For the smell of it.

I like to make coffee for the smell of it.

It dawned on me this morning. I’m in a hotel room here in Nashville & for no apparent reason I started making coffee. Now we don’t have a coffee maker at home. I’m not a big coffee drinker, per se. I mean, I live mochas & lattés, frappuccino is my favorite. But just straight up black coffee…never been a big fan. This morning though – I realized why I started making coffee. I realized why every time I walk by a coffee shop in the airport, pass by it percolating in the office, come across it at restaurants & the like, it brings such a warm & comforting feeling over me.

You see growing up my father was an avid coffee drinker. I have no idea how many cups of coffee he would down in a day. But if there’s one thing that brings back to mind memories of growing up with my father, it’s the smell of Maxwell House brewing first thing in the morning. Before school, before church, on Saturdays, on holidays, coffee was a given for my dad.

In the same way, there are many things that remind me daily of my heavenly Father. The things that remind you day in & day out of His love are probably different than those things that remind me. Because He knows each of us so well I’m sure He uniquely places things in our daily lives that remind us that we have a Father who’s watching over us with love & pride.

This morning, I write this with a cup of Maxwell House sitting next to me. I’m drinking it, not particularly enjoying it. But enjoying the feeling I get of remembering & knowing my father. What has reminded you of your Father & allowed you to enjoy the feeling of remembering & knowing Him?

no longer walking

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." John 6.66 (niv)

Hungry? Satisfied? Full? Can I get you anything? Want fries with that? What more do you want?

The thing I love about Jesus is He is always meeting people's needs. Many times those that He helps, heals, feeds, etc. don't even become believers in Him. So, it's a comfort to know Jesus is capable, able, ready & active in meeting the needs of people...even more so, meeting your needs.

Big, small. Urgent, insignificant. One thing He's good at, meeting needs.

Still, will that be enough for you?

Jesus feeds 5000, then declares to the crowd that He is the bread of life. The people wanted manna again. Not sure why. When God provided manna the first time around, all they did was complain about it. And besides that, they eventually died. Nothing special about the manna their ancestors ate. Jesus miraculously takes a little boys lunch & feeds more than 5000. Then says "I am the bread of life." And "...he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

In other words...eat, drink, live, breath Me!

And they got it. The people, the crowds, the Pahrisees, teachers of the law, scribes... they got it. Following Jesus means a total, unparalleled, uncompromising, unwaivering commitment to Jesus Christ & His purposes. It's all or nothing.

After hearing this, look at what happened. The NASB says it this way,

"As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."

They decided they could no longer walk with Jesus. This relationship with Jesus is all about daily walking. Literally, the text reads that "they withdrew back to their own things behind." Wow. Couldn't commit to this walk with Jesus. I think this is what we might call discipleship.

Sometimes we, for a moment, withdraw back to our own things behind. But now, keep on walking with Jesus. Believe & know that He is the Holy One of God. Be Satisfied. Fulfilled. And walk on.

fingerprints...

This week, as many of you know, I'm at Lipscomb taking another grad class. Being here reminds me of a lot of things. Mostly, & for a lot of different reasons, it reminds me of all the people that have had an amazing impact on my life. If you're reading this, chances are you are one of the people whose fingerprints are most clearly seen in my life to this point. And for this, I am so thankful.

It's easy for me to see the fingerprints of God in my life. It's easy because I can identify the people God has used & is using to put them there. They have faces & names & funny stories that go along with them.

From my parents who have & continue to show me what it means to be Christ-like,
to my Kindergarden teacher, Mrs Thompson (you never forget your kindergarten teacher you know!),
to those youth deacons who helped me through Jr. High,
to those older guys that let me hang out with them in Sr. High,
to the mentors & life long friends I met through college,
to the men & women who have influenced my life heavily over the past 6 years in ministry,
to the teens who I have been called to minister to who minister to me so often,
to the few who have let me be a spiritual mentor in their lives,
to my wife...words can't express how I feel about you,
to now, this point in history...it's amazing. His fingerprints are everywhere.

