The I-61 Project Blog

Yes, Love Does: A Word from the WORD on Doing

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 14:14:00 -0500

Have you ever purchased something, opened the package, popped in the two "D" batteries (not included), flipped on the switch, and whalla . . . nothing? It looked fine on the outside but didn't do anything. It was made for a purpose but it was useless.

I was listening to the radio this week and came upon an interview with Bob Goff, author of the book "Love Does." Bob is also the founder of "Restore International," a nonprofit human rights organization that operates in Uganda and India. It spurred me to look into what God's Word says about "doing." It's easy to talk, easy to plan, and easy to coast but it's much harder to actually do something, accomplish something, for God. What does "doing" look like in the life of a believer?

Psalm 34:15 says, "Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it."

Paul says it this way, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Then there is the well known verse from James chapter two, "Faith without works is dead."

Jesus said in Luke 6:26-28, "But to those who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

Apparently, when Jesus got to this part of his message, many had begun to tune him out. So he prefaced this statement with "to those who are listening." Are you listening? If you've gotten this far I'll assume you are and tell you first that I am a lousy doer. I'm full of good intentions but doing doesn't come easy. Why? Three things:

Self, Self, and Self.

Why do we look like Christians but get so little accomplished for the Kingdom of God?

Self.

That is why the title of Bob's book "Love does" resonates with me. When you love someone you preferentially do things for them, sacrificially giving up something of your own: your time, your money, your possessions, etc. We spend so much time in the pursuit of happiness that we miss our opportunity to love and thus "do" for others. When we begin to be more selfless we begin to operate in the Spirit and not in the flesh. We start to look more like Jesus.

Take a moment today to look at your agenda; maybe today's agenda, maybe the agenda for the week or even your plans for this year. Do they focus on you and your happiness or do they look outward to others? What is it that you can DO? Pray, feed, clothe, hug, nurture, share the gospel, encourage, listen, mentor, rescue, protect, defend, forgive? Maybe a little of each. Ask God for direction and discernment. He prepared these things in advance so you (we) just need to do them when they show up. As we do, I believe the Lord will expand our territory and our influence. That's why humble people like Mother Theresa can affect so many for Christ. She was special because she chose to love and, in love, to DO. You to can be special in your service for Christ and can affect many but you have to start doing. Careful because this may actually involve doing for someone who hates you, offends you, or has harmed you. OK, now go and do.

Peace,

David

Are Your Roots Close Enough to the Living Water?

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 5 Jan 2014 12:50:00 -0500

When I was about four years old I was in the grocery store with my mother. It was about the age I started feeling a growing sense of independence and so I began to wander a little farther from her hip. Then it happened! My eyes caught a glimpse of that small section of the grocery store tucked between the kitchen utensils and the paper plates - the toy section! You know, the yo-yo's, little parachute soldiers, those flashing squishy balls, and miniature, magnetic checkers. I was in heaven! I couldn't have been there for more than four minutes when I looked down the aisle, first one way then the next. It couldn't be! But it was! MY MOM WAS GONE!!. She was nowhere to be seen. "MOM!!!", I screamed as I ran down the aisle and around the corner, smack into a kind, old lady who grabbed me gently by the hand just about the time my mother came around the other corner. Relief! No doubt I stayed in close proximity to her for the rest of the trip.

prox-im-i-ty

noun
1. nearness in space, time, or relationship.

We like to be close to things we enjoy, things we need, or things that bring us security. I was recently watching a seminar about coyote hunting (OK, I'm a little redneck) and the speaker was talking about how eastern coyotes stick close to cover, not wanting to go out into open fields. They Like proximity to thick grass, tree lines, or other cover because they know if they wander too far away from them they might die.

We've all seen pictures of a stream meandering through the desert; sand as far as you can see; white, lifeless sand except along the water's edge where green plants paint the path of the stream like a green snake on a white floor. Why? Well it's obvious that if plants get too far from the river their roots will not be long enough to find water. The result: they first whither then they die.

I have seen in my own life that when I'm distant from God my life starts to look more like a desert place and less like a place of grow and life. I can do man sized things and I may even look successful from the viewpoint of the world but inside I begin to whither. God spoke these words through the prophet Jeremiah:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

When we wander from God our spiritual lives begin to fade. It's often a subtle thing but the Devil is good at making us comfortable with the slow fade. It's so insidious that we might not see it until it all comes crashing down like a house of cards. What might this look like? Well, for many it might just be "the business of life"; work, school, sports, hobbies, politics, video games, etc. We wake up and do life with a little bit of God sprinkled in on Sundays for an hour or two. We acknowledge that God is God and that Jesus is Lord but our lives are not abiding in him. For others it might be a slow fade into a life of sin. Either way, it's like a tree picked up and moved too far from the living water of the stream.

Jesus gave us an equally powerful analogy along with a command in John chapter 15:

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:3-5

Jesus uses strong, directed words without ambiguity. "Remain in me … must remain … unless you remain … If you remain … apart from me you can do nothing." He used qualifiers, "Unless and if". He reveals a truth that we need to hear. Although, we may appear to be doing things when we are not in him, we are in reality doing "nothing". The worldly things will be absolutely fruitless.

I want to urge you, as I usually do, to examine yourself. Are you really abiding in HIM? Are you really seeking his counsel in all you do? Are you starting your day in prayer and listening for his direction on a moment by moment basis? You see, a vibrant, fruit laden branch isn't attached to the vine once in a while but constantly, 24/7. Stay close to Jesus. Don't wander too far because in the spiritual sense you are like the four year old in the grocery store. You need your parent. You aren't as wise as you think you are and the temptation of the toy section is very strong. If we stay close we will not fear when the drought comes, fall when temptation comes, or fail when we are asked to produce fruit for his kingdom.

Peace,

David

Do You Feel Weak? You're Not Alone

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 23:02:00 -0500

Have you ever felt weak? Maybe physically weak because of fatigue or illness, maybe mentally weak from the burdens of school or work, maybe emotionally weak after the loss of a close relationship or the death of a loved one, or maybe a little of each? It never feels good to be weak. We, as a society, look down on weakness. We glorify the strong. The covers of our magazines show well built physiques. The world loves a strong leader, a powerful voice, or a bigger than life athlete. We buy vitamins, hormones, and memberships to health clubs. We listen to motivational speakers and hide our weaknesses to maintain an illusion of strength. But you, how are YOU inside? Maybe I'm all alone in this, but I for one am WEAK!!! I have strong moments but every time I climb some spiritual or physical peak I slide down the other side and realize that in my flesh, I am weak. If this resonates with you read on. If not you might want to search one of my earlier posts on pride.

In Mathew 26 Jesus left his disciples in the garden at Gethsemane to go off and pray alone. He took Peter, James, and John a little farther along the path and asked them to stay and keep watch as he went ahead to pray. When he returned he found them sleeping. Jesus said to them, "Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Twice more Jesus went off to pray and both times he found the disciples asleep on his return. I find it interesting that Jesus shows their physical weakness by their inability to stay awake for even one hour but then talks about temptation. Jesus shows us our physical and our spiritual weakness. He makes a distinction between their flesh and their spirits. Peter, "The Rock", once again reveals that he, like us, was weak. Phew! We are in good company.

Paul in Romans chapter 7 admitted his weakness and struggle as the inner war between good and evil, sin and obedience raged in his heart. He came to the Corinthians in "weakness with great fear and trembling." In the eleventh chapter of Corinthians he says, "Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."

Here is the beauty of the Bible, the awesome irony of God's sovereign plan:

God chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27) He chose a murder with a stuttering problem to lead the Jews out of Egypt, a donkey to speak truth to a disobedient prophet, and a persecutor of the church to be one of it's greatest evangelists. He loves the weak. Why? I think one of the biggest reasons is that God is the only one who is really strong and when he reveals himself through men (or women) he leaves no doubt that the strength is from HIM and not from man. "so that no one can boast." If we are honest with ourselves we would all admit that we are weak. The Bible is clear that God lifts up the humble and the meek but opposes the prideful, boastful, and arrogant.

I want to encourage you today to admit your weakness. Understand that in your flesh you will find weakness to temptation, weakness to fear, weakness to depression, weakness in your body, and weakness in your spirit. But God had done something supernatural for you if you are his child by faith. He has given you his Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God dwells in you. Romans 8:26 says, "the Spirit helps us in our weakness." We are reminded that we can do all things "through Him who give us strength." Paul urges us to live by the Spirit and not the flesh but he acknowledges that it's not always easy and is indeed an ongoing battle.

Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit, what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other . . " We are instructed to "Keep in step with the Spirit." As we do we begin to see the power of HIM through our weakness. These words from Paul bring it all together, "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then, I am strong."

