Cherish The Time!

I encountered a father and daughter playing catch softball while walking around our neighborhood tonight. The daughter threw a "wild" one to her dad and it came straight to me. I stopped it, picked it up and threw it back to the dad. That's when God said to me "cherish the moment." Not for me to cherish that moment of returning the softball, but to tell the dad to cherish the moment of playing catch with his daughter. I told the dad that I really miss that. Playing catch with my daughter. You see, she is a junior in college and is not at home any longer. My, how they grow up so quickly. So I started thinking about the things that we used to do together. I used to read to her before bed. The same book every night. I started to skip pages just so I could get through it quicker and be done. Cherish that moment of reading to your child. How I would love to go back and read to her again. No matter how many times she wanted to read the same book, and not skip pages this time. We would watch the same Disney movie over and over and over again. We had to buy the dvd versions because the vhs tapes were wearing out. I can not stand the movie 'Mary Poppins'. But to be able to watch it one more time with her, and not make stupid and dumb comments about it. It was a movie that she loved to watch. Cherish that moment of sitting there, watching your child (children) look at the screen and watch the movie. Oh to play games again, to go the park, push her on the swings, "higher daddy, higher." Chase her around, play hide and seek, or tag. Cherish these moments parents, they will be gone before you know it. Children are a gift from God. Not a nuisance or a bother. May we treat them that way.

Weeping!

This past weekend, my wife and I went down to visit our daughter. On Sunday we were able to attend church with her. From the very first chords of the song 'Holy Spirit' to the last chords of 'The Great I Am', I was weeping the whole time. See, the week before we left for our visit, God did some amazing things in our lives. I mean He is always working in us and through us, but this week was extra blessed. So when the worship band started playing 'The Great I Am', I couldn't help but think back to the previous week and be grateful and thankful for what God had done for us. I have heard this song many times before, in fact it is one of my favorites, but on Sunday, the lyrics really spoke to me and so did God. He kept telling me that "I am the great I AM." I AM your provider. James 1:17 New King James Version (NKJV) 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. We had bought a newer car for our daughter and were delivering it too her. God provided all of the financing, gas and food for our trip. Then He said "I AM your comforter." Philippians 4:19 New King James Version (NKJV)19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He knew that we needed this car, and He gave us comfort that we did the right thing by buying it. "I AM your protector." Psalm 18:2 Good News Translation (GNT)2 The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress.My God is my protection,and with him I am safe.He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. A couple of times on our trip, I was almost run off the road by semi-trucks that would swerve into my lane. Thanks be to God, I avoided them every time. Then on the way home we ran into a monsoon. It was raining so hard that we could hardly see. Again, The LORD protected us, and kept us safe. Thank You Jesus! I could go on and on about Him being the Great I AM. No doubt about it. He is greater than anything that I'll (we'll) ever face. He has no equal. He has no rival. He is THE GREAT I AM!!

Corner of the Table.

I was following a friends two year old child out of a room one day at church. She walked out the door and came precariously close to the sharp, pointy edge of a table just outside the door. My friend told me that she knows how to come very close and yet not get hurt. That got me to thinking about people and sinning. How close can they dance on the edge of sin, without really sinning. My thought was, why would you even want to be close to that line. The gray area as it's called. One misstep, or stumble and next thing you know, you are in sin. Why play around? Get as far away as possible. Two steps towards God, are two steps away from sin. The closer you get to God, the farther away you get from sin.

I know the Bible says in Romans 3:23 New King James Version (NKJV)23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23 New Living Translation (NLT)23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. I don't know about you, but I want to be in the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT)4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

Thank The Lord for His mercy. For giving us life even when we don't deserve it. So why would you still want to walk that close to sin? Where you can die, be removed from God's presence, I choose to walk closer with my God and get further away from sin and all it's consequences. So thank you for the lesson little one. Even though I doubt you even know what you did. God Bless!!

