Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday Week 7

"'O God,' I said, and that was all. But what are the prayers of the whole universe more than expansions of that one cry? It is not what God can give us, but God we want."

George MacDonald - from Between Heaven and Earth by Ken Gire



Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday Week 7

“Whatever comes out of these gates, we've got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together we survive.” Maximus - The Gladiator

Jim DiRaddo, a friend of mine, often said: "There’s no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian."

It's true. Not even Jesus went through life alone. He had the fellowship of his Father and the companionship of his disciples. The only thing Jesus did alone was die...so that we would live. Don't try to live yours alone.



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wednesday Week 7

"The pursuit of self is what most of us have been doing for much of our lives, even our spiritual lives. But the self is a cul-de-sac, and eventually we end up where we started. Footsore and just as frustrated, just as unfulfilled. Feeling we're a failure, or worse, a fraud.

"The pursuit of soul, if soul is all we're pursuing, is not much different. It's a longer walk down a nicer street, but the street is still a cul-de-sac, and in the end, regardless how invigorating the walk, it doesn't lead beyond the neighborhood of who we are.

"Most of us, though, have grown a little tired of the neighborhood and all the back-and-forth trips we have taken there. We long for something more than a routine walk around the religious block.

"We long for the companionship of God."

Ken Gire - Windows of the Soul



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tuesday Week 7

"Hope is a new idea in history, a uniquely Christian vision. We take it for granted because the mind of Christ is so pervasive in shaping the modern mind, but it wasn't always that way. The ancient Greeks had two kinds of stories: comedy and tragedy. A comedy was fun, but it wasn't real. A tragedy was real but not fun. If you took a hard look at life, it was sad. If you ignored life, then it was funny. Their philosophy mirrored their plays. Stoic philosophers sought to be moral in a meaningless world. Life was a tragedy. They toughed it out. Epicureans just had fun; life was a comedy. They coined the phrase, 'Eat drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.'

The gospel is Good News. Because God broke the power of evil at the cross, we can, along with Sarah, look at our cynicism and laugh. Not surprisingly, Jesus' first miracle was making about 150 gallons of fine wine so a good party could become a great party (see John 2). Tragedy doesn't have the last word. God saves the best for last."

Paul Miller - A Praying Life


Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday Week 7

I love this parable:

"A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard. 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

"'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"

Luke 13:6-9

I love how the caretaker negotiates. He takes responsibility. He puts his reputation on the line. He sacrifices his time and energy...for a tree.

For you. For me.

Jesus refuses to give up on you.

Don't give up on him.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday Week 6

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" Luke 21:1-4

Let's back up and get a little bit more perspective.

Luke 20:45-47 "While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished severely.'"

Jesus really doesn't like when folks put on a show. He says attitudes like that, men like that, will be "punished severely." I don't know about you, but severe punishment is not on my list of goals for life. But you couldn't tell by the way I live. The problem is that I really like when my good actions get noticed. I even get upset when they don't. On more than one occasion, I have fallen into the trap of doing stuff because people are watching...at least I hope their watching.

I am no better than these teachers Jesus admonishes. I am like the rich Jesus frowns at. I am far from taking on the attitude of this poor widow. I'm so far I don't even know how to get there.

Please pray for me, a chief of sinners. I want to be different.


Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thursday Week 6

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" Luke 21:1-4

What about the widow's offering made it valuable?

Was it the proportion of what she gave compared to what she kept?
Was it the fact she gave all that she had?
Does that mean God expects me to donate all my proceeds to the church?
Does that mean God's not happy unless I give him all that I have?

Was it the proportion? Maybe. Jesus says: Out of her poverty she put in all she had to live on. It wasn't the amount that mattered, it was percentage that struck Jesus as noteworthy.

Was it the fact that it was everything? Maybe. Jesus does point this out. The truth is all that we have is given to us. If you follow every penny, every possession back to its root, you will discover God was the source. When we give money "back" to him, we are giving what is his. THINK ABOUT THIS. What if, before writing a single check, decided that every dollar you had in your bank account was already his. What if you began today to consider your bank account his? Live out of that for awhile and see what happens.

Are we supposed to give all our money to the church? No. But we should give some.

Is God not happy unless we give all that we have? LOOK: If God was waiting on us to make him happy, he's never going to be happy. The truth is WE WILL NEVER BE HAPPY as along as we hold on to our stuff. As long as our happiness is wrapped up in what we have and what we don't have, we'll never be happy.


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Wednesday Week 6

Jesus paid attention.

I love this passage: "As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" Luke 21:1-4

We're going to stay here for the next couple days. Today, I want you to think about how Jesus sees. He sees outwardly. But he also sees the motivation behind it.

As Samuel says about God and man. One looks at outward appearance; the other looks at the heart. The truth is, God sees both. But what matters most to him is the heart.

What is motivating yours today? Ask God to show you.


Tuesday Week 6

Last night, Lia and I attended our local Young Life banquet. The speaker, Rob Crocker, reminded us of the four principles that Jim Rayburn, Young Life's founder, built this ministry on.

