Putting the EXTRA in ORDINARY

From Ordinary to Extra in ordinary!

 

I heard about a mom and dad who decided to give their child the very curious name of Odd. Poor kid! Obviously that name invited ridicule and mockery all through grade school, high school, and college. But the jibes made him want to achieve, and he became a very successful lawyer.

Because people ribbed him his entire life, he decided that upon his death, he wanted an unmarked tombstone placed at his grave so that his name would never be uttered again. His wishes were honored. The problem was when people saw this tombstone without an inscription, they almost always said, "That's odd."

Jesus gave to His disciple Simon the new name of Rock. Why? He knew Peter would eventually grow into the name. His given name, Simon, means "a listener" or "a hearer."

Upon seeing him for the first time, Jesus essentially gave him a nickname—a new title to describe the person he was going to become. He said, "Your name is going to be Peter or 'Rock' (the literal meaning)."

I think the others might have done a little snickering at that point. If there was anything Simon was not, it was a rock. A rock is stable and solid. Peter was given to the emotion of a moment. He could be hotheaded.

But God saw him for what he would become.

We know Jesus knew what He was getting. He knew Peter would fail. He knew that Peter would fall short. He even knew that Peter would ultimately deny Him.

But Jesus also knew Peter would make a comeback. He knew that after his early failure, "the rock" would courageously serve the Lord all the days of his life. He looked right through him, and He saw potential.

In the same way, Jesus looks at you and doesn't see you just for what you are. He sees you for what you can become.

We see a lump of clay; God sees a beautiful vase. We see a blank canvas; God sees a finished painting. We see a lump of coal; God sees a refined diamond. We see problems; God sees solutions. We see failures; God sees potential success. We see a Jacob; God sees an Israel. We see a Simon; God sees an apostle Peter.

God can take the failures of our lives and use them for His glory. That doesn't mean that we should go out and intentionally fail. It means that when we do, we can learn from those mistakes.

It is has been said that the doorway to success is entered through the hallway of failure. It has also been said that if at first you don't succeed, relax—you are just like the rest of us!

Have you ever tried to do something for God that was a complete failure? Perhaps it was your feeble attempt to share the gospel with some friends. They not only failed to respond in the affirmative, they became angry with you.

It may have been a prayer for someone to get better physically, who actually got worse. I remember once a friend was feeling nauseated and asked if I would pray. I did just that, and his nausea increased! He said he would never ask me to pray for him again!

Perhaps you started a home Bible study, and no one showed up.

Let me say this to you: thank you for your failures! I would much rather try and fail, than to never do anything at all. Besides, failure is not always such a bad thing. We learn from our mistakes. Failure can indeed teach success.

Successful people know how to handle failure. Many failed initially, only to succeed later. Albert Einstein failed at math before he discovered the theory of relativity. Isaac Newton had to have an apple fall on his head before discovering the theory of gravity. Michael Jordan failed to make his high-school basketball team before making the NBA.

You might say Peter was the patron saint of ordinary people. In short, Peter was a man just like us.

The point: God can take an ordinary person and do something extraordinary. Jesus did not choose the apostles because they were great. Rather, their greatness came as a result of Jesus' choosing them.

In the same way, God did not choose you because you were great. You aren't. Nor am I. Yet in His grace and mercy, He can do something wonderful with both of our lives.

 

God’s Gift To Us

 
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9:6

 We celebrate Christmas in order to rejoice over God's most precious gift to us. The birth of Jesus Christ is a gift from God that came in simple wrapping, as well as a gift we don't deserve. But the gift of Christ also explains His purpose for humankind.

The gift of Christ was no afterthought. Long before there was a stable in Bethlehem, before Adam and Eve ever set eyes on each other, and even before there existed a garden called Eden, God decided to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.

From the beginning, God knew humankind would fall short of His glory. That is why the Scriptures proclaim that Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8).

God made a decision from the very beginning that Christ would come to this earth to live and die and rise again from the dead. God's gift to us proves His purpose to redeem us.

The gift of Jesus Christ is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came near to us so we could come near to Him.

Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or gifts under a tree. Christmas is about the gift God gave on the tree where Christ died for our sins, giving us the gift of eternal life.

That is what He has accomplished. This is the gift He extends. And if you receive it, you will experience the merriest Christmas of all.