Ode To My Mom!

My mom has always supported me. From the time I was born 51 years ago, till right now, as a grown adult. Everything I have ever done in my life (well most things) my mom has supported me. I have made some pretty dumb decisions or choices I'm sure that she would/did not like. For the most part she has supported me and my brothers. From buying us our first baseball gloves, so we could play catch together. To attending all of our little league games. All of our concerts, plays and whatever else in grade school, she was always there. As we moved up in our baseball system and started traveling to different towns to play ball in, she was there. She had to work, but yet she always found time to make it to our games. She taught me how to drive and then provided a car for me to drive. Playing high school football, she was there. Even though I never played, she would still come and sit there anyway. She would always take on the arduous task of having to wash my grass stained uniform pants. She would listen as I started telling her about girls that I liked, and wanted to ask out. Then listen to me lament about my heartbreak about being turned down by said girls. As I grew into adulthood, she supported me there as well. As I told her I was getting married for the first time, she supported that decision. She even had the wedding at her house, in the basement. As I was going through my divorce, her support was unwavering. She told me that whatever I needed, she would do her best to help me out. Then when I met another woman, and was about to propose, my mom was the first call I made to let her know what I was about to do. Guess what? She supported that as well. Then a few years later, I decided to go ministry school. We all went out for dinner the night I told my mom of my plans. At first she wasn't so sure, but she supported my choice anyway. Her support has always been 100%. Always unwavering and strong. Never judging me or my choices.


She is the best mom in the world. You will never see me go on Jerry Springer, or any of those other trash talk shows complaining about my parents, childhood, or how I grew up. I love my mom and absolutely loved, loved, loved my childhood. We never went hungry. We always had clothes. Always had a roof over our heads and beds to sleep on. We never went without. My mom would sacrifice to make sure that didn't happen.

Deuteronomy 5:16 New Living Translation (NLT)16 “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you.

Mom, I sure hope that I have honored you with the way that I have lived my life. I hope that I have made you proud of the person that I am today. You have loved me un-conditionally all my life. I could not have asked for a better mother. I love you mom!!

God bless you mom!

Little Flashing Lights.

On our docks at work, we have what's called a dock lock. It is a mechanism that will hold the trailer to the dock with a hook. It curves around the trailers bumper to keep it from moving away from the dock. You activate it from inside the building. You push the lock button and a green light will start to flash, letting you know it is okay to enter the trailer. When you push un-lock, a red light will flash indicating do not enter the trailer. If the hook doesn't sense that there is anything there when you push the lock button, and alarm will go off and then you have to push the override button. The trailer is still hooked to the dock, but with both lights flashing, instead of just the green or the red.

So today as we were loading a trailer, I started to stare at the green and red lights flashing on the control board. According to the panel the trailer was both locked and unlocked at the same time. That got me to thinking about God and what He has said about the world. To be in it, but not to be of it.

1 John 2:15 New Living Translation (NLT)Do Not Love This World 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

The green light flashing reminded me that I am in the world. Green means go, and be part of the world and take part in its wickedness and sinfulness. The red light means stop. Do not go any farther. Reminding me that I am not supposed to be of the world. God has called me out of the world. To be different than.

Matthew 6:24 New Living Translation (NLT)24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.

The red and green lights flashing simultaneously had me thinking about the above verse. I cannot be both locked and unlocked at the same exact time. For I will hate one (locked) and love the other (unlocked). I would rather be unlocked and free for Christ who died for me and gave me life, than locked into they ways of the world, that lead to death and destruction.

I don't want to have to push the override button to choose Jesus. If there is ever a conflict, Jesus is my choice ALWAYS!!

Being Watched!

