My Fears Didn't Materialize

I've noticed that I've recently been asking people to pray for things that at the time seem very important to me, and they are, however they are usually self-made fears.

I won't give any specifics, this is a public forum, but like many people, I have an active imagination. Often, it runs away with itself and the result is a scenario that simply isn't good.

So I pray, I ask others to pray, and then I move forward with fear, but with hope.

And lately, my fears have been completely unfounded.

It seems that the "worst" I can imagine in my mind, that which I fear the most, is rarely the reality once I experience the event.

I know I'm not alone, because a great man, Bob Goff (@BobGoff on Twitter), recently Tweeted, "Most of the things I've been afraid of haven't happened ..."

I'd like to attribute much of the fact my fears were not realized to the power of prayer. I truly believe in the power of prayer and know that it has positively impacted my life.

Yet, as strong as prayer is, I also realize that my overly active imagination has far too often caused me angst.

It is hard to live a life of total dependence on God. I so often reach over to grab the wheel for myself; taking back control of my life. It is in those moments that my fears heighten and my anxiety is "off the hook" so to speak.

Once I'm through the situation, however, and I can look back; so often in those moments I find how irrational my fears had been.

Does prayer work ... certainly!

But wouldn't my life be so much better if instead of trying to take control myself, instead of allowing an overactive imagination to run wild, instead of living with a lack of trust in God AND then praying; I simply allowed God control and prayed more prayers of thanksgiving and fewer prayers of petition?

I look forward to the day I spend most of my prayer life thanking God for the abundance He continues to provide and less time petitioning Him to help me out in some "self made" crisis ... a crisis that in hindsight really isn't a crisis.

So God, thank you that most of the things I fear didn't happen. For that I am truly grateful!

Pay it Forward

A few weeks ago I noticed a link to a Pay it Forward video on one of the blogs I follow. It seems that on a particular Saturday a few weeks ago, there was a donut store in Massachusetts that had a "pay-it-forward" string of nearly 60 consecutive customers.

It all started because a customer who had been at the donut shop on Friday had someone pay for her coffee and donut. She was so touched by this gesture, she came back Saturday with the expressed intention of paying for someone else's breakfast.

Now the really interesting part of the story is the woman who received the gift on Friday and started the chain on Saturday was unemployed. She actually said in the interview she really didn't have the money to "spare" but since such generosity had been bestowed on her, she came back Saturday with extra money to make sure to be able to afford whatever the next order price was.

And the chain began. At one point in the interview, the donut store staff said they noticed something was going on. It was one, then two, then 10 consecutive pay-it-forward purchases.

Around 15, the guy taking orders said he started telling people, "We are at 15, 18, 22 consecutive pay-it-forward orders. You can keep it going, or you can let it end. Your choice."

The shop owner said the chain only broke when the line ended.

While this is a fun story, it isn't something I would normally blog about. The reason you are hearing about it from me today is because of one of the comments written below the video I watched. One thing about the Internet is people are able to provide their own comments to stories, in real time. Generally, they are good, positive responses when commenting on a "feel good" story such as this.

However, there is a lot of hate and discontent in the world, and it often rears its ugly head on the Internet. There is something about the "anonymity" of the Internet that allows people to feel freedom to just tear into others.

And this was the case with this pay it forward story.

One of the comments was something like, "These people came into the store expecting to spend money, and they all had the money to make their purchases. If you truly want to help someone, sponsor a child in a third-world country. That is a better use of your money."

Certainly, please sponsor children in third-world countries. If you know me, you know my wife and I do sponsor two young girls each month, and it is a priority for us to ensure we are able to be a part of their lives in this way.


I guess what really upset me about the comment, and the reason I listed it as a 10:10 Muse blog topic, was the level of hostility. The way I read the comment, this person was really angry these people felt so good about paying it forward for other "rich" people. The poster was angry at generosity!

There is far too much anger, hate, and aggression in our world today. And, as I stated earlier, the "anonymity" of the Internet probably gives people more license to type things they would never say in a face-to-face situation.

So that is why I so enjoyed the pay-it-forward story. People who are generally so self absorbed, got in the spirit of generosity because one lady was so touched by generosity the previous day.

And that is something to celebrate! Not something to hate.

We need more people helping others get a hand up, so please consider if it is appropriate for you to support those who are far less fortunate they we are today.

