The Right Way

Lately I've been reading about the life of King David in 1 & 2 Samuel.  I do that from time to time and am always amazed at the things that stand out to me.

What jumps out reading the following verses, (I added the bold emphasis.)

1 Samuel 23:4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand."

1 Samuel 30:8 and David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."

2 Samuel 2:1  In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. The Lord said, "Go up." David asked, "Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the Lord answered.

 2 Samuel 5:19 so David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?" The Lord answered him, "Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands."

(all emphasis mine)

David had a habit of asking the Lord about everything.  Even when the choice seems obvious, he prayed about it!

But notice this one time when he did not.  David wanted to bring the Ark into the city, but when he did they placed it on a cart.  Sounded reasonable, right?  Everyone was happy, celebrating, until a donkey pulling the cart stumbles, causing the Ark to be unsteady.  A man named Uzzah reaches up to steady it, and is struck dead for touching the Ark.

Party over, and David was upset.

But instead of getting angry with God, David realized what the problem was.  When he decided to move the Ark a second time, this is what he said.

"Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.  He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way." 1 Chron 15:11-13(NIV, emphasis mine)

How many times do things go wrong in our life simply because we neglect to pray about it?

Worth thinking about.

Getting Through The Day

I remember when I first started riding my motorcycle  I had a bit of apprehension, and I'm sure some of that is healthy.  After all, putting a combustion engine and gas tank between your legs and heading on down the road  is not the safest thing you could do with your time.

So each night I would come home from work and the first thing I would do is hop on the bike.  I had what I saw as my "fear meter," at first, 30% of what I was feeling was fun, with the remaining 70% being fear. 

But with each ride, I matured, and that scale changed until the fear was tucked away where it should be.  Fear became a healthy respect of riding, but not  something that stops me from riding.

But in those early days, I had to overcome the fear in order to ride.  I knew this was something I wanted to do, so I had to battle the fear every time.  I did this by looking forward to the day when the fear would be gone and I would have nothing but the pure joy of riding.

That's how we get through difficult times, we have hope of a better tomorrow. 

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) says of Jesus, "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Jesus was looking to the moment when he could say, "it is finished," and know that he reconciled the world to his Father.  That is how he got through the pain of the cross.

No matter what this life throws at us, we do have a paradise waiting for us.  This life is not all there is, and there are times when we need to remember that to get through the day.

Dead or Alive?

It never ceases to amaze me, how some people can be famous... just for being famous. 

Often even we as Christians can be tempted to envy the lives of rich or successful people.  They appear to have it all together.  They are "really living life."

But that is because we look at others around us from an earthly perspective.  We judge whether or not a person has a "good life" by health, success, or wealth. 

Yet, from God's perspective, there are only two kinds of people, dead or alive.  It matters not that a person is deemed a success in life.  Without Christ they are without life. 

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:1-5 (NIV)

Roots

In our neighbor's backyard there are many pine trees.

I don't particularly care for them.  Mostly because pine needles kill grass.

They have this one branch that overhangs my fence.  I tried to just pull it down once, but no luck!  That branch was way too strong for me. 

Then, last winter we had a storm that covered the branch with ice.  It cracked and still hangs, but even now, half broken, I cannot snap it off.

I don't have the strength to snap off one branch, let alone uproot that tree and toss it.

Yet yesterday, while mowing the lawn, I noticed a little pine tree sapling growing in my yard, close to my house.  I pulled it up, roots and all, and tossed it with almost no effort.

As I went about mowing, I thought about how, if I let that tree grow, it would soon be big enough to cause damage.  The root could easily work itself into the foundation of my house, branches scraping and busting windows.  If I waited that long, I would have a huge problem on my hands, and a lot of damage to clean up afterwards.

That's why it's best to pull those things up, roots and all, when they are small.

Sin is a lot like that.  If we don't deal with the "small compromises" right away, they will soon take root and grow. 

James tells us, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15 (NIV)

If something comes to mind while reading this blog, rip it out of your life now, you'll save a lot of trouble further down the line.

Devotion to Our Lord

Recently I watched a movie that had as its theme the code of the Samurai.  It wasn't a great movie, not even one I would recommend.  But, I found myself fascinated by the code by which these ancient warriors lived.

The one thing that truly intrigued me was the absolute devotion they had to their lord.  The code even taught how your thoughts should be about how to better serve, how the lord's life mattered more than your own. 

I thought to myself, if men can be ready to give that kind of devotion, even their life, to an earthly lord, how much more willing should we be to do the same for our Lord in Heaven?

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.''  Mark 12: 28-30 (NIV)

The difference from the Samurai being, he offers us life in exchange for our devotion.

