Realizing the lessons meaning makes the process of going through the lesson itself more bearable, and much more rewarding once accomplished. If you have problems with patience, pray and ask God to help you realize the reasons behind what happens in your life. Then, when you are in a situation where you would normally lose patience, remind yourself of what it is really all about. Back to Top Are You Ready? Almost everyone has had a time in their life where they felt stagnant, as if they were stuck in a rut and going nowhere. Maybe they felt locked into a job they didn't like, or maybe they were dealing with a long-term situation that was overwhelming to them. Why would God put us in a place where we feel as if we are just killing time? Although it might feel as if we've been neglected or forgotten, remember that there is a reason behind everything that happens in your life, and more importantly, remember that that reason has very little to do with you. If you are feeling like your life is going nowhere, look around and figure out what you can do for others from where you are. God has a plan for you, and sometimes He may keep you somewhere long enough to realize and fulfill that purpose. The sooner you understand and accept His plan, the sooner you can leave a place of complacency for the joyful, exciting life He has in store for you. There used to be a TV show called Quantum Leap, where the main character traveled through time, reliving important events in people's lives as that person, and each episode he would have to accomplish something to make the leap forward into the next character's story. This is very similar to our journey as Christians. We must accomplish what God has set out before us in one phase of life in order to make the leap to the next phase. So if you feel stuck, bored, or discouraged, just look around. Your mission has yet to be accomplished. Figure out what He wants you to do, do it, and you can make the leap into a greater life. Back to Top Not Yet Many people have heard the story of the boy who prays and asks God for something, and doesn't get it. So someone says to the boy, "Well, I guess God didn't answer your prayer", to which the boy replies, "Oh, God answered, He just said no." While this is a good parable, many people believe that with God everything must be "Yes" or "No". However, the answer is quite often, not "Yes" or "No", but instead, "Not yet". God wants each of us to have the richest and fullest life possible, but He knows that we must be in specific places at specific times to learn the lessons we need to learn. God set out His plan for your life BEFORE He created you, not after, not during. With God, nothing is left to chance, and nothing is done without careful planning, and a specific reason. The thing to remember, is that His plan for your life is not meant to serve you. Your needs in life are to be served by others, just as you are made to serve others' needs. Almost everything we do in life is affected by things we have learned from others. How often do we recall the powerful influence, positive or negative, that another person has had in our life? Think of a specific instance where a person, whom you only met that one time, made a big difference in your life. What you saw of that person was only a moment in their life, but God put them there at that moment to affect you. God does the same with each of us, putting us where we need to be, whether we like it or not. If we are faithful in this service to others by accepting His plan with joy instead of grumbling and rebelling, we are rewarded. There is nothing wrong with asking God to improve your situation, quite the opposite. He wants you to pray and talk to Him about your finances, your job, your health, your family, and anything else in your life. Just realize that just because you don't feel that your prayers are being answered according to your schedule, it doesn't mean He's said "No". The answer could very well be "Not yet". Back to Top A Servant's Reward If you ask anyone walking down the street, "Would you rather be a millionaire or a butler?" they would probably think that was a pretty dumb question. You might be thinking that yourself right now. Who on earth would ever choose to be the butler? As a matter of fact, out of all the people in History, I can only think of one person that would ever agree to be the butler, and that man would jump at the chance. Jesus Christ taught us that "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12). The most important thing we must remember is that this life is temporal, and this world is not our true home. The reason we are blessed is to serve others. The gifts God has given us have nothing to do with us. Everything God gives to you is intended for the benefit of others. However, He leaves the choice up to you. You can keep your gifts and talents for yourself, and use them for your own worldly advantages, if that's what your heart desires. But if that's your plan, the day you stand before God, you will know that, much like a child outgrows their toys, you have outgrown all Earthly things, and you will realize that all you held dear is now worthless. If we use our talents and gifts to fulfill the purpose we were designed for, we will gain wealth far beyond anything the world has to offer. The millionaire cannot buy his way into Heaven, and the man that serves himself will find no comfort in his money. But for the true servant, the one doing their best to follow God's plan, Jesus has already declared. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3) Back to Top Getting Around to It How do we manage to get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget about God? We think to ourselves, "I'll start going to church next Sunday.", "I'll start giving a proper tithe when I can afford it.", "I'll get involved with my church when I have time." Most everyone is busy these days, the world is simply a busy place. But, if something is important enough to an individual, they will do everything possible to make time. Some people are borderline fanatics when it comes to catching their favorite TV show, or watching their favorite sports team, or catching a sale at the store, or a million other worldly activities, yet these same people will think nothing of blowing off church on Sunday to see that game, or to enjoy the party the night before, or simply because it isn't important enough to them to make time. They will scrape together the only money they have in the world to pay the cable bill, but they will return nothing to the one who gave them everything in the first place. If someone was paying $500 an episode for people to watch a one-hour TV show, most people would want to know where to sign up. If you know a person who is getting you a Christmas gift, you rush out and try to get them a gift that's as nice or nicer. If you will spend an hour in church, you will receive spiritual wealth worth a lot more than $500. God gives you everything you have, every day. Should I have to tell you that you should be giving a gift back to Him? Please take time for your relationship with God, and give freely of yourself and of your possessions, without God they are of no use anyways. Now is the time for getting around to it. Back to Top Don't Panic One day when I was 5 or 6 years old, my mother and I were visiting relatives, and when it came time to go home, I didn't want to leave. I went and hid under my aunt and uncle's bed, and my cousins told my mom that I was already in the car. After a few minutes I heard my mom driving off! All of a sudden the reality of my plan set in, I had been left behind! Even though I was still in a safe familiar place, I panicked. I didn't know when she would come back. Of course, a few minutes later she pulled back up to the house, and she even told me that she had really thought I was in the car. Many people often feel that God has left them behind in life. He has shown them the way, but they aren't ready to do it His way, they are still involved in their own agenda. He calls again, they figure they can hide out and do what they want, but make Him believe they are where they are supposed to be. So He treats us like the children we are. He leaves, or at least so we think. We panic. We wonder what we will do, and how He could forget us. But He