But we also need those inspirational stories every now and then. It is in the little things, the everyday things, we find the beauty of the world around us.

Who will you inspire today with your generosity?

I Have Learned to Be Content (Well, actually) ...

I had a different blog post already for upload this morning, but today I want to share a little of the struggle I've had these past few hours ...

It is Thursday morning, and we leave tonight for Michigan. It is our annual VanPelt Family Reunion weekend (my lovely bride's side of the family) ... It happens the last Saturday of July just outside Traverse City, Michigan.

The usual reunion weekend has our family driving to Hastings, Michigan on Thursday, arriving around midnight. We stay with my bride's brother and sister-in-law.

Sometime Friday we all head towards Traverse City where we descend on my bride's uncle's house. About 10 to 20 people, depending on the year, camp out there each July.

My brother & sister-in-law have a small trailer that is often brought from Hastings to Traverse City. One year we pulled it with our SUV. However, my current transportation, the Explorer, does not have a hitch.

Last year, my brother-in-law borrowed a truck to pull the trailer. This year they are doing the same.

However, due to work schedule and commitments, the in-laws won't be leaving Hastings until late Friday night.

Enter my discontentment. I will either be helping to set up a trailer after midnight, in the dark, or find myself sleeping in a tent Friday night ... neither option appeals to me.

I found this out Thursday after work ... and ever since, my mind has been scheming ... what options do I have that would allow me to get the trailer to Traverse City earlier on Friday ... allowing my in-laws the opportunity to come up later to an already set up, ready-to-sleep-in trailer?

I would not be allowed to use the vehicle they are borrowing, it is a work truck from my brother-in-laws company ... So what other options do I have?

I could rent a truck locally (say in Grand Rapids) for the weekend that would pull the trailer. I could even rent something for the entire trip, round trip from Lexington, that could do the job. But a vehicle rental isn't in the trip budget.

I even considered asking friends if I could borrow their vehicle. But that is a big ask, especially at the last minute.

All because I don't want to sleep in a tent or be setting up a trailer at 1 am Saturday morning ...

Understand, I tossed and turned all night Thursday night ... I really didn't get a good nights' sleep. This is also adding to my discontent. Not to mention, driving 7 hours tonight having spent a fitful night, is also not appealing.

As I drove into work this morning, still scheming solutions in my brain, God placed Philippians 4:11 in my mind: "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have." (Philippians 4:11 - NLT)

There are homeless people who would love to have a tent, any type of shelter is an upgrade from their situation.

I'm suffering discontentment due to "first world" problems. I have shelter (I don't like the options, but I have shelter); I have food; I have family that loves, supports, and encourages me; I HAVE ...

If I step back, my problems are insignificant. And I've caused myself even more issues because I allowed myself to dwell on the issues rather than sleep. Now I have to suffer the reality of that lack of sleep ...

I'm still not happy with the circumstances I'll be driving into as we head to Michigan tonight ... but I'm trying to keep a positive attitude.

I look forward to the day, I can truly say, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have."

From My Head to My Heart

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but I have published a book. It didn't get any traction, in part because I didn't market it, but I have published a book and a few family and friends have read this book.

I've also started writing another book ... but I haven't really spent much time on it. Today, I'm going to write a little bit of what that book will be about for those of you who read this blog.

The book is entitled 18 Inches: From My Head to My Heart.

It is about how difficult it is for us to actually live into the truths we accept as Christians. Head knowledge and heart knowledge are not the same thing.

I KNOW God loves me, the Bible tells me so. But I don't live into that love daily. I have head knowledge of God's love, but it hasn't truly penetrated my heart.

If the love of God had truly penetrated my heart, my life would look much different. I wouldn't pass up needy people on a daily basis, I would reach out and touch them; just like Jesus did. I would ooze the love of God all over the place, making my little part of the world a much better place to live.

In my head, I know I've been forgiven. However, my heart still holds me hostage. If I truly  had the forgiveness of God in my heart, I wouldn't always walk around "waiting for the next shoe to drop" ... I would understand deep in my being what God means when His word says, in Psalms 103:12, our sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west.

Think about it ... no matter how far you travel east, you will always be going east. You can never travel east and end up traveling west. It is impossible.

So is it impossible for us to travel to a place where God is holding our sins; if we have accepted His forgiveness.

But so often my heart doesn't accept. While my head has memorized, and sometimes even quotes Psalm 103:12, my heart doesn't live into that truth.

