Reliable Directions

Good morning! I hope you had a fantastic weekend.

This morning I had the privilege of praying with a group of girls who were getting ready to leave for a week of camp. The leader was a little nervous about the trip, because she had never been to this camp before. I reminded her that she could rely on her map and that she could always call if she found herself off course somewhere.

Life is no different than the trek these young ladies are taking. We know that God’s best lies ahead, but we also know that there are many potential detours and hazards along the path as well. Our unfamiliarity with route at times causes great amounts of discomfort and anxiety. At times like these we need to return to some simple truths:

Psalm 32:8 (NLT)
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.

God knows every twist and turn that awaits you on your journey. He knows every mountain pass and valley along the way. He knows the stormy days and the cloudless stretches you will encounter. You can take confidence in His ability to guide you, because He knows the course.

To help you along, God has also given you a “roadmap” through scripture. This map not only helps you plot your course, but it also guides you through those roadside emergencies of life (conflict, guilt, sadness, worry, doubt, etc….).

There will be times on your journey where you just need to talk to someone. You may be experiencing difficulty in applying the direction of scripture to your particular situation or just completely turned around and confused. God is ready to assist you. You can call on Him at anytime for guidance and clarification and He will freely give it.

Today you may be experiencing a difficult stretch of road. Your surroundings may be very unfamiliar to you. Take heart, God has plotted your course and given you a guidebook to see you through. He is always available to hear your concerns, fears, doubts and worries. All you have to do is call on Him.

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

Carl

Preparing for the Storm

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

As I write this morning, I have one eye on my computer and another eye on the Gulf of Mexico. A low that has been moving towards the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico over the last few days has developed into Tropical Storm Dolly. The tracking forecasts show this storm strengthening into a low-level hurricane before it makes landfall somewhere near us later this week.

Having lived a majority of my life in “tornado alley” where devastating winds fall from the sky with little advance warning, I much prefer the ample warning of tropical storms. Of course, ample warning is of no use to us if we don’t make proper preparation. The storms of life are not much different.

Jeremiah 46:3-4 (NLT)
“Buckle on your armor and advance into battle! [4] Harness the horses, and prepare to mount them. Put on your helmets, sharpen your spears, and prepare your armor.

Once the storm arrives, it is too late to begin the process of making preparations. Proper planning and preparation must be made long before the storm arrives. I find in my life, that God often gives me advance warning of approaching danger. These times of prompting are a call to action. My preparations may include additional times of prayer, fasting, meeting with wise counsel or other strengthening type activities.

Not all storms give advance notice of their arrival. It is at these times that the preparations become all the more critical. It is during these unexpected storms that I draw from scripture I have memorized, reflection upon God’s previous work in my life and the principles of God’s word. Once again, the preparation in advance of the storm is what sustains in its midst.

Today you may see storm clouds forming over the “Gulf of Your Life.” Now is the time to take inventory. Have you made adequate preparation sustain you as you go through the tumultuous blast? Ask the Lord to show you those areas that need to reinforced so that you can effectively weather any storm that comes your way.

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

Carl

Elephants, Acrobats and Life

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of going to the circus with my wife and two of our children. I have always enjoyed the variety of the circus with its various animal acts, clowns and displays of human daring. The physical capability of many of these performers is simply astounding.

One of the intriguing things for me was to see the children of performers I had watched nearly 30 years ago performing. These acrobats and daredevils have grown up in the life of the travelling circus. Their unique feats of human ability have been passed on from one generation to the next, but these abilities didn’t just happen because mom and dad had those abilities.

From a young age these performers are taught the fundamentals of their particular skill set (trapeze, tightrope, juggling, etc…). Once the fundamentals of balance, hand-eye coordination and timing were mastered other components of the act could be added. As these more difficult components were mastered they were enhanced with other feats of daring. Our lives operate in a similar vein:

Philippians 4:9 (NLT)
Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

The Bible instructs us to put into practice what has been learned. Our knowledge of God and His ways is of little use if we do not transfer it into our daily lives and apply it. It has been said that “knowledge without application is simply information; however, knowledge with application brings about transformation.” An amazing transformation takes place when we put into practice the principles of Scripture and the example of those God has placed before us. We move from a place of inability to a place of victory, because we have followed God’s timeless principles for life.

Today you may find yourself high above the arena floor stepping out on the tightrope of life. Remember walking the tightrope is no different than every other step you’ve taken in your life, it occurs one step at a time with one foot going before the other. Trust the foundation that has been developed in your life and step forth with confidence. Keep your focus on fixed point in your life…the very presence of God.

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

Carl

Life's a beach

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

Over the weekend we went with some friends to the beach. This was a milestone event for their family as their 2 year old daughter, Brooke, made her first visit to the beach. As they arrived, Brooke saw the waves rolling in and declared that she would stay in the car.

After joining up with us, Brooke got excited watching my kids play in the surf. Then her mommy & daddy went out into the water. It wasn’t long before Brooke transformed from reluctant beachgoer to seasoned beachcomber, but there was a catch. Brooke entered the water safely in the grasp of her parents. Even though she was overwhelmed by the waves, she was confident in the safe grasp of her parents. Before long Brooke was staring down waves twice her size, but confident that she would not be overtaken.

This event reminded me of a passage of scripture I had read recently:

Isaiah 41:13 (NLT)
I am holding you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I am here to help you.

Many times we are like Brooke. The Lord has guided us to a new place in our lives. A place with great uncertainty that reminds us just how small and fragile we truly are in comparison to the circumstances of life. We see the waves of challenge and difficulty as they crash down on the shore before us. We watch as the landscape changes with each new wave. The shells deposited by the last wave are now swept out to sea and even the sand under our feet is shifting.

As we stand there looking at the intimidating surf, a reassuring voice says: “Come on, lets go.” You feel a strong hand grabbing hold of you and before you know it you are no longer on the shore, but now bouncing around in the surf. You see the waves breaking in front of you, but the strong hand lifts you up at just the right moment and the wave passes by never overtaking you. By the time it is all over this “beach” experience has become a special time in your life and you are almost saddened that you have to leave it. Your Heavenly Father has not only kept you safe, but He has enlarged your understanding and appreciation for the experience gained.

Today you may find yourself chest deep in the pounding surf of life. Follow Brooke’s example and place your hand into the strong hand that will never slip, never leave and never fail. Take confidence in the fact that your Heavenly Father will not only hold tightly to you, but He will lift you up at just the right moment so that no wave overtakes you.

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

Carl