Be blessed knowing that as you walk in the Spirit (by repentance, prayer and obedience) you'll begin to see the fruits of the Spirit blossom in you: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. It likely won't be a straight climb but a slow, hard climb with peaks and valleys but keep walking!

I hope this spoke to someone today because I know this season of celebration is also a time for many of great pain, anxiety, fear, and weakness. But now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory.

Amen,

David

Christians - Are We Walking The Walk Or are We Like The Amazing Fat Melting Jiggling Machine?

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 22:40:00 -0500

The commercials were convincing. The evidence overwhelming; pictures before and the after. It was astounding! Potbellies magically transformed into rippled, six-pack abs that, until now, could only be sculpted with months or years of crunches, sit-ups, and leg lifts. But now it was possible without the work, without the pain, even possible while watching your favorite soap-opera. What was this magic? The "Fat Melting Jiggle Machine."

My mother, God bless her soul, called Sears and Roebuck to place her order and two weeks later we all lined up for a try. Mom was first. She put the belt around her waist and flipped the switch. I'm not sure what made us jiggle more, the machine or gut laughing to the point of tears as we watched the show. Now my mother was thin to begin with so it wasn't a fair test but suffice it to say, the machine didn't live up to it's maker's claims. No weight loss, just a lot of jiggling fat and laughing kids. The correlation is this: you can talk all you want, make great claims. and even try to sell to the masses but if it doesn't work, if it doesn't live up to the hype, if it's all show and no go then its a lie. We as Christians often are a lot like that. This is not a condemnation but more of a wake-up call or at least a nudge towards self-examination.

It seems that the "Holiday" season always reminds me of how far we as Christians have come from delivering the real goods to those around us. I watch with a broken heart, the commercials on TV with cars, laptops, and video games wrapped with big, red bows. The sitcoms have their holiday specials and our mailbox is filled with various Christmas and Holiday cards. We go to parties and eat too much cake and maybe drink too much punch. In all of it is Jesus lifted up? Is God really glorified? The answer may be yes but for many it probably isn't. I wonder what God thinks as we go about our festivities from Black Friday through New Years. I wonder what he thinks as his children go into the word but look no different from it. I know what you're thinking, "What a Scrooge!!" Those who know me might even say, "What a hypocrite." And in many ways they may be right. I struggle with sin and failure like the rest. I enjoy giving good gifts and gathering with people I love. I enjoy meeting new people. What convicts my spirit is how little Jesus is talked about and how little God is worshipped in this time when we are suppose to be celebrating one very amazing moment in time. The incarnation of God. The moment when God came to earth dressed in "swaddling clothes" lying in a manger.

What does this have to do with a fat melting jiggle machine? Well, what we say we are has a lot more to do with the actual fruit than it does with our lip service or our church affiliation. What we advertise ourselves to be and what we are may be two different things. Now I realize that we all have areas in our lives that we struggle with but this is about who we are when we interact with the world. If a nonbeliever encountered us at an office Christmas party or in a line at Macy's would he or she notice something different about us? Would Jesus show through. We can say we are Christians, go to church every Sunday and Wednesday night, and pray when acceptable but what really matters is what we do. God has been showing me this about myself in my place of work. Am I revealing Christ to those around me? Do I walk the walk? Or am I just a silly jiggling machine? Sadly, sometimes I'm the latter.

Here's a question to ponder. If Jesus walked into your office, your home, your party what would you do? How would you respond? Would you be excited because the party was all about him anyway? Excited because the tree and decorations were all for him and to celebrate him? Or would you dive to hide something you didn't want him to see? When we're in a place where people need to know Christ, places where lost people need life, where broken people need to be healed, where blind people need sight, and hungry people need to be fed, what do we do? Well, for most of us, me included at times, we just partake in the same conversations, the same jokes, the same activities and God gets set aside like last years Christmas tie.

Before you get upset with me and click off this page please ask yourself two questions:

1) Do I know Jesus? If you don't I want to tell you that Christmas is the celebration of God loving YOU. I mean REALLY loving YOU, so much so that he sent his one and only Son into the world to die for you. To pay the punishment that you and I deserve and to provide eternal life. The Bible says that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. If you're feeling God's Spirit drawing you to him and away from sin then it's time. Jesus said "come to me all you who are weary and heavy ladened and I will give you rest." Confess your sins to him and believe.

If the answer to the first question was "Yes" then move onto #2

2) Does my life, do my actions, and do my words lead people closer to God?

I love Christmas. I love the celebration. I want to see lost people saved and this time of year is a wonderful opportunity to partake in God's plan to seek and save the lost. Be careful if you claim Christ. It's no small responsibility. Be the real deal. Be different. Be light. Be holy. Be love.

Peace, David

Pride? Me? Nah: The Danger of a Prideful Heart

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 7 Dec 2013 10:32:00 -0500

I've seen it many times with a front row seat at the base of a big oak tree, a gobbler (a male, wild turkey) making his way to a hen. He starts out cautiously at first, feathers down, not looking all that different from his potential mate, but once his eyes make contact with her it happens. He gets puffed up, tail feathers spread out in a beautiful fan, and he begins to strut. Back and forth he struts in a display meant to impress. What's he saying? "Look at me! Aren't I something awesome? See how big and handsome I am? I'm bigger than the gobbler over there so focus your attention on ME." But you know the reality of it? It's just air, the same skinny turkey with a whole lot of fluff. In this situation it's natural and it's part of reproduction but it's a great analogy for the sin of all sins - human pride.

I took a little time today to do a word search in the Bible for pride, proud, haughty, and arrogant. It was astounding! It was incredibly humbling. It was a word for me and it is a word for you. I could just list off the scripture verses that describe God's view of and his reaction to pride but it would take a small book to do that. When you're finished with this post you might want to go to Biblegateway Keyword Search and type in "pride". You'll be humbled too. But for now I want to give you a little taste of what you'll find.

When most of us think of sin (if we think of sin at all) we think of murder, lust, adultery, lying, or stealing. But I believe that one sin is at the root of all of them and one sin God hates above all else - PRIDE. Why is that? Because pride is our way of attempting to make ourselves like a god. We attempt to put ourselves on a throne, But guess what? It's just a bunch of hot air. We like the gobbler are not really that big or impressive. Actually, we're really quite broken and weak. But before you say "Me? I'm actually quite humble." be careful because pride can often be a subtle but equally dangerous sin.

Let me give you a couple verses that demonstrate, with no ambiguity, how God feels about pride:

Psalm 101:5

"Whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate."

Proverbs 16:5

"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this, they will not go unpunished."

So what's the big deal? Pride? Really? It can't be as bad as the other sins. But it is. It leads to a false sense that we don't really need God. Even if we are believers we can begin to feel like we are something special either because we're part of the "saved" group or because we're doing great things for God. What happens when we start to get puffed up like God predicted Israel would do?

Deuteronomy 8:13-15

"When your herds and your flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."

Pride gone unchecked will lead to separation from God and ultimately a crash and burn. Hear this verse about King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:16:

"But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride lead to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God . . . "

Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Sure pride can be overt. We've all seen or know someone who talks big, walks big, and thinks they are "God's gift to mankind". Hollywood is full of them but I know God is just as concerned with his children, believers in His Son, believers who harbor little tentacles of pride that can undermine the working of the Holy Spirit through them. God was concerned that the Apostle Paul would become prideful because of the position he had been given and because of the great revelations God had shown him. Apparently Paul was unable to self contain his pride so God gave him a "thorn in the flesh"

2 Corinthians 12:7

"Therefore, in order to keep me from being conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me."

WOW! God let Satan "torment" Paul to prevent him from becoming prideful. He must really hate pride!

Before we close let's do a little self-examination for pride in our lives. See if any of these thoughts or actions creep up in your life:

1) When someone talks about their kid, maybe a sporting accomplishment or school grade, does you mind immediately turn to your kid and how they compare. Do you feel 100% excited for them or do you lose a little of it in competitiveness? That's pride.

2) When you serve in church or in some ministry and someone talks about their service to God do your thoughts and maybe even your words turn to your accomplishments and your godliness? Be truthful. We are competitive, even when it comes to serving God. It's pride.

3) When you go to the gym, run a few miles, decide which shirt will make you look the best or when you take that one extra look in the mirror in the morning, what is you motive? Is it just to keep your God given body healthy or is it to impress man (or woman)

Be brutally honest with yourself. It's OK. You're not alone. We ALL harbor pride in our hearts. The key is to be honest, identify it, acknowledge it before God and pray for humility. Remember that Jesus, the only son of the Most High God, through whom all things were made, came from heaven and was born in a dirty manger. On his knees he washed the feet of his disciples. On the cross he was nailed and died. He who had no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. That is humble. That is beautiful.

I'll leave you with this:

Psalm 149:4

"For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory."

If you want to wear a crown given by God himself seek humility. As in all my blogs, this message was first to me and to my prideful heart. I pray it touches yours.

Peace,

David

Drop Your Stone and Pray - The Right Response to Sin

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 1 Dec 2013 15:43:00 -0500

I recently read of a local pastor who had been accused of a sinful and shameful act. This man was a leader, a teacher, a councilor, and a theologian lead astray by sexual temptation. I can hear the murmurs of unbelievers who caught wind of the story, mocking the man, mocking Christianity, and generally using the account as an argument against God. Not surprising because the unbeliever often looks for a slip of the tongue, an inconsistency in moral conduct, or hypocrisy to say, "Look, he's no different than anyone else; maybe even worse!"

Maybe you know this story or one like it. Maybe you had feelings of disgust, anger, sadness, bitterness, or judgement. What should the believer's response be to the sin of a fellow believer, even when the sin is particularly offensive or egregious? Not to be cliche-ish, but WWJD? (For those not from this planet - What Would Jesus Do?)

Now let me first say that there are earthy consequences for breaking the law and for sin in general but this is not about what happens in the court of law but what happens in the human heart. What is the internal dialogue that goes on in your head when you hear a story of someone else's fall? What is the external dialogue that happens as you discuss the story with your friends and family? What is whispered from ear to ear down the length of the church pew and at the church's Wednesday evening potluck? "Can you believe . . .?" "He seemed like such a nice man."

So, did you pick up your stone yet?

There was a woman "caught in adultery" who was brought to Jesus by the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. They "made her stand before the group." I assume "caught in adultery" means that someone walked in on the act which, I imagine, was quite embarrassing but then making her stand before the group was humiliating. Deserved? Maybe yes, maybe no but how did Jesus respond when the Pharisees asked him if she should be stoned, as required by Old Testament Law? With his finger writing in the dust of the ground, Jesus said, "Let anyone of you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her." One by one the stones fell to the ground as they walked away.

If you have a stone in your hand, you might want to loosen the grip just a little.

In Luke chapter 6 Jesus said, "Do not judge and you will not be judged." Then, in chapter 7, he followed with "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged."

Loosening the grip a little more?

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his followers, "You have heard that is was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." and "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Feel the stone starting to slip from your hand?

The Apostle Paul will pry the last two fingers from your stone with these words: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." Herod Antipas (who beheaded John the Baptist), Cain (who killed his brother Abel), Jezebel (who sacrificed babies to the idol Baal and murdered many prophets), yet Paul says twice that he was the WORST OF SINNERS! Thud! Your stone should be on the ground.

Now within Christian leadership there is accountability and consequences for overt sin and rebellion which the elders will hopefully handle biblically with love and grace through prayer both to protect the flock as well as to bring the straying back in line through repentance. Jesus was clear that leaders and teachers would be held to a higher standard and Paul taught us that God "chastens those he loves." But, this post is not about consequences as much as is is about the hearts of fellow believers toward the sinner. Hearts of judgment, bitterness, hatred, or disgust versus hearts of grace, compassion, combined with prayers for repentance, healing, and restoration. God says his "grace is sufficient" for us, for little sins and for big ones. I pray for this man, for his family, for his church, for his school, for those he offended, and for you and me (that we would remember without the Cross of Christ we too would be condemned).

Peace,

David

Don't Fight the Wrong War

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:22:00 -0500

Do you remember the dramatic scene? Jesus leading thousands of his passionate followers through the streets of Jerusalem carrying signs of protest. "End Roman Rule Now!" "No More Taxes to Caesar!" As they made their way through the city, they knocked on every door and handed those, who's doors were opened to them, fliers that read, "Jesus for Governor". Of course, if they could install a charismatic Jew into leadership then the world would be as it should be. Right?

After the demoralizing crucifixion of Jesus, the Apostles were given the task of convincing the Romans, the Greeks, the Samaritans, and the Jews that they were immoral and needed to stop their sinful ways. It was a moral crusade! If only they could just make society better one person at a time. So, they started campaigns to stop prostitution, end capital punishment, and to make illegal the selling and consumption of wine. They stood side by side with the leaders of the Roman Pagans, the Jews who denied Jesus, and the worshippers of Mithras the sun-god because their common desire for goodness was greater than any religious differences that might separate them. Arm and arm they walked carrying out demostrations in front of brothels, cross making plants, and vineyards.

Alright, so I made all that up. But it's not so far from Western Christianity in 2013. Why do I care? Why should you care? Because Jesus did not, at any time, wage war against the government that oppressed them. Nor did he try to crusade for moral change in a culture that denied him. He did not attempt to better society by fighting social injustice along side those of other faiths. His message was clear. "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy ladened and I will give you rest". "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If he had a message of condemnation it was for hypocritical religious leaders who were "white washed tombs, full of dead mens bones." But to the rest he was interestingly silent.

Likewise, Jesus' followers didn't go town to town speaking against the immoral practices of society at large or walk arm and arm with other religious leaders in seeking better social conditions. Jesus and his followers gave their lives in one pursuit, the spreading of the Gospel. They knew that anything short of salvation by faith in Jesus through his atoning death on the cross was only a bandaid on a fatal wound. They were fighting the right war, the war against the wages of sin and death, not death of the body but death of the soul, eternal separation from God. Jesus clearly taught us to love, to care for widows and orphans, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to mourn with those who mourn but those things never were in leu of the message of life and grace through HIM.

Jesus left all other wars to the worldly. He knew God the Father was sovereign in the affairs of man. God raised up kings and brought them down. God led the Jews into captivity and led them out again. No matter who is in office or what party is the majority, God is on the throne! No physical or social battle would change the world. We should know that by now. Immorality, war, and chaos continue today as they did in the Book of Genesis. Jesus knew that what they needed was not more religion, better morals, or a new government. They needed HIM. We need HIM.

I also find myself getting caught up in the polarized, political debates of the times. I have a bent toward one side of the isle but I forget that as we move toward the return of Christ, the world will not become a better, more holy, or more Godly place. In fact the Bible tells us the opposite will occur. Why? Sin. We don't have a political problem, a drug problem, an abortion problem, a God left out of the pledge problem, or a sexual orientation problem. We have a SIN problem. And the problem will not go away with ballot proposals, new legislation, interfaith coalitions, or by wearing purple bracelets. The only answer to the problem of sin and death is JESUS. Thats why Paul said,

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Here's the deal. Jesus was born, was crucified, and was raised to save sinners. Our war, as his disciples, is the same one: to save sinners, of whom Paul said he was the worst (I think I could give him a run for his money). Along the way we will meet those who need our love and support in many ways (food, clothes, shelter, comfort, and grace) and it is the working out of our faith to provide all of that and more but it is not our mission to fight as the world fights. I promise that it will be a loosing battle. Please know that this doesn't mean ceasing to love and help those in need but don't get distracted by politics. I know this next statement will bring backlash but it is a weapon of the enemy to join Christians with those who deny the Lordship of Christ in the pursuit of social justice. Why? Because if we place a higher value on ending discrimination, poverty, and education than we do on salvation, Satan will have won a battle for souls. The end to the war, however, will be when Jesus returns on a white horse as Lord of Lords. Until then leave the worldly wars to the worldly.

In Him, David

Only Jesus

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 09:47:00 -0500

I was in the truck yesterday scanning the radio for a football game when I stopped to listen to a religious program that caught my attention. As I listened I heard mentioned a number of times the name of the religion and the spotlight was on a particular New Testament Bible figure (not Jesus). I listened for quite a while but there was no talk of Jesus nor the gospel so I moved on. Later in the evening I was again scanning the stations and like before landed on this same station which was again was talking about the same Bible character and that particular person's holiness.

I tried to listen for a while but was grieved in my spirit. I though for a few minutes then prayed about this. I asked God to give me insight because as I have read the scriptures the focus never seemed to be on anyone but Jesus (even the Old Testament pointed to him). All others who were lifted up, worshipped, or revered tore their garments and got low. I mean they knew their utter weakness and need for Christ. Paul said he was the least of the Apostles and called himself "wretched". When John fell at the feet of the angel who appeared to him the angel exclaimed, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!" Isaiah, when given the chance to be in God's presence, admitted his unholiness, "'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips."