 

WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."— Matthew 1:23

 

It really is an amazing thing to think about the mystery of the Incarnation—that mysterious moment when God became a man.

Jesus Christ—God the Son—was born in a manger. He went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels to a cave filled with animals. He who is larger than the universe became an embryo. He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young virgin.

Some people have a hard time believing in the Virgin Birth. If you believe the Bible, you need to believe in the Virgin Birth. The Bible teaches that God Almighty was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a virgin (see Matthew 1:23).

This makes sense if you think about it. If God had chosen to, He could have sent Jesus to this earth as a fully grown, yet sinless human being. A shaft of light could have come out from heaven with Jesus descending to the ground as an adult man.

But if Jesus came to us in that way, who could have related to Him as a person, as a part of the human race? God also could have had Jesus come into the world through two ordinary human beings—but still with a divine nature. But then most of us would have doubted His divinity. That's why the Incarnation makes sense.

The event of the Incarnation is the reason for the Christmas season. Christmas is the opportunity to worship God, to bow down and pay homage to Him for humbling Himself and appearing in human form (see Philippians 2:6–9). That stands as the true mystery of the Incarnation—and the reason we celebrate Christmas.  Ponder these words with me---we need  to at the beginning of December!

 

I forget to rememer to say THANKS!

I Forgot to Remember to say---THANKS!

 

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"— Psalm 107:8

In the Old Testament, we find an interesting story of how King Jehoshaphat took an uncommon approach when his enemies waged war against him. Instead of sending in his army first, he sent the choir and musicians.

Imagine the scene: "All right, guys, here's the plan today. An army is out there, armed to the teeth. So we are sending in the choir and the musicians." If I had been a choir member or musician, I might have wondered whether the king liked our music.

But God had directed Jehoshaphat in this unusual battle tactic. We read that Jehoshaphat appointed people to sing to the Lord, praise the beauty of holiness, and go out in front of the army saying, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21).

So that is exactly what they did. The Bible tells us that when they began to sing and praise, God sent an ambush against the enemy, and they were destroyed. God's people were able to go into this situation giving thanks, because He was in control.

In approaching God to ask for new blessings, we should never forget to thank Him for the blessings He has already given.

Have you recently come to God for help and He came through for you? Did you come back to say "thank you"?

If we would stop and think how many of the prayers we have offered to God have been answered and how seldom we come back to God to thank Him, it just might amaze us. We should be just as deliberate in giving thanks to God as we are in asking for His help. How about it?!

THE BELIEVER'S SECRET, SECRET

 

“The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.”

— Psalm 25:14

Have you ever been semi-listening in on someone's conversation? Not intentionally, of course, because you would never do that. Maybe you were in a restaurant and your table was right next to someone else's. Maybe you were talking to the person you were with---my wife is a master of hearing several conversations at tables around us. I can tell she’s doing it by the changing expressions on her face. Every now and then she’ll hear a magical word and shush me up.   Someone said, "I am going to tell you a secret right now. No matter what, I don't want you to tell anyone else this secret. . . . " We’ll ol’ “flappy ears” (as I call her) is all over that and then tells me the juicy tid-bit of a secret---with great delight!

What would you do? Would you put your hands over your ears? No, I doubt it. If you're like most people, you listened more carefully. We all love to hear secrets. We want to know the inside story---the scoop. Even if someone is a complete stranger, we are still interested in his or her secret.

Well,God has a secret that He wants to declare to you. The Bible says, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him" (Psalm 25:14). In many ways, this isn't really a secret, because it is plainly declared in Scripture. Unfortunately, because so few people have opened up the Bible to see what it says, they have missed out.

This is the secret of making life more full and meaningful. It is a secret that can help you avoid untold misery and heartache. You might even say it is the secret of living. We find it in Ecclesiastes 12:13, where Solomon says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty and purpose of man."
That is what it all comes down to. That is what is going to keep you on track for God's plan for your life. Pssst! Hey pal want to hear a secret of REAL importance?

 

IS OUR COUNTRY “ON THIN ICE?”

IS OUR COUNTRY “ON THIN ICE?”

 

(READ | Romans 2:1-8)

Our country was founded on the premise that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are “unalienable rights,” endowed by the Creator. In the mid-1900s, the Pledge of Allegiance was amended to convey a similar idea—that we are “one nation under God.”