Or what about ...

I could go on and on and on with analogies where my faith is only head knowledge, not heart truth.

Someday I will sit back down and write this book. Until then, keep coming back here. You never know when another portion of the book might show up.

And, you will also be able to follow along with my journey into the abundant life God promised, when I am able to move truths from my head to my heart.

Don't Judge Lest You Be Judged

Weekday mornings my lovely bride and I read through a devotional message over breakfast. It is a great way for us to begin our day together, before God.

The devotional this morning was about how judgmental we as people can be. Everywhere we turn we are either judging others or being judged ourselves.

How could she wear that outfit in public? Why is he such a bad driver? Did she really just say that on TV?

Or that judgmental finger is pointed towards us.

Or worse, we judge ourselves!

In Matthew 7:1-2 Jesus says, "Stop judging so that you will not be judged. Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you." (God's Word Translation)

It was a great reminder. But then the author of the devotional continued on with a challenge. Find 5 people this week who you would normally judge and offer them encouragement instead.

A hard challenge, but a good suggestion none the less. I read this with my wife, finished my breakfast, climbed into my car and headed to work.

And almost immediately I forgot the challenge. At the stop light leaving our neighborhood, the vehicle in front of me didn't go immediately after the light turned green. Trying to practice patience, I began counting, rather than immediately honking my horn.

I counted to 10 ... still no movement. Finally, the driver began to move and fortunately I was able to make it through the light.

But not before making a very judgmental, and negative, comment to my wife on the phone.

I then navigated through traffic to the gas station, and made another judgmental comment about a car that had pulled into the pumps "in the wrong direction" ...

After leaving the gas station, I continued on my drive to work. As I approached a "round about" here in Lexington, the car to my left who was already in the circle, slowed to a near stop, causing me to have to stop prior to entering the round about.

Immediately, I made another judgmental remark.

And then God convicted me ... I had just been challenged less than a half hour prior to not judge. In fact, I had been further challenged to offer encouragement in place of judgement.

Furthermore, God had then quickly presented me with three situations to live into this challenge. I've heard that for a habit to be formed, new behaviors must be acted upon immediately and frequently for 10 or more days. God was giving me this opportunity to form new habits!

And I had failed.

Fortunately for me, God doesn't hold my failures over my head, the way I do. In Him, I am forgiven. But not only am I forgiven, my sins are completely removed once I repent. I may have to endure the consequences of my actions, but the sin itself is no longer held against me by God.

So now I move forward, and with God's help will be more encouraging to others today, tomorrow, and each day ...

Not simply because I don't want to be judged harshly because I judge harshly. But more importantly, I want to be encouraging because that is what Jesus did, and I truly do want to live each day more and more like Jesus!

Are We Asking the Right Questions?

I was watching a video today about a high school student who, in 2007, raised $6,000 for clean water wells in Africa.

It all started because he had gone to Africa and seen their poverty. During the trip he asked, "How can God allow such anguish?"

However, as he spent more time in Africa, and even after his return, his question changed. It became, "How could God allow us to be so distracted?" and "How could God allow us to be so affluent?"

This started me thinking. How often do we ask the wrong question, and how do we begin to ask the right question.

Consider current events.

Wrong question: "How could God allow that to happen (Katrina, Sandy, Sandy Hook Elementary, Zimmerman/Martin trial, etc.)?"

Right question: "What can I do to show God's love to those affected by ...?"

Consider world poverty.

Wrong question: "How can God allow such anguish?"

Right question: "How can God allow me to be so affluent, yet so distracted?"

Consider war.

Consider ...

You see, so often asking the wrong question removes any blame from us. It allows us to remain apathetic. It allows us to clear our conscience, because it isn't our fault.


But maybe, just maybe, the fact we noticed the issue, involves us to be part of the solution.

Blake chose to use his high school Homecoming tradition of buying the biggest and best corsage to help fund wells in Africa. Rather than parading our vast wealth on our wrist or lapel for one night, why don't we donate the funds we would have spent for a corsage to clean water and wear a button that said "I donated my corsage to Sudan" instead.

And today 10,000 people in two Sudan communities have clean water.

I don't have answers today. Only questions.


But I hope that by asking, I get you thinking.

I hope that the next time you start a question, you stop to consider, "Am I asking the right question?"

And if you are not, find the right question to ask.

Then, once you've asked the right question, take the time to find the right answer.

