Daily Reflections on Lk. 12:13-21 (Why Do We Act This Way?)

It was a strange phone call from one of the "spiritually mature" ladies of our church. Her mother had recently died. It would have seemed normal if she had called me to talk to me about her grief since her mother had died unexpectantly in her sleep at the first of the week and wasn't discovered until later in the week. Several calls had gone unanswered by friends and family. Finally her small group leader and his wife decided to go over and see how she was doing. When she didn't answer the door, they broke in and found her.

But the call wasn't about grief or embarrassment about her mother's death. It was similar to verse 13 of Luke 12. She wanted me to tell her brother, who was also a "mature believer" in our church, to give her part of the antique furniture. Apparently, he'd gone into his mother's house after mom had passed and taken several valuable items for himself and his kids without consulting his only sister. Now she was calling me to arbitrate the division her deceased mother's estate.

I thought it extremely odd that these two outstanding families were fussing over stuff within days of their saintly mother's death. As calmly as I could I listened to this lady's complaining, frustrations and arguments. After she vented for a while, I, as gently as I could, challenged her thinking and suggested that she get everyone together and sort it out as the believers in Christ that they were. She paused for a moment and realized the greed that had overtaken she and her brother's hearts. Later the family did as I suggested and worked everything out.

To be honest, I felt like I was in the midst of two children fighting over a toy. "Mine." "No it's mine." "I had it first." "No I had it first. Give it back." As my kids got older, it was who was going to sit in the front seat. Me first. My needs. My wants. "She got this. How come I can't have one too?" Sound familiar? It must be ingrained in us. That spirit of selfishness. It's more than self protection. It's greed. Ever fought over the last piece of cake or pie or even a chicken leg. Why do we act that way?

Just like the man in the story, this older woman had passed away leaving a lifetime of accumulated goods behind. It happened suddenly. That morning she was joking with me at church. That evening she was in the very presence of God. Her children were left to fight over her estate, something they would have never done in her presence. My guess, if she knew that were going to happen, she would have given it all away to someone in need.

This Christmas many will max out the credit cards to buy stuff. Oh sure it has material value now, but what about lasting value. No doubt some will spend hundreds maybe thousands on new clothes and electronic gadgetry, while others go hungry, wear worn out shoes and shiver in the cold because they can't afford the electric bill. Sadly, their needs aren't just at Christmas.

Another family in that same church I served decided one Christmas that instead of spending the doe they spent on each other, they would invest in a struggling homeless shelter. They were able to replace the worn out kitchen appliances and provided enough funds to expand the facility and put on a new roof. The hundreds (probably more like a few thousand) they could have spent on each other went to minister to several lives in desperate need. Now that's being rich toward God.

God, your Son set the example. He gave His life away so that we could have life. I want to follow your example. I don't have a lot in terms of material possessions, but what I have I want to give to you. Like Peter and John at the temple, I don't have silver and gold, but I'm willing to give myself, my time, my talents for you in ministry to people.

Daily Reflections on Ps. 82:1-4 (The New Deal, Bad Deal, and Real Deal)

I think I agree with the late Larry Burkett when he said that Franklin Roosevelt's, "New Deal" was actually a bad deal for America. Not that helping the disadvantaged is a bad idea, quite the contrary. The path of entitlement programs have overtaxed our country's resources. Now solubility of government programs like Social Security and Medicare are in doubt. Why? The Baby Boom followed by The Pill has created a kink in the pyramid cash flow principle. The shear numbers game is falling apart because the number of younger working adults isn't growing to meet the number of rapidly aging older adults. Add to that the mentality of entitlement programs and before long we'll see universal health care next. At the rate we're going, Americans will have 50-60% (or more) of their income taken out in taxes.

I think the "New Deal" was a bad deal for another reason. I think it has actually taken away our sense of responsibility to our friends, neighbors and others in general. It's created an "I'm entitled" mentality. It's also created a "let the government handle it" mentality. Don't we have programs to handle the poor and needy and down on your luck kind of people? I don't have to worry about feeding the poor because I pay taxes so that they can have food stamps.

Those who call themselves followers of Christ, the church, has been seriously affected by this cultural trend. In most of the churches that I have either served or attended, very little funds or energy was devoted to ministry to the poor, the hungry, the needy, the down and outers. We spent huge amounts on various internal programs and building payments.

I read passages like this in Ps. 82 and think, "have we as Christians missed a key element in our calling?" At the risk of being accused of preaching social gospel, isn't the church, God's people, supposed to be the advocates for the poor, the weak, the fatherless, the needy, the oppressed? Are we the ones who should be giving a cup of cold water, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting in prison, caring for needs?

As we close in on Christmas, it's easy for us to toss a couple coins in the bell ringer bucket or take a toy to a kid who isn't going to get Christmas. But what about the ongoing daily needs of people? Jesus obviously cared about the needs of people. Look at His life on earth. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, challenged the unjust practices, released the oppressed, unfettered those held captive by demonic control and sin, gave hope to the hopeless, and proclaimed the Good News.

God, give me your eyes to see. Give me your heart and passion. Show me how to minister to those in need around me. I want to follow your path of sharing the Good News of God's love in practical meaningful ways. And not just at Christmas, Lord, but year round. I don't want to promote "New Deals." I want to proclaim the REAL Deal.

Daily Reflections on Haggai 1:1-15 (Life Is Consuming)

Life sure is consuming. We are so caught up in the day to day that's it's hard to see anything else. It amazes me that we live in a society that has more convenience than at any other time in history yet we seem to have less time for people, needs and relationships. We hurry here and hurry there and get nowhere. We zip home from work, either pick up fast food on the way home or microwave it when we get there so we can spend the evening watching Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor, Heroes, House, or Entourage. We spend hours playing video games or chatting online or checking out all our friends on MySpace or Facebook.

What's funny is all I hear is about how tired everyone is. Of course in the next breath I hear about how late they were online or about the late show/movie they watched or something to that effect. We don't have time. We're too tired. Why?

Did I mention how caught up we are in just ordinary day to day stuff? We're not doing anything really significant with our life, yet we're consumed with our life. Weird. Is it just me? Am I just imagining it? Are people so caught up with themselves that they are consumed with themselves?

Not a new issue. Seems like that's what Haggai is addressing in this passage? People so consumed with their own life that can't see the bigger picture. When people, leadership first, finally opened their eyes and ears to God's message through Haggai their hearts were changed. The Lord stirred up their spirits. They got a fire to do something about their community and their efforts made a difference.

God's message in many places, homes and hearts is going unheard. There's an uneasiness that's rolling across our land. We're on our little merry-go-round, wrapped up in our little world as real needs go unmet, relationships crash and burn as our society slips into decay.

God, stir my heart. Light a fire in me and the folks at LifeSpring. Awaken us to your words and message of hope and healing and renewal and restoration and victory. Help up see what's really important in life. Unite us in purpose. Ignite us with your Spirit. Allow us to be an incendiary fellowship.

Daily Reflections on Zeph. 3:14-20 (Thanksgiving Promises and Black Friday Nightmares)

Okay, Thanksgiving is over. Now we can get back to our ungrateful selves. Black Friday ushered in the competitive, frantic, rushing of the wonderful Christmas season. You know the pushing and shoving of crowded malls and shopping centers. The vying for parking places. (Take the old dented, beat up vehicle to the mall. The guy in the shiny newu Lexus will yield to you for that parking space every time). Sure we love the Christmas season, but somehow it's just not as relaxing as Thanksgiving.

Christmas is great, but maybe Thanksgiving is the more appropriate seasonal attitude. Don't get me wrong. I know a lot of benevolence happens at Christmas. Food banks get filled up. Toys, coats, clothing is bought for needy children and families. Salvation Army gets 80 percent of their revenue for their next year's operating budget through the bell ringers (estimated educated guess not necessarily fact). We all have a giving heart through the Christmas season.

It's just that seems to me that if we truly developed a Thanksgiving heart year round, the giving of Christmas would be unnecessary. A year round Thanksgiving heart would produce year round benevolent giving. More needs could be met throughout the year. It sounds strange, but somehow I think we turn our hearts toward God more at Thanksgiving than we do at Christmas. At Christmas we focus on giving and getting. At Thanksgiving we focus on God and family.

As I was reading this passages in Zephaniah, I've decided I didn't want to let go of Thanksgiving just yet. I started thinking more and more about the promises made here and the joy it brings through Christ. When I look at life with all it's challenges and miseries and difficulties, and I look at the relief, support, care, and provision of God, I want to stay at Thanksgiving.

Did you catch those phrases in these verses: Don't fear; Don't let your arms hang limp; God is with you; He is mighty to save; He takes great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you in singing. Hey, I want some of that action. That's something to rejoice over. God's in my corner! Talk about debt relief. He's promised forgiveness for my sin through Jesus, empowerment through His Spirit, eternity with Him. Thanksgiving teaches me dependence on Him and to turn my heart to Him.

God, when I come to you, you promise to take care of my oppressors, to rescue you me from my own plights, to restore me, to remove my shame, to grant me honor, to bring me into your presence. I don't want to lose sight of that. I want to grab hold of your guarantee. My heart overflows with joy when I simply reflect on you, your greatness and majesty, your heart and passion, your unending love. It makes me want to offer grace to others.

Daily Reflections on Nahum 1:1-8 (I'm Thankful God Is Jealous)

I'm thankful that God is jealous. I know that sounds a little strange but I like it. Reading through these verses in Nahum causes me to feel closer to God as it talks about His jealousy and anger and vengeance. God is jealous for me. He's jealous for you. What's more, He doesn't want anything interfering with our quality of life. Those who violate His principles bring consequences of pain and suffering and brokenness and evil into the world around us.

There's a lot of injustice in the world. Recently I mentioned the news that broke a couple weeks ago about a nine year girl who was taken from her bed while she slept. They found her body. She had been raped and strangled with a goat lead. The perpetrators turned out to be her step father and a friend of his. The sentiment toward these vile men throughout the region is disgust, anger, and hatred. I've heard countless of citizens offering ideas for punishment (or torture in some cases) for these two. Somehow, jail seems to be too good for them.

Sadly, cases such as Rowan Ford's are all too common in our society. A lot of attention right now is being drawn to Darfur and the genocide that's going on there. But it isn't the only place in Africa where such evil is taking place. Senseless racial/ethnic killings have also in recent years been witnessed in Bosnia and Serbia and Iraq and Indonesia and the Philippines. Oppression and slavery still exists in multiple places around the world.

I'm thankful that God won't let the guilty people off the hook. He'll make them suffer the consequences of their actions. He'll settle the score. He'll inflict the appropriate punishment. I'd like to give God a little advice or a few suggestions on how to deal with those who commit such violent, cruel acts but I don't think He needs it.