I think they are good principles for us to consider:

1. Every person has the right to know what the Bible says about God and about them.

2. Every person has the right to hear this information in a language they can understand.

3. The best way to communicate this language is by personal friendship.

4. Every person has the right to make their own decision about what to believe. Whatever that decision does not affect the way that we, the ministry of Young Life, or God, their Maker, loves them and continues to pursue them.

Who might God be nudging you to pursue in this way?



Monday, October 18, 2010

Monday Week 6

"The only way to find Life is to live it...the word 'belief' is literally 'by-lief' or 'by-life.' Your belief is your life. And your life is your belief. You believe in a thing enough to act on it, to live it. So you are what you believe, and you believe what you are. Your deed is your creed. And your creed is your deed." E. Stanley Jones - The Word Became Flesh



Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday Week 5

Lao Tzu, the ancient mystic Chinese philosopher (how's that for a title), said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Jesus, Son of God King of kings Lord of Lords savior of the world (how's that for a title), said: "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move." Matthew 17:20

Dickie Graham, teacher wrestling coach dad husband and my friend (how's that), told me once: "The way you move mountains is a single step. Every step you take toward the mountain, the mountain gets smaller. You keep stepping and eventually that mountain that was before you will be behind you. Mustard seed faith is the faith of a single step."

Move a mountain today. Take a step of faith.



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wednesday Week 5

This was my favorite song when I studied in Kenya. It is called "Ameniona." He sees me.

Nitamwimbia Bwana
Kwa kuwa yeye ameniona

I will sing to the Lord
for he has seen me.

God sees you.

When no one else does. When no one else cares. When no one understands.
He does. He cares. He understands. He sees you.



Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tuesday Week 5

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven...

"...when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret...

"...when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen, who sees what is done in secret...

"...when you fast...wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Do something with Jesus today - do something for him - do something that only he will know about. See what happens.


Monday, October 11, 2010

Monday Week 5

You may have seen this painting before: Return of the Prodigal Son, by Rembrandt. It was re- popularized by Henri Nouwen's beautiful book on the topic.


You may be less familiar with this version of the prodigal by Rembrandt.


Dressing it up. Feeling it up. Drinking it up. Living it up. There is so much lostness in the young man's eyes...I do not know how Rembrandt did it.

This is the man the Father loved. He loves you, too.

"God demonstrated his love for you in this: while you were still sinning, Christ died for you." Romans 5:8 (NSRV....ned's slightly revised version)

by the way, the second painting is a self-portrait.



Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday Week 4

I spent some time yesterday evening thinking about where I saw, felt, smelled, tasted, and heard God yesterday...it was difficult...it took some time...I was still thinking about it this morning...

Smell was easy...we went to the fair. Funnel Cakes are of the Lord.

I tasted the Lord when for some reason I was led to this food booth and impulsively bought a lemonade...it was heavenly...but the God moment happened when I allowed my daughter to take a sip (she normally does not like lemonade). She drank the whole thing! She turned to me halfway through and said: "Daddy, this is the goodest lemonade in the whole world!" ...perhaps the God moment occurred when I let her finish. (The lemonade was darn good).

I heard yesterday when Charlie from China called. I have been praying for him and trying to get back in contact with him for months but had lost his information. He found me! He and his girlfriend are coming to visit in two weeks!

Then, I saw this picture...and I think that is when I remember feeling the Lord. Could he, yes, he could, he does, the Lord! He delights in me (and YOU!) even more than this! Even more than I delight in Dave Dave, my son.





Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thursday Week 4

---submitted by Robert: thanks!

So what would happen if I looked for (and even if I found) God in my monday morning meeting, or my lunch with coworkers, or my checkout at Lowes. Sure, I can see the majesty of Creation in a sunset, or a mountain, but what about the not-so-beautiful parts of my day? This keeps bringing me back to, among other things, the way I treat other people. Not only to their faces, but also how do I regard them in my heart and in my conversation?

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'
-Matthew 25:40-46

How many times have we made fun of the guy who's annoying us in the next cubicle, or held hatred in our heart for the manager who is making our work lives tough? I know I do and have. But God didn't just come to save the cool people. He didn't just come to save people who the world deems worthy. If he could have only saved that jerky guy on the marketing team, he would have been on the cross anyways. Jesus loved that guy. And so should we.

Let's find God in the details of our day. And let's love on those that our wicked hearts tell us are not worthy of our love.




Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wednesday Week 4



"Taste and see that the Lord is good" Psalm 34:8

God wants us to experience him fully...with every sense.
Take the holy place in the temple God designed for an example:
Sight...an intricately detailed lamp
Smell...incense
Sound...burning fire
Taste...bread
Touch...multi-layers of fabric to pass through

Ask God to meet you with all five senses today.
Be attuned to see, taste, smell, hear, and feel what happens.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Tuesday Week 4

"God didn't just give a little for us; He gave us His best. He gave Himself." Francis Chan Crazy Love

Enough said.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Monday Week 4

"It is more difficult to find the Creator in a barbeque sandwich than in your favorite Sunday song, but when you do, when you begin to find Him in all the stuff of life, everything starts singing. Every moment breaks into song. Every breath becomes sacrifice, and the songs become sweetness." David Crowder Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi