Good morning! Today I am writing to you from Buffalo, NY. I am on a mission trip with our church assisting a new church in getting started.
This trip has got me thinking about the encouragement of being surrounded by a group of passionate people. Don't you just enjoy being around positive people? I know that I do. I would always prefer to be around a group of people who are laughing and upbeat. Just being in that type of setting, lifts my spirits in a heartbeat.
This week I am surrounded by just that type of group. This group of people goes out of their way to encourage one another. Each day they pray together, they share encouragement with one another and they serve each other. It is neat to watch each of their spirits lift. Many of us came with burdens and baggage that were weighing us down, but now we are energized and renewed.
The Bible speaks to this type of environment as well:
Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
When I think about what keeps me going on the hard days? It is the encouragement of others. Today if you need a shot in the arm, I encourage you to surround yourself with some encouraging people. Find those in your life who can inspire and spur you on. There's work to be done.
Until next Monday, may God's richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Monday, July 18, 2005
Still stirred?
I was watching my wife work this evening and I realize that she still moves me in such an incredible way. It has been nearly 18 years since I first laid eyes upon her. I remember the first time I saw her, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was radiant and stunning!
Tonight as I watched her work, I realized that I still cannot take my eyes off of her. When she walks into the room, it lights up. When she brushes up against me I get shivers up and down my spine. When I hear her voice my heart jumps for joy.
This has me thinking about my relationship with Christ. I still remember the day in 1975 when I first met Jesus. I was a young boy and my heart was stirred. I knew something was missing within me and then Jesus revealed how he could fill that void.
I gave my life to Him that night and I was filled with such joy. As with my marriage, my relationship with Jesus has gone through stages. I have moved beyond the childlike fascination to a more intimate knowledge of my precious savior.
But the question is simple. Am I still stirred? Does the thought of Jesus very presence cause my pulse to quicken and my spirits to rise in glorious expectation. Is there still a freshness in my relationship with him, or have I allowed it to grow stagnate?
My prayer is that everyday would be a fresh experience with my Savior. That I would never take Him for granted. O Lord stir my heart for you, make each day a passionate encounter with you.
Tonight as I watched her work, I realized that I still cannot take my eyes off of her. When she walks into the room, it lights up. When she brushes up against me I get shivers up and down my spine. When I hear her voice my heart jumps for joy.
This has me thinking about my relationship with Christ. I still remember the day in 1975 when I first met Jesus. I was a young boy and my heart was stirred. I knew something was missing within me and then Jesus revealed how he could fill that void.
I gave my life to Him that night and I was filled with such joy. As with my marriage, my relationship with Jesus has gone through stages. I have moved beyond the childlike fascination to a more intimate knowledge of my precious savior.
But the question is simple. Am I still stirred? Does the thought of Jesus very presence cause my pulse to quicken and my spirits to rise in glorious expectation. Is there still a freshness in my relationship with him, or have I allowed it to grow stagnate?
My prayer is that everyday would be a fresh experience with my Savior. That I would never take Him for granted. O Lord stir my heart for you, make each day a passionate encounter with you.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Monday Morning Encouragement - July 18, 2005
Good morning! This past week I went to see my doctor for a routine check up. She checked my weight, blood pressure, pulse rate and breathing. These regular check ups are important for maintaining optimum physical health and identifying potential problems before they become major health issues.
Most of us don’t give a second thought to a regular medical check up, but what about a spiritual check up? Are you taking time to evaluate your spiritual health? We should take seriously the condition of our relationship with God. The only way to evaluate our true condition is to allow God to examine our heart.
Psalm 139:23 (NLT)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
I want you to focus on the word “search.” A search is a deep, probing for things that are hidden from view. The thought behind this word would be the idea of searching for survivors in a pile of rubble with your bare hands. When we allow God to search us, we give Him permission to burrow down beneath the surface superficiality and to expose the depths of our soul.
Many of us try to compartmentalize our heart. We limit God’s access to certain areas of our lives in an effort to protect our selfish desires and pet sins. Many of us justify the condition of our heart by excusing these sinful compartments as “isolated” sins. You’ve heard it before...”I’m a good person, I just have a.....(bad temper, foul mouth, etc...)” Who are we trying to kid. If I have one cancerous tumor I’m a cancer patient....period.
Anyone can avoid an honest health evaluation by simply never going to the doctor for an examination. But if you are sick...you will still be sick, even though you haven’t allowed anyone to tell you.
Most people never allow God to search their heart, because they are afraid of what God might pinpoint. If you had cancer you would want the doctor to do whatever he could to remove that cancer from your body, shouldn’t it be the same with sin? God wants you to become more and more Christ like each and every day.
