Happy New Years

• We measure time in years on a calendar, but eternity is timeless. We all have a purpose to fulfill in God's eternal Kingdom, and we have time to work now while we are here. 
  
  I feel this way: If I am going to work hard in this life, I want to make sure it is meaningful, not meaningless. I believe that can only be so with God.
  
  In this new year, I pray that you will set your heart to do whatever you have to do to discover and become what He has for you to be.
  
  (And what can you do today, Jan. 1, 2015? A great way to begin the new year would be to sincerely ask God to do whatever He needs to do in your life to cause you to be what He needs you to be.)

Your Pass Is The Best Teacher

• "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
  
  I want to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes over and over. I can learn from history and other people's mistakes, of course. However, if I am truly honest with myself and ask for God's help, I can also learn from my own.

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For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (1 Cor 10:1-6 NIV)

Feelings Or Faith

•  have been in ministry a long time, and I have seen people pray, but, judging by actions, not expect God to respond. While there is not time here to go in depth, I will say that for some, it was a conflict between feelings and a decision. How does that work?
  
  We may not feel confident, but that is distinct from a decision to trust God. Example: you may not always feel loving toward someone, but that does not mean that you do not love them. Bottom line: do not confuse your faith with your feelings.
  
  I pray that as you bring needs to God, you will KNOW that He will hear and respond. Beyond feel, beyond hope--KNOW, with full and complete expectation--that He will respond because you have made a decision to believe the One who always does what He promises.

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If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6 NLT)

Your Feelings

• Today's message deals with being "real". So, let's be.
  
  We feel many things when we are going through "stuff"; we can feel grief, frustration, conflict, depression, confusion, and so much more. It is normal, and contrary to what I have heard taught or implied, experiencing such feelings is not a failure of faith.
  
  That said, I believe that while we cannot always prevent conflicting feelings, aside from a physical or emotional illness or condition, we should make efforts to control how we respond to them.
  
  The principle in today's message helps me keep feelings in perspective, to some degree at least. I am not saying that it invalidates or lessens what I feel, nor should it be a pollyannish way of responding.
  
  Real feelings must first be admitted; only then can they be dealt with. But keeping them in perspective of what Jesus has done for us is, for me, a crucial and essential step in the overcoming process.

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But Jesus remains a priest forever; his priesthood will never end. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf. He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he sacrificed himself on the cross. (Heb 7:24-25,27 NLT)

Are You Like Jonah

• Think about Jonah: God told him to preach repentance in the capital of the Assyrian Empire. He didn't like Assyria and would rather see them destroyed. So...
  
  He tried to flee from God on a ship. Didn't work.
  
  Then he was thrown overboard in a storm (b-i-g storm!). Didn't drown.
  
  Then he was swallowed by a fish (b-i-g fish!). Didn't die.
  
  Then, wrapped in seaweed, he was spit up on the beach. Then God repeated the instruction. Then he obeyed. Then Nineveh repented.
  
  As you read this, get the point, but don't judge Jonah too harshly. Remember: we all learn the hard way sometimes.
  
  And what is the point? I enjoy a good seaweed salad at my favorite Asian restaurant, but I don't want to do what Jonah did to get one. Better to obey God the first time. Wouldn't you agree?

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Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:1-5-10 NIV)

Make A Change!

• Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
  
  I want to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes over and over. I can learn from history and other people's mistakes, of course. However, if I am truly honest with myself and ask for God's help, I can also learn from my own.

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For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (1 Cor 10:1-6 NIV)

Wise Men Still Seek Him

• This is the time of year when Jesus' birth as a human being is acknowledged. Some professing Believers choose to focus more on materialism or secular celebrations than on Jesus. Others want to argue details, e.g., "He really was not born this time of year."
  
  In my opinion, most important, is that He was born, He lived, He died as the atonement sacrifice for our sin, He was resurrected, and He is alive now and forevermore.
  
  In order to die for our sin, He first had to be born. Do not let the hustle, hassle, social pressures, and commercialism of this season rob you of time to contemplate and honor all that Jesus did for us.
  
  Though cliche, this is true: "Jesus is the reason for the season."

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This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:12-14 NIV)

Responsibility of Reactions

• Newton's third law:
  
  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
  
  Actions have consequences. It is unavoidable--in the physical realm and in the spiritual. Scripture expresses the same concept: "A man reaps what he sows." (Gal 6:7b NIV)
  
  So, best to carefully consider what we set in motion by our words and actions... or lack of them. (The "equal and opposite reaction" pendulum could swing right back and bonk us!)

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The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. They dig a pit to trap others and then fall into it themselves. They make trouble, but it backfires on them. They plan violence for others, but it falls on their own heads. (Psa 7:14-16 NLT)

Judge

• Have you ever seen something you thought was wrong, jumped to a conclusion before you knew the facts--and before you asked the Lord about it--and blurted out something that you later regretted?
  
  Yeah? (Me, too.) Do you know anyone who hasn't? (I don't either.)
  
  It really annoys me when people do that to me. Think how the Lord must feel! I am grateful for His patience. Aren't you?

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While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (Mat 26:6-10 NIV)

Bad Times Don't Last

• You are loving God. You are trusting Him. You are following Him with all your heart. And... WHAM--something really bad happens! Does that mean that God abandoned you, or is unable to take care of you?
  
  Absolutely not! This may not be what you what to hear, but Hebrews 12:7 says: "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children." (TNIV)
  
  I can tell you that the hardships I have experienced are far more precious to me now than the easy times ever were. Even if it were possible, I would not undo them now--and if you know anything of my life, that is saying a lot!
  
  I have said before, "If it took all the pain I have gone through to know God as I know Him now, it was a bargain." So, if you are in difficulties now, take courage and take heart; God can turn it all to more good than you can now imagine.

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But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. (Phil 2:25-27 NIV)

The Power of Prayer

Satan tries to limit our praying, because he knows our praying will limit him. (Never under estimate the power of prayer! I'm praying God blesses the works of our hands in all we're called to do.

Being Attack

• Ever found yourself in a "situation"--one of those that you were not expecting... and it found you first?
  
  Jeremiah was in one. He trusted God in his. We can trust Him in ours.

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Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird. They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me; the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to be cut off. I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life. (Lam 3:52-58 NIV)

Distractions

• An illusionist (a.k.a. magician) distracts you from what is really happening and keeps your attention on what you think is happening. Then, when the act is over, you wonder what happened.
  
  We have an enemy that often does the same thing. Don't be deceived.

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For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor 10:3-5 NIV)

Praise

Praying we wake up each morning, praising the Lord for the gift of being alive. And He would give us  power to make it count for something or someone's good.  Finish Strong, Stay Hungry & Humble.