Preoccupied

“What am I doing wrong?” Ever ask yourself that? I sure have, usually it comes at a moment of desperation in which all my attempts to solve the issue at hand have failed.

It comes from honest effort; a genuine heart to try, but met with many failures one grows distressed to find a solution. Now if you are anything like me, you will first go to those many “good” sources in your life. You will ask friends, family, mentors and consult great leadership or self-help materials to give you direction. In essence you amp up the volume of voices in your life, that’s mistake number 1. As we do this we often will ask everyone but the one that is the provider of that which we seek, God. Instead of asking Him we ask them and that’s mistake number 2.

As a result of going in many directions we get tired. Exhausted from all the running around, the chaos of choices and the multitude of crossroads we throw up or hands and give up! Often we give up just before the true answer to our crisis comes. Mistake number 3 was evident from the beginning.

To round out our misguided adventure we resort to the final round of using logic where seemly our emotions and faith has fallen through. But instead of our last resort, logic was given to us by God to help point the way to a bigger solution than it alone can provide. Logic was given to us to help us decide where we really need faith; that we need God. Mistake number 4 seals our fate of frustration in finding and staying in God’s will.

Quite your life this week, ask God those burning questions and listen. When the answer does not come when you expect continue to wait and use the brain you have to help you determine you increasing need of God’s will in your life. The more you have to wait the more you should be convence through your logic reasoning that the only way through your situation is to put your trust in God.

And just like that His answer and/or direction will come. Being preoccupied always makes the time fly by. Give this method a try and just see how much more clearly God’s will comes into focus.

“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)

On the Line

One day a man woke up to find himself in place he never intended. Surrounded by the past of his decisions and the future of uncertainty; he folds under to the pressure of another day. Walking numb through the morning with not a smile in site he lumbers to work. Enduring another day of tasks and problems it punches the same spot that has since lost all feeling. As he battles to get home the anger, frustration, rage and lack of joy bubble up. Sitting in traffic it all comes crashing down and as the better of him fails he cries out “What is your will for my life God????”

Ever had a day like that? Maybe you feel your life is like that. Often is seems that we can never catch a break, that there is always something. What I have noticed is that all of us are in this boat. In Matthew 5 Jesus tells us this; “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

But in this mixed up world there are two kinds of people; 1) those that know the will of God and 2) those that know not God’s will. His will is a providential guide, helping you make each step in life in the correct direction, kinda like that TV commercial with the green path and arrow. Oh, if only it was that easy.

Understand as nice as that would be, God does not make dummies and finding His will for your like is no different. God wants some zeal, passion, some desire to come out of you. You have to take part in this journey of your life. When you do you will find His will.

So finding God’s will is often filled with many stubbed toes, but He provides two boundaries in which to explore. As long as you stay there you will find it, no matter how long it takes. One boundary is God’s active, sovereign will. God is doing things in the earth today, right now as you are reading this and that is one way to find his will, find out what He is already doing and hang around there.

The other is His moral will. This confronts sin and destroys the inequities (fancy word for bad habits) we hang on to. Often because of our sin we launch ourselves into the weeds of life and struggle to do the same thing others do with ease. Why the trouble? Well sin, it’s like a ball and chain around your leg. Sure you can still run, but you will not run far and you will tired faster; result--less progress.

So, by now you know that life is full of decisions in life. So my best recommendation is to read the Bible and get God’s moral compass in you, then start to do things and be at places where He is (Church is a good place to start), from there you can hear the words of God that have been screaming for years to get you to turn left and not right and then right and not left.

“Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts. At the town center she makes her speech. In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand. At the busiest corner she calls out: "Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? About face! I can revise your life. Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know. As it is, I've called, but you've turned a deaf ear; I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me. (Proverbs 1:20-22 The Message)

A Good Fish Story!

Re-read John chapter 11 when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. And go to Living Hope Church if you want to recap what was said in the message by Pastor Paul on Sunday.