Soon, however, morality in our land took a downward turn, and over the past 50 years, the Founders’ vision has become clouded. One indicator is the media—if a citizen in 1950 could have seen some of our current TV programs, he no doubt would have been shocked by the language, dress, and content.

Can the attempt to remove God and /or Jesus from the public square have anything to do with our crumbling values? Perhaps. A country that removes God out of political party's beliefs platform--- prayer out of schools and government meetings can easily drift from godly ways. We have even debated removing “In God We Trust” from our currency and “one nation under God” from the Pledge. What’s more, our nation is sometimes so accepting of “all religions” that Christians are persecuted for believing Jesus is the only way (John 14:6).

God is holy, so surely He doesn’t approve of all the actions sanctioned by our laws. Yet He has been patient—and we’ve been blessed beyond measure. But the Father’s patience won’t last forever (Neh. 9:30). America must repent of its choice to disregard His precepts.

Have you sat back and allowed ungodly values to infiltrate this land? As citizens, Christians have a responsibility to influence government decisions in the direction of righteousness. Ask for God’s guidance as you determine how to stand up for Him

 

ABILITY VS. AVAILABILITY

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

— 2 Corinthians 4:7

When Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin, it was a source of complete amazement that these untrained laymen could be so well-versed in the Scriptures—and more importantly, in their understanding. They were ordinary fishermen, salt-of-the-earth-type people. This doesn't mean they were illiterate. But they had not attended the rabbinical schools or spent their lives in the study of the Scripture.

Acts 4:13 tells us that when these religious leaders "saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." These simple fishermen appeared to be better-equipped than the professionals were. How did this happen? The disciples had been with Jesus. They were boldly sharing their faith. They knew the Scriptures. They were men who prayed.

This should give hope and encouragement to those who think of themselves as ordinary people. Maybe God has not called you to be a pastor, a missionary, or some professional ministry position. But God can use you too. It is clear that He is looking for ordinary men and women to bring the gospel message to others.

God can use you where you are. The opportunities are there. There is a mission field where you work. There is a mission field where you go to school. There is a mission field in your neighborhood. You are God's representative, and He is calling you to go into this world and speak up for Him. God is not looking so much for ability as He is looking for availability. So make yourself available to Him.

       

POWERED BY THE SPIRIT

"Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you."— Ephesians 5:17-18

 When we think of being filled with the Spirit, we often relate it to an emotional experience or a feeling of euphoria.

But in reality, the word, "filled," could be translated, "controlled by." It is a word that speaks of what happens when the wind fills the sails of a boat and guides it along. So God is saying that we are to let His Spirit fill us and control our lives.

Another interesting thing about this word is that in the original language, it is in a tense that speaks of something that should be done continually. So you could translate this sentence, "Be constantly filled with the Spirit." This is not a one-time event. Instead, it is something that takes place over and over again, just as we repeatedly fill the gas tanks in our cars to keep them running.

God wants to refill us with His Spirit. It is a great thing to say each day, "Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Lord, fill me once again." You may have emotional experiences. You may not have emotional experiences. But that has very little to do with the reality of being filled with and controlled by the Spirit.

One other thing about this phrase from Ephesians 5:18 is that it's a command, not a suggestion. The Scripture is not saying, "If it works with your schedule, if you don't mind, would you please consider maybe letting the Holy Spirit fill and control you?" Rather, God is saying that He commands us, He orders us, to be filled with the Holy Spirit

On this rock I will build my restaurant !?

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. - (Romans 12:4–5)

Sometimes people treat churches like they treat restaurants. They take on a consumer mentality. I want to go to this restaurant. Oh, we went there two weeks ago. Let’s go to this other one. . . . But the church is not a restaurant. The church is a family, and you need to be a part of the family.

You also need to engage. Maybe one of the reasons some people feel as though they are not getting enough out of church is because they attend intermittently and don’t commit themselves. But if they would settle in and become a part of what God is doing, it would change for them.

If you have been attending a church for more than a couple of years, then you ought to be involved in a ministry of some kind. You may not be called to preach, but there are lots of other things to do. There is something for everyone. The Bible tells us, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them . . .” (Romans 12:5–6).

It is fine to come and be served in the church. But there has to come a point when you start growing up and decide to start serving. And then you will find that everything changes for you.