We don't like to think of God as a vengeful God. Like Will Ferrell/Ricky Bobby, in Talladega Nights, we like the idea of the sweet little baby Jesus the best. We like God all cuddly and warm and lovable, non-threatening. Yet take a quick look at Jesus in the temple turning over tables and driving the cheating swindlers out with a whip and you might get a different picture.

What we often don't realize is that God is a jealous God toward us. He loves us and He wants our love. He wants a relationship with us. He created us for a relationship with Himself. He doesn't want anything interfering with that relationship. Those who disobey, who work against Him must be dealt with severely because of His just and righteous nature.

The good news is that the enemy of sin has been defeated. That which ultimately separates us will be destroyed at Christ's second coming. In the meantime He's passionately pursuing us to live in eternity with Him.

God, I'm thankful you're a jealous God. I'm thankful you want the best for me. I'm thankful you want me. I'm thankful that one day you're going to settle the score. I'm thankful you are just and loving at the same time. You've already taken care of my sin problem and guilt problem through your Son, Jesus. Thanks for making things right.

Daily Reflections on Obadiah 1:1-4, 15-18 (Political Confusion and Every Day Life)

At an interview for the pastorate at a church I once served I was asked an unusual question. It was one that I'd never been asked before. I was asked who I voted for in the last election. I'd been asked a lot of seemingly out of nowhere types of questions in these type of interviews before, but nothing like that. I realized that I was dealing with a group of politically conscious Christians.

Interestingly enough, many of the high profile members of that church were active in local politics within the both the city and county. In fact we had the mayor, the presiding county commissioner, another county commissioner, several school board members, a county roads commission board member, library board member, parks and recreation board member, various community action groups, and more. We had people in the police dept., the sheriff's dept., community feasibility study groups, etc. It was quite an active group.

We also had a lot of people into the national political scene in those days. Rush Limbaugh was extremely popular. Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority was big. Many were avid listeners of James Dobson and his political opinions and efforts. We even had people line the streets with abortion protest signs.

My concern was that as a congregation we were more concerned about political issues than we were about people issues. I often told them in those early years of my ministry there that the most politically active thing they could do was to lead someone to Jesus Christ. If they really wanted to change the world or our country or even our community, lead their friends, neighbors, political opponents to Christ. It's the most effective way to change a person's value system. When they are changed by Christ, life takes on a new perspective.

As we made the switch from fighting politics to ministering to people in real need, our church began to grow. We still had plenty of people involved in politics, but our energies as church begin to shift to making a difference through ministering and trusting God, not our government.

When I left the congregation, our influence in the community had actually increased. Whenever there was a need or issue in our community, they looked to our church for leadership, ideas and answers. We hosted health fairs, business expo's, business leadership meetings, art fairs, school events, club gatherings, kids athletics sign ups, conventions, conferences. And when the community faced a tragedy whether 9/11 or the death of significant person or teen in our community, they gathered at our facility.

Governments and governmental programs all have their place in society. They are God ordained. But trusting in and investing all our time in them causes us to lose sight of God, His truths, His standards, His ability, His calling. We get off base when we think our political ideology is the answer. Sorry to break it to you, but it's not. God is the answer and the truths found in His Word.

God, forgive my arrogance. I never want to lose sight of my calling as a believer in Jesus. Help me make a difference in the lives around me. Help me to see your bigger picture. Help me to remember that you're the one sets up and takes down governments. Help realize you're always in control.

Daily Reflections on Amos 8:11-12 (Famine Destroys)

Famine is something not new to us. We hear about it all the time. We see pictures of starving children in regions all over the globe. It's a sad sight and often causes us to reach for our wallet and throw some small change that direction. As Christmas approaches I expect to find a few more of those appeals in my mail box and possibly a few more adds on TV. Hunger and famine is a serious issue in our world.

I suppose the closest thing to famine that we've faced in the US in relatively recent years was the Great Depression and Dust Bowl years. If anything, the US is faced with another tragic disease, gluttony, or as we prefer to call it, obesity. Jay Leno cracks me up with his "How fat are we getting in this country?" lines. We've gone from overweight to obese to morbidly obese. Today's kids growing up think that the 4 food groups are McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Baskin Robbins (or Dairy Queen). We live by the slogan, "The more (of me) the merrier." I confess in the last few years my scale says, "One at a time please," when I get on it. Before long it's gonna start saying, "Would you just get off me you fat oaf."

To say that in the US we're a land of plenty would be an understatement. We have plenty of food, especially fast food. No one in the world would look at the US and accuse it of being in a famine. Food famine that is. We could be accused, however, of being in, as God describes in Amos 8, a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Seeking out and pursuing the truths of God's Word has been abandoned by much of society. The Bible is not relevant to many today. It's been set aside. Men and women, young and old, have turned a deaf ear to God's wisdom, guidance, instruction, and truth.

We've seen the devastation that a food famine can cause on country or society. The diseases fostered by malnutrition run rampant, destroying lives and families and communities. People are brought to their knees, become apathetic, hopeless, depressed. The land becomes desolate. Life is a burden.

Spiritual famine can be just as devastating to a country, a society, a people. Social diseases and calamities begin ravaging our cities, towns, communities, schools and even homes. Decline, decay, destruction prevail as the pattern for life. Relationships ruined. Lives destroyed. Ambition crushed. Pessimism the order of the day.

God, I'm concerned that we're in spiritual famine in our country. People have closed their eyes and their ears to your words. I know that when people shut you off, you simply quit speaking and leave us to our devices. The deterioration of our society has become obvious. My heart breaks for the broken lives, diseased lives all around me. God, I want to shout your truths, your promises of hope. I want be a light. Please don't shut my lips.

