I’ve changed my mind and gone back and forth during this time of rediscovery more times than a Chinese professional table tennis team.

One minute, I’m on top of the world. I couldn’t feel any closer to God without being dead. I bask in the glow of His glory, and revel in His plan, His way, His methodology for everything. I trust, even if I’m a little nervous.

The next minute I’m tanking faster than the Titanic with a lead overcoat, sinking into worry and despair so rapidly I get the bends. I’m surprised I don’t need decompression chamber treatment to get out of bed. No two minutes, no two days, no two weeks seem alike.

I thought I’d blown it with the lady the lit agent assigned to work with me on this tech book. She tried to give me hints and be subtle about guiding me. I missed it. She got firm. I felt stupid. She became encouraging, told me not to worry, not to be frustrated (yeah, right), and told me how it took her six months to finish her first one. I felt better. Much better. Today I tried to fix the messed up parts and get on with the other parts. When she told me it was because I might actually find the first chapter more than taken care of along the way, I finally saw her logic and have moved on. Linear thinking be damned, I have to get this thing written. If the pace I set today keeps up I’ll finish a chapter a day and should be able to have this thing in the can in early January, well ahead of deadline. Please God.

I’m having moments of panic. I try to pray through them. Nothing’s happening. Last couple of days I can’t concentrate on prayer at all. I’m daydreaming, fantasizing, falling asleep — anything but praying, no matter how hard I try. I can’t tell what’s going on.  And the daydreams and fantasies are flat stupid, ridiculous. I feel like an oxygen thief lately.

I keep praying the hilltop will come again. I’m praying I can get OFF the roller coaster and get ON to being a believer, a true believer, who trusts in Christ, and has faith enough to be assured of things hoped for, and convinced of things unseen. I pray I’ll believe what I’ve heard, with the whole “What if I already did?” thing, but I have no basis for believing it. I want to — desperately want to — but I asked for confirmation and got nothing. I don’t know what to do with that.

So I sit and bounce back and forth … back and forth … like that Chinese professional table tennis team’s ball, tick-tock-tickety-tockety.

*Sigh* One day will never be today, I guess.

Most people know how elevators work. We know what they do, where they are found, and how to get inside them. When we stand in the lobby of a building, and see the elevator door, we “believe in” that elevator. We know that it can take us to the top of the building. But do we really have “faith” in the elevator? I don’t really place my trust in an elevator until the doors slide open and I actually step inside. Once I’m inside, then I have faith in that elevator. If it goes up, I’m going up. If it goes down, I’m going down. I am then fully depending on that elevator to take me all the way up to my destination.

Jesus Christ is the only Elevator that can take you to Heaven. (John 14:6) There are no stairs you can climb, and no other way up. Maybe you know “about” Jesus. You have heard that He was born in a stable, that He grew up with Mary and Joseph, that He was a great teacher, and that He did miracles. You may have even heard that He never sinned, and that people say He was the Son of God. If I told you that the Bible says that He was crucified, buried, and rose again, you would nod your head in agreement. (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

But have you ever stepped into the Elevator which is Christ the Lord? Have you placed all your trust in Him? Have you ever admitted that you cannot get to Heaven on your own, because your sin has separated you from God? If not, He is calling you now to place your faith and your trust fully in Him, to believe not just that He died, but that He died for your sins. It’s not enough to know about Jesus – you must come to Him and know Him personally.

                Given from Christ who gave his life for you! 

All things in this earth will pass away and only the kingdom of God will endure forever.  Each day of your life you have to decide if you will serve the temporary pleasures of this fallen world or store up riches in the never ending kingdom of heaven that is to come.

 Those who endure until the end will receive the unspeakable reward which Christ has prepared for those who love him.  We are given only a glimpse in Scripture of what it will be like to be in the presence of God in heaven forever because our finite minds could not possibly comprehend the magnificent beauty that awaits believers.

 For now on this earth, we must face the battles that each day holds as we continue to trust in the unfailing strength of our God who provides all that we need.  We serve a God who alone has the power to turn a curse in our life into a blessing (Deuteronomy 23:5).  No stronghold has power over your life as a believer but what you give it. You only grow weary in the battle when you empower your situation instead of magnifying your God who has the power to crush all of your enemies. You can believe the lie that says your situation is hopeless, or you can walk in the truth that says by faith you can literally move mountains.

 No struggle or trial is beyond the strength of the Creator who spoke all things into existence.  He who breathed life into your body can assuredly breathe new life into your broken dreams and restore what the enemy took from you. Your situation can never separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Have no fear when it seems like the ground all around you is crumbling.  You are not standing on the sinking sand of this earth but on the promises of Christ who will hold you and keep you standing while those around you are perishing. 

