I was thinking the other day about the mysteries of this life that I just don't get.  You know what I mean, when things that are so hard happen to people who love the Lord.  An email was snet to me recently from a friend of ours in Iraq, who told me about two Iraqi women who were killed by some guns for hire.  When we see those reports on television we assume thatthese women were up to no good.  Well in this case there could be nothing further from the truth. These two women were actually our sisters in Christ who were very involved in ministry in Bagdad and were some key components to some new and excitng oppurtunities that our Lord is opening. My first question at times is like you I am sure "Why?"  The believers in Iraq have taken this news of sadness and grieved over their loss here on earth, but have not greived like others around them.  Although  they do not understand all the answers to the Why? questions they are trusting God and thanking God that these two sisters our with the Lord.  But this situation begs the question about our time with the Lord in Eternity. Will we understand why? Will the Lord answer all of our questions about those things that don't make sense to us on earth?  One of the neat ladies of our church has often commented that when she gets to heaven her and Jesus will have to "do lunch" so that some of the unclear and confusing things can be explained by her Master.  

     Believe me when I say it is hard often times to understand and yet that is exactly why we look forward to what is to come.  One of the great things that is to come when we are with the Lord forever is to understand from a different perspective.  We are so tied to Earth and we treat life here often times as if it is paramount to everything in the universe. Life is sacred it is so wonderful for us to experience and to serve the Lord while we are in this body.  But because we are limited in our thinking and limited in our view, sometimes these confusing things just overwhelm us.  The Word of God says that Jesus promises certain things to those who overcome.  Sometimes what we must overcome is our own view that God somehow missed it .   But overcomers have more to look forward to than we might think.  Revelation chapter 3:21  "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His Throne."  Do you see that?  The promise is for all of us who overcome we will have the right to sit with Jesus and celebrate all that has been accomplished.  But part of the time with Jesus will also be a time for a deep conversation with Jesus.  This is one of the times that we will "Do Lunch" and it is here that the Lord will not only allow us to see from a different point of view but also will allow all of our questions to be answered by His presence and His grace. 

We must remember that this life is not all there is and that this world is not our ultimate goal.  So what things will you ask Jesus?  I have a funny feeling that many of the things we do not understand here will be made clear to us just by looking into His face.  One of the question I think that I will ask Him is, "How could you love me so much." It will be a sweet time fo communion and conversation with the Lord of our lives. So friends lets make sure that we do not become sidetrack by life here.  Hebrews 12 says to "Fix our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith"  Together let us make a determination to be together and have that beautiful conversation with Jesus.

[...]

[...]

In our consideration of what Heaven is like and what we have to look forward to, I was wondering what are the things that grab your imagination?  If you and I were having a candid discussion what are the things that you are anxious to experience?  For me there are several things and if you don't mind it would be great to discuss some of them with you.

 First and foremost it is a great longing of my heart to see Jesus! That may seem simplistic to some but in all seriousness that longing continues to grow and grow.  It has always been my feeling that just to see Him will be more than enough.  I love the song from Fanny Crosby who was blind but wrote hundreds of songs.  She penned one that said, I shall know Him I shall know Him as redeemed by His side I shall stand.  I shall know Him I shall know Him by the prints of the nails in His hands."  Fanny Crosby said that even with her earthly infirmity her one desire was to feel the hands of Jesus and know that those wounds were willing taken for all of us. I guess for me to see Jesus will be more than just seeing Him, but in a selfish way it has always been in my mind that when we see Him, it will be a one on one encounter, which seems very selfish, but when it comes to seeing my Lord, I think (Hope) he forgives me.  It is just that to see His eyes and to understand that His presence would be open to me is almost too  much to even imagine.