Daily Reflections on Joel 2:12-17 (Family Reunions)

Over the next few weeks families will gather together for the holidays. I always looked forward to these family events as a kid. It was often the only time I saw my aunts, uncles, cousins, extended relatives during the year. Lots of hugs, lots of kisses, lots of craziness, lots of celebration, lots of eating always accompanied these gatherings. Stories are swapped. Kids run through the house. Laughter fills the rooms. What great fun. I miss those family reunions.

Joel describes a family reunion of sorts in Chapter 2. He's calling His people to return to Him. The invitations go out calling people from the various aspects of life to join the reunion celebration. There's going to be feasting, laughter, tears, renewal, and release.

Family reunions are fun in part because we get away from our daily routines, pressures, grind, etc. Most of us are so caught up in the details of life that we kind of forget our family relationships. We lose our communication and connection with our loved ones. Sure we talk on the phone, email, message them, but we lose the personal connection of face to face interaction. The train is bustling along, the scenery passing by in almost a blur and life is going a hundred miles an hour. The train never slows down. The only way off? Jump.

I think that happens to us in our relationship with God. We're zipping along on the train of life and we can't seem to get off. It's easy to lose track of Him. The more we lose track the farther we get from God and our ties with Him. Pretty soon, we forget He's a part of our life. We show up at church for Christmas or Easter for a quick stop and then it's back on the train. It feels good when we do stop, but that feeling is fleeting. There's no real connection with God because we've got our eye on the train getting ready to leave the station.

God invites us to His family reunion. Pull the stop cord. Jump if you have too. Just get off the train. Some have translated the concept of repentance as "come to your senses." I like God's call here in Joel, "return to me." Experience His grace and forgiveness and compassion and love and protection and presence.

The Holiday season is upon us. It can be frantic and stressful in and of itself. The good news is that when we return to God's family reunion we don't have to get a lot of stuff together first. We just come. The only gift He really wants is you. Show up. Drop everything else and join Him.

Daily Reflections on Hosea 3:1-5 (It's Still Adultery)

Affairs, unfaithfulness, infidelity, adultery is all too common in today's culture. Having an affair or a fling just sounds more like an adventure or possibly a vacation than the latter words. Call it what you will, it doesn't mask the abandonment and betrayal of a spouse. Having sex with a person other than your marital partner breaks the oneness and intimacy of that marriage. Even excuses like, "We didn't mean for it to happen" or "It was only a one time thing," doesn't dismiss or minimize the severing of trust. First of all, neither excuse holds water. It's not like you spilled a cup of coffee. Jumping into bed with someone who's not your spouse means that there's been a build up to that point. A "one time thing" stops at the flirtation stage and even that shouldn't have happened.

Let's be honest about it. Having an affair is being unfaithful to your husband or wife to whom you promised to be faithful. Having an affair is breaking your commitment. Let's call it what it is, having an affair is adultery. Committing adultery is sin. You sin against your husband or wife. You sin against their husband or wife or future husband or wife. You sin against your children. You sin against their children. You sin against God. And the Bible says that you sin against your own body. Sexual sin is different from any other sin.

Interestingly, God compares adultery to our abandonment of Him. Here in Hosea, He uses the adultery of Gomer to portray Israel's behavior with God. He calls Israel an adulteress. He tells Hosea to go get her, buy her back, bring her back and love her. He says be everything to her. Don't let her prostitute herself or hook up with another man. It's supposed to be a demonstration of how God loves and pursues us even when we've betrayed Him, abandoned Him, and embraced someone or something else.

Several time Hosea has to go fetch and redeem his wife. It's a picture of God's persistence with us. Yet at some point, God divorces Himself from Israel because of her unfaithfulness, her adultery.

Why would Gomer leave a husband who passionately loved her, cared for her, coddled her, protected her, gave her a secure home? Why did she keep going after other men who only wanted to use her for what they could get? Why did she want to sell herself to who knows what? Why walk away from her kids and family? Weird, isn't it?

So why do we walk away from God? Why do we betray Him? Why do we prostitute ourselves, sell ourselves out? Why do we give up life, love, security, protection, empowerment, eternity with Him? Weird, isn't it?

God, thanks for passionately loving me. Thanks for bringing me back and reminding me of your grace and mercy and genuine love. Thanks for forgiving me. Thanks for looking past my faults.

Daily Reflections on Ps. 139:14-18 (I'm Not a Jerk, I Am Somebody)

There are a couple lines by Steve Martin from "The Jerk" that I really love. "I was born a poor black child," cracks me up since Steve Martin is white. It sets the scene of the movie, a white orphan taken in by a poor black family. Martin never seems to fit in so he moves on to make it on his own. He finally gets a job in a full service gas station and is allowed to live in a back room of the station. Shot in the days before cell phones, Martin gets his own hard line phone. He is excited when the new phone book comes out. He flips through the pages and finds his name. At that point he shouts with glee (my other favorite line in the movie), "I am somebody, I am somebody."

When you read these verses from Ps. 139, you ought to shout with the same enthusiasm, "I am somebody." Listen again to the phrases: Created by God; knit together by God; fearfully and wonderfully made by God. God's eyes watched with interest the formation of your body. He looked into the future and saw your life laid out before Him. He celebrated in advance your victories and joys and achievements. He mourned in your losses and defeats and set backs. He wiped your tears that had not yet trickled down your face. He held your hand before you took the leap of faith yet to happen. He knows your ups and downs before they happen.

If God is that interested in me, why do I forget about Him so often? Why do I ignore Him. Why do I sometimes try to hide from Him? It's kind of weird if you think about it. If God already knows everything about me and knows what I'm gonna face, why wouldn't I want to hang pretty close to Him? Why wouldn't I want to get inside His mind? Why wouldn't I establish such a relationship that I was in tune with Him so I could at least maneuver life's challenges with a little more ease and security?

God thinks I'm somebody special. God thinks I have what it takes. God thinks I'm worth something. God wants to hang out with me. If that's true who cares what anyone else thinks? It's irrelevant. My creator, designer, guide, friend, savior believes in me and thinks I'm worth it. He knows me, loves me, longs for me. Now who can resist that?

God, the more I know about you, the more I want to know you. The more I know you, the more I want to hang out with you. The more I hang out with you, the more I want to hear your wisdom, guidance, advice, truths. The more I hear your truths, the more I want to be in your presence emotionally, spiritually, mentally and ultimately physically.

Daily Reflections on Mt. 15:1-14 (I Didn't Know It Was There)

It was amazing. One week I could see and the week I turned 40 my eyes failed me. I couldn't see to read. It was embarrassing asking my kids to read menus or phone numbers or labels to me. The most common line in my vocab was, "What's that say?" How could you read so clearly and then it's gone.

It probably happened slower than I expected, but it felt like I just went blind. My eye doctor, Tami, explained the "maturing" process to me and ordered me a pair of glasses. Even with glasses my eyesight has deteriorated with each maturing year.

Jesus seems to be talking about what happens to a lot of religious people. The older they get, the blinder they become. Traditions gets confused with truth. Practices/methods get confused with doctrine. Church gets confused with Christianity. It becomes harder to offer grace and easier to embrace rules and rituals. A form of spiritual blindness sets in. Music styles, dress, evangelistic approaches, translations of the Bible, even church names become tests of fellowship. Unfortunately I've encountered the people described in verses 8-9 of our text all too often in the church.

Recently my hard drive died in my laptop and had to be replaced. After describing the problem to several tech/computer gurus, the nearly unanimous opinion was that a nasty virus had corrupted my files and killed my hard drive. The only solution, buy a new laptop or put in new hard drive. Some how or another, even with my virus protection, something got into my computer and killed it. Once it was inside, the problem grew, unnoticed, until my whole operating system was infected.

Eyes, blindness, computer viruses they can sneak up on you, even if you're trying to be vigilant. Sometimes they grow and eat away at your vitality without you ever noticing. That's what Jesus is pointing out to us spiritually? What's developing in your heart, in your attitude, in your behavior? What's taking over and spilling out? Are you more concerned about worship styles and what people are wearing to church than you are about those who don't yet know Christ as Lord and Savior? Are you more concerned about having pews instead of chairs than you are about people suffering through divorce or physical abuse or single moms struggling to make ends meet. Are you more concerned about your church programs than you are about the aged, the homeless, the broken, the helpless in your community?

God, help me to see you clearly. Help me to see my own heart and attitude clearly.

Daily Reflections on Num. 13:26-33 (When Things Look Bad, Small Things Make a Difference)

A halfling, a hobbit destroyed the ring and brought defeat to Mordor. If only the Israelites had seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy, then they might have gone into the Promised Land right away. Instead, the sight of the walled cities and giants kept them from seeing victory by the hand of God. Seems like that God likes to take small things up against big things to show His power.

There was Gideon and his 300 men up against tens of thousands seasoned soldiers with only trumpets, lanterns and lips. There was David, the ruddy shepherd boy, with only his sling and five stones up against the giant Philistine warrior, Goliath. There was only one measly prophet, Elijah, against 400 prophets of Baal, oh and well maybe one nasty queen, Jezebel and whole kingdom complete with army at her disposal. Nothing for Elijah to worry about. Right! Just because she hated his guts and wanted him dead. And then there was this one small boy who had a Long Johns' Fish and More special and 5,000 people wanting lunch.

Why do we minimize the power of God in our life? I get really tired of naysayers who tell me it can't be done. I need to hang out with a few more Calebs. 38 years later, wearing the same clothes and shoes, the Children of Israel had to face the same scenario of walled cities and giants in the land, but this time they trusted God and watched His hand at work in their behalf. Gideon and his men never raised a sword. Elijah watched God display his power on the altar and then watched the death of the 400 prophets of a false, non-existent God. It only took one stone guided by God to slay Goliath. And the five loaves and two fishes were more than enough to feed the hungry mass. They even had leftovers for the next day.

The Apostle Paul said that God is able to do immeasurable more abundantly than whatever I can think or imagine. Jesus said with faith the size of a mustard seed I could move mountains. So why can't I believe God wants to do some incredible things through our church, His church? Why should I listen to people who say, "It can't be done?" If God can make the sun stand still and even back up and if Jesus can calm winds, waves and seas, heal the sick and raise the dead, why couldn't He handle a few small issues of money, building, resources? I was always taught that He owned the cattle on a thousand hills, in fact they made me sing the song. Why shouldn't I believe that God can do great things in my life, through my life, and through my/His church?

Okay, so the odds don't look good. Things don't look possible. But I don't serve a God who worries about odds. I have a God who laughs at stuff people think is impossible. I don't want to be like those Israelites who cowered in the desert and failed to receive their promise. I don't want to sit around and bemoan or lament the formidability of the challenge. I don't want to get caught up in my inabilities or inadequacies. I'm following the Jesus who's riding the white horse to victory. I getting out of the way and letting the Holy Spirit do His empowering thing. I'm jumping in like Caleb. Just tell what to do God. Point me in the right direction. Give me your vision.

