TGIF

Thank God today.

The last three days I have been home with sick kids.  Being sick is no fun.  But, feeling bad or bad situations does not eliminate the good.  We can still find good and be grateful.

I am grateful that my work is flexible enough that I can be there for my kids.  I am thankful that God is always here for his children and that he comforts us and brings his healing to our lives.  I am thankful the time spent with my kids.  We have had fun with each other even as we have been sick.

Make sure that you look for the good in your day today and take time to thank God.

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug

Live like that- Sidewalk Prophets

Here is the title track to Sidewalk prophets new album.  I got this in my email the other day and it just reaffirms the desire of God's heart that we be real about loving like Jesus.  Give it a listen, be blessed and be a blessing.

Love like that today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug

Look up

Take a moment today and look up.

Often times we get so caught up in our situation and circumstance that we see nothing else but that.  We get consumed by what is going on.  it is important that we take time to look up.  I don't mean that we need to actually tilt our head backward and stair at the ceiling.  I am talking about stopping and looking to God.  Be intentional about looking for God.  Do n't allow your situation or circumstances to distract you so much that you  don't take time for God.  Time with God is what we need.  It helps us to recognized that God is not removed form our situation.  God cares.  God is at work.  Take a moment and look up.  You will see.

In Christ love and mine,
Doug

Loving God

Every day we have an opportunity to express and show our love to God in real and tangible ways.  We love God by loving His people.  In Matthews Gospel  Jesus said, "whatever we do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you do to me."  John says in one one of his letters that "we cant love God and hate our brother.  If we love God we will love our brothers and sisters who we do see."

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug

Self-Control puts God in Control

I have been thinking about what it takes for us to give up control to God.  I think, I have discovered the answer and it seems to be different than I expected.  I know that it requires God working in me to give up control but, interestingly I believe the fruit of the Spirit that leads to giving control to God is self-control.

There is a direct link between self-control and giving God control of our lives.  Letting go requires self control.  We have to get ourselves out of the way.  We have to get out of the drivers seat.  We need to get ourselves under control so that we can let God have us.

The Good news is that this is a fruit of the Spirit.  This is what Christ will produce in us when we surrender and let him work in us.  God will do this.  If we want to give God control of our loves we need to ask him to give us self control.

I know it sounds easier than it is and that is because self control is not something that we are good at it is not from us it comes from God.  One day, one opportunity at a time.

Love today.

In Christ love and mine,
Doug

In a Funk

I am in a funk today.  I did not sleep very well last night I was up thinking about people.  I was thinking about how we can so easily hurt one another.  I was up thinking about how much it hurts when are feelings are hurt by people whom we love and respect.  I was up praying for relationships that I know have been hurt and are hurting.  Today, I continue to pray.  I am praying my way out of the funk.  I am praying that God's love, grace, and forgiveness become all the more real in our relationships.

God created us as people with feelings and emotions.  Jesus shows us that feelings and emotion are not a bad thing.  Jesus wept, he got angry, he was hurt emotionally, because that comes with love.  Love hurt when the rich young man walked away.  Love hurt when those He came to save nailed him to the cross.  Love hurt when we hurt and and are hurt by others.

Love also heals.  Love reconciles. Love forgives.  Love keeps no records of wrongs. We are created for each other that is why when we do things that damage relationships they hurt so bad.  We are made for relationship with God and each other.  It is in these moments of hurt that we can most grow in our capacity to love.  It is the moments that offer our greatest opportunity to understand what grace is and to live by it.  It is in these moments of real, raw, emotional, relationship crossroads that we can understand more fully the cross of Christ and grow to be more like him.  Now, I don't wish relational hurts on anyone.  I pray that we can learn and grow like to be like Christ without causing emotional hurt and pain to one another.  I wish that we did not do things to hurt one another, but the truth is we do, we all fall short of the glory and a result of that is that not only do "bad" people do "bad" things but "good" people do "bad" things.  But, there is a bigger truth!  God can and will work to use these situations to help us to be more like him.  It begins by praying our way out of the funk.  Pray it all the way through until our hearts are like His.  Be reconciled.

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug

Heart of Wisdom

This past week I have continued to think about one scripture.  It is not a scripture I will be preaching on.  It is one I think God is giving me for my life.  (I know that is a scripture that God has given to each of us for our lives.  That is what all the scriptures are.  Sometimes we forget right?) I have been meditating on this one verse from Psalm 90 and it keeps making it way into the situations that I have been in this week.

Psalm 90 verse 12 says, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

What does it mean to number our days?

I think that having a heart of wisdom is to be truly wise.  A heart of wisdom is not just street smarts or book smart it is wisdom.  Wisdom of life.  Wise about what really matters and make for living.  I want to be that kind of wise.  I want to be wise not to win games or trivia contest but to experience and enjoy and gain life and love of and in God.

I believe that is what the psalmist is writing about here and they say if we want to gain a heart of wisdom than we need to be taught to number our days.

What does it mean to number our days?

The 90th Psalm is talking about how eternal God is and how short our lives are.  I was with a young man who was in a car accident and needed surgery this week as well as a with a friend who lost their childhood friend at age 57.  I lost a neighbor who was 58.  Life is short it is very precious.  When we start to understand  that we start to gain a heart of wisdom.  When we are taught to see that each day is a gift from God we begin to gain real wisdom.

When we start to understand that this life is brief and for just a little while we can begin to gain the wisdom that we should not take anything for granted.  A heart of wisdom says I will not take this day for granted because I only get so many.  I will not take my time with the people I love for granted.  I will not take God and my relationship with God for granted.  I have understood that number of my days and I am going to make the most of this day, because this day is a gift from God.

Wisdom says thank you to God and others.  Today.
Wisdom says I am sorry to God and others.  Today.
Wisdom says I love you to God and others.  Today
Wisdom serves God and others.  Today.
Wisdom stops and smells the flowers.  Today
Wisdom listens to the birds sing.  Today
Wisdom treasure what is really important.  Today.

A person with a heart of wisdom makes the most of each breath, each moment, each word, and each opportunity because they have been taught by God to number their days.

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug