Shooting our wounded

My dear friends, are we guilty of shooting our wounded?

The church is an army, we are soldiers in that army, and we fight a horrific foe (Satan and his demons).

The battle is intense.  Satan wants to completely destroy us  - and our church.

I read this week where in Operation Desert Storm, more American Soldiers were killed by "friendly fire" than by the enemy.

I’ve often heard a similar statement made about the church.

"The church is the only army that shoots it’s own wounded."

That’s a troubling statement, but I’ve seen it proved true far too many times.

We fire at one another with criticism, gossip and slander.  We walk down the hallway, now paying attention to those around us – while the walking wounded, wounded by depressions, anxiety and fear, walk by.

We live in our own little world, our own little platoon, not caring about the other soldiers in the army.

Your life in Christian is not just about your own personal battles with the enemy.  We are to support one another, encourage one another, and "bandage up" one another in this battle.

If we are to be effective for the Lord, the local church must become a place of safety.

Did you know that your home is the most dangerous place you can be?

More accidents happen in the home than any other place. The air is more polluted and there are more potential hazards in your home than anywhere else.

Somehow this just doesn’t seem right. Your home should be a place where you are safe.

Likewise, the church should be a place of refuge and safety for the Christian.

Why not look around you this Sunday, go beyond the four or five people you talk to each week, and minister to the hurting.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Is God enough?

Is God enough?

It seems like that question has been haunting me lately.

Is God enough?

We know that God is more than enough to meet our spiritual, directional, emotional and physical needs.

We are people of faith.

We know that.

But what if our need aren't met - is God enough?  And what if our needs are met - is God enough?

God comes and speaks to Abraham in Genesis 15.  The context is that Abram is looking around at his enemies who have surrounded him and felt dejected that he hadn't made any progress.

And God tells him two things:  I am your shield, and I am your reward.

I that single verse (Genesis 15:1), God has given us the secret to the greatest blessing any of us (as followers of Christ) can ever receive. 

The Lord is telling Abram, "Go ahead and look at all those armies surrounding you.  Nobody can touch you because I am your protector.  Entrust your future into my hands."

He is our shield.

But he is also our reward.

God promises Abram a son.  And he says to Abram here, "You will have your son, and he will be a joy to you - but I will be the One who fulfills your deepest needs."

God knows all about human nature.

He knew that Abraham would have a great measure of joy when he got his son.

Abraham could then say, "God did it!  He promised this to me, and He kept his Word."

Yet God also knew that Abraham would not be totally fulfilled when the child came.  (Sometimes when we get what we want - we either want more or find out that it doesn't completely fulfill us).

God knew that Abraham would still have an inner hunger, a restlessness, an inexplicable need that no earthly thing could fulfill.

We do that don't we? 

"If only I could get this".  "Or go on that vacation". 

"Or have this person in my life."  "Or have this person out of my life."

"Then I would be happy."

"It will make my life wonderful and end all my problems."

No it won't.  Only God himself can fully satisfy our deepest need.

Is God enough for you?

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

The bear and God's presence

Years ago, there was a movie that was simply titled (in English - the movie was French), "The Bear."

 

There wasn't much dialogue - just the life of a bear and its family.

 

Right near the end there's a beautiful scene. 

 

The bear cub is attacked by a mountain lion, and he's been backed up against a stream. 

 

The lion claws at the little bear's snout. The bear tries to bite the lion's paw and keeps making this high-pitched roar. 

 

Then suddenly the lion takes off. 

 

The little cub is on its hind legs making a huge victorious roar. 

 

Then the cameras swing round and you see the real reason why the lion fled. There's a 1500 pound bear standing behind the cub. 

 

What a beautiful picture of what it's like to trust in the Lord. 

 

He's right there with us, helping us even when we don't realize it.

 

That's my word of encouragement to you today - it might not seem like God is there - but He is - in ways that we might not understand until we reach heaven.

 

 

Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend

Many thanks to those who came out last Saturday to help move some mulch on the church grounds.

I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day off to come and help us!

A special thanks to Amanda Boon, Leisa McNamara and Debbie Flattery!

Hot weather has finally arrived - you've got to like summer.

Several families were gone from our Sunday morning services yesterday - summer vacations are in full swing!

Excellent presentation by missionary Alan Pettinger yesterday.  I understand that he was a "hit" with the teenagers in the youth group bible class - sharing stories of being a missionary in South Africa.