God, I wish I always had the faith and fire of Caleb. I sure can talk big, but sometimes I'm a faithless coward. Show me your power again. Strengthen me. Help me with my resolve to follow you. Pick me up. Dust me off. Invigorate me. Remind me again that something as small as an atom splitting can create a nuclear explosion.

Daily Reflections on Lk. 14:28-33 (Why Is Everything So Expensive?)

Why does everything cost so much and getting more expensive? I don't know what $100 a barrel of oil means, but I know what $3 a gallon means. Ouch! I fully expect $3.50 by Christmas. I don't know how people are doing it? Can anyone say credit card debt? How about second mortgages? I seriously look for mortgage or quick cash lenders to start showing up at or next door to convenient stations. Several grocery stores and Wal-mart already have them in their buildings in my area.

After several years in ministry, my observation is that most people can't spell budget. It's simply not in their vocabulary. Now spending, that's a whole new subject. People buy, go, spend with little thought about income. A lot of people I know are like the freshman girl a former college administrator and friend told me about, who wrote checks all over town thinking that the bank would just fill up her checking account when it ran dry. Wouldn't that be great? Talk about bounce protection.

My observation is that most people end up in financial trouble when they fail to develop and work a financial plan. We call that accounting and be accountable. Can't outspend your income. It's just that simple. But you can carefully budget and plan so that your bases are covered. Driving an Escalade or Lexus would be nice, but my 92 Ford Areostar Van gets me there and hauls stuff around for our church plant just fine. Insurance is less. Property tax is less. Tags are less. No car payments. And nobody wants to steal a 92 Ford Areostar Van. In other words, it fits a church planter's personal budget. It's what I can afford. Right now I couldn't handle payments on a new vehicle.

Counting the cost is hard. But here's what else I've learned; people who don't count the cost financially, rarely count the cost in various other areas of their life. They don't count the cost in their relationships. They don't count the cost in their behavior. They don't count the cost of their time. And if we don't count the cost, more often than not we get caught short. Some people live life believing they can do whatever they want and they won't get caught or have to pay any consequences.

I have a little saying that goes like this, "You can choose to do whatever you want. But you can't choose the consequences." There are always consequences for our actions, good or bad. Jesus says in this passage that anyone with any smarts will sit down and do the accounting. If you don't figure the costs, you're gonna pay the price. It's true in all areas of life, including your spiritual life. Jesus says that if you're not willing to give your life over to Him you can't be His disciple. If you're not His disciple, you're on your own with God. Question: Who do you want to be representing you before God on Judgment Day, Jesus or you? Just a thought.

God, I know it's all or nothing with you. You want all of me or none of me. My problem is that I want you but I want things of this world too. Sometimes I just don't count the cost. I want to fudge the numbers. Help me count the cost daily in areas of my life.

Daily Reflections on 1 Cor. 2:6-16 (I Don't Get It, God!)

God, I don't always understand you. There are some things I just don't get. Today they announced on the news that the body of a nine year old who had been missing for a week was found just ten miles from her home. She'd been taken from her room. I confess, God, I'm a little bothered by it. And I still haven't gotten over Charles suffering death. A godly man, great teacher dead at 45 because of cancer. To be honest, the guy that did this to this little girl deserves the suffering cancer. Slime ball.

I don't get a lot of things. But who am I really? Like Job, I wasn't there when you created the earth. I didn't separate light from darkness or set the moon, sun and stars in place. I didn't develop the order of things in the universe. Gravity was your idea. Okay, Okay. I know that I'm not God, even though I play one now and then.

There are lots of things about life I don't get. I get a lot of advice but I'm not sure I get a lot of wisdom. People share their thoughts and ideas with me all the time, but that's just it, it's their thoughts and ideas. Making the right choices, knowing what to do sometimes is really hard. Half the time people tell me stuff, I think they just want to hear themselves talk. It's no skin off their nose if I make the wrong decision.

God, sometimes I feel life is kind of like a game show. I pick the right numbers or box or whatever and I win. I pick the wrong one and I lose. I spin the wheel and hope for a winner. I flip a coin. I draw a straw. Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Mo ... I choose ....

As confusing as life is, I need a guide. I need some sort of spiritual Mapquest. I need wisdom. I need someone to help me with decisions and relationships and finances and career and family and kids. I need solid direction to get through the maze.

Paul says, that wisdom is available from God. His wisdom is not our wisdom or any human wisdom. His ways are not our ways or any human ways. No matter how brilliant or studied or experienced someone is on this planet, it doesn't even compare to God.

God, I need your wisdom.

Daily Reflections on Rom. 12:1-2 (Bed, Bath and Body Works)

Body, mind and spirit all work together. Paul's admonition to present our bodies as a living sacrifice is tied to the renewing of our mind. Last night at our Bible study we were discussing the fact that our bodies are temples of God's Holy Spirit from 1 Corinthians 6. There Paul urges us to glorify God with our bodies but he has been talking areas of personal discipline and holy living. I liked what my friend, Donna said, "Every time I go to put something in my mouth, I'm gonna asked myself, 'Would Jesus want that in there?'"

Where have you been taking your body? What have you been doing with your body? What have you been exposing your body to? What are you ingesting through the eyes, ears, mouth? Are you taking care of your body physically? Are you giving it enough sleep? What you do to and with your body, you are doing to and with Jesus. Your body isn't your own. It belongs to Christ.