I see people here on campus who have had a huge impact in my story & I see people who have allowed me to have a huge impact on their story & right in the center of it all...the story was never about either of us, but about our great God. And in participating in what He's doing in His story, we get to see His fingerprints in our lives. It's a simple yet overwhelming thought & tonight I just want to stop & praise God for you.

I can't take any credit for who I am (or who "I am not" for you Louie fans) today. But I can praise our great God for the grace He has shown me & the influence He's allowed you to have in my life for His glory. And that's just what I'll do. Praise Him. Today. For you.

I Believe in Wyoming

So this discussion came up on the way home from our Jr. High Fall Retreat. It all started when I told the kids on my bus that I didn't believe in Wyoming. I mean think about it. Have you ever seen a liscense plate from Wyoming? I haven't! What comes from Wyoming? Idaho is famous for potatoes. Wisconsin for cheese. Wyoming...nada, nothing comes to mind. So why should I believe in Wyoming? I've never met anyone from there. I don't know what comes from there. I've never seen a picture from there. Don't know of any reason why I should believe in Wyoming. Is it a government conspiracy? Maybe we only had 49 states but someone thought the nice round number of 50 would be better so they rounded up & made up the state of Wyoming. I don't know. The whole thing seems bizarre to me. Why should I believe in Wyoming? No one has offered me any hard evidence it is true or that it really exists.

Actually, (you know what I'm about to say) I do believe in Wyoming. No, I've never been there, never seen a liscense plate from there, don't know what comes from there. But I believe in Wyoming. The fact of the matter is I don't have to see it to believe in it. I don't have to meet someone from there to know that it is an actual place that actually exists. I believe in Wyoming for the same reason I believe in a lot of things.

And I believe in things that matter a lot more than Wyoming. I believe in God. I believe in brotherly love. I believe in serving. I believe in hope. I believe in people. I believe in things I can't explain, can't see, can't resolve, can't define, can't locate, & can't understand.

I believe in Wyoming, do you?

This is love

Jesus said in John 15:12-14,

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."

He said that, & I believe he meant it. But then, Jesus takes things one step farther. He not only lays down his life for his friends - for those He loves, but He lays down His life for His enemies - for those that hated Him.

I had a professor @ Lipscomb, Randy Harris, who once started class by talking about the "irritant." An irritant, he said, is an irritant because they don't know they are irritating. That's what makes them an irritant. We all know people like this & have people in our lives we just don't necessarily like. The question for us is how do we treat these people in light of the cross?

The common response is to be nice & polite to these people that we just don't naturally get along with. To be cordial to those who hurt us. Maybe to even pray for them. But Jesus went far beyond tolerating those people - He laid down his life for those who loved Him & those who didn't love Him.

It's easy for us to love those who love us. And it's easy for us to love sacrificially for those who love us. But Jesus calls us to this "next level" of Christianity, if you will. To sacrifically love those who don't love us. To lay down our lives for those who hurt us, mistreat us, & irritate us. That's the real challenge. How do we do that in real, everyday, practical ways? That's up to us to live out.

Hope in the midst of the Storm

Jeremiah 51:15-19

In recent days we've witnessed great devastation. I don't have to say much to recall images you've witnessed from the newspaper, internet, & TV showing us the desructive power of this recent natural disaster called Katrina. Countless lives have been forever changed by this incredible storm.

But I wonder how many lives here at home have been & are being ravaged by the storms of life that have come. There are 3 "storm stories" I look to that give me hope when the storms of life come. Each found in Matthew. The first 2 occur with the disciples on the Sea of Galillee. In Matthew 8, Jesus is asleep in the boat. The winds & the waves are raging & the disciples wake up Jesus shouting, "Lord, save us!"

In Matthew 14, the disciples once again are in the boat in the middle of the sea when the storm comes. The disciples are terrified when they see a figure walking toward them on the water. The Jesus calls out to them & says three things.
He says, "It's alright."
"I am here."
"Do not be afraid."

2 times He has calmed the storm. In the third story, however, Jesus endures the storm for you & for me.

