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My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.—James 1:2–4 God’s end game is our joy not our happiness. Happiness is associated with happenings, happenstance, luck, and fortune. If circumstances are favorable, you are happy; if not, you’re unhappy. Christian joy, however, is directly related to God and is the firm confidence that all is well, regardless of your circumstances. In America we worship the pursuit of happiness, we should change our focus to joy. If we are looking to happiness, we will believe that a change in our circumstances will make the difference. We will be happy, we believe, if we are a little richer, prettier, lighter, or more liberated. We talk about the American dream, but the country that leads the world in prosperity also leads it in drug use. It is no accident that the church is flourishing not where it is most content, but where it is most persecuted. It’s interesting that James connects trials and patience with joy. We look at trials as evidence of a lack […]

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32 Do you ever find yourself thinking that life is a choice: I can be good or I can have fun. We really believe that we are missing something if we follow Christ, that we are martyrs. This thinking comes from too much time in front of a television or walking the mall. The world does present itself as full of treasures and pleasures and if we taste of these and are not satisfied, we conclude we just need a bit more.  But this world never satisfies completely. We are hungry and food provides temporary relief. We thirst and a cool drink satisfies for a while. We can satisfy our desires and lusts, but only temporarily. That’s all the world can offer. And even completely full, we know we still are not fulfilled. C.S. Lewis said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” […]

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back. James 5:16, 19; Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9,10  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 Saturday I met with my Kairos brothers. I have skipped the last two Kairos retreats so I have been many months away. I didn’t realize how much I missed the interaction. Kairos is a ministry, but the gathered participants are really a Christian Accountability group in the best sense of that term. It was great to be back together.  There’s much scriptural support for […]

Footprints in the Sand             One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.              Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.                   In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.                        Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,                            other times there were one set of footprints.                                     This bothered me because I noticed                                 that during the low periods of my life,                              when I was suffering from                          anguish, sorrow or defeat,                      I could see only one set of footprints.             So I said to the Lord,       “You promised me Lord,          that if I followed you,              you would walk with me always.                    But I have noticed that during                           the most trying periods of my life                                  there have only been one                                        set of footprints in the sand.                                            Why, when I needed you most,                                           you have not been there for me?”                                    The Lord replied,                           “The times when you have                   seen only one set of footprints,           is when I carried you.”                                                    Mary Stevenson Yesterday I attended the first preparation meeting for Kairos #52. We did the Footprints in the Sand exercise. I have done this many times before and its various lessons always come through: 1. God […]

 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”   Matthew 28:16-20 What do you want in a church? Don’t read any further. Think about that for a second and come up with an answer. Our answer to that question says more about us than it does about what church should be. What was your response? Do you want your church to be a place you can feel at home, kind of a holy “Cheers?” Should it be a place where you can hear a nice sermon, be with friends, have your needs met? As good and proper as these goals sound, they don’t resemble the church God intended. It was never supposed to be a place we go to, but […]

Blogger – The service through which I do my daily postings has been out for about a day. This worked out well for me since I was struggling with something good to post yesterday. God works in mysterious ways. So it wasn’t because it was Friday the 13th. Blame it on Blogger or Blame it on Nick. Nick

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.—Isaiah 43:2 Rose and I are in Houston tonight. Her sister had a training session here and we agreed to drive with her. On the way into town I saw a billboard which reads something to the effect that God didn’t promise smooth sailing just a safe arrival. This is a point the disciples missed as they tossed in the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. They had gotten into the boat in response to Jesus suggestion that they cross over to the other side. When the storm came up, they forgot all about the promised destination and, not surprisingly, focused on the immediate danger. Jesus responds “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). God promises not only a wonderful destination but safe passage. The passage may not alway seem safe but His presence guarantees it. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you […]

Romans 3:11There is none who understands,There is none who seeks for God;12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;There is none who does good,There is not even one.”13 “Their throat is an open grave,With their tongues they keep deceiving,”“The poison of asps is under their lips”;14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,17 And the path of peace have they not known.”18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” “Fear of God” seems like such an antiquated, Old Testament phrase. Something that is out of sync with the modern world. After all, our God is a God of Love. This fear of God thing may be appropriate to Muslims and their Allah, but certainly not the God who provides our every need and just wants us to be rich and famous. (can you read the sarcasm?) And yet the first 17 verses of Chapter 3 of Romans is such an accurate description of our world: no understanding, no seeking of God, uselessness, lack of do gooding, deceit, cursing, bitterness, shedding of blood, destruction, misery and lack of peace. Yes, check; […]