faith

See The Colors

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“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines…yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” Habakkuk 3:17-18

Gina lost her husband to a three year battle with cancer. Michael lost his wife just 17 days after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Through the horror of these two incredibly painful experiences, God brought Michael and Gina Spehn together. They captured their story in a book called, “The Color Of Rain”. When I met this amazing couple I remember them telling me how easy it is for us to get caught up in the gray skies and seemingly gray color of rain. When tragedy hits our lives, all we see are shades of gray. Yet, if we allow the clouds to part ever so slightly and the sun to touch those rain drops, you will soon see 

Every Color Of The Rainbow.

Yes there are days when it is hard to spot the miracles in the circumstances of our lives. Those times when it would be so easy to crawl back into bed and pull the covers of depression over our face. Or, we can choose faith. Habakkuk makes such a choice. “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Through the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls – Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” There is a rainbow of color lingering in the midst of your tragedy.

Ferris Bueller

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“Judge not, that you be not judged” Matthew 7:1

In the beloved 80’s film, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, a fun-loving Ferris had to match wits with his nemesis, Principle Ed Rooney. I still laugh at the scenes in the film because I remember well my version of Ed Rooney roaming our school hallways. I can still picture this teacher on patrol looking for violators. His nickname was, “the judge”, and there was no mistaking who was in charge. Just one whisper “here comes the judge” had the very real effect of instantly scattering students. 

No One Wants To Be Judged

We scatter like mice at the thought of being judged! And yet, why is it that we are so good at doing something that we hate others doing to us? Think of all the judgments we make during the day. “Not surprised they’re getting divorced”, or, “they belong to that political party?” or, “they could do a better job raising their kids”, or, “who taught you how to drive?” or, “you really walked out of the house wearing that?” Judgment, it appears, comes naturally. That’s why Jesus words to us in Matthew 7:1 should literally stop us in our tracks and make us think. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” We can all do better at loving our neighbors. Care to join me in giving it a try?  

Come As You Are

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“Come boldly to the throne of grace” Hebrews 4:16

Perhaps you can relate to a conversation I’ve had with myself more than I care to admit: “Wow, I really messed up. I can’t believe I messed up. Come on Jim, that was a rookie mistake if I ever saw one! I expect more from you. Get it together turn it around already. Haven’t you learned anything?”

Sound All Too Familiar?

No matter how young or how old we are, we seem intent on beating ourselves up over our miscues in life. For everything from outright sin to simply having hurt a neighbor, friend or loved one, we wallow endlessly in an internal self-defeating conversation. Then we come to Hebrews 4:16 which says, “Come boldly to the throne of grace that we might obtain mercy!” Amazingly that’s actually possible because of the preceding verse “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”. In other words, Jesus knows what we are going through as human beings every minute of every day. He knows our mistakes, our temptation, our pain, our sorrow, our suffering, and yes our joy. The great hope we have is that because Jesus knows us so well, and knows what we are like even at our worst, yet He still chose to go to the cross to forgive each and every one of us. Let today be your liberation day from a never ending cycle of internal self-defeating conversations. Bring your screw ups to Jesus, no matter how big or how small. Complete restoration is only a prayer away.      

Lego’s

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“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine (Jesus), and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

Sit me down on the floor with a big box a Lego’s next to a four year old and I’ll be happy as a clam for hours. Invariably the tall tower comes first in the middle of the living room carpet, with a tall stack of colorful legos reaching skyward. Yet with each successive block, and the softness of the carpet, that tower begins to sway and eventually comes crashing to the ground. Next, a new approach of a few blocks spread around the base before the tower goes skyward. This always results in a bit more height but not by much before we yell “timber” and everything comes crashing down around us. True success is not achieved until all the blocks are picked up and moved onto the front entry tile floor, and the surrounding base is widened, with successive layers leading upwards like a staircase. Only then can a respectable tower be built! Even a four year old soon learns that,

A Strong Base Builds Skyscrapers

Yet many times this same lesson never makes its way into the foundations of our personal lives. We wonder why we struggle, and fret, and fear in life when in Matthew 7:24 Jesus tells us, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Ready for a firm foundation in your life? Try Jesus, the master builder.

Vision In The Night

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“For the bread of God is He who comes down form heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:33

A simple, dust covered van winds its way down a deserted road in Iran. For the driver and the passenger one wrong move would prompt their death. For not only are they in hostile territory, they carry a precious cargo of bibles, which, if discovered, would surely mean the loss of their lives. Suddenly, their steering wheel locks up and their engine dies. Just as they roll to a halt there is pounding on the drivers side window. Filled with fear the driver, Mark Sheehan, rolls down his window not knowing what to expect. The nearly breathless man standing next to him says, “are you the man with the books? I saw a vision last night that a man was bringing a book that I was supposed to read. I was even told to be on this road at this very hour. Then I woke up and found that everyone in my village had the same vision. With wide eyes, he asked again,

Do You Have The Books?

