To The CLIMB!

TO MY VALENTINE!

2012-02-14T09:32:00.001-05:00

To my Brenda - my beloved VALENTINE,

There is only one true joy in life, to love and to be loved.
I thank HIM for first loving us, then blessing our love for HIM and each other!

If indeed love is friendship set on fire, then my heart burns for you!

Few couples are blessed with the experience of two hearts truly beating as one.

Where one doesn’t walk in front, expecting the other to always follow;
Nor does one just walk behind, expecting the other to always lead.
Instead, you and I walk side by side, with mutual submission and influence,
Even through fumbles and stumbles, experiencing the joy of following HIM together.

On this 35th anniversary of calling you my Valentine....WOW! How I love you!

Grateful to HIM for You,
Dave

THE CHURCH’S GAME-PLAN…

2012-01-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

I sat with Brenda, my wife and Alabama graduate, and watched her team put on the most impressive defensive performance for a championship game in recent college football history. Only one time in the entire game did LSU even move the ball past the 50 yard line – when there was 7:30 left in the game. And even then, BAMA’s defense proceeded to push them back 6 yards on the very next play. And a fumble on the following play gave BAMA the ball back on the 50 yard line.

The Crimson Tide didn't allow the Tigers to convert on a third down until the fourth quarter.

“We knew they were going to come out and try to run the ball against us," Tide’s Cortney Upshaw said. "It's great to get the win. We really didn't call many blitzes. We were just hoping to contain them."

Contain them? Can you say, “Total domination”, from start to finish?

LSU offense managed just 92 yards of total offense. Only 39 of that was on the ground, which had been LSU’s greatest weapon against BAMA when they squared off back in November. After the game, Tide defensive end Jesse Williams said, "Toward the end, I could definitely tell they didn't want to play against us any longer. It was sort of like the light at the end of the tunnel."

Well they could at least be sure that light was not an oncoming train, because that train, the Tide defense, had already been through and flattened them!

But even as I watched and cheered that unbelievable defensive performance, I was reminded, as impressive as it was, unless they had mustered some degree of offense, a win would still have been impossible! If they had played to just “not lose” instead of going out there with an intentional game plan prepared, practiced and in place; or if they had let fear keep them from trusting the skill of their young sophomore quarterback – they still might not have won. Many believe that was what kept them from victory the first time around against LSU.

CHURCH: Offense or Defense?

Is it possible that too many churches expend so much effort defending AGAINST evil, that we do well “holding the fort”, but fail to have a winning, offensive game plan?

Or from the opposite spectrum, are there too many churches that place so much emphasis on the offense that they have poor defense against the game plan of the enemy of our souls?

Interestingly, it’s not only on the defensive side of the ball that a team must defend well! What do you think the offensive linemen do? They are opening and defending the paths for the runners to run thru. And they are defending against the other team’s desire to get to and crush the quarterback – thus hoping to crush the will of the team itself. Even when we are on the offensive, we find ourselves strongly defending against the wile attempts to get us off God’s Biblical game plan.

Could this be why we are losing ground in the evangelical church in America? Are we becoming too much like the NCAA BCS conferences, arrogantly criticizing each other for poor defense and too much offensive emphasis or vice versa? We talk so much about excellence in “doing” church these days. Does that excellence pertain to just one side of the game plan or both? Offense or Defense?

The team that will win consistently and win the right way is the team that has a strong defensive game plan, builds on the Word of God and strives for authentic, Biblical transformation. That team also possesses a strong offensive game plan that includes both risk and solid, spiritual consistency. A plan that both defends the faith and aggressively develops a playbook that includes plays for pushing the church into the world – that’s our goal line!

Let’s not settle for getting to the 50 yard line, CHURCH! And let’s not settle for just keeping tabs on the enemy near the 50 either!

Jesus never told us to just hold on. He said, “Go and make disciples...” We must be intentional about gaining ground against the enemy!

But we dare not adopt only an offensive game plan that calls for just slinging the precious truth of God all over the field with no depth of defense for the truth – truth that translates to behavior and is validated by more than just impressive statistics! We ARE called to stand in unwavering defense against the evil and perils of the enemy of the souls of mankind!

It’s just a tho’t! What do you think?

DOUBT or FAITH?

2012-01-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

If "perfect love casts out all fear," then Perhaps faith, growing out of that perfect love can cast out doubt!

Just some thoughts....

Doubt is fear.
Faith is boldness.

