Sunday, December 25, 2005

Able or Available?

Good morning! I trust you had a very Merry Christmas and were blessed by your time with family and friends.

This past week I had the privilege of taking my annual prayer retreat. During this time I go to a secluded cabin in the woods near Clear Creek Forest and open my heart to God. It is during these times that I find God challenges me and stretches me to dream big and take large steps of faith.

One of the issues that I constantly find myself being challenged in is the issue of availability. It is so easy to become worried about my abilities and how God is going to use them, but what God is truly interested in is my availability. Take a look at this passage from Isaiah:

Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)

Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?"

And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me."

More than God cares about my leadership skills, my speaking ability or my people skills He most cares about my willingness to go. Many of us say that “Wherever He leads I’ll go.”, but would we really? In one of the books I read on my retreat the author mused that for every person who says they will go “wherever”, how many of them have their passports stamped and active? Do their actions really bear out their words?

There are many reasons that we unfortunately say “no” to God. God leads in a certain direction and we begin to withdraw our commitment. “I can’t afford it!” “I don’t know enough!” “I couldn’t leave my friends and family!” Do any of these sound familiar?

To follow where God leads requires complete surrender and a sold out commitment. In the story of Jesus’ birth, the shepherds were compelled to see Jesus. Nothing else mattered at that point. Are you in that same place, where following Jesus is the greatest passion in your life. I sometimes wonder what blessings I have missed out on by not going where I have been led.

This week I want to challenge you to be available. Are you willing to truly say, “Wherever He leads I’ll go?” Make yourself available to God and His purposes. Ask Him to invite you into the midst of His activity.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Sunday, December 18, 2005

What Else Could Go Wrong?

Good morning! I hope you have gotten your Christmas shopping nearly completed by now. I am usually a last minute shopper, but this year I got my act together much earlier, so I am almost finished. Miracles never cease!

Have you ever been through a time in your life where it seemed like everything hit you at once? Before one crisis was resolved another one surfaced. At times like this you’re afraid to ask “what next?”, because you don’t really want to know what else might fall apart.

For me this past week fit that category. Many of those around me were dealing with serious issues that took their toll on my life as well. By last Tuesday I was afraid to raise my head for fear of what other crisis might be coming my direction.

In the midst of all of this turmoil and crisis I watched God move in amazing ways. I was reminded that even when life is at its worst, God is always at His best. The Apostle Paul experienced times like this as seen in the following passage:

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. [9] We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.

When I was at my lowest points this past week, God provided the wise counsel and encouragement of close friends and family. When I needed a shot of encouragement, I received the kind words of friends and strangers. Most importantly God re-energized me through my prayer and devotional times.

It reminds me that I would never know the depths of God’s love if I didn’t hit the depths of life’s turmoil. I would never know the fullness of God’s strength if I was not at my weakest. It is during these times of heat and pressure that God shapes me. My life becomes a more accurate reflection of His glory as I pass through the refining fire.

So what keeps us going during these times? It is the assurance that God has not been caught off guard by our circumstances. He has seen our troubles even before they began. We can rest assured that God is building into us a character that reflects His true glory.

This week if you are under pressure...remember God has not abandoned you. He is still on the throne and His plan for your life will not be thwarted by your current circumstances. You are being refined and purified for His glory.

Until next Monday may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Monday, December 12, 2005

Who's Counseling You?

Good morning! This is the time of year when many long term decisions are being crafted. At the church we have begun work on our budget for 2006. During these times of planning, many tough decisions have to be made. Ministries to fund, ministries to cut, capital expenditures, building repairs, etc…all have to be weighed. Each of these decisions will affect the lives of the people we serve.

In life we face crossroads and decision points on an almost daily basis. The consequences of our choices can also have far reaching effects. A good choice could lead to positive changes in our lives, while a bad choice could have very negative consequences.

At times like these the importance of wise counsel is critical. Consider these words:

Proverbs 20:18 (NLT)

Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others.

Too many times we have a “Lone Ranger” mentality in the face of critical decisions. We forget that even the “Lone Ranger” had “Tonto” his faithful companion by his side. We allow our pride to get in the way of seeking the counsel of others. We don’t want to “bother” them with our troubles. Yet the wise counsel of another is just what we need.

Wise counsel brings objectivity into your situation. A fresh set of eyes to look over the landscape…someone with a different set of experiences and strengths who can identify pitfalls that you might have missed. I find that many times God speaks to me through those he has put around me. They often have insights that would never even have crossed my mind.

If you are facing a difficult decision or a time of crisis in your life this week, start by seeking the counsel of God Himself. Search out the Bible for verses that speak to your particular situation. Then gather together objective, Godly counsel. Pray with them, share your heart and listen for God to speak through them. You will be amazed at the clarity wise counsel can bring.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Monday, December 05, 2005

"Be the Miracle"

Good morning! I hope you’ve had a great weekend and have hit the ground running this Monday morning.

This weekend I was watching a movie in which the lead character was challenged to “Be The Miracle.” That line has stuck with me and today I want to bring that same challenge before you.

Proverbs 11:25 (NLT)

The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Christmas time is a time of joy, but for many it is also a time of deep sorrow. In the hustle and bustle of our own Christmas celebration it is easy to lose sight of those who are hurting, in need or lonely. This was brought home vividly to me a few years ago.

In 1992 I was a Police Officer in Ft. Worth, TX. I worked the Christmas Eve night shift that year. At about 2AM I was called to a disturbance in a home where a Father had gone into a drunken rage and severely beat his wife and two small children. These children didn’t get to sleep with visions of “sugar plum fairies” nor did they wake up to gifts under the tree. Their Christmas present was an out of control Father who gave rage instead of love and pain instead of presents. For these children there would be no Christmas.

Just like those children there are many who have no joy in their lives this year. What they desperately need is for someone to care…for someone to notice…for someone to listen. There was a news segment on the other night about gifts that could be given to residents of a local home for the aged. The number one gift that was suggested was to just go and visit…to talk and to listen.

This week I want to challenge you to “Be the Miracle” in someone else’s life. Adopt an angel from the angel tree. Make a donation to the Salvation Army. Serve a meal at a homeless shelter. Visit a widow, a shut in or a nursing home resident. Invite an international student into your home. Take some extra gifts to a family who has lost their source of income. Be generous in your gift. Give completely of yourself and you will be amazed at the difference your efforts will make in someone else’s life.

Don’t stop there…don’t let your miracle working be confined to the Christmas season. Look for opportunities everyday to “Be the Miracle.” Pump gas for someone, shovel the snow out of a neighbor’s driveway and sidewalk, take a meal to someone who has been ill, give a ride to a friend, help someone carry their groceries. All it takes to “Be the Miracle” is open eyes and a willing heart.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl