God's Presence 6 (Staying Close to God)

We see here in this picture to our left babies staying close to their mother. This same idea is what I want to talk about today as we continue our series in the book "The Practice of the Presence of God." Brother Lawrence says: "For more than forty years, this brother's principal endeavor has been to stay as close as possible to God, doing saying, and thinking nothing that might displease Him." (p. 25) Brother Lawrence did this for the simple reason of the pure love that God had for Him, and the desire to please God.
Brother Lawrence talks about how amazing the joy is that he experiences when he is able to stay close to God. He refers to it as "a constant inner joy." As I think about these words from Brother Lawrence, it makes me think about the gospel of John, 15:4-5,
"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can yo unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." The joy comes from living a life of meaning; a life that bears fruit.
Brother Lawrence goes on to say on p. 26, "men are blind, content with too little." What he means by this is that God has infinite treasures to give us, but we would rather have the treasures of the world, than the treasures that the creator of the world has for us!
He then goes on to talk about how we need to examine our inner selves. Why do we need to do this? So that we can be responsible for our own actions. If we let the Holy Spirit reign in us, then the Spirit will make known to us all those things that should be removed, and all those actions which need to be forgiven. In this way, we can stay pure and seek God all the more.

God's Presence 5 (Seeking and Knowing God)

In today's blog, I want to look at the "Fourth Conversation" from the book The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence. In this conversation, Brother Lawrence talks about renouncing all those things in life that do not lead to God. In life, there are many things that attract us. But many of these things actually keep us from seeking God and knowing God. We don't acknowledge this, but it is true. There are times when we would rather focus on the things of the world, than on the things of God. We are not following what the apostle Paul tells us to do in Colossians 3:1-2, "¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Brother Lawrence says that this continuous conversation we should be having with God is an important part in helping us to live the life God has for us to live. He says: "All we have to do is to recognize God as being intimately present with us. Then we may speak directly to Him every time we need to ask for help, to know His will in moments of uncertainty, and to do whatever He wants us to do in a way that pleases Him."
So the challenge is to search our lives and see what might be keeping us from intimately knowing God. It could be a book we are reading, or movies we go to see, or friends that we hang out with. To give this up we have to surrender ourselves to God. But when I look around, I see people more concerned with what they want, than what God wants. I don't see people surrendering themselves to God.
Brother Lawrence also says: "The Lord will cleanse and humble us in order to make us more like Christ." But the question is, do people want to be more like Christ? They come to church, but is that so that they can feel like they have done their duty, or is it to be more like Christ? The conversation concludes with Brother Lawrence encouraging us to rejoice in our difficulties, because they will help our faith to be purified and to become precious.

God's Presence 4 (Dealing with Difficulties)

It is wonderful to see someone like Brother Lawrence remind us of what is important in life. We tend to take life and ourselves too seriously, and make ourselves the center point. But Brother Lawrence states that it is important to our faith to understand the exalted position of God; God is far above us. Because of this all that we do should be for the love of God. As we live in this way, we open the door to receive God's blessings upon our lives.
The goal for Brother Lawrence was to think of nothing but God. As he became more and more accustomed to this, when there would be times when he wasn't thinking about God, it would cause him to feel unhappy. In this way he could begin to have his unconscious control his conscious mind. Whenever he would bring himself back to God, the evil thoughts of his mind would vanish right away.
In terms of dealing with the difficulties of life, Brother Lawrence knew that the Lord would provide the strength he needed to endure it. In this way he wasn't afraid of anything. Brother Lawrence knew to depend upon the grace of God which made his life easier.
Brother Lawrence wanted us to understand that it doesn't take skill or knowledge to go to God. "All that is necessary is a heart that is dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others." How wonderful it is to know that we don't have to hold a certain position, or degree, or level of understanding to give ourselves to God and receive the presence of God into our lives.
May our challenge today be to give ourselves over to God's grace, and trust in God to help us through this day.