Doubt is self-centered.
Faith is God-centered.

Doubt offers questions that cast unbelief.
Faith offers solutions that come from the hand of God.

Doubt focuses on the obstacles.
Faith focuses on the possibilities!

Doubt operates only on the surface.
Faith operates in the depths and heights of HIS knowledge and power.

This day and for the rest of life, may doubt be FORCED to give way to the faith you choose to exercise!

Jono's Near Death Experience (reprint)

2011-04-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

On July 2^nd, 1989 Brenda and I, along with our two sons, Davey (3) and Jonathan (19 months) were travelling from West Cliff, Colorado, where I had been speaking at a youth camp, heading back to Marion, Indiana, where I served on staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. I had spoken at this camp a couple of times before and decided this time I’d love to take the whole family out to enjoy the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Besides, my mother had just died three months earlier and I really dreaded being separated from the solice of being with my three favorite people in all the world. So I took vacation time and we made that 27 hour trek together in our little Honda Accord – stopping on the way there and back to see friends, family and make one or two tourist trap visits.

After the camp ended that Saturday (July 1), we drove all the way back to Topeka, KS, where I had been on staff at Fairlawn Heights Wesleyan Church prior to moving to Indiana. We attended Sunday services and were invited by Ed and Sharon Rotz to join their family for lunch and an afternoon at the pool of one of the parishioners. We were excited about getting to spend some time with folks we’d grown to love in our years there in Topeka.

At the pool that day, our boys, Davey and Jono, were playing well with the older kids from families there at the church. All of the adults had congregated down at the deep end of the pool while the kids splashed and played at the shallow end. Davey had already become quite a decent swimmer, even at three and a half. Jono was wearing the safety arm floats and was being carefully watched, it seemed, by a couple of the older girls. So we settled in comfortably to converse with our friends.

Suddenly someone screamed, “Jono!” I turned to see Jonathan, face down, in the shallow end with no movement and no pronounced ripples of water around him to indicate that he’d come to that position within the past few seconds.

All of the kids had gotten out of the pool and were snacking at the nearby picnic tables. Jono had taken his safety arm floats off for snack time. He had then slipped away from everyone, unoticed, to follow a ball that had trickled off the edge of the pool and into the water. Apparently in reaching to retrieve the ball, he fell into the water and no one knew exactly how long he had been there.

When I heard the scream from one of the older kids, I immediately began to swim to try to rescue my son. Before I could get there, Ben Rotz (about 9 years old at the time) jumped in the water, grabbed Jono around the waste and yanked him up the steps of the pool and out of the water. As I saw my son being dragged from the water, I was still a few yards away, trying to run through the shallow water and get there as fast as I could. His face was pale blue and there was no sign of breathing from his limp body. Having been a lifeguard, I had only seen that look once before. My heart sank.

It was not Jono’s day to leave us, though. By the time I got to the steps of the pool I heard the glorious sounds of coughing, spitting up and gasping for breath. The life began to come back into the face of my little buddy. Unknowingly, young Ben Rotz had saved Jono’s life by yanking so hard on his midsection as he drug him out of the water. Needless to say, we were beyond just being grateful to still have our son with us.

Soon after the incident we said our goodbyes to friends and hit the road for Chicago, where we would be rendezvousing with our staff at Wriggley Field for a July 4^th Cubs game. On the way, still rejoicing over Jono’s miracle, I did the “dad thing” and talked to the boys about how much fun the day was. After some chit-chat and a moment of silence, Jono piped up, “I fall down.

“Yes, you did, Buddy. And you scared your Daddy and Mommy.”

Jono then said, “And I see Gwamma too, Daddy!”

My first reaction was surprise since, at his age, and given the long distance we lived from my parents, Jono had only seen Mom a few times in his short life. Before Mom’s death, they had been living in Southern California, where Mom was the Dean of Nursing at Azusa Pacific University. The boys spoke with them at least once a week via phone and we would exchange primitive VHS clips of the boys activities and grandparent greetings. But something told me that these were not just flippant, childish words from a kid who barely knew his Grandma. So I cautiously probed a bit further.

“Who did you see, Buddy?”

“I see Gwamma.”

I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes clouded over with tears. I wasn’t sure if this was a conversation I even wanted to continue. Then I felt Brenda’s hand touch my arm from the passenger seat. I looked over and saw her reassuring smile. So with her strength adding to the emotion of the moment, I choked out the next question to Jono.

“Are you sure you saw Grandma, Little Buddy?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where did you see Grandma?”

“When I fall down. And Gwamma was sad, too.”

At that moment I envisioned my Mother’s face with her highly expressive, pleading eyes that always emerged when a subject of urgency or pain was discussed. It was the kind of face that could make a 19-month old child see hurt or sadness.

Barely able to compose myself by this time, I asked, “What did Grandma say to you, Jono?”

“She say, ‘Swim now, Jono! Swim!’”

I don’t know how to explain what my Little Buddy saw that day. But I often wonder if his vision of his Gwamma was what kept him from panicking and filling his lungs with irreversible amounts of water. Thus leaving enough earthly life for Ben to yank him up and inadvertently jumpstart his drowning little body. Or did he actually catch a glimpse of the other side where his Gwamma was encouraging him to stay in his earthsuit a while longer?

One day I’ll shed my earthsuit and find myself in the presence of God. I’m confident I’ll then know the answer to those questions. For now, though, it’s a joy to watch Jono grow and fall in love with Jesus more and more each day. Occassionally we talk about that day. And though he has no memory of those events, he does wear a smile when reminded of how sweet the plans must be that God has for Jono if he chooses to follow HIM.

Status Quo:

2011-03-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

STATUS QUO!:
What leader believes that status quo -- an unmitigated commitment to maintaining yesterday's comfortable level of productivity, will move anyone toward the goal? If a coach leads his team with this mantra, unwilling to make changes in the game plan to meet the onslaught of the oposition, the team will establish a pattern of losing quickly! And the fans (or alumni) will run him out of town on a rail! If a company CEO makes status quo the theme of every sales or trustee meeting, the stockholders will sell fast or "can the man!" Restaurants go out of business because of it! Banks and other financial institutions die out or fall prey to a buy-out because of it! Colleges close their doors, retailers lose business, manufacturers go bankrupt, mechanics can only work on yesterday's vehicles, computer programmers are stuck in last year's OS, teachers and professors become irrelevant, missionaries become ineffective, and Congress...well, they are just Congress -- still wreaking the havoc of years and years of business as usual!

So why on earth do we presume that churches will survive, much less thrive, when we give in to the comfort of having it "the way it's always been!"

Change, that is purposed and directed by the Holy Spirit of God, is the only way to be sure that we are open to the refreshing creativity of God's hand leading us on to victory! If you don't believe me, read what Jesus said about complacency to the "fig tree" in Matthew 21:18-22.

It's a thot'

Tonight on the Porch (repost from '08)

2011-02-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

"Tonight on the Porch" is a Journal Entry from June 21, 1988 when my son, Davey was 2 and a half years old. He's now 25 and in 2009 married Amanda, a wonderful, pure and godly young lady -- I had the privilege of reading this entry from my journal to them at the wedding:
======================

Tonight on the porch in Grandma’s big swing
With you on my lap asleep
I was still looking at the star you pointed at minutes before
And I pondered what, for your life, God might have in store

I wonder, Little Buddy, if somewhere tonight
A dad with his little girl might be looking at that star
Perhaps they are close by; most likely quite far
But this I know for sure – she exists
Because your mother’s prayers for her persist

Her name is a mystery – her face, by us, not yet seen
Yet nightly prayer to the Father for her we bring

Father, may she grow to be more in love with You
Than with anything or anyone
May her passion for life be only surpassed by purity and virtue
May she be set apart for You and compromise for none

May her father and mother have great wisdom
In those formative years
May they teach her the graces, Godly passion
And how to embrace life with laughter and tears

May she be free from self-centeredness or abuse
May she learn to rise above fear and not live by excuse
May she be tender enough to see the hurt in others
And bold enough to help lead them to You

‘Cause I know somewhere down this road of life
Little Davey will be a man – and he’ll need a wife.

And Father, while I’m at it – for Davey I pray
May these strengths and virtues – his life display
May his parents instill faithfully your incredible love in stride
And Your example of manly love with your church -- Your “bride”

Father, give him a heart that for his bride will fight.
Not as the world makes love a cheap competition
But with romance so Godly it looks like heaven’s extension
Prepare his life; strengthen his heart;
Make Him Your tender warrior; brighten his LIGHT

And Father, wherever that little girl is with her daddy tonight
Could You mix a little image of Davey in her heart-light?

Lent: About Giving Up or Taking Up?