 Every believer is given a future with promise and a plan to succeed in all that God has called you to do.  You cannot be robbed of your inheritance as a child of the King of Kings.  Jesus came to this earth to die for us so that we might have eternal life with him in heaven.  Your weaknesses and failures cannot stop the promise of God who reconciled us to himself in Christ not counting men’s sins against them   Through Christ, we have become the righteousness of God.  God’s word tells us in 1 Corinthians. 6: 11,”But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”.  We were made clean and right standing not by anything that we could do, but only by what Jesus did for us on the cross.  He paid the price that gave us victory over death and set us free from the bondages of this world. We only need to believe that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

If you are unsure of your future and want assurance of eternity with God in heaven, now is the time to call upon the name of Jesus and ask him to reveal himself to you in a personal way.  It is by his power that you are saved.  He has come to bring you life that will never end!  That’s a promise!

Dear Lord Jesus,

There are so many people who are facing hardship and struggles of every kind in this world.  The enemy has them believing that there is no way out of all of their problems.  The struggle of trying to carry their burden alone is making them weary and tired.  I pray that you will open their eyes to the truth that you have died to give us.  The truth that said that you are with us in all of our problems and you will take on our problems and carry us safely through them.  I pray that they will know you as Savior in a very real way.  I pray that they will be filled with strength as they put their trust in you.  Help them to know that you will not fail.  Let them understand that you always can make a way no matter how impossible their painful situation is.  I pray that they are filled with peace and joy that can only come from you.  Amen

The following is an update I posted on the Goodwill Youth Group blog and figured worthwhile to post it on my blog since it’s my content!:

Hello everyone from Philadelphia.  I miss you all, but am glad that we are still connecting through Facebook, phone calls, texting, Twitter, and definitely prayer.  Your prayer and words of encouragement have meant a lot to me – I feel like I rode them down to Philly and you gave me tremendous confidence and trust in the job interviews.

I had my last interview this past Tuesday, so now it’s time to wait to hear if I get a job offer late next week.  Please pray that the branch manager, who makes the final decision, shows me favor.

My roommate Dave and me in my bedroom. 

Here’s the street that we live on, right outside our door.

Every day, a few times a day, I go to this park a block away to pray and read scripture.  Here I am sitting in the park below a memorial depicting the starvation the Irish experienced in the 1840s and 1850s and their journey to this country.

Living around this memorial are other people who are hungry – many homeless people spend their nights on the park benches.

Usually, when I go to this park, I am overcome by a deep sense of loneliness, which I know I share with many of you.  It’s funny being lonely while simultaneously being surrounded by millions of people.   I thank God that Dave, my close brother in Christ from college is my roommate, and that I have family, and friends like you guys to stay in touch with.  I started going to Tenth Presbyterian Church (http://www.tenth.org) and I’m going to check out their twentysomething small group this Sunday.  I’ve also met some pretty cool people through this tango class that I’m taking for the next 5 weeks, which, as I figured, is a great way to meet people – especially female people! 

I encourage you to follow my example in dealing with your loneliness because it’s OK to be lonely; the issue is what you do with your loneliness.  Know it is OK to be lonely and seek God with all your heart through prayer and his word in your loneliness; stay connected with youth group, your youth leaders, and church; invest in the important relationships with your family and friends who build you up; and look for opportunities to do positive and constructive things with people.

Always feel free to shoot me an email or send me a note – I love hearing from you and am always encouraged to see how you’re growing in your faith and knowledge of Jesus and your consideration of others.

Everett

I’ve been really SLACK! I do apologise. I haven’t even finished the Sermon on the Mount series. I’ll have to just post what I’ve done some time.

I started a series on Jesus’ miracles which makes for a very interesting study. I think most modern westerners are so overcome with the occurance of a miracle, we don’t go the extra step and ask, “what does this mean?”, “what does this teach us?”, “How  does this inform the way we relate to Jesus?” Yet, these are the precise reasons why Jesus wrked miracles. So in this series, I’m assuming the authenticity of Jesus’ miracles and their heavenly origin. What I went to ask the question, “what do these miracles reveal about Jesus, and, how are we to respond to him”.

I have also decided to include the NIV traslation of the Bible in a bid to make life easier for readers.

—–

The Student’s Desk fortnightly devotion

Psalm 4

Answer me when I call to you,

O my righteous God.

Give me relief from my distress;

be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?

How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah

Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;

the Lord will hear when I call to him.

In your anger do not sin;

when you are on your beds,

search your hearts and be silent. Selah

Offer right sacrifices

and trust in the Lord.

Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”

Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.

You have filled my heart with greater joy

than when their grain and new wine abound.

I will lie down and sleep in peace,

for you alone, O Lord,

make me dwell in safety.

Prayer

Lord, we can often find ourselves in circumstances that are hard to overcome. Particular when we endure insult upon insult, injury upon injury, pain upon pain. So we ask you, gracious Lord, to show us your goodness. May our hearts abound with the joy of knowing you, and may we have peace and refuge in what you have surely promised. As we come to look at Jesus’ miracle at the wedding, may you bless us with a fresh understanding of who your Son Jesus is.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen!

