Tuesday, May 29, 2018

BIGGER

Everybody needs a dream - but not just their own dream - we need a dream that comes from God.

How do you know it's from God and not from you?

You'll know it's God's dream if it's bigger than you.

What are you attempting that you figure you're bound to fail at unless God shows up?  It's too big for you to accomplish on your own, without His help.

Is your dream impossible enough?  Does it go beyond you enough to even qualify for God's help?  If it does, that might be God's dream for your life.

You might also know it's a dream from God if you can't let it go.  You'd be willing to give everything for it.  It keeps bugging you.  Because a God-given dream is bothersome.  It continues bobbing to the surface, clamoring for your attention.

A God dream draws you, like a giant magnet pulling you toward itself.  If that's how your dream behaves, it's probably from God.

Then, you'll know it's God's dream if it brings Him glory.  Not everything does.

If it's your dream to have a great job and make a lot of money, live in an amazing house, drive a cool car and retire early, with all respect, that isn't God's dream.

How do you know that, PK?

Because that dream only changes you.

But if you want to make a lot of money in order to give it away to serve God's Kingdom - if you want to retire early so you can start something new and fresh with God for His glory, that dream is certainly from God.

'God, by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare ask or imagine, infinitely beyond our highest desires, thoughts or hopes.'  (Ephesians 3:20)

Dream bigger.

And be blessed.

Monday, May 28, 2018

MEMORIAL

Today is Memorial Day.  It isn't just a day to pull out the grill and barbecue with friends.  It isn't just a day to have off work and take a long weekend vacation.

We shouldn't lose sight of what it's really about.  It's about remembering and honoring those who paid an ultimate sacrifice so that we could be free in this great country.

It's Memorial Day all day long, of course, but Congress has also established an exact MINUTE of remembrance.  It's called the National Moment of Remembrance Act, adopted in 2000.  The Act encourages you to pause today at your local time exactly at 3 p.m. to remember the price paid for your liberty.

Major League baseball games going on today will pause at that time.  AMTRAK engineers will blow their horns.

What will you do?

And be blessed.



Sunday, May 6, 2018

CLIMB

Rock climbers will tell you that you can get in certain spots when you're climbing where you feel fairly safe and secure.  Your hands are gripped on stable rocks - your feet feel planted where they are.

But there are a couple of problems with staying in that secure place - because you're burning some energy in that position.  It actually takes great strength to hold on to the spot you're in at the moment.

The other issue is that there's no progress if you stay there.  If you want to move to the next spot higher up you have to release your grip on the very secure place you are in right now.

There are a lot of people who have given up on progressing to where they know God wants them to go - they've simply settled for not falling.

That's their life at the moment - burning all kinds of energy hanging on so tightly to their security that their entire life is pretty much about not losing their grip and falling.

There has to be a moment when you let go of the security and safety and reach out for what God has for you next by faith.

Maybe you've put your confidence in your job title - in another person - in your income.  That's where you've come to trust.

Whatever it is besides Jesus that makes you feel safe, you'll be more secure when you let go of it and take the hand of a loving God who watches over you and who cares about you.

And be blessed.

Friday, May 4, 2018

GARDENER

Your Heavenly Father is the Master Gardener in your life.

That's an interesting way to say that, don't you think?  My Father is the Gardener?

That's basically what Jesus was saying:  'I am the true vine and My Father is the Vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that doesn't bear fruit He takes away and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.'  (John 15:1, 2)

"So God, be the Master Gardener in my life."

That kind of prayer is important because the most vital thing in your heart and mind is what you believe about God - because for a lot of folks there are great and wrong assumptions about who He is and what He's all about.

All the wars and sicknesses and disasters - all the things we fear - there can't be a good God.  In fact, God must be destructive.  In fact, God must be out to hurt people.

No.  He's the Gardener.  He tends to you.  He watches over you.  That's why we can trust Him.  That's why we don't need to be afraid.

Joelene has a very green thumb.  We've had some amazing gardens over the years.  She'd have all these seed catalogs showing vegetables you'd never heard of -- foods you only had nightmares about eating.  There were times she'd work so hard on that soil out there - because she knew the soil was the key to a good harvest.  There were seasons she wanted me to create a compost corner in the garden so she could make everything we didn't want to eat.

The good gardener will do whatever it takes to make the garden bear fruit.  God, the Master Gardener, wants more than anything for you to thrive.  He wants more than anything for you to live with hope - to be at peace - to move beyond your past.

Is He good?  Yes.
Is He kind?  Yes.
Is He loving?  Yes.
Does He care?  Yes.
Are you one of His kids?  Yes.

And be blessed.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

BLANKET

You are not alone.

Because God doesn't sleep.  Ever.  He's watching.  You're the watch-ee.  You need to be watched over, you ornery thing you.  God knows that.  He cares.  You're the care-ee.

But be honest.  There have been times you felt God just wasn't showing up.  At times you felt He didn't care.  At times you wondered if He even knew you existed.  At times you became convinced He was absolutely clueless about your situation.  At times you were sure He'd abandoned you and your family.

In those moments there is an urge to run to your safe spot because everything is spinning out of control.

Where is your safe spot?  When you were a kid where was it?
Your bedroom?
Your 'Linus' blanket?
The backyard treehouse?
Everybody has something; everyone has somewhere.

Over time we exchange old hiding places for new ones.  I mean, hiding under a blanket doesn't work anymore, so we create fresh hiding places.

Now it's a glass of liquor.
Now it's a bottle of pills.
Now it's a relationship you know is death for you.
Now it's workaholism.  You're proving your worth to yourself and everyone else.
Now it's the depression you sink into.
Everybody has something; everyone has somewhere.

And let's face it.  Those things do give some temporary relief, but the biggest problem with those hiding places is that they will never deliver the long term peace you so desperately seek.

God wants to walk through your wall of fear today.  He starts by saying, 'Peace be with you.'

Take hold of that.  Peace isn't a thing; peace is a person.

And be blessed.

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

PLANS

When we become afraid or worried we shift into SELF-control mode.  We start trying to fix things we weren't made to fix.  We assume a position in the universe we don't own.

I want to trust in me.  You want to trust in you - your finances - my abilities - your pedigree - my achievements - but none of those work.

Fear comes in when things down turn out the way we've been trying so hard to make happen.

You thought you'd be married by now - that was your plan - but you aren't, so there's anxiety.
You thought your career would be here, but it's over there.
You thought you'd have kids by this time, but you don't.
You thought the cancer would be gone by now, but it isn't.
It isn't turning out the way you thought.

Who's in charge?

God says:  'I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.'  (Jer. 29:11)

It doesn't say, I know the plans YOU have for you.  He says, 'I know the plans I have for you.'

His plans.  Rest in that.

And be blessed.