My prayer is that teenagers will be called into full time missions service by having contact with the missionaries that come through our church.

God is still calling people to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in other countries!

What a blessing it was to me to see men standing around the altar in both services - lead by the Holy Spirit to commit their lives to being the spiritual leaders in the home that God has called them to be!

May God help all of us as Christian men - to step it up and lead our homes, spiritually!

Enough of being spiritual wimps!

Remember:  People do what people see.  Much more is caught than taught. 

As a parent - your kids are watching you - and please know this:  you are much more of a spiritual influence and motivator on them than any activity that they might do in the church.

It is great to memorize the word - but we must also live the word as well.

Had a great staff meeting today.  Am thankful for our entire pastoral staff.

Okay, I have to admit that I am pulling for the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA championship.  The play with style and class.

The sun has just about set for our White Sox.

Love you all......

all we can do is love

Sometimes we are in a situation where all we can do is to love someone - that we love.

 

They make decisions that we don't agree with - or choices that are harmful to them - or experience circumstances or situations that are beyond their control.

 

And - there is nothing we can do.

 

All we can do is love.

 

That is hard for all of us.  We want to reach out and "make things right".  We want to turn the situation (or person) around for the good.

 

But in life we  will find ourselves without the ability or opportunity to do that - many times over.

 

All we can do is love.

 

As a 17-year-old Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham, was involved in a car accident. Speeding carelessly down a windy mountain road, Anne smashed into her neighbor, Mrs. Pickering.

 

Anne was too afraid to tell her father about the accident, so for the rest of the day she kept avoiding him. When she finally came home, she tried to tiptoe around her dad, but there he was, standing in the kitchen.

 

Anne tells what happened next (from her book, Wounded by God's people):

"I paused for what seemed a very long moment frozen in time. Then I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck …. I told him about my wreck—how I'd driven too fast and smashed into the neighbor's car. I told him it wasn't her fault; it was all mine. As I wept on his shoulder, he said four things to me:

• "Anne, I knew all along about your wreck. Mrs. Pickering came straight up the mountain and told me—and I was just waiting for you to come and tell me yourself."
• "I love you."
• "We can fix the car."
• "You are going to be a better driver because of this."

Anne says, "Sooner or later, all of us are involved in some kind of wreck—it may be your own fault or someone else's. When the damage is your fault, there's a good chance you'll be confronted by the flashing blue lights of the morality police. But my father gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to experience the loving, forgiving embrace of my heavenly Father."

 

Sometimes, all we can do is love - and maybe, just maybe, that might be enough.

 

Just a thought for a Thursday.

 

The world is a mess

Have you ever wondered why the world is in such a mess?

That's what we will be looking at this evening in our bible study (Romans 5:12-20).

You pick up the International section of the paper and read of terrorism and war and genocide.

You read the national section and you find political payoffs (especially here in Chicago) and lies and scams and churches set on fire.

If you go through the local section,  you are going to find rapes and abuse and murder and arson.

If you go through the business section, you will find scandals, fraud, and graft embezzlement.

If you even go through the sports section, you are going to find drug use, illegal gambling and adultery.

And especially, if you go through the entertainment section, you will find scandals and sins - to many to even mention.

Evil exists.  But why?  Why is the world a mess?

Paul shares that the world is a mess because of sin, and sin came into this world through the first man, Adam (who was a real person).

Paul writes in Romans 5:12, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

The "one man" is Adam.

Adam's sin didn't just mess up his life, it has messed up the life of everyone since.

Why Adam and not Eve?

The Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:13,14 that Eve was deceived, but Adam made a conscious choice to sin. 

So, because of Adam's sin, sin is present.  The penalty of sin is death.  And sin is pervasive.

What are the results of Adam's sin?

Natural disasters and deformities in our world.

Physical decay and death (our chest begins to drop into our drawers)

Emotional distress and disappointment.

Relational distance and discord.

Spiritual discontentment and darkness.

How do I deal with sin?

Receive God's grace.  Receive Jesus.

Paul writes in Romans 5:17, "Through the sin of one man (that's Adam), death begin to rule, but now how much greater is the results of what was done by one other man, Jesus Christ?"

Receive God's grace daily.  I sin daily.  Therefore I must receive God's grace daily.

Why not pray something like this?  "Father, I thank you for your grace.  I want to be a part of the solution and not the problem of the world being a mess.  Help me Oh God, to accept, live and walk in your grace and forgiveness.  In your name, Amen."