So let’s stop thinking of the church as them and start thinking of the church as us. Be a part of the family. Take the gifts that God has given you and develop them and use them for His glory. I suggest that church could completely change for us if we stop coming as spectators and instead join the team.

CALLING ALL FISHERMEN

Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

— Matthew 4:19

 While I am not in the ranks of great anglers and seasoned fishermen, or even “semi amateur”,

 I have fished a few times. I know that I need to use different kinds of bait for different kinds of situations, because different types of bait are required to catch different types of fish.

In the same way, as we share the gospel, we might bring up different aspects of it to speak to a person's situation---to someone who is filled with anguish, we might speak to them of the peace that God can bring. If we are talking with someone on his or her deathbed, we would address the subject of death and the certainty of heaven for those who put their faith in Christ. Another person might be plagued with personal guilt, so we might speak to them about God's offer of complete forgiveness.

These are various types of bait, so to speak, to bring us to a decision for Christ. And for our example, we can look to Jesus, the Master Communicator, who never dealt with any two people in exactly the same way.

There was the woman at the well who had spent a lifetime trying to fill a void in her life with relationships with men. To her, Jesus spoke to her of her deep spiritual thirst.

Then there was a man who was an expert in theology and a great intellectual. With him, Jesus spoke in almost childlike terms as He told him, "You must be born again."

Jesus adapted to their situation and appropriately applied the truth of God's Word.

Jesus had time for the multitudes, but He also took time for the individual. And we should take time as well.

Independence---is it really a good thing?

In a day and age when independence is praised, I wonder if it's really a good thing when it comes to our relationship with God.
"God helps those who help themselves," we say, as if quoting Scripture. Oh really? I believe Scripture implies God helps those who admit they can't help themselves. The Apostle Paul, who probably considered himself quite independent before he met Christ, claimed the strength that comes through a total dependence on God when he said God's "power is perfected in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Some of us have trouble depending on anyone. Usually it stems from being burned -- having had a parent who walked out on us, a boyfriend or husband who betrayed us, someone significant who let us down and made us think twice before we depended on anyone again. We find ourselves think.ing "I don't need anyone. I'm on my own. And I'm doing just fine."
But oh how that mindset must hurt the One who longs for us to depend on Him.
If you've prided yourself on not needing anyone, or have just feared trusting another person because of disappointment or betrayal, God wants to more than make up for your disappointment in someone else by showing you, in His Word, that He's the most reliable One you could ever depend on. This July 4th could be your Dependence Day--it could give you something to really celebrate!

JUNE 17TH---WOW!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. — Psalm 51:10 If you're married, then you remember when you first met your wife or husband-to-be, and how you probably had the feeling of butterflies in your stomach and even a loss of appetite. You felt nervous when he or she was around. You wanted to make the best impression. Today marks the anniversary of my first date with my first wife ( and current one for 52 years) I remember what I wore---where we went---and how I felt! I have always remembered June 17th. I hope you understand that those emotions aren't going to last throughout your entire marriage. I'm not saying that you won't have a deep, passionate love that will grow. But I am saying that I hope you're not expecting to always have the butterflies you once did. It is kind of like driving a car. There is the love that brings you together, like an explosion that starts the engine. Next comes the actual driving of the car, which means that now you need to understand what real love is. The problem is that some people don't understand that. They think that when that emotional excitement is not there on a daily basis, they have fallen out of love and it is not working out. "I suppose we have irreconcilable differences," they say, "so let's just dissolve it." Then they move on to another relationship because they don't have a clue as to what real love is. The idea is that first there is an excitement and passion that brings you together. Then you deepen and grow in what real love is. In the same way, we need to mature in our relationship with God. It is more than a journey of feeling. It is also a journey of faith. So we must deepen in our love for God, because we are in it for the long-term. You might even remember the thrill and excitement of coming into a relation ship with Christ. But let me tell you something, if it wasn’t for the fact that God poured His love into our hearts at our spiritual rebirth we wouldn’t last in a long term marriage or a lifetime walk with Him. ( Romans 5 ) God wants us in it for now and eternity. Let me say that June the 17th means a WHOLE lot more now than it did then---and we want and will finish this race well.

