Call on He who saves!

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.  He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them.”  (Psalm 145:18-19)

Are you feeling alone or overwhelmed with life’s troubles?  God is waiting for you to call on Him, He is waiting to take you into His arms and comfort you.  If you earnestly seek Him and call on Him in truth, He will hear your cry and deliver you through your troubles.

So many times we lose sight of God amid the mountains of trouble that we face.  It is way too easy to take our eyes off God and focus on the things surrounding us.  When we concentrate on the stuff, we feel alone and lose confidence.  When we feel like we are drowning in life’s troubles, that is when we need to realize that God has been waiting to comfort us and lead us through these difficult times.

I don’t know what you are going through, but God does!  Call out to Him, tell Him everything you would say to your best and most trusted freind.  Bare your soul to Him and He will replace all of the fear and doubt with His perfect peace.

The Lord is faithful!

“But the LORD is faithful.  He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Have you ever had a friend that you could trust with anything?  Someone you knew that no matter what, he would always be there for you?  Have you ever had a friend that you couldn’t count on for anything, no matter how small the favor?  If you have experienced both, then you understand what it means to be faithful!  This faithful friend of yours, does he truly know you?  Does he know all of your dirty laundry?  Does he know your darkest secrets?  If not, are you afraid of what will happen if/when he finds out?  Are you afraid that he will no longer be there for you if he does find out?

God is our faithful friend!  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  He is there when you stumble and fall to pick you up again.  This passage even tells us that he protects us from the evil one, who desires nothing more than to tear you down.  But you know the best part about His faithfulness?  He knows everything about you, you have nothing to hide.  He knows everything about you, all those things that you spend so much time keeping from everyone around you.  He knew all these things, and He still chose to die for you!

Do you need a friend?  Do you feel alone in this world?  Reach out to God, He is waiting to hold in His arms and protect you like a mother watches over her young!

God created all things!

“Worthy are you, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”  (Revelation 4:11)

I am not sure how much clearer the bible can be than that, “you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created!”  If you believe in God and that the bible is His word, you have to believe that He created everything that we see!  Evolution is a lie and its sole purpose is to attempt to prove that God does not exist!

Scientific theories are forever changing as new information is discovered, and the theory of evolution has changed (is changing) significantly as new things about our universe have been discovered.  More and more doubt is cast upon it as we learn more about the unseen things that make the visible world tick.  The universe is not eternal, it had a beginning.  Before the beginning, there was no space or time.  Matter did not exist before God called it into existence!

God’s word has not changed, nor will it ever.  God is outside time, so when He speaks, his word is eternal.  The more we learn about the intricacies of our universe and time, the more we come back to what the bible says.  Look closer at the creation account, and the many passages such as this one in Revelation, the bible is scientifically accurate.  Man, in his finite wisdom tries to move away from what God has said, yet science keeps drawing us back.

The heavens declare His handiwork, there is no excuse for denying the existence of God!  The bible declares that He created all things, there is no excuse for believing in evolution!

Success and Favor

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.  So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3-4

Many men might look back at my dad’s life and say that he wasn’t very successful.  He had several businesses that he started that did OK for a while, but nothing made him rich monetarily.  He never ran for public office nor led a great group of people nor was he famous for some accomplishment.  But several times during the last days in the hospital, he commented on how blessed he was in that his whole family and some special friends were around him till the end.

My dad made plenty of mistakes in life, he was only human.  But he knew how to love others and show them that they were special because God loved them no matter their situation on life.  He reaches out to all that he met, never holding back anything that he had.  he truly looked at his life’s possessions as God’s to work with.  He loved kids especially, probably because he was ever the kid at heart.  He truly took to heart Jesus’ commandment to watch over children, for he was a friend and grandfather to all he met.

I will never know how many people’s lives that dad touched, but from I have learned so far, he will be greatly missed by many more than just his immediate family.  Many of the friends of my niece and nephew’s were at his memorial to pay their respects, as dad was their grandfather as well.  So how do you truly measure the success of a man’s life?  I think that God’s measuring stick is the more important, and in that regard, my dad was definitely a success.

