Author: James Penner

Choices

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

Jesus said, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4

The poet Robert Frost once wrote: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”. Translation, of the many choices you have in life which ones will you make, the comfortable ones, or, the ones that may throw a few (or many) challenges your way but lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. As I think about Robert Frost’s play on words, and reflect on the choices I’ve made in life, I can’t help but think of Jesus words when he said,

“Launch Out Into The Deep”

Certainly “the deep” qualifies as a road less traveled. They are also scary words quite frankly, and one’s that I have not always heeded. But I’ve noticed something, the fish usually don’t just jump into your boat on their own. You have to venture out into the deeper waters where the fish are then cast your net to catch them. Choosing comfortable is easy, but I would venture to say less fulfilling. What dream have you been holding onto far too long? Why not try the road less traveled and choose to get to work in bringing that dream into reality. You have a willing partner in Jesus just itching to bless the work of your hands. Remember, with God, nothing is impossible.

Harmony

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you ‘Fear not” Isaiah 41:13

I was recently walking through a store when my eye caught a young child holding his father’s hand. When the father stopped to take an item from the shelf, the child stopped, gazing up at what his dad was up to, then to the shelves filled with items all around. When his father started walking again, the child kept pace, seemingly without a care in the world.

There Was Safety In His Father’s Hand

We do a wonderful job of wandering wherever we want in life, and yet wonder why we feel so much stress and anxiety along the way. On this day, in that store, a little child reminded me of why I put my hand in my Heavenly Father’s hand. How sweet it is to trust in the Lord.

The Cease Fire

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand” Psalm 139:17-18

I’ve learned one powerful lesson in life; never be at war with yourself. When I first wrote those words I looked at them and said, “Well, that seems obvious, who’d be dumb enough to do that.” The problem is, we all are! We waste a great deal of time warring with ourself and never even realize we’re doing it. The conflict may never have been officially declared, the battle lines never clearly drawn, but realize it or not we’re at war with ourself more often than we care to admit. “I’m not good enough, I’m not strong enough, I’m not good-looking enough, I’m not rich enough, thin enough, young enough, old enough, fast enough, smart enough, cool enough, cagy enough, connected enough…and the list goes on…

It’s Time To Declare A Cease Fire

God created you. His thoughts toward you are amazing, wonderful, beautiful. Bask in that knowledge today for you are wonderfully made and you are loved just the way you are!

Retrain Your Brain

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

A friend of mine went through a hip replacement surgery. I remember my surprise at hearing the news because he is relatively young and in good shape. Yet the joint had worn to the point where he was walking with a visible limp, and over the past few months even started to use a crutch. He went through the surgery and thanks to the skill of a modern day surgeon was quickly up and around on his new hip. Still for a month or two after the surgery his limp remained the same. Then suddenly, to my surprise, the limp vanished. Where did it go? That limp was there the day before. Had it vanished in the night? “Your walking great,” I said. “What happened?” His response to me was priceless! “My physical therapist told me that

I Had To Retrain My Brain”

His brain had been trained to expect pain with every step, so it told him to limp in anticipation. Even if he didn’t feel the pain right away, his brain said, don’t worry, it’s coming. Those word struck me with tremendous force for Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:7 gives to us those same words. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.” We have to retrain our brains to believe and ACCEPT that in Christ we are a new creation. Christ has already done the restoration work in us. Just as my friend had a new hip, Christ has given you a new life. The old one is gone, along with any horrific thing you have done thought or said. Retrain your brain to accept Christ forgiveness and restorative work. It’s time to stop limping through life and start walking!   

Peace

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

A few years back my wife and I were in the beginning stage of moving our home. I’m sure you’ve all been there at one time or another. It’s unnerving all the planning, the packing, the uncertainty surrounding the details of the place you are leaving, or the anxiety over the place you are trying to go to. All the details distract your mind by day and keep you awake at night. There is an unsettled feeling that surrounds the relocation of your place of residence. Then a dear friend of ours said a prayer for us, saying,

“God, Grant Them Peace In The Process”

This prayer sticks with me to this very day: peace in the process! How often do we go through the circumstances in our lives with anything but peace. Today you may not be moving but something in your life is eating away at you. Large or small, we carry the burden of our circumstances with fear, anxiety, and trepidation. Then we come to the words of Jesus from John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Accept His peace, not as the world gives but as only He can give.

Sharing

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

Jesus said, “Come to me…” Matthew 11:28

When I was a child I would spend time on my grandparents Kansas farm, and they had a very interesting version of a telephone. It was called a “party line”. In other words, two or three, or four houses were hooked up to the same line, and all you had to do was pick up the phone just about any time day or night and you could listen in on a conversation between one of the neighbors and whomever they were talking to. Today that’s pretty much called Facebook or Twitter, but be that as it may, we love to gab with others, and listen to what others have to say.