He gives us his all, are we prepared to give the same to him?

Words of Wisdom

I truly appreciate listening to my brother Barney when he has something to say. 

He's a big man, in many ways.  Tall and formative, but also big-,hearted. 

When he speaks, he often appears to pause, choosing each word carefully.  When he says something,  I often sense the Spirit of God speaking to me.  So over the past few years, getting to know him, I pay attention. 

I remember once when Preacher Mike was preaching and questioned wether people pick up a penny when they see it, or not?  He asked Barney directly if he would, and Barney's reply was, "Yes, because 99 more make a dollar." 

I thought about that, how it's the little steps that slowly add up to something.  To not neglect them, even if I don't see the combined value right away.

Another time, in small group at ReFuel, he simply wrote  a single word on a piece of paper, and sliding the paper in front of those of us at the table,  said, "Envy is a four letter word." 

I still have the paper, it's a great reminder.

This past week at ReFuel, we were talking about not letting people get under our skin.  Barney said, "Don't let someone live rent-free in your mind."

To me, those words had the Holy Spirit in them.  I had let several people stay in my mind as I thought about the things they do that bug me.  Basically letting them occupy that space, while I'm sure they were giving little thought to me. 

The next day, each time one of those thoughts came into my mind, I thought about what Barney said and evicted it! 

Just as Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (emphasis added).

As far as I know, Barney has never preached a sermon, but listening to the things he says reminds me of why it is so important for all of us to contribute, to share the things that the Lord has taught us.

That is how we grow together in the Lord.  That is true fellowship.

"What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up."  1 Corinthians 14:26  (NIV)

What about you, is there a wealth of wisdom the Lord has taught you that needs to be shared with the rest of us?

Are You Content?

I love looking at motorcycle magazines, especially when they are doing reviews on new bikes.  Seeing what is coming out, the new enhancements or styles, that can be a lot of fun.

Or especially just visiting the dealership, throwing a leg over a new bike.

But what can happen during this "innocent" window shopping, is that my appreciation for the bikes I already have wanes just a bit.  I  find myself slightly discontent.  If only my bike had...

But that's the goal of the advertisements  isn't it?  To make us less happy with what we have, so they can sell us what we don't. 

It's easy to take our eyes of the blessings we have in our lives when we are staring at something we think we want.

Are you content with what God has given you?

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Phi 4: 12 (NIV)

My Everything

I was reading Psalm 91 this morning and the first two verses just jumped out at me.

Psalm 91 (NIV)

1 "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust."

God is our refuge, our place of security, our everything.  Do we live like that?  Or do we store up treasures and methods of safety that we can fall back on in case the Lord is not "true to his word," or if he allows something into our lives we want to avoid?

I have substituted  the word "I" and "me" in several places in this psalm (in italics), it easily flows into a prayer.  Take a moment to pray through this.

3 Surely he will save me

    from the fowler's snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover me with his feathers,

    and under his wings I will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be my  shield and rampart.

5 I will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at my side,

    ten thousand at my right hand,

    but it will not come near me.

8 I will only observe with my eyes

    and see the punishment of the wicked.

And here is the promise of God...

9 If you say, "The Lord is my refuge,"

    and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you,

    no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you

    to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;

    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;

    I will be with him in trouble,

    I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

    and show him my salvation."

A challenging thought, for the challenging days we live in.

Who Do You Rely On?

Some days the pressure seems to mount up more than others.

Yesterday was a rough one, I could feel a tightness in my chest long after the ordeal at work was over.

But you know, as stressful as that was, there wasn't a moment when my life was at all in danger.  There are some who have dealt with that kind of stress on a daily basis.

But pressure is pressure and the remedy is always the same.

Paul said to the Corinthian church,  

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." 2 Cor 1:8:11 (NIV)

Do we see that?  Pressure is often the result of trying to be self-reliant rather than relying on God.  It's amazing to me, that God can use times like this to our benefit.

Because really, we need him to accomplish even the simplest daily tasks.  Our reliance on him is always there.  That is why he can use the extra stressful times to remind us.

Negotiating Curves

When I first started riding a motorcycle, I didn't really like twisty roads.  I found them too challenging, and often when riding with a group, I would fall behind.

But this past weekend, riding some nice twisties with my wife, I noticed how much fun I was having on them. 

So what changed?

As years passed and miles added up, I learned how to see the imaginary line from the apex of a turn.  I basically stay on that somewhat straight line and it helps me to safely negotiate the turns, even at higher speeds.

Funny thing is, the line was always there, I just didn't know to look for it. 