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

revolving doors

Sometimes I feel that I as I go through life, that I am walking through a revolving door.

It seems like I am going around in circles.

I forget to get off the "merry go round".

Here's what I know today:  the purpose of a revolving door is to take you somewhere - but you and I must choose to go forward.

We must choose to continue our journey.

The revolving door is only there to facilitate our journey - it is not an end in itself.

Have you ever seen a small child in a revolving door? 

They love to go round and round.

But we adults know that going round and round is not the point - we need to get off and go on.

God has a purpose and a plan for your life. 

Perhaps he is speaking to you today to move on - get going - continue your journey.  Stop taking delight in the routine and ruts of your life. 

Be bold.  Be willing to risk.  Break out of that habit.  Leave behind that bondage.

Shatter the mold.  Dream Big.  Set new goals. 

And let me leave you with this:  A revolving door has to be pushed by those within it.  When we stop pushing, it will stop turning - but not until.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

It is absolutely wonderful to have Charlie and Heather with us as our new youth pastors.

I am grateful for a couple that are "on the ball" and sharp - knowing what ministry is all about!

I believe in my spirit that they have come to us for "such a time as this."

Heard reports of several of the older teenagers praying for other boys at Pow-Wow this past weekend.  I am thrilled that ministry took place - and continues to do so.

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for their win - pushing them into the Stanley Cup finals.

I've not taken the time to learn the rules of hockey - but enjoy watching the game.

Summer is now in full swing - I encourage all of us to be faithful to God and His church!

I am glad God does not take a vacation.

We do - and rightly so.  But God does not.

I am thankful that we can come to God any time, any where.

He will never leave us or forsake us!

We continue two work toward our goals - God show us the way!

I don't know why things in life happen as they do - but I do know God and I know He can be trusted.

We can't control life - or the things that happen to us - we can only go to God and ask him to help us be strong in the midst of the storms that come our way.

We are either entering a crisis, dealing with a crisis or leaving a crisis.

It hardly ever stops.

"God, we need you"!

Praying and writing

Is your prayer life boring?

Are you in a rut and routine in prayer?

Or do you not like praying because you say the same thing over and over again?

Let me give you a very, very practical solution to breaking out of that rut:  Write out your prayers as you think them.

In other words - journal.  Get a notebook (or anything like that) and write out your prayers while you are praying them.

The greatest example of this is in the Bible itself - the book of Psalms. 

In Psalms, David starts with a question.  For example:  "God, how come my enemies are prospering when I'm trying to live for you and I'm not making it?"

And then he waits and writes down God's answer.

Psalms is basically David journaling his thoughts to God.

That will keep you focused. 

Your mind won't wander as your pray.

That will allow you to remember what you have said to God and what God has said to you.

That will allow you to test a word that God might give you.  An impression.

And who knows?  You just might end up writing a book and having it become a bestseller!  :)

Just a thought for a Thursday.

God and grudges

One thing I know:  I am glad that God doesn't hold grudges.

We tend to hold grudges like a pet cat that we are holding.  We stroke the grudge.  We feed the grudge.  We hold it up high for everyone to see.

We love to hear the grudge "purr". 

People around us will remark as to the size of our "grudge" (cat).  How is continues to grow and grow.

I am glad that God doesn't hold grudges.

This evening, in our bible study we will study Romans 5:9-11. 

Paul writes in verse 10, "for if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life."

In other words, if God sent His Son to die on the cross for us while we were his enemies, how much more will he do for us, now that we are his friends?

Good stuff.

A man died and was transported to the pearly gates. 

He was met by an angel who said, “All you have to do is perform one task correctly and you’ll be granted entrance into heaven.  It’s really pretty easy.  All you have to do is spell ‘love.’”

The man sighed in relief and quickly answered: “L-O-V-E.”   The angel then asked the man if he could watch the gate for a few minutes because he had a couple errands to run. 

The man immediately agreed.  As he awaited the angel’s return, he saw another man walk up the pearly gates.  He recognized him as someone he couldn’t stand when he was alive.  In fact, he had incredible conflict with him for many years. 

Seeing who was manning the gates, the man became noticeably anxious.  The gatekeeper said, “Don’t worry, all you have to do is perform one task correctly and you’ll get in.”  The man breathed a sigh of relief and said, “What do I have to do?”  To which his enemy said, “Spell ‘chrysanthemum.’”

