Don't Panic

A few years ago, I was asked to be 1 of 2 speakers at a public school Baccalaureate address for the graduating seniors.  I was to be the 1^st speaker, they called me the “inspirational speaker” and a prominent politician was the “keynote speaker”. 

 In my world, that is quite an honor and I took it very seriously.  Not many career Corrections Officers are asked to be “inspirational speakers”.  To this day I am sure the hand of God forced someone to call my phone number because – exactly what “inspirational” information does a Sheriff’s jailer have to offer? 

 I spoke for about 20 minutes and began wrapping up my “motivational thoughts” when the moderator stepped up to the pulpit and whispered in my ear that the “keynote speaker” had the wrong time wrote down and was in Deer Park.  The master plan was for me to “wing it” for 30+ minutes until the “keynote speaker” arrived. 

 To this day I remember the panic driven thought zipping through my mind, “A priest, a rabbi, and a parrot go into a bar….” 

 This unexpected development far exceeded my preparation but the good Lord always has a plan – we just have to not panic and be sensitive to His nudging. 

 I remember turning back to the microphone and saying the first thing that came to my mind:

“I find it curious that a high school graduating class would consider a Sheriff’s jailer to be their motivational speaker.  Someday I hope to learn the thought process behind that decision.  I suspect you either need to rethink your career goals or your plans could possibly involve your name winding up on a booking photo in my jail.”

 I spent the next 30 minutes talking about decisions.  And how at my graduation, not one graduating senior stood up and announced plans to be booked into the county jail 12 times for “driving while intoxicated”.  Not one graduating senior stood up and announced that he would spend 20 years working in the county jail as a corrections officer. 

The good Lord then filled my mouth with words about the dangers of instant gratification "play now and pay later" decision making.  And the rich rewarding impact that a “pay now and play later” decision making process will offer. 

My point is this, the good Lord promised to give us words to say, and He did. “I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!” Luke 21:15.

 Your spiritual take-away from this blog is this:

“I believe God is more interested in your availability as in your ability.” 

Sometimes we rely too heavily on our natural abilities and fail to simply make ourselves available as the good Lord’s servant. 

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word,

and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people.
You are royal priests, a holy nation,
God’s very own possession.
As a result, you can show others the goodness of God,
for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:8-9

God Is Always Present

I am sure this has never happened to you, but this morning, in spite of my best efforts, I was running late. I was trying to hurry myself along but to no avail.

I got my truck pointed down the road and found an opportunity to make up for lost time. Again, I am sure this has never happened to you. However, I am only human.

So after coaxing my Toyota up to "on or about the posted speed" I noticed the roadway surface was glazed over with a nice sheen of ice.

Which interestingly enough was almost exactly the same moment I noticed Bambi and her posse of ruffian deer ambling across the highway.

Two things happened simultaneously, (a) my goatee turned a lighter shade of gray and (b) I lost 10 days off the end of my life. And the good Lord gave me a "verbal warning" to slow down and drive at an appropriate speed for winter conditions. I'm no dummy. He only has to tell me once (a morning).

My spiritual observation for tonight is, when you are vulnerable, whether by your own design or otherwise, life will complicate things with a well placed speed bump.

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble" Psalm 46:1

NOTICE the descriptive words used in Psalm 46:1....

"God" (Elohim) is our refuge" - Elohim is the word for the Triune (3 in 1) God. So our Enemy will have to go thru all Three (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to get us.

"Refuge" – Is a safe shelter or hiding place from danger or storms.

"Strength" -- Is our security, boldness, or power.

"always ready" -- means God is always with us.

"help" -- means to come to our assistance.
He doesn’t leave us to our own struggles alone.

"in times of" -- means that God will not be late -- but will be with us during our distress, in the midst of our suffering.

"Trouble" -- means "in a tight place, in misery, in distress, in agony, in suffering"
Such as a tight place when you are between a rock and a hard spot.

"I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night
-- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you."
Psalm 139:7-12

THOUGHT:
"In times of peace - fortify.
in times of battle - rest."

Old Fashioned Water Pump

Every Sunday morning, God draws a varying assortment of souls through the church doors. My personal burden is the knowledge that this is a one shot deal for the majority of them. A handful will attend a Bible study or our Wednesday night service. But the majority of them will face the trials of the week with only this 30 minute message from God.

My grandmother used to say, "7 days without God's Word makes for 1 weak Christian".

Life dumps a back breaking assortment of stressors and difficulties into their lives that threaten not only their peace of mind but often even the very fabric of their family unity.

This knowledge weighs heavy on me, knowing this may be their only exposure to the healing comfort and strength found only in God's Word.

The world always provides a well stocked buffet of distractions and unhealthy vices.

My vision is that of a old fashioned water pump out in a dusty yard. God has assigned me the task of standing behind the pump and when everyone is present with their buckets in hand, I lift the pump handle. As the handle is lifted, God's living water flows in abundance, generously filling the buckets.

