My four year old niece loves horses and her Grammy and all things magical. This is something how her conversation with her Daddy went today.
E: I want a purple, flying horse.
Daddy: You don't know how to ride a flying horse.
She thinks about that for a minute. E: Grammy can teach me.
Daddy: Which Grammy?
E: Your mom.
Daddy: But Grammy doesn't know how to ride a horse.
E: I'll teach her to ride a horse and then she can teach me to ride a flying horse!
Oh the wonderful logic and imagination of children. What a great gift God gave us in them.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
He Is Alive!
When I was a kid I didn't completely understand Easter. I mean I knew that we celebrated when Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day but Christmas always seemed much more exciting to me. On Christmas it was only the good stuff we were celebrating, Jesus' birth, and we got presents! It's a great holiday to celebrate! But now as an adult I realize that Easter is equally important. See you can't have Easter without Christmas, because Jesus couldn't have died if He hadn't been born but without Easter we wouldn't have any basis for our faith.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the day we remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem. People lined the streets, celebrating His arrival shouting "Hosana! Hosana in the Highest!" They laid down palm leaves and coats for his donkey to pass on. Then only five days later came Good Friday, [which is what we're celebrating today by the way] the day that Jesus was crucified. When He, a man who had never sinned once in His entire life, willingly took up the cross and walked down the Via Del a Rosa to Golgatha, where He was crucified. Jesus had never done anything wrong, and He, as the Son of God, could have chosen to walk away but instead He chose to die because He knew that this was the only possible way for us to be saved.
Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb, was sacraficed. He was beaten, mocked, humiliated and abandoned by those who had sworn to always be there for Him. He was rejected by the very people He came to save and as He took on the sins of the world He felt God the Father turn His face away. But in His final hours as He was hanging on a cross He forgave a sinner hanging next to Him. And with His last breath He prayed "Father forgive them for they know not what they have done." Then He said, "It is finished." And He breathed His last.
My friends if that was the way the story ended we would have no hope, our faith would have no meaning but it doesn't end there because on Sunday is the most important day of all history. Ressurection Sunday because Jesus didn't stay in the tomb. He didn't die and leave us alone, no! He rose again! He rose from the dead! And when people came to visit His tomb they found angels there! Then Jesus appeared! To the women, to two of his followers, to the 11 disciples left, and then to over five hundred people as He walked the earth for forty more days before He ascended back into Heaven! This is why we celebrate Easter, this is why we have faith! Because Jesus is alive! He didn't stay in the tomb, He rose again!
Jesus is alive! And He is with us even today, and He'll be with us tomorrow and the next day and every day to come because He loves us! He loved us enough to be born a helpless baby, He loved us enough to live a sinless life, He loved us enough to be tortured, humiliated and rejected, He loved us enough to die a horrible death on a cross and He loved us to rise again! He's alive and He still loves us that much!
Happy Easter, because it really is the happiest day in all of history because Jesus is alive!
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the day we remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem. People lined the streets, celebrating His arrival shouting "Hosana! Hosana in the Highest!" They laid down palm leaves and coats for his donkey to pass on. Then only five days later came Good Friday, [which is what we're celebrating today by the way] the day that Jesus was crucified. When He, a man who had never sinned once in His entire life, willingly took up the cross and walked down the Via Del a Rosa to Golgatha, where He was crucified. Jesus had never done anything wrong, and He, as the Son of God, could have chosen to walk away but instead He chose to die because He knew that this was the only possible way for us to be saved.
Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb, was sacraficed. He was beaten, mocked, humiliated and abandoned by those who had sworn to always be there for Him. He was rejected by the very people He came to save and as He took on the sins of the world He felt God the Father turn His face away. But in His final hours as He was hanging on a cross He forgave a sinner hanging next to Him. And with His last breath He prayed "Father forgive them for they know not what they have done." Then He said, "It is finished." And He breathed His last.
