Just Wondering...

GOT LOVE ?

For the very first thing I taught you was that I had myself been taught, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture,

(1 Corinthians 15:3 MNT)

and that he died for all in order that the living may live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them.

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(2 Corinthians 5:15 MNT)

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according to his eternal purpose

which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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(Ephesians 3:11 MNT)

Some Days...

I was just sitting around with my head in my hands and realized I hadn't written in my blog for a week...

OK, OK, no amens or thank the Lords out there...

Ever notice how quickly some days go and yet others just seem to tick by slowly, well this week has had about 24 hours in it, I don't know how it went so quickly.

Enough blabbering, let's get to the point...

Ever wondered if what you're doing really matters? When you give your all, all you get is given out! You're not alone, many along the way have had the same experience. Even Jesus stop to rest because of the crowd pressing in on him, but what he never lost sight of was the Fathers call on his life. Listen, it's easy to get discouraged, after all, life's full of bad turns and twisted roads. I want to share some words from a book I read a while ago, I read these words every so often to remind me that the toil is worth it and the reward will come.

Take a few moments and ponder these thoughts by Billy Graham's daugther Anne Graham Lotz...

Ministry is getting our hands dirty, which means...
“...serving others when we need to be served,
praying for others when we need to be prayed for,
helping others when we need help,
ministering to others when we need to be ministered to,
giving to others when we feel like keeping,
hurting with others when our own hurt can’t be spoken,
and doing it all willingly, humbly, obediently, and gladly..For Him!”

Paul understood, from his own battles of life, that it's easy to say "that's enough". It was his motivation behind the words he wrote to those he loved...

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:13 NKJV)

Let us not abate our courage in doing what is right; for in due time we shall reap a reward, if we do not faint. (Galatians 6:9 WNT)

And realizing how easy it is to be weary, he points us to the hope we have if we have trusted Christ...

Compare yourselves with him who endured such hostility against himself at the hands of sinners (Jesus), lest you grow weary, fainting in your souls. (Hebrews 12:3 MNT)

Take heart my friend, my family in the faith...

He is always there, so sit down and take a breather when you must, but don't let weary wear you out.

God Bless till we ramble together again

To Be Queen For A Day?

My visit to the theatre this past weekend to see The Queen was quite an adventure. Wow, what a wonderful depiction of the monarchy. Set in the days up to and following the death of Princess Diana, this dramatic behind the scenes glimpse of the interaction between Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair depicts the often sharp emotions and conversation that surrounded those dark days. It lays bare the struggle within England to handle the tragedy with grace.

The Royal family wishes to keep the mourning private but the publics demand for a funeral service for the masses brings great conflict between the Queen and Blair. When the smoke clears you see grieving subjects reach out to the pain in the hearts of the Royals and a connection that is centuries old is mended, if just for those few minutes.

I'm sure there are some fact misplaced and some things added for the screen version, all movies based on fact are massaged a little, but this has great acting and amazing emotion. I highly recommend it. Helen Mirren, who plays Queen Elizabeth I in a previous TV movie is fantastic in the role of QE I's daughter. Michael Sheen gives a remarkable performance as Tony Blair. It was brilliance to cast these two for these roles. This film may not see many awards as it doesn't play up the Hollywood way, but so what. It's a winner in my book, I think you'll feel the same way.

You can read a review from Focus On The Family here... http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0003039.cfm

Something greater than the movie came to mind that evening after I ate more popcorn than I should have. I realized just how hard it is for people to face tragedy, especially when you have others who put their expectations on you. I was immediately taken in my mind to a familiar story I've heard for years. It's the story of Lazarus, Jesus' friend who dies while he is away.

When Jesus arrives the family has mixed emotions and states their own expectations of Jesus. One phrase stood out as I thought of this story... Jesus Wept... (John 11:35) Not Jesus made justification for his late arrival... Not Jesus looked at them and gave them what for because they questioned him... Not Jesus looked them in the eye and said get a grip! Simply stated... Jesus Wept. He cried. His heart mourned... Why? Didn't he know that in just a few minutes Lazarus would be alive again? Wasn't he the one that said he was glad he was not there and that it was to their benefit he was late? Wasn't there a plan to turn this tragedy into triumph? Yes to all the above.