This week I encourage you to allow God to search your heart. Make Psalm 139:23 your prayer. As God reveals issues in your life, confess those things before Him and feel the burden of sin lift as God’s forgiveness envelopes you.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Most of us don’t give a second thought to a regular medical check up, but what about a spiritual check up? Are you taking time to evaluate your spiritual health? We should take seriously the condition of our relationship with God. The only way to evaluate our true condition is to allow God to examine our heart.
Psalm 139:23 (NLT)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
I want you to focus on the word “search.” A search is a deep, probing for things that are hidden from view. The thought behind this word would be the idea of searching for survivors in a pile of rubble with your bare hands. When we allow God to search us, we give Him permission to burrow down beneath the surface superficiality and to expose the depths of our soul.
Many of us try to compartmentalize our heart. We limit God’s access to certain areas of our lives in an effort to protect our selfish desires and pet sins. Many of us justify the condition of our heart by excusing these sinful compartments as “isolated” sins. You’ve heard it before...”I’m a good person, I just have a.....(bad temper, foul mouth, etc...)” Who are we trying to kid. If I have one cancerous tumor I’m a cancer patient....period.
Anyone can avoid an honest health evaluation by simply never going to the doctor for an examination. But if you are sick...you will still be sick, even though you haven’t allowed anyone to tell you.
Most people never allow God to search their heart, because they are afraid of what God might pinpoint. If you had cancer you would want the doctor to do whatever he could to remove that cancer from your body, shouldn’t it be the same with sin? God wants you to become more and more Christ like each and every day.
This week I encourage you to allow God to search your heart. Make Psalm 139:23 your prayer. As God reveals issues in your life, confess those things before Him and feel the burden of sin lift as God’s forgiveness envelopes you.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Monday, July 11, 2005
Monday Morning Encouragement July 11, 2005
Good morning! Have you ever had a time in your life where all you really wanted to do was run and hide? The problems and pressures just seem to be relentless and you almost feel like you are going to suffocate from the pressure. I think all of us go through times like that. I have currently been facing some difficult days personally and at times have just wished I could run and hide.
One of my favorite accounts in the Bible deals with Elijah the great prophet of the Old Testament. Elijah had seen God work in amazing ways in his life, including: Being fed by ravens; an inexhaustible supply of food rations; the raising of a widow woman’s dead child and a powerful display of God’s presence as he faced down the prophets of Baal. If anyone knew first hand God’s power to sustain them, it was Elijah.
Something interesting happens with Elijah. Immediately following his showdown with the prophets of Baal, Elijah learns that there is a price on his head. The queen wants him dead. Elijah responds not in faith, but in fear. The Bible tells us that he went out into the desert, leaving his servant behind and laid down wanting to die.
2 things become readily apparent with Elijah. First he has become isolated. Most of us tend to isolate ourselves in times of difficulty. In our isolation we become easy prey for fear, doubt, worry, bitterness and all of those other nasty things the enemy throws out at us. Secondarily, Elijah has become paralyzed. He is no longer effective in his service of God…he has dropped out of the race.
Fortunately for Elijah, as well as you and I, God is not willing to allow us to stay in this place of isolation and fear. God knew what Elijah needed….he needed a fresh encounter with God.
1 Kings 19:10-13 (NLT)
Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
[11] "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. [13] When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
God already knows Elijah’s heart, but He asks for an explanation anyway. When you are having times of difficulty tell God what’s bothering you. That is part of intimacy with Him.
I want you to pay close attention to what happens next. The windstorm hit, the earthquake came, the fire raged….but the Lord was not in these things. His voice was heard in the gentle whisper.
So many times when we hit seasons of despair, we want God to move in a thunderbolt or to hear a loud voice from Heaven. But what Elijah needed…and what you and I need is to truly see God. Elijah was having a focus problem. His focus had moved from God’s work to self-pity. Elijah needed to see God clearly, before he would be ready to hear God clearly.
As the account goes on, God never does respond to Elijah’s pity party, instead He gives Elijah a new mission.
Today if you are facing one of these difficult times, don’t look for the wind, earthquake or fire, but instead listen for the whisper in the wind. Ask God to open your eyes that you might see Him clearly.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
One of my favorite accounts in the Bible deals with Elijah the great prophet of the Old Testament. Elijah had seen God work in amazing ways in his life, including: Being fed by ravens; an inexhaustible supply of food rations; the raising of a widow woman’s dead child and a powerful display of God’s presence as he faced down the prophets of Baal. If anyone knew first hand God’s power to sustain them, it was Elijah.
