Bad Day

So we have all had bad days before.  Some days are bad because of one really bad event that takes place while others can be bad because every little thing seems to go wrong.  Well today was one of those days.  I over slept my alarm by 2 hours which never happens.  I am not behind and trying to figure out how I am going to get everything done.  While I am quickly grabbing some breakfast our breaker for toaster goes out.  I then proceed to our dungeon basement to flip the breaker and notice a large amount of water and extreme dampness down there.  After careful inspection it seems that during the storms that happened here while we were in Alaska water seeped into our basement.  As I am inspecting the basement I hit my head a few times, find another spot that needs patched, and notice that the roof where our wood burning stove pipe goes up needs resealed.

At this point in time I am stressing about the new ministry website that needs done along with all the events of the morning.  I sat down to take a deep breathe and my wife walks up to me, hands me her Bible and says, "read this."

I opened the Bible to Psalm 44 and it says,

"O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the people,
but them you set free;
for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them." v.1-3


God's word is such a great reminder.  We will face affliction, we will have bad days, hear bad news, make bad purchases, and at times make bad decisions.  In the midst of the "badness" we must never forget our position in Christ.  We are saved, redeemed, rescued, loved, secure, complete, whole, and much more because God loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus Christ to die in our place.  We can rest in the fact that its not about us, its about him and his glory.  So if you are having a bad day like me, pick up the Bible and read it.  Be reminded of how great and awesome God is and how much he cares about you, even in your bad day.

Why Is A Story Told?

Have you ever sat down and thought about why stories are told?  Stories have different purposes at different times.  Some are just for simple entertainment, some are meant to communicate a point, and others can be a way of recounting history.  This leads to another question, what makes a story a great story?  What are some of your favorite stories?

I would tend to think "great" stories, or our most favorite stories are the ones that move us in our hearts. They make us laugh hysterically, cry unceasingly, and to act with courage.  Have you ever told someone a true story but they didn't believe you?  The disciples know how you feel.  Check out John 20:24-25;

"Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."  But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

The disciples were telling Thomas a true story, a story that aligned with what Jesus taught them and a story all of his close friends were telling him was true.  Yet I wonder if Thomas was still grieving the loss of Christ, I wonder if this story seemed too good to be true.  Even though Thomas refused to believe their story at first he ultimately found it to be true and believed.  The fact that the story was true didn't change but Thomas's belief in the truth changed.

John 20:31 says, "but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The Bible is God's words to us.  It is 66 books of pure truth at our fingertips yet we often don't believe the words on the page.  We are missing out, Thomas was on the verge of not recognizing and believing the greatest story ever told.  My prayer is that you wouldn't disbelieve that greatest story ever told.  Jesus came as a man, died on a cross, and rose 3 days and paid the due penalty for our sins.  By grace we are saved, through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Quick to hear, slow to speak

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

- James 1:19-21

We love giving out opinions.  We love to hear our own voices.  Whether the subject is sports, politics, theology, or just practical life advice we tend to be slow to hear and quick to speak.  When we are slow to hear and quick to speak we often are more easily angered.  This can lead us to seek to be right rather than seek to understand.  A friend from Chicago always tells me, "seek first to understand and then be understood."  The point is that we often are ready to respond before we allow the other person to finish speaking.  We begin to generate our response and stop listening.

James not only is warning us not to do this relationally but more importantly in our ultimate relationship.  Many times we are not quick to hear from Scripture.  We formulate our response to a passage without ever carefully inspecting what it is actually saying.  Later on in James he talks about how the Bible is like a mirror.  We must carefully look into the mirror and examine our lives.  If you remember when you went on a date you starred into the mirror a little longer.  You made sure you searched all over for those zits and blemishes before you went out to meet that special someone.

How often do you look into the mirror of Scripture?  How intently do you look into it?  Is it a quick glance?  Or do you take you time and carefully examine, observing and listening to what the words of God have to say?

I encourage you to take a look in the mirror.  Look closely, take your time, and allow the word of God to show you the blemishes and bring healing and encouragement to you.

Coming to America

Tuesday evening my wife will arrive in the US for the first time since August.  This year long process is finally nearing an end.  Through it all we both have grown individually and together as we have seen God's faithfulness, provision, and hand in our lives.  There have been many tears, many laughs, and many memories.  In the past year I have gotten a small taste of what it should be like to long for heaven.  Just as I have been longing to be with Bek my longing to be with Christ has increased.  It has caused me to love him more, seek him more, and keep my eyes on him.

This evening my neighbor lady came over as a few of the guys and I were having dinner.  She is all alone and just wanted someone to talk to.  She cried and poured out a lot of hurt from her life.  Don shared the gospel with her and made sure that she understood Jesus's atoning work on the cross for salvation.  I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be all alone with no spouse, no friends, and no family.  Waking up each day just waiting to die.  I was thankful for my wife, my church, my family, and my friends.  My challenge for you today is just to ask yourself this question, "Who can I be a friend to today?"  My neighbor Ann just needed a friend today.  Someone to talk to, someone to pray for her and encourage her.  Will you be a friend to someone today?