A Firm Foundation

This afternoon I was reading about a Christian artist who a few years ago went through a painful year including the death of her parents, a daughter’s suicide and the breakup of her marriage. When discussing the marriage breakup she said “the marriage fell out from under me because the spiritual foundation of the home fell short.”

After spending over 40 years in the construction industry in one capacity or another I for one know how critical the foundation is to the long term life of any project. I am firmly convinced that God, once we become His child begins to work on and in us to turn us into the child that He wants us to be, as any father would. This begins the solid foundation. Once we become that child, He then can begin to mold and build us into becoming the man or woman that He wants us to be. Once we are the man or woman He wants us to be then we can further the project and become the husband or wife and then the parents and so forth.

There are a couple of keys to this whole process. First and foremost we have to yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If we are not willing to do that then our foundation will never be firm. Secondly, we need to obey His word. Step by step God will refine us, build us and make us all He wants us to be if we are totally yielded to Him. Look at Acts 11:5-8 the story of Peter’s dream as he was praying. Peter says “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.” The phrase Peter uttered, “NOT SO LORD” is an impossible statement to make. You can’t say no to the Lord if He truly is the Lord. So being totally yielded to Jesus Christ means never telling Him no to anything He tells us to do. If we truly want a solid foundation whether in marriage, business, ministry or life the key is being totally sold out to Jesus Christ.
Grace and Peace

It's in the Bag

I’m on my way home on the train thinking about my day and thinking what I might write here tonight. One of my daughters had a disappointment today and I was thinking about disappointments and how our life is full of them. But the blessings we receive from our heavenly Father far out way the disappointments. I also remember hearing the old adage that without a test there is no testimony. Sometimes when we are faced with disappointments God is using it to sand off some rough edges, so it is important that we search our hearts and see if there is something we need to change. But then the Lord changed my mind. As I sat on the train and began looking in my briefcase for my headphones, I was thinking about how this particular briefcase is marketed. You can check it out at http://store.saddlebackleather.com/. It is marketed as the toughest bag you can buy, it is hand made, guaranteed for life, and able to withstand an attack of an enemy. On their website they show it being attacked by an alligator, coming back for more and being used all over the world. I’ve used it for a while now and the more I use it the more functional and attractive it becomes. It is with me no matter where I go. The company’s motto is “they’ll fight over it when you’re dead.” Then it dawned on me, I want my faith to be like my bag. To be tough enough to withstand anything the enemy comes against me with; to last a lifetime and the more I use it to be more and more attractive to others. Now I don’t want my family or friends fighting over anything when I’m dead, but like my bag, I want my faith to live on, to be an example to the succeeding generations should the Lord tarry. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Hebrew 11:1.

Grace and Peace

The End of One of Those Days

It’s funny, how certain days seem to be more stressful than others, even when there is not a particular issue or something that you can point to that is causing the stress. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe I didn’t get enough sleep last night, whatever, and for me today has been one of those days. In the past when I’ve had days like this I would just let it linger. Left alone, the stress turns into anxiety, the anxiety into a physical ache, and the ache into an illness. It happens every day to people all over the world. I think it is important to recognize that as humans, God created us to exist in three areas of consciousness; physical, emotional and spiritual. What I described above is caused by an unchecked interaction between our physical consciousness and our emotional consciousness. It becomes like the unraveling of a sweater, once it starts its hard to stop. God did not only design us to be physical and emotional beings but gave us spirituality as the matrix that holds everything together. Whenever I start feeling like I did today I start to recognize how important the spiritual consciousness is. Once we make a decision to walk and live in the spirit and not in the flesh, the cares of the world seem to fade. 1 Peter 5:6-8 tells us: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." These verses prompt us to focus on humility, patience, trust, sobriety, vigilance and faith. These are certainly all desirable attributes. It also reminds me that as we walk through this world, things happen that sometimes we just don’t understand. Understanding the why, how, when and where seems so important to so many people. When we don’t or can’t understand the circumstances it causes stress. The Lord tells us in Proverbs 3:5-8 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones." Because I was reminded of this today, I wanted to remind anyone who reads this.
Grace and Peace

J-O-Y

It’s interesting the responses that you get when you ask someone the difference between joy and happiness. We are all looking for happiness; the problem is that happiness is dependent on your circumstances. If the Yankees win, some people are happy, some are unhappy. If you get a raise, you are happy; if you get a bill you are unhappy. If you pay that bill someone else is happy. If someone compliments you, you tend to be happy. If you hear criticism, you’re not so happy.