If you are like me, most of the time we don't feel that we deserve to be in His presence not here on earth but certainly not in Heaven.  Yet the word of God says in the book of Jude, that Jesus will present us before the Father without fault and with great joy.  When I read those words it always seems like a moment of intimacy and oneness with the One who has redeemed me. I am looking forward to that moment and have great expectation of things to happen that words especially earthly words can not express.  We sing the song I can only Imagine. Asking the question what will we do when we see Him? No doubt my first response will be to lay prostrate before the Lord and yet I don't want to look away from those eyes of love.  Our Lord Jesus who is far more than we can begin to fathom is waiting with open arms for us to come and be with Him. The last chapter of the book of Revelation says "The Spirit and the Bride say Come"  That is what I am longing for. That longing to be with Jesus and to know His full acceptance and grace and to see in His eyes the approval and joy of a loving God who with great joy welcomes His servants into His presence forever.  What an incredible day.  Another song written about that moment is "What a day that will be when my Jesus I will see, when I look upon His face the one who saved me by His grace, when He takes me by the hand and leads me through the promise land, What a day glorious day that will be."

Of all the things that Heaven offers, nothing will be greater than being with Jesus.  Nothing will fulfill the deep longing of our hearts like being with Him.  Nothing will ever come close even with all the joys that Heaven offers to being with the Master who would rather die than to lose us for eternity.  The Word of God says that God is love.  Imagine being in the presence of Jesus, face to face with Love itself.  What a day Glorious day that will be. 

In the entries to come we will look at other wonders of Heaven, but suffice it to say.  Just to make it to Heaven and to see Jesus will make anything and everything we do in this life for the Lord, more than worth it.

I long to see my Savior first of all!  How about you?

[...]

In the course of our life, there are so many things that grab our attention. We at times are driven by family activities and agendas at work or school.  Without even realizing we can become nearly numb to the things of God because of all the noise around us constantly.  Noise that often times is not necessarily evil, just not the best.

The world that we live in wants to dictate to us what things are important and what things we should know about.  From celebritties who are in trouble to a political enviroment where it seems that often all that people care about are themselves, to concerns about the economy or the war or housing prices or gasoline prices, or the latest sports victory, we can be infected with a terrible virus, called the love of earth.   There is nothing inherently wrong with loving this life as long as we don't love this life and all that comes with it more than we love our Lord.  But how can we keep from allowing our loyalties to change from God to earth?  Why is it that we are often worried about death because we are completely used to this earth? Is it possible that our affections have strayed away from God and the things to come and without even knowing it our heart has drifted from loving God and wanting to be with Him, to not wanting to lose what we have worked for and been mesmorized by?

The Word of God speaks to each one of us in the third chapter of Colossians.  Out of the the New Living Translation it says this.

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.
2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Notice verse 2 that says think about the things of Heaven not the things of earth. Even in Paul's day there was such a tendency as humans to concentrate so much attention and so much emphasis on the earth that Paul had to say don't do it!  What are the things of heaven that we can set our minds on?  Paul says in verse one that we should set our minds on the realities of Heaven. I am convinced that when my mind wanders to the place and presence of God, that He will keep my mind at peace. (Isaiah 26:3)  I am also persuaded that since my life is with Christ by His grace, that I should mind that are important to Him. In the days to come we will be looking at some of the realities of Heaven that the Word of God describes.  Since as verse 3 says we have died and our lives are now hidden with Christ, where should our thoughts go and where does my heart go?  Setting our minds on things above is an action of our will.  It is far too easy to get bogged down in this life and forget that this is nothing to what God has planned for those who love Him.  I hope that you will follow along in the next few entries as we discuss the better things still to come.

[...]

Going through our life we look for great moments to remember.  We put them in mental scrapbooks  to celebrate a moment that was of special importance.  The baby's first step, the first words or the first day of school, a great achievement at work or a time that you really impacted someones life  are all great experiences that cannot be repeated but can be remembered.  Maybe it is how we are geared, but we tend to look for God in the same way. We look for God to give us a great moment of spiritual insight or victory and then we live off of that moment until another one comes our way.  I rejoice like you that God gives us the mountain top moments where it seems that heaven is open and we can see and hear clearly into what God is doing in our lives and at times even in the lives of others.  But if we only live on those moments we will miss the importance of God working in the everyday events and activities of our lives. 