Be Choosey About Your Choices

Many think that life is just a set of circumstances: You can't help what happens, just try to adapt and hope for better luck next time -- which explains the greatest excuse of all time: I'm just a victim of circumstance. The Bible teaches something different. Your life is not the result of random circumstance, it's the result of the choices you make. Moses and Joshua both highlighted this simple truth. "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live..." (Deuteronomy 30:19) "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) Life is a series of choices. Success depends on making the same right choices again and again, day after day -- at the dinner table,on the social internet sites, in conversations with families and friends, with your paycheck, in what you read or don't read in books/internet/magazines,at your job,etc. etc---you get the idea! These choices determine who you are and what your life becomes. Every minute of every day we have the privilege of choices that go into to making your life more rewarding or more disappointing. What choices are you willing to make? Think about it. I mean REALLY think about it!

Sitting in a chicken house won't make you a chicken!

Sitting in a chicken house won’t make you a chicken!

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. —Matthew 15:28
Faith is often found in unlikely places. The Bible tells the story of a pagan woman whom Jesus commended for her great faith. She was not raised as a Jew, knowing the Scriptures. She certainly did not have the privilege of walking and talking with Jesus as the disciples had. This woman had been raised in a godless home, in a home filled with idols. But with what little she knew about Jesus, she applied dramatic faith. We could even describe it as amazing faith.

One would have thought that the strongest faith would have come from one of Jesus’ disciples like Peter, James, or John. But it came from this pagan woman. The only other time Jesus called out someone’s faith as an example was when a Roman centurion—another Gentile—asked Him to heal his servant.

Sometimes if you have been raised in church, especially if you have been raised in a Christian home or went to a Christian school, you can take it for granted. And in the very place where your heart should be transformed, it can become hardened. It all comes down to the way you listen. Do you show up prepared to listen and wantingto  listen---or are you there just to "check the box"?
This is why Jesus often would say, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” You decide how you will react to what you hear. I hope you don’t go to church under duress or pressure, because your spouse wants you to or because your parents want you to. I hope you don’t think that if you go to church or a Bible study, you will earn favor with God. If you come with that attitude in a place where your life should be transformed, then you can get a hard heart and miss the point.

Sitting in a chicken house won’t make you a chicken anymore than sitting in a church house won’t make you a Christian!  It is by grace, not the place, that makes people believers.
                                                           
S0000----do you “have ears to hear” like the Scriptures ask? This can make the difference in your heart being changed.

IT'S RAINING---NOW WHAT?

One of my favorite musical movies is Gene Kelley's "Singing in the Rain". In the main theme scene Gene is so full of joy and excitement he is dancing and singing in a downpour. Rain or no rain his joy would not be "rained out!"

Former baseball great Satchel Paige once said, “Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.”

This sounds like good old salt-of-the-earth wisdom, but it’s terrible advice. (For future reference, good advice never begins with the phrase, “Don’t pray.”)

Everyone knows that it’s a mistake not to pray when the sun is shining. But it’s foolish to compound this mistake by refusing to pray when the rain starts pouring down. Even if you haven’t prayed enough in the past, this is time to start praying more than ever.

Many times, when trouble strikes, our first reaction is panic. Our first emotion is fear. We need to get past that and move move in the direction of prayer.

This is what happened to King Jeshophat when he heard the news that three armies were aligned against him, prepared to attack. The Bible says…

Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. (2 Chronicles 20:3)

First came fear, a normal reaction.

Then came prayer.

Then came guidance.

Then provision.

Then victory.

This is where God’s work in your life often begins: from a place of need, or hurt, or fear. Many who walk close to Christ can tell you that it was pain that led them to pursue a deeper walk with God. Despair can be a catalyst to experiencing God’s power. There’s a reason for this. When confronted with trouble, we’re more likely to shed the religious façade and get real with God. In the journey to experiencing God, this is the first step. Whats the forecast?

SURRENDER AT GETHSEMANE

Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt as though your friends and family had abandoned you? Have you ever felt like you were misunderstood? Have you ever had a hard time understanding or submitting to the will of God for your life?

If so, then you have an idea of what the Lord Jesus went through as He agonized at Gethsemane.

Hebrews tells us, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it" (4:15–16 NLT).

Consider the fact that Jesus, who was God, was omniscient. He was all-knowing. Therefore, He was fully aware of the horrors of the crucifixion that awaited Him.