Then why did Jesus cry? Go look in the mirror for a moment. I'll wait...

Who did you see? Dumb question huh. Jesus cried because what hurts our hearts hurts his. Don't believe me, do you devotions from Hebrews 4:14-16 for the next couple of days until you get it. He wanted us to know, he knew us. It's because he knew us he came to earth to die for us. So the next time you're in sorrow, go ahead, cry. Jesus would. Then do what he tells you, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16).

He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and he has no difficulty facing tragedy and helping you to do the same.

Hope you see the movie and then I hope you see the King. Miss the first if you're not the movie type or this isn't your style of movie, but for your lifes sake, don't pass up the second.

It takes class...

Hey Y'all, what's a Michigander do when he moves to Hoosierland? He hollers until the Indy Colts are in the Superbowl!!!
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Hey, but in the real game of life, God won bigger today than the Colts did. If you saw the post game interviews you'll see how winners stay humble, they realize that God gave them the opportunity.
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Coach Dungy and many of the players tonight gave Jesus Christ the glory for the opportunity to be in the place to win on this national, actually international, playing field.
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My favorite line tonight, Colts Owner, Jim Irsay... "All the glory goes to God..."
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That takes guts, but more than that, it takes class...
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Thanks God for the glimpse of how you continue to change men, even those whose life seems like it has everything and yet realize it's nothing until they know you!!
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Praise the Lord!!
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Lookout Miami, Here come the Colts and the Bears!!

A transplant celebrates...

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I may be from Detriot,

but they're not in the playoffs

Besides, I live in Indiana now!!

Go Colts!!

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Ever Felt Alone?

There it was, it call was clear and loud.

I passed it by and thought well of myself, only to find my mind running back to its location.

What's a man to do, afterall I'm only human.

I can stand up to this, truly, I can! No Bill, don't, Bill, stop, BILL!!!

I lost, there in my hand was the Payday bar. Not just any Payday bar but the AVALANCHE Chocolate Payday bar. How was I to resist, it's aroma was leaking through the outer wrapper and well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, so I bought it.

All the way to the register my taste buds were crying out DON'T WAIT, but the penalty would be more than the sugar rush and possible weight addition, if I opened it and consumed, I may get to visit those nice young men in their wonderful uniforms.

As the sign in one of the stores said... Those who shoplift get a free taxi ride downtown in a police car. Well I've been to Chicago and survived that cab ride, I didn't want to take my chances on the one that stopped at the Three hoots And A Cot Hotel. I did my time in jail.... As a chaplain, stop worrying.

Well enough running off at the stupid words side of life, have you found yourself in a situation where it was more than a Payday bar?

What's the one thing satan can use to get you off track?

What little whisper or colorful image does he employ to get your mind off the straight and narrow and begin to drown you in a sea of regret?

Well my friend, no matter what it is, your not alone. All of us have something that if others knew about it, we'd be horrified for life.

Let's talk about you how to begin to face this monster of Temptation...

First, admit it, I mean it. This is not some coy use of words. Find someone you can really trust and TELL THEM. The enemy's number one tool to keep you shame filled and defeated is worry about the judmental attitude he tells you others will have. The power of a dirty secret is that it's a secret. I have found that I have 1 or 2 people in my life that I can come clean with (great phrase if you truly want to clean up your act). This is not a guarantee that you won't face it again, but when you do, you have somewhere to run and tell. A friend of mine has a great phrase he shares regularly, A burden shared is a burden cut in half.

Second, quit the blame game. I don't know your story and I am not trying to minimize your pain, but it's your turn now. You can make a choice, it's the way God made us, it's called free will. You see, once you know it's wrong and you know to blame it on whoever victimized you, you are now aware of both sides of the issue. Now it's your turn. Make the choice, do the thing you wanted the person who hurt you to do. Stop the cycle, quit the blame game.

Third, remember you've got an ally. Jesus was tempted like we were (Hebrews 4:15-16) but won the victory over the satan's attacks. One of my favorite verses to recall when I get my wits about me in a tempting situation ( I wish my wits would show up more often, don't you? I mean your wits no mine!) is I Corinthians 10:13. Listen to it's words and let them sink in...

