Temptations?

Temptations?

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
 (Proverbs 4:vs.23)

           

            Oh yeah, here we go again on being good, not succumbing to temptation. We sure get tired of that don’t we?  In twelve step programs there is a lot of talk about the goal of spiritual growth rather than spiritual perfection.  I guess that means we will never be perfect. I am OK with that.

            This proverb goes on and on about being good by mentioning “…guard your heart, your lips, look straight ahead etc.” I did not print it all because we all know that!

            I ask but do not want to know your specific temptations and I have no intent on sharing mine. The bad news is we all have them. The good news is that the Lord is with us. . Purity, ethics, commitments and standards begin in our hearts.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

(Mathew 6:21)

Thought for Today: Each day we need to be the best that we can be. Today we will make choices. Let us make them from our heart- in purity with ethics, commitments and high standards.

Prayer for Today: Today we give thanks for your presence in our lives and the way that you guide us. Today we pray that we will rise above our temptations and represent your will here on earth.

Amen

Young at Heart

Young at Heart

"Be happy, young person, while you are young,

and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.

Follow the ways of your heart..."

(Ecclesiastes 11:9)

           

           

            Throughout our lifetime, June and I have met people that seem at peace, people that have never quite joined the "rat race" of life, people that had something that we were looking for. The interesting fact was that they crossed all socioeconomic boundaries. The common thread always seemed to be their faith. They always believed that things would work out.

            The strong message here is that the things that bring peace, serenity and happiness to our lives are found in our spiritual growth and it will be found in yours.

Thought for Today: Today let us avoid the rat race by praying for serenity and doing what we need to obtain peace.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord we give you thanks for the opportunities you have placed before us. Today we pray for serenity and peace in our lives and the opportunity to help the cause of peace in our community.

Amen

Finishing Again

Yesterday was my favorite spring fitness event, Get in Gear. I managed to be there several hours and visit friends and feel the energy of @ 5,000 people. I needed to post this one from my book today, "Finishing Again",
Finishing Again
"It is better for you to finish now what you began last year. 
You were the first, not only to act, 
but also to be willing to act. 
On with it then and finish the job."
2 Corinthians 8:10-11
In the spring my thoughts gravitate toward the good old days when my friends and I trained 10 -14 hours a week for endurance events. The camaraderie or the group, the support offered by the group when one of us was having a bad day and the feeling of spirituality in the early mornings as we traveled on our way was priceless. WE developed a closeness and an interesting bond.
As an unranked runner but former elite masters swimmer and Triathlete, there were many times that finishing a running event near the bottom of the pack was more rewarding to me than a swimming or triathlon trophy. A trophy is a nice memento, but over time becomes unimportant dust collector. As an elite you are supposed to be near the top, but that really is not what it is about.
In the early 80's my friend Billy and I ran a half marathon. He finished a good half hour ahead of me and felt great. I was not ready and thought I was going to die out there. The following year, Billy was again a half hour ahead of me but I met my personal goals and expectations. I fondly remember that day and have that finishing picture on my office wall. It reminds me that being at the bottom of the pack is not a bad thing when you are at the top of your game. The goal is personal, to be the best YOU can be. Neither of us won that event or our age group. Both of us were proud winners because we finished. Life is like that- when we finish what we start, we win.
Thought for Today: It is spring, a time of renewal. God brings us flowers, green grass and warm temperatures. It is easy to be busy enjoying it all and put a few serious issues on that famous "back burner". Today let us identify what we need to finish; who we need to help; who needs our prayers; who could use a visit. Let us complete the tasks that the Lord has put before us.
Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we need your guidance on how to use your love to succeed. In our cities, our neighborhoods and the world we pray that we can find a way to contribute so that your love will somehow "finish" the race for peace and security.
Amen

Spring!

Spring

"In the bulb there is a flower,
in the seed an apple tree;
in co-coons a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter
there's a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see."
(Hymn of Promise, Verse 1, Natalie Sleeth, 1986)

        This is s glorious time of the year. The northern hemisphere goes into the transition to summer. It is a time when the resolutions from New Year’s Day are long since successful or forgotten. A time of vacation planning, garden planting and the anticipation of the beauty of the warm season. A time of hope led by the visible evidence of God's presence around us.

        This is a time for reflection and review of our dark side. A review of the negative forces in our lives. This is spring and we need to recover the "...hidden promise..." in our personal lives "... that God alone can see." Through our faith and belief, our Lord will share with us the pleasures of life.

Thought for Today: It is spring. Let us take special notice of its wonders. Smell the flowers and enjoy the showers. Let us share these positive feelings with others and encourage positive feelings around us. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father we pray for an end to senseless killing and the guidance to understand this violent world that surrounds us. There seems to be a dominant hate factor that is not created by Godly forces. There needs to be more prayer and less negative logic.  We pray that the world’s religions may see you as one God. We pray that somehow through your divine guidance, killing, hate and violence may come to an end.

Nervous Breakdown

Nervous Breakdown

"The fruit of the Spirit is... peace

 (Galatians 5:22)

And the peace of God... will

guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"

(Philippians 4:7).