2010-02-16T09:56:00.002-05:00

Was Ash Wednesday (or Lent) really about "giving" something up, or was it more about "taking" something up? As humans we tend to think of discipline or self denial as "giving up" rather than the discipline of "taking up." Jesus said that true denial of self was "taking up the cross and following..." Is it a traditional cop-out to just give up something we like, rather than taking up something that's way out of our comfort zone? Perhaps grace and faith is about filling our lives with more of HIM, which will naturally push the other stuff out anyhow.

I dunno -- It's just a thought.

ONLY BUZZARDS ARE PRISONERS

2010-02-02T14:56:00.005-05:00

Put a buzzard in a pen 6 X 8 feet that is entirely open at the top. In spite of its ability to fly, it will be a prisoner there for life. You see a buzzard always begins its flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 ft. Without space to run, it won't even attempt to fly. It will remain a prisoner in a small jail with an unused opening to the sky.

Right now, if you get off the plane in Haiti and look around at all the rubble, death and devastation, you could easily see what that buzzard sees -- no room to take flight. Not enough resources to lift you above the fray -- just destruction and a feeling of helplessness. "What can I possibly do to help these poor folks who have lost everything?" Suddenly you are confronted with one...no two...three....a dozen Haitian Christians -- people of deep Jesus-faith who, though they have lost every earthly possession (and even beloved family members), are still smiling and singing the praises of the ONE they serve.

I was blessed to spend a moment in time walking among these people of faith! One such group was led by a young pastor of a Wesleyan Church outside of Petit Goave, one of the hardest hit areas in the earth quake. He had a group of "scouts" from his church called Brigade de Eglise Wesleyenne (The Brigade of the Wesleyan Church). Every morning as hundreds of hurting people lined up to receive medical attention, this group of servants was there to lead in 30 minutes of praise and worship with scripture reading. Then this group, who all had suffered staggering losses themselves, rolled up their sleeves and carried the wounded, ran errands, helped in translation, and helped keep order in the crowds. They did this every day that we were there. No buzzards in that group!!!

THE KEY: THEY LOOK UP!
Because of that they WILL take flight!

Trip to Haiti -- Post Earth Quake 2010

2010-01-31T20:08:00.003-05:00

It was a wild ride beginning on Monday the 18th of January when I spoke with my brother-in-law who was headed for Haiti with a team of doctors to set up a mobile hospital. Having grown up in Haiti, my desire was to somehow get down there and be of some help if I could. So I offered my services as translator, porter or "whatever needed" guy. When they accepted and my church gave their blessing, it all came together quickly. By Wednesday morning (20th) I was on a plane to meet up with the team headed for the devastated home of my childhood.

I would have the privilege of working with a godly team of docs and nurses for a week, as we witnessed the resilience of the Haitian people, who faced pain, death, destruction, and horrific living conditions. I've been to Haiti for short term missions many times in my life. However, I was not prepared for how much this trip would effect me. Once I got home and slowed down long enough to decompress my mind and begin to recall what I had seen and heard, my emotions surprised me.

Over the next several days I'll be posting blogs from my journal of the trip.

Saying Good-bye To a Friend

2009-11-07T20:12:00.002-05:00

It's a privilege to look back and remember the godly people in your life who were very instrumental in shaping who you are today. For many of us who spent our teenage years in Marion, Indiana, Ben Medows was one of those men/mentors/friends.

Ben went to his eternal reward today and will be greatly missed, but not soon forgotten by the myriad of lives he so powerfully impacted and encouraged over the years. Pray for the Medows family as they cherish the memories and feel the deep pain of their loss.

Be Careful Hitting the Forward Button

2009-08-18T13:34:00.003-04:00

Just a concerned note from a fellow Christian who, like you, has moments of anxiousness about the times in which we live. Please accept the humility with which I write this — not as a scold — but as a fellow traveler who had this pointed out to me several months ago, after forwarding (with good intentions) a story that was false. I found out later the false story served to mask a far deeper danger that was going on behind the scenes. So please take that extra time to research and check out stories from the internet before hitting the forward button. Believe it or not, the enemy of your faith, can use these unfounded stories to do great damage to the integrity of the church.

The times have proven very crucial for us as Christians to be vigilant, yet very careful not to disseminate false information. For when found out, it simply renders us greatly handicapped spreading the truth. For even in the nobility of our designs we lose integrity when we send false messages. More than ever before, we must be careful to be agents of TRUTH.