Aren’t you glad that there’s no human gatekeeper to God’s kingdom?  Flawed people cannot judge whether someone makes it or not.  The task that needs to be performed has already been completed by Christ. 

It’s through His blood that we have entrance.  We are justified by Jesus through faith, and we’re saved from wrath because we’ve been declared righteous.

I am sooooo glad that God doesn't hold grudges.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

Football and church

We desire non-churched people to come to our church.  We desire to be culturally relevant and doctrinally pure.

Here a great question:

What if we translated some of our "church talk" into common every day ordinary language so that the average Chicago Bears fan would understand?

That would help the average "Chicago Bears, non-churched visitor" wade through all of our God-talk and feel comfortable.

For example (let me give you the football term and than apply it to the church):

Blocking - Talking endlessly to the pastor at the church door and keeping everyone else form exiting.

Draw play - What restless children do during a long sermon.

End around:  Diaper-changing time in the nursery.

End zone:  The pews.

Draft choice:  The decision to sit close to an air-conditioning vent - and then complain it is too cold.

Extra point - What you receive when you tell me that my sermon was too short.

Face mask:  Smiling and saying everything is fine when it isn't.

Forward motion:  The invitation at the end of the service.

Illegal use of hands:  Clapping at an inappropriate point in the service.

Delay of game:  Someone who always walks in late.

Offsides:  A person who won't look at the pastor as he preaches. 

Interference:  A person who stands in the foyer and gossips.

Illegal motion:  Leaving before the benediction.

In the pocket:  Where some church attendees keep God's tithe.

Passing game:  The maneuver required of late-comers when the person sitting at the end of the pew won't slide to the middle. 

Quarterback:  What tight-wads want after putting fifty cents in the offering.

Running backs:  Those who make repeated trips to the rest room.

Anyway....just some thoughts so that people might feel comfortable in our services.  :)

Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

Great meeting with Stephanie and Eric this past Saturday morning.

I enjoyed talking about the vision of our church - and Christian music.

We are blessed in 2013 with a ton of wonderful Christian tunes to sing.

As you know, I really like the Christian song, "Revelation".

It is so important in worship to recognize the holiness of God.

Stone Church is a place to belong.  Grow.  Serve.

I really enjoyed Rob Rienow's teaching yesterday on the family.  Biblically based.  Great stuff.

Many responded around the altar for prayer for their kids and families.

"Training up a child" take place first in the home - and then in the church.

We all are to have a part.

What kind of legacy are you leaving as a parent?

Whenever our family members make choices we don't understand - their future is in God's hands.

God will make a way when there seems to be no way.

Good to have Jan back from vacation.

Thanks to Debbie Smith for picking up the slack last week.

We are excited about Charlie and Heather being in town as of tomorrow evening!

They are going to "fit in" well with our church family!

I would ask that you remember to bring a gift card and a note of encouragement for Charlie and Heather, this Sunday, June 9th.

Why not bring a friend to one of our church services this Sunday?

I used to think I wanted to have "At least I tried" on my tombstone - now I want, "dream big or go home."

God, Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20, God do far more than we can think or imagine.

And I can dream some big things for God - but He wants to double that, triple that - amazing!

Let's continue to believe and walk by faith.

I don't know why things happen as they do - but I do know God - and I know that God can be trusted.

Love you all.....

What's the big deal about the church?

I shared last Sunday that the second conviction we must have in our lives (It is all about God is the first) is that the church will last forever (in order to build a lasting legacy).

Nothing else on this planet will last forever - expect for the Church.

And....of our course, the church is not a building.......the church is people.

You and I, servants of Christ, those who walk with God.

So what is the big deal about the church (outside of the above comments)?

Well, here's what I know.

The church is the only institution dealing with the ultimate issues - death, judgment, relationships, purpose, priorities, meaning in life.  heaven and hell.

The church provides perspective that gives dignity to this world.  We live in a world where people love things and use people.  The church is a place where people are loved and things are used to advance God's kingdom.

The church provides a moral and ethical compass in the midst of culture that works and plays within the boundaries of relativism.  We stand upon the absolutes of the Word of God.

The church is the only place to find true community, healing, compassion and love.  Why?  Because we really care about people - not because of their status or money but because we are a family - the family of God.

The church provides a format (and motivation) for lasting, unselfish, essential and courageous ministry to others on this planet. 

Those are just some of the reasons why the church is a big deal.

We need the church - and the church needs you!

See you Sunday!

