Gaze into God's Mirror

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

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

"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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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