Here is an example, these original messages (first two links below) are false in their content, but by doing 10 minutes of checking, I found a true story (last two links below) about the ACLU that was easily masked by the false stories being spread out there. This is the genius of the enemy. Get us all riled up about things that are false or surfacy, while working elsewhere to take spiritual ground and then leave us shaking our heads and wondering why the “church” is losing it’s influence.

I have no doubt that the ACLU is an evil tool of the devil. But there is so much true stuff that we can use as warnings, we don’t need to jump on the band wagon of sending any forms of falsehood. We tell the world they can count on Jesus as “truth.” Now is our chance to really prove this and be SURE -- before we “pass it on.” Honestly, if we cannot prove it’s foundation, we shouldn’t be forwarding it. The Bible speaks pretty clearly about gossip and how it differs from true spiritual admonitions.

Since we stand by the Biblical statement that “the truth will set us free,” let’s take a little more time and prove the liberating power of HIS truth—even in emails. Most of all, it will be proven by our redemptive attitude toward culture and people who are not followers of Jesus.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FALSE stories:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/marines.asp
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_aclu_marines_praying.htm

Pay careful attention to these two true ones!!!!
http://www.themediadesk.com/files/usmc.htm
http://www.aclu-sc.org/releases/view/100062

God's Stimulus Package...

2009-03-04T13:52:00.001-05:00

TITHE; GIVE; be GENEROUS to others in tough times.

Don't believe it? Read Malachi 3:7-12 and then try it His way. That's what He invites you to do. He said, "Test Me in this and see.... (verse 10)"

What....you'd rather trust the government to bail you out? You'd rather hoard your resources and control it all yourself. How's that working for you? How fulfilled are you in that? God's stimulus plan (goes beyond money) is, and always has been, through obedience to Him and generosity to His Bride -- the church.

2009-03-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

Last Stop Before Eternity...

2009-03-04T10:15:00.000-05:00

My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.

That was one of my older-than-60 prayer partners, jokingly reminding me that he has a few years on me. I think it was his way of telling me that it is worth my while to listen to his recommendations about life -- even if he can't remember that he just told me that same story the last time we had breakfast together. Some of my colleagues ask what it's like to live and pastor in an area that has such a huge percentage of folks over the age of 60. I have to admit that after about three months of pastoring in Brevard, North Carolina, I did ask God if I had misunderstood His calling. What was I doing going from a ministry to many families with young children to a place where 60% of the congregation were over 55? It wasn't long after that I attended a funeral of an elderly man who had decided to become a Jesus - follower only months before his death -- he was in his 80s.

A strong realization came over me at that moment. THIS WAS HIS LAST STOP BEFORE ETERNITY! There is a lot of energy and resources that go into reaching young individuals and families. It's much easier to mobilize an army of volunteers to "save" the children and teens of our culture. And I am so glad that is true. We need to be reaching folks at a young age so they will establish early the life-style of honoring Jesus and expanding His kingdom. But what of the elderly?

"Oh, they are set in their ways. They are just going to a place like Brevard, NC to selfishly live out their final years. They don't generate the excitement like working with young people. Statistics say they won't change -- almost impossible to make a decision for Jesus at that age."

One friend asked me recently if I was content to live out my ministry in obscurity in a place like this. Not sure what obscurity has to do with anything (other than perhaps that friend has some "letting go of the ring" issues), but to answer the "contented" part -- NO! I hope never to be "content" as long as even one human being (old or young) is headed into eternity without knowing how to love Jesus.

Is there anybody in your life who is right now on their "last stop before eternity?" Is your time and pursuit of kingdom recognition too valuable to mess with such potential obscurity?

In just two days from now,
tomorrow will be yesterday.

The "Haircut"

2008-10-27T11:43:00.000-04:00

My inbox is bombarded with email stories and jokes every day! Some are hilarious anecdotes; some hoaxes; some tear-jerkers; some....well some just never should have been sent. I got one this morning that falls into the "anecdote with a purpose" file. A friend was sending out a reminder of how important it is for Americans to vote as INFORMED citizens. It also has great implications for the church ... check it out...
=================
The Haircut
One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asks about his bill and the barber replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The florist is pleased and leaves the shop.

When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning there is a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The cop is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door (a little stereotypical slant).

Later that day, a college professor comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The professor is very happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber opens his shop, there is a 'thank you' card and a dozen different books, such as 'How to Improve Your Business' and 'Becoming More Successful.'

