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Join the Revolution

I am joining the Feline Revolution!!!

Friend of Chairman Meow

Daily Humor

He that has ears to hear, let him hear"

You're Trying My Patience

"You're trying my patience". Is that really a true statement? Consider James 1:3-4

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Sometimes God calls us into a situation where we have to wait. Who likes to wait? We have to wait for things (at the stop light, grocery store line, at the DMV, at the restaurant, our birthday, Christmas, the possible promotion, the last day of school, etc.) This is where I constantly find myself and it is a struggle. Waiting and patience doesn't come naturally. It only comes supernaturally. We are bombarded in a world with McDonalds, highspeed wireless Internet, smart phones, Minute Rice, microwaves, and instant credit. We are conditioned to not wait. When we have to wait, it rubs us the wrong way. Why do we have to wait? God has many reasons for causing His children (those who have received Jesus as their Savior) to wait. There may be one reason, or there may be many reasons. Only God knows why. Here are a few reasons why He calls us to wait:

1. To learn that we need to dependant on Him...not ourselves, other, circumstances, etc.

"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." (Psalm 25:5)

"Wait on the LORD...wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)

"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us." (Psalm 123:2)

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." (Psalm 62:5)

2. To have our heart strengthened. Our hearts are prone to weaken and we can easily "lose heart".

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

3. To be able to recognize God's working in our lives and recognize and appreciate His mercy.

"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us." (Psalm 123:2)

4. To learn that we are treat others right.

"Say not thou, I will recompense [repay] evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee." (Proverbs 20:22)

5. To learn patience.

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:3-4)

You see, the statement "you're trying my patience" is not true. It's our faith that is "tried" (tested). God allows this to happen/causes it to happen to strengthen our faith. Faith that is made stronger brings about patience. That's what James was saying.

So the next time I/you have to wait for anything, we need to realize that God has His reasons. He loves us too much to hurt us. God wants to help us and not hurt us!

Prayer:

"Dear God, I know that You will call me to wait on You. Please help me to wait patiently for You and recognize Your love, goodness, and grace in those situations. Please help me to be a good example and testimony to others in the midst of my waiting on You ONLY. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Daily Humor

This is the definition of "literal"

Daily Humor

Maybe I shouldn't been so hard on my kids. They're still kinda young.

Daily Humor

I never knew what animals sacrifice or how they worship. Now I know!

I am amazed how God can take bad things and turn them around for good. Consider the death of Stephen:

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. (Acts 8:1-5 KJV)

Because of Stephen's death, the believers were thrust out taking the Gospel to others. They didn't allow a bad thing stop them from doing good things. I hope that I can remember this WHILE I endure "bad" things. There really are no "bad" things, just good things from a good God.

Daily Humor

I think that Monday is going to be a day like this.

Fearless

I want to thank Michael Hyatt and the people at Thomas Nelson for the advanced copy of Max Lucado's new book, Fearless. I looked forward to reading this book because I had never read one of Lucado's book before.

I was pleased with the 15-chapter book. It is easy reading, but don't let that fool you. Lucado tackles a subject that plagues the lived of almost all of us--fear. The back covers reads:

"Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, and doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, when you could trust more and fear less. Can you imagine your life without fear?"

Lucado does a great job of addressing fear in our lives--what is it, where it come from, and how do we defeat it. I wholeheartedly encouage people to read it and I also look forward to reading more of Lucado's books in the future.

Give Me Patience...Now

Have you ever felt like this...I know that I have.

When God Does the Same Thing in Different Ways

I have been pondering something lately:

GOD CAN DO THE SAME THING IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I think about Israel leaving Egypt. When they faced the obstacle of the Red Sea in front of them and the pursuing Egyptian army behind them, Moses raised his rod and God parted the Red Sea. They miracluously crossed over on dry ground (Exodus 14). Forty years later, though, they approached the Jordan River and needed to cross it. A new generation was on the scene and I am sure it would have been easy for them to think that their new leader, Joshua, could just raise some rod, stick, or any other inanimate object over the river, even though it was at flood stage. God COULD do it!

But God did NOT do it. The same thing needed to happen--an uncrossable obstacle/body of water needed to be crossed. Would God do it just like He did it before?

NO!

God told the priests to lead the way as they carried the Ark of the Covenant and actually step foot into the river. Then the river would back up and..."voilà"...cross over the imposing trial that stood in front of them (Joshua 3).

I think of me. My life. My family. God has done so many wonderful things. But He is not done yet! He may do of the same things, but how often do we think in our minds HOW he is doing to do certain things? I know I do.

Isn't it great, though, that God never changes, and He is not limited by our finite minds. He can do the same thing in different ways!

Great First Day of School

The kids had a great first day of school. God has faithful and were even pleased to hear that Cynthia's homeroom teacher at Beaufort Middle School gave a testimony to her class of knowing Jesus as her Savior!

First Day of School

I just got all of the kids off to their first day of school. The special ed. bus that picked Jacob up at 7:00 was supposed to come back for Kayla at 7:45. The bus didn't come back, but another came at 8:35. Her school is across town and starts at 8:30. Typical first day confusion dealing with school buses. Now ready to take my wife out to Palm and Moon Bagel Shop before heading out to run some important errands.

Here are some pics of the kids before school.

God's Faithfulness

I am pondering the fact that God is faithful. "God is faithful" 1 Corinithians 1:9). I hope that these verses and the video blesses you as you read and watch.

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 9:5)

Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. (1 Kings 8:5)

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. (Psalm 36:5)

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89:1)

He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. (Psalm 105:8)

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (Hebrews 6:18)

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)- Hebrews 10:23

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:19)

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)

Fear Not

I just got back home from taking two of my daughters to their back-to-school night. Big deal you say! It is a big deal for them since it is the first time in their lives that they will be in public school. They are facing the fear of the unknown.

The fear of the unknown! It is easy to dismiss someone else's fear of the unknown. I find myself telling them, "It will be okay. You will be fine." I know that and I think they believe that too.

It can be quite different, though, when WE are the ones that are gripped by fear. Sometimes we just need to hear some encouraging words. Reminds me of God's words to Joshua after Moses died.

"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:5-9)

I don't necessarily think that Joshua feared going into the Promised Land of Canaan (Numbers 14:6-9). I do think that he needed some "Fatherly" encouragement and a reminder from God. He was taking on a great task and taking over from a great leader.

I have heard it said that the Bible contains the command to not fear a total of 365 times--that's one a day. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", but "a command a day keeps fear away." May those of us who know Christ remember the words that God spoke to Moses "be strong and of a good courage"

16th Anniversary

Video I made for the 16th anniversary of my wife and me.

Your Own Jesus

I finished my advanced copy of Mark Hall's "Your Own Jesus" and loved it! The Casting Crowns frontman did an excellent job focusing in on THE issue of the church--a close, personal, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark was effective in weaving in Scripture, stories, and illustrations as he used songs from "The Altar and the Door" to bring out the need for us to develop a walk with God. I can only hope that Mark does more writing and maybe does another book like this one using songs from Crowns' upcoming CD, "Until the Whole World Hears".

I highly recommend that you get this easy-to-read, yet powerful and effective book.