In Matthew 26 Jesus is in the garden. It's one incresible storm He is facing. And He's having to face it alone. 3 times He prays to His Father that this cup would pass from Him. But He yields His will to that of His Father.

2 times He calmed the storm. The third time, He endured it.

Each time Jesus was in the middle of the storm. And each time prayer was the resource that brought delieverence either from the storm, or through it.

When we face the storms of life, remember the words of Jesus when He says, "It's alright. I am here. Do not be afraid." Remember that He is always in the middle of the storm with you, & that He will see you through.

War Eagle!

I'm at the game! War Eagle!

Psalm 130

From the depths of despair, O LORD,
I call for Your help.
Hear my cry, O LORD.
Pay attention to my prayer.

LORD, if You kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But You offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear You.

I am counting on the LORD;
yes, I am counting on Him.
I have put my hope in His word.
I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

O Israel, hope in the LORD;
for with the LORD there is unfailing love
and an overflowing supply of salvation.
He himself will free Israel
from every kind of sin.

Cafe baba's ~ Thursday mornings at 7am. Ask Allison what kind of coffee to eat!

Greater & Greater

"He must become greater & greater, & I must become less & less." John 3:30 NLT

We've all heard this verse a thousand times, but lately it's just been on my mind. How do we live that? How is God becoming greater & greater in me? We say it on every mission trip. "It's not about me, it's about Him." But is that really true? On Sunday we sing "How great is our God" or "How Great Thou Art." But really the song we live out is "how great i am."

Everyone look at me & see what I'm doing. Let me have your attention please.

This is my struggle as much as yours. All I know today is that it takes a concerted effort to live John 3:30.

It takes a conscience effort to put others before my self.

It takes a purposeful act to do the job no one else wants to do.

It takes time, energy, & all my resources to live out John 3:30.

Ask John the Baptist. He had nothing to his name. Not a penny. No great house to show off. No fancy car or means of transportation. No brand name clothes. Nothing like that. There were a few guys that followed him & became his disciples. They bought into what he was selling. But when Jesus came along, he pointed them in His direction. And they followed Jesus. John's response, I must become less.

Today, i just want to make a decision to live John 3:30 on purpose. It won't be easy, but it should Great as I make much of You Jesus in my life. Behold, the Lamb of God.

greater|than> • part 3

Let me start by saying kudos to our Senior guys who led our SH Devo last night. These guys did an outstanding job. I really appreciate this Senior class & their willingness so far to be leaders, & step up in our youth group to lead our group this year in a way that glorifies & exalts GOD!

As we begin the school year, we're talking about the greatness of God. Our theme for the next 8 weeks, greater|than>, really says it all. Psalm 135.5 says it this way: "I know the greatness of the LORD, that our LORD is greater than any other God." Our God is great. And He wants to be great in you. Because when He is great in & through your life, His name receives glory. And everything God does He does for His glory. But how do we let God be great in our lives?

Take a look at the ring nebula.

It's a beautiful picture. It's the most photographed star in the galaxy. You see the tiny star on the left, right in the center of the beautiful colorful rings? That star is dying. That's right. And in it's dying it is producing these galactic gasses & star dust that makes these beautiful colorful rings that we see. You see, it's beauty comes from it's dying. The same is true of you & I.

We are most beautiful when we die to self & self trying. Paul said I am crucified with Christ & it's not me...but Christ who lives in me. We too are most beautiful when we die to ourselves & let Christ live in us.

praying for patience

I've been waiting to write about this since Sunday. It's been one of those things that's been on my mind, percalating over the past few days. I found myself praying for patience Sunday morning during communion. Not praying that God would give me patience. But that God would be patient with me. Praying for patience. I realize more & more that I am not yet who God has called me to be. I haven't arrived yet. I'm not there yet. I need God to be patient with me. I realize I'm not good at loving people. For those of you who know me well, you may find it strange for me to say that. Don't get me wrong. I love those who love me well. But what about the lady in the checkout line at Wal-Mart. What about the guy I see at the gas station. What about those I cross paths with everyday, & ignore for the most part. What is my influence on them? Am I effectively reflecting the love of God? Are people seeing the joy of the Lord in my life? I sang a song when I was growing up in Sunday school. It went like this...