John 2:1-11

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Expect the unexpected

What do we expect from Jesus? I reckon most people expect on of two things from Jesus. Either people expect Jesus to give them a whole bunch of rules to follow to make God happy; or they expect Jesus to run around and fix every problem they have in life. Kind of like a ‘pocket Jesus’ they can whip out when things aren’t going right. In this miracle Jesus shows he’s not about either. Instead, Jesus shows he’s about something much, much bigger.

I think most of us have been to a wedding, and it’s normal to have wine or beer or some sort of alcohol. Can you imagine being at a wedding and running out of wine. How embarrassing would that be? Well, that’s the situation we find Mary, the mother of Jesus, in. It’s likely that Mary was on the catering team, and in an effort to avoid severe embarrassment, she turns to her eldest son to provide for her. That’s what they did in those days! It just so happened that her eldest son was Jesus.

Now you might think that having Jesus for a son would solve every problem you would every have. Think again. Mary is in for a rude shock as Jesus does something no respecting son would ever do. He denies Mary any motherly claim she has over him. Mary’s expectations of Jesus were offbeat, and she had to approach her own son differently from what her  culture determined. Mary had to shift from seeing her son as someone who had obligations, to someone she had to trust in the most trying of circumstances. Why? Because Jesus was obliged to God the Father. God the Father had determined what Jesus was to do, and everything else had to conform to what God the Father had determined. All Mary could do was trust Jesus, and let him call the shots with out any obligation. There’s a sense that Mary leaves the situation in the hands of her son, not expecting any particular outcome as she turns to the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you.”

The thing is, it’s not that Jesus didn’t want to help his mother. He did! But it was crucial that his mother, and everyone else with him, had the right kind of relationship with him. Jesus did provide more wine for the wedding, not just any old wine that you give to people when they’re already drunk, but the best wine! And he did it in a way that showed people what he was about.

In Jesus time, people had this funny idea that they could make God happy by washing their hands. They got this idea from the Old Testament law. Jesus uses the jars that were used for washing hands by getting the servants to fill the jars with water. Plain, ordinary water. But when they took some of this water to the head organiser of the wedding, the water had miraculously turned into wine. By doing this, Jesus showed that he was replacing the task of following cold hard rules with the enjoyment of being in fellowship with him. And this new fellowship involved trusting Jesus. This was a profound moment for Jesus mates who struggled to understand who this man was that said to them, “follow me.” Jesus shows himself as the one who would change the way people approached God.

As I have thought about this passage, I have been struck by the severe embarrassment that Mary was facing, and Jesus’ audacity to strip Mary of all motherly claims over him right at the moment of her agony. But I think this parallels much of our Christian experience. We’re struck by one crisis, and when we’re trying to deal with that crisis, something else hits us. And in our hearts we say, “Oh Jesus! What are you doing!?” We ask him to do one thing, and something else happens. In effect, Jesus was saying to his own mother, “Trust me! Believe in who I am.” Jesus says the same thing to us today, “Trust me! What I have to offer in fellowship is far better then whatever you are worrying about.”

What can we expect from Jesus? We can expect Jesus to bring us into a right relationship with himself where we trust him and submit to him as our Lord. And he will do whatever it takes to get us there, even if it hurts. Trust him! It’s worth it!

© The Student’s Desk, 2008

Mark 15:46  “So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.”  NIV

As I meditated on this verse, I saw several things that helped me greatly, especially with what I was facing at that time.  When I read about what Joseph did, I realized he continued to respect and reverence Jesus, as well as giving to Him, even in His death.  This was despite the fact that everything he had hoped for and believed in concerning Jesus had just died, as far as he knew.  Picture it with me.  Joseph peacefully and methodically wrapped Jesus’ body in fine linen, and placed it in the new tomb he had purchased – after having brought it from Calvary.  This was the body, now dead, on which he had based his reason for hope and his reason for living.  Then he rolled a large stone against the opening.  He wasn’t going back in, but he also made sure others wouldn’t be able to go in either.  Who knows what they might do?  Joseph continued to respect Jesus in every way, even in what appeared to be the end.

What would he do now?  He was probably very confused.  We know what happened only three days later.  Three days later, so did he; but for those 3 days, he didn’t know.  Because of how he treated Jesus’ body upon His death, my assumption is that during this time, he only spoke of Jesus in terms of the wonderful things He did and said.  If he voiced his many questions, including what he was to do now, it was probably only to himself.  Underneath it all, he knew he could never be the same because of having known Jesus, even if he never understood what happened at His death.  Joseph made the decision that he would not go back to his old ways and pretend it never happened, pretend he never conversed with Jesus, never believed what He said was true.