God's Presence 3 (Making Life Rich)

As I continue in my series on "The Practice of the Presence of God," and the differenece it has made in my life, we move to the "Second Conversation," as he talks with his good friend Joseph de Beaufort. Brother Lawrence talks about what makes his life so rich is that he doesn't seek gifts, but rather seeks God only. For him, just living and doing the chores he was given to do satisfies him in his life. He says that "Sometimes he even wished that he could avoid receiving his reward, so that he would have the pleasure of doing something solely for God."
This thinking has really helped me because it frees me from having to please others. It reminds me that we are created by God for the purpose of being God's children. If we are always trying to please someone else, we will be living to fulfill their expectations for us, instead of living out God's will for our lives!
Brother Lawrence confesses that in trying to continuously converse with God, it took some work. But after a little practice it all became quite easy. Often he would say to God: "Lord, I will never be able to do that if you don't help me." After this prayer he would feel more strength.
I know in my own life, once it became a habit, second nature, to think about God, it was easier to regularly converse with God. I don't even have to think now, because talking to God is just part of my daily routine. I regularly think about God and lift my thoughts, concerns, anxiety, and questions to God.
The only thing Brother Lawrence sought after was to not offend God. This too can be easily forgotten. We make life about ourselves or about others. In doing this we leave God out of the equation. My challenge to you and me is to seek God; make our lives about pleasing God.

God's Presence 2 (Commune with God)

In my last blog I talked about how the book "The Practice of the Presence of God" helped changed my life by helping me to learn how to commune regularly with God. Brother Lawrence, in this book, guides you into some great understanding of how the average Christian can deeply commune with God. By communing with God, we gain spiritual insight that guides us in our every day lives.
But the real key is learning how to abandon our selfish desires, and give ourselves totally to God. Brother Lawrence says: "He sacrificed all of the pleasures in his life to God. But rather than punishing him, God gave him nothing but wholehearted satisfaction." By giving ourselves to God, we can learn how to live for God, and by living for God we gain satisfaction in our lives.
On top of this giving ourselves to God, we need to learn how to be faithful, even in the dry periods. I know that there are ups and downs in our lives and in our faith. In those times when we don't feel close to God, in those times when we don't feel like life is going well, we need to be even more determined to surrender ourselves to God and trust God. By doing this, we will become a more mature Christian, and learn that God is always there with us.
At the end of the first conversation, p. 9, Brother Lawrence says: "When we are willing to accept God's help and guard our souls according to His desires, we may commune with Him whenever we like." I have found great strength in learning to commune with God regularly. I encourage you to see God's help and presence in your lives.
I would love to hear how you have had success or have struggled with this.

God's Presence

When I was 15 years old I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. This was an important moment in my life; probably the most important moment of my life. But it was actually just the start of the life God had for me. I knew as a Christian God had a plan and purpose for my life. But the challenge was to be in a place where I could sense His presence and His guidance.
Maybe you can relate. Each day of our lives is filled with distractions and temptations and challenges. We wonder where God is in all of it. We struggle to feel God's presence in our lives. And consequently, we make many decisions without God's guidance.
A couple of years after I became a Christian, I was introduced to a book that helped to change my life even more. The book is called "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a cook at a monastery who learned important lessons through his daily chores. He discovered that he could practice being aware of God's presence in his life in a way that is continuous. By doing this he was able to receive God's loving presence more regularly in his life.
Most often we think that great insight and wisdom comes from those with high degrees and theological training. These thoughts of Brother Lawrence showed me that an average Christian who seeks God can find God and commune deeply with God. Through this book I learned how to be more aware of God's presence in my life, and train myself to be in constant communication with God.
Over my next few blogs I would like to break down some of the wonderful truths I learned from Brother Lawrence. I pray that these thoughts that helped me in my spiritual journey will help you in yours.