He's still working on me
To make me what I ought to be
It took Him just a week to make the moon & the stars
The earth & the sky & Jupitar & Mars
How loving & patient He must be
'Cause He's still working on me.

Thank you God for not giving up on me. For being patient with me. Father, make me what you want me to be. May I reflect your love & your glory to all those around, for Your name's sake.

We have a great God! Praise the one who transforms our lives into something beautiful.

greater|than> • part 2

The equation solves everything. Go ahead. Try it. Fill in the blank. God is > _____. God is > my latest crisis. God is > my parents problems. God is > my worst sin. God is > my guilt & shame. God is >. Chris Tomlin writes in one of my favorite songs:

Age to age He stands, And time is in His hands;
Beginning & the End, Beginning & the End.
The Godhead three in one, Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion & the Lamb, The Lion & the Lamb

How great is our God!
Sing with me:
How great is our God!
And all will see
How great, how great is our God!

Name above all names,
Worthy of all praise.
My heart will sing: How great is our God!

Ever wonder why the smallest things in life stress us out? Ever wonder why we sometimes feel all alone, even when surrounded by people? Ever wonder why you can't get past the one thing that is always holding you back, holding you down? I wonder if it's because we haven't really turned it over to our Great God. There's nothing you've done that He hasn't dealt with before. There's nothing you can say that will surprise Him. There's not too much you can offload onto Him or dump on Him. He won't get stressed out. He won't get tired of listening to you. You can't scare Him off. You can't run Him off. He be here for you tomorrow, & the next day, & the next day, & the next day, & the next day after that. He's a Great God. And He's Great at what He does. And He wants to do Great things in You, through You & for you. He's all about being a Great God. And in being Great in you, through you & for you He brings glory to His name. So let Him. Let Him invade your life today. Let Him be Great. He's going to be Great regardless. Let Him be > in your life. Not for you, but for Him.

epicenter

So this morning I've been reading Isaiah 40 & 41. It reminds me again how "out of sorts" things are in my head. And it's a tragedy. Epicenter... know what it means? It refers to the point of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. It's the focal point of tragedy. It's the point of origin of something that's just not right. You see, for me at least, I'm spending too much of my time & efforts trying to keep the world revolving around me. And it doesn't work that way. The world revolves around God. He is the center. He is the focal point of all that is good & perfect & right. He is the point of origin that keeps everything under His care. He needs to be the center of my life... and I need to put an end to trying to make my life the center of His attention.

"To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. Isaiah 40:25

"Who has done such mighty deeds, directing the affairs of the human race as each new generation marches by? It is I, the LORD, the First & the Last. I alone am He." Isaiah 41:4

greater|than>

Psalm135:5
I know the greatness of the LORD--
that our Lord is greater than any other god.

greater|than>. I love the concept. It's found on virtually every page of the Bible. It's found in every story revealed to us on every page of the Bible. Every story, character, psalm, parable, sermon, prophecy, wisdom...all tell us that God is greater|than>. And not only will you discover this through everything you read in God's awesome word, I believe you'll find it to be true in your life too. God is greater|than>our problems. Our circumstances. Our situations. Our emergencies. Our sins. Our family troubles. Our limitations. Our failures. Our inadequacies. Our short comings. Our successes. Our victories. Our finest moments in life...God is greater|than> them all.

We have this misconception that God is somehow as stressed out about stuff as we are. That He's all worked up over all the things He's dealing with. And we even feel guilty sometimes handing our junk to Him to work on. And then we get this idea that there is no way God can fix this. There's no way He help here with this deal I'm dealing with. We pray, & if someone who didn't know our God were to listen in on our prayers, they would probably think that we pray to a pretty small, weak, infinitesimal God.

Read this verse again...& see if you agree with the Psalmist.