It is only through asking the right question and finding the answer to that right question that we are able to truly affect good in our world.

Live Freely and Lightly

I was listening to an online sermon earlier this week and these thoughts came to mind.

Jesus came into a world full of religious regulations. The people were literally being crushed under the weight of all the rules they had to follow. Many of them having nothing to do with worship to God, they were simply put in place to make people look "holy" ...

In this setting, Jesus said, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

God didn't intend for His people to live under a lot of rules. Following Him isn't simply a check list. I read my Bible today, check. I prayed for my family today, check. I gave a couple of dollars to the homeless guy on the street corner, check.

God wants us to live in relationship with Him. Notice what Jesus said, "Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it."

I know many Christians who can quote scripture, who pray well (according to man's measurement), who even give generously, who couldn't actually say they walk with Jesus. I have to admit, I'm one of them.

Jesus loved unconditionally. He touched people the world considered untouchable (he healed the leper by touching him). He showed grace to people the world wanted to kill; people who the law of Moses would have allowed to be killed (the woman caught in adultery). Jesus allowed prostitutes, tax collectors, and children to be part of his inner circle.

Jesus cut through all the legalistic rules and showed us the path to God is through a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus willingly laid down his life for sinners.

The church has once again become a stumbling block to finding God. I was talking this week with someone who went to a large Christian college filled with rules. I too went to a Christian college, and while we had rules, not to the extent of my friend's college.

Many churches are the same way. And deep down, I understand the logic behind many of the rules.

But rules won't show us God. Only by walking with Him, only by talking with Him, only by entering a relationship with Him will we be able to live freely and lightly.

God came down to the Garden of Eden each night to walk and talk with Adam and Eve. He still desires to do so with you and me, and thanks to the blood of Jesus nearly two thousand years ago, He can.

All we have to do is welcome Him when He comes. God loves us so much He won't force Himself on us. But if we invite Him in, He will walk with us, He will talk with us, He will laugh and cry and simply hang out with us.

Are you ready to live freely and lightly? Invite God back into a relationship with you today.

An Accepting Family

This past weekend I took my youngest to Chicago to spend some time at the UChicago recruiting seminar. It was a good few hours on campus, and a wonderful weekend with my youngest.

However, I was truly amazed by UChicago. My son has spent 3 years receiving information from this school, so he wasn't as impressed as I was; but he did confirm this is one of his top choices for college.

What impressed me on a weekend where I knew the college would have its best foot forward? What did I take home from my 3-1/2 hours on their campus?

A sense of belonging.

While you would expect a college to pull out all the stops, to ensure the students giving tours and being available were their "best", to make sure everyone was impressed; I was surprised by how similar, yet completely unscripted, everyone's story was.

I heard several students say their favorite thing about campus was ... and all were similar, yet clearly individualized. It demonstrated to me the school had a message, the school was proclaiming that message, and the message was being internalized!

The clincher was during the tour. One of the tour stops was outside the dorm of our tour guide her first year on campus. She talked about what students (and parents) would experience their first day of college, should they come to UChicago.

All students and parents are assembled in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel for the first session on day one. After the session, everyone walks through campus to the quad near the main library, the main cafeteria, and some of the dorms.

At this point, the parents are "peeled off" while students continue walking towards their waiting "house." Each dorm at UChicago is subdivided into a "house" and these houses become part of the student's identity, especially in the early days of college.

Each "house" has representatives there with drums, tambourines, flags, crazy outfits, etc. waiting to welcome their new house mates. Our tour guide described it as moving from one family (your family of origin) to your new family (your college peers).

I thought this was awesome! Not only does UChicago have a message, not only is that message heard and accepted, it is lived out! They are family. They are a support system for their family. They accept you, just the way you are!

It pains me to say this, but UChicago does this much better than the church. If any organization in the world should be accepting (don't we all have much that has been forgiven?), it should be God's church.

And while God is accepting, even pursuing us even when we are not interested in Him, the church has failed miserably.

What would the church look like if everyone, no matter their past, were welcomed in every church, every Sunday? How much impact would we have on our communities if we truly were able to live into "come as you are" every week. What if God's church truly was as accepting as Jesus?

How awesome would it be that after considering faith, the moment someone came out of the baptistery, they were greeted not only with applause, but with someone stepping up to be their "mentor" ... someone willing to come along side for this transitional season in life to help them understand better what this whole Christian walk is about.