When I did, it changed my riding experience completely.  I can hardly remember what it was  like to have trouble on twisty roads.  Finding that line doesn't change the road, but it does make it less challenging and  a lot more fun to ride!

Jesus said,

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matt 7:13-14 (NIV)

Walking the path that Jesus lays out for us, walking by his will and his word, is much like finding that line in the curvy road.  It's there, and when we stay on it we find that life - although sometimes still a bit challenging - is more worth living. 

But we have to learn to see it, we need to spend time in his word, prayer, and in fellowship with other believers.

Soon, the path becomes clear and we know when we are on it.

Truth?

I've been getting a lot of advertising e-mails lately.  It seems from every online motorcycle store I've ever purchased from.

And a few I have not!

Now the interesting thing is, I want to read the ads, they are selling things that interest me.  Helmets, gloves, jackets, gear...  The list goes on and on.

However,  after a while, when you actually read these ads on a regular basis, you begin to see through the lie.

Each "sale" claims to be prices that are special, one time offers. Yet these sales are pretty much exactly the same, over and over, month after month.

So I stop believing the lies after a while.  It's the same if you listen to someone who tells tall tales.  At first they are interesting, but then, as they ramble on and you begin to realize that much of what they say is not really true, you are less and less interested in what they have to say.

That's one of the reasons why I'm daily in the word of God.  It is always the truth, every time.

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:5-7 (NIV)

Made For a Time Like This

There is a lot going on in the world today.  I see a lot of people commenting in a way that often adds fuel to existing fires.

With all the confusion, fear, and hate that is out there, as a Christian, how will you respond?

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

I think about when Esther, in the book that bears her name, became queen.  She had the opportunity to save a nation, but was afraid of the possible consequence to herself (death).  Her guardian, Mordecai, told her,

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 (NIV)

What will you do with the opportunities you are given to be a peacemaker?

Were you made for such a time as this?

The Holiness of God

Sometimes when I read the psalms, I feel like I really cannot relate to David.  The way he talks about his delight in the Lord, it challenges me.

Reading something like Psalm 36:5-9 (NIV)

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,

    your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,

    your justice like the great deep.

    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house;

    you give them drink from your river of delights.

 For with you is the fountain of life;

    in your light we see light.

I feel there are too many days when I acknowledge the Lord, but I don't get caught up in Him the way David did.  I can read these words, I agree with them in  my head, but I question if I delight myself in the Lord as David did.

Jonathan Edwards said, "A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this."

So perhaps there lies a key in all of this?  To ask the Lord for a revelation of his holiness, to see him more clearly today, then yesterday.

Being a Berean

Do you check your facts? 

It's amazing to me how in a hurry we can be to form an opinion.  Maybe the fast food media driven world we live in has conditioned us to be shallow thinkers. 

It's easy to read a soundbite that sounds right, accept it as truth, and then react.

I remember once I saw a special on a priest who was accused of inappropriate actions with a teenage boy.  The first half of the hour-long special you were convinced he was guilty.  Then, during the second half, they showed the other side of the story, including how his accuser hated the priest for his popularity with the congregation.  I saw that and realized just how important it is to get all the facts before forming an opinion.

Yet even after learning that lesson, many years ago, I still find myself falling into the habit of blindly following something I hear simply because it sounds right.  I can always tell the times that I do this, because when I am asked to defend my opinion, I come up short. 

Reading Acts 17 today, we see Paul preaching to a group of people who did not accept the message of Christ right away. 

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men." Acts 17:11-12 (NIV)

To blindly accept is easy, but to take the time to examine the facts, even from the lips of Paul, takes time and work. 

When you hear something, how quickly do you accept  is as true?

Are you a "Berean"?

Complaining

It's amazing, sometimes when we look at life from our own perspective, we don't really see anything wrong with some of the things we do.

For example, grumbling or complaining.

Paul said, 

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing,  so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. "Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" Phil 2:14-15 (NIV)

We are meant to shine among those who don't know Christ.  A lot of times we may mind our conduct, try to be a "good witness," but what about plain old-fashioned complaining?

It's difficult sometimes to be around a lot of negative thinking, harder still not to be caught up in it.  Especially if the complaints seem justified.

But do we realize that with each word we utter, our light shines a little less?

I don't know about you, but I find that rather convicting. 

Does my "right to complain" hide the light of Jesus that I am meant to shine around me?

Does yours?

Red Lights

This past weekend sure was a hot one!

We got a few rides in, which was nice. 

Most of the roads we ride on are nice curvy country roads.  The occasional dips offer a nice refreshing surprise of cool air.  Same with the roads lined with trees.

