Fame & Glory

“Don’t run after fame and glory for yourself, thinking that such things are the way God keeps score. They aren’t. God doesn’t keep score at all. Such things are not God’s gifts to you. Instead, be generous, loving, gracious, and kind, for it is in these things that God reveals Himself to you, and reveals Himself to others through you.”

Jeremy Myers

John

My wife and I met a guy named John the other day. We could have talked to John for hours about nearly anything because you could easily tell that he cared. He was secure in who he is and simply confident about life. At one point in the conversation he told my wife how much he loved God. We weren’t surprised in fact we already knew. John’s love for God was all over him. At one point quite a ways into our encounter John told us about his eleven year old son that has leukemia. Sometime later we asked about other children and heard about his newborn son who two weeks before was in the NIC Unit due to major complications at birth. The complications were a huge medical issue for John’s wife too. In fact at one point in the last few weeks his wife was at one hospital while his sons where at different hospitals in another city. None of them were within twenty miles of their home.

At no time did John indicate anything other than joy! He had every reason to be down and good reason to doubt yet his excitement for God was amazingly contagious. We loved how he told us about his Lord not his church because it’s personal. His trust was infectious. We can all learn from John and people like him.

John’s wife and baby are home doing well, will you please pray for their older son Toby?

I’m All Alone

Is the biggest most believed lie we’re presented with every day. Isolation is one of the enemy’s most effective tools. Don’t listen, don’t entertain the lie and don’t be afraid to share your struggles. God is here with you and for you and He has folks around that want to be a part of His love for you.

Perception is not reality

Though we often hear differently, others opinions are just that, opinions. They may hold a fraction of truth but that doesn’t make them the whole truth. We do need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water but the bath water still needs to be thrown out. So don’t let someone’s misguided judgment inhibit the truth the rest of us know about you, you’re amazing, God says so and we can see it.

Don’t Believe It

What lie do you believe that’s keeping you from more of Jesus?

Jesus Loves Me

Please don’t just read over this one today. Take a minute and seriously think through this statement: Jesus loves me, this I know. It’s pretty easy for you to believe that Jesus loves others but far too often difficult to trust that He loves you. He does, more than you can possibly imagine but unless you know this and trust Him, that love goes unrealized. Don’t believe the lie, take hold of the truth that you are uniquely and especially loved by the one that knows you better than anyone. He died to prove it to you once and lives to show you relentlessly.

Top Ten

I got to hear two of the most wonderful things ever the other day. Our nine year old daughter came home after a rough day at school and though it took awhile, she finally let me in on what had gone on. Essentially circumstance and a couple of isolated encounters had her believing lies about herself and how others feel about her. We then had a really special talk about the things that are true about her and how perfectly loved and lovable she is. That’s when she said, “Dad can we spend a whole day together?” Later that night I went in to kiss her goodnight after she and her Mom had prayed and the first thing she said was, “Thank you for saying what you did Dad.” Raising someone’s spirit has a wonderful way of raising yours.

Upstream

Swimming against the current is difficult. The flow of this world can be overwhelming as it comes at you with all it has; you’re not loved, you’re all alone, you’re not good enough, you have nothing to offer and so much more. Often it’s tempting to stop swimming and just float along with everyone else but here’s great news, it’s not that deep. Stop swimming and stand up. Take life a step at a time with one foot firmly planted. The further you get the easier it becomes; you get stronger and the surge becomes a trickle. How God thinks about you overtakes the lies you’ve believed and you can give a hand to those still struggling.

Bigger

God is bigger than everything! There is nothing He fears. We get hung up on the smallest things, we’re afraid of other’s beliefs or questions and rather than listen and love in truth, we browbeat and declare righteousness. Being right and truth are not necessarily the same thing.

The Spirit of Truth

1John 2:27
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He teaches that we need to allow Him to reveal the truth of scripture, to not depend on others for this and for us stay close to Jesus.