Happy Independence Day!!

Be safe everyone!

Lost in the Trees

I have been thinking about God's purpose in the period of trials. I came across this passage this morning about the early persecution of the church. These two verses captured for me what the results of the persecution became.


"But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." ~‭Acts‬ ‭8‬:‭3-4‬ (NIV)

Think about this for a moment.

The early church was experiencing a local revival in that small area. If they had not been persecuted and caused to scatter, the message may not ever have left that region. God was able to take that horrible time and use it for the purpose of getting His good news all over the wider area. It was an amazing time.

I know it hurts to be in the midst of trials, and I know we often cannot see beyond it from our perspective of the midst of the shadowy trees.  I know how horrible some of these times can be.

Know this, God is there. When you are hurting and cannot see beyond the pain, remember the character of God. Focus on who He is.  He never changes. He is my rock. He is my home base.  He is my safe haven.

Somehow, when I return to home base, my perspective changes, and I feel like my trials are not as looming as maybe they once felt. I know I will be ok.

So will you. 

Depression - A God Thing?

"At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and its place, a black mood sent by God settled on him.  He was terrified."  ~1Samuel 16:14 (MSG)

I'm having trouble with this passage.  In one version, the black mood is called a "distressing spirit from the Lord," and in other versions, an "evil spirit from the Lord."  The NLT version calls it a "tormenting spirit from God."

Whatever the malady was, it is clear that it was intentionally sent by God.  I asked why?
I didn't have to read much further to get the answer.

In that same chapter, we read that God created within Saul a need for David.  David was an accomplished musician.  Saul's people hired David to "tend to" Saul, and Saul was very pleased with him.  Whenever David played, the tormenting spirit would go away.  God needed David to be close to Saul to accomplish His purpose.

So, this brings me to my next question.  Does God still operate in this manner?  I do recognize that He allows bad things/evil things to happen, and that He can create good from it for those who ask Him.

My question is God more intentional than that?  Would God purposefully send a "tormenting spirit" to a person to establish a pathway for His divine purpose?  Does that contradict His nature?

This is something I do not have the answer for.  More study is needed.

Forever | Kari Jobe (Lyrics)

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Book Review: The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

I recently finished reading this book for the second time.  I don't know how I missed this book when it was released in 2007, but I am happy I got to read it now.

If you are like me, and had your head in the sand when the book was widely discussed and shared, pick it up now and read it.  It is a very influential work of fiction.

Click below if you want to read more.

God's Not Dead

I just finished watching God's Not Dead.  I have to admit, it was not the first movie on my list of movies to see, due to poor critical reviews (Rotten Tomatoes), but it was on Netflix, so I clicked on it.

I was captivated.

If you haven't seen this, watch this.  I was captivated by the exchange between the student and the professor, even though both were exaggerated characters.  I also enjoyed the exchange of the young pastor with the missionary.  I loved the way the writers loosely tied the characters together.

But I think my favorite scene is depicted here below.  To set the scene, we understand the guy to be a very mean lawyer, who does not think of anyone but himself, and the lady to be his mother, who is riddled in a dementia.

That's pretty neat.  

Take a couple hours, and press "play" on your online Netflix subscription.  It is worth your time.  

Got's Not Dead is still my favorite opening worship song at church.  

Facing the Giants

Average man on left, Anak giant on right

I read this passage this morning:

But the others said, "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel.  They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other - it's a land that swallows people whole.  Everybody we saw was huge.  Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim).  Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers.  And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers." ~Numbers 13:31-33 (MSG)

Where is Your Eternal Place?

March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015

Thanks to social media, I found out Leonard Nimoy passed away today, as a result of Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease.  He played my beloved Mr. Spock in the television and movies series, Star Trek.  His character knew the sacrifices that needed to be made for others.

I am not sure where Mr. Nimoy stood in relationship with God.  Did he have the opportunity to hear the Good News?  Did he know God?  At the time of death, did he think about eternity?  I hope he did, and that he made the choice to believe.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Nimoy (I hope).  

Jail Bird for MDA

Hi Everyone,

Today is the day! I am "locked up" until funds are released to "make bail."  Help me make bail to get out on time to get to a meeting!

Muscular Dystrophy Association is an organization that sponsors research seeking the causes of and effective treatments for neuromuscular diseases.  The funds are also used to pay for kids to attend summer camp.

Muscular Dystrophy is a progressive disease, and often heartbreaking to watch as it progresses.

Consider donating!   Click on my personal page.

Kathy

About 50 Shades of Grey - by Erik Cooper

I came across this post yesterday, and with all the hype about the movie version of the book opening this weekend, I thought his advice was right on.  I had to chuckle when I clicked on his Spotify playlist.

You can find this post originally here.

Her eyes widened then quickly shifted down at the table as she moved uncomfortably in her seat. I had asked one of those awkward dad questions.

“So have you and your friends heard about this new movie ‘Fifty Shades of Grey?'”

She paused, then sheepishly acknowledged.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going where you think I am with this dialog. Relax.”

Revisiting Childhood

A couple weeks ago, I came across an interesting Facebook question: "What was your favorite children's book growing up?"  There was an overwhelming response, with over 100 people who chimed in, all with some cherished book that represented a fond memory.

 This made me reflect a bit about my own childhood experiences, and I found a couple books I remember begging to read over and over.  There was comfort in how the book would always turn out.  Later in life, I found books that my son would enjoy having read to him over and over.

Hope Begins in the Wilderness

There are times in my life that I cannot muster up any feelings.  Nothing makes me happy.  Nothing saddens me.  I feel nothing.  Life has no color.  These are the times that I must walk through each day pretending to care.  These are the times I just want to escape.  These are the times I just want to go "home" (my heavenly home).

I have no reason to feel depressed or down.  Life is good.  I have a home, family, friends, job, necessary material things, and a foundational belief in God.  So, why are there these times of my life that I find myself lost in the dark wilderness?  There's really no excuse for how I feel, and yet, here I stand in the dark.

When I get like this, I go to the writings of David and Solomon in the Bible.  These were two men who could describe this feeling, this despair, with such depth.  Consider this passage:

"So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling.  Everything is meaningless - like chasing the wind." ~Ecclesiastes 2:17 (NLT)

It helps to know I am not alone in my despair.  God is always there.  It is when I am here in the darkness of the wilderness that I find my hope.  He alone is my refuge, my rock, my shelter.  When I focus on Him and who He is, then my despair lessens.  I know I can count on Him.

Then, as I spend time in His presence, He begins to show me the light.  He shows me what is good and what is promised.  As I look at life through His eyes, I see what He cares about.  I see who He loves.  I see His purpose for me.  It is when I live my life in this purpose, then I feel right again.

We put our hope in the Lord.

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice.

for we trust in His holy name.

Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in You alone.

~Psalms 33:20-22 (NLT)

Back to the Future - Reimagined

2015.

Here we begin a new year and one that find myself hopeful for what may be in store for us.  This is the year that Marty McFly time-traveled to in the second Back to the Future movie made in 1989.  What was imagined by the writers has come to fruition.  Well, some of it anyway.

Google Glass is very similar to the device worn by Marty's daughter to answer the phone.  Hover boards do exist (google it).  We use a thumbprint to unlock our screens on the smart phones.  Our world is dominated by flat screen televisions with multiple channels (still nothing on!).  We can make video calls (but who does that anymore?).

But, we still don't have flying cars or power-tying shoes.  We could only imagine so much in 1989.