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

I Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

Broken down it looks like this...

...Sex, Drugs, Bad Music (Country can be as bad as Rock), Greed, Power Hunger, Rage, jealousy, Violence, Stealing, Adultery, Booze, Etc, I could go on and on. ALL BEEN TRIED BEFORE AND WITH THE SAME RESULTS!!! The person either gave in or not. But you're not the first to struggle with what you have going on in your melon.

...Since Jesus understands this, he is willing to help you get the victory over it.

...When you get the upper hand with His help, you're actually picking up strength for the next time the chump comes calling.

Can't find anyone to talk to? Tell Me! I've heard a lot of things, yours can't be too far from the one I heard during my time in jail. Or if you think that's bad, I ran youth camps for 5 years, now that trumps the jail. At least in jail I had bars between me and the most violent ones!

Hey, I'm serious, don't let satan dim your light, Tell someone (become accountable), Quit pointing fingers (there's more pointing back at you when you do), and Put your hand in the hand of the man Who stilled the water, Put your hand in the hand of the man Who calmed the sea, Take a look at yourself And you can look at others differently, Put your hand in the hand of the man From Galilee (yes it's an old song, but the words fit).

You're Not Alone, take a look at the picture again, see whose in the ray of SONshine...

Need A Good Laugh...

Well there I set, pizza on plate, diet coke in glass, fork in hand and family in attendance. Every second Sunday our family meets with our Sunday School class for what we call "Second Chance Sunday." It is on opportunity for our class members to get another (second) chance to fellowship together and it's great to meet with friends over food, even Jesus did that. Then came the big interview, I was unprepared but agreed nonetheless. Give the guy his day I said, I mean afterall he was only 9 years old and said he needed the interview for his Awana Club class. Interview a missionary, well, I'm the fall back plan, "I do count as a missionary in most occasions" I thought, what's the harm.

The questioning began...

Where do you work?

Gilead Ministries.

What do you do?

I operate an outreach to cancer patients.

Who inspired you?

I began to say it's not the likely person because it was not for ministry that he inspired me, he taught me that a good work ethic is what is needed to win, but it was my high school baseball coach. (I needed help saying this, believe it or not, those who know me will believe this, I started giving him the long answer, those in the booth with me reminded me that he didn't ask for a sermon)

Then the question of the hour (it may have come before the last question, I'm not sure, after all according to those around me I look at least 50, ha, gotcha, you know who you are).

The next few words out of my interviewers mouth would be jaw dropping, are you ready...

He asked me...

I can't bear to do it...

I am so embarrassed...

Can someone please...

OK here it goes...

Do you wear Pull-Ups when you go to bed at night?

There I've said it, now have a good laugh....

I answered promptly....

Not anymore!!!

Hey, we all gotta quit sometime, right?

Have a great day!

Do Much Reading?

Hey out there in blog land, do you read much. I have read a great book this past year. Read it through probably 6 times and did a full Sunday School Class at my church with it. The book is Captured By Grace by David Jeremiah. WOW, what a great book. If you are like me, in need of a little grace now and then, you'll love this wonderful collection of thoughts. The book is centered around the Hymn Amazing Grace, but if you not a hymn fan, don't let this stop you. As you follow the life of slave trader John Newton and the Apostle Paul, you find that life can be full of all types of surprises, but God's grace is not beyond anyone's reach.

Another great book, one which should not be approached lightly, is written by a gentleman I had never heard of before. It's not a new book. I got a free copy a few years ago and my wife, who is the avid reader, read it. Last year when my father died, she recommended a chapter to me. I was hooked and have given away a number of copies. You can't go wrong with this one. The book is Make Me Like Jesus: The Courage To Pray Dangerously by Michael Phillips.

Put your favorite book in the comments section so others can get a good look at great books to help them grow in their lives, especially their Christian commitment.