I woke up early this morning, forgetting about the radio program, I asked the Lord to give me something to say today. I admitted to him that if I said anything from my own power it would be useless or worse, it might be dangerous. I opened to the Book of Ephesians and began to read. It hit me like a Mike Tyson right hook. "Jesus Christ", "Christ", "God's Son", "in him", "through him", "Through Jesus Christ our Lord", "by the blood of Christ", "through his blood", "through the cross". It was all about Jesus. It wasn't about Paul or Peter or Moses or Mary. From Genesis to Revelation it was about God's plan of salvation through his Only Son - Jesus - the Christ.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians was not like his other letters. He wasn't writing to correct one particular error but instead to encourage and build up the church. It was to remind them of the faith for which Paul himself was suffering. It was to point them in the right direction and to focus their eyes on their only hope, Jesus.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves it is a gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:4-10 (emphasis mine)
In this letter Paul reminds us through whom our salvation comes (Jesus), how it was obtained (through the shedding of Christ's blood), how we receive it (by faith), and for what purposes are we saved (so that we might be blessed by God with the incomparable riches of his grace and that we might do good works).

Jesus was mentioned directly 50 times in the six short chapters and that doesn't include the indirect references (e.g. "him"). We are reminded that our lives, our holiness, and our access to the Father are "through him", "in him", "in Christ", or "through Christ" thirty times. It was and is all about Jesus. When we begin to focus on other people or put our hope in religion we, like Peter who took his eyes off of Jesus, will find ourselves sinking in the waves around us.

I urge you to find twenty minutes this week to read Ephesians. Go slowly. Let each verse sink in. God says that his Word never returns void but accomplishes the purpose for which he sends it. I promise you will be changed.

Love you guys,

David

The God on the Shelf - Who is God to You?

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:33:00 -0500

Who is God to you? Really. I mean on any given day at any particular moment who is God to you. Now the reality is that God is who God is regardless of what you think of him but who he is to you determines how you live and how you die. You might initially give me a laundry list of the usual Christian responses:

"He is my heavenly Father."
"He is my friend."
"He is my guide."
"He is my Lord."

I'd like to give you a picture of what I believe most of us have done with God and maybe what you're doing right now. Be careful not to put up your shield of defense right away. Instead meditate on this and let it do its work in you. I think we all can see a little of ourselves in this.

God is often a god on the shelf; a definable, compartmentalized, usable god. We put him on three different shelves depending on where we need him.

First, is what I see as the work shelf. It's like a shelf in a workshop, carrying a cordless drill, a belt sander, and a couple hammers. Oh yeah, and a tiny god. He sits on our work shelf silent and lifeless until we have a job for him to do. We go about our days and weeks with little or no acknowledgment of his presence and we rarely if ever look at him in awe of who he is. That is, until we need a little financial help, maybe maybe we're in legal trouble, or in a relationship struggle. It's time to go to the shelf, dust him off and see it he can get the job done. We cry out, "Why God? Why this or that and why me? Help me please!" When the situation passes we place him back on the shelf in case we need him in the future. Off we go,

The second shelf is more like a mantle above the fireplace. It's a place where we keep our trophies and various awards. It's the shelf of religiosity of pride. It's where we place God to show others that we have him. It may look like a weekly trip to church where we really don't meet God or truly worship him. It may look like the donations we can tell our accountant about at tax time. However, like the god of the workshop, this god is also lifeless and doesn't play any real part in the minute by minute reality of our lives.

The last shelf is like a shelf in the medicine cabinet or vanity. Like the mantle place god this is also a god of religion but based less on pride and more on guilt. We look in the mirror and see a blemish a rash or a sore. We are sick or just don't look very good. We open the mirror pull out the little Bandaid god or the makeup god and cover up the blemish. This god doesn't heal the wound or make us younger, it just makes us look better. Then back in the cabinet, on the shelf and the mirror closes.

Before you say, "Not me!!" think carefully about your typical day. How does it start? Does it start in prayer, in worship, in acknowledging Him? How do you make the hundreds of decisions you make every day? Is God . . . GOD . . . in your life? I mean a living, all powerful, all knowing, ever present, eternal, Holy, loving, creator GOD in your life? Because whether we act like it, live like it, or acknowledge it, that's who he is.

God loves you (cordless drills, trophies, and mascara can't love). God can do amazing things in you, through you, and for you. He is El Shaddai "God All Mighty", Elohim "God the Creator". You see a hammer can't create. It can only create if it is carried. God needs no help. He is there to help in times of need but not as a part time god on a shelf. He is Yahweh-rapha "The God who Heals". He heals our insides and outsides, not just covering up the wound but healing it. Jesus died so that we might have life. He made blind eyes to see, deaf ears to hear, lame legs to walk, and brought the dead to life. If God has at times been a shelf god in your life (as he has in mine) ask him to forgive you and walk with him in a new way today.

Peace, David

A Wasted Prescription

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Mon, 4 Nov 2013 09:35:00 -0500

OK, it's been a while, a long while. I was dry for a spell but driving home today I felt compelled to share a lesson God showed me this week. It's a lesson I learned as I watched someone with a serious problem. I know deep down that the lesson is for me and I bet it's for you as well. The story goes like this:

A young man came into my office with a large infection of the right side of his face. It was about half the size of a tennis ball and the skin over it was red. The paperwork on his chart indicated he'd been in the emergency room the night prior and was given a prescription for an antibiotic so I asked, "Did you start the antibiotic last night?" "No. I didn't fill the prescription." the man replied with a look of guilt.

What!! A man was in pain, swollen, and afraid. He drives to the ER looking for help and receives a prescription.

The definition of "prescription"

1) a medicine or remedy that is prescribed

2) a recommendation that is authoritatively put forward

The man leaves that place of help with the prescription in hand then doesn't take the medicine.

Isn't that just like us:

"God help me!!" God gives us his Word, his commandments, his call for repentance, his call to love, his call to forgive, his call to worship, his call to be holy, his call to trust . . . . . Jesus. Then after we receive the prescription in hand we look at it, set it down somewhere and go about our lives sick, broken, scared, and possibly eternally dead. We are that man!

In 2 Kings chapter 5 we read of Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, Naaman was a "valiant soldier" but he had one problem. He had leprosy. There was a servant girl taken captive from Israel who served Naaman's wife. This young girl urged Naaman's wife to send him to Samaria to see a prophet she believed could heal him. Naaman, with his king's blessing, a note from the king to the king of Israel, and a boat load of gold and silver went off to find his cure. Naaman shows up at the door of Elisha but when he knocks he only gets to see Elisha's messenger who delivers this message (the prescription):

"Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."

So what did Naaman do? Well, I would hope after this long trip and with this great desire to be healed he would RUN to the Jordan and do as the man said. But, instead he went away angry saying,

"I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, waive his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better that all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in then and be cleansed?"

He didn't like the cure. The water was too muddy. The prophet didn't meet him at the door. He actually had to DO something not just stand there and receive the cure. Dip SEVEN times!! Why not once? Thankfully, at the urging of his servants, Naaman lowered his pride, walked down to the muddy Jordan and dunked himself in seven times. Out he came after number seven, his skin "clean like that of a young boy."

Today, if you are in a place where you know you need God's help (that should be everyone who is reading this), take the prescription God has given you and receive healing. "What is that prescription?" you ask.

Well it might be a number of things but I know the first one is the same one given to the jailer who asked "What must I do to be saved?":

Rx - Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

After that, God may give you any number of different prescriptions for your predicament.

"Be holy because I am holy" 1 Peter 1:16

"But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." Hosea 12:6

Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

Whatever prescription the Lord puts in your hand, please don't wad it up and set it aside. Get it filled and take it as prescribed. Sometimes it tastes bad going down and it may be very expensive but it will ALWAYS accomplish the cure that the Lord desires to bring to you.

Peace in Christ, David

Gaze into God's Mirror

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:47:00 -0500

It was 6:45 am and my eyes weren't quite awake yet. Getting ready to shave, I gazed in the mirror and realized that my scalp was much more noticeable than my hair. Maybe it was my sleepy eyes. So, I closed my eyes, rubbed them and reopened them hoping that it was just an optical illusion. Nope, it was true. I was loosing my hair. The mirror doesn't lie. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. But what does this have to do with faith?

Mirrors. They reveal what we look like on the outside. Important? Not really but we all care, at least a little, about our outward appearance. God, on the other hand, cares about what we look like on the inside. Jesus was chastising the Pharisees when he called them "whitewashed tombs" beautiful on the outside but on the inside were full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. We can look at the Pharisees and say, "Yeah! You guys are hypocrites!" But, we better be careful not to throw stones in glass houses.

First I'd like to remind us that our spiritual mirror isn't made of glass but God's Word. All of the make-up, hairspray, neatly pressed shirts, plastic surgery, and hours in the gym can't hide our true selves. God sees right through them. He knows us. Comforting and convicting at the same time. When we look into God's Word what do we see about ourselves? Do we look like Jesus or do we look like the World? I venture to say that most of us look a lot more like the World than like Jesus.