Lest you think I’m making too much of this verse, the Lord directed me to it at a time when a ministry He had birthed through me five years earlier was in the final throes of ending – at His direction.  I chose to stay with it to the very end, giving my all to it as long as there was “breath” in it.  When it was finished, would I also choose to lovingly “wrap it up” and “secure it” so that no harm would come to it?  Would I walk away from it after it ended and forget all about it, forget about what I learned from it and how I was changed by it – not to mention the others who were touched and changed by it, as well?  Would I continue to trust the Lord to bring the vision to completion, even though this vehicle of ministry had come to its end?  Most importantly, just like Joseph, would I continue to trust God even when I didn’t know what I would do without this in my life?

The following, straight from my journal, is the answer that rose up in me and the declaration I recorded after considering these questions:  “Lord, I can’t / won’t go back.  I’ve been forever changed by You and Your work in my life.  You’ve done so much in me in the midst of this ministry.  So I will wait on You, Lord.  I may only have a day or 3 days.  But it may be 3 months or 3 years.  Lord, that’s hard to write, because my flesh screams that I must have some direction sooner than that.  But I’m just going to come back to trusting You when I can’t see.”

What about you?  What will you choose?  Consider the Amplified version of Proverbs 3:5-6.  “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”  He is fully trustworthy!

You have a living Hope in Jesus Christ!

In Mark Chapter 5, we read at Jairus, the synogogue ruler had just asked Jesus to come and heal his very sick daughter.  Before they got to his house, Jairus was told that it was too late for anything to be done now.  They had no idea that the Creator of this world was there walking in the sandals of  a carpenter!

 ³⁵While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”

 ³⁶Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”  ³⁷He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰But they laughed at him.
      After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ). ⁴²Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished

Comment:

The truth that is shown in this passage is that Jesus has the power to overcome all things in our lives including death!  Nothing is impossible with Jesus who can bring to life any situation that is hopeless.   No trial or painful situation is beyond his reach.  He knows how to rescue you from where you are and take you to where he wants you to be.  The only thing you have to do is to trust him as you wait on his timing.  If your trust is in Christ as Lord and Savior, you must believe that he is able to do over and above all that you ask him to do.  You have to know in your heart that He is bigger than your problem.  You cannot let the impossibility of your situation limit your prayers for God is able do all things.  When you doubt, you are saying that Christ is not enough.  You are giving  more power to the lie of the enemy than to God himself.  Never surrender your hopes and dreams to a defeated enemy whose power was destroyed at the cross.  Jesus paid a heavy price to purchase your freedom and to give you his power to do all things!  Nothing can destroy a true child of God so you must not give up hope.  No dream of yours is dead no matter how  it seems for Jesus is able to resurrect your shattered life and restore you to wholeness.  It is never over while the hope of Christ lives in you!  The enemy will always try to get you to forget that the promise of a new life can never be stopped by your failures and weaknesses.  God can always find a way to heal you and bring about his plan for your life.  You must believe.  In this bible verse, we see that Jesus put all of the unbelievers out of the room before he brought the little girl back to life.  Jairus had to look away from his daughter lying dead on her bed and put his eyes on the one who created all life.  His faith in Christ gave him back his daughter.   Your faith can open the way for Jesus to do miracles in your own situation.  If Jesus were going  to do a great and miraculous work right now, would you be one of the unbelievers who had to be put out of the room?  Your faith stands on the Promise that Jesus came to earth to give.  He knew what you would face long before you were ever created.  He had a purpose in all that you had to endure and he has a way for your struggles to be used to give you strength and hope.  The God who loved you so much that he sacrificed his only Son knows your pain and your weakness.  He will not fail you.  He is with you right now!

Dear Lord, I pray for all those who need your strength in their life right now.  The struggles and pain of this world is overwhelming them and it is hard for them to believe that you are in complete control.  I pray that you will lift them where they are and give them a peace that will carry them through this struggle.  Help them in their struggle to believe.  Be with them in power and let them feel a very real sense of your Presence as you work all things out for your perfect purpose and plan in their lives.  I pray that you will comfort them now and open their eyes to the truth that you will fight this battle.  You have made us more than conquerors.  May we walk in that victory in Christ precious name.  Amen

It’s 11 am Easter morning and my roommate and I are scrambling around our apartment vacuuming, cleaning the windows, scrubbing the toilets, folding clothes in our bedrooms, washing the floors, while getting the lamb in the oven before the 1:30 pm arrival of our respective families. 

Basically, we’re doing all the cleaning we should have been doing on a weekly basis in one pressure-packed two hour window of time.  At one point we looked up at each other with Swiffer and some other cleaning agents in hand, and laughed at the fact that while we knew our families were coming for a few weeks we now find ourselves trying to get up all the crap and cobwebs that have accumulated over time, especially in the corners and hard to reach places.

