PACKING HEAT, OPEN CARRY

According to a Reuters news article, out of Guwahati, India last year, when repair technicians arrived to investigate why an ATM was not working, they smelled a rat...an actual rat.  What they found inside the ATM was a pile of shredded Indian rupee notes (cash money) with a value of just under $18K plus one dead rodent.  The rat had spent the previous few days gorging itself on the now worthless cash!

As Christians, we walk around with something inside us which $18K or $1B could never buy.  

We have something worth more than all the gold in the world living inside us!  We are packing heat in the name of Jesus!  

THE Creator of everything has chosen to place His Holy Spirit inside those who have genuinely surrendered their lives to Him.  Paul says that, as children of God who have been bought at a price, our body has become a temple of God's Holy Spirit!  Wow!  That is pretty incredible!  

But, here's the deal.  We are not meant to "conceal and carry" that supernatural power within us.  Oh no, it is intended to be an "open carry" kind of situation.

Our lives ought to be lived in a worship lifestyle which is evident to those around us.  Our lives should be a very clear display of a heart overflowing with gratitude.  This is not about a temporary feeling of gratitude.  Oh hallelujah!  This is a constant and permanent life-attitude produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God as He reminds us of our Hope in Jesus!

Prayer

Father, what an incredible concept that You, the Creator of all, would place the supernatural power of Your own Holy Spirit inside me!  AND, I couldn't buy that privilege with all the money in the world!  Help me Father to stay mindful of the simple fact that I am packing heat everyday, all day and to live like I know it!  Amen.

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.  -- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (CSB)

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

BAD COMPANY

"I found out what the secret to life is," said the character Ninny Threadgoode, in the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes.  "Friends. Best friends," she said.   In the movie, Ferris Beuller's Day Off, the character Ferris Beuller tells his friend Cameron over the phone,  “If you’re not over here in 15 minutes, you can find yourself a new best friend."  Cameron responds with, “Ha!  You’ve been saying that since the fifth grade.”

I consider relationships of all kinds to be a gift from God.  Those which are pleasant, loving, and comfortable friendship relationships bring joy to our lives.  Those which are difficult and stressful provide an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.  

God wants us to have friendship relationships which which last forever and beyond into eternity.  Christians only separate temporarily to meet again.  Non-Christians suffer a permanent separation from all relationships including with God.

1 Corinthians 15 is often referred to as the Resurrection Chapter of the Bible on account of how it is loaded with encouragement regarding our eternal destiny as believers.  And right there in the middle of this chapter is a warning about the negative influence of what Paul calls "bad company".  

It is a word of caution about the influence of the godless, secular attitudes of those who do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus.  That influence can quickly spread to our hearts and do great damage to our relationship with God.

God created us to be in good relationships with each other, but we must choose our close friends wisely.  Invest in friendship relationships which build you both up.  Run from those which only prove to tear you down.  Toxic relationships are a distraction from a focus on God and the things of God.  Keeping our focus on God instead of ourselves and our circumstances is what will take us closer to be who were created to be.

Prayer
Father, thank you so much for the gift of relationships.  Thank you for how You have used those in my life, both positive and negative, to strengthen my faith and to draw me closer to You.  Give me the discernment to identify those relationships Paul identified which might corrupt good morals in my life.  Amen

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

3 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” -- 1 Corinthians 15:33 (CSB)

THE GPS PRINCIPLE

Maybe you are like me when it comes to using the GPS navigator.  On a regular basis, I will second guess the GPS system and circumvent the plan laid out for me.  Sometimes that works out and sometimes it definitely does not.  The GPS system can see the big picture which I cannot always see.  The GPS can reroute around traffic jams, road construction, hazards, etc. which I am not aware of.  Sometimes it is simply a case of operator error.  In a high traffic situation, where multiple turns must be made, the GPS can be difficult to follow and I miss an exit or make a wrong turn.

Here is where it gets really good.  This is what I call:

The GPS Principle.  