J.L. Glass has written a humorous article, titled "Five Ways to Have a Nervous Breakdown". He lists the ways as follows:

1. Try to figure out the answer before the problem arises. "Most of the bridges we cross are never built, because they are unnecessary". Matthew 6:34 says: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

2. Try to relive the past. As we trust Him for the future, we must trust him with the Past, and He can use the most checkered past imaginable for His good. Paul’s letter in Romans 8 verse 28 states “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

3. Try to avoid making decisions. Doing this is like deciding whether to let weeds grow

in our garden: while we are deciding, they are growing. Decisions will be made while we are procrastinating. Choice is a man’s most godlike Characteristic.

4. Demand more of yourself than you can produce. Unrealistic demands result in beating our heads against stone walls. We do not change the walls. We just damage ourselves. Romans 12:3 says "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment."

5. Believe everything Satan tells you. Jesus described Satan as the "father of lies" (John 8:44). But our Lord declared that his sheep follow Him because they "know his voice"(John 10:4). They have listened to it in His word.

 Thought for Today: Let us feel the Lord’s presence in our daily lives so that we can keep our stress levels low.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are masters at leaving you out of our lives and building obstacles in our paths. We pray today that you will guide us through the day and that our troubles will be minimal.

Amen

Godless Chatter

Godless Chatter

 "Keep reminding them of these things.
Warn them before God against quarreling about words;
it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed
and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Avoid godless chatter,
because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly."
(2 Timothy 2; 14-16)

            In today’s world we are approaching a world war. There are ethnic battles, religious battles, tribal battles and civil wars around the world. In the United States we are surrounded with Godless chatter!

            When Paul wrote the above he was concerned about the welfare of the church during a time of persecution. He was asking Timothy to guard the gospel. So what does that have to do with us today? Christianity is a part of the world's society. What is there to guard?
            Well, how about guarding our own faith against the "Godless chatter" that surrounds us daily. We read it, hear it and sometimes participate in it. There are many examples of in our elections. The candidates negative campaigning with partial truths, facts taken out of context and drilling into their opponents past certainly apply. We need to put their chatter in perspective and pray about it all. Now it has become a daily event, worldwide!

            In the war zones each side strongly believe in their rightful mission. Each side is fighting for their rights. Neither is willing to talk or compromise. Often there is a strong feeling that God is on their side; that is tough to overcome. What is the answer?

            OK, I will not even try to address that. I will address our personal answer. There is a need for each of us to listen to others; to pay attention; to speak out and demonstrate our faith and thoughts. We need to work our faith into our daily lives and conversation and we need to pray for peace for the love of God.

Thought for Today: Today we will hear some Godless chatter. Let us recognize it, correct it when we can and keep it in perspective. Pray for those who promote and participate in it.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and father we pray for the strength to do your will here on earth. We pray for the end to terror in all forms and for peaceful resolution to neighbors fighting neighbors.

Easter

Easter on April Fool’s Day?

            I do not remember Easter falling on April first but I assume it must have. So we have a holy week mixed with a bit of tomfoolery! I can live with that! On Friday at bible study the Pastor asked each of us to tell what Easter meant to us. My answer was simple. Two weeks ago my message was entitled “New Beginnings” and I used Brian Wren’s words from his hymn of that same name. For my answer I read these verses and stated that every day was a new Beginning and that was what Easter meant to me!

"This is a day of new beginnings.
time to remember and move on,
time to believe what love is bringing,
laying to rest the pain that's gone."

"Christ is alive and goes before us,
to show and share what love can do,
this is a day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new."
(This is a day of New Beginnings; Vs 1 & 4;
Words: Brian Wren, 1978; Methodist Hymnal No. 383)

            This morning the local weather man commented that his forecast was not an April fool’s joke. He then proceeded to forecast a 36 hour snow event starting on Easter Monday! No, he was not joking!

Below is my April first devotional from Spinach!

Boldness

"Almighty God, may they be filled with the Holy Spirit

 and speak the Word of God with boldness..."

-- Acts 4:31 

                April fool’s day is a day of practical jokes, misleading emails and general tomfoolery! Ok, so let’s skip reading our devotional, forget the Holy Spirit and our Lord so that we may participate. That will not work because we cannot hide from the God we all believe in.

            Today the comics in the newspaper will have Fool’s Day jokes, the news and sports programs will be full of them and there will be a few bogus press releases to get your attention. If I was to write a press release for today it would be “Bob shoots par at St. Andrews!” or “… donates a million towards the church mortgage.”

People would recognize immediately that these were jokes and some would know they were my fantasies.

            Today like all days I hope this devotional puts you on track to recognize the Holy Spirit in your life and the role it plays for you. While others are playing the jokes, we need to be sure that we are bold in our faith.

Blessings to you all and enjoy the start of April.

Thought for Today: For today we will be bold in our faith and remember that it is ok to be a joker also!

Prayer for Today: Father, we give thanks for all that we are and have. We thank you for having the freedom to enjoy a good joke, a great laugh and the faith to know the real truth. We thank you for being with us and meeting our needs.

Amen