Then, a Congressman comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman is very happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the members of our Congress. Your vote counts!
=================
Great story!!! Sure reminds us of the importance of informed voting. It also reminds me of Jesus' example as He modeled servant leadership for His church -- even in these uncertain times. Let us not kid ourselves, people will be watching and scrutinizing Christians more than ever. Jesus put serving ahead of everything and modeled it consistently, even when closest friends and family complained, some of the “religious” community criticized and boycotted His ministry efforts, and people lined up to abuse His generosity. Jesus just kept on serving!

If the evangelical church in America would have been following that model all along, the congressional lineup for the “haircut” would be irrelevant. Sadly, it’s not.

Keep on keepin’ on (serving) in HIM!

Thriving in the Storms

2008-10-02T10:03:00.000-04:00

We’ve all been captured recently by storms -- Hannah, Ike, the storms on Wall Street, at the gas pumps, and in the mud that is slung in political campaigns. These storms often leave us scratching our heads and asking, “Why?” They can also leave us shocked at the fear and character abrasions we detect in ourselves in these times.

God’s been telling us it would happen ever since man first started making choices against Him!
Only stands to reason that if something isn't cared for in the way it was designed by the Creator...well....! Yes, God loves His creation. But because the absolute holiness of God cannot coexist with the sin of this world, and because, by and large, the majority of this world have chosen to ignore His plea for us to walk with Him, the effects of these choices will be devastating. He loves us so much that He gives us free reign over our mental faculties and decisions. Unless love is chosen, it's not love at all. Every day we see the results of ignoring the Creator's way.

-Matt. 5:45 -- He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 7:24-29 -- "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

So rather than "putting it into practice" -- practicing the presence of Jesus we tend to just build SAND CASTLES....
-Sand is easier to work with ..... quicker satisfaction
-Instant results
-I can easily manipulate sand to look like anything I want it to -- on the surface; just like building sand castles
-Arrogantly, I can take it into my own hands; relying on my talents and abilities to carry me through.
-Culturally, we can make it all about "me"; our laws and even our leaders have shown us that the it’s “ok” to ignore God, be promiscuous and go with the "feels good" moment! But soon the house falls flat!
-We can even appear spiritual -- go to church and enjoy the “program” yet fail to join the blessing and empowerment of authentic "followership" or accountability in our lives.....and then the house falls flat!

The foundation is all important!
When the storms come (and they will) and I'm built on the foundation of THE ROCK....
-It's not as easy to work with and manipulate as sand. I'm not the one in total control on the rock. And I must go to where The Rock is already firmly planted. I can't just choose to build "any ole place" like I can with sand. But neither does it crumble and wash away in the storms of life!

Just a thought...with more storm clouds looming...

Tonight on the Porch

2008-09-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

Tonight on the Porch is a Journal Entry from June 21, 1988 when my son, Davey was 2 and a half years old. He recently married Amanda, a wonderful, pure and godly young lady -- I had the privilege of reading this entry to them at the wedding:
======================
Tonight on the porch in Grandma’s big swing
With you on my lap asleep
I was still looking at the star you pointed at minutes before
And I pondered what, for your life, God might have in store

I wonder, Little Buddy, if somewhere tonight
A dad with his little girl might be looking at that star
Perhaps they are close by; most likely quite far
But this I know for sure – she exists
Because your mother’s prayers for her persist

Her name is a mystery – her face, by us, not yet seen
Yet nightly prayer to the Father for her we bring

Father, may she grow to be more in love with You
Than with anything or anyone
May her passion for life be only surpassed by purity and virtue
May she be set apart for You and compromise for none

May her father and mother have great wisdom
In those formative years
May they teach her the graces, Godly passion
And how to embrace life with laughter and tears

May she be free from self-centeredness or abuse
May she learn to rise above fear and not live by excuse
May she be tender enough to see the hurt in others
And bold enough to help lead them to You

‘Cause I know somewhere down this road of life
Little Davey will be a man – and he’ll need a wife.

And Father, while I’m at it – for Davey I pray
May these strengths and virtues – his life display
May his parents instill faithfully your incredible love in stride
And Your example of manly love with your church -- Your “bride”

Father, give him a heart that for his bride will fight.
Not as the world makes love a cheap competition
But with romance so Godly it looks like heaven’s extension
Prepare his life; strengthen his heart;
Make Him Your tender warrior; brighten his LIGHT

And Father, wherever that little girl is with her daddy tonight
Could You mix a little image of Davey in her heart-light?