Sharing Is In Our DNA

And yet, when it comes to our prayer life, while we seem to do a pretty good job praying for relief from our burdens, or for God’s divine intervention in our circumstances, we fall short in sharing our day to day life with Him. Have you ever spent time with Jesus just sharing your hopes, and your dreams? Or to simply vent and let Him in on the events of your day? You may be saying, “Doesn’t He know anyway?” Of course He does, but that’s not the point. Failing to draw near to your Lord is all on you. He will not force the conversation. He’s waiting on you to say, “Here I am Lord, can we have a chat? You won’t believe what happened to me today….”

Reminder

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind…” Job 38:1

Job is probably one of the most well known individuals in the Bible, mainly because he literally lost everything, his family, his great fortune, and yes even his health. If there was ever a man who suffered it was Job. Yet even through all of his pain, and the cynical comments from his well meaning friends that he must be cursed of God for doing something wrong, Job never once cursed God. He questions his lot in life, and laments his loses, and yet,

Job Never Blames The Lord

Then in Job 38, God finally answers Job’s questions by providing an awesome resume of His greatness and His majesty. Take the time to read this chapter and you’ll see what I mean. Whenever I’m feeling blue, or sorry for myself, or questioning my lot in life I simply re-read Job 38. Instantly I’m reminded of how truly great God is, and just how fortunate I am to be His child, and in His care. And every single time I soon find myself saying, “Lord, how great Thou art. Let your incredible will be done in my life. Whatever you have for me this day I gratefully receive.” Be reminded today that you have an awesome Heavenly Father.

Cyrano

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1

My wife and I were able to catch the film “Cyrano” staring Peter Dinklage a few years ago. In this classic remake of the 1897 original version of this story, Cyrano loves a woman from afar because he fears she will not love him in return due to his physical appearance. Cyrano instead befriends her, and, when she confesses her love for another man to him, Cyrano proceeds to help that young man win her heart by feeding the young man just the right poetic words to write and say to her. I won’t give away the ending but as you can imagine,

The Truth Eventually Comes Out

Today, in our own lives, all too often we rely on “Cyrano’s” every day. Media and celebrities tell us what to eat or not eat, what to wear or not wear, what to drive or think, in general how we should live our lives. In our faith life it’s easy to let the Clergy live out our faith for us, telling us just what to say to God and just how to say it. Yet, the disciples in Luke 11 asked Jesus a very interesting question. They asked, “Lord, teach us to pray”. In other words, they were asking God directly, how should we speak to You? Jesus proceeded to give them perfect roadmap in Luke 11 with the Lord’s Prayer, which you can read, and pray, yourself. You don’t need a surrogate, you just need Jesus. Talk to Him.

Time

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Time is a relentless task master. It marches on whether we like it or not. Seconds turn to minutes then to hours and to days, weeks, months and years. All too soon a lifetime is behind us. Time measures our journey. As a child, today’s bible verse is one of the earliest that I can remember committing to memory. Perhaps my mother, or grandmother, knew the curve balls that life serves up. Indeed, through the years these words from Solomon have been measured against a myriad of trials and tribulations in my life and I have to admit that I’ve been blessed to have these words tatooed on my mind through it all. Choosing to not lean on my own understanding, but to

Trust In The Lord Makes All The Difference

And yet there is a step that goes beyond trust. That big, bold, important step is to go beyond trust to acknowledging God as your “everything” – your Provider, your Healer, your Savior, your King, your Friend. It’s one thing to say Jesus, I trust you, and quite another to say out loud, Jesus I trust you with everything, because You are my everything, and then to prove that trust by letting go of fears and worries. He knows just what you need, and when you need it. His timing is perfect. Trust Him.

Fragrance

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Now thanks to God who leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place”. 2 Corinthians 2:14

After a few days of rain the mud puddles had finally taken their toll, so I took my car down to the local car wash. As I climbed out an older gentleman walked up to me to ask what kind of wash I wanted. I smiled and said, “the clean kind”. Thankfully he laughed at my poor version of a “dad joke” before saying, how much do you want to spend to clean your car? After we had established “as little as possible”, he then asked, what kind of fragrance I wanted. Fragrance? “What do you mean by Fragrance?” I asked. “He then proceeded to offer me an assortment of aromas from Lemon, to Apricot, to some kind of wildflower. There were even food scents like Movie Popcorn but I figured that would just make me hungry as I drove so I said, “Lemon sounds nice. At that point I watched him immediatly give one squirt from a squirt bottle onto the driver’s side carpeting. “Done”, he smiled,

“Lemon Fresh Just For You”

After my car was washed and dried I headed home with the overpowering scent of lemon slapping me in the face. It was enough to make my eyes water! All that glaring fragrance from just one squirt from a little squirt bottle? Interesting how fragrance is such a keen part of our senses. Whenever I smell a lemon I think of that day at the car wash. Conversely, fresh baked bread brings wonderful memories of my mother’s kitchen. There is great memory recall power in fragrance. I’ve often wondered if that’s why Paul used the power of Fragrance to describe our role in giving the knowledge of Jesus to those around us. As you live your life, your witness to others can be as welcome as fresh baked bread, or it can be as harsh as one too many lemons. Let the fragrance of your life be a blessing to those around you.