This most recent presidential election didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.

Lately, that is always the case, at least for half of the country.

The funny thing, though, I have found myself resting within a cocoon of peace. The reason that is funny is that the prayers that I and many, many others like me have prayed haven’t yet come to pass.

So, here are some things that I have learned.

To be in the will of God is my deepest desire.

The word of God is living and active, and sharper than a two edged sword.

When I pray and don’t receive the answer I desire, He reveals His will to me.

The father of lies is alive and active in this world, and many, many are his children. “Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

The survival of any country is not necessarily the highest will of the One who sets kings in place.

“When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2

There is no one righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

God desires that no one perish, that is, that no one dies without having His Life inside them. That requires each person to turn from his own will (repent) and give himself to the will of God. John 3:16

For me, the biggest transformations in my life have always come to me through some of my greatest trials.

Maybe it is that way with you, too.

If our country loses its power, greatness, and wealth, and turns its ear to the aforementioned “father of lies”, there will be some who will desire the voice of Truth.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one (nobody) comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

In this world, we will have tribulation. But, a few of us may take heart, live in hope, fix our eyes on the One who has already overcome this world.

Again, To be in the will of God is my deepest desire.

In my coming times on this earth, in this country, my plan is to stand on the truth, for the truth, in the truth.

God made man in His own image, male and female. We don’t need new pronouns.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Decisions made by the will of man tend to be unwise, with little understanding of consequences that follow.

The freedom that the founders of this country envisioned can disappear rather quickly. True freedom rests in receiving the Life that comes from John 3;16.

Fear is not of God. Climate change, Covid19, riots, cancer, republicans, democrats, poverty, homelessness, censorship, cancel culture, lockdowns, mask mandates, wildfires, financial loss, ….All lead to an opportunity to turn to the One who gives Life.

Our lives are in His hands. He numbers our days.

A friend gave me a bookmark this past week with one of my favorite scriptures. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I want the One who made me,

who now calls me “His own”,

who has planted everlasting life inside me.

He is the One I want to direct my paths.

Jesus, Show me Your Way!

December 19,2017

Several weeks ago, our pastor preached on the time Jesus was asleep in the boat, a storm came, his disciples woke him up, and, with a word, he made the storm stop, the sea calm. Something in the sermon has stayed on my mind for weeks. I can’t stop thinking about it.

He asked the disciples, “Where is your faith?”

It’s not easy being a disciple.

They had been a part of a huge event, Jesus teaching one of his longest lessons, to thousands of adoring fans. They marveled at his wisdom.

When it’s all over, Jesus says, “Let’s go to the other side of the lake.”

The fishermen in the group probably looked at the sky, looked at each other, and shrugged.

They usually did what he said.

So they took him in the boat.

The storm came. It was bad. Real bad.

These guys did what anyone would do. They fought to stay alive. They were really, really afraid. I’m talking fear.

They woke up Jesus to help them fight to stay alive.

Then, after he fixed it, (Wow, wow, wow!) they got to the other side, and were nearly attacked by two naked, demon possessed wild men with super human strength.

Then, the people of that town made them leave, and they had to get right back into the boat.

Who wouldn’t be frustrated?

Sounds like a big waste of time, right?

Except, two men who had terrorized the region because of the demons, met Jesus, were healed, the demons driven out. And, at least one of them became a witness to the ten towns in the area to what Jesus had done.

But what was so bad about what the disciples did? That is the question I have been pondering for the last few weeks. They had a natural fear in a natural unexpected turn of events, and responded with all the natural abilities they could muster.

They had no reason to even imagine that Jesus could speak to the storm to end it.

They were doing the best they could.

In their own strength.

Maybe the faith that Jesus was talking about was trusting him wherever he told them to go, whatever he told them to do.

No matter how bad it seemed.

Because he knew something that they didn’t know.

He knew the plan. God’s plan.

You can read the different versions of this story in Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8.

Oh, yeah. The demons that had been in the guys? There were a lot. Jesus sent them (at their request) into a herd of pigs nearby, about 2000 of ‘em.

And…
(wait for it)
the entire herd of swine flew off the cliff and drowned.

(Insert smiles, and or groans here).

The reason I am telling this is because I really didn’t know why this particular story stuck with me so long.

1. Saturday night, around 8:30, I got a text message from the guy who was supposed to teach the high school class bible study on Sunday morning. He was sick, the youth pastor was out of town at a funeral, and someone had told him to call me.

My natural inclination was to pretend I didn’t see the text message.

I said, “Okay,” through text, so he couldn’t hear my reluctance.

“Great, I will send you the scripture.”

Please hurry, I thought. There is not a whole lot of time to prepare something.

You wanna hear something neat? The scripture was the exact scripture that I had been contemplating for the last 3 or 4 weeks.

I was ready.

Next morning, I walked into the youth building. Two students. Wasted trip?

Did Jesus waste a trip two see those two demoniacs?

2. While I was writing this, I learned that my niece is fixing to go into a pretty intense storm of her own. Her job ends tomorrow. She just found out yesterday.

Maybe this message will help her, too.

December 4, 2016

“You are going to have a very comfortable life.”

I remember, in younger days, when I would have thought, “Hey, that’s what I want- a very comfortable life.”

Do I?

Sounds cozy, protected, the good life.

A “safe zone?”

Sorry, not for me.

Every meaningful event in my life has been preceded by a quite uncomfortable life.

Mistakes I made, experience gained, all after extreme times of discomfort.

Deep depression led to the moment that I gave over control of my life, to the One who made me.

What is life, anyway? Isn’t life the whole range of emotions; joy, sorrow, pain, exhilaration, depression, contentment, longing, fulfilment, triumph, defeat, first place, last place, second place, (so close), heartbreak, love, separation, reuniting, broken relationships, restored friendships, getting hired, being fired, disappointments, God’s silence, God’s voice.

The comfort zone, the safe places, aren’t really all that comfortable, or safe.

If you want to live, you have to feel.

Don’t be afraid. You want to live, don’t you?

Sorry, could I have a different cookie, please?