Good Day

As I was driving into work this morning, a question came to my mind: "What makes for a good day?" When you get to the end of your day, what allows you to be able to say: "Today was a good day"? Is it that the day went smoothly? Is it that you had everything go the way you wanted? Is it that the day was problem free?
Often times for people, a good day is one that is short on problems, and long on solutions; it is a day where they were able to accomplish what they wanted. A good day is one where the struggles and frustrations were few.
But think about this: How many days are actually like this? I would wager to say that there are very few days like this. So the reality is that we live in a world where we deal with problems, and conflict, and struggles, and frustrations, and heartache. So how can we have a good day in the midst of all of this?
I think the answer lies in our interpretation of the word "good." We have to understand that we can have a "good" day even when things didn't go as planned. We can have a "good" day even when it didn't feel so good. And the reason for this is because of what the Bible tells us in Romans 8:28- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." God can take even the worst of circumstances and find a way to bring good out of it.
So with this in mind, when we get to the end of the day, it can be a good day because God was with us in all things. It was a good day because we walked with God. It was a good day because we tried to do good through our lives, even in the midst of the bad. It was a good day because we are a child of God, loved by God, and we have God's peace and presence with us.
So I encourage you, when you get to the end of this day, don't make it all about you, make it about God. In this way, I hope that you can find that you have had a good day. Tell me what you think.

Confidence

Confidence is important to have in life. But why do so many people struggle to have confidence? What is it that gives us confidence, or takes it away? Where do we place our confidence?
The dictionary tells us that confidence is: "the quality or state of being certain." So confidence comes in the areas in which we feel certain. And yet, are we ever certain all the time? I don't think so. I don't think there is any part of my life where I am always certain. I am confident that I am in the job where I am supposed to be. But there are times when I have doubts. Usually, those times are when things aren't going well; when I fill like I am slipping and falling.
There are many places where we place our confidence. For many people, it is in their family, their job, and/or their own skills. But like I said before, there are things that can happen that can shake your confidence. Maybe you get fired from your job, and then struggle to get another job. You no longer have a job to make you feel worthy. This can happen with our skills as well. How often does a professional athlete go into a slump, and before the slump gets better it usually gets worse, because they have mentally lost their confidence.
I believe there is only one place where we can go for confidence, and that is God. God is the One who created the world, and created each of us. As I've talked about in my last few blogs, God has created us for a purpose and given us a vision. God is the only one who can truly say: "I will never leave you nor fosake you." Hebrews 13:6 says, "So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I wil not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"
In life we can go through many struggles. But when we realize that God is our helper, and that God walks with us in all things, then we can have confidence to know that all will be well in the end. There is nothing in life that can happen to us, that God can' deal with. God will not only help us to get through it, but can bring good out of it (see Romans 8:28).
So, I challenge you to be confident in those things God calls you to. We can overcome our fear and our lack of confidence by drawing on the power and presence of God. Tell me what you think by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Putting it Together

If you have ever done a puzzle, you know that it is important to have the picture on the box available to you. The picture helps you to see what the finished outcome will look like. The picture helps to give you perspective about where the pieces go so that they will fit together.
In life, we have the same challenge. Only, people often seek to live their lives without any picture in mind. And so they scramble around to do this or to do that, getting frustrated when the picture is not coming together.
My last 3 blogs have been trying to show how God has purpose and vision for our lives. We saw how our "biblical purpose" is to BE with God and to BE in relationship with God. Out of this relationship, God gives us values for our lives. These values help us to shape who we are and how we live. Also, out of these values we discover God's vision for our lives. We each have a passion in our heart and mind that drives us.
And yet, knowing these things still leaves us short if we don't seek to apply it to our lives. It all comes together when we put it together and begin living it out. So, once you have your vision, you need to start establishing goals that fit within that vision. (For a look at how to set reasonable goals you can see my January 8, 2007 blog, "Setting Goals.")
My vision statement says: "I invest myself in my family, and a church which engages itself in a culturally diverse community, to motivate them to know God, be committed in service, and faithful in character." So, the things I am doing in my life should reflect this statement if I am going to live out the purpose God has for me.
Some of the things that I am doing that fits in this vision, is mentoring people to find and live out their vision, leading our church towards doing ministry to Hispanics in our community, and giving my time to my children to further their growth in life and their relationship with God.
So what do you need to do to know and live out your vision? If you would like some assistance in this please e-mail me at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com.

