Fathers Day Reflections 2019

 Fathers Day Reflections 2019…

In reflecting on Fathers day this past week I found the last Fathers Day card I would ever send my dad. It was from a Hallmark card that read…

HEY DAD,

I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW…

 I listened more than you think…

I remember more than you realize…

I love you more than you know…

Thanks for being my dad!

Your son,

Garry

PS – The card… the one with all the money… its in the mail!! I just wanted to make sure I got you the really valuable stuff before Fathers Day this Sunday…

I had a running joke with my dad through the years that I was sending him a card with money in it. He was always waiting for that card! Ha! But Fathers Day June 2007 would be the last Fathers Day I would celebrate with my dad. He went home to the Lord November 2007.

One father had a three-year-old daughter who was having trouble sleeping through the night. She’d often wake up several times in the night because she was afraid. Each time as he re-tucked her into bed, he would remind her that Jesus was with her and he would keep her safe.

Several nights in a row, she did this over and over again.

Finally, one night, the dad asked her if she had prayed to Jesus to take her fear away and help her fall asleep.

"Oh, yes," she assured him. "I prayed to Jesus… and He told me to come and get you!"

·      I think God knows sometimes we just need a dad.

As I reflect on Fathers Day, I want to invite you to join me in making sure you get the really valuable stuff to your dad this Fathers Day. You do know what the really valuable stuff is, right? Make sure that your dad knows …

That you have listened more than he may have thought…

That you remember much more than he may realize…

That you love him more than he could ever know…

And you are thankful for him being your dad!

Oh and one more thing… don’t forget to offer grace and forgiveness to your dad. Remember he is not perfect. He may need your forgiveness; I know he needs your grace. We all do! Offer this to him sincerely and in love.  

Not just for your dad’s sake but for your sake too…

Mistaken Notions about Faith - Updated

Mistaken notion's about faith.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Peter's encounter with Jesus walking on the water.  (Matthew 14:22-33)

One of the reasons this story intrigues me is because of what I believe are “mistaken notion's about faith”.  In the story while Peter is walking out to Jesus on the water he begins to sink and he cries out to Jesus to save him, Jesus reaches out, takes him by the hand and says to him "oh ye of little faith". Please note, this is all happening while Peter and Jesus are standing on the water! Jesus will use this phrase quite often with his closest disciples, these disciples who are respected because of their courageous faith. I know that many interpret this story to mean that Peter’s faith failed in this moment of walking on the water. But, I don't think that's what was happening at all. I think Peter was just being human! He can't walk on water! J But on this occasion he did the impossible because Jesus had invited him out to where Jesus was, walking on the water. I believe a better understanding is that Jesus was developing and growing Peter’s faith. Jesus was strengthening his faith and preparing Peter to accept The Lord’s invitation into an even more difficult and painful task.

I believe Jesus was saying to Peter (and maybe even us) that if I ever invite you out to where I am, no matter how impossible the task may seem, please don't ever doubt Me. I'll be there for you, just like I was tonight.

Where is got inviting you to walk? Can I encourage you and your faith with knowing that wherever it is, God will be there for you. 

Detours and Roads under construction - Summer 2018

“Detours and Roads under construction”

Making sense of life…

It seems the summer is a great time to do road repairs on our highways! Have you noticed? I sure have experienced a lot of that this summer. How about you? You have well laid out plans (Thanks to Google maps!) and you begin your trip and before you know it, you get stopped and there’s the sign – “road under construction”. J In life, there are detours, flat tires, and disappointments. Sometimes things just do not work out the way that you planned. How do you make sense of life when life does not make sense? I have found in life that it’s a short step from disappointment to God’s ultimate destiny for us. This could be the biggest disappointment in your life, or it could be God directing you to His destiny for you! God’s Word teaches over and over that we will be blessed by waiting on the Lord. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him and do not fret…” (Psalms 37:7)  Do you see this?! “Wait, be still and do not fret!” When roadblocks and detours come my way that’s the last thing I am prone to do! Psalms 37 has been “God’s roadmap” for me for a long time. Maybe God can use it in your life to help you navigate “the roads under construction” you are going through.

           

Henry Blackeby wrote years ago, “never come to the final conclusion on anything that is happening in your life until to you consider it from God’s point of view.” Here is the key element needed in navigating “detours” in life.  “Trust in the Lord…” (Psalm 37:3) “Trust the Lord, do good, dwell in the land, enjoy safe pasture”(Ps. 37:3) It all begins with trusting Him.   No matter what you are walking through, let Him make sense of life even if it does not make sense right now.  Trust Him, wait on Him… He promises to make your paths straight and clear. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Maybe this detour or roadblock is God’s “safe pasture” for you. Consider it from God’s perspective.

Sometimes we need others to help us see life more clearly and find hope. That’s why its important to come worship with a local congregation. Worship is a great way to turn our attention to the Lord and see things anew. God’s plan is not for you to travel alone. It helps to walk through life with others. Let me encourage you to find others to walk with you. God bless us as make sense of life... in spite of road blocks and detours.

Mistaken notion's about faith.

Mistaken notion's about faith.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about Peter's encounter with Jesus walking on the water. 

One of the reasons this story intrigues me so, is because of what I believe are mistaken notion's about faith.
In the story when Peter begins to sink after he walks on the water and he cries out to Jesus to save him, Jesus reaches out, takes him by the hand and says to him "oh ye of little faith". Note by the way, this is all happening with Peter and Jesus standing on the water. :)  If you read the Bible carefully you will see that Jesus says this quite often. In most religious circles I know this is interpreted to mean that Peters Faith had Failed.
You see, I don't think that's what was happening at all. I think Peter was just being human. He can't walk on water! 🙄 😀 But on this occasion he did because Jesus had invited him out to where Jesus was. You see Jesus was going to invite Peter into an even more difficult and painful task. I believe Jesus was preparing Peter and strengthening his faith.