Joy on the other hand is deep rooted and based on the belief that no matter what the circumstances, someone bigger than us will see us through. We often see joy in children because they know that their parents are there for them no matter what. (Unfortunately we see this less and less due to the demise of the family and family values.) As we get older and are thrust into the reality and responsibility of everyday life, the joy is gone and we look for that quick fix feeling of happiness. We look for happiness in things, places, position or relationships. Unfortunately, this doesn’t last long and we are looking for the next thing that will make us happy. Joy on the other hand is a gift from God. It is not dependent on things, places, or position. It is however, dependent on a relationship, a relationship with God. A relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. The Word tells us: The joy of the Lord is your strength."—Nehemiah 8:10. When we have the joy that is given to us from God, then He gives us the strength through Him to face anything that the world throws at us. I remember when I was a kid we learned that putting Jesus first, Others second and Yourself third was the formula for JOY. I think it is still true today. Oh! and by the way there is another benefit of Joy, real happiness.

Grace and Peace (Joy too)

Entertaining Angels

Have you ever run into an Angel? You may have and never realized it. This past weekend we had some friends over for a BBQ. One family was returning from vacation in New Hampshire and while they were there, they took some pictures of clouds that resembled angels. It got me to thinking about angels. The Bible is very clear, when it tells us in Hebrews Chapter 13:2 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” We run into strangers every day, and I will be the first to admit, some are stranger than others; after all, I work in Manhattan! I often wonder when I see someone looking at me intently, if they are an angel and know me very well. I think the admonition in Hebrews is a good reminder for us. It reminds us that we should treat every stranger we encounter as if they were an angel and entertain them accordingly. It sounds intimidating, but if we weren’t supposed to do it, God wouldn’t have put the reminder in His Word. In Psalm 91:11 it says: “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” So tomorrow as you run into a stranger, take a second look; maybe, just maybe it is an angel, maybe your angel. Better entertain them accordingly! Grace and Peace

Against the Wind

When I get off the train in the morning and head to my office in midtown Manhattan, it seems I am always buffeted with crowded sidewalks. And as it is in our life, it seems like everyone is going in the opposite direction. It certainly would be easier to go with the flow, no resistance, and at least I wouldn’t always feel like I was in someone’s way. Often times there exists a dichotomy between what our will and the will of God is in our lives. We want to go one direction and the Lord seems to be telling us to go another direction. What is God’s will for us, what direction does He want us to go and how do we determine His will in our daily walk? Determining His will in everyday activities is not always that easy.

I recently heard a story about an office manager who decided that she was going on a diet. She enlisted all the ladies in the office to join her in this effort, strength and encouragement in numbers. As they started sure enough they begin losing weight, lots of it. Everything was going great until one morning this office manager comes in with three dozen donuts. Everybody was flabbergasted at her actions. When asked, she began to explain to them that it was God’s will that she bring donuts to work. She said, ever since we started this diet, I changed my route to work, because my old route took me by the Dunkin Donuts, so to remove the temptation; I changed the way I travel to and from the office. But, she said, today I forgot to take the new route and found myself in front of Dunkin Donuts. I prayed, Lord, if indeed it by your will that I should stop and buy donuts, let there be a parking place right at the front door, and I’ll accept that as an indication that buying donuts is your will in my life today. And sure enough the 15th time around the block there it was, an open parking place right at the front door.

Here is an individual who is desperate to see her will done. So desperate that she is willing to convince herself that it is God’s will.