knew what was going on the whole time. He lets us see what happens when we follow our own plans, and try to deceive Him. As many years ago as that day was for me, I still remember it vividly, and I am just realizing the moral of the story. Don't take as long to figure it out as I did, listen to God and follow His plan. He's got it all under control. Back to Top Just One Minute On a normal day, most people sleep for 6-8 hours, spend 2-3 hours eating, 1-2 hours grooming, 8-10 hours working and a couple of hours driving, but many fail to take even one minute for some of the most important things in life. Many people are spending 100% of the time on themselves, neglecting to take even less than 1% of the time to seek God and praise Him for all He has given them. If you don’t think you have time for God, start by giving Him one minute a day, you will soon find more time for Him than you ever thought you had. You will be amazed at all He can do with just one minute. Back to Top Doing God’s Will No matter how much I do to further my relationship with God, the hardest thing for me seems to be keeping my motivations pure. I constantly have to ask myself, “Am I doing this because it is God’s will or my own?” The answer is often not very clear. It is very easy to fool ourselves into feeling good about what we’re doing without ever bothering to wonder how God feels about what we’re doing. Are we doing these things for His glory, or our own? Through Him, all things are possible, without Him, all is for nothing. Jesus explained to His disciples that when you do good things in secret, and God rewards you openly. Don’t look for approval from men, the things that man holds dear are often offensive to God, just as the things God holds dear often offends men. A good way to know that your motivations are in the right place is when you find yourself doing things that do not profit you, or even things that you don’t want to do, because you are doing them to please God, and not for yourself. Remember what Jesus told us “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”(Matthew 10:39) Do His will, and reap in the rewards He has put aside for you. Back to Top Our Daily Bread In Matthew 6:25, Jesus tells us, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” How do we accomplish this? Our whole society is so wrapped up in finance and image that it is very difficult for anyone to live by this verse. However, Jesus is not telling us to provide for the future, he is just telling us not to live for the future. Don’t waste your time today worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow, instead focus on how you are living today. Any day could be the day He returns to set up His millennial kingdom, this day could be the last as we know it, or tomorrow, or a week from now. The point is, no one knows for sure, and no one can claim to know the mind of God. Spend today living for Him, not for yourself, and He will take care of you today and tomorrow. Back to Top Changing the Message I am a songwriter, and last night I was going through some lyrics I had written several years ago. Like most songwriters, my lyrics often mirror the feelings I had at the time they were written. Many of these songs were about things that at one time seemed more acceptable to me than they do now. The songs are still good, but the message isn’t quite what I want to send to the world, and in some cases, far from the example I want to show others. In looking at these lyrics, I found that with just a bit of tweaking, just a word or phrase changed here and there, I was able to transform the messages of these songs to words of hope, and praise for God. We are all like these songs. We present a message to the world, and it usually seems acceptable to us by our current standards, even if it falls short of God’s wishes for us. However, with just a small change here and there, just a few tweaks, anyone can turn their message around and use it for God’s glory. I was amazed at how little work it took to make a negative song positive. With God’s help, the same can be true for each of us. Back to Top Thanks to God I would like to take this return column to simply thank God for all of His wonderful works. He has blessed me and my family beyond words with the happiest of homes. Our daughter is home safe from her choir retreat and being at home with the whole family this evening was absolutely wonderful. There is nothing like the feeling of having those who are close near to you. God feels the same way about us that we do as parents about our children. He wants nothing but the best for us. When we are sad, He shares in our sadness. When we are happy, He delights in that as well. Praise God for the blessings He has bestowed on you. Speak to Him as you would a loving parent, He wants nothing less than that closeness. He is the source of all good things, glorified is His name, renew your life with Him today! Back to Top Letting Go Our almost teenage daughter is leaving today for a choir retreat in California. It is hard for me to imagine her traveling halfway across the country without her my or her mother’s guidance. Both of our girls are growing faster than I could have ever imagined and every day I am more aware of how brief this time and this life are. It seems like I just made it through my own childhood, and now I face the realization theirs will be over all too soon as well. I am what some would call an overprotective father. I thought when this day came I would be terrified to let my little girl go out into the great big world, even semi-unprotected. Now that the day is here however, I find myself excited on her behalf, and fully confident in her reaction to the decisions she faces as a young lady. She has grown to be a wonderful person, and so much more than I could ever take any credit for. She walks with God, is loved by her family and friends, and is absolutely the most humble person I have ever known. A while back I urged everyone to take a minute for their fathers, to tell them what they mean to you. Now I urge fathers and mothers to take a moment for your children. Tell them what they mean to you. Find out who they are and what they love. Pretty soon it will be time to let go. Back to Top New Friends Yesterday I wrote on the value of old friends, so today I thought it appropriate to talk about new friends. New friends are a strong reflection of what is currently going on in our lives. As adults, making friends is not as common an activity as when we’re young, so the ones we make tend to share more interests than childhood friendships. Remember when you played with the kid next door because, well, they lived next door. Ever made a lifelong friend just because they had the cubicle next to yours? As adults we pick and choose friends more carefully, and less often. So the new friends might be people you wouldn’t have meshed with earlier in life, but your life and theirs has brought you both to a mutual point. God, while being the oldest friend you have, can also be the newest. When you renew your commitment to His plan it changes your life much in the way that making a new friend does. You suddenly have someone new to do things with, to talk to, and to grow with. He will give you exactly what you need as a friend. He is your oldest friend, He is your newest friend, and He is your best friend. He’s closer than next door or the next cubicle, set aside some quality time to spend with your friend. Back to Top Old Friends Sometimes it’s really nice to get together with an old friend that you haven’t seen in awhile. Someone that has been in your life for years and has known who you are and what you’re about. Spending time with people like this can be invaluable in personal growth. They will often present you with a much more grounded opinion of yourself than people you haven’t known as long. These friends watch you grow and change over the years, as you watch them. Often, old friends drift apart, which is usually just a result of people growing in different directions and moving on to new interests. But some of the best friends can be the ones that are close at times and distant other times. During the distant times you will each gain new insight and experience, and when you reconnect you each bring more to the relationship. These friendships tend to keep