Christian, you are being watched! You are being watched in every aspect of your life, by the non believer. Every thing you say and do is being scrutinized. Everything and I mean everything is being monitored whether you know it or not. They are waiting for you to stumble or fall. To say or do something un-Christ like. They cannot wait to point a finger at us, and tell us that wasn't very Christ like. We are not perfect. We are still human, so we are still going to mess up. God is still working on us. The people that I work with are no different. They know me and what I stand for. They know that I am a Christian and also a pastor. Because of that, I think that I am being watched even more so than usual. It wasn't more evident than this past week at work. As many of you know or may not know, I wear Christian t-shirts to work, almost everyday. Co-workers comment on them all the time. What a cool shirt. What a good word or message being portrayed. Well, I have one shirt that was given to me as a Christmas present. I asked for it, and got it. It is a Marvel comic hero. They have made a t.v. show about him on Netflix. I really enjoyed watching the show, but it's not for everyone. It is very violent and bloody. So anyway, I wear this shirt to work. My Christian shirts get a few comments here and there. I wear this super hero shirt, and everybody loses their minds. Since Christmas I have only worn it two times to work. When I wear it, everybody comes out of the woodwork to make a comment on it. Some like it, some don't. Most point out, that it is directly opposite of the other shirts that I wear. So that is what I mean when I say we are being watched. When I wear my Christian t-shirts, only a few people seem to notice. But when I wear the other shirt, everyone notices. People are paying attention. I have received more comments on the super hero shirt than I ever have on my Christian shirts. So no mater how much you strive to show and do good, people are going to point out that one thing.

1 Peter 2:12 New Living Translation (NLT)12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

2 Corinthians 6:3 New Living Translation (NLT)3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry.

So if wearing this shirt to work might cause someone to stumble, then I may have to think twice about wearing it.

Desire Of My Heart.

Psalm 37:4 New Living Translation (NLT) 4 Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you your heart’s desires. I am taking a class at work every Tuesday night. This past Tuesday, when we got out of class, it was still daylight out. On my way home I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to go for a walk. It was about 32-33 degrees that night. I don't normally go for a walk when it is that chilly. I told my wife that I wanted to go for a walk, and to see if she wanted to go with me. She said that she would like to join me. We walked for a little over a mile and started to head home. In the nighttime sky there was a crescent moon. While I was admiring it I noticed a very bright light close to the moon. I asked my wife if it might be a planet. She said no, it is probably a satellite or something because it was blinking. Then she pointed out that I have a pair of binoculars at home that I could get out and take a "closer" look (my binoculars are good, but not telescope good). I agreed, and we continued walking, looking at the sky. In the backyard of our house, we have an owl that hoots all night long and into the morning. I have always wanted to see an owl, but never have been able to. To just see one flying, or sitting, or anything, but alas, nothing. We have lived in two houses in Sycamore and both of them have had owls in our backyards. When I would hear them hooting, I would go get a flashlight and run out into the backyard, only to be disappointed. So anyway, back to the walk and the moon. We get home and go inside. I go and grab my binoculars head out onto the deck to take a look at the moon and bright light. I could see the moon clearly, but the bright light, was still just a bright light. Could not make anything out, except that it was not blinking. I panned back over to the moon, looking at it in amazement, then pan back over to the bright light. Just as I panned, an owl came flying right into my view through the binoculars. It's wings spread wide, just gliding effortlessly. Then it landed on top of a tree a few houses down from us, and just sat there looking around. I was beside myself. I could not believe it. After all these years, it finally happened. It was like God was reminding me that He is still here. That He still loves me, and wants to give me the desire of my heart. I was delighting in His creation of the moon, and He produced an owl for me to see. It was really cool to see how He set this all up. From the prompting to take a walk even when it was chilly. To pointing us in the right direction to even notice the bright light next to the moon. To having a set of binoculars to look through. He set everything in motion for this to happen, and for that I am thankful. Thank You Lord for loving me and caring about me. Even in the small things, such as being able to see an owl, God is faithful! He loves us. Unconditionally. Psalm 136:26 New Living Translation(NLT)26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever. Thank You Lord! Amen!