Assumptions

Well I figured I would start out with something light this week.  This is a joke that one of my coworkers shared the other day.  I hope you enjoy it.

A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners.  At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.  Therefore, he took out a card and wrote Rev 3:20 on the back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned.  Added to it was this cryptic message, Gen 3:10.  Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter.

There is a punch line here, but I have intentionally left it out.  Our goal here is to encourage each of you to spend more time in His Word so hopefully by reading each verse you will get it and end up the same way as the pastor.  Comment if you need help.


Our Prayer:
God - please bless each of our readers, unlocking your will in each of their lives.  Help them to see your strength and realize they can do amazing things in you.  Give them the strength and determination to step out in faith, in Jesus name we pray.  AMEN!

Crazy lil thing called LOVE!!!

Well tomorrow is the BIG day and at this point you have either been proactive and celebrated early; you're ready for the big moment; or you are scrambling now to get ready. Regardless of your preparation techniques, Valentines is coming tomorrow.

I always find this time of year interesting, because with 5 kids it has been difficult over the years to plan anything on this day. Many years I have to confess, the day has passed by without a thought. My wife and I both agree that celebrating your love for each other once a year is a bit absurd.  It is like going to church on just Easter and Christmas to say you love the Lord.  What kind of love does that really show?  But this year, I felt God calling me to something more.

Ultimately I felt Him saying, "If you love me then you will demonstrate your love to your wife." He emphasized the fact that, "if you truly love your wife, give it over to Me and I will make it happen."  So I did...I prayed about it long and hard - Before, during, and after (yes we celebrated early).   God began to show me how I could truly pour out my love to my wife and it was amazing how God's plan unfolded.  He is truly an Awesome God!  

So in my mind it was the Best Valentine's ever, but if you want the full story, you'll have to ask my wife via the comments section, because otherwise it would just be my prideful boasting. 



Tuxedo Strawberries in a matching
rice crispie basket.

 Anyway, there was a much deeper message that God was calling me to see here.  See if you truly love your spouse, then you will love them the way God has called you to.  So what does that mean?  Well the word tells us that a "[Husband, should love his wife], just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." ~ Eph 5:25.  This to me is one of the most powerful statements of the Bible.  Men, we are called to be: selfless, sacrificial, humble, loving, kind, not condemning, and full of Grace - simply because these are all the very characteristics that Christ has for us....the church.

So here is the hard question we have to ask ourselves when we truly give ourselves over to this verse - Do you love your spouse the way Christ's loves the church?  I know this is a hard question to deal with, because God is asking it of me right now.  But, the truth still remains that this is what God calls us to.  This is why we need Christ so much.  Because we cannot possibly love as He does without Him.  "We loved because He first loved us."    ~ 1 John 4:19.

If this is hitting a sore spot, then ask God to show you how You can change your character to reflect that of Christ.  Don't pray, fix my husband or fix my wife.  These types of prayer only show more flaws in our own character.  To truly show His love we must be willing to die to self, which means putting them first, as He did for us.

Our Prayer:
"God, May you show us how to love our spouse's as you love us.  Your love is the Greatest there is and that there ever was.  May we live out our love for you in the very way we love our wives / husbands.  Soften our hearts so that you may pour into us your full blessing.  Chip away at the flaws of our character that keep us from loving as you do.  It is in your son's Holy and Magnificent name that we pray.  AMEN!

What if I stumble???

My oldest son and I departed for his 9th grade high school orientation earlier this evening.  Before we left, I could see the nervousness in his eyes and tried to reassure him that all would be o.k.  I believe my words fell on his ears like the WAH-WAH-WAAAH-WAAAAHs of Charlie Brown's teacher.  Regardless I pressed on, so I jumped in the car and off we sped to his new school.

Sitting through the intros and briefings he started to warm up to it all, and before we knew it we were on the tour and then out the door.  I took the long way home so that I could speak with him on what was to come, expectations, and to try and instill a little bit of encouragement.  I told him how important his attitude toward school is to his future, how these four years go by like a day - so make the day count. 

So I encouraged him to try new things, "[be bold and do what others won't or discourage you from doing.]"  But the one thing I told him that was most important over school itself, was his relationship with God.  He could do it all, be the best student, get the best grades, or even be a super jock, but those things won't matter if His relationship with God is non-existent.  Continuing I explained how God will get him through the tough times, the hard challenges, and life in general...He will be there when we fall to pick us up.

That of course took me back to my quiet time today in Luke 22:31-32.  In this passage, Christ is speaking to Simon (Peter) and he says, 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."  What I found so impressive with this is that Christ knew that Peter would go back to his old ways (so he calls him Simon), and emphasizes that his failure was certain.  But that doesn't stop Christ from loving him.  No....because he knows Peter's heart and realizes that he will return to him (the relationship), and when he does, he encourages him to strengthen others.

When we fail - he will pick us up too; brush us off; and send us out to help others.  But without the relationship, sometimes it can feel like we are all alone in process.  So I echo, "Come near to God and he will come near to you..." ~ James 4:8.  Draw into him, through the GOOD TIMES as well as the BAD.

I think DC Talk hits it home with these lyrics -

What if I stumble, what if I fall?

What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?

Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?

What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

...

I hear You whispering my name. You say,

"My love for You will never change".

......

He whispers so that we will quite our souls and LISTEN.  He waits for us to draw in to Him, because His Love has and will never change. 

Our Prayer:

Lord God, be with my oldest son this coming school year and help guide him in his journey.  Most importantly open his eyes to you O'Lord, that he will walk faithfully with you all the days of his life.  Be there when he stumbles to strengthen his faith as you raise him up out of it.  Be with those that are reading this that have faced similar struggles in their own life or the life of a loved one.  Give them ears to hear your voice, the wisdom to discern your ways, and the strength to persevere.  In Christ's precious and Holy Name. AMEN!

In Him,

Mitch