a ‘freshness’ about them that only serves to strengthen the bond and warm feelings when you reunite. New friends can be wonderful too, but they haven’t been there for your successes, failures, accomplishments and embarrassments like the old friends. Only time brings true insight into someone’s character. Remember then, the oldest friend you have is God. He is the one that has been there for every success, every failure, every accomplishment and embarrassment, and He is the one who has stood by you and loved you through it all. It is okay to feel a bit distant from Him at times. He allows distance in the relationship when it will benefit the relationship in the long-term, but when you reconnect He wants you to bring something new to the table as well. Remember that there is a big difference between having a friend that you haven’t seen in a while and having a friend that you’ve turned your back on. He is always there, He will always be there. Make some time for your oldest friend. Back to Top Email Regrets In the 90’s, the internet and email changed our lives. Suddenly we no longer had to wait several days for letters to arrive. Also gone was the hassle of finding paper and a pen, writing the letter, finding an envelope, addressing the envelope, sealing the envelope, finding a stamp and taking the letter to the mailbox. The price of stamps suddenly became a very small issue in everyday life. Email and now instant messaging has given us the ability to communicate with large groups of people almost instantaneously. It has also given us the opportunity to very publicly put our foot in our mouth if we aren’t careful. While conducted in a virtual environment, email battles, also known as ‘Flame Wars’ can have very bad repercussions in the real world. Feelings can be hurt, secrets can be revealed, lives can be changed. People will often say something in an email they would never say if the person was standing in front of them. It is also easy to misinterpret someone’s meaning without vocal inflections and hand, face and body gestures, so something that was meant as an innocent comment can get blown way out of proportion. I have sent out emails I wished I could take back as soon as I hit ‘Send’, but it was too late. I try to practice writing outgoing messages, but not sending them until the next time I’m on the computer. It has already saved me a few times. Take care with email and the internet. It can be a wonderful tool, but it can also be a dangerous weapon. Don’t write anyone an email you wouldn’t want to receive yourself, and don’t write anything you don’t want to see later. Love one another as you love yourself, and avoid having email regrets. Back to Top Signs From Above The other day I received what I would consider a sign from God. It was one small event is an otherwise busy day, and it wouldn't have meant much to anyone else, but to me, it was clear cut. I won't even bother recounting the story because the details aren't even important. What is important is that we all keep our eyes, minds, and hearts open for such signs. God will prove His existence to you if you refuse to believe only on the condition of proof being provided. You must know without a doubt that God is your creator, and He will show you Himself. He sent His only son to die for you, and He loves you unconditionally. How can you refuse to love Him unconditionally as well? Keep watching, He is showing you more than you realize. Back to Top An Extra Day Every 4 years we celebrate leap-year, in which we tack an extra day onto the end of February. People born on this ‘extra’ day, must feel that they are a bit different from everyone else, either a little special or a little neglected. Every year they have to celebrate their birthday on a day that’s not really their birthday, and everyone knows that can be a letdown. If you are one of these people, allow me to say happy birthday on your actual birthday. Even if you aren’t one of these people, February 29th can still be a very special day in your life. Make a promise to yourself to dedicate every February 29th to God. Pray with an open heart and mind. Seize the day as one of spiritual awareness and growth. There is eternal life to gain, what do you have to lose other than a day that isn’t there 3 years out of 4? Start today. Back to Top Wishing Well Have you ever noticed that almost anytime you pass a fountain, regardless of where it is, someone has thrown some change into it? Someone paused for a moment, dug some money out of their pocket or purse and made a quick wish. How many people believe in the true power of wishing for something, either when throwing coins in a fountain, wishing on a falling star, passing under a train bridge, blowing out birthday candles or any of the other events people attach wishes to. I wonder how many of those same people have taken the time to pray about the same things they are wishing for. Some people will throw quarters in a fountain, but will not give one penny to God. Others will feed dollars into slot machines, sometime bankrupting themselves, but not give one penny to God. Some will buy a beautiful houses, fancy cars, big boats, stylish clothes and ornate jewels, but not give ONE PENNY to God. Rest assured if you know one of these people, or if you are one of these people, your wealth will be short-lived indeed, seventy or eighty years at most. That’s a millisecond compared to eternity. Methuselah , the oldest man in History by any record lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27). Even THAT is a millisecond compared to eternity (ok, 969 milliseconds). The point is, you can have riches now, do what you should with it, and be rich for eternity. You can have next to nothing now, do what you should with it, and be rich for eternity. Or you can have anything now, keep it for yourself, live as your own master, and lose everything in the end. The other day I heard a preacher say, “Money makes a great servant, but a horrible master.” Don’t waste your pennies and wishes on the wishing well. Give your offering and prayers to God. Guaranteed jackpot! Back to Top Family Values? Well, we are nearing the end of February. Two months down, ten to go for the year. Where did they go? Wasn’t it just yesterday that it was Christmas and New Year’s? Each New Year used to feel like a milestone, now it doesn’t feel much different than starting a new workweek. So far this year, we have seen the foolish (Britney Spears' quickie marriage), the indecent (the Super Bowl halftime fiasco), and the bizarre (Michael Jackson dancing at his arraignment for child-molestation), and we’re only two months in. One bright point in all of this mess seems to be a reemergence of people wishing to hold tight to family values and to reestablish guidelines for decency on our airwaves. Understandably, people who make their living by peddling indecency are going to be upset for a while. They will claim their free speech rights are being violated, when really we are the ones who have been violated. Don’t get me wrong, if people want to participate in these practices, I feel that is their decision and their right, as long as they keep it out of view or earshot of my kids. The problem has become that as the lines between decent and indecent become blurred, the indecency permeates our society to the point that parents cannot keep their children from being exposed to the worst that society has to offer. Viagra and herpes medication ads saturate network television all day and night, even during 'family-oriented' sitcoms and sporting events. Alcohol companies push their products at every sports venue. Tobacco companies do the same. I have even seen an ad that seems to be anti-tobacco, but if you watch without listening it makes it seem like cigarettes are a great prize, and the center of the party. This is the visual message being ingrained in our children who are too young to understand what they are hearing. Our society is headed for rock bottom fast. The resurgence in family values at least puts a line in the sand. The showdown is brewing, which side are you on? Back to Top God Is Near One thing in life you can always count on, no matter where you go or what you do, God is standing right beside you through every moment, good and bad. When you are happy, He shares your happiness. When you