Consider the response of the GPS navigator when a wrong turn happens.  Whether it was an intentional re-routing or an operator error, the response is the same.  The GPS navigator picks up from where you are in that moment and re-calculates a new route to the same intended destination.  You have indicated to the GPS where you want to go by punching up an address.  You have a destination in mind.  You know where you want to end up.  My GPS does not ever ask me why I made a wrong turn or how I ended up off track.  My GPS also never smacks my hand, makes fun of me, or gives up on my because I cannot follow directions.  I bet yours doesn't either.

We tell God our intended destination and where we want to end up when we surrender our lives to Him and accept Jesus as our savior.  We make God the Lord and Master of our lives and sign up for His service.  God has that 10K foot view of life and the Universe which we can never fully see or understand.  He knows the danger ahead to avoid.  He provides for us a perfect plan with His perfect timing for reaching our intended destination.

I am super fan of the story of Jonah in the Bible.  I feel like Jonah and I could be fast friends.  

God had a plan for Jonah's life.  He called Jonah to go to Nineveh and deliver a message from God.  Jonah didn't want to go so he spun around and headed off in the opposite direction.  You know the story and where his horsing around and taking wrong turns sent him:  right into the belly of a big fish.  Jonah had taken his eyes off of God and the things of God.  That is when The GPS Principle kicked in.  When Jonah owned up to his wrong turns and begged for God's forgiveness and rescue, he re-committed himself and re-surrendered to God's plans instead of his own. And what was God's response?  God did not smack Jonah's hand, makes fun of him, or give up on him because of his inability to follow directions.  Nope.  God said, "So anyway as I was saying,  hustle it on over to Nineveh and get that message delivered."  That's how God rolls.  

Prayer

Lord, my intended destination is eternity with You in glory!  I trust You, Your plans, and Your timing for me to Your very best path for me.  Please give me the courage to trust You in all things.  Amen.

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:  2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you.” 3 Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the Lord’s command. -- Jonah 3:1-3 CSB

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

IN THE STORMS

I make it no secret that I am no fan of winter.  I begin looking forward to summer in October.  I consider myself a summer activist.  Winter hurts my feelings.  I am not alone.  Many of us this year have already had more than enough of what winter brings:  cold, snow, ice, mud, cancellations due to winter storms, etc.  Winter causes me to whine incessantly in a less than manly manner.  

To be fair, confession time, my response to winter should not be considered a proper example of spiritual maturity.

When the sailors on the ship with Jonah saw the big thunderstorm raging and threatening the integrity of their ship, they cried out to their gods for help.  One big problem was that their so-called gods were man-made and could not help them.  It was THE God, Creator of the Universe and God of the Bible, who cranked up that storm.  He would be the only one who could stop it.

According to the Bible, God is in control of the weather including winter snow storms.  Can I just tell ya something?  There is also no storm or trial in your personal life which is not under the command of God.  At given time, most of us are in one of three conditions:

1.   Approaching a storm
2.   Experiencing a storm
3.   Just survived another storm

What is your response to the storms in your life?  How do you react when you are in the middle of a raging storm?  Is your first inclination to cry out to God?  

God never promised to remove the storms of our lives.  He promised to never leave nor forsake us.  He is with us in the storms - which He has full control over.  When we practice keeping our eyes on God between storms, when the next storm comes, we are more inclined to stay focused on God. It was when Peter shifted his eyes from Jesus to the coming storm that he went from walking on water to drowning.

Prayer
Lord help me to remember that You are in control.  I want my first inclination when the storms come, to be a focus on You.  Father, I lift up those in my life who do not yet know You and pray Your light will shine through my confidence in You.

But the Lord threw a great wind onto the sea, and such a great storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart.  -- Jonah 1:4 CSB

#Missions #Evident  #MásDeTi

THE BIG O

It is common knowledge that obedience to superiors and personal discipline are key elements to the success of any military force or individual serving in the military.  If you are considering joining, you will want to do some serious soul-searching first to be sure you can not only face or survive this type of environment but also thrive in it.  The instant military recruits step off the bus for Basic Training (boot camp) they are not only taught the value of immediate obedience to orders, they are also conditioned for obedience through a meticulous, rigorous, and repetitive training program.