My interpretation of what Jesus was saying to Peter that night on the water was this. Peter if I ever invite you out to where I am, no matter how impossible the task may seem, don't ever doubt Me. I'll be there for you, like I was tonight.
Where is got inviting you to walk? Can I encourage you and your faith with knowing that wherever it is, God will be there for you. 

Launching out into the Deep

“Launching out into the Deep”

Accepting God’s invitation to become life-long learners - Luke 5:1-11

       I find myself fixated on thoughts about this new season of life. Maybe its because it caught me by surprise. I have said I did not see it coming, but He did! One era has come to an end. Wow! It came faster than I ever imagined. The end did not come as I imagined. I was kind of launched out into the deep... unsuspecting. But now by faith, the future is wild with anticipation. Like most of us have come to realize, every season of life is more a beginning that it is an ending. It is indeed the beginning of the rest of our lives.

       In Luke 5:1-11, the Bible describes an experience where Peter, James and John are launched into a new season of their lives into their destiny. They go from being mere fishermen to becoming “disciples”. A disciple is simply a “learner”. A powerful lesson from this passage is that Jesus captures mere men with an invitation to become life-long learners. We call them “Disciples”. With His invitation and guidance, these disciples learned to “launch out into the Deep”!

       John Eldredge writes “We have grown dull toward this world in which we live; we have forgotten that it is not normal or scientific in any sense of the word. It is fantastic. It is fairy tale through and through. Really now. Elephants? Caterpillars? Snow? At what point did you lose your wonder at it all? Even so, once in a while something will come along and shock us right out of our dullness and resignation.”    (Adapted From EPIC – John Eldredge)

       Please note Luke 5 is NOT a story about a fantastic fishing trip. This is one of those experiences that “shocked these men right out of their dullness and resignation”.  Could it be that one of God’s greatest gifts is to be a life-long learner? To always be on the edge of “discovering” a brand new world? So our Lord comes along and invites these men (and us) to step out into the deep and forever be learning from him. What did Peter “see” that day? Did Peter just “see” a huge catch of fish? Was “this”  (v8) what he saw that would cause him to pull his boat onto the shore, to leave it all behind and to follow after another? And don't think so. What did he “see” (and the others with him) that captured his heart and his imagination and dreams? What was it that shocked them right out of their dullness and resignation to move them past just being normal fishermen?

       I suggest that he saw Jesus and learned that there was nothing to fear in following God (Jesus) and His Call on his life! (V 10)  You see, learners don't have to fear the future or failing. Their purpose and goal is to learn and discover. Any child knows this. So Jesus says to Peter, “Don’t be afraid!” Jesus will say that a lot to Peter and any true disciple. :)  Jesus calls Peter to accept His invitation to launch out into the deep, to become a life-long learner. A disciple is just simply someone on a journey of learning and discovering. These men would never stop learning! The next thing you know Peter is learning to walk on water!! :) (Matthew 14:27-31)  Through this experience, I believe Peter learned that the highest adventure in life is knowing Him. HIM a person, not an ideology, or philosophy or some formula. Here is the truth: Life is in a PERSON!!  Nothing else compares to HIM!! How do you know? Watch them!  Whatever they “saw” and “learned” that day caused them to pack up everything they knew, to leave it ALL behind to follow HIM!! AND don’t miss this: He would lead them OFF every MAP they had ever known to learn things they could never imagine!!!  This is what He DOES for those who truly follow HIM!

        So I invite you to join me. This new season we are facing. He is not surprised. Step out of the dullness and quiet resignation and accept His invitation to launch out into the deep. We need not fear the Lord but simple trust Him. Accept His invitation to become a life-long learner. To walk into your destiny and learn things of His Kingdom you could never imagine as you follow Him.

National day of Prayer

CALL TO PRAYER for Families and our Nation

National Day of Prayer May 7^th

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My heart is heavy and burdened over the state of affairs in our nation and in our world today. I wonder if God is moving on your heart as He on mine. With the National Day of Prayer next week May 7th, I want to invite you to join me in a concerted Prayer for our Nation, marriages and families. I have invited our church to make the whole Month of May a time of prayer for our Nation and Families. Lets sincerely seriously give ourselves to prayer. Please Lord “Hear us from Heaven, forgive our sin, and bring healing in our Land”.   (2 Chronicles 7:14)

As we pray, please consider these desperate realities for our prayerful consideration:

•    This week/month is one of the most significant times in the history of the United States as the Supreme Court justices hear arguments regarding the legality of same-sex marriage, and will hand down their ruling in June. 

•    The anarchy exploding in our cites, Baltimore being called “uprisings” (CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill). ("anarchy" = political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control)

•    Christians being persecuted and executed around the world.

•    Pray for our families. Pray for mom’s and dad’s to have God’s wisdom in leading and directing their families through this most treacherous time. It is our goal as a church to partner with families in growing children that love and fear the Lord and walk in His ways that will lead them to experience His eternal tremendous blessings. (Pray for our Family emphasis that begins on Mothers Day – “it ALL Begins at Home”)

Please join me in being very careful in our social media “rants”. God has not called us to “rant” but to “seek His Face in prayer”. Lets lead people to turn to God in believing prayer in seeking God’s goodness and blessing as we turn to Him in praying together. If we ever needed a National Day of Prayer it is NOW.