are feeling lonely, or heartbroken He is be there to fill the void if you wish. He will take all of the neglect and abuse a person can heap on him and yet still stand by quietly, ready to embrace that person totally in an instant if they will accept Him. Salvation is a gift from God and, just as we cannot save ourselves, also there is no sin so great that it is beyond God’s forgiveness if we only ask. He is standing by you right now, don’t ignore Him. Talk to Him, worship Him, follow Him. 23 "Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD , "and not a God far away? 24 Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD . "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD . Jeremiah 23:23-24 Back to Top Persistence As a parent, it is sometimes easy to think of persistence as a negative quality. Especially after we have heard “Dad…Dad…Dad…” (or “Mom…Mom….Mom…”) for hours on end. We take for granted what persistence can accomplish. Over time water can cut through stone. With persistence love can conquer hate and even the hardest heart can soften. Through persistence people can get you to buy something you didn’t want, or get you to do something you didn’t want to do. If you don’t believe me, go to any toy store and see how many kids leave empty-handed. Or just go to Chuck E. Cheese. Every parent in the building is there because of persistent children. They are wondering how they got there, and they are ready to go home. God is persistent in His love, in His commitments to His children, and in His plan. While everything we know of in this life changes, God remains the same. That is why it was correct grammar when Moses asked God whom he should tell the Israelites sent him, and God told Moses to tell them 'I AM has sent me to you.' (Exodus 3:14). God using what would otherwise seem to be present tense is meant to exemplify His unchanging nature. Before you ever were, ‘I Am’ was as He was, is and will always be. He will not change, His persistence will not end. Back to Top End of Time Since the dawn of civilization men have predicted that ‘the end is nigh’. God placed within us a sense of foreboding, that any minute could be the minute Jesus returns to start His earthly reign. It is this feeling of impending prophecy that keeps us as Christians motivated to fight His battles. If you knew for sure the world would end tomorrow what would you do today? Live it up? Spend all of your money and have the party of a lifetime? The faithful Christian would devote the last day of his or her life to God, and would spend that day making sure that they had spread His word to every last person they could reach before the end. The faithful Christian knows that the ultimate party is not the one you have the day before you know you will be gone, but rather the one that starts the moment you leave this life and pass into the next. When you compare humanity’s brief span to eternity, both past and future, all of the years our species existence are but a single grain of sand in God’s hourglass. We may have missed out on the past, but we can sure be around for the future, God Himself has provided a plan to make it so. You can spend this life in self-centeredness and materialism, but you will not find the happiness that can only come from a healthy personal relationship with your creator. God is the key to all things good, in this life and beyond. We don’t know when time as we know it will end, and that is part of His plan, so we must do all we can for His glory in the meantime. Don’t wait. Start today, right this minute. Ask God where you fit into His plan and express the desire to fulfill His mission for you. He will give you a strength beyond measure, put peace in your heart, and instill in you a sense of urgency that will help you realize that this world is not your home. Your home is with Him, and He is waiting there for you. Back to Top Making Time Some would say that my generation is the product of over-stimulation by television. Most people in my age range that I know have a very short attention span, and it takes a lot to get their attention to begin with. We have also become apathetic about the mundane tasks of daily life. Think about it, thanks to TV, in the span of a couple of hours you can travel to outer space, ride along with cops, win a new car, go back in history, learn how to cook, learn how decorate, watch people sing, dance, fight, laugh, cry. Is it any wonder our daily lives don’t always seem so spectacular? In ‘the good old days’ people didn’t have many options for entertainment or assistance, they just had each other. As technology has taken over our society, the human aspect fades away. Machines replace people in many areas of life, and interaction with other humans goes down. At work, many of us stare at a computer all day. We go to the bank and use the automated teller. We slide through the self checkout at the grocery store. We come home, we watch TV or surf the internet. Funny how we keep getting all of these wonderful innovations that will simplify our lives, yet I know that I feel as busy as ever. This is why it is so important to maintain a practice of making time for daily worship. Our days go by so quickly that days can turn into weeks, and then months and years before we know it. If worship is not a daily part of your life, it can get put off to the point that you no longer cherish or understand your relationship with God, and our society does little to remind you. It is also very important to maintain relationships with other brothers and sisters in Christ and not ‘hide out’ in an automated society. Human relationships are vital to understanding why you are here. There is time for the things you make time for, and it will keep your attention if it is worth hearing, which the word of God always is. He will allow you to find the time and the attentiveness if you only try. God does not take away from one’s allotted hours the time spent in worship. (I swiped that and paraphrased it - but I like it!) Back to Top Spending Time Last night I spent the evening running errands with my two daughters. We didn’t go anywhere or do anything special, but I still had a great time. It’s funny how when you are in the right company it doesn’t seem to really matter what you’re doing. Being close to those we love is one of the most important aspects of our lives. We have the same need to feel close to God, and regardless of what we are doing, feeling His presence nearby brings the same feelings as having people we care about in the room. When you call on God, His presence fills you with His love and can bring light to even the darkest situation. You can have a great time without going anywhere or doing anything but just talking to God and listening to what He tells your heart. Reflecting back on the evening, I can’t wait until my girls wake up today so I can give them each hugs and tell them how much I love them. God is waiting for each of us to wake up so He can do the same. Back to Top Finding Time Why is it that when you’re at work time seems to creep by, but any other time it flies? As technology continues to grow and daily life becomes more complex, every year seems to go by a little faster than the last. It is easy to overlook things that we don’t intentionally set aside time for. How many times have you told someone, or been told, “Sorry I haven’t called, but I’ve just been so busy!” The truth is, everyone is busy, but if something is important enough to someone they will find the time to do it. You relationship with God should be the most important thing in your life. It is the only thing that will last for eternity. Make the time to talk to God, and to talk to others about God. Make the time to praise Him and thank Him for all He’s given and for all He continues to give. God is watching over billions of souls, and yet He will always make time for you, make time for Him. Back to Top Christianity in the News Yahoo.com has a page where you can see what the top search terms were for each day. The number one search by people using their services yesterday was “The Passion of the Christ”. Finally, something of substance has come along that is generating more interest than a bunch of twenty-something pop icons. Whether you agree or don’t agree with the film’s message, the publicity it has garnered is