Something interesting happens with Elijah. Immediately following his showdown with the prophets of Baal, Elijah learns that there is a price on his head. The queen wants him dead. Elijah responds not in faith, but in fear. The Bible tells us that he went out into the desert, leaving his servant behind and laid down wanting to die.
2 things become readily apparent with Elijah. First he has become isolated. Most of us tend to isolate ourselves in times of difficulty. In our isolation we become easy prey for fear, doubt, worry, bitterness and all of those other nasty things the enemy throws out at us. Secondarily, Elijah has become paralyzed. He is no longer effective in his service of God…he has dropped out of the race.
Fortunately for Elijah, as well as you and I, God is not willing to allow us to stay in this place of isolation and fear. God knew what Elijah needed….he needed a fresh encounter with God.
1 Kings 19:10-13 (NLT)
Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
[11] "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. [13] When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
God already knows Elijah’s heart, but He asks for an explanation anyway. When you are having times of difficulty tell God what’s bothering you. That is part of intimacy with Him.
I want you to pay close attention to what happens next. The windstorm hit, the earthquake came, the fire raged….but the Lord was not in these things. His voice was heard in the gentle whisper.
So many times when we hit seasons of despair, we want God to move in a thunderbolt or to hear a loud voice from Heaven. But what Elijah needed…and what you and I need is to truly see God. Elijah was having a focus problem. His focus had moved from God’s work to self-pity. Elijah needed to see God clearly, before he would be ready to hear God clearly.
As the account goes on, God never does respond to Elijah’s pity party, instead He gives Elijah a new mission.
Today if you are facing one of these difficult times, don’t look for the wind, earthquake or fire, but instead listen for the whisper in the wind. Ask God to open your eyes that you might see Him clearly.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Monday, July 04, 2005
Monday Morning Encouragement - July 4, 2005
Good morning! It is July 4th, Independence Day, a day to commemorate our birth as a nation. Today I want to challenge you with the thought of freedom.
Here in America we are so blessed by the freedoms we enjoy. You are free to travel throughout this nation anytime you choose. You are free to attend the church or synagogue of your choice without government interference. You are free to own property. You are free to read the writings of anyone. You are free to listen to the music of anyone.
Why is freedom so important? The alternative to freedom is bondage! Our forefathers found themselves in bondage to the King of England. Taxation without representation, state sanctioned religion, state controlled speech….in a word bondage.
Today there are many who live in bondage even in America. They are in bondage to guilt and shame, addictions and broken relationships. The circumstances of life and the judgments of others have enchained them.
God never intended for His people to live in a state of bondage. Jesus came that you might live life abundantly. Consider this passage:
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT)
Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is….there is freedom. Remember God’s forgiveness is permanent, His grace is sufficient and His might is more than you can imagine. He not only forgives your sin…He erases the record of it. There is nothing in your life…absolutely nothing….that will require Jesus to get on the cross again. All of the things that keep you in bondage were paid for with His blood and their hold on you was destroyed when He stepped from the grave.
The same Jesus who conquered death and hell lives within you. His power is there to wipe away guilt, take away shame, dry every tear and carry you above the storms of life.
This week celebrate your freedom as an American and more importantly as a child of God. If you find that you are in bondage…declare your independence.
If you would like to talk more about the freedom that God offers each of us, please drop me a line.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Here in America we are so blessed by the freedoms we enjoy. You are free to travel throughout this nation anytime you choose. You are free to attend the church or synagogue of your choice without government interference. You are free to own property. You are free to read the writings of anyone. You are free to listen to the music of anyone.
Why is freedom so important? The alternative to freedom is bondage! Our forefathers found themselves in bondage to the King of England. Taxation without representation, state sanctioned religion, state controlled speech….in a word bondage.
Today there are many who live in bondage even in America. They are in bondage to guilt and shame, addictions and broken relationships. The circumstances of life and the judgments of others have enchained them.
God never intended for His people to live in a state of bondage. Jesus came that you might live life abundantly. Consider this passage:
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT)
Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is….there is freedom. Remember God’s forgiveness is permanent, His grace is sufficient and His might is more than you can imagine. He not only forgives your sin…He erases the record of it. There is nothing in your life…absolutely nothing….that will require Jesus to get on the cross again. All of the things that keep you in bondage were paid for with His blood and their hold on you was destroyed when He stepped from the grave.
The same Jesus who conquered death and hell lives within you. His power is there to wipe away guilt, take away shame, dry every tear and carry you above the storms of life.
This week celebrate your freedom as an American and more importantly as a child of God. If you find that you are in bondage…declare your independence.
If you would like to talk more about the freedom that God offers each of us, please drop me a line.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
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