To my sons, Davey and Jono...

2007-07-24T16:29:00.000-04:00

Dear Davey and Jono,

I was looking over some of my notes from readings and research for the sermon series I’m in right now. I compiled a couple of tidbits that added a bit of inspiration to me today. Hoped they might be meaningful to you guys too!!!

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When you’re younger, you want to be sure that by the time you’re eighty years old you can sit on the bench and look back and say, “Man, I did it all. I didn’t miss a thing!”
-Dr. Bill Cosby

External conditions are the accidents of life, its outer trappings. The great enduring realities are love of service. Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow! Resolve to keep JOY -- and that joy and you will form an invincible army against difficulty!
-Helen Keller (who never saw a candle glow or heard the crackle of a warm fire)

Passionate people live wide open, holding nothing back, because their purpose in life is defined in terms of passionately doing what they love — for WHO they love — God.
-Dr. David Jeremiah

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It’s intriguing to me to study and observe the lives of men and women throughout history, and those living today, who have left or are leaving great spiritual legacies. It seems that those who have the most profound impact on their world for the cause of Christ, followed their God-given passion — regardless of what it was or is — with great enthusiasm! When they twist the throttle (sorry, biker talk) there is no stopping the flow of energy, enthusiasm and hard work. They pour themselves out on the world as an offering of worship to God. They “get it!” They aren’t hung up on being the brightest, the handsomest, the fastest or the strongest! It’s not about success, fame or being the biggest/best at anything. Nor is it about just doing what you have to do to make money and live comfortably (People in that mess will tell you “that just stinks!”). That’s not what keeps them motivated. They are just passionate about pleasing and honoring God...period!

Is it conceivable that it is impossible to reach our God-given potential if we are not passionate about what we are doing? Is it also conceivable that God views the greatest tragedy of life as being the gap between what you and I are and what we could be if we’d just discover and throttle up the passions HE has placed in our hearts?

That gap cannot be spanned with self-actualizing things, pursuits or relationships. That gap is only closed when our enthusiasm, energy, sacrifice, relationships, love, and joy are all focused on pleasing and honoring HIM. Then somehow our joy is made complete. Hmmm, go figure! Isn’t God great?!?! I mean, it's like He knows what we were created to be or something!!

John 14:9-11 "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. 10 If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love. 11 I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

I sure do love you guys!

dad

Letting Go

2007-07-04T18:19:00.000-04:00

What is it about self-centered, sinful and carnal attitudes and actions that so entice me as a human being? Every experience of worship we have in church reminds us the only way to please a holy God is total capitulation of self and full embrace of His plan for our lives. But why is that so difficult? Now if His plan looks good and is in complete accordance with the way I envisioned things going, that’s cool – AWESOME! But as soon as His plan and will no longer run in congruence with mine, I have a choice to make. In Hebrews 10:19, Paul referred to that choice as “ENTERING IN.” He describes it as a positive and bold choice to enter in to the holiest place with Christ daily. We are empowered, Paul says, to make the right choices.

One of the most thorough and understandable allegories illustrating this daily battle against the temptation to glorify self comes from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings saga. With Tolkien and C.S. Lewis being friends and contemporaries, they inspired each other in writing these allegorical fantasies with higher spiritual and theological meaning. Among Lewis's writings were the Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings and others.
Without going into detail and retelling a story that most are certainly familiar with by now, just be reminded of our 4 ½ foot tall hobbit hero, Frodo Baggins who is given the daunting task of weathering the storms and the wilds of the underworld to save the world – Middle Earth as Tolkien named it. It has fallen to his fate to return the ring of awesome power and corrupt temptation to it’s place of origin where there and only there can it be destroyed. The very existence and presence of this ring draws evil and strengthens doubts and paranoia. Others have been in possession of this ring in the past only to self-destruct due to the seduction of absolute power from the ring.
Interestingly, after battling and surviving everything from fatigue, to battle injuries, near drowning, deadly animal attacks and even devastating loss of friendship – the most daunting task, by far, was coming to the very point of giving up the ring for the sake of saving Middle Earth – and he hesitates in the face of his greatest test and temptation. Can he let go of the ring? Can he let go of the notoriety and the feeling of power and importance – being chosen? Can he let go of SELF?
WHO IS THE LORD OF THE RING?