But for the most part, even with the high nineties that we had, the rides were pleasant and I didn't find myself overheating.

That was of course, until we rode down 42 on Sunday and hit some traffic lights. 

There, stopped on the hot pavement with some cage in front of me pumping an extra dose of exhaust, I could feel the sweat beading up on my neck and the lights seemed to last forever. 

After the third of forth one, I was starting to get a little annoyed at this!  Why do we have to hit all these red lights?  Why can't I just  have green lights all the time?

But you know, something dawned on me about stopping at a traffic light.  Getting a red light means that it's someone else's turn to  have a green one.  I'm being stopped so that someone else can go.

It's giving others a fair turn. 

Once that dawned on me, I realized how selfish, and rather childish, my disdain for red lights really is. 

After all, this life is not all about me.

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Phil 2:1-4 (NIV, emphasis added)

Faith

In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus teaches us about not giving up on prayer.

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'"

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly."

The part that really stands out to me is this next statement  by Jesus,

"However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" 

It's easy to become self-sufficient, it's easy even to give up on things we pray for because there is a measure of control in that. 

Is there something that has been on your heart for a long time that you have stopped praying about?  Are you certain you should give up on it?

If Jesus steps into that situation, will he find you with faith?

Cares and Worries

A few nights ago, my wife and I rode our motorcycles to our midweek service, ReFuel.

On the way there, highway 42 can be loaded down with traffic in some places at the time we roll through.  You have to be a little more on your toes, I watched a couple of pick-up trucks speed ahead of us as the lanes changed from two to one.  Guess they didn't want to be behind a couple of bikes. 

Saw them at the next light... not like they got there any sooner!

That ride can be OK, but I wouldn't call it stress-free.

But what I enjoy the most about riding to Refuel, is riding home again.  After some good conversation and prayer  time with my brothers (and sisters) at Freedom, it's so refreshing to step out into that cool air and ride home on clearer roads.  That same road is now clear of most traffic.  The ride home is refreshing, uncluttered, and pure joy.  I often wish it could go on longer than the short 20 miles it is.

Life can be like that sometimes.  Some days can be cluttered with cares and worries.  We are getting by, but are not refreshed.  Like that first ride we can go from point A to point B, but with  a lot of stress along the way.

Jesus said in Matthew 13, "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:... The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV)

What is weighing you down today?  What is preventing your life from being fruitful?

Hearing vs Experiencing

Something that always amazes me about about riding a motorcycle is how you can feel the subtle changes in temperature.  For example, after rain or as you ride into, and out of, an incline in the road.  I really appreciate those changes on a hot day, they can be downright refreshing!

All the years of driving in a car, it's pretty much impossible to have experienced that.  In the car, we set the temp and it never changes.

But when you are on the motorcycle, you are so much more connected to the experience.  Everything is more vivid.  Changes in weather, road conditions, or scenery all become very important when we are on our bikes. 

There is a reason we call cars, "cages."

Before I learned to ride, I had heard it was different than being in a car, but I never understood it until I experienced it for myself.

When the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) ran back to her town and told them all about Jesus, the people came and listened for themselves.  They had first heard about Jesus secondhand, but actually seeing and hearing him gave them a very different experience.

They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." John 4:42 (NIV)

It's all about the personal contact, and he is always there, with his hand reached out.

Who Sinned?

I was reading John 9 today, "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. " vv1-3

I find it interesting that the disciples figured they had this man's suffering down to one of two possibilities.  Someone sinned, must be the man or the parents.  Which one is it, Jesus?

I wonder how often we do that?  We come to the Lord with a predisposition as to what his answer is, or how he he should solve a problem in our lives.

Lord, do this, or do that...  and then when he does neither, we are left scratching our head wondering why.

Here Jesus clearly shows them their whole concept is wrong.  No one is being punished for sin, God has a plan for this man and it is meant to display his works. 

So how should we ask then?  Why not just state the need and allow the Lord to show us whatever he wants us to see, or take us wherever he wants us to go.

Love God, Love Others

I was reading this prayer today,

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" - Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV

There is so much there, in so few words.  What strikes me is how important it is to understand God's love for us and then to have that love for others.  Paul expresses this as a prayer, basically asking for a deeper revelation of God's love for the church in Ephesus.  Perhaps there is a connection stemming from their need to understand God's love and to love him in return that later leads to a rebuke from Jesus in Revelation.

Despite their good deeds, their bold works, they moved away from this foundation of love, and Jesus warned them to return to it.