"I know the greatness of the Lord--
that our Lord is greater than any other God."

Do you know the greatness of the Lord? The next 2 verses in this psalm say,
"The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses."

You see, God's got a lot going on. He's got to keep the heavens & the earth spinning, He's got lightning, rain & wind to worry about. Not to mention the fact that He's got over 6 billion people on planet earth to deal with. Countless stars to light every night. Countless galaxies to watch over. An entire universe to oversee. And the thing is, He's not stressed out. He's not burned out. He's not overworked. He doesn't need a vacation. He's doing just fine. And the wild thing is that in-spite of all that He's got going on, He still cares deeply about what's going on in your world. And beyond that, He's capable, able, willing & wanting to get involved in your life. "The Lord does whatever pleases Him." And the cross tells me that nothing pleases Him more than knowing & loving you.

And what happens when you come to reflect a life that says God is greater|than>____? Notice the way the psalmist begins...verse 1:
Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD!
Praise him, you who serve the LORD...

Our praise & His glory is the result of His working in my life & in your life. And that's why He does what He does. For the praise of His glory. So live today in the assurance that God is greater|than>, & praise His Name, you who serve the LORD.

AFTER God's Own Heart

More & more I find myself falling in love with the story of David. Mostly because it's a great story of God in which David has such an incredible part to play. You know David. He keeps sheep. Kills lions & bears...and giants. Fierce warrior. Anointed by Samuel. King of Israel. Father of Solomon. Remember Bathsheba? So he wasn't perfect. In fact, through his story we see many ups & downs. Victories & defeats. Good days & bad days. No doubt, the one passage that comes to mind for most of us when we think of David isn't something we read in Old Testament, though that's where all the great David stories are found. The number one passage that comes to mind when most of us think of David was spoken by Paul the apostle. It's found in the New Testament in Acts 13:21-23. Read it & see if you'll agree that this passage is what David is known most often for...

Acts 13:21-23 (NIV)
"After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'
23"From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

A man after God's own heart. We read that & think, "Wow, I hope that after it's all said & done that I will be remembered the same way." And it's true, who wouldn't want to be remembered as a man or women after God's own heart. The question is, how? After I'm dead & gone, what about my life & the way I've lived will lead people to believe that I was a person after God's own heart.

I'd like to help you with that question, but first, consider that statement with me: "After God's own heart." That word "after" has really come alive for me as I think about this verse. After can mean a lot of things. You can be named after someone. You can follow after someone or something. After can refer to time...or after can refer to a pursuit - I want to chase or go after that. All of these meanings are a little different. But think of these meanings in the context of this verse:

“I have found David son of Jesse a man after (named after, following after, always coming after, chasing after, pursuing after) my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”

Of all the things that could be said of me & you, I think one of the greatest is that we are people after God's own heart. We have been given His name to bear. Christian - named after Christ. He has called us to follow after Him when He said, "Follow me." We are always pursuing after Him, to gain the prize for which we were called heavenward in Christ Jesus. If you want to be known as someone after God's own heart, then follow the example of David. Not perfect, but always pursuing God. Listen to the power of after, & realize the life that God has called you to live is a life after His own heart.

Salt & Light

Matthew 5:13-16 (The Message)
13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. 15If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. 16Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

I remember being down at Gulf Shores one Labor Day weekend with Jason. We had a couple of boogie boards & we were riding the waves. The waves were pretty good that day at Gulf Shores. We figured out that there would be 4 or 5 small waves, then one really big one. I remember riding in one of those big waves & then trying to stand up to catch my breath. Then, out of no where, another huge wave crashed right on top of me. It took me totally under & I thought I was going to die! The under-toe held me under & slammed me against the ocean floor. My back was bruised & bleeding. And the salt water from the ocean entered every opening in my head. My ears, nose, mouth - it ran through my whole sinus system! It cleaned me out. I probably drank half the ocean!

There's no doubt that the ocean is salty. I think what Jesus might have been saying here to me & to you is that He wants us to be just like that ocean wave. Whenever people come into contact with us, there is no doubt that we are salty.