God's love

We sometimes have a difficult time understanding God's love for us.  Mainly because we connect it with and equate it with our own human understanding of God.

We think that love is a feeling. 

An emotion.  We are always searching for that feeling.  We talk about "falling in love" and "falling out of love" which basically means we either feel emotion or we don't feel emotion toward someone.

Or, we can think that love is uncontrollable. 

"I just can't help myself if I fall in love".

But love is most certainly more than a feeling - and it is controllable - in other words, it is a choice.  I can choose to love or not.

Do you know that daily, God chooses to love you? 

Did you know that God is never in a bad mood?

Did you know that God never has a "bad hair day"?

Did you know that God is not moody?

God's love for us is constant, unconditional, sacrificial.

Paul tells us in Romans 5:6-8 (which we will study this evening), "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless (we can't change our basic nature on our own), Christ died for the ungodly (not just the godly) (those who had no desire to change).  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:   While we were still sinners (or those who miss the mark - in other words, those who just don't get it), Christ died for us."

Powerful words.

Two questions:

1.  Who would you die for?
2.  Who would die for you?

Our human love has its limits, but thankfully, the love of God does not!

Karl Barth, the great German theologian, was asked one time the question, "What is Thermos profound thought that you know, Dr. Barth?"

He answered, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

Now then, a challenge - let's make this practical.

Let God's love prompt you to love Jesus more.

Let God's love change your life.

Let God's love in you propel you to demonstrate His sacrificial love for others.

Who is God calling you to love, today?

Who is God bringing to your mind right now?

Don't wait for that person to "clean up their act" or until "forgiveness is asked for."

God didn't wait for you to worship him before He took the first step.

Jesus said, "Love others, as I have loved you."

Just some thoughts for a Wednesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

Had a wonderful time with my family over the weekend.

Christie, Andrew and Georgia and Kinley were with us - as well as Becky and my mom and dad.

Great time hanging out together, eating and playing games.

Took my dad to a White Sox game last night - lots of fun.

Sox lost - Cubs won.

Ate a Bobek's brat at the game - man those things are good.

Three new families visited us this past Sunday morning (in the first service).

I am grateful that people are beginning to find us in Orland Park!

I love to meet new guests who are checking us out!

Thanks to Stephanie Zwartz for leading in worship Sunday - wonderful job!

Truly we felt the presence of the Lord.

I encourage everyone to be faithful this summer to God and to His church.

We need you - and you need the church!

Just love it when my granddaughters come and sit on my lap as we watch a cartoon.

Portillo's has great milkshakes and malts.

It's been a long time since I had a chocolate malt.

Thankful for all the men and women who have given their lives so that we might live in freedom.

God is good - all the time!

Love you all......

Cynicism or joy

Either way - it is a choice.

Cynicism or joy.

Cynics seek the negative side of everything - wherever they go.

They always point to the possibility of danger, impure motives, and hidden agendas in the life of others. 

They can find a problem in every solution.

They sneer at enthusiasm, they ridicule those who are spiritually on fire for God, and they despise, I mean especially despise someone who exhibits charismatic behavior (in the sense of having an out-going personality).

Only here's the deal:  If you would ask them if they were a cynic, they would respond by saying, "no, I am not - I am a realist who sees reality for what it truly is - and I am not deceived by the "escapist emotions" of others (to use a phrase from Henri Nouwen).

Here's what I know:  negativism always breeds more negativism.

Contrast that with a person who consistently chooses to live in joy.

They don't deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it.

Rather than whining, they worship.

Rather than speaking ill of others (or talking about others at all), they speak of the things of God.

As Henri Nouwen writes, "they claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness."

Rather than looking at the dark side of people (continually), they really believe that there are people who heal each other's wounds, forgive each other's offenses, share their possessions and enjoy the spirit of community. 

Here's what I also know:  positivism always breeds more positivism - and I love to hang around positive people.

Now then, here is the challenge.  Every moment of every day, you and I have the chance to choose between cynicism and joy.

Every thought I have can be cynical or joyful.

Every word I speak can be cynical or joyful.

Every action I take can be cynical or joyful.

What are you today?  A cynic?  Or a person full of God's joy?

It is your choice.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

choosing to have joy

Here's what I know today:

Joy is a choice.

I choose to walk in joy.

There is such a temptation to walk by my feelings - to put my faith and hope in how I feel at any given moment - especially in the midst of trials.