What I do with my body is under direction from my mind. By renewing my mind, aligning it with God's Spirit, my body becomes truly His. I can prove God's will through my connection with God. If I'm truly pursuing Him mentally, emotionally, spiritually, with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, my body will come along for the ride.

God, here's my body and my soul and my mind. I offer it to you. It's yours anyway. You bought and paid for it.

Daily Reflections on 2 Pet. 3:9-14 (Is It Worth It?)

It's amazing the things people kill themself over. With Christmas coming soon, I can already picture the lines. In just a couple weeks after the turkey dinner settles, people will head to the stores to get in line to get their bargains. Some will stand in line all night long to be ready for the early bird specials. The have to have the latest electronic gadget or outfit or whatever. What's funny is the very thing that they just had to have last Thanksgiving is worthless, worn out, or out of style this year.

That's only the half of it. Things that we think are so critical in our business will mean nothing as life comes to an end. When cancer strikes a family, position, power, money, your house, your Escalade or iphone or laptop doesn't really seem all that important. As you stand over the casket, all the things that once seemed pressing are irrelevant.

In this passage, Peter simply says, "Folks, it's all gonna burn some day." No matter how hard you try, you can't take it with you and all the things of this life will become meaningless. So what's worth living for anyway? Peter says your relationship with God is the most important thing, because it's the only thing that lasts. It's the only thing that will carry over to the next life.

The end of life will come like a lightening strike. A few years ago a friend of mine was on a mission trip to Guatemala with his wife. They had gone to minister to people in a remote area where Drs rarely visited. They cared for the sick, fed the hungry, shared God's Good News. But a nasty hurricane struck and the flooding began. They had only hours to get all the missionaries out.

They had tried to get out by trucks but the roads were washed out and the flood waters too high. The only plane they had could carry a handful at a time. Dale sent his wife on one of the early flights out. He had stayed until the last flight. But conditions worsened and they were unable to land at their designated airport. Their attempt to fly through the hurricane to an airport forty miles away ended in disaster. Their plane crashed into a mountain side killing everyone aboard.

But they weren't the only ones killed that day. The Day of Lord came like a thief in the night for 11,000 others who drowned due to the flooding that day. One day alive. The next day, dead. But we have a hope, a living hope Peter tells us in the book of 1 Peter. We look forward to the new heavens and new earth. For Dale and the people they led to Christ, they were ushered into the very presence of the King of Kings and got to see God face to face. His farm, his business, his gorgeous house all meaningless to him.

Less than two months before his untimely death, Dale and I had ridden together on a bus to DC and back for a Promise Keepers gathering on the mall. On our journey Dale shared with me how he was coming to realize that pursuing the things of God were the most important things of his life. That's why he decided to go on the missions trip to Guatemala. His only desire was that his sons would see the change in life and come to pursue Christ in the same way he was.

God, I want to found spotless and blameless when you come for me. I want to found diligent in your work. All else is going to burn. Lord, help me remember that today and tomorrow and the next day.

Daily Reflections on Mt. 16:13-20 (Sticks and Stones)

Jesus liked to use common scenes, items, experiences of people in His day. One of the items very prevalent in Jesus' earthly days were rocks. Rocks are everywhere in Israel. I thought Missouri had a lot of rocks, but it was nothing compared to the Holy Land. At the end of the movie, Schindler's List, people are seen putting rocks on a grave. I thought that was weird until I got to Jerusalem and saw all the rocks stacked on graves around the city in honor of loved ones.

Rocks, stones were a common building block in the period that Jesus walked the earth. The Wailing Wall, in the Jewish sector of the Temple Mount, is constructed with huge stones perfectly hewn and fitted in place. Rock is placed upon rock is placed upon rock in a similar pattern to brick laying today. The foundational stones on the bottom, smaller stones make up the structure.

If Jesus is building the church, why are so many people running from it or staying away from it or leaving it? People think the church is unnecessary, irrelevant, a waste of time, archaic, etc. I don't how many times I've heard people tell me that they don't need the church to have a relationship with God. That's like saying I don't need a family to be birthed and grow up. Okay, now that I've been born just dump me on the street, I can take care of myself.

Here's the issue. The church isn't built or based on doctrine or rituals or traditions. Some have tried to make it built on those things. But the church is built on Jesus. The problem for many, including leaders, is that they have lost sight of that principle. The foundation stones are Jesus, The Christ, The Messiah, The Deliverer, Him crucified and resurrected. But the church is also people like Peter, James, John, Paul, Barnabas, Billy Graham, you and me. In fact Peter refers to us as living stones. Jesus is the foundation, but he stacks carefully hewn rock upon rock to build His church.

Who needs the church? I do. You do. The world does. It's not irrelevant. It's not inconsequential. It's not archaic. It's necessary. It's foundational. The church is vital not because of its doctrines, rituals, traditions, etc., but because it is the embodiment of Jesus gathered and scattered, pulsing and breathing, reaching and caring, serving and sharing, inviting and glorifying, experiencing and watching lives changed, sustaining and pursuing, growing and seeking, salting and lighting, extending and influencing. The church is alive and vibrant.

To hate the church is to hate Jesus. To ignore the church is to ignore Jesus. To dismiss the church is to dismiss Jesus. To abandon the church is to abandon Jesus. To force rules on the church is to force rules on Jesus. To restrict the church is to restrict Jesus. To re-engineer the church your own image is usurping Jesus.