Vision

For many people, there comes a time when they have to get glasses. This happened to me about 2 years ago. I now need glasses to see clearly when I read. Glasses help to give me clearer vision. Without my glasses, I struggle to see what I need to see.
This is true in life as well. God has a vision for me, and for you. But we will struggle to see this vision clearly until we get spiritual glasses. Spiritual glasses in a sense are that which help us to focus on God's will for our lives. It is the ability to see God's preferable future for our lives.
The Bible tells us that without a vision, the people perish. Vision is what captures us and motivates us. Vision is what our heart yearns to see accomplished. It is not ambition.
There is a difference between ambition and vision. The difference is that ambition leads to drivenness and restlessness. Whereas, vision lived out leads us to peace, power and passion. Vision is the result of surrendering ourselves to God, and letting the dreams God has created in us be lived out.
So, what would you do for the glory of God, if you knew that you would not fail? What are you passionate about? What stirs your blood and bring you excitement? If you search these out, you will discover God's vision for your life. It will come to you as a word picture of what the future will look like when you partner with God. It will be motivating and dynamic. And even more, it will be something that you can only accomplish with God's help.
God has created you with a purpose and a vision (a way to carry out your calling). I encourage you to try to write out a statement that tells of this vision. And then commit it to God and pray each day that God will help you to carry this out.

What Do You Value?

What is it you value in life? Our values aren't something we buy at a store, they are the "assumptions and core convictions that shape our actions and decisions." Most often, they come from the lessons we have learned as we live our life. For example, let's say that you were in a relationship, and maybe you were selfish in that relationship. Through your actions, your relationship ended. You learn the lesson that you need to pay more attention to the other person. You can't just say that you care for that person, you have to show them you care.
Now, it is easy for us to say that we value certain things. Often times, what is at the top of our list for values are things like marriage, children, God, prayer, etc... If you were to make a list, what would be on your list of values? I encourage you, if you haven't done so in your life, to take a moment and make this list of values. Once you have this list, it is important to see if how you are living your life supports what you say that you value.
Let's take another example: You say that you value God in your life. You write this down as a value. Then you look at your life and your schedule to see if this is true. Do you spend time with God (in prayer, going to church, being in Bible study, reading God's word on your own, serving God)? To value our relationship with God, means to take time to nurture that relationship.
Prayer: Through prayer, we have the opportunity to connect with God and listen to the voice of God. Church: Going to church is important because it is the opportunity for us to be with God's people and worship God together as the family of God. (For more on this you can see my blogs "Do We Need to Go to Church?", 3-8-07, and "Can you not go to church and still be in God's will?" 4-29-07). Service: Through our serving God, we are able to fulfill the second great command that Jesus teaches us, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Service is also a way to use the gifts and talents that God has given us.
God has shaped you in a unique way. As you discover how you are shaped, and the passion you have in life, you discover what you value. To fulfill your God given purpose you need to not only understand what you value, but live out those values.
So I pose these questions to you: What do you value? Are you living those values out for God? How can you do a better job at this?
Let me know what you think by clicking on the "comment" button below. Blessings.

Having Purpose

We all want to feel like we have purpose in life. I know that those people who don't feel like they have purpose feel incredibly lost in their life. Many struggle with having any motivation to accomplish anything in life. You probably know people who are like this. They get up each day and just go through the motions. Some struggle to even get out of bed.
The truth is, God created each one of us with a purpose. The challenge in life is to find this purpose God has for us. And yet, at this point, I want to give a little warning. When we think about our purpose, our initial thoughts probably go to what we are meant to "do."
We live in a world where we feel like we have to prove ourselves. This comes at an early age. When we do things as a little child (for example, take our first step) our parents applaud us for it. As we live our lives, we get accolades for doing things well. In one sense this is good, because we need affirmation. But in another sense, it causes us to feel like "we are what we do."
When I talk about purpose, I want us to understand first and foremost that our purpose is to be a child of God. In the Bible, in Genesis chapter 1, after God creates man and woman, He says: "It is good." God is pleased with Adam and Eve before they did anything. God was pleased with them just because they existed.
And God created us to be in relationship with God. In the Westminster (Shorter) Catechism, the first question asks: "What is the chief end of man?" The answer: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." Did you catch that? We are to glorify God with who we are and enjoy being in relationship with God.
If I were to have asked you to write a purpose statement for your life at the beginning of this blog, your statement probably would have included much about what you felt like you needed to do. But the important foundational truth, is that our purpose is to BE who God created us to be, and to worship God, be in relationship with God, and experience the joy of knowing God.
My purpose statement says: "Biblical Purpose: The purpose of my life is to know God intimately through my relationship with Christ, and let God’s Spirit work in and through me as I abandon myself to Him."
If we try to make our purpose based on what we do, we will never feel like we measure up. If we let our purpose be to discover God and be in relationship with God, then we can enjoy life for who God made us to be, and experience the joy of discovering life anew each day.
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts by clicking on the "comment" button below.