amazing. The movie hasn’t even come out, and yet everyone already seems to have an opinion about it. I have heard that it is a very difficult film for Christians to watch, and even personally know some that are not going to see it because they are afraid of what they might see. I feel that I must see it, even though I expect it to be a heartbreaking experience. Jesus experienced brutality, ridicule, and death for us. I feel like I owe it to Him, to put my fears aside and go with an open mind and heart. I can’t say much more about the film, as I haven’t seen it yet, but you can bet I’ll have something to say about it then. I just like the fact that it’s getting the attention. It has become a hot topic in everyday society, perhaps it will make people wonder if there really is something more… Back to Top Resistance One of the hardest aspects of being a Christian is self-sacrifice. On joining His army, God wants us to cast off the shackles of our own desires and give our lives to Him. By sacrificing this life, we gain life eternal. You must be a slave to Christ if you ever wish to be free of this world. That scares a lot of people. Our society teaches us “Money is power”, “Watch out for #1!”, and “He who dies with the most toys wins.” Our faith says otherwise. When Christ is in your heart you realize that the riches the world has to offer is nothing but fool’s gold. Still, it is hard for us to sacrifice the things we have grown attached to, even when we know they are wrong for us. And it is sometimes hard to do the right thing, even when it is clear what is right. We must put His plans before our own. As Christians, we have to paint the picture of ourselves that God wants others to see. God loves you just as you are. The question is, do YOU love HIM just as you are? Back to Top Destination Where are you headed? Do you have a clear path in front of you, or are you just wandering through with no specific destination in mind? I have spent a lot of my life doing the latter. Fortunately for me, I have decided to set my sites on one destination in particular: the Kingdom of Heaven. I have found my map, the Bible. I have found my motivation, the Holy Spirit. And I have found my vehicle, Jesus Christ. By His grace and His grace alone do we gain admittance to the Kingdom of Heaven. Not by our own works. God did it that way on purpose, “lest that no man should boast.” We do not have the right or a reason to feel pride for ourselves. We cannot get to His Kingdom without His help. He is a loving Father, but He is also strict, as most loving parents are. He will not bend His rules to suit our desires or wishes, we must follow His rules, He is the Father, we are the children. He will forgive us again and again for the times we fail, but He will always continue to love every one of us unconditionally, even past the point where we have renounced Him completely. God is love, God is mercy, and God is your Father. Make God your destination. Back to Top Preparation Ok, here we go again with the sports metaphors. Sorry, but I love sports, particularly the Dallas Cowboys. As everyone knows, the Cowboys had, for most of their glory days, one of the most innovative and respected Head Coaches in football history, the late Tom Landry (who was a devout Christian by the way - I hope to look him up in Heaven). Anyone who knows football can tell you that when given the right players to work with, Coach Landry could put together a plan that could win a lot of football games. For many years, he had a team that was full of talented players and, following his game plan, they had many winning seasons. And then there were a few seasons we’d rather not focus on too closely. The low point of Coach Landry's career was a season in which they had 15 losses, and only managed a single win, against Washington. Always the picture or calm and diplomacy, we can only imagine how he really felt about that year. Watching the game each week, I could see that the game plan was there, but the players simply didn’t have the skills necessary to execute the plays the coach had come with. Most were inexperienced, and they didn’t have a clue how to work together as a team. Recent years have been all-too painful reminders of the feelings I felt watching the first Cowboys dynasty in my lifetime fall apart. Last season was another perfect example of how a winning game plan can be in place, but the experience and teamwork of the players can come up short of what is necessary to make the plan succeed. Once again, God is bigger than life. He has a plan that is guaranteed to bring victory to those who follow it. He will give you the plan, the instructions on how to carry out the plan, and the talent, will and desire to do it, if you are just willing to show up for the game. It’s not easy being on God’s team. He expects a lot from His players. He expects you to get out there every day and fight hard for ground against His challenger. You will not win every round, and some days will bring bitter defeat. But with His help, following His plan, you will win more than you lose. But as time expires on the reality we currently know, He will win this cosmic game, and He has promised that everyone on His team will share in His victory. If you want to do your part on God’s team, you need to start by knowing what His plan is. He has given us a ‘playbook’ that outlines His plan, the Bible. Most people own it, but too few read it. How can you follow His plan if you don’t know what it is? There are abundant resources available that can help you to understand what the Bible is, what it is about, and what it can, and should mean to you. Once you have a grip on God’s plan, be prepared to share it with others who are seeking. Take your position on God’s team and prepare yourself with His plan for life. It's a big team, we work well together, we're dedicated, we're running on the Holy Spirit, and we have the greatest coach in History - and He’s keeping a position open for you. Get in there, I personally guarantee a win. Back to Top Communication Do you recall the TV show Batman from the 1960’s? Every time the Police Commissioner had a problem, he would run to his office and grab the Bat-phone, a direct line to Batman himself. The problem is, Batman wouldn’t usually answer the Bat-phone. The butler would answer the Bat-phone, and he would go tell Batman, “Pardon me sir, but the Commissioner is on the Bat-phone”. I don’t know what happened when everyone was out, that was a time before answering machines and call forwarding (imagine!), I guess it just kept ringing. Still, imagine having an instant, direct connection, straight to the greatest super hero of all. You have a similar line of communication available, only it’s quite a bit better than the deal the Commissioner and Batman had going. With prayer, we have our very own “Bat-phone”, a direct line to God Himself. The best part is that there’s no butler to go through, and He will always be there, every second of every hour, of every day, forever. Batman can’t be in two places at once, right? No problem for God. He is everywhere, all of the time. Do you think the Commissioner ever picked up the Bat-phone just to say hi to Batman, and to tell him what a good job he was doing, and how much he appreciated all he had done already? I don’t recall seeing that episode, in all of the shows I saw, he only ran to the Bat-phone when he had a problem so big that he had to call on someone for help. And he needed someone who could handle something that was so bad that he himself couldn’t handle it using all of his available resources as Police Commissioner. Sounds like a lot of us. Are you using your “Bat-phone” like the Commissioner, or are you keeping the lines of communication open for casual conversation? Also, I don’t recall Batman ever giving the Commissioner a call, I wonder if that was a one-way deal. That’s another advantage to prayer, it is a two-way connection. If you forget, or neglect to call, God WILL call you. Is your “Bat-phone” plugged in? He IS calling. Back to Top Frustration What is it that really set you off? Is there one thing that occurs to you on a regular basis that can ruin even the best of moods? For some people just driving in traffic can be a challenge. Others get frustrated with their kids, spouse, coworkers, etc. If your boss