Setting basic boundaries and teaching early obedience and personal discipline are important when raising children.  

This becomes even more important as a family grows.  Larger families are less likely to have spoiled children.  We have 10 ourselves.  Managing a household with that many people is definitely a full-time job and requires obedience and a personal discipline from everyone in order to keep the chaos to a minimum.  

Of course, obedience is an important principal for children to learn regardless of their family size.  Not only is it fundamental to understanding the concepts of authority, respect, and submission, it can also be the difference between life and death:  "Never run into the street or across a parking lot by yourself!"

Can I just tell ya something?  Our kiddos are not the only ones who need to be reminded of the big O:  Obedience.  

Various forms of the word "obey" can be found well over 100 times in the Bible.  Christian life IS a life of obedience and surrender to the things of God.  

It is to be a voluntary obedience through our own freewill.  Obedience is not forced upon us.  Obedience should also be cheerful, passionate, joyful, and spontaneous.  A personal discipline and commitment to obedience to God's Biblical standards for living are the key elements to finding real reward and satisfaction in the abundant life the Creator has in mind for us.  Obedience requires faith and for us to shift our focus from self and circumstances to God and His promises.

Pray
Father, I want as much or more than anything to be the man You had in mind when You planned, designed, and created me.  Forgive me for falling short and taking my eyes off of You and Your ways.  Give me the courage today to chase hard after You!  Amen.

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? -- Luke 6:46 CSB

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDER

Many think that because of some of the things they have been involved with over the years and because of the mess they have made of their lives there is no way God could ever forgive them.  This is rooted in a world-view of faith and God.  It does not line up with the actual nature and character of God as clearly detailed in the Bible.

Most of us, some more often that others, have days where it is a struggle to accept that God could love us the way His Word says He does or that we really are forgiven.  

Guilt can rob us of our peace of mind and take the joy out of our lives. In moments of weakness, Satan is ready to whisper lies in our ears.  He will tell us God is tired of our failures, that God is angry with us, that God can no longer use us, etc.  We fall for these lies when we allow the influence of the world's view of faith and God to creep into our perspective.  

Based not on feelings or opinion but on the clear and factual Biblical description of God's character and nature, we can know these are nothing more than lies.  In fact, God never loves us any more or less than He does at the moment of our salvation.  Our good behavior does not increase His love.  Our bad behavior does not reduce it.  

Can I just tell ya something?  The Bible says we all fall short.  That is why we need Jesus!  The Bible also tells us that from the moment of our salvation, there is no more condemnation.  

con·dem·na·tion
1.  the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.
2.  the action of condemning someone to a punishment, sentencing

Because of Jesus and the cross, we can let go of the guilt. From the cross, Jesus said these words:  It is finished!  We don't have to go through life looking over our shoulder, afraid that our past will catch up with us. We don't have to live with guilt; we can get rid of it by confessing whatever we have done.  It begins by taking our eyes from ourselves, from our circumstances, and from our own weaknesses and failures.  When we keep our eyes on God and the things of God, we will not fall for the lies of Satan.

Prayer
Father, thank you for Jesus and the cross!  Thank you for forgiving my sins.  I confess to you that, just like every human who has ever lived, I fall short every single day, just as Your Holy Word says that I will.  As I ask again for Your forgiveness, I also know that Jesus has already paid my debt.  In the name of Jesus, Amen!

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi 

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus -- Romans 8:1 CSB

FAITHFUL LOVE AND TRUTH

Mondays get a bad rap while Fridays get all the love.   Can I just tell ya something?  Life can be overwhelming for all of us regardless of which day of the week it is.  

We all have those days where nothing seems to be coming together like we planned.  And, our own perspective is highly influential in how we experience our day from the moment we wake up.