God, I'm glad the church, your church is based on Jesus and not me or my will or my agenda. That would be a disaster. I love you, Lord. I love Jesus. I love His church. Help me keep my hands off your church. I just want to be your servant. I want others to experience you, recognize you, see you, hear you, be drawn to you as they join our celebration of you each Lord's Day. I want people to have the same experience as they encounter your saints, your church scattered throughout the community.

Daily Reflections on Jas. 4:4-6 (Two Timing)

Is it really possible to date multiple people at the same time? Is it possible to have a real "dating" relationship with more than one person at a time? Is it possible to be engaged to two or more people at the same time? It is possible to have a solid marriage relationship and be seeing someone else on the side? My guess is some people would think it is? But then again, we would probably define "solid relationship" or "solid marriage" differently. Generally we call this "two-timing." And although, some guys might fantasize about pulling it off, it's a practice of disgust among the masses.

James simply says in this passage, that you can't two-time God. It just doesn't work. You can't be in love with God and pursue Him and in love with the world and pursue it at the same time. The two are going in opposite directions. The Bible says that God is a jealous God. He wants our sole allegiance, heart, and mind. To enter a relationship with God and then to have an affair with the world is virtually grounds for divorce in God's eyes.

To become a friend of the world is to become an enemy of God. To become involved with the world places you in opposition to God. When we embrace the world the world as a friend or love interest, we dismiss God as significant to us. We are saying we don't really need Him in our life. We take on a form of arrogance, which in turn creates the opposition with God.

But those who humble themselves, who reach out for God, who pursue Him, He embraces. He pours His grace upon them and draws them close to Him.

The irony is that according to John 3:16 God loves the world. He's sees the death and destruction and pain and heartache and deception that's in the world and He reaches out with hope through His son Jesus. He invites people from the world to take His hand, experience His love and grace and freedom.

Too often people read this passage in James 4 and think they have to distance themselves from the world. They isolate themselves from the world instead of extending Christ to the world. James is saying don't flirt with the world, don't have an affair the with world, but he's not saying to go live in a monastery either. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach His Good News to everyone. To do that you have to relate to it, but you don't have to get in bed with it.

Bottom line: As a follower of Christ, I have to be in the world, but I don't have to embrace its practices or fall to its enticements. I must pursue my love relationship with God. If I pursue my love relationship with God I should develop His passion. As I develop His passion, I'm gonna want to share His Good News to others around me.

God, thanks for wanting a relationship with me. Forgive my flirtatious encounters with the world. I know that you alone have the words of eternal life. I'm pursuing you.

Daily Reflections on Gen. 21:9-21 (Cleaning Up Messes)

What a mess for Abraham in this passage because he didn't trust God. What a mess for Hagar and Ishmael because of Abraham. Sometimes, more often than we care to admit, we create crises for ourselves. When we fail to obey or trust God's way. But in this case, Abraham's lack of faith and decision to take matters into his own hands affected the lives of at least two other people, possibly four other people and maybe his whole community. You have to think at least his servants/employees were affected. In fact, we're all feeling it today. Who said you can live however you want without affecting others? No man is an island. Our actions, behavior always affects someone else.

I like Stuart Briscoe's insights on these verses. He writes, "After Hagar had left Ishmael under a tree so she would not have to watch him die, she sat down a little way off. Both mother and son were crying, alone with their own agonies. But apparently there was a difference! Hagar cried uncontrollably, while Ishmael managed to turn his tearstained face Godward. 'God heard the boy crying.' Tears talk, but we also should try to talk to God through our tears. God responded to Ishmael's prayer.

"By now Ishmael was far too weak to help himself. His life was nearly spent, but God had heard his prayer and suggested that Hagar quit crying and open her eyes to the possibilities around her. She dried her tears then and saw that there was a well right under her very nose. She had not seen it before because she had been crying so hard.

"Does Hagar remind you of us? We get so self-absorbed when we are in the depths of despair that sometimes we miss God's marvelous provision. Prayer is a weapon we seldom use enough in our fight to survive. It is too often replaced by tears of trauma and terror which dim our sight so we cannot see God's answer to our dilemmas."

God, I confess I'm good creating my own messes. I'm not so good at cleaning them up. Anytime I fail to trust you, trouble is almost always sure to follow. Not only am I affected but the people around me also feel it. My messes sometimes spill over on to them and now they too have a mess to deal with. Thanks God for keeping an eye on us and for being there we need to call upon you. Help me get over myself, even when someone else's mess is dumped on me and now I have a mess. Help to quit wallowing in self pity and look to you.

Daily Reflections on Gen. 16:1-16 (Playing Mr. Fix-It)

How many times have we tried to fix something that can't be fixed. We come up with our own solutions only to create a greater problem. I've done it a hundred times trying to save money on my own car repairs. It usually ends up costing me more in the long run. If I'd just taken it to the expert in the first place, I would have saved myself and others a lot of grief, frustration and even time. You'd think I'd learn but I don't. Furthermore, I end up transferring the practice to other areas of life, including personal issues, relationships, church issues, etc. Instead of placing my trust in God's hands and letting Him deal with my issues, I take matters into my own hands. The results are inferior at best and more often than not, disastrous. Waiting on the Lord isn't easy, but the only way to live.

I wonder if God delayed giving Sarah and Abraham their son, Isaac, because of their actions or lack of faith. Could it be that God waits until we demonstrate faith before He fulfills His promise or takes action in our behalf?

God, I can stop myself from trying to fix things myself. I know I usually make things worse. Lord I give you my problems and my church and ask you to handle things your way and in your timing.