My friends if that was the way the story ended we would have no hope, our faith would have no meaning but it doesn't end there because on Sunday is the most important day of all history. Ressurection Sunday because Jesus didn't stay in the tomb. He didn't die and leave us alone, no! He rose again! He rose from the dead! And when people came to visit His tomb they found angels there! Then Jesus appeared! To the women, to two of his followers, to the 11 disciples left, and then to over five hundred people as He walked the earth for forty more days before He ascended back into Heaven! This is why we celebrate Easter, this is why we have faith! Because Jesus is alive! He didn't stay in the tomb, He rose again!
Jesus is alive! And He is with us even today, and He'll be with us tomorrow and the next day and every day to come because He loves us! He loved us enough to be born a helpless baby, He loved us enough to live a sinless life, He loved us enough to be tortured, humiliated and rejected, He loved us enough to die a horrible death on a cross and He loved us to rise again! He's alive and He still loves us that much!
Happy Easter, because it really is the happiest day in all of history because Jesus is alive!
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Who God Made You To Be
Being fragile isn't a bad thing, it just means that you're translucent enough for Christ to shine through. Being strong isn't a bad thing because it means your shoulders are strong enough toe for the burdens God places on them.
It's okay to be soft spoke so that you will hear the words of others.
It's okay to be bold so that you might say what others need to hear.
Be who made you to be, not who you want to be, not who others tell you to be but who He made you to be. And though there are times the soft spoken will be called to be bold, the bold will be called to be quiet, the fragile to be strong and the strong to be break, don't lose heart! Because even then God will be with you every step of the way, in every process and through every transition.
It's okay to be soft spoke so that you will hear the words of others.
It's okay to be bold so that you might say what others need to hear.
Be who made you to be, not who you want to be, not who others tell you to be but who He made you to be. And though there are times the soft spoken will be called to be bold, the bold will be called to be quiet, the fragile to be strong and the strong to be break, don't lose heart! Because even then God will be with you every step of the way, in every process and through every transition.
Monday, March 14, 2016
End of Your Rope
Have you ever been at the end of your rope and wondered where is God? What is he doing well I'm barely hanging on? When my arm is starting to ache, my hand is starting to cramp, my palm is sweating and I don't know how much longer I can hold on, where is God?
He's holding the other end of that rope.
He's holding the other end of that rope.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
A Prayer of Restoration
I was recently reading the book of Jonah. When Jonah went to Nineveh, an evil and wicked city, he proclaimed the message God had given him, that because of their wicked ways God would bring judgement on them and destroy the city and everyone in it. But the people of Nineveh repented, even the king humbled himself and repented of his sinful ways.
With the presidential races heating up in America many people are seeing the need for a man or woman of God, a leader of integrity to step into the Oval Office and lead our country. Some say that's it's too late for us but I refuse to accept that. I think the book of Jonah, the city of Nineveh and so many other examples in the Bible give us hope. America still has hope but it's going to take a lot of prayer and a change of direction for us to once again be restored to the country that God intended us to be, the country that was founded when people came here searching for freedom and fleeing persecution.
So this is my call, my request to all Christians in America, please vote! Pray about the candidates and vote for the one that will follow God and lead this country down the right path once again.
To all Christians all over the world I ask that you would join me and so many others in praying for my homeland, that my leaders and my people would humble themselves before the Lord and return to being a nation of laws and a people of faith once again.
Here's my prayer.
Lord,
I beg you to place a president in November who loves you, who lives their life with integrity and will lead our people with the wisdom of Solomon. I ask that you would give wisdom to our people as we consider our options, that you would give us courage to vote and remind us that every vote can make a difference. I ask that you would humble us before you, that you would return us to you that you would make yourself known here in America that leaves us no doubt of your presence, of your love and of your commitment to us. Restore us Lord to a country that can make a difference for you in our world. Restore us to a land of laws that is able and willing to do what is right and stand up against adversity.
Wake up your people in the land Lord, that we would not be sleeping but that we would be prayer warriors, praying for our country and our people. Unite us God so that we, as your children, can call out to you as one and be heard above all the other voices.
