I am thankful for....

I am thankful for…

The taxes I pay because it means that I’m employed.

The clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

My shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.

A lawn that has to be mowed, windows that have to be washed and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

The spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.

All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.

That lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear.

The huge piles of laundry and ironing because it mans my loved ones are nearby.

The alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive.
—-
I’m not sure where it came from originally. If I did, then I‘d give proper credit.

Spiritual "Shape"....

George Barna conducted a survey of self-professing Christians and here’s what he found about their knowledge of the Bible: 

• 48% could not name the four Gospels.
• 52% cannot identify more than two or three of Jesus’ disciples.
• 60% of American Christians can’t name even five of the 10 Commandments.
• 61% of American Christians think the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.
• 71% of American Christians think “God helps those who help themselves” is a Bible verse.

George Barna said, "Americans revere the Bible, but by and large they don’t know what it says. And because they don’t know it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates."

No wonder 21st century Christians are failing to finish their marathon race. No wonder Christians by the thousands are falling prey to the false teachers of our day. They are being feed junk food and don’t feed themselves on the Word of God. They are desperately in need of a solid diet of good food, Scripture. We need to get into "spiritual shape"!

My Defining Moment (my story continues)

My Defining Moment (my story continues)

I posted “My Defining Moment” yesterday and I have lost track of how many people want to know what I was doing in Chicago.  So as the great Paul Harvey used to say, “Here is the rest of the story”.    

When I was 6 years old, God captured my heart.  There was no doubt that God had selected me to serve as a pastor. 

What I didn’t expect was, God “trains” us for service by leading us through life experiences that are dangerous and introduces us to people that try our patience, but each provides us with a “tool” that we will need in our service later down the road. Nothing is wasted. 

So right out of High School in 1981, I headed to Chicago for Bible College. 

I have taken a lifetime to process what I experienced and learned in Bible College.  As I said earlier, “Nothing is wasted”.  God has a plan. 

The Bible College I attended was highly conservative and very big on rules and regulations.  They often preached from the pulpit, sermons on the sin of men wearing pink shirts.  Their position was that it was effeminate and inappropriate for men of God. 

I experienced a few things happened at Bible College that changed my life. 

First, I learned that I don’t respond well to “rules and regulations”.  When someone pushes me – my natural instinct is to push back.  This has, to say the last, seldom served me well.  Here I learned the meaning of Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Lesson #1:  God had to humble me before He could use me.  Thus when I left Bible College in 1984, the U.S. Army was phase two of God's plan to humble me.  Nothing like a Drill Sergeant to confront a stubborn young lad who struggles with "rules and regulations".    

Second, I learned the importance of friends.  The College was brutal and broke the spirit of many who couldn’t hold up under all the rules and scrutiny.  I’m not saying the College was wrong ~ I’m just saying it was a more harsh living condition than anything the Army threw at me.  Thus, friends were a life line that offered not only encouragement but perspective.  I learned to carefully screen those that get close to me ~ and those that do get close ~ to take their advice to heart ~ no matter how painful.  Their insight and wisdom is often right from the throne room of Heaven and must be valued. 

Third, (I will stop with 3) I had numerous classes from a retired pastor (Les Smith) from Atlanta.  He had a “pastor’s heart” for people.  This was the first time I witnessed both compassion and fire from a pastor’s heart.  Pastor Smith was transparent with us and often shed tears, both of compassion for the lost and pain for those who had gone astray.  Halfway through my second year, the church in Atlanta that Pastor Smith planted and built, went through terrible divisions that ripped the heart out of the church.  I remember Pastor Smith weeping in the classroom as he explained to us the dynamics that were devastating the church he loved dearly.  Finally, he resigned as our professor and drove back to Atlanta to get back in the battle and try to lead the church back to “health”.  My time under his teaching was invaluable.    

Fourth, (ok, I will stop with 4) my favorite (and most difficult) class was Greek. In all honesty, I have no gift for languages (my deaf step daughter will attest to this).  However, to hold a Greek New Testament and study each word in the original language was ~ an honor that seized my soul.  English is a rough coarse language, but Greek is incredibly descriptive.  One Greek word, with all the prefixes and suffixes, can not only describe a sunset but will provide you an experience, complete with a warm tropical breeze blowing in your face and the warm sand between your toes.  OK, I may have exaggerated somewhat, but you get the idea.  My Greek professor gave me a deep hunger and appreciation for God’s Word.  For that, I will forever be grateful.   

"But he said to me,

'My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness.'

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly

about my weaknesses,

so that Christ's power may rest on me."  

2 Corinthians 12:9  

 

My Defining Moment

My Defining Moment

When I was 18, I climbed in a 1978 Dodge Omni and headed for Chicago.

To start with, expecting a 1978 Dodge Omni to survive the trip to Chicago is obviously a serious leap of faith.

It would seem logical to assume that a drive from Spokane to Chicago would be a I-90 straight shot, point A to point B kind of experience.  But no, as is often in my life, I am required to make a few trips around the "round-a-bout" before heading off to my destination.

So my "short cut" to Chicago required a stop in John Day Oregon.  I spent the night at a wonderful pastors house.  I remember he and his wife showed me to the room where I would be spending the night and then I didn't see them again till breakfast.  As I was leaving I noticed that they gave me their master bedroom, while they slept out in a small camp trailer.  To this day, that memory humbles me.

Then I pushed on  to Denver.

In Denver I spent the weekend at the home of a church elder.  He was kind and gracious -- treating me like family.  Finally Sunday rolled around and I attended church with his family.  I remember it was a very large church -- larger than anything I had ever witnessed.

I recalled a great evangelist of the last century commented as he passed through a huge church sanctuary, "You could stack a lot of hay in here."

At the end of the service, the pastor called me forward to the pulpit, and with tears in his eyes, put his hands on my head and prayed a prayer of blessing on me and the ministry God had in store for me.

I was a little uncomfortable by this experience -- that it was a defining moment -- and that it was filled with power, I had no doubt -- but it was uncomfortable nonetheless.

The kind elderly pastor leaned close to me and simply advised me to never look back and never doubt God.

It was in that moment, in my heart of hearts, I had no doubt that God was going to use my life for His purposes.

With a few thoughtful words, the course of my life was established.

My thought for you is:
"Who has God brought into your life -- that He wants you to impact?"

Think about this -- I am sure there is a painful experience from your past, where someone said or did something very hurtful that still impacts you to this day.  The fact you still remember it -- highlights it.

What is odd, I can remember my 2nd grade school teacher putting me back into a remedial reading class.  To this day I remember her comments about my reading abilities (or lack of).

Our memories and subconscious are not obstructed by time -- so those long ago memories -- still impact us.

My point is this, is there someone in your life right now that you can impact in a positive way --  with a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a hug of compassion?

I am 100% sure that the elderly pastor never gave me a second thought.

6 months after his prayer over me, he couldn't have picked me out of a police lineup.

However, 32 years ago, I remember the man and his prayer clearly, like it was last night.

There IS someone in your life that God wants you to encourage, in the same kinda way that elderly pastor encouraged me.

What are you going to do with that God given opportunity?

"For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
Ephesians 2:10 NLT