is someone who loses his or her temper quickly, that can be very frustrating as well. I have through most of my life been a very quick-tempered person. I like things to be MY way, I like to follow MY plans, we should be using MY map… Unfortunately, these personality traits don’t result in a lot of sustained friendships, so I have to compromise my attitude. “What do YOU want to do?” ”How do YOU want to do it?” “How would YOU get there?” Then I watch people doing it their way, which is not my way, and I get frustrated. What I have to remember is that just because it is not my way, that doesn’t mean it is the wrong way. It is simply not my way. Our ways are not God’s ways, either. He is working on His own plan, His own timetable, in His own ways. Admitting to myself how little I understand of His ways further reinforces my acceptance that my way might just not be the only way, or even the best way. It’s amazing how stubborn we can be just because someone thinks differently. However, if we act as if we are all on the same page from the outset, we are more receptive to new ideas and knowledge, and much less prone to feelings of defensiveness and pride. I have developed a practice of saying a quick prayer any time I start to feel frustrated about something, repeating it as much as is necessary. At first I was praying a lot more than normal! But I’ve noticed that now I am slower to anger than before, still not perfect, but the little things don’t have the hold over me they once had. When you work on improving something about yourself, often a lack of change can in itself be frustrating, but when you are attempting change through dedication, purpose and prayer, God will give you the strength to appreciate the gradual changes that take place. This life’s too short, don’t spend it frustrated! Back to Top Dedication Yesterday, my twelve-year-old daughter asked me, “If you had been out all day fishing, and were headed home when you heard the voice of God telling you to get back out on the lake and fish some more, would you do it?” My reply was easy because, first off, any excuse to get out on the lake is good for me, and second, as I said to her, “If I heard the voice of God, how could I say no to whatever He was asking me to do?” My own response stopped me dead in my tracks. So many times in my life I have felt God’s presence, experienced His blessings, relied on His power, and yet, what does it take for me to put His will over mine? Do I actually have to hear His voice before I’m willing to take the actions I feel He wants me to take? I recently read a passage in a book in which a character presented a challenge to God to prove His existence, “Right now!” The response was: “If He were to work on your timetable, what kind of a God would He be?” That same philosophy applies every minute of every day. God does not need to prove His existence to us, it is because of Him that we exist! We’re the ones with something to prove. We have to prove to Him that we understand our own desires are insignificant. We have to prove that we are willing to be soldiers in His army. Faith is kind of like class, either you have it or you don’t, and you can fake it all you want, but the ones who truly have it will know that you don’t. More importantly, God knows what is in every person’s heart, and He knows who will fight His ways and who will follow them. What about you? Will it take hearing the voice of God for you to follow? If so, are you listening? Back to Top Motivation Yesterday I wrote on the subject of procrastination. Today I would like to continue the theme by writing about motivation. What motivates you? I have taken this opportunity for a little introspection to see what I myself am motivated by. Looking back, when I was a child I wasn’t too far off in my motivations: 1. Family, 2. God, 3. Me, 4. Friends, 5. Money A little self absorbed, but not really a bad kid, right? Keep reading... Throughout my late teens and into my early twenties, I was motivated by: 1. Me, 2. Friends, 3. Money, 4. Family, 5. God When broken down, that’s just sad! Into my mid-twenties, my motivations shifted slightly: 1. Me, 2. Money, 3. Friends, 4. Family, 5. God And you thought the teenage rundown was bad! Then I got married, and had two kids. Again, what motivated me slightly changed: 1. Me, 2. Money, 3. Family, 4. Friends, 5. God Well, a step in the right direction, but still not where I needed to be! I can’t pinpoint an exact moment, but a while back our entire household went through a spiritual awakening. Almost overnight (well, maybe it took a little longer), my priorities changed!: 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Friends, 4. Me, 5. Money A week later: 1. God, 2. Money, 3. Family, 4. Me, 5. Friends Straight back to the old habits, right? I‘ve found for me the hardest motivations to put in their correct priorities are not God, Family and Friends. Those go hand in hand. You’ll notice that they usually stay close to one another on the list. Money and self-absorption continue to this day to be my worst enemies. When I can keep them at the bottom of the list, I find everything else falls right where it should be. As of this moment, writing to you my motivations are (one more time!): 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Me, 4. Friends, 5. Money Not perfect, but lucky for me, and most of us, God loves us despite all of our flaws. How are your motivations prioritized? How do you feel about what motivates you? When the world shifts your priorities, it causes stress and hardship, when God shifts your priorities, He brings you peace and spiritual prosperity. Writing this has helped me get a clearer picture of where I am and where I want to be. With His help I know I will get to where I want to be, and more importantly, where He wants me to be. I know it won’t be overnight, but I have to be willing to work hard, pray and be patient, change takes time. Now I’m feeling motivated! Back to Top Procrastination When I was growing up we had a plaque in the kitchen that said, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether”. I know that’s a cute joke, but perhaps not the best slogan to live by. Unfortunately, I would have to say that procrastination is perhaps the worst of my bad traits. If you could get paid merely on the quality of excuse you could come up with for not doing something, I’d be writing this from the deck of my fabulous yacht as I cruised around the world. Even this very column you are reading was written a few hours later than usual. I guess that makes the subject matter more than appropriate. I thought getting married and having kids would lead me to stay focused on sticking to schedules, but really I think it just gave me more excuses for not meeting my goals in a timely manner. One of my problems is the “so much to do, so little time" cliché. I often find myself overwhelmed by the busyness of everyday life, and sometimes rather than focusing and starting in on one task, I will tend to neglect everything that deviates from the normal routine. One thing that seems to help is a daily affirmation of my faith in God and Jesus. By starting out the day determined to contribute to His plan, my tasks start to seem smaller, but also more important. Compared to everything Jesus endured for us, putting in a little hard work seems relatively easy. Also, realize that even the smallest works can contribute to the greater good. God is watching every act you perform, and not even the smallest of tasks goes unnoticed. Remember (as I continue to remind myself daily) to always work as if the boss is standing over your shoulder, because He is. Back to Top It’s Not Just a Job… Do you like your job? Do you wake up looking forward to each new workday with energy and enthusiasm? If someone asked if you’d like an all expense trip to Disneyworld, would you say, “Sorry, but I’m having too much fun working!”? Would you try to find a way to take your work with you so you could enjoy working on the roller coasters and water log rides? For Christians, this is a very real question. Being a Christian is a full-time job, one you don’t take a vacation from (not that you would want to, right?). You are a Christian at work, on the beach, on the roller coaster, in your car….EVERYWHERE, ALL of the time. But just being a Christian is not enough. You must stand up for your beliefs and be prepared to witness to those seeking council. That doesn’t mean you should cram Christianity down other’s throats. People rarely do what is good for them if they are told they must do it. Remember, we are rebellious by nature. People don’t like being told what to do, and they especially don’t like being told what to think or believe. It is very easy to get caught up in all of the wonderful feelings a relationship with God brings, and with that comes an overwhelming urge to share the good news with others. This is what God wants, but His plan is such that every child must come to Him in their own due time. Provide information, support, love, council, and most importantly, an example, so that non-Christians will strive to understand how God can have this effect on their life. Be careful not to provide criticism or self-righteousness, or inspire feelings of unworthiness or fear. Remember what it was that brought you to Christ, and remember what a personal decision it was. Pray for the attitude to witness daily, and pray for the understanding necessary to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Listen more, talk less. When answering a question, provide an answer that will inspire more questions. Sometimes you will get through to them, sometimes you won’t. But God will know you were there, and when you do witness His power at work on a new disciple, what a payoff. It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure. Back to Top All-Stars Today the NHL All-star game and the NFL Pro Bowl were played. I guess both games were pretty uneventful in comparison to a certain game a week ago, or at least the mid-game festivities, which continue to overshadow the game itself. The top players in both sports took to the field or ice for a little friendly competition. Not much on the line other than bragging rights and a couple of bucks. These games are very interesting to watch. You take people who have been bitter enemies all season long and throw them on the same team. All of a sudden the guy you were staring down last week is standing next to you, wearing the same colors as you, and you have to work with him to accomplish a common goal. If only it were so easy in life to suddenly come and work together on the same team. Certainly in these competitions, there are inevitably going to be guys teamed up who are holding onto some deep-seated hostility over something that happened in a previous meeting. All of a sudden they are forced to put their differences aside, even if only temporarily, to get the job done. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these games were points of reconciliation for players, a place to mend fences and bury grudges. We as Christians need to make life our All-Star game. We need to show that we can shine among our peers and move past the trivialities that others get hung up on. Forgive the other guy, understand that he was just doing what he thought was right for his team, and work on a new game plan for today. We need to demonstrate to the world that as God’s children, we are all teammates. Game on! Back to Top Hitting the Mark Now that February is here, who has kept their New Year’s resolutions? Most people I know don’t even bother to make them anymore. Why do any of us go through the practice every year of setting goals we really have no intention of working towards? When we start something we think will improve our lives at first we approach it with vigor and enthusiasm. For example: Many people start out the new year by resolving to work out every day. Day one, we’re going at it hard, thinking about how great we’re going to feel and look after we’ve been doing this for a while. The next day, we’re still feeling good, a little sore, but committed to the plan. Day three is a hard one. I mean, c’mon, I just worked out the last two days in a row, that’s more than I went last year. You can see where this is going. By this time of year, most of us are back to our old habits. We didn’t see immediate results, so we quit. Whether in a situation such as this, or whatever it is we want to change, we never seem to be quite able to make it to the fulfillment of our resolution. Unfortunately, whenever we set out to do something for or by ourselves, it rarely works out the way we expected. The reason is simple. We by ourselves are not enough. Our plans don’t really mean much when put aside God’s plan for us. When you invite God and His son Jesus Christ into your life, you find the strength to do things you never imagined. You reach goals you hadn’t even bothered to set before, because you were too busy staying focused on things that you now find insignificant. Whereas most plans for self improvement are harder to stick to over time, a relationship with God nurtures itself, and only becomes easier. It is an immediate change. The most wonderful news of all is that all it takes is one decision, one resolution, and by His grace alone, we are instantly welcome in the kingdom of Heaven. Is following His plan easy? Not always, but once you are committed, He shows you the way, and He will be the one light in the darkness you can always depend on. Is His plan worth it? Absolutely. The person that gives His or Her life to Christ freely is a treasure in God’s eyes. He is waiting for you. Hit the mark. Back to Top Hold on There, Partner Why is patience so easy to lose, yet so hard to find? We constantly lose our patience with other people and their inability to get out of our way in line at the store, on the road, even, some of us, in the church parking lot (you know who you are!). Or we lose patience with people’s abilities as we perceive them. “Why can’t the drive-through people - just once - get my order right the first time?”, “Why are people on average so much dumber than me and my friends?”, “That ref is blind!” The list could go on forever if it was a list worth making. The problem with losing our patience with others is that it never helps a situation, it only makes things worse. Why are we so quick then, to fly off the handle over what amounts to a minor setback? The key to overcoming this kind of a knee-jerk response, is to truly put yourself in the other person’s place. Remind yourself that everyone thinks that he or she is doing the best they can. Most everyone sets out to do what they think is right, regardless of what you think is right. Every person on the face of this planet was created by God to fulfill a specific purpose. Including them, including you. So quit griping, and stressing and try to turn your focus towards God. Take the few seconds you spend wishing that guy in front of you would move, and instead of cursing him, try praying - for him, for yourself, for whatever. You will be amazed at how much extra prayer you can squeeze into a day! P.S. - They think you’re in their way, too! Back to Top Big Ideas Have you ever come up with a big money-making idea? An idea that you feel, if you only had this or that resource to make it happen, would be the one idea that would totally change your lifestyle? Most people that I know have told me about at least one really good idea in the time that I’ve known them, even a few people I would have never expected good ideas from have come up with a gem or two. Why is it then that we are not all rich and famous, and why aren’t all of these great inventions and ideas saturating the marketplace? The answer could be that these ideas and plans are our own, and not part of God’s plan. He has a plan for the world, and while it involves you, it’s not about you. However, I’ve noticed that when you get the idea to follow His plan, the resources are more abundant than you could have ever imagined. That one idea totally changes your lifestyle. Suddenly you are spiritually rich, and you feel that you are known and loved by the entire population of Heaven, past present and future. Turn your efforts to his His ideas and His plan, and you will succeed far beyond anything the world has to offer. Back to Top Spiritual Shoplifters In every person’s life, there are difficult decisions to be made. Some choices have enormous consequences, others have none. Making decisions on major issues can be harrowing, even when one feels confident that the decision they are making is the right one. Some decisions