Imitation

They say that imitation is the highest compliment. I know that the other day when I went to my son's open house, I was very touched to read in his biography that the person he most wanted to be like was ME! He wanted to be like me because he said I was kind and I helped people. WOW!
And yet with this in mind, it is important for me to remember that I need to behave in ways that should be imitated. That means I need to talk right, and act right, and treat my wife and kids right. It also means that when I am wrong I need to say "I'm sorry," and when I fail I need to ask for forgiveness.
Just like our kids imitate us, so we choose others to imitate as well. Who is it that you imitate? If you don't know the answer to that question, you need to seek out the answer, because we all imitate someone, whether we realize it or not.
In Ephesians 5:1-2, the apostle Paul gives us a good challenge: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ²and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." This is a good word, because if there is anyone we should imitate, it is God. And not only do we have the Bible to help us know what to imitate, but we have Jesus Christ, who is the representation of God. As Jesus said in John 14:8-9, "⁸Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." ⁹Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"
Why is it more people don't imitate God? I believe that we struggle in life because we don't. I especially think that we need to imitate God's love. Tell me what you think by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Shock Jocks

I don't know if you have noticed, but there are more and more "shock jocks" popping up. Probably the best known is Howard Stern. These "shock jocks" create shows that often go beyond what many people would think is acceptable. They do it to get ratings. Howard Stern's show got so racy, that he had to move to SIRIUS on satellite radio, so he wouldn't have to be bound by Federal regulations.
Not too long ago Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay lost their jobs, and now they're scrambling for work. The co-hosts of "The Dog House with JV and Elvis" were permanently pulled last weekend from WFNY-FM for an offensive prank phone call, replete with ethnic and sexual slurs, made to a Chinese restaurant. Their dismissal demonstrated how heightened awareness by advertisers and management, coupled with offended listeners no longer content with "slap on the wrist" punishments, has turned the DJ's chair into a hot seat in recent weeks."The Imus episode has launched a new chapter in our questioning of what's acceptable on the radio," said Tom Taylor, publisher of the trade publication "Inside Radio."
Morning radio has become highly competetive, and there seems to be pressure to push the barrier between acceptable, and not acceptable. This often includes stunts that are crazy or dangerous. Eric Logan (no relation), Vice President of programming at XM radio says: "In the process of balancing the ratings with what's right, performers are encouraged to entertain, and along the way, they offend or hurt people's feelings. "It happens all the time," he said. "And I don't see it changing."
But the question is, why won't it change? And I believe it is the listeners' fault. If the listerners of radio (including satellite) didn't approve of what these shock jocks are doing, then they wouldn't have an audience, and there would be no demand for this kind of radio. Have we really fallen so far as a society that we approve of dangerous, hurtful, mean-spirited radio shows? Is free speech really about being able to attack and demean others?
I believe we have completely lost the spirit of what Jesus said, when He said to "love your neighbor as yourself." There is a great lack of sharing love in our world. How can we begin to win back our world? Tell me what you think about all of this by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Out Of Our Mouths

Do you ever have trouble with what you say? Most people don't think that they do. But no one is perfect in what they say. We are
told in James 3:9-10, "⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." In fact, whether we want to admit it or not, what is in our hearts and minds will come out of our mouths.
Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 12:34, "...For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." So if there is anger in our hearts, we will speak words of anger. If there is bitterness in our hearts, we will speak harshly. If there is envy in our hearts, we will speak with an attitude of discontent. If there is worldliness in our hearts, then we will not speak in ways that bring glory to God.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Since God created us to be in relationship with each other, we should speak words that build up and bring love. As the old adage goes: "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all." It is amazing to me how harsh an unloving people's words are to each other. I am amazed at all the backbiting, and criticism, and gossip there is in our world. There is so much evil in people's hearts, that we see it come out in their words.
So I challenge you and me today to see if we can't give our mouths to the Lord, and seek to "not let any unwholesome talk" come out of our mouths. Let us see if we can be encouraging and loving with our words. Let us see if we can be positive and build each other up.
Tell me what you think by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Undistracted Prayer