So, we run to the spiritual cosmetic shop and do a little cover up; couple nice things here, a church service there, tune into the local Christian station, and say "Amen!" when someone says something we agree with. Bad things? Heck no but maybe only window dressing. Trust me. I've deck myself out with Christian garments only to look into the mirror of God's Word to see a little Pharisee. So, if you're like me you might want to gaze for a second in the light of the Word and see what God sees. Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount is a good place to start:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." Matthew 5:21-22

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:43-45

Wow, that's some tough teaching. Do we honestly live lives devoted to God or do we live like the world, doing religious things on Sunday and Wednesday evenings? Do we read the same novels, watch the same vile TV shows, and listen to the same music? Do we get a little buzzed on the weekends with our friends and laugh at the same off-color jokes? Do we speak the name of Jesus to anyone outside of the Church building? Do we praise God on Sunday and curse those made in his image on Monday? If we look in the spiritual mirror, do we look a little like I did that awful morning in the glass mirror - lacking something?

I pray that you look closely at yourself today reevaluate your spiritual reflection. We all need to do that time and again so that we don't get to content with were we are in our walk with Christ.

Peace in Jesus,

David

Sin - Like Weeds Need to be Plucked out Root and All

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:46:00 -0400

I spoke with a good friend today who told me that he was getting ready to mow his law when he spotted a weed. He thought he should pluck it out instead of just mowing over the top because the later would allow it to grow back. When he bent down to grab the weed he noticed there wasn't just one but many other weeds amidst the blades of grass. We immediately saw the hand of God in the one square foot plot of dirt.

Sin is like that weed. It is insidious, deep rooted, destructive, and often well hidden. We, like the lazy grounds keeper, either ignore the weeds of sin or we just trim off the top. We allow a few weedy sins because our lawns looks better than the neighbor's lawn. But beware friend because we only fool ourselves. That little weed will grow and spread and destroy the beautiful lives that God has planned for us. Not only ours but the lives of those close to us! Have you ever driven by and seen a lawn full of dandelions and the nice lawn next door with a few dandelions growing along the common edge? Sin is contagious.

When God sent Israel into lands inhabited by idolaters He had them leave no one alive. Brutal? Cruel? Inhumane? Maybe in the worldly sense but God knew that one weed would destroy the whole lot. One cell of yeast would infiltrate the whole bowl of dough.

Examine your life. Look for weeds. Get on your spiritual knees, pull out the magnifying glass, and look really closely for the little weeds. When you find one don't just cut off the top. "Oh, I'll just look at the Swimsuit Edition and throw out the hardcore stuff." NO! Pluck it out root and all! Not just that. Put the carcass in the fire.

Before you get the cart before the horse remember that it's the Holy Spirit in believers that gives them power over temptation and sin. It's not brute force or will power. If you don't know Christ call on his name. As a matter of fact, if you know Christ, call on his name. We can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength! Visit our main site @ www.i61project.org

Peace in Him, David

The Wonder of Adoption

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:55:00 -0400

"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)

Adoption is a wonderful thing! A child who was once without a family and without hope suddenly has both. Contrary to popular belief we are not all God's children at birth. We are indeed God's creation, fearfully and wonderfully made. We are known and loved by him before one cell came together in our mother's womb. But, we are separated from God and without the rights and privileges of members of his family. Adoption can take a number of years and cost thousands of dollars but becoming a child of God takes only faith. If you are walking outside of God's family it's time to come home. Jesus paid the price so believe in his name and receive him today.

For the full Blog Post, Click on the link below.

Heirs to the Promise - The Wonder of Adoption

If you have been adopted into the family of God praise him today! If you are alone and separated from Him by sin then pray like this:

Lord, I know I'm lost and in need of forgiveness. I want to be accepted and brought into your family. I trust that Jesus died in my place and rose from the dead so that my relationship with you don't end in the grave. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice. In your name I pray, Amen.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:17:00 -0400

My son's baseball coach use to yell out during the games, "Boys, what's the most important thing in baseball?" The kids would yell back, "Keep your eyes on the ball!" In baseball, archery, and in life you need to keep your eyes on the target. As Peter walked on the water he briefly took his eyes off of Jesus and nearly sank to the bottom of the Sea of Galilee.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28-30)

Peter "saw the wind, and was afraid." So today remember that whatever the circumstance, keep your eyes on Jesus, and he will keep your head above water.

Prayer: Father help me today to look not at the wind or the waves of life but instead to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and his faithfulness. In Jesus' name, amen.

For the full Blog Post click on the link:

Keep Your Eyes on the Ball

The Good, The Bad, and The Perfect

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:11:00 -0400

I live in the country and our front yard covers about three acres of open field, mostly tall grasses, milkweed, and goldenrod. One gorgeous summer day about five years ago my (then) six year old son Collin and I had a great idea. "Let's mow down a big area of the front yard and turn it into a soccer field." We grabbed the mower, set the blade way up high and off we went. One big rectangle down, I began to mow back and forth the length of the field with Collin right behind me. He was having a ball, running, jumping, and laughing at the top of his lungs. He was laughing so loudly that I could hear him over the sound of the engine. Then the thought hit me, "That doesn't sound like laughter at all but screams!" I turned to see him surrounded by hornets. They were everywhere and I could see them on his face and his arms as he screamed and flailed his arms wildly. His terrified eyes met mine and and in an instant I ran into the swarm, scooped him into my arms, and ran. I was brushing hornets off of him as I ran and I kept telling him that he would be OK. He got stung. I got stung. We both survived. Collin and I both learned some things that day. Aside from the nastiness of angry hornets, we both had a real sense of the love a father has for his son and what we are willing to do for them.

The immediate connection between this real life drama and God's love for mankind may be readily apparent but I want to stretch you a bit. I want to start with the less obvious and what will likely not feel so comfortable then I'll finish with the part that will bring you a bit more peace.

Let me ask you a question? If you knew that there was a hive of very dangerous hornets in the middle of your proposed soccer field would you drive your lawn mower over them, your little child it tow? Unless you are deeply disturbed, the answer will probably be, "No!" Well, I'm not all knowing and I'm trapped in the confines of linear time and I don't know the beginning from the end. I had no way of knowing the danger I was getting us into. If I did, I wouldn't have done it. I would have protected my child (and myself) from pain. Here is the difficult part. God knew the hornets were there. He knew my plans and he saw the consequences before they happened. Yet, he didn't step in and prevent it. Is it that he was unaware? The Bible says God is sovereign over his creation and he reminds us concerning a sparrow that "not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father." Jesus knew Peter would deny him before hand. Is it that he is unable? A God who is unable to no god at all. The Bible says that he controls the winds, the waves, the creatures of the sea, and can move mountains. I think a little hive of hornets is well within his control.

Do I know why God allowed this to happen? Nope. But I do know that love was made evident through it. Courage and altruism was made known. My son and I grew closer in one minute than we could have in a year. This also reveals a God who's ways are beyond ours and one who's character has aspects of love and also of wrath. I'm not saying I was being punished or that my son was but I'm also not certain that I wasn't. I know I deserve it at times. Collin (God bless his soul) is no angel either.

Lastly I want to tie in the beauty of this scene to the truth of Christ. In the moment we were getting ourselves into trouble and were surrounded by the threat of death (physical and spiritual) Jesus Christ stepped into the swarm and swept up his children, taking the pain and suffering on our behalf. His love was that great. Jesus gave his life for us. But here is a mind stretcher.... The Bible says it was the Lord's will to crush him. God willingly allowed his son to die. Evil? No amazingly loving. But hard to fathom. The Bible is full of things that are easy and things that are hard to hear. Let's not shy away from either but soak all of it up knowing that all things together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

As I have seen God's character being put forth either as one who is standing above us wanting to crush us for our mistakes or, conversely as a God who is all love and wants us just to be happy and comfortable, I am urging you to see God as one who's love is beyond our comprehension but who's holiness and justice is equally perfect. Read the Word, seek his face, and Jesus said the truth will set you free.

Peace,

David

A Dead Brother, a Sad Dad, and a Betrayed Savior. Pride and Greed Trump Relationship.

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:22:00 -0500

Today my heart is heavy and I am personally reminded again of the brokenness of the human heart. I am sadly experiencing first hand how sin has clouded our vision and leads us to harm our brothers, our friends, our neighbors. It started in the Garden of Eden when Cain took the life of his brother because he was jealous. We haven't changed much but then again if we had, I guess Jesus would've been able to stay home.