Jonah was a man who was also desperate to see his will done, so desperate in fact that he was willing to do the complete opposite of what God had asked him to do. In the book of Jonah 1:1-3 we read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah had his own idea, which was different from the will of God. Jonah didn’t want the people, the wicked people of Niniveh to be saved. He thought God would have mercy on them, and he thought if he went the opposite direction, they would receive the punishment that he thought they deserved. Jonah was wrong. Sometimes our thoughts, desires, our flesh gets in the way of doing what God wants us to do. We even think that it is impossible for us to do whatever it is that God wants’ us to do. But the simple fact is if God guides, God provides. He will provide everything that we need to do what He has called us for. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Grace and Peace

Lessons From My Dog

Briggs was a birthday present, given to me by my family in January 2001. We went to the breeder to look at the puppies when they were five-days old. We got to meet Briggs mother, half brother and grandmother. They were all great dogs and gave us a good indication of what the puppy we picked might be like. We had decided that we wanted to get a male, and since Springer’s come in black and white and liver and white, personally I was leaning toward a puppy that was of the later coloration. Briggs came from a large litter, much larger than normal, he was one of 14 puppies. One had died at birth which left 13. Briggs was the last puppy born. According to the breeder, Briggs was the one who pushed all the other puppies out. She also said that Briggs was a whiner and probably always would be. When we looked at the pups he was the one that made the most noise, moved around the most, and was the pushiest. He immediately caught my eye, along with one other pup. We went back and forth for a while trying to decide and finally chose Briggs. Of course his name wasn’t Briggs when we selected him; the breeder had called him something completely different. We named him Briggs, because at the time we raced go-karts powered by Briggs and Stratton engines, just like a lawn mower. My dream was to have a Briggs, and then to get a female and name her Stratton and maybe raise Springers. Briggs was only five days old when we picked him, but we named him and went back every week to visit him, hold him and play with him until he was old enough to leave his family and come join ours. After having Briggs for a few months we never thought about having two Springers again. One thing I can say about Briggs is that he is very social, loyal and completly devoted to me his master. Whenever I’m around he not only needs to be with me, but close enough to be touch me. Whatever direction I’m looking, his desire is to be in my line of sight. If I go out, he wants to go out. If I go for a ride he wants to come with me. He not only wants’ my attention, he craves it, and he is willing to do anything as long as it is with me. He also knows my voice, and when I call him he comes. Sometimes someone else in the family will try to get him to come, and if he is busy or his mind is on something or someone else he just won't come. But when I call, no matter what the distraction he comes. For the most part he is very obedient. He listens very intently really wanting to understand and do my bidding. Sometimes he does struggle with obedience. For example, if we come home and he has been lying on the bed or the couch or somewhere where he isn’t allowed, he hangs his head and goes to the laundry room, this is his way of doing penance. I want to be like Briggs with my Master Jesus. I want to be in Jesus’ line of sight, as close to Him as I can be. To crave to be with Him all the time, listening for His voice, coming when He calls, wanting to understand what it is He wants me to do and striving to do it, to be fit for my Master's use. Oh, I know I will fail, just like Briggs fails, I will lay down where I’m not suppose to be and have to hang my head. But Briggs knows that when he comes back up the stairs from the laundry room that I, his master will be there, will pat him on the head and say good dog Briggs..Oh Lord my prayer is that you might make me a Springer Spaniel!!
Grace and Peace.

To Be Like a Dog

This is Briggs my Springer Spaniel. His name is Actually George W. Briggs as he was born on inauguration day in 2001. Tomorrow I want to share what Briggs has taught me about following a master.

Looking for God's Blessings

Sometimes it's easy to look over, past around God's blessing in our life. We don't see His blessings or His miracles because we aren't looking for them. The other day Susan and I prayed before I got on the train to go to Manhattan. I prayed that the Lord would bless us and that we would recognize His blessing. That morning as I got off the train I saw a quarter, laying on the platform. Since no one was there to claim it I picked it up not knowing what God had in store. As I arrived at the Subway Station a young lady maybe 14 years old was looking frightened and dismayed. She came up to me and asked me if I had a quarter she could borrow. You see that day the NY MTA raised it's toll from $2.00 to $2.25 and she only had the $2.00. I told her that I didn't have a quarter that she could borrow, but that the true and living God had provided her with a quarter, and He used me to deliver it. She was blessed, I was blessed, but it would have been easy to overlook. Susan's blessing came as a result of making her first sale on Ebay. She said, that that sale, really blessed her. The Lord has been really making me aware of His presence in my and my family's life. So much so that I felt prompted to start this blog and sharing some of the things with whoever is lead to read it. I remember the old hymn that we sang when I was a kid. Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God has done... I challenge you to start counting your blessings..