He knew His disciples would abandon him. He knew Judas Iscariot would betray Him. He knew that Simon Peter would deny Him. He knew they would rip His back open, press a crown of thorns into His head, beat Him, spit in His face, and crucify Him. Worst of all, He knew that all the sins of the world would be placed upon Him.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was "a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3 NLT). But the sorrow He experienced in Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion seemed to be the culmination of all the sorrow He had ever known and would accelerate to a climax the following day. The ultimate triumph that was to take place at Calvary was first accomplished beneath the gnarled old olive trees of Gethsemane.

Jesus told Peter, James, and John, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch" (Mark 14:34). Jesus' sorrow and anguish was so powerful, it threatened His very life.

In the face of this dreadful prospect of bearing God's full fury against sin, Jesus knelt to the ground and began to pray. This was not a quiet whisper of a prayer. Hebrews 5:7 tells us, "While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard his prayers because of his reverence for God" (NLT).

It is interesting that the very word Gethsemane means "olive press." Olives were pressed there to make oil, and truly, Jesus was being pressed from all sides that He might bring life to us. I don't think we can even begin to fathom what He was going through.

Maybe you are at a crisis point in your life right now—a personal Gethsemane, if you will. You have your will; you know what you want. Yet you can sense that God's will is different.

Would you let the Lord choose for you? Would you be willing to say, "Lord, I am submitting my will to yours. Not my will, but yours be done"? You will not regret making that decision.

Sometimes, we are afraid to do this because we have a false concept that God's will for us is not good. You might be thinking, "How about His plan for Jesus? That didn't seem very good."

No question, it was very difficult for Jesus, to say the least. No question, He faced the full wrath of God against all sin.

But look at what it accomplished. It brought about your salvation and mine. Because of what Jesus went through at Gethsemane and ultimately at the cross, we can call upon His name. Though it was an unfathomably painful, horrific transition, it was necessary for the ultimate goal of what was accomplished.

Maybe you are going through a difficult time. Ultimately, it will be so much better if you allow the Lord to choose His plan for you. One day, you will be able to look back and say, "Lord, thank you for making that choice."

God's plans for you are good. As Jeremiah tells us, the thoughts that God thinks toward you are "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (29:11).

In our moments of uncertainty, in those times when we think that everyone has let us down, remember that Jesus has been there and is there for us. God's plans for you are so much better than the plans you have for yourself.

Will you let Him choose?

IT'S A BATTLE GROUND NOT A PLAYGROUND!

Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter (limp) between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him---if Satan, then follow him!"

— 1 Kings 18:21

I'm sure the greatest day in your life was the day you asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart and forgive you of your sin.

It was the day that your eternal destiny changed, the day that you passed from darkness to light, the day that you found new purpose and meaning for your life.

But that day was also the day that a very real spiritual war began. Some Christians are shocked to find the Christian life is not a playground but a battleground.

Like it or not, you are in a battle between good and evil, between right and wrong, between God and Satan. It's not optional, and you must choose which side you want to fight on.

As Elijah asked the people up on Mt. Carmel, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him."

I will be honest with you; I never understood the appeal of a half-hearted commitment to Jesus Christ. Neither did Elijah, he followed the Lord with all his heart. Jesus said to one of the churches in Revelations 3: "I want you to be hot or cold but since you are only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth!"   On the battlefield, either you advance and let God use you, or you retreat.

It's time to get out of those stained glass foxholes. It's time to dust off your clothes, shine up your armor, and sharpen your sword. Because, like it or not, you have been drafted into God's service.

As a child of God you are going to be a soldier. Your choice is whether you will be a good soldier or a bad one.

Elijah had already chosen to be a spiritual soldier, and he was ready for battle. Are you?

“Never Underestimate the Power of Tears”

Have you ever wondered what it takes to earn a starting position on a National Championship college football team? Strength? Endurance? Speed?

