A Series Of Thanks, Part 3

Last night I got to do something I haven't got to do in some time now. I got the privilege of going to church with my mom as just her son - not her pastor son. I got to sit through church with her at her new church and just be me. It reminded me so much of my childhood. It reminded me how thankful I am for the parents God gave me.
I start with my mom - the lady who always worried too much in my eyes, but who can never be accused of not being concerned enough. I never understood it as I was growing up, all I saw was worry and fear, but I now know that this was just her way of caring for me - of wanting to keep me safe, and keep me on the right path. She was involved in every aspect of my life - I could always count on her to be there at everything I did. Every time I got hurt, she was the first on the scene. As I got older there were times when I just needed someone to be patient with me, and mom was always that. Her and dad always made me go to church - the always held me to standards of right - they always expected me to act like I had been raised to act. She was, and is, a constant in my life - something or someone I never question - because her faithfulness has been I expect it to always be. Where would I be without my mom? Where would our family have ended up without her - often the voice of reason whether we wanted to listen or not. She was not perfect, but she was and is the perfect mother for me.
And then there is my dad - the hero of my life. Regrettably it was not until his homegoing that I realized how deep his influence was on me. Dad was a hard man, but without question a good man. All of him was in all that he did. Nothing could keep him from doing what he thought to be right - not illness, not social security, not anything. He was the hardest worker I have ever seen. He was faithful to lead his family, faithful to discipline his children, faithful to do whatever it took to be the man God had called him to be. He, like my mother, was by no means perfect - he was just the perfect father for me. Often they tease me for being like him in many ways - what they do not know is that I take it as a compliment. To be half the man that he was would be, in my eyes, quite an achievement. I miss him deeply, but I am forever grateful that he was the man that he was to us. Today I am thankful for the incredible gift of my parents - God could have placed me in any home He wanted - I am thankful He chose this one. I am thankful that even though we never had much we always had what we needed. We had parents who never failed to love us, never failed to invest in us, never failed to hold us to standards. I am thankful that my mom worried. I am thankful that my dad was hard - because this is who they were - and I wouldn't change it for the world. Father, I thank you that you placed me in such a home - I am thankful that you crafted these two human beings to be the perfect people to raise my sister and I. Father I thank you that I knew the blessing of a home that stayed together - I thank you that I knew the blessing of a home that pursued godliness. Father, I thank you for my incredible mother, I thank you for such an awesome father.
(Thanksgiving Day 09)

A Series Of Thanks, Part 2

If Nicole is the greatest blessing of my life, then they are a very close second. If you do not know who 'they' are, then you do not know me well at all. "They" are my boys, Isaiah and Micah. Isaiah is now 10, in intermediate school with 1,000 other 5th and 6th graders, and Micah is now 6, in the first grade. Because of Isaiah and Micah I now know a side of life that I had never known before -that of a father. It is the part of my life I am most proud of. These two little guys - with their momma's eyes - are my pride and joy. How did these two boys, entrusted to my care, end up so incredible? How did they grow to be so intelligent and sharp? Where did this love for life, for others, for having a great time come from? Where did they learn to evoke some of the deepest emotions inside of me? Some would attribute it to them being kids - and kids in general have a way of doing these things. But only to you are these two fellas kids in general - to me they are joy. To me they are hope. To me they are laughter. To me they are peace. To me they are purpose. To me they are mission. To me they incredible. They own my heart. They are my life - and because they are I love life. God has blessed me infinitely by placing these two little men in my arms - from the day that I carried them through the hospitals as newborns even to this very moment - these guys continually speak of God's love to me - of God's desires of me - for such is the Kingdom of God. Today, Father, I thank you for these bundles of joy and hope. I thank you for the boys that you have chosen to place within my trust - for their smiles, for their thoughts, for their skills, for their personalities, for their lives - only help me to never let up on my call to raise them to know, love, and serve you. Thank you for Isaiah. Thank you for Micah. Thank you for the gift of my family!