Be with us God, shape us, change us, and bless us as we seek to do your will.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
With the presidential races heating up in America many people are seeing the need for a man or woman of God, a leader of integrity to step into the Oval Office and lead our country. Some say that's it's too late for us but I refuse to accept that. I think the book of Jonah, the city of Nineveh and so many other examples in the Bible give us hope. America still has hope but it's going to take a lot of prayer and a change of direction for us to once again be restored to the country that God intended us to be, the country that was founded when people came here searching for freedom and fleeing persecution.
So this is my call, my request to all Christians in America, please vote! Pray about the candidates and vote for the one that will follow God and lead this country down the right path once again.
To all Christians all over the world I ask that you would join me and so many others in praying for my homeland, that my leaders and my people would humble themselves before the Lord and return to being a nation of laws and a people of faith once again.
Here's my prayer.
Lord,
I beg you to place a president in November who loves you, who lives their life with integrity and will lead our people with the wisdom of Solomon. I ask that you would give wisdom to our people as we consider our options, that you would give us courage to vote and remind us that every vote can make a difference. I ask that you would humble us before you, that you would return us to you that you would make yourself known here in America that leaves us no doubt of your presence, of your love and of your commitment to us. Restore us Lord to a country that can make a difference for you in our world. Restore us to a land of laws that is able and willing to do what is right and stand up against adversity.
Wake up your people in the land Lord, that we would not be sleeping but that we would be prayer warriors, praying for our country and our people. Unite us God so that we, as your children, can call out to you as one and be heard above all the other voices.
Be with us God, shape us, change us, and bless us as we seek to do your will.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Job's Wife
The other day I was talking with my mom about Job's wife. We all know the story of Job, (if you don't you can read about him in the book of Job in the Old Testament) the man who was tested by God and despite every horrible thing that was thrown at him his faith never wavered but when was the last time that you thought about his wife?
Job lost his wealth, his livestock, everything he'd owned, but that was his wife's wealth too, she lost it to.
Job lost his children, all of his sons and daughters on one fateful night, but those were his wife's children too.
Job was afflicted with all sorts of horrible illness and physical ailments, there's nothing to suggest that his wife got sick also but who do you think took care of him?
Job lost all of his servants, those were his wife's servants too.
Here's the difference, Job continued to praise God through all of these trials. He questioned and cried out to God but his faith never wavered. His wife on the other hand berated him, got angry at him, told him to curse God and die. Her faith wavered. His didn't.
But before you're too hard on her think about this. What reaction do we have? We know the reaction we should have. We should respond like Job, having absolute faith even when we don't understand why we're going through things but so often we respond more like his wife. We lose faith because we're human but don't get too discourage. Jesus' disciples so often responded the same way. The good news is that He still forgives us.
So whether we respond the way we should to trials like Job did or whether we mess up and loose faith like Job's wife and Jesus' disciples it's not the end of the world. He'll still forgive us.
Job lost his wealth, his livestock, everything he'd owned, but that was his wife's wealth too, she lost it to.
Job lost his children, all of his sons and daughters on one fateful night, but those were his wife's children too.
Job was afflicted with all sorts of horrible illness and physical ailments, there's nothing to suggest that his wife got sick also but who do you think took care of him?
Job lost all of his servants, those were his wife's servants too.
Here's the difference, Job continued to praise God through all of these trials. He questioned and cried out to God but his faith never wavered. His wife on the other hand berated him, got angry at him, told him to curse God and die. Her faith wavered. His didn't.
But before you're too hard on her think about this. What reaction do we have? We know the reaction we should have. We should respond like Job, having absolute faith even when we don't understand why we're going through things but so often we respond more like his wife. We lose faith because we're human but don't get too discourage. Jesus' disciples so often responded the same way. The good news is that He still forgives us.
So whether we respond the way we should to trials like Job did or whether we mess up and loose faith like Job's wife and Jesus' disciples it's not the end of the world. He'll still forgive us.
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