How about...the ability to cry? Sounds crazy, but it happened.
In Lou Holtz’ second season as head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, his team experienced a humiliating loss against Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Holtz said he was absolutely dejected when he walked into the locker room after the game, and he couldn’t help but notice that most of the Notre Dame players didn’t seem to be bothered at all by the loss.
With one exception. A second-string sub named Chris Zorich sat in front of his locker crying deep, gut-heaving sobs. He was thoroughly crushed by the defeat. Holtz decided at that moment the next year’s team would be composed of players who loved football as much as Chris.
The next season this young man went from sub to starter to team captain, and helped lead the Irish to a National Championship. Chris Zorich won a starting position at Notre Dame because he was the only player on the team who cared enough to cry.
Some things are worth caring about. Certain areas of your life—maybe your job, your ministry, your family, a person you’re trying to disciple or lead to Christ—will require more emotional involvement than an “ordinary” person would be willing to give. It may be tempting to tell yourself—and to tell others—that it’s not worth crying over. But remember, sometimes crying is the key to making a difference.
It is interesting to notice that before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he wept for his friend (John 11:35-36). As He approached Jerusalem toward the end of his ministry, Jesus wept over the city, saying, “If you had only known what would bring you peace...” (Luke 19:41) He cared enough to cry.
In Paul’s ministry, he experienced anguish when he learned Christians in Galatia were falling away. He wrote to them, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you...” (Galatians 4:19) Paul continued to care, even when it hurt.
Caring comes with a price, but it also comes with a reward. The Psalmist wrote, “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:5)
Never underestimate the power of tears, or what those tears represent. It isn’t until you are willing to become emotionally involved—until you care enough to cry—that you are able to change people’s lives. Or your or own.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

— Proverbs 23:7

When Jesus walked this earth, He blew the cover off the religious elite of the day: the Pharisees who smugly thought that if they did not commit certain sins, they were okay. But somehow, they had rationalized that they could do these things in their minds and it was not sinful. Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28). They didn't like that a whole lot.

What was Jesus pointing out to these men, and to us as well? He was emphasizing again and again the importance of our minds, our hearts, and our attitudes. That's because sin is not merely a matter of actions and deeds. It is something within the heart and the mind that leads to the action.

Sin deceives you into thinking that because you have not committed the act, you're okay. In reality, if you keep thinking about it, it may be only a matter of time until that thought becomes an action. Even if it doesn't, that thought is still spiritually destructive. So you need to go out of your way as a Christian to protect your mind and your thoughts. Satan recognizes the value of first getting a foothold in the realm of your thoughts and imaginations, because he knows this will prepare the way for that thought to eventually become an action.

As it has been said, "Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny." It all starts with a thought. And lastly , let’s examine Philippians 4:8 ^“ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

THERE'S THIS MATTER OF TODAY

One day while Jesus was passing through Jericho, a man named Zacchaeus came to see him. If you grew up in Sunday School, you know that Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. You also know that he wasn't a particularly good man; he was a tax-collector and a dishonest business man. Since he couldn't see in the crowd, he climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view of Jesus. The Bible says...

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today." (Luke 19:5)

I love the urgency in Jesus' words: "Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Jesus was saying, "Zacchaeus, don't wait. Don't put this off. Something important is about to happen."

How, then, did Zacchaeus respond?

So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:6)

He invited Jesus into his house. He didn't say, "I'm not ready. My house isn't prepared. I don't have enough food. I don't have any party favors on hand. The place is a mess...Can we do this a week from Friday when I've had time to get things in order?"

Instead, he seized the opportunity to have Jesus come to his home. What happened next? This spur-of-the-moment meeting led to a life-change for Zacchaeus. He said, "Jesus, I want to start doing things right. I'll give half of my money to the poor, and I'll pay four times the amount to anyone I've cheated." And Jesus said...

"Today salvation has come to this house." (Luke 19:9)

Salvation came today, because Zacchaeus responded to the invitation today. He might not have felt completely prepared to have the King of Kings enter his home, but he didn't put it off. And his life changed as a result.

What life-changing invitation have you put off? Maybe something important is ready to happen. Is there something you can do about it today?

LIFE PRESENTS INTERESTING SIT-UATIONS

"And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving”. . . .

— Luke 10:39-40

When the Lord walked this earth, He had no place to call home (see Matthew 8:20). But there was something He liked about a home in Bethany where a man named Lazarus lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. Maybe Martha was a great cook. Perhaps they were wonderful hosts.

Mary and Martha were quite different from each other. Mary was the quiet, contemplative type. Martha was the grab-the-bull-by-the-horns, assertive type.

One day, Jesus came to their home. Martha thought it would be a good idea to make Him a meal. She went into the kitchen and started working. Meanwhile, Mary thought it would be a great opportunity to sit at Jesus' feet and hear what He had to say. As Mary was sitting there, taking it all in, Martha was working frantically in the kitchen, growing more frustrated because Mary was not helping her.