A Series Of Thanks, Part 1

"IN everything give thanks" is the call of Scripture. Thanksgiving is not limited to a certain time of the year, or even to certain moments in our lives - but in everything we are to give thanks, because Christ is worthy of praise and thanksgiving every step of the journey - both the good and the bad - the pleasant and unpleasant. It is an attitude of the spirit that we are called to - a perpetual spirit of thankfulness. And if we would only but take the time to consider all of the ways in which we can trace His hands in our lives our spirits would burst forth with honor and praise. When is the last time we stopped to count our blessings? To name them one by one? This is my attempt to do so.
I start with the greatest blessing of my life - this blessing has a name, her name is Nicole. Never in a million years did I think that this beautiful 7th grade girl would eventually become my wife - and never could I have known the amazing woman she would become right before my very eyes. In her I have seen the truest expressions of God's grace - for she, like no one else, has seen both the best of me and the absolute worst of me - and yet from her continually comes grace, faithfulness, forgiveness, love, compassion, - in her I have seen what it means to love like He loves, for she has done so with me. I have also seen the greatest expressions of His favor - the Bible reminds us that the man who finds a wife finds a good thing, obtaining the favor of the Lord - and after 11 years it is easy to see what He meant. How in the world did I end up with someone so amazing? Someone so intelligent? Someone so incredibly beautiful? Someone so passionate about right? Someone so selfless? Someone who gives herself to those whom she loves without restraint? She is so much more than any man deserves - and yet she is mine. Her beauty still takes my breath away. Her laughter still makes me happier than anything. Her involvement with our children is incredible to watch. All of the funny things she does, all of the kind things she does, the spiritual, the honorable, the sacrificial - all of these and more make up this wonderful woman. In her I have learned so much, witnessed so much, received so much. She deserves the best of me, because she is the best of me. Today I am most thankful for the love of my life - the woman that God has given to me to spend my life with - the one who captivates me like no one else - my wife. Father, thank you for giving me the greatest blessing in the most common of places - thank you for crafting her especially for me and me for her - thank you for uniting our hearts - thank you for this most wonderful gift - thank you for Nicole!

Something Worth Remembering...

Not every great investment yields great fruit. But there are times when even great investments yield fruit that you never could have dreamed or imagined in the first place. For this I praise God today - for always working, and for allowing me to join Him.

Stop Counting

It seems like forever since I have updated this. My 'plate' seems to be fuller than ever, and as a result things like these have fallen by the wayside.
What refreshes me, though, is that even when my plate is full God's voice can still be heard. If I listen closely enough I can hear His voice over all the other noise of life. This week He has reminded me that I should utterly loose myself in serving Him and others. Christ taught the 'second mile' as a way of life. For His listeners this would have meant to stop being so concerned with all that you had done, stop keeping track - just serve others without limits or restraints. What would it be like if I could love and serve others without consciousness - without even 'keeping track' - to utterly loose myself to the point that how much I do is not an issue, the primary issue is to love another human being towards Christ? I can tell you what my life would look like if I stopped counting - it would look like Christ's!

Worry

"Worry occurs when we've overvalued something that is corruptible."
- Chris Tiegreen

Thankful

Tonight I am very grateful for being surrounded by great people. We often take the role that others play in our lives for granted because we are just so used to it being that way. But tonight, as my plate is ever so full, and seeming only to get fuller, God has reminded me of how incredible He is, and how much He works and reveals Himself to me through other people in my life. I am glad to be connected to people, I am glad to be blessed beyond measure through my wonderful family, I am glad that God continues to refresh me through those around me. If you are a part of my life, today I just want you to know how grateful I am that you are in my life! Thanks.

Abandon

"For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever He leads. Let this, then, be the first step, to abandon ourselves, and devote the whole energy of our minds to the service of God."
- John Calvin

Vegas & Back!

Nicole and I had an awesome time with our missionary, Bro Vogt & Family, last week in Las Vegas. While there I was reminded of the great difficulties of ministry in general, and mission work specifically. There are many things, things I usually take for granted, that we have the privilege of working with in an established work that mission works do not get. The obstacles are different, the expectations are somewhat different. While I was there I was made increasingly aware of the work. I was also reminded of how proud I am of Bro Richard and his family. Their commitment to the work there and the people is amazing. It is evident that God has called him there for these specific people - and it is quite refreshing to see God working in such ways. Through this ministry people are being reached and influenced for Christ and His Kingdom.
And what better place to do it than Las Vegas? Never before have I seen so many people from so many different walks of life, from so many differnt places all clumped into one 625 square mile city. And how many of these people stand in despearate need of Christ's life? And yet in most cases Christ was not even on the radar of their hearts. If anything I learned of my own personal need to take this work continually before the throne of God - who is able to do above all that we ask or think - and interceed on their behalf that God would so amazing things there. I am proud to be a part of this work. I am proud to support such a missionary and such a work. I am proud to serve a mighty God!

