Style Change

Style Change? “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:32/33) The more we change, the more we seem to stay the same (adapted from Alfonse Karr). When we focus on our spirituality, we can live “…without fear of harm.” Negatives build when we lose focus and create a slippery slide. Putting oneself first part of each day is critical to maintaining sanity and personal growth. It is essential to take time to grow every day to be a good parent, employee, and friend. How do we do all we need to do to meet our obligations? The answer is priorities and including the Lord on the list. When we do not have time for God, it is a sign of over-commitment, reacting to our “to-do” lists rather than planning our day. Pat McNamara, a former Olympian from Minneapolis, once advised me that if I was going to stay in shape, I had to give fitness a priority part of every day. Make it a calendar item and follow Nike’s advice, “Just Do It.” The same applies to faith. Schedule a time to listen to the Lord’s message so we “…will live safely and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Thought for Today: Recognize the internal conflict between our over-committed “to-do” lists and the time required for personal growth. The concept is simple: we all want to be better in spirit, mind, and body but lack time. Let’s try placing the Lord first for a few minutes and feel the difference. Prayer for Today: Father, you are at the top of my list today. I look forward to the piece that you will bring. Amen

Don't Forget To Call

Don't Forget to Call "The Lord said, 'Call to me, and I will answer you.'" (Jeremiah 33:3) It is easy to go through a busy day without acknowledging the presence of God in our lives. Sometimes, when we get to the end of a day and look back, the day seems un-Godly. When that happens, we have not done the best job of caring for ourselves. That is our fault. Confusion and stress seem to find their way into our lives. We will have busy and stressful days, and bad things will happen to us. It is advisable to put ourselves first for a part of each day, which requires a bit of selfishness. Alone time shared with God will make us better workers, parents, and people. There is nothing selfish about that. Henri Nouwen called it a still place: "…This still place is where God can dwell and speak to us. It also is the place from which we can speak in a healing way to all the people we meet in our busy days." We all need to think about that. Thought for Today: Remember to be selfish, take a break, and allow God to support us. Prayer for Today: Let us pray that God will be present in our lives as we pursue the opportunities before us. Amen

April Fool

0401 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. That will not work because we cannot hide from God, who loves us. So, let's skip reading our devotional and forget the Holy Spirit and our Lord so that we may participate. 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 were to write a press release for today, it would be "Bob shoots par at St. Andrews!" or "… wins the Ironman." People would immediately recognize these were jokes, and some would know they were my fantasies. Like all days, I hope this devotional puts you on track to recognize the Holy Spirit in your life and its role in you. While others are playing 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: Today, we will be bold in our faith and remember that it is ok to be a joker. Prayer for Today: Father, we give thanks for all 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 absolute truth. We pray for good health, world peace, and prosperity for all. Amen

Easter!

Enjoy

On the Hill

Tradition

Tradition “By this gospel, you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.” (1 Corinthians 15 vs. 2) In thirty years as a sales engineer, I saw a lot of changes. In the seventies, it was called “show and sell.” We drove thousands of miles with our sample cases, bringing solutions to the customers. Often, we had new technology and served as an educational force and consultant. Technologically, the products and sales process evolved as the advent of email and the internet minimized personal visits. In today’s world, the customer reviews product options online, and the sales challenge is to assist in the selection process. In the 2000s, sales engineers are online with the customer reviewing and applying products. The style is different, but our message is the same. We can meet your needs. Our church is trying to adjust to 2000 years of a changing market. We need to TWEET, POST, Email and use the latest technology to send a 2000-year-old message to an ever-changing population. Our services are overhauled, so we refer to them as traditional, blended, and contemporary. They are often online. It is a challenge to service present-day needs. However, even though our communication has changed, the message has not and cannot. Present generations will find the help they need in an ancient message. Over these new mediums and through the different styles, we must hold firmly to the word. Thought for Today: Let’s marvel at the message: never changing, always true. The Lord is with us. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are in a hurry. Our calendars are full, and technology gives us little time to meditate. We pray for your guidance through it all. We pray for grace and solitude through Jesus. Amen

Life of Victory

Life of Victory “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1: 1-12) The elderly can often be curmudgeons, maybe angry. They are focusing on the past rather than the joys they have now. A good goal in life is to have your grandchildren remember you as happy, content, and proud. Life comes at us in waves or phases: the rapid learning years of childhood and youth; the wealth-building, family, or working years; the secure phase or empty-nesting; the retirement years winding down to an end-of-life experience. Each stage is unique, different, and memorable, filled with joy and sorrow, which is life. We make choices with our focus. We could always use more money, more company, less joint pain, etc. The sun will rise and set; we will wake and sleep. The Lord will be with us, and we will have great memories of our past. Focus on them. One of my favorite television evangelists, Joel Osteen, likes to say, “Keep on keeping on!” Thought for Today: Negative influences will occur, and we can dwell on them or deal with them. Today, let us focus on moving on with our lives and faith. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, the world is confusing. There is trouble in the mid-east, deranged people shooting up our sacred institutions, and some awful winter weather. We pray for the ability to understand it all and put it into the context of your plan. We offer special prayers for the older generation as they move onward. We pray for peace, understanding our place in your world, and the opportunity to do your will here on earth. Amen