Our spiritual life is not immune to the kind of stinking thinking which can turn your day from a positive to a negative experience.  The instant discouragement begins to creep up on our outlook, we look away from God.  Satan then takes the opportunity to whisper lies in our ears.  We may be tempted to begin to think God asks too much of us and expects us to be a perfect, well-behaved Christian who never who never gets to have fun. Again... stinking thinking. And, ultimately, when we know God, we know better.

Consider the life of David, a man who God said was a man after His own heart.  David knew God's ways show faithful love and truth to those who chase after Him.  David was far from perfect and a sinner like the rest of us.  But, the longer David walked with God, the more convinced he became that God keeps His promises and knows what is best for us.  David knew God to be a promise keeper regardless of the difficulties or failures he faced in life.  God's commandments, plans and purposes for us, and timing are always the best.  God always has His best in mind for each of us.  

These biblical truths and principals are part of the nature and character of God.  The longer we walk with God, the more clearly we see that everything He does is done in a perfect love because God IS love.  

His faithful love and truth are beyond question or doubt.  Could that be said about our faithfulness to Him?  The depth of our faith is tied directly to our level of humble surrender to God's faithfulness.  We must allow a vulnerability within ourselves by taking our focus from ourselves and our own preferences and trusting in the faithful love and truth of God.

Prayer
Father, from the 10K foot view, I know in my heart that your will, your plans and purposes for me, and your timing are always way better than anything I could ever cook up on my own.  Give me the courage to trust in your faithful love and truth every day.  Amen.

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi 

All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep his covenant and decrees. -- Psalm 25:10 CSB

FACING OUR GIANTS

Don't you love it when a little dog goes after a big dog, yapping away, seemingly unfazed by the fact that the bigger dog is 5 or 6 times or more it's size?  The big dog usually just stands still looking amused as the little ankle biter attempts to appear ferocious.  I always wonder where that all that courage comes from.

To be honest, if I were there that day, watching young David head out to face that big Sasquatch - Goliath, I would have thought he was a complete fool.  

Watching that poor little fella challenge the Philistine giant with no armor and only a slingshot, coming in at roughly 1/3 the size and height of Goliath, would have been comical and sad...initially, that is.  That is what everyone present would have thought including Goliath.  Goliath stood there looking amused...initially, that is.

It turns out young David was not as naive and ill-equipped as everyone thought.  He was well aware of who and what he was facing.  But, David had some inside information as he faced his Goliath.  David knew the strength of God, how to access that strength, and that Goliath and his weapons were no match to it.  Interesting to note however, that even David underestimated the strength of God.  He brought 5 stones with him when God only needed one!

Can I just tell ya something?  Whatever Goliaths you face in your life, never underestimate the power of God within you!  Whether it is a broken relationship, a financial struggle, a health concern, an addiction, a temptation, etc. it is no match to power of God.  

As Christians, oh hallelujah, we are walking around packing heat with the supernatural power of God's Holy Spirit living within us!  

Your Goliaths are too big for you to face alone.  That is why you need Jesus the savior.  Do not listen to the lies of Satan when he whispers in your ear that your Goliath is too big or unbeatable.  Remind him how this all goes down in the end and remind yourself that you are a child of God.  Turn it over to God.  That battle is His, not yours.

When we can trust God like David did, we will see that God is more powerful than any giant we will ever face.  We must keep our eyes on God and the things of God.  

Prayer
God in heaven, You are my strength.  I am absolutely blessed beyond what I deserve.  You not only pursued me for an eternal relationship but You also sent your own Holy Spirit to live inside me.  Forgive me for losing sight of the power within me.  Give me the courage to turn it all over to You each day.  Amen.