Then we laughed again at the clear parallel between our last-minute preparations for the arrival of our families, especially my fastidious mother who’s sharp eyes and sniffer are keenly trained on picking up any signs of neglect, and the unfortunate situations of the wicked servant and five foolish virgins who Jesus used as warnings for us about being caught unprepared for His return.  The wicked servant in Matthew 24:48-51, whose master leaves him in charge of the house; reasoning that the master will be gone for a while, he takes advantage of the other servants.  The outcome isn’t so funny for the wicked servant when the master returns unexpectedly; “He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

While a harsh reminder, nevertheless, a good reminder to take Jesus’ words to heart, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Mt 25:13).  While it is difficult to do a deep-cleaning of our apartment a couple hours before our important guests arrived, it is flat out too late to hold off on letting Jesus in to do a regular deep-cleaning of our hearts.  Jesus is simply asking us to trust Him with all of our hearts now, even the parts of our hearts that don’t want to trust.

Looking back on the day, I am impressed with how much we did get cleaned up in a couple hours while making a solid Easter dinner for nine.  We got our acts together in the nick of time – my mom actually commented on the cleanliness of my bathroom – holding off on using the toilet between our deep-cleaning and her arrival paid off.  When it comes to our hearts – our souls, the nick of time is now to get right with Jesus.

                                              Or do you deny Christ in times of  fear?

It is easy to trust that God’s has a plan for your life when things are running smoothly.  But when the storms of life bring havoc and pain, do you still believe that Christ can rescue you in time?  For many, the trials of life can weaken their faith and cause doubts to creep in.  An uncertain outcome in a crisis can make you forget that God is in control of all that touches you.

In Luke 22:60-61, we read that Peter denied Christ three times just as it was predicted by Jesus on the night he was arrested. As Peter sat in the middle of the courtyard of the high priest where Jesus was taken after his arrest, someone accused him of being a follower of Christ.  Twice Peter denied the accusations.    Finally after again being pointed out, Peter gave a vehement tirade as he again denied Jesus shouting,” I don’t know what you’re talking about!”.  Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.  Then Peter remembered…”

Then Peter remembered!   Peter had been with Christ for three years and Jesus told him and all the disciples what was going to happen to him as the Savior of the world.  Numerous times he told them that he was going to be offered up and killed, but that was something that Peter did not want to dwell on.  He wanted Christ to be the King and Ruler over everything now on this earth. He did not understand that Jesus had to suffer to fulfill the prophecy.  When Jesus was arrested and beaten, Peter felt afraid and probably started to have doubts about Jesus.  After all, why was Jesus letting this happen if he was the Son of God?  Jesus knew that Peter was going to forget and that he was going to betray him.  Satan himself asked Jesus to let him sift Peter like wheat, but Jesus told him that he prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.  Jesus had a plan to restore Peter despite his denial. 

In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, it is so easy to forget that God has a plan for us that will never fail especially when it seems like our world is falling apart.  The truth is that we must stand in our faith and remember that Jesus has promised that he will take us through every difficult situation and that he has a future for us that cannot be destroyed.  It does not matter how dark the storm is that we are in, the power of the Jesus is enough to work all things out for our good and to give us the peace and strength that we need in the battle.  We can never be defeated if we keep our hope in the finished work of the cross.  Christ has made us more than conquerors and nothing and no one can steal the promise that his death and resurrection won for us.  The enemy will always try to fill you with fear and tempt you to betray your trust in the power of Christ.  Never give in to the one who wants to destroy your life. 

When you problems seems bigger than God, you need to stop and remember who he is.  The doubts that fill you are just lies from pit of hell to pull you down.  Christ is and will always be more than you need.   You just need to remember!

    I know that there are a lot of ladies out there who are hurting from an abortion, so I just wanted to put this blog up for those who are hurting.   

     I wanted to share an email that a good friend in Christ shared with another friend of mine who was praying for someone she knew who was seriously considering abortion.  He emailed this out to her very early in the AM and I thought that it might help someone out there.  Feel free to comment and I will be sure to forward your comments to Marc.  He may even comment back to you on the blog page.  May the Lord do an amazing work in the lives of people thinking about or have had and abortion. 

      ”Hello, Well as time ticks by I’ve been prompted a number of times tonight to email my experience to you. So as always I’m slow to listen it 1:45 am. I hope this doesn’t come to late and sound to corny. Use if you think it will help and if not I understand. I’ve never wrote it out before, well here we go. I came to Christ at 37 years old “8 years ago” and before that lead a some what wild life. At one point I gave someone money for a abortion “not my baby” but gave the money and means to go forward with it. And one was mine and the mother decided she did not want a child, I figured it was her body and her choice, although we did talk about the options. We opted for the abortion.