If you like to read, please visit my ministry book site located on the left side on this blog. Or go to www.gileadministries.com and find the CBD logo link on our links page. When you or your church purchases books from this site (you must go to our web page and click on our link for us to get credit) a portion of the profits comes to us. This allows us to provide spiritual support and outreach to cancer, long term illness patients and their families.

Thanks for putting up with my ramblings and my cheap shameless commercial at the end of this entry.

God Bless

Ben Update...

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for Ben Decker, my great nephew. Here is the latest update from my sister, his grandmother...

Ben went through his reattachment surgery with flying colors. (His small intestine and his rectum were reunited) He spent about 2 1/2 hours in surgery and came out in great shape! That was on Thursday, on Saturday night the tube was removed from his stomach, Sunday he had liquids, and today he had solids. He said it went down good, and it came out good! Praise the Lord!

He will be going home tomorrow and will go back to school in early February after semester break. Lord willing, all will progress as planned and he will heal completely and quickly. Pray that the cancer is held off indefinitely for him.

Thanks for all your prayers, we KNOW God makes a difference!

Please continue to remember Ben and the many others who have to deal with physical illness. Their road often is discouraging and they need you and I to help hold them up in times of struggle.

God Bless

Wisdom From The Lips...

Thought you might want some words for the weight your days bring to you...

"If we only have the will to walk, then God is pleased with our stumbles."

C.S. Lewis

"It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man."

John Witherspoon

"A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul."

Dwight L. Moody

Bury Your Past...

I want to share a devotion from Bob Gass, if you like what you read, you can hear these devotions read by going to this website...

http://www.hearbobgass.com/

There are two parts, one from yesterday and one from today, read both, they are great counsel for the new year...

Sunday December 31, 2006

"WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE." ROMANS 6:4 NKJV

Bury the past Part 1

Some people stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year. Others stay up to make sure the old year leaves! Seriously, as you enter this New Year you can't afford to let your past infect your present, or sabotage your future. That's why certain things that refuse to be healed, must be forsaken and forgotten! There are people praising God in church every Sunday who lie awake in the privacy of their homes digging up bones, picking at scars and reliving old memories. You need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, and if you let them they'll take up residence in your head.

Thank God Paul was honest enough to admit that he still struggled in certain areas. Unlike those with a pharisaical spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul says, "I know the law but...can't keep it...sin...keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I...need help...I decide to do good, but...My decisions...don't result in actions. Something...gets the better of me every time" (Ro 7:17-20 TM). "Thank you Paul" from the rest of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians there'd be no more struggles! Then he goes on to say, "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin" (Ro 6:11 NAS); "Just as Christ was raised from the dead...we also should walk in newness of life" (Ro 6:4 NKJV). In other words, stop pursuing dead issues; admit them, quit them and forget them! Instead of struggling to change what can't be changed, let God's transforming power sweep through your life and sever the ties between you and all those tormenting thoughts from your past. Let them go today in Jesus' Name!

Monday January 1, 2007

"WHO WILL RESCUE ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH?" ROMANS 7:24 NIV

Bury the past Part 2

In New Testament times capital punishment was sometimes carried out by tying a murder victim's body directly onto the perpetrator's back. That way wherever he went he was literally weighed down by his crime, with no way to escape the stench of decomposing flesh. Eventually the bacteria-filled corpse infected him too and he died an agonizing death. Some days Paul felt the weight of his old nature pressing in, reminding him of things from his past that he couldn't change or eradicate. And recognizing how past events can color the present, Paul describes himself as "a wretched man," and asks, "Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

The fact is, you can't move ahead with "the old man" still clinging to you; you must bury him. Even death doesn't have the finality that burial does; part of coming to closure involves disposing of the body. Funerals are for the living; they give people an opportunity to accept that their loved one has gone and that the relationship as they knew it is over. So, as you embark on this New Year, isn't it time you stopped carrying the past around on your back - and on your mind? Paul says, "Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead" (Ro 6:13 NAS). In other words, refuse to let old memories negotiate a deal with you! Bury them, and do it today. You can't afford a secret love affair with a corpse! It's time for an epitaph, not a revival! There are things in life worth reviving, but not past sins that Jesus paid for and forgave long ago.

Hope these have been a challenge and a blessing...