The early church understood this type of community. We read in Acts they ate together, they met together regularly, they shared resources with each other to meet the needs of one another. Of course, to them it was a matter of survival. They had placed everything on the line to follow Christ. Many would not have survived without community.

Maybe that is our problem. Being a Christian in America today doesn't really cost anybody anything. Despite that fact, only when we come along side each other and encourage each other will we be able to successfully navigate our Christian walk. Together we will be able to stand firm.

Modern Christian Music

I have a number of friends who are in church ministry, either on staff at a church or traveling the country working with churches in the AVL (audio, video, lighting) industry, who do not like Christian music.

They don't listen to it outside of Sunday mornings at church.

As a music lover, someone who truly enjoys all kinds of music (yes, I even have some rap music on my iPod), I just don't understand people who dislike one genre or another.

But as a Christian, I truly don't understand.

If God is truly inside of us, wouldn't we want to be surrounded with music that uplifts and glorifies Him?

I understand their reasoning; well the reasoning they have shared publicly. They say Christian music is "cheesy" or "poorly done" or some other similar logic. They say the same thing about Christian movies, TV shows, etc.

And, while it is true that historically Christian's have not been able to consistently provide quality products using mainstream medium (music, movies, books, TV shows, etc.); they have improved.

Especially when it comes to Christian music.

But beyond the quality, there are so many awesome messages in Christian music. Consider:

"Someone Worth Dying For" by MikesChair - God considered me someone worth dying for!

"Better Than a Hallelujah" by Amy Grant - God considers the moanings from my everyday life, my deepest pains and sorrows, more beautiful than a hallelujah.

"Worn" by Tenth Avenue North - even when I'm down, I can see that redemption wins, that the struggle ends, that God can raise a song from the ashes of a broken life.

"Who Am I" by Casting Crowns reminds us that the God of the Universe knows our name and feels my hurt!

"Blessings" by Laura Story - even in the midst of life, God's blessings can be found because "What if Your blessings come through rain drops, what if Your healing comes though tears, what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near, what if the trials of this life, are Your mercies in disguise?"

Now, I don't just listen to Christian music. I do have it on frequently, but I would say that less than 1/3 of my music library is Christian.

But why wouldn't I want to surround myself daily with these truths, and others so similar. Even if the quality wasn't quite there?

I'm not perfect, these friends of mine could write some post about things I don't do as a Christian they find peculiar. Nor am I questioning their Christianity or devotion to God.

I wanted to demonstrate there is great truth in Christian music and I believe so many people are missing it because they choose not to listen.

Are you making sure that each day you find a way to focus on how great our God is, how awesome is His love for us? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Jesus Didn't Stop the Storm

Recently I had an epiphany over a Bible story I've heard and read numerous times. The story is Jesus walking on the water.

Let me set the scene for those not familiar with this story, it is found in Matthew 14 of the Bible.

At the beginning of Matthew 14, Jesus learns of the death of his cousin and good friend John the Baptist. How does Jesus respond? He slips away to find a quiet place to pray.

Principle one: when difficult news comes to you, don't handle it on your own; pray!

However, Jesus wasn't able to get alone, pray, and grieve his cousin's death. Someone spotted him and then, similar to a modern-day flash mob, Jesus was surrounded.

Jesus, being Jesus, didn't retreat. Matthew tells us, "he was overcome with pity" and began to heal their sick. This went on for hours.

Principle two: even when grieving, don't forsake the needs of others in your sphere.

Enter the disciples.

As evening began to approach, the disciples urged Jesus to send the crowd away to find food. Jesus, however, knew the local community couldn't provide enough for all these people and asked his disciples to have the crowd sit down. He then sent them through the crowd looking for food.

They found a young boy with some bread and fish.

Principle three: whenever possible, have people help you, even if they don't completely understand the endgame or fully believe in your mission.

So Jesus holds up the food, prays, and feeds five thousand men, plus women and children, with just some bread and fish. He not only feeds them; they ate their fill and 12 baskets of leftovers were collected.

Principle four: God can do immeasurably more than we can ever imagine! Sometimes we simply don't ask.

Having been healed and fed, the people finally leave.

Once again alone with his disciples, Jesus sends them off in a boat and once again goes to find a place to pray.

Principle five: when your prayer time is interrupted, follow God's leading and find a way to serve and do good, but as soon as you can, get back to prayer!