If we believe the word of God to be true when it says that, God works all things together for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, then we need to rethink how we see special moments of spiritual insight.  He is the God of the mountains where everything seems good and beautiful, but He is also the God of the Valleys where things are not so clear and yet His presence in those moments are just the same.   Jesus has promised to never leave us or never forsake us. This statement is one of great encouragement in times of victory and challenge, but it is also a wonderful reminder that He is the same and never will leave us even in the everyday events of our lives.   Maybe we should look for the special moments in the everyday more so that we can see God at work.  Little things that we take for granted like God's creation and the beauty of all that He has made. And big things like His grace at the right moment for something that seemed overwhelming, peace in the midst of confusion at work or school, or a breath of His encouragement when it seems that the air of the day is being choked out.   God is at work on the mountain top moments, but the only reason He gives those to us is to give us a reminder that He is also the God of the everyday valleys in our lives. He is faithful to be at work on our behalf, interceding for us, working out what is best for each moment no matter how mundane or small that moment may seem.  Maybe we need to ask our God to begin in a fresh way to allow us to see what it means to celebrate the every day moments with an eternal God.  "Lord let my eyes be open to see how you are working in me and through me during the moments of the everyday. "

[...]

Listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit will always produce lasting fruit.  Sometimes we wonder whether or not listening to and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit really matters. Yet throughout our lives as we follow God we learn that every time we take steps to follow His voice we will be aligning ourselves with a plan that is much larger than we know. This is part of thegreatness of God who knows all things and can use us to touch lives that we never could without listening and obeying.  Just last week at a meeting for Convoy of Hope, the international response program for those in need, I met a new friend that I did not know but had a connection with.  Several years ago when we lived in Ohio we helped plant a church in a neighboring community.  The church's Pastor is a good man with an awesome heart for God and for people.  The church planted many years ago is still flourishing today, which brings me back to this new friend.  At the Convoy of Hope meeting we began to talk about our stories and found out that he had lived in Ohio in a small town where my wife had grown up.  After further discussion he mentioned that he had come to know Christ at the church that we helped plant many years before.  When the meeting ended he came up to me and said, " I just want to say thank you for impacting my life by obeying what God told you to do in helping to start that church."  Incredible and overwhelming, to see how a small step of obedience that began seventeen years ago produce fruit that is impacting so many others today.  I found out later that my new friend has become a major contributor to Convoy of Hope and has helped thousands of people all over the world.  How gracious God is to give us a small glimpse of His master plan.

So you see some times small steps of obedience of following the voice of the Holy Spirit have amazing results. We will not see all the fruit of our obedience in this life, but in Heaven we will celebrate with countless people who are there and loving the Lord because God produced lasting fruit through listening to and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

What way is God speaking to you today? Only God knows what lasting fruit will be produced by your next step of obedience.

[...]

[...]

What things will grab our attention today? What are the things that you and I will allow to take time and energy away from our walk with God and our desire to serve Him?  Sometimes, without even knowing it we can become encumbered by things that really don't matter, issues like O.J. or another celebrity's troubles become more vital thanGod, Even things that we may see as not negative or positive like the Redskins or Ravens, can become a bigger part of our lives than they deserve. There may not be anything terrible about having interests and activities that take my or your time, but what is dangerous is to let things drowned out the voice of God and His peace in our lives.  We live in a fast paced, interactive world that with a touch of a computer key board we can be connected to all the information that we need and much, that we don't.