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen!" Rev 2:4 -5 (NIV)

Anger at the sin around us is easy, maintaining a foundation of both knowing God's love and showing it, can be difficult.  Love for God and the world around us comes from a proper understanding of God's love for us.

I'd like to offer this as a challenge today, think of a few brothers and sisters that you know and pray this prayer for them. 

Worry

This past weekend my wife and I had a nice ride Saturday morning.  We left the bikes out in the driveway, thinking that we might take another ride that afternoon.

It was a very hot, muggy afternoon so it wasn't until around six pm that we decided to go out for a nice evening ride. 

The forty plus miles or so were very nice.  There wasn't a lot of traffic on the back roads where we like to ride and the wind felt nice as we rode along. 

But then something interesting happened.  As we headed home and turned onto a side road, there was a noticeable drop in the temperature.  It felt rather nice actually!  But at the same time that I noticed the cool air, I could see puddles on the ground and wet pavement around us. 

Apparently a rain cloud passed over our neighborhood while we were elsewhere, riding.

Funny thing is, we never gave a thought to the possibility of rain.  If I had know that, I would have worried about slippery roads.  Those first fifteen minutes of rain always have me wary.  Not to mention the fresh grass clippings we saw in too many places...  Instead, we rode blissfully unaware, free of worry.

I wondered about the times when it did not work out that way.  Times when I let worry stop me from moving forward. 

But, as Matthew 6 says, 

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt 6:25-34 (NIV)

Truly each day has enough trouble for itself, and all the worry gains us nothing.

Creation

I was in an airport terminal in Kansas City, waiting to board a plane.

Seated all around me were teenage girls, all dressed in the same t-shirts, indicating they were part of a softball team.

What I noticed was about a dozen girls, going on a trip, but all very quiet.  The reason was that each of them had a cell phone in their hands.  So rather than talk to each other, each was entertained by whatever they were looking at.

They say technology brings us closer together, maybe it does in  a way.  After all, anyone reading this blog is doing so because of technology.  I can't complain.

But I do wonder if we are losing the ability to observe our surroundings?  Just taking time to observe life? 

That's one of the things I love about riding a motorcycle.  You have to open your eyes and notice what's going on around you.  There is no choice.  And because of riding, I notice more things around me even when I'm not on the bike. 

Focusing on our phones all the time is really being engaged in a world that man has made.  Taking some time to watch nature points us to our creator.  As David said, 

"When I consider your heavens,

    the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

    which you have set in place,

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

    human beings that you care for them?" Psalm 8:3-6 (NIV)

Take some time this summer to focus on what God has created.  When we do, we cannot help but be reminded of his presence all around us.

New Heart, New Vision

Yesterday I was in a car driving through Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. 

The roads were wide open, just miles and miles of farmlands, some rolling hills, but really nothing to see.

Now, years ago, before I had learned to ride a motorcycle and found the joy of the open road, I would have seen these roads as rather boring.

But this time, I could not help but picture what it would be like to be on my bike riding them.  It was a perfect day, sunny and not too warm.  I actually enjoyed the road more, seeing them with the eye of a biker.

It's funny how you can see the same thing with two entirely different perspectives when you have had an experience that alters your view. 

The same can be said of when we come to know the Lord.  We begin to see life from his perspective, and that changes the choices we make.  Because he has given us a new heart and with it comes a new way of looking at life.

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)

Trust

Last night I flew to Nebraska for work.

What I found interesting about flying was the 100% trust I have in the Lord getting on that plane.  I don't trust the airlines, or the pilots, I trust the Lord.

I thought about that.  I had no fear of flying because of my trust.  Yet there are things I do worry about, things I do struggle to trust Him with.

Why is that?

I think it's because I have no choice but to trust him on that plane.  It's not like I can assist the pilot or crew in any way.  Even in the event of a crash, there is nothing I can do. 

And since there is nothing I can do, I trust.

It's harder to trust when our minds feel there is some way we can solve the problem, something we can do to fix things.  That's when we take things out of the Lord's hands and try to hold onto them with ours.

 "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5 (NIV)

Maybe it is at those times, when we are completely helpless, that we realize the truth of these words.  When we realize these words are true, all the time.

We just don't always see it.

What Are You Chasing?

What do we find ourselves chasing after?  What do we work and strive for?

More money?  More possessions?  Security?

How about godly character?  Is that on the list?

Reading Paul's first letter to Timothy today, 

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." 1 Tim 6:6-11 (NIV)

Actually having money is never the issue, it's the dependence we place on it that makes it our "god".

The news media is littered with lives that seem to have it all, but lack the character that brings quality to life.

But if we pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness then our lives will be rich, no matter what our circumstances bring.