As Jesus prayed and the men crossed the water by boat, a storm came upon them. This storm was significant enough to scare the men.

And in the storm, Jesus came walking on the water. Now here is where I had my epiphany.

Jesus didn't calm the storm and then walk out to the boat. Jesus walked THROUGH THE STORM to get to the scared men.

Are you facing a storm in your life? Don't give up hope; Jesus is probably on his way to you, you just need to hang in a little longer. Just because there is a storm doesn't mean Jesus isn't coming. Sometimes we don't realize that by enduring the storm, we grow.

You see this story ends with Peter also walking on the water, in the storm. In fact, it wasn't until Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to once again focus on the storm that he began to sink. Only after he rescued Peter, and they both had climbed into the boat, did Jesus calm the storm.

Principle six: sometimes Jesus calms the storm, but sometimes Jesus meets us in the middle of the storm.

So You Want to Make an Impact with Your Life?

The "Me" generation has past. Today people are seeking to make an impact with their lives. So many teens and young adults are sacrificing their personal comfort to provide opportunities for those even less fortunate to "get a hand up" ...

Recently, Beth Redman (follow on Twitter @BethRedman) tweeted: "The impact God wants you to have does not come when we pursue impact, but when we pursue God."

Wow! Despite altruistic motives, our greatest impact only happens when we pursue God.

I thought about this for some time, and I agree. Why?

The story of Joseph. Joseph was the second youngest in a large, dysfunctional family. Yet, he was his father's favorite. And Joseph used that to his advantage. Genesis 37 tells us of a 17-year-old Joseph who told his dreams to his older brothers and even his father and mother. Dreams where they all bowed down and worshiped him.

Joseph thought he had achieved impact at age 17.

But Joseph wound up a slave in Egypt. And, despite the Bible saying "God was with him," Joseph eventually wound up in an Egyptian prison.

It was 13 years of slavery and prison before Joseph was elevated to second in command of Egypt, effectively the second most powerful man on earth at the time. Joseph's impact wasn't on his own, but from God.

Or consider Moses, great liberator of the Jewish nation from slavery in Egypt. Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh; eating the best foods, wearing the best clothes, learning from the world's greatest scholars. But that didn't produce the great leader we read about in Exodus. It took 40 years under God's instruction in the wilderness to mold Moses into an impactful leader.

How about King David, arguably the greatest King in all of Israel. The King for whom the star of their national flag is still named.

David says, "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me ..." (I Samuel 17:37 - MSG)

David knew it was God who would provide the impact needed to defeat Goliath, not his own strength. David knew true strength came from pursuing God, not impact.

Those are "Old Testament" stories, so maybe you don't relate. How about something from the "New Testament" of the Bible?

A learned scholar, top of his class, envy of all, was commissioned to hunt down these rebellious followers of Jesus and kill them. Authorized by the Chief Priest and leaders of Israel, Saul began his journey to Damascus to seek and destroy the young church.

Saul thought he had achieved ultimate impact. He thought he was on top of the world. And from his vantage point, he was.

But God entered the picture, and this ambitious young man was blinded and had to be lead into the city by hand.

And after a miracle, after some time of instruction in the desert, and after some mentoring by leaders of the church he once sought to destroy, Paul (renamed by God after his encounter on the road to Damascus) finally realized just how big of an impact he could be IN GOD.

Paul is credited for taking the church to the Gentiles. Christianity was a Jewish faith when it first started. Through Paul, God made it world-wide.

What impact can you have if you simply ask God to show you His plans for your life and stop chasing after your own?

Thoughts on I John 3

I'm just going to share some random thoughts today.

This past week my wife and I were talking while driving in the car, and the subject of heaven and God's forgiveness came up. I kind of "went off on her" ... much to both of our surprise ...

She said something like, "I think God can forgive ..."

Well I said, "I KNOW God can forgive ... There isn't a sin in the world God can't forgive or else He isn't God."

The sin doesn't matter, because if you follow this blog you know I've posted multiple times that in God's eyes sin is sin.

So there will be drunkards in heaven. There will be liars in heaven. There will be homosexuals in heaven. There will be gluttons in heaven. There will be gossips in heaven. There will be ...

Because as Paul said in I Corinthians 6:11 (NIV), "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

But today I read I John 3:

"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother or sister." I John 3:6, 8-10 (NIV)

This is what makes the Bible so hard to understand sometimes. I believe there is no sin God cannot forgive. I also believe that as imperfect, fallen creatures we will sin. I demonstrate that on a daily basis.