If you and I take the lead in we will have the tendency to fill our every day up with things that may not matter most.  In the book of Acts chapter 13, there is an account of people who let the Holy Spirit Lead. Leaders and prophets had gathered together to seek God, to fast and to pray.  "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  I love the verse because it challenges me. Here are men like us who at that time in the life of the church there were many things that they could have been worried about or focused on. But what they were most longing for was to be with Jesus and to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. God did speak in a way not only that they could hear, but in a way that affected the course of the world.  Barnabas and Saul being set off was the beginning of God's master plan to reach the gentiles.  God moved all because these men of God were listening. Do I listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit or is the attention from other things taking the place of really listening? If I am honest with myself the answer is not always what it should be. For me the best time to hear from the Lord is early in the morning long before the schedule and the other agenda items known and unknown kick in. For me it is in the quiet moments that God grabs my attention and He can speak in a way that can I understand.  Listening requires assumes that we will give God the oppurtunity to speak.  Like Samuel who as a young man learned to listen, may we learn to discern the voice of God and listen to His voice.  He wants to talk with us, through His word , Through our prayer life in amazing ways. Our Lord Speaks continually "Lord teach me to listen.  Teach me to hear the voice of God above all other voices."

[...]

Our walk with God is far more than we may realize.  Think about it with me,  the Lord who is love itself, loves us more than we can ever imagine. His grace and mercy for us is endless and eternal as long as we follow His direction and live in Awe of Him.  Living in Awe of God is not a walk of fear of failure but one of fear and reverance for Him.   But how is it that wewho are finite and limited can live a life that will please a God who is infinite and divine? 

Yet that is what we are called to do by the one who has made us. The westminster shorter cathecism says, "The whole duty of man is to love God and enjoy Him forever."  Isn't that great, God wants us love Him and to enjoy the walk that He has given us to share not only in this life but also in eternity to come. What can we do than to live in Awe of God while at the same time loving Him and enjoying Him? 

Let's take it a step at a time.  Jesus said that the greatest commandment that each follower of His  should fulfill, would be to love the Lord with all your heart, all your strength and all your mind. With everything we do with everything we think with everything we are.  Wow what a command, what an expectation, what a mandate. The question that we have to ask ourselves is, does my life reflect that kind of love, does my heart go to Him, do my thoughts wander to Him or to something else.

There may be some tangible steps that we can make to see how we are doing and whether or not our love for God is true and growing and if we are living in Awe or if we are just becoming religious in our actions.  For me there are a few steps that help me to remember whose I am and who I serve.  If you notice in the entries in this blog or in anything that we write, I have made it a habit to always capitilize every pronoun that refers to the God that loves me and has changed and is in the process of changing me.  For me although capitilizing pronounns may not be gramatically correct , in my life it is relationally correct with the God I love.  There is something for me about respecting the Lord in this small way that reminds me to stand in Awe of God in bigger ways.  Ways that also affect a relationship that I must cultivate on an ever increasing level.  We cannot become complacent with where we are in our walk with God.  Living in Awe of God will require us to  take a new look at our lives with God.  The Word of God says the fear (awe and respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  In what ways are we living that shows God and others that we are living in Awe of God?

[...]

Where were you six years ago today when you heard the news?  What were you doing and what were the first thoughts and feelings that you expressed.  Six years ago on a beutiful September morning our world change forever.  September 11, 2001 was a day that affected our lives and those of the next generation in an incredible way.  When terrorists, truly hell bent on destroying everything and everyone used planes as weapons and took the lives of 3,000 people all of us stood in shock at the senseless destruction.  I remember what I felt that day, anger, rage, anxiousness.  Watching and listening to the accounts on the news. Seeing loved ones post pictures on makeshift walls asking if they anyone had seen their family member or friend.  Wondering what it all meant.

Now six years later we are asking you not to forget!  Our tendancy is to move on unless the terror struct us personally unlesss we lost someone or we experienced something ourselves. But on this anniversary of 9/11, I am asking you to remember and to pray.  Remember those families who are still hurting and are trying to rebuild their lives.  Remember those rescue workers who saw things unimagineable, remember our milatary personnel whose lives were changed forever that day. But don't just remember, Pray.

Will you join with me today and pray for our nation, that God will not only protect us, but bring us back to Him. Will you pray with me for the Grace of God to be with the families of all those who lost loved ones on 9/11.  Will you pray with me for all of our servicemen and women who are serving in the fight to protect our nation.   God's promise is sure when He says, If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Then I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.  Let's remember and pray

[...]