Is there any doubt that you are salty?

What about this?

I remember when my friends & I used to go in mission trips in the summer with the youth group. We used to love to pull practical jokes on each other. We had some great stories. One of the funniest was when one of my friends would wait till the lights had been out about 10-15 minutes. No one was really asleep, but our eyes were well adjusted to the dark. Then he would call out your name like he wanted to tell you something. Even though it was dark, you would still look his way, then, right when you looked his way, he would set off the flash on his camera! It would kill our eyes every time!

Have you ever had a similar experience?

There was no doubt in our minds that that light was real & bright. I think Jesus wants the same for you & me, to be pure light in a very dark world.

I was talking the other day to one of our teens who was telling me about the temptations of drugs & alcohol at her school. She told me that if she ever wanted any of that stuff, she knew right where to get it from. We live in a dark world. Jesus wants, He needs for you & me to be salt & light.

Romans 12: 2 says:
(The Message)
2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

How can you be salt & light in your everyday world?

Whom have I?

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

I love that passage from Psalm 73. It's the prayer of a true believer; someone who is fully devoted to Yahweh. It's the prayer of the person who has chosen to leave everything & follow the Lord, as the disciples did in Luke 5:11. It's the realization in the heart of the person who seeks God with their entire being that God is All in All. He is I AM. He is. And there is nothing that can take His rightful place in our hearts & in our lives. When God is our everything, & nothing else will do. No substitue can take His place. No other idol can compete. When God is our strength & our portion, then we have come to know Him. And, we are willing to follow Him.

The price of being a follower is steep. The way is narrow. Jesus once said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Jesus' disciples had probably seen a man take up his cross, so they knew what it meant. When a man from one of their villages took up a cross & went off with a band of Roman soldiers, he was on a one way journey. He would not return. Taking up the cross meant the utmost in self-denial. Christ’s followers had to die to an old way of life. And Luke makes the point that it is not something that can be finished & gotten out of the way, but that it must be done daily.

I pray that today that you & I can live for God, for His fame & for His glory. Then we too can say, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25-26

In His Name...

We hope in a lot of things. Every year I hope my Auburn Tigers will do well. Right now it's not football season, but after going 13-0 this past year I can hardly wait for next season to begin. You probably find yourself hoping for a lot of things. We hope we'll get that new car on our 16th birthday. We hope that he or she will notice us. We hope that people will like us. We hope that people won't laugh at us or make fun of us, but will accept us. We hope in a lot of things. We hope in the name of appearances. We hope in the name of popularity. We hope in the name of our own intellegence.

But you know, it's just a fact that some days are harder than others. Not every day is filled with sunshine. Sometimes it rains. That's just the way life goes. And in those moments, in those times when you look out the window & the clouds are rolling in, when you just don't feel like getting up & facing the day...in those moments, I want to remind you that there is hope. There is hope that the clouds will soon pass & the rain will soon be gone. The same Jesus that said, "Peace be still" can be the Prince of Peace in your life & quiet any storm that comes your way. There is hope. And it's in His name.

Matthew gave us a hope that is above all others. In Matthew 12:21 he tells us, that "In his name the nations will put their hope." There is no sweeter hope that we have than the hope that we have in the name of Christ. Paul tells us in Romans 10:13 that if we simply call on the name of the Lord He will come to our rescue. I belive there is power & there is hope in the name of Jesus. We call on a lot of people who are powerless to help. We rely on a lot of things that always fall short. And often times we depend on our sheer will power to overcome only what can be accomplished through the name of Christ. There is hope in His name.

Who is Jesus to you? What is his name? Maybe you call Him Lord. Maybe Healer. Perhaps Savior, Redeemer, Friend. The names Counselor, Helper, Confidant, & Forgiver may be close to your heart. In every name, in every way that you identify Christ in your life, do you hear in that name the overtones of hope? Can you see that in every situation hope is His ready offering.

Trust Jesus. Put your hope in Him. People fail you & let you down. Even those with the best of intentions will at some point disappoint you. But put your hope in His name, for He will never fail you. In His name is hope.