After coming to faith I never really repented or took responsibility for my part in this whole thing. I’m sure God was trying to get me to take responsibility but remember I’m a little slow to listen. The night God decided to nudge me, I want to make clear I had NOT watched a movie or read anything or had any thing that would of triggered my experience. As Paul said “whether in the body or out of the body I do not know” I call it a dream but a dream of like I have never experienced, so vivid so real. First I’m in heaven and I hear God’s voice tell me I must take responsibility for my actions, he never said what, but some how I knew. I start crying and said I’m was so sorry and that I didn’t understand. And asked him to please forgive me. Then he told me I need to tell them and I raised my head and saw two little kids running toward me. I fell to my knee’s and wrapped my arms around them sobbing. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry I kept saying and that I didn’t understand. Please forgive me. This went on for a minute or two. Then I woke up sobbing so uncontrollably that I was gasping for breath. It took me 15 to 20 minutes just to settle down and stop crying and catch my breath. I was gasping so hard that I was somewhat hyperventilating. I know it sound a little strange but it was the most humbling experience of my life.

As a guy we don’t like to talk about crying but it was crying on a whole new level for me, I had never cried like that. But that’s what happens when God brings us to accountability and you face your sin and your pride is stripped away. I don’t know where this young lady is with her walk with Christ but I do know this that one day she to will stand before Christ and have to answer for her choice one way or another. I’m not trying to scare her but trying to inform her that her baby is alive in God’s eyes and it wants to live. And know this if you make the right choice it may not be easy but God will honor it. God loves you and wants you to live with out regrets. Regrets that can haunt you and “us” for a life time. I do know that the one woman has had a hard time getting over her abortion and feels great guilt. When you look back some day, if you choose to give your baby life, I know one thing you won’t have guilt hanging over you. Most likely it will be the best decision you ever make or at least one of them.

 I will continue to Pray and if you guys need to talk or would like to talk, please call.

God Bless, Marc”

Check out this site about abortion and get the facts. This ministry in based in Rockford, IL.  Amazing site!

http://www.abort73.com/

Bottom line is, people need the love of Jesus Christ and need to be saved.  Help us to spread the our “Internet Offensive” and call people, especially our ‘church’ culture, back to the Truth of the Gospel!  Click below.

http://time2stand.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/professing-christians-churches-church-members-this-is-your-wake-up-call-the-time2stand-is-now-a-urgency-to-rise-is-at-hand-we-will-be-held-accountable/

                               For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works 

                                                                                     (Ephesians 2:10)

God’s word tells us that the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.  He is on a path of evil seeking to bring pain and misery to everyone.  The devil knows his time is short so he is in a rage to do as much harm as he can until the fulfillment of God’s plan.   To help in his path of destruction, Satan entices anyone he can to join him in his vile work.  He isn’t seeking the help of the enemies of the cross for he already has them.  He wants to enlist believers in his battle against God.  And the sad part of this is…he is succeeding!   

When Lucifer and his angels were cast down from heaven, they began their work to try and destroy all of us as an affront to the glory of God.  To do this, the enemy of our soul masquerades as an angel of light in order to deceive the masses. He can make evil appear good as he injects a lie into the heart of truth making it the biggest deception of all.  He has a way to even use good deeds as a tool to deceive people into believing that works alone can save them. He is cunning and manipulative as he shows up in church every Sunday looking to tempt that person who feels offended by someone in the congregation.  As the accuser of the brethren, Satan will use some believers to gossip, betray and slander others they feel are not godly enough.   The enemy has perfected his plan to destroy families as Christian marriages fail at the same rate as secular ones.  All he has to do is add a little bit of discontent and disappointment and he can get a man or woman to leave their marriage to seek something better. After all, as the destroyer points out, doesn’t God want you to be happy? And the biggest weapon in Satan’s arsenal is the discouragement and doubt that he weaves in your mind as you battle the storms of life. 

The fact is that the enemy uses every vicious attack against you to get you to believe that your problems can overcome you. He wants you to speak out with lies of defeat as if they were truth.  If he can get you to take your eyes from the victory of the cross of Christ, he can sway you to believe that power of God can’t keep your from drowning in the river of your tears and pain.  His evil purpose is to have you forget that Jesus has a reward prepared for those who endure to the end.  His goal is to make you think that you are hopeless and alone and your cries just an echo in a valley of despair. 

My dear sisters, Christ did not leave us alone to fight the battles of this world.  Our Savior planned a way for us through every single one of them.  His purpose is to use the trials you face as the weapons for your victory.  He knows how to rectify your financial problems in his timing and his way if you trust him.  He can heal your disease and mend your broken heart as your faith leads you to the reality that God can do what he promises.  You must never be so quick to believe the lies of the enemy instead of the truth of our God!  By his blood, Jesus paid too dearly a price to secure your peace and victory despite your circumstances. You are that valuable to him.  Never forget that he died to give you a life that is full and beyond measure.   

Dear Lord, I pray that this message of truth will light the way for women who are troubled and in pain because of circumstances that they can’t control.  Please help them to know that you are with them right now and that your power is greater than their problems.  I pray that you make yourself real to them.  Help them to know that your grace is sufficient for all that they need and that your love will never fail.  Amen

God’s love is with you at all times!