Amazed, the two missionaries handed over their car load of bibles. I’m still amazed when I think back at Mark telling me his story, but I should not be. God is an amazing God, and His wonders He will perform. The question is, are you seeing miracles in your own life? Are you looking for them? Are you even trying? Think about it this way; if God is willing to go to the ends of the earth to draw people who don’t even know they need Him, closer to Himself, how much farther will He go for those who willingly call out His name! Look up!       

Eyesight

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“Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” John 14:9

I love one line of scripture in the Old Testament book of Exodus 33:11 where Moses goes alone to meet with God. Verse 11 says that “the Lord speaks to Moses as one would speak to a friend”. To have such intimacy with the Creator of the heavens and the earth is truly priceless. Yet, in that moment, Moses craves more. He actually wants to look upon the face of his Creator and not just hear His voice and feel His presence. In that moment, God responds to Moses, saying, “no man can look upon me and live”. For Man, with his sinful nature, is not able to look upon Pure Holiness. And yet, we find that this answer is not enough for God. God Himself wanted more. God wanted to have a relationship with us, His children, on an entirely new level of closeness. His perfect response was to send His Son Jesus. Jesus, the bridge to atone and forever repair the separation between God and man. Jesus, who said in John 14:9,

“If You Have Seen Me, You Have Seen The Father”

And yet, we find that for God, and for Jesus, seeing them could go to an even closer level. Jesus promised to give us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. And the very moment He makes that promise Jesus follows it by saying, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” In other words you-are-never-alone! Jesus will never, ever, let you down. Relationship, like you never thought possible, is only a prayer away.

Protein Power

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“Have you not known, have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.” Isaiah 40:28

Nearly every Monday through Friday my day starts with a protein shake. I’ve used different recipes over the years but regardless of whether I use greens or fruit, or a combination there of, each one includes a nice scoop of protein powder. The way I see it, I indulge in enough less healthy food choices throughout the week, I might as well at least start my day on the right track. I need all the energy I can get, and this little choice does seem to help. Then I read in Isaiah that God is

Never Weary, and Never Faints

The Creator of the universe is always alert, and always hears my prayers. Combine this with the myriad of scriptures that tell us how God, our Heavenly Father, knows exactly what we need from day to day, and exactly how to provide us with what we really need, and you have the ultimate recipe for faith-filled living. Our job is to simply trust Him, and reach out in prayer telling Him just that. Simply say Jesus, I trust you! My life is yours. Grant me this day Your daily bread. Whatever Your choices are for me today, I am so grateful.

You Are Celebrated

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“For He (God) looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” Job 28:24

Have you ever felt invisible? That no one was listening? No one to share your victories, or your heartache? That no one cares? The Broadway musical hit “Chicago” has a song called “Mr Cellophane” that describes the feeling well. The words say, “Mr. Cellophane, shoulda been my name, ’cause you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know I’m there.” The reality could not be farther from the truth.

You Are Seen, You Are Heard, You Are Celebrated!

There’s a party in heaven every time an individual reaches out to Jesus. In that moment God’s incredible attention is completely focused on what you have to say. Don’t believe the lie that you are made of cellophane. You are a Child of the most high King! Hold your head high today and give God praise!

A Joyful Heart

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

The single greatest weapon of faith is called Joy. No matter what, or who, you are dealing with, never, ever, lose your joy. Joy is the amazing breeding ground of peace. There is a reason Jesus spent so much time talking about having peace, having joy, and eliminating worry and fear and doubt. He knows that with Peace, Joy and Hope,

You Become Unstoppable

There are some days when you just do not feel joy in your life. You know those days, when everything seems to get to you, and you soon feel a haze of gloom. Soon even the littlest problem becomes Mt. Everest, and the smallest criticism has seemingly crushed your world. On those days, especially on those days, discover Joy. For me, on those days, I say the name of “Jesus”. “Jesus, you’ve got this”. “Jesus, what have I to fear for you are with me”. “Jesus, you are all I need”. With Jesus, your gloom and doom emotions don’t stand a chance.

Green Pastures

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““He makes me to lie down in green pastures,” Psalm 23:2

There’s a phenomenon called a mirage that so many who walk in the desert have witnessed. In the heat and cold of desert climates light rays actually bend to create an image that is not really there. A mountain can look like a castle, or a rock formation can look like an oasis of trees. So, what do we do when the green pastures that the 23rd Psalm talks about appear to be a mirage in our lives? God, our Good Shepherd, puts us in a pasture that doesn’t appear to be green at all. Those times when life is in turmoil, or relationships are on the rocks, or finances are in peril. And yet, in those times, the Lord says, “lie down,

Trust Me, I’ve Got This!” 

As you read the 23rd Psalm realize that green pastures are a promise, not a proposal! I can say that because the very first verse of the 23rd Psalm says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” In other words, God is all you need, no matter what life throws at you. Put another way, it doesn’t matter what the landscape looks like to you because God is way ahead of you. If He says the pasture is green, it’s green, or will turn green soon enough! Trust Him! Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” Green pastures are never a mirage when you put your trust in Him.