It's Not About Me...

This morning I was already having one of those days, actually...it's been one of those weeks. I'll spare you the details, but you've been there too. You know, when it seems that things just aren't going your way. So this morning I was driving into work & having a conversation with God that I'm sure was confusing even Him. I was driving over this mountain through the fog & trying to make some analogy about how I was ready to clear the fog & move into the sunlight & for life to be the way I thought it should be. Now don't get me wrong, I have a great life. I was just having one of those moments. Then, I round the corner close to the church where I work & I see this elderly man walking his dog, & he had on a sweatshirt with a picture of his dog on it! It got me laughing. I'm sure that will be me one day. Then, I pull into the parking lot & there is this woman & her son standing by their car. They had a flat tire & were having trouble putting on the spare. So I jumped out & began to do what I could to help them. I called my dad & together we changed this lady's tire in no time. We sent them on their way & already, my day felt better.

That's when I had the not so profound revelation, more of a reminder, that this life isn't about me. The world doesn't revolve around me. The universe is not dependant on me. I am here for a much greater purpose than myself. I am here for God's glory. And I'll serve Him & play any part in His story I can. Steven Curtis said it this way in one of my favorite songs:

I want to make much of You Jesus
I want to make much of Your love
I want to live today to give You the praise that You alone are so worthy of
I want to make much of Your mercy
I want to make much of Your cross
I give You my life take it & let it be used to make much of You.

I pray that today you too will make much of Jesus in your life.

Enough

When is enough enough? I love to run, and you might say I'm a fair weather runner. The exercise it provides is nice & all, but when it's cold outside...I'm just not that committed. I hate to run in the winter time. This time of year, it's just too cold. But in the summertime I love to start the day with a run. Whenever I turn the corner & begin to make my way home, I always start to get excited about that cold glass of gatoraid waiting for me in the fridge. As soon as I make it to the kitchen, I start gulping it down. The only thing is, I can't seem to get enough. The heat, the run, the exercise makes me so thirsty & I just can't get enough.

In 1 Kings 17 we find a cool story about Elijah & a widow. Elijah, the prophet, went to her as the Lord had told him, & asked her for some food & water.

You have to understand a little history here. The short of it is that there is a major famine in the land. Elijah was more or less responsible for that. He had told King Ahab that because Ahab did what was evil in the Lord's sight that it would not rain. And God was using Elijah to bring the people of Israel back to homeself. Ok, enough of the history. On to the cool part.

This widow Elijah approached told him, "I swear by the Lord that I don't have a single piece of bread in the house. I only have a handful of flour left & a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, & then my son & I will die."

This lady was in a pretty sad situation. But Elijah reassured her. He told her to go ahead & make her last meal, but to make him a little piece of bread first. He said afterward there will still be "enough" food for her & her son.

So she did. And from then on, verse 16 says, "there was always 'enough' left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah."

A similar thing happened with Jesus in John 6. Over 5000 people had followed Jesus to hear more of His teaching. Jesus asked his disciples where they could get food to feed the crowd. They found a little boy who had brought his lunch. Jesus then preformed a great miracle. Over 5000 people ate lunch that day off of one little boy's lunch. And there were leftovers! 12 baskets were filled with leftovers. In short, there was more than enough.

I think God shows us on every page of scripture that He is more than enough for us. Chris Tomlin says it this way in one of my favorite songs:

All of you is more than enough for
All of me for every thirst & every need
You satisfy me with your love
And all I have in you is more than enough.

We can fill our lives with a lot of things & never feel like we have enough. I hope today you will let God be Enough.

Welcome...

Today I've decided to join the rest of the online world & begin a blog. Most people would consider me to be up on technology, but I've resisted this for sometime. However, I've seen the light. I hope this blog will be a place where any random thoughts I may have will bless & encourage you, & give God the praise He is worthy of. Check back in the coming days & see how this goes. I pray today that you will live in a way that honors God & brings glory & fame to His name.