It is easier to trust God in the good times.  It takes much more faith to keep that trust during painful trials.  Tough times happen to everyone.  It is sometimes difficult to believe that God is willing to take you through the impossible situations in your life.  But faith is the most important thing that you must have in this age of crisis and turmoil  The peace of God that transcends all understanding is predicated on believing that God’s word is true.  Without faith it is impossible to please God because faith is the key to all the strength and power that God has to give us. It simply means that you believe that God is bigger than your problems.

Scripture records the miracles that Jesus performed while on this earth.  In Matthew 9:29, two blind men asked Jesus to heal them.  Jesus replied, “According to your faith will it be done to you”, and their sight was restored. A ruler came and asked Jesus to put his hand on his daughter that she might live.  Because of the ruler’s faith, Jesus brought his daughter back to life. The Apostles also worked by faith.  In Acts 14, Paul looked directly at a crippled man and saw that he had the faith to be healed. He called for the man to stand and he was healed. Many people were saved and their bodies healed as they took that first step to trust that Jesus was truly the Savior of the world. 

True faith always honors God. It is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. It is unbridled belief in the Son of God who gave his life for us.  There is nothing that God won’t do for those who put their trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  It was Jesus who called us to lay our burdens at his feet.  Perfect peace is given to all who are willing to trust him with everything.  Though it may be difficult to stay strong when your world is crumbling all around you, the name of Jesus will always be your shield.

 In Mark 9:24, a man with a son possessed by a spirit asked Jesus for his help.  When Jesus asked the man if he believed that he could heal his son, the man answered, “I do believe Lord; help me overcome my unbelief!”.  Jesus is so merciful to remember that we are weak.  He will never hold it against us if we ask for his help to believe him through our struggles. 

 Striving to work out impossible situations will never succeed. It is only the power of God that can rescue us from the storm.  You may have a serious health issue, financial problems, drug or alcohol addictions or even a broken heart but nothing is too hard for our God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them.  We are told by God in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. That is a promise that Jesus bought for us at Calvary. 

Whatever trial or pain you are in, remember that God’s love will never leave your side. Call on him right now to strengthen you to overcome your unbelief.  He will help you take that first step in trust so that you will know that God is big enough to conquer all of your problems.

We are told in John 10:10 that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but that Jesus came to give us life that is abundant and overflowing.  That means that believers do not have to live an unfulfilled, mundane life.  Those who put their trust in Jesus are now a new creation with the ability to live in complete victory despite the circumstances that they face.  The shadow of death will bring no fear to those who know that their debt was paid for on the cross at Calvary. 

The hand of God will supply you with the strength and power that you need to stand against the forces of evil that try to destroy your family, your health and your finances. You cannot be defeated because God has a perfect plan for your life to give you a future with hope.  The destructive lies of the enemy cannot harm you because the force of God is mightier than any weapon that is formed against you.  In Isaiah 40 we are told that God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Those who trust in the enduring love of the Savior, Jesus Christ, will never be disappointed.   

Jesus tells us in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”.  Jesus came to bring light to a dark world.  He came to bring life to a world that was perishing.  He came to show us the way to eternal life.  Jesus is all these things. He is the way, the truth and the life.  He is the only way to the Father.  He has given us life by his death and resurrection.  And by his power, we are now set free from the bondages of sin and destruction. 

 There is not a force in the heavens or earth that is more powerful than the power of Christ who dwells in a believer.   There is now no sin, no pain and no addiction that can hold you in chains when the truth has set you free.  The knowledge that God is your protector and your vindicator should fill you with the peace that Jesus won at the cross.  His sacrifice not only bought us eternal life but also the right to reign with him in heaven.  That is a promise that is worth the momentary trials and pain of this world.  You should live your life with the knowledge that the love of God will see you through the battles of this world and bring you safely to the glory that awaits you in heaven.   

If you are feeling weary and troubled at this moment, please understand that you may be trying to carry your own burdens.  Scripture says to cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you (Psalm 55:22).  In order to do that, you must trust that Jesus has the power to lift the pain that you have and to give you the peace that he will work all things out for your good. 

It is my prayer that all who read this will be set free by a revelation of the truth of God’s enduring love. 

 Dear Lord, I pray for those who are weary from the battle, who feel defeated and overwhelmed.  I pray that you will lift them by your power and give them the strength to continue on knowing that you will fight the battles that come against them.  I pray that they will feel your peace as you help to stand in faith and trust that you are all that they need.

This parenting Series at creekside has been really great.  Especially since I am a new-ish parent.  I’m always learning.  I’m preaching this sunday and next sunday.  And I am being overwhelmed by how big a job parenting is.

I’m bt no means an expert, but God has so much wisdom to give us.  I gotta trust him every day.  Parents, I’m with you and I feel the burden for my kids just like you feel for your kids.  But Jesus Feels it even more.  So know you are not alone.  You don’t have to do this alone.  Call on Jesus and trust him with the Big Picture.