I think I understand what John is saying here. He is saying that if you are a true follower of Jesus, you will change. You won't live daily in the same sin to which you were enslaved before finding Christ. And, when you do sin as a Christ-follower, you will repent and confess your sin.

This ties in with John's writing in his Gospel where Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (John 15:5 & 8 - NIV)

I am not God, so I can't answer if a person who is a practicing gluttony at their death will be in heaven. I can't say if a habitual liar, lying until the day they die, will be in heaven. God is the just and perfect judge.

All I know is that as I "lean into God" ... I desire to be more like him and less like the old me. I want to bear fruit. I want to give generously to those in need, to help those who cannot help themselves, to share the grace I've so generously received.

It is a process, and even though I struggle, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14 - NIV)

What Does Godliness with Contentment Look Like?

I've been struggling with contentment lately. I realize that living in America, in a 2-income family, we are the 1% when you compare us to the entirety of the world. But I still struggle.

Of late, it has been questions like:

1. I lost my iPad, an iPad I'd saved nearly 2 years to purchase this past February. I'm now saving again, but I'm far short of what I need and often find myself really wanting to run to the local store and buy the replacement. I'm not content without an iPad right now.

2. My 1999 Ford Explorer needs more work done to it than is reasonably cost effective as compared to purchasing another vehicle. But we don't have the money to either do the work or to purchase a replacement vehicle, especially since my wife and I have committed to living on cash and not credit. I am no longer content with my "broken down" Explorer.

3. We have a couch, but it is also very old and falling apart. It is no longer comfortable and quite the eye sore. I am not content with my couch, so much so that I've asked my wife to hold off entertaining until we find a replacement; something that is hard to do since the budget doesn't include a couch fund.

I could go on, and on, and on.

So today I ask, what does Godliness with contentment look like? Paul said:

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." I Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)

I have food. I have clothing.  I have shelter, so I am truly blessed. According to Paul's words, words I truly believe are inspired by God, I should be content.

I look forward to the day, I can say like Paul:

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation ..." Philippians 4:11-12 (NIV)

I truly wish I were. It is something I have to really work on constantly, however.

The Forgotten Child

My wife and I read a devotional each weekday morning together over breakfast. The devotional always has a memory verse. The verse for this week was I Samuel 16:7b:

"People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (NIV)

This verse got me thinking about the context of this chapter in Samuel.

Israel had a king. But God had rejected him because he had turned from God's ways and began following his own course.

So God sends Samuel to anoint the man who will be the next king. Of course Samuel is fearful (anointing a new king while the current king sat on the throne could be a death sentence), but trusting God, Samuel goes to Bethlehem.

When he arrives, he calls the city fathers together for a feast and sacrifice to God. He is sure Jesse is invited; one of his sons is to be anointed the next king of Israel.

After the cleansing ceremony, Jesse and seven of his sons parade in front of Samuel.

Enter our memory verse for the day:

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:6-7 (NIV)

Seven sons of Jesse paraded before Samuel that day in Bethlehem. And each time God's response was, "No" ...

Finally, in what I would expect would be a bit of frustration, Samuel turns to Jesse and asks, "Do you have any more sons?"

The man of God comes into town and throws a banquet. You and your family are invited; specifically being told to bring your sons. The family then goes through a purification ceremony so you can meet with the man of God.

And in this entire process, nobody says, "Hey father, what about David?"

Yes, Jesse had another son, David. But he wasn't even considered by his father or brothers as worthy of this invitation from the man of God.

Fortunately for David, he had not been forgotten by God. Despite the rejection of his family, despite being an "outcast" in the eyes of his own, God loved him, accepted him, protected him, and in the end elevated him.

Maybe you, like David, have been forgotten by your family or by society. Maybe you too have been left in the field tending the sheep while everyone else eats at the feast in town.

Don't worry. God hasn't forsaken you, you are not abandoned. Maybe, just maybe, you are being groomed for greater things. It was in those days and nights in the field David learned to trust God.

Sure, the older brothers got to meet Samuel first. Sure they were considered worthy of the invitation from the man of God.

But in the end, it was David, the forgotten child, who became the guest of honor.

And even more importantly, God called David "a man after my own heart" (see Acts 13:22).