"I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things" Psalm 81:10

"Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!"
Psalm 34:8

Live churches have parking problems;
Dead churches have empty spaces!
Live churches may have some noisy children;
Dead churches are quiet as a cemetery.
Live churches keep changing their ways of doing things;
Dead churches see no need for change!
Live churches grow so fast you can't keep up with people's names;
In dead churches everybody always knows everybody's name.
Live churches strongly support world missions;
Dead churches keep the money at home!
Live churches are full of regular, cheerful givers;
Dead churches are full of grudging tippers!
Live churches move ahead on prayer and faith;
Dead churches work only on sight!
Live churches plant churches;
Dead churches fear spending the money, time, and talent!
Live churches outgrow their Sunday School facilities;
Dead churches have room to spare!
Live churches welcome all classes of people;
Dead churches stick to their own kind!
Live churches' members read their Bibles and bring them to church;
Dead churches' members seldom do!
Live churches' members enthusiastically support the ministries;
Dead churches have no ministries--only functions!
Live churches' members look for someone they can help;
Dead churches' members look for something to complain about!
Live churches' members reach out to share their faith in Christ;
Dead churches' members don't have enough to share!

Monday Morning Reflections....

New Every Morning

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
      His mercies never cease.
 Great is his faithfulness;
      his mercies begin afresh each morning"
Lamentations 3:22-23

Monday morning seems like an appropriate time
to discuss God's intimate knowledge of us,
His adopted kids.

Have you ever watched a young mother in WalMart
with a couple little kids that have stretched her last
nerve right up to the breaking point?

In the beginning, the Good Lord knew that His kids
were going to have days that left them beaten and
bruised.

Have you ever went to bed at night, begging God to
activate the Rapture Plan before daybreak?

After a miserable night of tossing and turning, you
finally get to sleep a couple hours before the alarm
goes off. And you first thought is, "It isn't too late
for the Rapture rescue."

God understands that we have bad days - days that
rob us of our joy and peace. However, God has a plan.
A plan that He designed with you in mind.

The best way I can describe God's plan is for you to allow
your mind to travel back to when you were a child. Do you
remember the anxious anticipation of Christmas morning?
Christmas morning, do you remember waking up at 4:00 am
and blasting into the living room overwhelmed at the colorful
lights reflecting on the stacks of presents?

All the stress and anticipation that had built up to a boiling point
during the week prior to Christmas, simply melted away in one
breathtaking moment. Christmas had arrived in all its splendor.

Now picture Monday morning.

Monday morning has arrived in all its splendor, or not.

But today's promise out of Lamentations, we find that God has
delivered His magnificent mercies to your house. Look closely
at them and you will see that he has carefully printed your name
on each one of them. God has made available to you, His
endless mercies.

OK, I can hear you now muttering, "I like the idea of that but I have
no idea what a mercies looks like or what I am supposed to do with
it. Where can I cash it in?"

To answer this, I want you to imagine a deep well. No, you can't
drop a rock down this well to see how far it will fall before it splashes.
Lets call this your personal "Well of Mercies". God designed it
especially for you and you alone. So what we are going to find in it,
is what God knew ahead of time that you would need. So this is His
way of providing all your needs.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

So what you are going to find in your "Well of Mercies"
are perfect gifts that God provided for you?

So right now, take a moment and pray this prayer, "Father God, thank you
so much for knowing what I need, even before I need it. And thank you for
providing good and perfect gifts for me. Please help me to recognize these
gifts as they enter my life. Help me to be grateful to you for loving and
caring for me. Amen"

I know this blog is running longer than usual, but I am having fun. And
honestly, I have never read anything about this before. Nor have I ever
heard anyone teach on this before. So tonight, we are both sitting at the
feet of our Heaven Father, listening to Him teach us. That means that I
am not inclined to leave until He has completed His lesson. So grab a
snack and get comfortable because He is about to reveal what He has
provided in our "Well of Mercies".

#1. God's Eternal Promises in His Eternal Word
"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that
through them you may participate in the divine nature...." 2 Peter 1:4

#2. God's Eternal Security of Christians
‘All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to me I will
certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me.’ John 6:37-40


#3. God's Eternal Strength
"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad
to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me"
2 Corinthians 12:9
"I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my
deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold" Psalms 18:1-2

#4. God's Eternal Comfort
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are
crushed" Psalm 34:18
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest" Matthew 25:25-30

#5. God's Eternal Home for Believers
"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in its taken down
(that is, when we die and leave this earthly body),
we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God
Himself and not by human hands" 2 Corinthians 5:1

There are more amazing gifts that God promises and provides for His children.
However, this blog is in danger of becoming a sermon and no one wants that.
So, Monday morning, as you face the day, look over this list and the eternal verses
from God's Word to you, and face the day with confidence and courage.

God bless and keep you,
Pastor Shane