To Know the Love

When I was 10, my hero, my grandpa died and went to be with the Lord.  He was a great man.  There is no way he could have been as great as my 10 year perspective made him, but a great guy, none the less.  In his last days (and the last day I saw him) he was lying in bed fighting cancer.   A friend came over to see him.  Not wanting to interrupt but wanting to send a message, I brought a little statue that I had previously given him and put it beside his bed.  The statue had a little man on it that had his arms stretched out as far as he could reach.  On the bottom of the statue it read: I Love You This Much. 
The one thing that I wanted my grandpa to know as he lay sick (and dying, whether I knew it or not) was how much I loved him.

I often ask my girls to come see me and sit in my lap or beside me and ask: Do you know how much I love you? I want them to know through the 'No's' and the correction that I love them.

I seldom end a phone conversation or a day without telling my wife, 'I love you.'

I want folks to know.  Notice what the apostle Paul wants for you.
Ephesians 3:14-19 -For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[c] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(www.lifejournal.cc)
Know today that Christ loves you!

Trucks, Bugs, and A/C Units

Some of the funniest emails I get are pictures of 'redneck engineered' stuff.  I think about the small window air condition unit that was put through the back window of a truck and ran with a generator that sat in the back of the truck.  Of course, it was duct taped into place.  That was not the window they had in mind when they called it a 'window unit'.  I learned to drive in a Volkswagen Bug that had cleaned out half the ditches in the county and almost flipped a bridge before I got it.  My Mom and Dad's three boys learned to drive in that car, bless its heart.  One thing that worked on that Bug:  the heat.  The heat of a 1970 Bug (I don't know if Bug should actually be capitalized when its real name was Beetle-  this thing was not a Beetle though, but just a Bug, I assure you) came out from under the bottom of the seat.   In the one I drove, it came out year round.   However, it had those small A frame mirrors that you could point.  You point them at the front windshield in the winter and you could defrost, if it was not so cold outside that the windows continued to freeze.  In the summer, you point them at yourself and you were blown away by God's air conditioner.  That is what those windows were for.  If you use something in the way it was intended to be used, it works well.   If you don't use it for its intended purpose, like a window A/C unit duct taped in your truck, there will be problems.

Let me tell you what we were intended for.  Better yet, let Ephesians 2:10 tell you- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (www.lifejournal.cc)  Once in Christ, we are recreated or made anew by His Holy Spirit to do good works for Him.  We will do better works, when we practice good works in Him day in and day out.  Practice won't bring perfection, even though the old saying says it will, but it will make us better at doing the good work of Christ in all of our lives.  Let's practice that today!

Waiting on the Lord

Great opening day of VBS yesterday! With clearer skies today, it is going to be even better!

I am not good at waiting. My mind has a hard time settling.  I am the kind of guy that reads a book while watching TV. Recording a program helps.  I skip commercials.  However, for live events, I am always reading a book or doing something else.   I don't have to be going all the time, but when I'm ready, I'm ready.  When we are leaving on a trip and the car is packed, I can hardly sit.  My dear, poor wife! 
There is something...Someone worth waiting on though. 
Psalm 33.20-22 -Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
²¹ For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
²² Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (www.lifejournal.cc)
When you do not understand, wait on the Lord.  When the answers are not coming, wait on the Lord.
He is worth the wait and He has not went anywhere.  You know He will respond.
May His Love fill you up and flow through you as you hope in Him.   Trust the Lord today!

Opening Day!

Today is opening day of VBS at FBC.  That makes it an exciting day for a lot of kids, a lot of teachers that have worked hard to prepare, directors and decorators that have revolutionized our building into a 1980's pop cultural center.  Jamboxes, records, Pac-Man, and Rubic's Cube dominate the landscape. We are 'kickin' it ol' school' and I guess that means I am old, because the 80's is when I was in school.  I guess the creators of this VBS   (the Go Fish Guys) are a bunch of 40 somethings attempting to relive the good ol' days.  Either way, it is a fun atmosphere.  I heard a teenager talking about how rough it was to do one side of the Rubic's Cube.  I told her that I could do two sides of it a long time ago, and could do one side real quick. (However, I remember watching videos of people doing the whole thing in a couple of minutes.)  I let the proverbial cat out of the bag and told her that 'in the day' you pop off a center cap and unscrew the cube and it would fall apart.  You could then make it look, however, you wanted it to.  Fun memories.  We will have fun times.  Please pray that many kids have a genuine experience of salvation this week and can follow it up with baptism and church membership.  We don't play the 'raise your hand, nobody's looking' game.  We do present and offer the Gospel and will happily lead them through it.  Pray that the Spirit will move.

As I closed out Romans this morning, I think Paul gave us a great summarizing statement to keep in mind when you get discouraged or distracted.  Check it out- Romans 16:20- The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (www.lifejournal.cc)
Regardless of what Bugs Bunny used to say at the end of his show- This ain't all there is, folks! 
Keep your eyes on the prize and the victory in your heart and seize the day for the Lord Jesus!

Heaping and Burning

I had a grandfather that intensely loved Jesus.   He oozed of Jesus.  He helped a friend sell tools at the flea market on Saturdays.  He could turn a conversation about a hammer into an invitation to come to Jesus as quick and smooth as anyone I have ever been around.  I was only 10 when he died.  I remember few of our conversations.  However, I am fully aware and shadowed by his influence, impression, and my sweet remembrance.  
One thing I do remember him saying, or remember my grandmother quoting him, was 'kill'em with kindness.'  That was how he described what we are to do to our enemies.  In other words, love on them.  Show them Jesus when they are giving you the devil.  Proverbs 25:21-22 is a passage he would reference- If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
²² for you will heap burning coals on his head,  and the Lord will reward you. (www.lifejournal.cc)
As I read that this morning, I thought of my Papa.  He has been in heaven for over 30 years but his love for Jesus is still influential.  We need to have a love for Jesus so intense...so intense that we can love our neighbors, acquaintances, and enemies, even when they are hateful to us.
Love the Lord today with all that you are and love others as much as you love yourself. 
Have a great Sunday of Worship!

Words of Wisdom

Proverbs 22:17-18- Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, ¹⁸ for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. (www.lifejournal.cc)   Read the Word daily...God always has something to say.  
Come to Church Sunday...God works in a people congregated for His Admiration.
Hear from the Lord....and have a great day!

The Step Establisher

Years ago, I heard about a coach who was going to be retiring and he felt strong that one of his assistants wanted the job.  He went to the assistant and told him, "I think I am going to step out of the way for you, and recommend you for the job."  The assistant looked at the coach and quoted
Proverbs 16:9- The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. He also said, "You do what God is leading you to do and don't worry about preparing my way.  The Lord will put me where He wants me."...And He has.
I thought of that when I read Proverbs 19:21- Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (www.lifejournal.cc)
Let us make sure that all are plans are baptized in prayer, submitted to the Lord, and only followed if the Lord leads in that way.  Plans and dreams are great, but outside of the Lord's Will, they will not work.  Seek His Face today...and in all your plans for tomorrow.