However, I can't let my feeling tell me how to live.  Instead, I am to tell (if not command) my feelings to obey God - in the midst of difficult circumstances. 

I make the choice to rejoice and find joy in the junk of my life.

Pain is inevitable but misery is optional.

You and I can't avoid pain - but we can avoid joy.

God has given us such immense freedom that he will allow us to be as miserable as we want to be . 

So many are caught up in the "as soon as".

"As soon as I get well, I will do something for God."

"As soon as my kids are out of the house, I will have some devotional time with God."

"As soon as this problem is solved - I will really worship God."

As soon as, as soon as, as soon as.

Life will never be free from "as soon as'".

Why not worship today - and leave the whining to others?

To give you something practical - as you are driving around, I encourage you to recite the phrase "Praise the Lord" five times in a row - and get a little louder and more exuberant each time you say it (the person in the car next to you might think you are weird - but that's okay).

In fact, try it right now as you are reading this (each time a little bit louder).

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Truly his name is great - and greatly to be praised.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

Being all that we can be

One of the slogans that the army used to use was that they were there to help people, "be all that they can be."

To reach their potential.

God wants you and I to "be all that we can be".

And like an army sergeant, God will inspect us from time to time.

He will check us out - to see if we are "battle ready" in the warfare that we fight against Satan and his demons.

And....to check us out - God will often use problems as a test.

Deuteronomy 8:2 tells us, "The Lord led you all the way in the desert these forty years to test you in order to know what was in your heart."

Testing.  Examination.  Problems. 

Those are not fun words.

Some days I feel like Mark Twain who said, "for me a change of trouble is as good as a vacation!"

God let the children of Israel wander around in the desert for 40 years and He gave them seven different tests and every single test they failed.  So God said, "Okay, one more lap around the desert!"

The Israelites spent 40  years dying in the desert while God was testing them and they failed every test.

Here's what I know:  problems reveal our character.  They reveal what is inside of us.

When you and I get under pressure (because our problems can seem to be overwhelming) it reveals how strong our faith in Christ is.

It reveals our strength of character.

Anybody can serve God and be happy during good times.

So maybe, just maybe, instead of asking, "why is this happening to me," we should be asking, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me."

I want to be ready for battle - how about you?  I want to "pass inspection," how about you?

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

I really enjoyed meeting new people at our church yesterday!

Met some older guests and some younger ones as well.

May The Lord continue to lead people to us!

I am also thankful for a group of people who understand and respect communion!

Thanks to our worship team - they are doing a great job of leading us in worship!

Grateful to the Lord for 7 new members that we welcomed into our church yesterday.

Sitting in District Council - attending a business meeting.

So glad to have Debbie back from attending our youngest granddaughter's dedication.

Encourage all of us to come to this Sunday!  We will be having a great service!

God is a good God - all the time!

My responsibility is to continue to do God's will - God's responsibility is to move as He sees fit!

I've been thinking a lot about the favor of God.  Why God moves some places and passes by others.

Lord, I would ask for your favor upon us!  We crave your favor!

Love you all

God is not like me

God is not like me.

Whew.  I said it.

And I am ecstatic that He is not.

Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, "The Lord says, 'My thoughts are not like your thoughts.  Your ways are not like my ways.  Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than  your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts'" 

Here's what I know:  God's schedule is different from mine.

If you know me at all - you know that I typically need and want things now.  Not tomorrow.  Today.

I can be very impatient (although to my credit - I am becoming more patient as I get older).

Waiting is not really a big part of my DNA.

And yet God specializes in making us wait.

We continually find ourselves in the "waiting room" of life. 

However, there is a qualifier here:  God puts us in situations where we wait - but he wants us to wait with the hope that something is about to happen.

Trust is probably a good word to throw in here.

He wants us to wait - but trusting in him.

Please know this:  that while we wait - God is doing something in us.  The process is what He is interested in - far more than the end result.

Secondly, God sees things differently than we do.  Where we see problems and disappointment, God sees opportunities.

When we go to God with a problem, expecting him to solve it, he will tell us to take another look.

And usually what we will see is that the problem (or opportunity) is there to help us become more like Jesus. 

Finally, God loves differently than we do.

God's love is perfect.  Flawless.  He never stops loving us no matter what we do.

This is huge:  God loves me the way I wish I could love others. 

God says, essentially, "there are no deal breakers with me."

God is not like me - and (if I can say it this way) I am thankful that He is not like you.

Just a thought for a Thursday.