Begin With Surrender, Continue With Peace

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
This verse is a call to begin with absolute surrender - to commit our works to the Lord means that we cast all that we must do, and all that we must deal with squarely upon God, to transfer it from our strength to His, and that we leave it there in faith and dependence knowing that He will handle it more perfectly than we ever could. When days, activities, and responsibilities are began this way, the Bible promises that our thoughts will be established - in other words we will have a definite peace - because we know that He will do all things well, and all things for our good and His glory. Begin with surrender, and you will continue with peace!

Not Everyone Lives

Death is more universal than life, everyone dies but not everyone lives.
- Alan Sachs

Hard Work

Proverbs 13:4 reminds us of a powerful principle of life: ...The soul of the diligent shall be made fat - in other words hard work really pays off. And when you really stop and think about it, this rule applies to every area of life. Anything worth enjoying always requires a great deal of hard work - a good marriage, godly children, a healthy body, Christ-like character, solid relationships - the list is infinite - the things that really matter in life require us to put forth intense effort! How often we just assume and expect things to fall into place just as we had planned. We forget that hard work is essential to achieving our desires, whatever those desires may be. And once the effort is put forth, then we can know the joy of having our desires met. "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul..." (Pro13:19)

Faith

Many have faith, but few live by it.

Invest Now!

Proverbs 1 teaches us that there will come a time in our lives, many times according to my own experience, that we will want and need solid wisdom. Unfortunately we often wait to pursue wisdom until we need it the most. We want the ability to decide properly and do what is right when we have to make a decision. And while this is certainly better than lacking the desire to do what is right, Proverbs would have us to understand that if we want wisdom then we must invest in it now. We must listen, learn, and gain understanding now, before we have to make the big decisions of life. How much easier would this be when it came decision time? We would already have the wisdom we need to make God-honoring decisions. Take time to invest in wisdom today, it will most certainly pay off tomorrow!

Waiting...

Have you ever noticed that God's timing is often very different from our expectations? Even when it is a desire or dream that we know God has placed within our hearts, still it doesn't always happen in the time frame that we would like.
And it has consistently been this way. Abraham had to wait until he received the son of promise - and went through many ups and downs on his way there. Moses spent 40 years in the desert before he led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Even Paul, chosen to be a very unique vessel in the service of Christ's Kingdom, spent his own time in the desert.
Knowing that this is often God's method, why is it often so hard to wait patiently on Him to fulfill His plan in our lives? It is during these waiting periods that we learn so much of His faithfulness, so much of His forgiveness. And yet we still find it difficult to wait.
I know that the desires that God has placed within me have yet to come to complete fruition, but I pray that during this waiting process He will grant me the strength to run this race with patience - with steady persistence as I know that what He has begun in me He will most certainly finish!

A More Sure Word!

We have also a more sure word of prophecy (the Bible); whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Peter 1:19

I Stand Amazed!

Christ did not see anything in me that was worthy of His suffering and death, rather it was what was in Him that made Him willing to pay sin's greatest price for me: namely His unconditional love!
I pray today that His great love would overwhelm you afresh, and that we would be able to sing in deep sincerity with the old hymn writer:

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner condemned, unclean.
Oh how marvelous, oh how wonderful
And my song shall ever be,
Oh how marvelous, oh how wonderful
Is my Savior's love for me!

The Pursuit Of Excellence

1Peter 1:5 calls us to give great diligence to add to our faith "virtue", which from my understanding means excellence. This would then mean that we are called pursue excellence in our walk with Christ, and in all the things we do. Excellency should be our standard in all things.
Why then is it so easy to settle for mediocrity? Vance Havner said the middle of the road is a poor place to walk, a poor place to drive, and a poor place to live. Why then are we so susceptible to settling in our walk with Christ?
Whatever the reason may be, and I suppose it is different for different people, the calling is still the same. We are called to intentionally and intensely pursue excellence in all things. May His Spirit keep us from settling for anything less on this day!

Grace & Peace

1 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord
Such a simple verse, with such incredible truth. Peace and grace grow the more our knowledge of Him grows. The more we learn of His character and presence, the more at peace we are able to be. The more we grow in our understanding of how He works the more amazing His grace becomes. Peace and grace are always a direct result of knowing Him! Oh that we might press on to know Him more today!