This post is going to ruffle some feathers but I'm going to let the chips fall where they may and leave you to examine my words in light of God's Word and then examine your own hearts. I promise to do the same.

We live in a society that is increasingly feeling "entitled." We think we deserve this and we deserve that. It doesn't really matter where the "this" and "that" come from as long as we get it and regardless of who gets hurt. Even our own Declaration of Independence tells us that we deserve "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Watch the news, read the paper, and if you have a lot of spare time on your hands read the budget of the United States. I won't go into all of the specific "entitlements" but each one necessitates the receiver receiving and some anonymous person or persons giving (either willingly or unwillingly). Here is a good example from God's Word:

In Luke Chapter 15 Jesus tells a parable of a young man who asked his father for his share of the inheritance. What he was saying was "Dad, I kind of wish you were dead now so I could have the money I'm entitled to but since you aren't dead yet, may I have it now?" WOW! How painful for the dad who gave so much of himself over so many years and when it came right down to it money trumped relationship.

Do you know what the bible tells us we're entitled to? Nothing. No, I take that back. The bible does say we deserve something - death. How unconstitutional. How revolting. How true. The bible says that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. That is the very reason Jesus did leave home and come to die. God doesn't owe us a thing. But because of his love he chooses to love us.

Oh yeah, another story just popped into my head. There was this man named Judas who Jesus chose to be one of his closest followers. Jesus had come from the perfection and majesty of the throne room of heaven to live, suffer, and die for mankind. While he was alive he loved Judas and broke bread with him but Judas felt he could do a little better that just the beauty of the relationship. "How much better?" you ask. Thirty pieces of silver better. I'm sure Judas hugged Jesus, told him he loved him, and acted like he cared but when the opportunity came for a little cash, Judas cashed in their relationship. He kissed Jesus on the cheek about ten seconds before he betrayed him. He sacrificed the love of Jesus for a little cash and when he finally looked upon his measly gain he was repulsed at what he saw in the proverbial mirror. He then took his own life. Sad. He had love and eternal life and tossed it away for a few coins.

So how are we supposed to live? I guess the answer is that we need to live a life that brings glory to God with what we have and trust in him for our provision. We should remember that relationships are an amazing gift and money, sex, material things will come and go. Make your choices carefully. There are a couple lives that shine and I want you to have the ability to see them first hand. They would appear to have been short changed and unable to function effectively for God or even for there own sustenance but with God all things are possible.

Meet Joni Erickson Tada who was paralyzed from the neck down in a swimming accident.

Watch Video of Joni

Meet Nick Vujicic who was born without arms or legs

Watch Video of Nick

Examine your heart and I'll examine mine today. What is most valuable to you? The things of this world or love, specifically God's love but also the love and relationships of brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we speak love with our lips when our actions reveal the coldness of our hearts? Actions speak louder than words. Families divided, friends divided, and a people separated from their Savior. What do I deserve and to what am I entitled? Hmmmm. I thank God that he didn't give me what I deserve but had mercy on me instead.

peace,

David

Worship - It's a Heart Thing

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:52:00 -0500

Worship?

What is worship really? I think we've contorted its meaning in many ways and I am equally guilty at times, so I'd like to address the idea of worship.

1) I think it would be good to start with it's definition.

noun

- the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity

2) I want to focus not on the "feeling" but the "expression" of reverence and adoration for a deity. Not just any deity but the one true God. Feelings come and go but expression is a choice. How do we express our reverence and adoration toward God?

It's interesting that when we speak of worship in the church we often mean the musical portion of the Sunday service. There is worship, communion, the sermon, prayer time, etc.

"Wow, worship was great today. I loved that song by Third Day"

Worship may happen during the "praise" or during the delivery of the message but it's also possible that worship doesn't occur at either time because worship is a thing of the heart.

3) It's also important to see the direction of worship. It's up. From us to HIM. It's not about how a song made us feel, which instruments were played, or even exclusively about music at all. It's about pouring out our love, appreciation, adoration, and hearts to God.

Let me give an example:

Imagine that your spouse, or child, best friend, or parent has been shipped overseas and you haven't seen or heard from them in 3 years. Out of the blue a call comes in telling you to head to the airport because there is a surprise waiting. When you get to the airport you walk to the baggage claim. Off in the distance an unmistakable smile reaches your eyes. Your heart pounds and when the person is within your reach you run and wrap your arms around them. You cry tears of joy and squeeze them, not wanting to let go ever again. You pour out words of love.

"I love you so much! I missed you! Please don't leave again. You have no idea how much you mean to me!"

You lavish them with your love. Now worship is that on steroids.

4) You might ask, "How can it be more than that?" The answer is in the recognition of position, that God is high and lifted up. He is holy and awesome. With your friend or relative the position is theoretically equal. But worship acknowledges that it is not equal with God. He is God and we are not. He does indeed love us but he will not bow down to us.

5) Worship is also about posture, not our physical posture (although it can certainly lead us to fall prostrate before him or to our knees in prayer). It is more of a reflection of our heart's posture. It comes out of a humble heart. It's impossible to be prideful and boastful before God and truly worship.

Worship is what we do at work, in our kitchens as we prepare to feed our families, in our heads as we fall asleep, in our church gathering as we sing songs of praise. I know as a member of a praise band that if someone is out of tune, if there is nasty feedback, or if someone forgets which key we are in it can be annoying and distracting but it does not affect true worship. Satan may try really hard to get our attention and attempt to turn our focus from God to ourselves. Let's not let him. I have a friend who loves the Lord. His voice is mediocre at best from a worldly standpoint but when he pours out his admiration to God in song or praise I know God smiles. By the way, I usually don't get a microphone during worship but I know God smiles when he hears my voice even if I am flat, sharp, or two beats behind.

As we move into this next week let's remember the definition, the expression, the direction, our position, and our posture before the Lord.

Worship Him friend!!!

Love you all,

David

Humble Pie

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Wed, 5 Jan 2011 22:02:00 -0500

Have you ever had to eat humble pie? Maybe that phrase is foreign to you so let me say it this way:

Have you ever been forced to apologize abjectly or admit you faults in humiliating circumstances?

The old saying is derived from an actual pie that was called "numble" or "umble" pie. It was a pie that was made from the edible entrails of a deer. Sure they were mixed with apples and sugar and spices but as far as I can tell it was still deer gut pie. My guess is that if you wanted your kids to eat a slice there was a fair amount of persuasion or force involved.

So it is often with humility. We are a prideful people and we often display humility as willingly as we put down a slice of "umble pie". Its no wonder the term evolved into "humble pie". But God's word reminds us that if we carry pride it will eventually destroy us. It is much better to willingly be humble of heart than to carry pride and be forced to eat "humble pie."

Proverbs 16:18 puts it this way:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Haughty is defined as: having or showing great pride in oneself and disdain, contempt, or scorn for others; proud

God warns us that a spirit filled with pride is destined to fall. Sometimes it is in this life and worse it may be paid for in the afterlife. I think that pride is the basis for nearly all other sin. It is was says, "I deserve this!", "I can do what I want!", "I am my own boss!", etc. Pride is what keeps us from repentance and from receiving the loving grace of God. "I don't need that! I'm a good person! I'm better than the guy next door."

Psalm 10:4 says, "In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."

Pride keeps us from seeking God and from seeking life though his son Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, Jesus said, "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" and Psalm 149 says, "He crowns the humble with victory."

Take advice from a man who was filled with pride and refused to humble himself before God. Save yourself the pain of a fall and seek God while he may be found. There is such freedom and forgiveness in humbly coming to the cross. Jesus said he came to save sinners. We're all broken and have nothing to be haughty about so look truthfully at yourself, find any speck of pride and ask God to rid you of it. I still fight with pride but the moments of humility that I find are sweet like honey because that is when I most clearly see the hand of God.

Besides, I don't think I want to eat one lousy slice of deer gut pie!

Peace friend,

David

Christmas - The Rest of the Story

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 05:59:00 -0500

A baby in a manger, a small group of wisemen, and a shepherd boy. . . decorated trees, presents, and a large bearded man in a strange red suit. What's it all about? I've heard people say it's about spending time with people you love and about "holiday cheer." I've heard people say it's about hope and love and counting our blessings. OK, I can accept that, kind of.

As our worship team gathered at church last week to discuss our Christmas eve. service I had an unsettled feeling. What if Christmas was just about the baby Jesus. I mean it's an amazing thing, God coming out of heaven in the form of a poor baby. This alone is almost beyond comprehension but what does it mean? I mean how does God being born in the flesh bring us hope? What if that was the end of the story? The wisemen pack up their camels and head back East. The shepherd boy goes back to the hills to tend his sheep. The bright star fades away. Mary and Joseph load up the donkey and take their baby boy back to Nazareth. Life goes on as usual. The first Christmas was a beautiful thing but without the rest of the story it makes little sense. Why was I unsettled? Why? Because I think many people and certainly many Christmas celebrations make no connection between the manger and the cross. As a matter of fact, many Christmas celebrations leave Christ out all together. But that is a different issue, one that I will likely address before Dec. 25th.