Finally, she could not contain herself any longer. She came out of the kitchen, and looking down at Mary and Jesus, said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me" (Luke 10:40).

Jesus responded, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" (vv. 41–42).

Sometimes we can do the same thing. We can get so worked up. Like Martha, we sometimes offer activity instead of adoration, work instead of worship, and perspiration instead of inspiration. There is a time to sit and there is a time to move.

THE EMPTY NET SYNDROME

Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.'

" 'We'll come, too,' they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night."

— John 21:3

It was déjà vu time for the disciples. They had been fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee and hadn't caught anything. The Lord had risen. He already had appeared to some of the disciples. There were no clear marching orders, so they thought they would go back to what they knew how to do: fish.

Now it was early in the morning, probably still dark. They saw a figure standing on the shore. He called out, "Friends, have you caught any fish?"

Throughout the Bible, God often asked probing questions when He wanted a confession. In the same way, Jesus was asking His disciples, "Did you catch anything? Have you been successful? Have things gone the way you had hoped they would go? Are you satisfied?"

Why did Jesus want them to admit their failure? So He could bring them to the place where they needed to be.

When they cast the net on the right side of the boat, as Jesus told them to, their net became so heavy with fish that they couldn't pull it in. The Lord was teaching the disciples an important lesson: Failure often can be the doorway to real success.

We need to come to that point in our lives as well. We need to come and say, "Lord, I am not satisfied with the way my life is going. I am tired of doing it my way. I want to do it your way." If you will come to God like that, He will extend His forgiveness to you. Then He will take your life and transform it in ways you couldn't imagine.

IT'S BAD TO BE BITTER!!

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

— Ephesians 4:31-32

Augustine reportedly had a sign on his wall that read, "He who speaks evil of an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table." That would have ended a lot of conversations, wouldn't it?

The Bible tells us to "get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior" (Ephesians 4:31). Slander speaks of saying evil things about others behind their backs.

Bitterness, which is an embittered and resentful spirit that refuses to be reconciled, makes the Holy Spirit sad and sorrowful. Yet some people like to be mad. They live for conflict. They live for arguments. They live for fighting. They seem to actually like it.

Then there are the people who avoid conflicts, and I will admit that I am one of them. I don't like conflict. I dread it in fact. But some people are just looking for something to fight about, and they seem to go from conflict to conflict. You probably know people like this. They are always mad at someone. They always have their nemesis, the one person who is the source of all their misery, and they are always talking about him or her. And they often are very critical, constantly nitpicking and trying to uncover things in other people's lives.

Yet I have made an interesting discovery: the person who has been covering up sin in his or her life typically is always trying to uncover sin in the lives of others. It never surprises me when I find that the most critical people are guilty of something far worse themselves.

So don't live that way. It grieves the Holy Spirit. If you let bitterness go unchecked, it could lead you to take the next step—and to something even worse. Yikes!!!

BEGINNING Is Such A Big Deal---Really!

Some of our best ideas are still waiting for the right moment. We call it preparation. It's really procrastination. Eventually the due diligence phase yields to the do-nothing phase. And another good idea gets covered in cobwebs. Keep in mind what William Feather said: "Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing."

There’s something to be said for beginning now and filling in the details as you go. Not that details aren't important or that preparation isn't necessary, but at some you’ve got to quit compiling data and start pursuing results.

Do you know what the problem is? There’s no failure to face in the preparation stage. There’s no disappointment to deal with in the dream-casting stage. It’s only after the plan has been put into practice that you confront results that maybe don’t meet expectations. It’s easy to get nervous. It’s easier to plan just a little longer.

When Abraham was older than just about everyone who will be reading these words, God told him, "Leave your country, your people, and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1) Abraham went, not having a plan in place, not knowing exactly hat lay ahead, only that he was following the voice of God.

There are times when it’s time to do just what Abraham did: take the first few steps, even if all the questions haven’t been answered and all the problems aren’t solved in advance. There's something to be said for beginning now. As George Allen, the coach of the Washington Redskins said many times to his team of the 70’s: “the future is the now!” Shed the paralysis of analysis and start implementing those plans, dreams, visions and cuddled aspirations. Make 2012 THE YEAR---be a NIKE sort of person and “JUST Do IT!!!”