Two weeks ago while I was on vacation with my family the dads determined that our time with the kids would be best spent taking them fishing. So we packed up the poles, tackle and bait and headed off towards the lake. Now I want you to imagine two dads, four kids and four fishing poles – we were outnumbered! My friend John and I spent the entire time keeping these extremely excited kids from hooking each other in the head. But they did well and all together we must have caught about 400 fish!!!! Na, that’s just a “fish story” but the kids where hooking fishing right and left – it was a great time! The highlights of the adventure were when the oldest (Brennen) caught a big catfish and my daughter caught a big mouth bass that was close to 2 feet long with a Princess Pole! I have never caught a bass in my life—geeze what luck.

Not to be outdone, I went to work in my specially picked spot. I cast my line, got a hit and started to bring her in only to lift up an empty hook and no worm. “That fish ate my worm!!” It’s funny how I got mad, isn’t that what they are supposed to do?? Anyway, it gets worse, two, three, four worms eaten by this fish. Now I am really getting mad, I am determined to hook this fish. So I cast again, he nibbles, I wait, he nibbles more, I drag the line, he bites and I wait, bites down again and I yank that line hard!!! “Ha, Ha I got him!” and I start reeling in; convinced it’s a big fish. As I pull it up this little 6 inch blue gill all I can say is “AUGGH”. Dad’s first fish that ate four worms and to top it off it is the smallest of the bunch.

Let me tell you I hooked this little guy good! When I went to let him go I realized the hook was down deep and then I hear, “It’s bleeding!!!” Sure enough the hook was so deep my little fighter was bleeding allot! So I tell the kids, “sorry guys, but this one is going to die!” And the response comes back, “No, don’t kill the fish dad!” I say, “guys it’s the way of life and fishing – some die!” As I unhook the fish I let the kids look at it and place it back in the water where the kids where playing. At this point the kids are really upset, telling me I am a fish killer. I told them that I could not save him, the hook was too deep.

Now, because the kids where playing in the spot I placed the fish the water was muddy, thus you could not see the dead fish (I did this on purpose). But the kids were still upset and it got worse when the fish popped up out of the muddy water. They kept screaming for me to help it so I go over and as I do the fish rights itself in the water and starts to flap one fin. Hanging out in the now clear water the fish just sits there, dazed. Before I know it, he darts off just as happy as he was before this all took place. Then I hear my daughter say, “Daddy you killed the fish, but Jesus raised it from the dead!” I still get a good laugh over that, so true! My efforts often kill things, but Jesus always brings life.

What things in your life are dead that need the resurrection power of Jesus Christ? You might be in muddy water today waiting to die, only to find that God is not done with you yet. He pulls you out of that muck and mire and breathes new life into you. And before you know it you are happily swimming once again in life. But it all starts with allowing God to breathe His life into us.

Just for today, stop what you are doing and ask God, “Father, I want your life in me. Fill me today in Jesus name!” Amen, that was a great prayer!

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'” (Acts 2:28)

Re-read Mark chapter 2 when Jesus healed the cripple lowered through a roof. And go to Living Hope Church if you want to recap what was said in the message by Pastor Paul on Sunday.

There is more to Easter than just a beautiful day or birds singing a pretty tune. It’s more than solid or hollow bunnies (chocolate kind), more than going to church or a family dinner. There is more to the miracle of the day than just what we often see or even experience year after year. Easter holds more because it could not hold the one who made the day unique.

It started with the phrase “It is finished” (John 19:30) and ended with the exclamation of “They have taken the LORD” (John 20:2) And what was accomplished during that time completed the past and provided a way for the future for all who would allow Jesus to come into their lives.

Miracles happen all around us each day, people are healed, homes are restored, life continues amidst it’s fragility, things that are not suppose to happen-do and things are suppose to happen-don’t. All of these provide a gleaming light of faith, faith that the greatest miracle of all can happen.

What is the greatest miracle? It’s when you surrender your heart to Jesus as your Lord and savior. It’s when you stop running away, giving yourself away to others and start to give the most precious thing you hold to Him. When you give your heart to God.

Jesus did not go to the cross, die and be resurrected so that eyes could be made to see again, or that limbs would be restored or that people with cancer would be renewed. No, those acts are simple for a creator to fix! Instead the cross and the tomb where necessary for you and me to experience the greatest miracle of all. A saved, renewed life!

Will you bow your heart to Jesus today? Simply click here to say a prayer and get connected with believers that will help you in that decision.

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” (Acts 2:21)