How was this this little baby in the manger hope for the world? What was the problem with the world anyway? Famine? Disease? Discrimination? War? Sure, all these things were going on and people were in need of help. But what could a baby do? As the baby grew, he did feed the hungry (5000 at one time with a couple fish and a few loaves of bread), healed the sick (He even brought a few dead people back to life), and brought dignity to the outcast (a prostitute, a tax collector, and a group of lepers) but as far as I can tell we still have the same problems today. Maybe it was just a short term fix. Maybe he was just to be just an example. Was the baby born to show us the right way to live so that we could have a better world? Maybe. I think that was part of it but we must have missed it somehow because we're clearly no better off than we we were 2000 years ago. At least as far as the eyes can see.

There must have been something more. There must be more to the story. If the baby was to really bring hope and peace to the world then there must be something that we're missing. We have to hear the rest of the story. That was it! That was why I was unsettled. I needed to make sure that when we tell the story of the baby in the manger we CAN'T leave out the part about the grown man and the cross. It was why he came (at least a major part of the reason). Without the rest of the story, we could lump Jesus in with the rest of the people who brought us hope (Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and the like).

Here's my point: Jesus (Emanuel "God with us") came to save us from something WAY worse than famine, WAY worse than disease, WAY worse than war. He came to save us from ourselves. He came to save us from the power and the penalty of sin. He did that not as a baby in a manger but as a man on a cross. Three days after he was placed in the grave he rose bodily and was seen by hundreds of people then ascended into heaven. This is the rest of the story which makes that amazing day in Bethlehem so amazing, even more amazing (if that is possible) than God being born in human flesh.

Jesus Christ came to save sinners. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came as a sinless man to become sin for us. He came to give his life as a ransom for many. He came to conquer the grave and to give us the hope of eternal life. That's the rest of the story! When you see Christmas lights, hear carols, buy gifts, and bring cookies to the office party please don't forget the baby Jesus and when you remember him don't forget the rest of the story, Calvary. If you are a follower of the Savior than don't forget to tell others the rest of the story. Someone you know just might need to hear some good news!

Peace in Christ (both the Christ child and the risen Savior)

David

Seeing With Your Spiritual Eyes . . . Seeing Past The Problem

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:42:00 -0500

I had a pretty cool grandfather who lived in Raleigh, NC. I only saw him once a year or so and since he passed away when I was young, I have very few memories of him. But, the one thing I can still see like a well preserved movie clip was him leaning over, showing me his thumb and then with a tug, pulling his thumb in half. I could see right through it like it had been sawed neatly in two. Then, just like that, he pushed the two parts back together, put up his hand, and wiggled his now one-piece thumb. He would smile, wink, then walk away as I sat there with my mouth gapping open. Cool trick but it wasn't long before I figured it out and the illusion lost its power.

Read these words from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

This truth is HUGE! What we see is not all there is! Actually, what we don't see is more real and longer lasting. It's like the silly thumb trick. Sure it looks scary and unfixable but it's not. Paul is telling us (those who have trusted Christ) that we are not to lose heart because even though things may seem impossible or hopeless on the outside, we are growing closer and closer to God and to a time when all the troubles will fade away. He tells us to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen." How in the world do we fix our eyes on something that is unseen?

When I understood that my grandfather's finger wasn't really coming apart, when I just knew in my heart and head the truth, it didn't matter how well he pulled off the trick. I just didn't buy it anymore. I could see right though the illusion even though my eyes still saw the finger separate and come back together. My mind's eye took power over my eyeballs!

When we begin to grab hold of the truth of the Word and the character of God our spiritual eyes begin to see beyond what our eye balls see and what our remaining four senses discern. When we lose our job and our eyes see our financial statements looking dim we trust in the Lord of all provision to carry us, not because our eyes see a solution but because our spirit knows there is one.

Today, our worship leader pulled out this verse in Matthew Chapter 7. In it Jesus told his disciples about the faithfulness of God:

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

I've lived long enough in the grace of God to know that even though I sometimes see a stone or a snake as an answer to my prayer, it can't be true because God doesn't lie. That snake is like the thumb trick. If I am a born again child of God it is certainly a fish. My temporary suffering will ALWAYS work for the good for me, for someone else, and for the Glory of God. Always!

Our job is to begin to consciously make the effort to "FIX OUR EYES" on what is unseen so that we can indeed be "renewed day by day" and attain a FOREVER future that is beyond anything we can hope for or imagine.

Ultimately it's a choice. Where we fix our eyes is up to us. Don't be fooled by Satan's lies and tricks. His tricks are no more truth than my grandfather's thumb trick. They certainly seem much bigger and scarier but God is ALWAYS in control of the outcome.

As always, please write us a note or comment if you need prayer or have a question.

Peace!

David

Don't Give Up!

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:57:00 -0500

Are you tired? Is your hope dwindling or even gone? Has joy left you or maybe it never seemed to be part of your life? Please know this: Your are not alone!! You are loved beyond measure!! You are valuable in God's sight!!

I know that these words alone may seem powerless to provide the hope and power to change the way you feel and even more powerless to change your circumstances but they are none-the-less TRUTH and Jesus promised that the truth would set your free.

I want to share with you some things today that you may need to read over and over before they sink in and take root but you have to start somewhere. As far as I know no one ever got from here to there without moving ahead so please hold on and take a few steps with me.

1) God made you with purpose

   "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." Jeremiah 1:5

   God spoke these words to Jeremiah but understand that you too were created by God and known by him before one cell ever came to be.

2) God loves you

   "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

   You see, God's love came to you before you cleaned up your act. Not only did he love you when you were making mistakes he gave up his son for you. If you have children you can ponder that for a moment to see the magnitude of the gift.

3) You are not alone in the midst of your trials and temptations nor are they without a greater purpose

   "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

   "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:1-4

   You've never learned, grown, or been strengthened without struggle. Courage doesn't come without danger, compassion doesn't come without people in need, and faith doesn't come without a circumstance for which we see no resolution.

4) If you turn to God he will give you hope and that hope will give you strength!

   "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." Psalm 62:5

   "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

   Not only does God provide for you the hope but he also will turn that hope into real power!

5) This life and it's struggles are not the final word for those who trust in Christ.

   "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

I have known hopelessness and despair and have seen the power of Christ to restore hope and life. I know that in the pit of loneliness, addiction, fear, and depression these words may not immediately bring you healing but you will be lifted up if you put your hope in God alone. You may not feel it today or tomorrow but do not give up! Our emotions are fickle. They come and go. Read and pray over these five truths today, maybe ten times today! If you need help please talk to someone. If you have no one to talk to feel free to drop us a note. If your are contemplating ending your life STOP! There are people who are there to help. Click the link below and contact them, your parents, your pastor, or a friend.

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

God loves you and so do we.

Peace,

David and the I-61 Project

Leftovers - Giving God Our Table Scraps

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:44:00 -0400

So here is the scene: You're on the brink of winning a huge contract for your company. It's potentially the biggest contract the company has ever seen and you're in the running for the raise of a lifetime. Your boss tells you he'd like you to invite the CEO of the potential customer company to dinner at your home and of course you smile and say, "I'd love to."

You send the invitation and receive an RSVP for both the CEO and his lovely wife. You clean the house, set the table, and then you look into the fridge and grab that stuff in the Tupperware at the back corner of the second shelf, the half eaten tuna sandwich wrapped in cellophane, and the left over burrito you couldn't finish last Friday. Hmmm? Dessert? Ah ha! Apple Jacks! I love Apple Jacks! So you put out a couple cereal bowls and check the date on the milk. Just a 2 weeks past the "best used by" date so you open the top and take a whiff. A little stiff but certainly not enough to make anyone sick. You set the table put out the leftovers and the doorbell rings. It's going to be a good night! NOT!

I know the example is a bit over the top but maybe not so far off when we compare it to our relationship with God. It's interesting how little of our good stuff we really give to God. Many of us spend our money all week long on frivolous things and then put a few bucks in the collection basket on Sunday. We talk to our friends, watch TV, chat on Facebook, then give God a 2 minute prayer at bedtime. We use our talents at work, on the golf course, and in our hobbies but volunteer our time a couple times a year. Now I know that many of you are giving God your best stuff so keep it up but the rest of us need some help.