You can use me

If You can use anything Lord, You can use me.
Take my hands Lord and my feet,
touch my heart Lord and speak through me.
If You can use anything Lord, You can use me.
(Use Me)

Dad’s memorial service was last night.  We celebrated a life lived showing God’s love for all, even those that were hard to love.  Dad never hesitated telling anyone he met about Jesus, and His love for them.  Even those last days in the hospital, he reached out to others to show them love during their tough times.  Dad wasn’t perfect, he was truly human and made plenty of mistakes. Dad loved this song and took it to heart, he lived his life reaching out to others to let them know that God loved them.

It had been laid on my heart that dad would have wanted an altar call at this service, so I did it.  Our good friend asked me if I wanted to go through with my plans, so she prayed for me saying that it was fitting that it fell to me, his son, to continue reaching out to others and letting them know that God loved them.  I was nervous, not knowing if anyone would respond, but I wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity to complete dad’s life.  And like the words of the song, God used me last night, and several teens that responded to my altar call and a few rededicated their lives as well.  How fitting for the young adults to respond to dad’s last message as he was a grandfather to all of his grandchildren’s friends.

All God asks is that you allow Him to work through you.  I was nervous, not knowing how people would respond, but if you knew my dad, it was natural to conclude his life and the service this way.  Lower your guard, let God move through you and you will be surprised what happens!  Since God can use anything for His purposes, He can use me, and He can use you!

Happy Fourth of July!

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
(Francis Scott Key, verse 1&4)

We all know the Star Spangled Banner, we hear it at all major sporting events.  But, do you really know the words?  Did you know that there are four verses?  Did you know that the first verse is penned as a question?  It was written when Key could not tell if our flag was still flying over fort McHenry after a nights bombardment.  He didn’t know if those in the fort had survived nor if anything was still standing of the fort as it was obscured by smoke and mist in the morning light, so he asked the question if the flag was still there?  Are we still a free nation?

Then, as the smoke and mist cleared, and he saw the flag once again, he was assured of God’s deliverance.  The fourth verse is penned in bold confidence and affirmation of the divine deliverance of this nation!  Those writing our revisionist history want to separate us from God and what He did on our behalf, but those that gave everything to free this nation, knew who delivered us.  Take the words of John Quincy Adams: “In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior.  It forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation.  The Declaration of Independence first organized the social impact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission on Earth [and] laid the cornerstone of human government on the first precepts of Christianity.”

John Adams wrote his wife saying this “will the most memorable epoch in the history of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  IT ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

On this Fourth of July, enjoy your bar-be-que, parades, sports and fireworks, celebrate our nation and it’s independence.  But do not forget to honor God who delivered us.  They recognized His hand of mercy upon them and their cause, and they knew that without Him, they were defeated.  Bow before a righteous God, humble yourselves and pray.  Seek His face and turn from your sins.  Seek His healing of our land and the restoration of our Christian heritage.

If you would like to learn more about our Christian heritage, go to www.preparetheway.us

Comfort

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

I’m not sure how many have thought about this passage, but at first, or to those that do not know Jesus, this must seem like a ridiculous statement.  How can you be blessed when you are mourn?  Well, I have two reasons to say that I am blessed during this time of mourning.

One; I am comforted by my Lord that loves with a love that surpasses all understanding.  This might seem like a cop-out to those that do not know Jesus, but His comfort is like no other.  We all love and are encouraged when we receive comfort from a family member or friend, but that pales in comparison to the Lord’s.  Just think, the creator of the universe and all life loves you and cares for you!  He knows who you are and what you are going through, and he understands.

Two; I am assured that the one I mourn for is now in heaven.  My dad is free from all pain and suffering for eternity, and I will be with him one day to celebrate in the presence of the Almighty God.  He has merely gone ahead of me to worship in the great choir in heaven.  So my mourning is not for him, I hurt only because I am temporarily without his presence.

Do you hurt?  Are you mourning?  Reach out to God and feel the comfort that no one else can deliver.  He is waiting and wanting to hold you in His arms.

He abides with us!

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  (John 14:23)

It’s a comforting feeling knowing that my dad is now at home with Jesus.  That is the assurance that we have as Christians, that we will spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  In “keeping His word”, my dad was always helping others, and wanting all to know of his love for Jesus, and of Jesus love for them.  He wanted his family and friends to be with him when this life came to an end.

I remember many times visiting my dad in the hospital, someone I had never met would come by and see how he was doing.  It seems that my dad was always strolling the cancer floor, and as he always did, he talked to everyone he met.  I am not a real people person, but my dad was genuinely interested in and loved talking to people, and they knew it. There was one man who after his wife had left the floor, he came back to visit my dad.  He even called later after his wife died to see how my dad was doing.  I’m sure we will never know how many people my dad touched while he was in the hospital.

But the beautiful thing about this passage is that we can be with him here on earth.  Jesus tells us that if we love Him, they will make their home with us here and now.  That is the true message that my dad related to his family those last days in the hospital, as he admonished everyone to always love and trust in Jesus.  Dad loved his family and cherished his grandchildren, and he wants all to know and feel the love of his savior!

Forgotten by God?

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

God’s ways are mysterious, and He does nothing without purpose!  The weather here has finally become nice enough that I am riding my motorcycle to work again, which means that I am no longer in my car to listen to the Christian radio station on my drive to and from work.  But for some reason the other day, I needed tha car and I heard something interesting on the radio.  The DJ posed a question and answer that goes well with the scripture above.  She asked, “If God is all-knowing, how can He forget something?” 

She had this question explained in this way:  When God forgets something or someone, He turns His back on what He is forgetting so that is no longer associated with that person or item.  When God forgets our sins, He puts them behind us so that our sin is no longer associated with us.  When God forgot Israel because they walked away from Him, Israel was no longer in front of Him and they were no longer blessed by Him.  They no overabundance of crops and food and they were usually at war with their enemies and even displaced from the land.  In fact, when the bible says that “there was famine in the land,” that is code for a time when Israel had turned their back on God and there was no longer any blessings upon Israel.

Likewise, God doesn’t “remember” in the manner that we do.  When we remember, it’s like “Oh yeah, I remember so and so, I wonder what they are doing now?”  When God remembers someone, he moves and acts on their behalf!  When God remembered Israel, He moved to restore Israel to the land.  He moved to bring peace between Israel and her enemies, and He blessed the land with an overabundance of food and Israel prospered at every turn.  As my pastor often says, “it is a good thing” to be remembered by God!

So here is the life-application of the scripture I quoted above.  When we honor our parents, we honor God.  When we obey our parents in the Lord, we obey God.  As a result, we are promised a long life, which is bible code for “God remembers us!”  When God remembers us, He is moving on our behalf!  He is making our enemies to be at peace with us and we have favor with all of our friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses and family.  When He remembers us He blesses all that we do and we prosper and have all of our needs satisfied.  When He remembers us we have a long life.  But if we turn our backs on our parents and disobey and dishonor them, we turn our backs on God.  When we do that, God lets us walk away.  We walk away from his presence and His blessing and we are no longer the focus of a gracious and loving God.  When we walk away from God, we are totally alone.  When we walk away from God we are free to do whatever we want and we are free to make all of the stupid mistakes we want.  But we must pay the consequences for those choices for a lifetime.

So, what do you want from God?  Do you want to be forgotten, and free to do all that you want?  Or do you want to be remembered and blessed by God?  You choose!

God our rock!

“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:1-2)

Can you say this today?  Is He your refuge, shield and strength?  David said this while he was running for his life from Saul, he said this while he was hiding in a cave!  In the midst of hardship and pain, can you say that the Lord is your deliverer?  When it seems that your entire life is falling apart, can you say the He is your rock and sure foundation?

A life of faith is not a life without trials or hardship.  Instead, a life of faith is lived knowing that you are not alone.  You are loved and there is a purpose in all that happens.  We don’t always see it, but sometimes your life and the things that happen are meant to help someone else.  We are His embassadors, and He uses us as He wills, but always with our best interests at heart.  When we experience trials, we are strengthened.  When we persevere through our trials, others are encouraged and can see God working through us.  What better witness to those around us, those that watch us knowing that we profess to be Christian, that there is a God whom we draw strength from.  What better encouragement to those around us when they see us stand firm in our faith.

Stand with God as your shield, your strength and your stronghold.  Trust in Him as your deliverer with an unwavering faith.  He is our sure foundation!