Do you struggle to stay focused when you pray? I know for me I can have trouble with that. There are many things that can cause this to happen: noise around me; thinking about what I need to get done; the phone ringing; my worries; people around me; and on and on it goes. So I want to suggest some ways we can be more focused in our prayers.
The first important step is to be alone. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you..." Notice Jesus says "when you pray." If we aren't alone, then we will more easily get distracted. Find a time and a place where you can be alone to pray. This might not happen every day, but hopefully you can do it several times a week. Not only will this help you to focus in your prayer, but this spot and time will become a treasured place for you.
Second, read some scripture before you pray. Reading the Bible not only provides nourishment for our spirits, but prepares our heart and mind to spend time with God. When we read the word of God before we pray, we will be in a better place to receive what God wants to show us.
Third, use the psalms to help you pray. By praying the words of the psalms first, it will help you to move into your own words of prayer. The psalms also teach us how to pray, by helping us to see that we should share all of our thoughts and feelings with God. The prayers of the psalmist will help to excite us more about prayer as well.
Finally, don't dwell on the struggles of your life or unanswered prayer. This will only keep you from seeking God and being able to rest in God. The struggles of our lives are distractions enough, we don't need to bring them into our prayer life. Lift them to God, and then move on. Prayer should lead us to finding peace and rest with God, and should bring feelings of thanksgiving to us.
How do you get focused in your prayer life? Share your thoughts by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Excitement

What is exciting for you? For some it is going to a ball game and enjoying the atmosphere, and the competition, and the great athletic abilities. For others it is going to Disneyland, or some other amusement park and experiencing the fun rides. And still for others, it might be going to an action/adventure movie. We all have different thoughts of what is exciting.
I want to propose to you that church is exciting as well. Now I know for many, they think that church is boring. But often times this is because they don't understand everything that is going on, and/or because they don't allow themselves to experience church how God designed it.
So what makes church exciting?
First, there are the friendships that we build. This is called "fellowship." There is nothing more exciting than to have special friends in your life. Now I know that church is not the only place you build friendships, but it is an important place to not only establish friendships, but also nurture those friendships. Having good friends is exciting, and even more when we can experience God's presence with others.
Second, there is the giving of our money. You might want to say to me, "Hold on here, giving my money is not exciting." But the truth is, it should be. In the Bible, 1 Timothy 6:10, we are told: "For the love of money is the root of all evil..." Money has a tendency to control us. We desire it, hoard it, use it selfishly. But when we learn how to give money away, we are freed up to enjoy money. On top of this, we learn that our giving helps others. THIS IS EXCITING!
Third, church is a place where we learn how to help others. This is called "service" or "ministry." Life for so many is spent selfishly caring for themselves, and maybe a few others. So many people give so little of themselves to this world. It is really a travesty to see. But when you go to church, and connect with God in church, you begin to dream a bigger dream for your life, and for this world. You begin to taste what love is, and that is largely about caring for others. There is nothing more exciting than making a difference in somebody else's life.
Fourth, church is the place where we learn about the mysteries of God and connect with God. This is called "worship." As we are told in Colossians 1:25-27, ^"25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— ²⁶the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. ²⁷To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
How exciting it is to know that God wants to reveal to us the mysteries of God, and life, and heaven. Church is the place where this can happen. In church we experience who God is, and how God is present in our lives, and in our world. God designed for church to be that place where God's people love each other, work together, and feel His presence at work.
How is church for you, boring or exciting? Why? Let me know what you think by clicking on the "comment" button below and sharing your thoughts.