are agonized over for weeks, months, or even years, while other decisions are clear for the moment they are proposed. If someone were to ask, “What do you want to eat?” it shouldn’t cause too much stress to the person deciding. They ate yesterday, they will eat again tomorrow. If someone asked, “Where do you want to spend eternity?” the question can open up a vault of emotions, and provoke questions far more complex than the original. At face value, who wouldn’t choose eternal life and joy with God over the alternatives provided by Satan? But, it’s not that easy, is it? Just wanting to spend eternity with God is not enough, just as it’s not enough to go to a store and simply want what is on the shelf. You must pay a price, make a financial sacrifice in exchange for the goods you wish to purchase. Why do we think then, that we can simply take God’s goods while skating on the payment? The price for your soul is your life. God doesn’t want “spiritual” people who claim a relationship with Him, all the while staying focused on their own selfish worldly desires. He wants Christians who truly believe in Him and His power and grace. He didn’t send His son here to die so you could be “spiritual.” He wants you to talk to Him. He wants you to talk about Him. He wants you to have a close personal relationship with Him. He wants ALL of you, good and bad. He gave you everything, is it too much to ask for a willingness to return some of the blessings He has bestowed on you? The choice is yours, but only because He loves you enough to make it so. Will you be a “spiritual shoplifter”, or will you attempt to meet your spiritual debt? Not one of us has the sufficient funds to pay the price for our soul. Fortunately, his glorious plan of salvation gave us Jesus, who is more than willing to make up the difference. All we have to do is ask and He is there to cover our debt. But to make payment for His spiritual grant, we must be willing to live on His terms, not our own. What will you do? By His grace, it is your decision. Back to Top Who, Me? “If this had to do with logic, what would I be doing here? Look at me! An old man, a scientist. I should be in an easy chair somewhere. But here I am, a stranger in my own mirror, trying to tell God He has made a mistake. But He will not listen. He is more stubborn than I. He uses the simple to confound the wise. His ways are not ours. The sheer illogic of His choice of me forces me to the reluctant acceptance that it must be true. Am I ready? No. Am I willing? Perhaps. After tonight I must go forward, willing or not. Do I believe He will go before me? I must.” - from Left Behind 9: Desecration by Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins ©2001. All Rights Reserved. This passage really hit home for me. I continually feel compelled to spread the wonderful news of God’s love, but often times I find myself staying too focused on my own shortcomings to effectively serve Him. How do I face my own sins and allow myself the forgiveness that God gives freely? Sometimes I can’t help but wonder about the path He has placed me on, and if I’m sticking to it. The logical, rational side of me (the part that doesn’t really have a clue) wonders if it’s possible to deceive myself into believing I’m working for His glory, all the while holding dear to my own personal feelings of what is the “right way” to do things. And how do I keep a watchful eye over my own intentions without calling His plan into question? This is here just to let you know that even someone trying their best to be a faithful servant to I Am, can have the same doubts and fears as someone who is but one minute old in the family of Christ. I am sure others must have times when they wonder about their calling as well, feeling totally inadequate to be a “representative” of the Lord in the world’s eyes. It is this time when servants of the Lord are pushed closer to the flock, more able to clearly see things as others do and more able to relate to those who may not follow the His daily plan with the same vigor that they do. As one of these people I will tell you that, for me personally, He usually responds to these times of wonder quickly and with great enthusiasm, leaving no question to the extent of His power and love, reinforcing my faith time and time again. If that’s not God’s plan at work, I don’t know what is! This time also serves to remind us all that without God we are nothing but miserable sinners, but BECAUSE of Him, and His plan of eternal salvation, we are elevated beyond our sin, even from the moment we confess it and our belief in His son, Jesus Christ. Why does God use the smallest man for the largest battle? Because He can. Back to Top The Day After Super Bowl Sunday Today is the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday, which begins a season of celebration among the females of our species. Another football season has come and gone, and if you (like me) are a fan of one of the 29 teams that didn’t make it this year, it was most likely very anticlimactic. At least we got to see Jerry Jones doing back flips across Texas Stadium (Go Cowboys!). Yesterday I commented on how impressed I was with the outspoken nature of many of the Christian players on both teams. That was in stark contrast to what I witnessed Sunday. Fortunately, I didn’t see any of the Christian players participating in what I consider the low points of the game, including over-the-top personal glorification in the big play celebrations, obscenities mouthed on the bad plays (yes, some of us can read lips, guys), and a halftime show that strongly reflected where our society’s morals are today. Does anyone remember when the Super Bowl was a family event? Apparently not whoever organized the MTV-sponsored halftime “entertainment”, complete with sexually explicit music and choreographed nudity (Were you surprised? I don’t think anyone on stage was). The Super Bowl used to be good, clean fun for everyone. So what happened? Hopefully the people in charge of this moral debacle can realize that they are alienating a large portion of the audience (my daughters, for example – I can’t let them watch that!). NFL Executive Vice President Joe Browne was quoted with the following on Reuters: “We were extremely disappointed by elements of the MTV-produced halftime show.”, “They were totally inconsistent with assurances our office was given about the content of the show.” and, “It's unlikely that MTV will produce another Super Bowl halftime.” I sincerely hope so, because all that us guys need is another reason for the women in our lives to hate football. Back to Top Super Bowl Sunday Earlier this week I was watching player interviews with players from both teams, and I was floored. Several of the players stated emphatically that although they were thrilled to be playing in the “biggest game” in professional sports, winning the Super Bowl is not what is most important in their lives. For years, I have seen professional athletes disgrace themselves in trying to achieve personal glory. There was a recent series of commercials where a football player sits in the locker room during an interview, belittling his teammates and declaring “Hey, I can’t do it all by myself”. What the players I saw interviewed realize is that NO man can “do it all” by himself, or even do anything by his own strength alone. The common message from this group was, “This is great, I’m happy to be here, but ultimately this is just a game, and come Monday all that matters is not who wins, but who I continue to be, and that’s defined by my relationship with Jesus Christ. How refreshing after years of hearing players shout “We’re number one!” to hear a few shouting the truth: “God’s number one!” These men are blessed even beyond their teammates, for they realize the source of their blessings and can delight in thanking the Lord for all they’ve been given. I pray their teammates will see the joy they emanate and find their own path to the Lord. By putting your own interests aside and working to glorify God, you will elevate yourself in His eyes, and if you think about it, when you have that, who needs the world’s admiration? What can it offer that God has not already provided? Glory be to God. Make every Sunday a SUPER Sunday! Back to Top ©2008 Dallas Ministries. All Rights Reserved.