The Way He Loved

How different would my life be if I followed Christ's command to love as He loved? Greater love has never been seen. He was amazing in the way that He dignified and uplifted those He came in contact with. Someone once said His whole life demonstrated that there are only two things that really matter in life: God and people. And this kind of love is what is expected of me. He did not define what we were supposed to do, perhaps because a definition would not suffice. Instead He demonstrated how we are to love. How different things would be if I loved the way He loves!

No Limits!

It is when we reach our limit that we fully realize God is not thus limited!

Peace

"Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God."
- Alexander Maclaren

A Powerful Influence

I have heard that sociologists have discovered that even the most introverted people have a maximum influence on at least 60 people in their lifetime. That's pretty impressive when you think about it. It is also very sobering - what kind of influence our we having?
I just know that I have been called to have an influence that points people to a very real and loving Christ. I guess there are many ways to do that, but in a recent study in 1st Peter 2:11-12 I found that there are two very basic things that will contribute to a powerful influence: 1) a commitment to integrity, and 2) character in adversity. Abstaining from things that hinder us from moving towards our final destination, and serving faithfully in spite of what others say and how they act - these are simple concepts, but difficult practices. Yet if they are true of us, many will glorify God when He comes again - now that's a powerful influence!

The Secret

I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
And His presence came like sunrise
Like a glory within my breast.

All day long the presence lingered
All day long He stayed with me;
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed;
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With His presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret
Learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek God in the morning
If you want Him through the day.

Intimacy Balanced By Reverence

Four times in Jesus' teaching on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount He taught us to pray to "our Father". When He speaks of prayer elsewhere in the Gospels He also often makes intentional effort to point out the 'Fatherhood' of God. Indeed, when He prayed in John 17 He referred to God as Father at least 6 times. This repeated emphasis on the "Father" is a call to intimacy in prayer - a deep and abiding intimacy with God.
But in His model prayer He balanced this intimacy with the phrase "who art in Heaven." It was as intimate as a child with a father, but was also an intense reverence for the Almighty God to whom He prayed. He taught us to pray with a deep recognition of the authority and sovereignty of God.
As I have studied this model prayer this week I have come to understand that this intimacy balanced by reverence is the key to the whole prayer. It is because of our intimate relationship with the Father that we come to Him seeking His power, blessings, and aid. It is because we reverence Him as God of Heaven and Earth that we seek His honor, glory, and His will to be accomplished on Earth. The Master has taught us to pray with a great sense of intimacy and reverence - may we ever learn of Him how to pray in like manner.

Seeing Is Not Always Believing

"Seeing is believing," or at least that is how the old saying goes. But is it really true? Is the only thing required for us to believe something is that we are able to see it? This is often the argument against faith in God - God seems to be hiding. If only we could see Him we would believe Him. But is this really the case? In the Exodus account Pharaoh witnessed many infallible proofs concerning the reality of God. At first he tried to explain it away with the talents of Egypt's magicians, but soon their magic reached its limit while the power of God continued to manifest itself. Still Pharaoh refused to submit to the authority of God. It would seem that the problem was not so much with the evidence, but with the decision that Pharaoh made based on that evidence.
I believe that this is still the case today. I do not believe that there is a lack of evidence when it comes to the reality and power of God - on the contrary there is overwhelming evidence. But when all is said and done it comes down to what we do with that evidence. We either choose to accept it or reject it. But be sure, it is not a question of evidence, only a question of choice!

My Own Kingdom

I am becoming increasingly aware of my obsession with my own personal kingdom - I am obsessed with all things me! This obsession with my own kingdom is the primary hindrance to me being fully engaged in Christ's kingdom. I have known about this spiritual disease for some time now, but for some reason I am more aware of its manifestations today. It can be anything from my overwhelming desire to defend myself - as if my reputation was most important - or it can be my preoccupation with the goals and agendas I have created for my self. Either way, I am way too focused on my kingdom for me to be able to live for His. Today I pray for the ruin of the 'me' kingdom so that Christ's Kingdom would dominate my life today.

New To The Blog Scene

Well all the cool kids are doing it - everyone is developing their own blog. So in my quest for 'coolness' I have created my own. What will become of it? Who knows, but I hope to be able to share the love and life of Christ through this powerful tool.
And every now and then I might give a plug to them awesome Sooners!
PK