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

David said to the Philistine: “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies -- 1 Samuel 17:45 CSB

AROUND THE NEXT CURVE

We live out in the country, roughly 30 minutes north and south from communities big enough to support 24-hour grocery, late night fast food, pizza delivery, etc.  We consider it a luxury and a blessing to live where we do.  We use the phrase "going to town".  City folks never say they are "going to town".  There are multiple routes you can take from all directions to get to our home.  But coming or going, every option requires you to drive several miles down winding, curvy, hilly, narrow blacktop country roads.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Those country roads can be quite a challenge when you are not familiar with them, especially at night.  If you make a wrong turn in the dark, there are no street lights to help you find your way.  

Every time you approach another curve, your headlights shine straight ahead into the dark.  The road curves but your headlights do not.  You can see what is on your side of the curve but not what is on the other side.  The other side is dark and unfamiliar.

Can I just tell ya something?  That's exactly how we feel when we approach the next curve in life.  We see what is right in front of us but not what is around the next curve.  And, there will always be another curve to approach as we travel the road of life.  

Maybe that is how Moses and Joshua felt as they readied themselves to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.  They could easily see what was on their side of the Jordan River.  But, the Canaan side was unknown.  Moses told his people not to fear, reminded them that God would be with them, and that He would never leave them or forsake them.  

Just like Peter, when he walked for a moment on water, we take our eyes off Jesus and things immediately begin to go south.  In order to rely on the promises of God, we must keep our eyes on Jesus.  We will never "walk on water" in the abundant life God has in mind for us if our focus remains on ourselves, our preferences, and our circumstances.  We must be willing to stand up, step out of the boat, in order to "walk on water."  It is only when we stay focused on Jesus that we can fully experience the reward, satisfaction, and fulfillment of a life surrendered and sold-out to Jesus.  

Oh hallelujah!  What is around that next curve is of little consequence or concern when you keep your eyes on Jesus!

Prayer

Father, You have promised that You will always be with me and that You will even go before me.  Please forgive me for losing sight of Your promises.  Give me the courage today to keep my eyes on You and Your ways and to not concern myself with what is around the next curve.  Help me to be who You created me to be.  Amen.

The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged. -- Deuteronomy 31:8 CSB

#Missions #Evident #MásDeTi

VISION FOR THE MISSION

God gave Nehemiah a great burden in his heart for Jerusalem.  God gave Nehemiah vision for the mission of restoring the crumbling walls. The moment he heard of the distress of his city, he began praying, fasting, and seeking God's will.  Following God's lead, Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem, surveyed the ruined walls, and devised a plan for their rebuilding.  At first, Nehemiah did not tell anyone what God had put in his heart to do. But when the moment felt right, he revealed his plan, mobilized the people, and chased hard after the vision of God until this kingdom building project was completed.

Have you recognized a need in your church, neighborhood, community, country, or even the world?  Have you prayed about a specific burden on your heart?  What kingdom building ministry has God placed in your heart?  What doubts and lies of discouragement is the enemy whispering in your ear?

Can I just tell ya something?  Christian, when we focus our efforts on working for our Creator, it is not a personal ambition.  It is a vision for the mission God places on our hearts.  It could be any one of a million things - maybe to become involved in foster care, a ministry for the homeless, friendship evangelism, reaching out to young single mothers, mentoring troubled youth, planning a cross-cultural missions trip...I could go on and on.  

What burden on your heart keeps coming to your mind?  What has God put in your heart to do?  What is your next step in response to God's call on your life?  What can you do today to make your vision a reality?  Nehemiah began praying, fasting, and seeking God's will.

One thing is for certain and actually quite evident.  There is a step we can take toward both first discovering God's vision AND then having the courage to take the first steps.  Our first step is to take our eyes off of ourselves and our own comfort zone and put our eyes on God and the things of God.  #MásDeTi

Prayer
Father, thank You for giving me a vision for the mission!  What an enormous blessing that You would even acknowledge my presence!  Forgive me Father for allowing the lies of discouragement to discourage me and lead me away from Your will for my life.  I commit to You and your plans and purposes for me.  Give me the courage to step out of the boat and to walk on water for Your glory!  Amen.

I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem.  -- Nehemiah 2:12 CSB