Giving God your best stuff has an origin from the very beginning of man. In Genesis the story of Cain and Able revealed that God wasn't please with the leftovers. In Malachi God reminds us that everything we have comes from him and when we withhold our best stuff from him we are "robbing" him. There is a concept of "First Fruits" that I'd like to share as well. The first crops that God's people would collect from their fields and give to God were called the first fruits. This was a sign that everything the land produced belong to God (Deuteronomy 26:1-15)

Now this is not a guilt trip but a wake up call. You see God doesn't need our stuff but he does desire us and our hearts. He knows what is best for us and when we short change God with our time and our stuff we are really hurting ourselves. But there is something else that is equally important. When we give God our "first fruits"others benefit. People may benefit from our financial giving, our talents, our love, and maybe just our time. I won't belabor the point but take a few minutes and survey a normal week of your life and see how you're spending your money, your time, and your gifts. How you spend things reveals a lot about your priorities. If you are desiring an evening with the God of all creation you might want to leave the old tuna sandwich in the fridge.

Peace, David

Llama feet - What do your spiritual feet look like?

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:09:00 -0400

OK, you're probably tired of references to my trip to SW Colorado but I was talking with a friend the other day and something hit us that was fairly germane to the Christian walk so I have to share it today. He was telling me about an internet piece he had received about how amazingly well designed the camel was and I told him that the llamas we had for our mountain trip were equally well suited for what they do. So, I want to share with you a little about llamas and then see how you fit into the story.

The Llama is a camelid (same family as the camel) that was raised mainly in the Andes of South America. They, like the camel, can go for days without drinking water and the eat almost anything. They can carry 25-30% of their body weight for miles, up and down steep hills.

But here is the part that got us thinking: They have the weirdest feet! They have two big toes with large thick toenails. Their feet are soft and not hooved and they walk on rocky terrain without a thought. As we walked a narrow and often rocky trail at high elevation, the llamas travelled effortlessly and seemed not to be concerned with the occasional dangerous slope. They would stop and eat the dried grass as if they were walking on flat ground. Their weird feet were made for this and they llamas were comfortable there. But, when we got down near the trailhead, the path leveled out and there was little slope. This part of the trail was in the dark timber and since we had had some recent thunderstorms the path was muddy and a bit slippery. No big deal. But when the llamas feet hit the mud they immediately became uneasy. They slipped and slid and looked like they were afraid of falling over. WHAT? They weren't afraid of falling nine hundred feet on a narrow rocky trail but are afraid of tipping over on level ground. The thing is that their feet were made for one terrain and not the other. Perfect. We brought them because we were going to hike in the mountains and for the most part, not in the mud.

So, what are your feet made for? I mean this more globally actually. What are you made for? We are the body of Christ and we are all made differently, with different gifts. Paul tells us in Ephesians Chapter four that,

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

Maybe you are an out front person who shares the Gospel with whoever will listen. Maybe you have the gift of compassion and are more comfortable sharing a quiet hug. Maybe you are a hands on person who would rather fix a neighbor's roof than talk about your "feelings". The point is that God made the llama's feet different than he did a cat's, a dog's, or your feet. But each can do something different.

Here is my challenge for you today. Reflect on your feet. No, not your literal feet but your gifts. How has God built you? What is your role in the Body of Christ? What is your role in the family, in your workplace, in your church? Spend some time in prayer and asked God to help you discern your place in his family here during your time on earth. If your work was done, he'd have called you home!!

Peace,

David

Deserts and Storms - God is Still with You

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sat, 2 Oct 2010 11:27:00 -0400

I was watching "Man vs. Wild" the other day and there was Bear Grylls walking through a seemingly endless desert and salt flat. The sun was intense and the heat brutal. Bear was tired, dehydrated, and he resorted to drinking his own urine which he had saved in a snake skin. His eyes were nearly swollen shut as he made his way toward the coast. Then, just like that, it appeared; the ocean. He ran and dove in. It was cold and refreshing and led him to rescue.

I know that this doesn't sound much like the makings of a prim and proper Christian blog but then again Christianity doesn't exist in a world of clean, neat, and perfect. It exists in a fallen and often brutal world where scenes like I just described pale in comparison to some much worse. A week ago I was hunkered down in a tent high in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado as a nasty thunderstorm battered the landscape, lightening struck close to our camp, and fifty mile per hour winds nearly flattened our tent. In the morning there was snow on the ground and thick fog limited our vision to about fifty yards. Then just like that the fog lifted, the clouds moved on, and the bright sun shone in the blue sky. The storm was over. It was awesome.

Cancer, bankruptcy, infidelity, depression, fear. . . . I don't know what your desert or storm might be. Maybe you're in a time of bright blue skies and the storms have already blown by. Either way we need to see the sovereignty of God in both times. The Bible is packed with examples of God's presence during the desert times and in the midst of raging storms. Sometimes it was punitive. He, like a good parent, was chastising his children to lead them back home. Sometimes it was to reveal the character of those involved and sometimes his plan was completely hidden from man. But never was God caught off guard or impudent in the situation.

Moses lead the Israelites through the desert for forty years on the way to the Promised Land. Joseph spent time at the bottom of a well, was sold into slavery, and spent time in prison before he became Pharaoh's right hand man. Jonah took a detour into the depths of the ocean and spent a few days in the belly of a great fish before he found his way to the safety of the beach. The Apostles trembled in fear as the waves battered their boat before the Lord Jesus commanded the wind and the waves to cease their fury.

I know that my storms don't come close to storms that others have weathered and your storms my be bigger or smaller than mine. I think that it doesn't really matter how our storms compare to other's because it never really seems to bring us comfort to know others have had more intense storms. Like if you just went through a divorce and someone says, "Well, you should be thankful because there are children in Africa who haven't eaten in weeks." There is little comfort in that.

So here are the two points I want you to take with you today:

1) God is in control as much during your desert times and storms as he is in your Promised Land. His desire is always to draw you nearer to him because there is no better place to be. I know it can be intensely difficult to cling to faith but call on him and he will be faithful. Don't be afraid to reach out to brothers and sisters in Christ as well. I don't know what I would do without those of you who have lent me a shoulder or and ear (you know who you are). If you are in Christ, God promises that one day there will be a reward that "no eye has seen and no ear has heard" In other words, nothing we have experienced here on earth can compare to what the Lord has prepared for those that love him.

2) If you are in the position to comfort someone in a storm, remember the words of Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Love you all,

David

A Withered Vine and a Dying Cowboy

natwondersphoto@aol.com (natwondersphoto@aol.com) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 09:12:00 -0400

Do you remember the old western movies where a cowboy who was wounded by an Indian arrow is found by a group of settlers? The cowboy is at the edge of death and later we see him bandaged and lying in a bed with a woman sitting next to him holding a spoon full of mush. She touches it to his lips and urges him, "You MUST eat to regain your strength." A while later we see the cowboy healed and heading off into the sunset. Hold that thought.

A thunderstorm hits and the winds howl. A few days later you walk out into your garden to see your prized climbing rose with a number of broken and bent stems and branches. There are branches on the ground that are dead, dried, and shriveled. There are others that are bent and look withered but are still alive.

The dictionary defines "wither" as:

- to shrivel or dry up as part of the process of dying, or making something, especially a plant or part of a plant

- fade away; to fade or lose freshness or vitality

Jesus gave us a number of images that help us to see how much we need to be in communion with him. He called himself the bread of life and living water and reminded his followers that if they remained in him they would never die. He gave them a parable about the vine and the branches and warned that those branches that didn't remain attached to the vine and thus failed to produce fruit would be thrown into the fire.

I don't know about you but when I go off on my own for a while and fail to remain in the Word, fall away from my prayer time with God, and fail to stay in CLOSE fellowship with like-minded, bible believing brothers and sisters in Christ, I begin to wither. I lose a little of my spiritual strength. I struggle with sin. I fail to produce good fruit. It can feel a little like being a cowboy crawling through the desert with an arrow in your backside.

If you feel a little weak in your spiritual life or if you are sensing a little more distance between you and the Father then I urge you to eat of the bread of life and to examine your spot of attachment to the vine. I know it's easier to say than to do but start by asking the Father for help. Tell him you don't want to be apart from him. He will draw you near. Feed on the Word. Pray, Pray, Pray. Don't forsake gathering for worship and don't be afraid to tell a brother or sister how you feel. Their prayers and encouragement are so valuable.

Take it from someone who goes through seasons of spiritual drought. There are times of refreshing that will follow if you stay the course. God has used those times to humble me but also to grow me. He has reminded me of my utter dependence on Christ. Feel free to contact us if you need some prayer or encouragement.

Peace,

David