Frustration

Unfortunately the truth is that in life we are going to get frustrated. Maybe our computer isn't working right. Or maybe we can't learn something we want to learn. Or maybe someone is causing us to be frustrated. Do you allow yourself to get frustrated easily? Did you notice I used the phrase "allow yourself"? Because the truth is that we have control over whether or not we get frustrated. We usually don't have control over those things that frustrate us, but we can control how we react.
And in those times that we are frustrated, how do we act? Maybe we become impatient. Or maybe we become angry. Or maybe we get down on ourselves or on life. There is nothing good that comes from feelings of frustration.
So what are we to do when we get frustrated? I believe the best thing to do is to seek God. One of the best ways to overcome frustration, if you have the time, is to find a quiet place and just BE in the presence of God. Imagine God giving you words of comfort and encouragement. Imagine God telling you that He loves you in spite of what is going on around you. But also, ask God to help you to focus on what is important in life. If your computer crashes, maybe you can get the job done another way, or with another computer. Think about a solution to the problem, instead of letting the event cause you frustration.
In focusing on God, we remember that we have One who can help us get through these times of frustration. As Psalm 42:11 says, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."
But even more, we have to work on not allowing ourselves to get frustrated. Again, this is about focus. As Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we keep our focus on the goal of what God has us to do in life, and we don't let the things around us derail us.
How do you overcome your frustration? How do you keep from getting frustrated? Share your thoughts by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Where do you get your strength?

People don't ever want to be thought of as weak. Consequently, many people don't seek help when they need it. We picture strong people being those who can do it on their own. We are taught from a young age to be able to pull your own weight, and not to rely on others.
For many, they think that religion is a crutch for the weak. Those who can't live their life on their own need a "god" who can help them get through. In those times when you are struggling, then call on god and get the help you need.
But the truth is, even if you don't believe in God, we all need help at some time. There are things that we cannot do alone. For example, let's say that you are moving. There are many things you can move yourself, but what about the couch, or the entertainment center, or the refrigerator? You need help to move these things, so you call some friends to help you. Are you weak because your friends have to help you carry these items? Most people would say "no."
So why are you weak when you seek the help of others in emotional matters, or for advice, or for support? The truth is, our make-up is such that it is good to seek the help of others. We are designed in a way that we actually desire the connection of others.
The Bible let's us know this early on, when we are told in Genesis 2:20-23 ^"20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. ²¹ So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. ²³ The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." We are created to be in partnership with others. This is not a sign of weaknesses, but adds to our strength.
On top of this, we are created to be in relationship with God. This too adds to our strength. We do not seek God because we are incapable of living life alone, but because this fulfills who we are. In that relationship, God walks with us and helps us. Joshua 1:9 tells us, ^"9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Just as a child is strengthened in their courage with the help and presence of their parents, so we are strengthened by the knowledge of God's help and presence.
Where do you get your strength? For me it is in my relationship with God, and knowing that God walks with me. Share your comments by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Can you be in God's will and not go to church?

Can you be in God's will and not go to church? I think the answer to this has to be "NO." I say this, because you cannot be partly in God's will. I believe God has not only created us to be in relationship with Him, but to worship Him, and to serve Him. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He is also to be our Lord. And to be our Lord, we must worship Him. Of course, it is possible to worship God individually, but God has also designed worship to be done together. There is something special and profound when we worship with other believers and interact with other believers that cannot be reproduced when we are alone.
Secondly, going to church helps us to be plugged in. When we accept Jesus Christ, we are filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus promised us this in John 16:7, when He said, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." And having been filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given gifts of the Spirit, as told to us in 1 Corinthians, chapter 12. But these gifts are not to be used for ourselves, or for just a few chosen people. The apostle Paul makes it clear that these gifts are given "for the common good." It is impossible to use them for the common good if you are not plugged into a church.
A third important factor about being connected to a church also relates to giving. Not only are we called to give of our gifts to the work of the body of Christ, but we are called to give of our money. In the Old Testament, Malachi 3:8-10, ⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." When we don't give back to God a tenth of what God gives to us, then we are in essence robbing God. We need to be giving our money to God's work through the church.
So my questions to you are: Are you regularly going to church? If not, why not? How can you give of yourself the way God desires if you are not connected to a church? Tell me what you think by clicking on the "comment" button below and sharing your thoughts.