I have learned in my walk with Christ that the Christian life is not pain-free.  There will be obstacles, pain, loss, and suffering.  Sometimes it is suffering for righteousness’ sake, (Matthew 5:10).  Other times it could be part of just living in a broken, decaying world.  Other times for followers of Christ it could be an attack of our ancient enemy, Satan who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV).  My main point is this… God never promises us, on this earth, to be healthy & wealthy.  He does promise suffering, hardship and trials however.

The Vander Hart clan had a doozy of a day (I had better be careful since it isn’t over yet as I write this).  I don’t know how to qualify this.  I can say we are not suffering persecution, but I don’t know if what we face today is natural or supernatural.  It doesn’t really matter though because our response will be the same.

It started last night when Cheryl suddenly fell ill.  She felt dizzy and nauseous.  It was so bad that she couldn’t walk, so her supervisor drove her home.  When she got home she threw up which is something she never does.  We prayed and sent out a prayer update to some friends on Facebook, and she later that night started to feel better.  Enough so that I felt comfortable leaving to go to my Bible study at the Polk County Juvenile Detention Center.  Later than night after I got back she still didn’t feel quite herself.

In the morning we had an answer to prayer, she was able to get an appointment today with her ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) doctor.  He goes to our church and he did sinus surgery on Cheryl a couple of years ago.  Great guy… Dr. Marshall Grieman – if you ever need an ENT and you live in the Des Moines area.  Anyway they had a cancellation so they were able to squeeze her in.  We were thankful that she didn’t have to wait.

Cheryl felt well enough today that she ran some errands with the kids.  She calls me around lunch time to say – “the door fell off the van.”  After repeating that since I didn’t think I heard her correctly.  I left to go meet them at Burger King where they had stopped to get some lunch.

Just some background, the van is a 2000 Ford Windstar.  Do you know what FORD stands for?

Fix

Or

Repair

Daily

But I digress.  Anyway, I have images of getting there and finding the side door lying in the parking lot.  Fortunately one cable was keeping it from falling.  After determining that the van was likely not safe to drive even the 3-4 miles to our mechanic we called a tow truck.  You know I’m beginning to realize after this year that our decision to spend a little extra on towing insurance was well worth it.

I got a call from my mechanic later, they got the door back on, but we can’t use it anymore.  The track is too worn, and it can’t be fixed.  Nice.  At least we have two side doors – oh wait!  The other door won’t open… so now we have to get that fixed.

Back to my wife, she was feeling dizzy again and car rides were making her nauseous so I drove her to her doctor’s appointment.  We thought perhaps she had an ear infection or possibly some fluid behind her ear drum.  It turns out that she has Meniere’s Disease.

Meniere’s Disease (MD or endolymphatic hydrops) is a disorder of the inner ear associated with a change in the volume of fluid inside a portion of the inner ear called the labyrinth, which includes the membranous labyrinth and the bony labryinth.

When the head moves, endolymph fluid in the membranous labyrinth shifts, telling nerve receptors to signal the brain about the body’s motion. If the amount of endolymph increases, doctors believe, the membranous labyrinth can balloon or dilate. If it then ruptures, endolymph fluid can mix with perilymph fluid in the bony labyrinth, causing Meniere’s symptoms. The underlying cause of Meniere’s is still unknown, though many hypotheses have been advanced.

Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, unsteadiness, a sense of fullness in the ear, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), headache, abdominal discomfort and hearing loss, which can increase if the disease progresses. These symptoms occur in three stages of severity, as the disease advances, and can happen with varying frequency, duration and intensity. Usually, attacks are sudden and may last several hours. The very first episode may last longer than 24 hours, but subsequent episodes do not. While children can get MD, it most commonly affects men and women between 20 and 50.

Basically there is no cure.  There is treatment for it though:

Treatment focuses on managing vertigo, reducing the frequency of Meniere’s attacks and, primarily, preserving hearing. Eliminating alcohol, coffee and salt may help make attacks less frequent and eliminating tobacco and stress may make them less severe. Medication can reduce symptoms, and several surgical options are also available.

But really they don’t know why it happens.  Dr. Grieman ended up giving her a prescription that will basically knock her out if it gets really bad.  He said it usually takes a week to feel 100%, and it comes on without warning – which makes us concerned about driving, etc.

This may not seem like it is bad to you, but this is on top of Cheryl having palindromic rheumatism, hypothyroidism, and other illnesses.  We like to kid and say, “Doctors love her because she is like seven patients in one.”

So in life we get curveballs thrown at us.  How are we handling this?  Prayer.  What else can we do?  Nothing.  We can rely upon Jesus who is in control of this situation.  We’ll lean on Him and remember that this earth, and its trials, are nothing but a blip in light of eternity.  Also we will remember that Jesus can use these curveballs in our life to develop us to be more and more like Him.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, (1 Peter 1:3-8, ESV).

We would certainly appreciate any prayer on our behalf.  Thanks!