Hot Summer Days

Psalms 42:1-2 “As the deer pants for the water, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. . .”

Baling hay was probably the worst part of summer on the farm. Three times during the summer, we had to bale and load the 60 lb. rectangular hay bales into the top of the barn. Why did I not like it was because of the hot dry days when you had to bale the hay and keep it dry.  Dad could not begin to rake the hay until after the dew was gone being about 11:30 a.m. with the temperatures in the upper 80’s and low 90’s. And that’s outside in the field.  Then the fun began!

When we brought the first load into the barn we had enough energy to have some fun in the barn. Stacking the hay went quickly we’d grab a glass of sweet tea and head to the field again.

After about the third load, and with the temperature in the barn reaching over 100 degrees, the tea never satisfied our thirst. Then there was the hay dust which got into our mouths, hair, and eyes.

By the fifth load, we came in from the field panting for water. The problem was that water never satisfied our thirst. We poured it on our heads and if we drank too much we went back to the field with a stomach ache. It was not until we finished for the night and headed to the spring fed lake for a bath, that we really felt relieved.

When was the last time you were really thirsty?  Then again when was the last time you were thirsty for the Word?    When did you last search for the Lord in a personal one on one time? When was the last time you called out for Him?

The best time in life is not when everything is humming along effortlessly from our own actions, but when we are seeking the Lord.  Don’t just wait until things get so hot that we look for any type of relief.

Each day we should search for the Lord in His Word and in our prayer time. The blessings will overflow so the rest of the day will be cool and comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside.  Are you thirsty?

What To Do at 4:00 in the Morning

What do you do when your night's sleep is over at 4:00 a.m.?  It seems our Golden Retriever sleeps during the hot days in the house and then by 3:30 a.m. he is ready to play.  He goes out of the bedroom and picks up his bone and brings it back on my side of the bed and drops it.  Most of the time the sound wakes me up but if it does not he starts a sigh.  First in low tone and then gets louder.  If you don't address it, he goes into a low bark, then louder and louder.

You see my problem is that when my eyes open at that hour, my ADHD mind begins processing the day, so even if I put the dog outside, my night is over.  I begin going over my "To Do" list in my head and what needs to be done first, second, and so on.

This morning at 4:15 a.m. I went outside and sat in the rocking chair, petting and brushing one of our other dogs, listened to the whip-or-will call for its mate, heard the rooster next door forget it was the middle of the night and begin crowing, and finally feel the cool 67 degree breeze sweep across the porch.

Upon going back in the house and sitting on the couch, the Golden Retriever jumped up on my lap (yes, our 70 lb. lap dog) and promptly went back to sleep.  Since he has me trained for this event, I take the quiet time to talk with the Lord.

As I mentioned about my adventures last week, my reflection is on God's Favor.  No we still do not have that big order we have been waiting for, but in retrospect, God's Favor was all over the trip.  To be five minutes to thirty minutes ahead of five destructive tornadoes in six cities demonstrated God's Favor over my every move.

So God's Favor does not have to be a new job making a ton on money, or a new house, or car, or health but instead it is being aware that in a personal relationship with God know that He watches over you every hour of every day.  So my prayer this morning was simple and to the point.  First I asked the Lord to defend me over Satan and keep him away from my day's activities, health, and my family (comes from the Book of Job Chapter 1 & 2),  then ask for God's Favor in His blessing the small things of today.

Please give it a try to seek God's Favor and have the Faith that He can really move mountains in your life.  Once you do that, you are really ready to go after your "To Do" list.

In the Swing of Things

Do you ever recall being in a tree house or swinging on a rope bridge?   Those memories were brought back as I set foot on the 480 foot long suspension bridge that was 230 feet above the Capilano River in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The bridge was full of people and with each step the span would bounce about three feet up and down and sway over five feet from side to side. There was a bridge guard at each end of this bridge to rescue people who froze from fear while trying to cross. Those who did not would never know what was on the other side.

Arriving on the other side a wood walkway led to an fully operational tree house. The difference was that the material used for this house was so much stronger than the ones I had built as a child. Standing at a window looking over the forest just flooded my memory about those days when life was so simple and there were few cares in the world..

Upon exiting the house I entered smaller suspension bridges. These bridges were connected from Douglas firs to Hemlock firs where you were walking over eighty feet off the ground. Examining the platform around the trees we discovered that at eighty feet off the ground, the trees were still enormous with a circumference from twenty to forty feet. Looking out over the tree tops and down into the canyon where bears feed, it was a time to reflect on the source of all this majestic beauty. Everything looked so small below and so large looking up. 

Definitely it was a time to seek God and to know Him once again. Among these trees I understood that I was a miniature to God’s creation and just a speck in the riverbed below. It is so easy to look around and think that everyone had little to no value in the world today.

Do you know someone who may talk down to us, ignore us, or just avoid us because of their busy lives?   Aren’t there times in our lives that we feel like the old adage of Eeyore who says, “Guess I'll just eat worms and die”? God's word in 1st John 4:7-10 we are to love others when we don’t feel like they need to be loved. This direction is tough when we are going through major traumas in life. Yet as we read on, we discover that we should look at the example God gives us every day.

He loved us so much that he gave His Son, Jesus, for our losing our cool and yet He wants to have a relationship with Him. 

Take a quiet walk and absorb God once again. You will again be amazed that in spite of our small stature, that YOU are the most important thing on earth to God. Once you are connected again to God, it will be easy to get into the swing of a productive life without the fear of suspension bridges, people, and troubles. 

 

1st John 4: 7-10 “My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love - so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about - not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.”

Are You Following Your Vision?

Yesterday I hope you considered to be appreciative and notice the little things around you.  Today, The question is asked, "Are you following a vision that the Lord has laid upon your heart?" 

Many say this is terrible time to be starting a new venture, but what if you had been praying for the Lord's guidance and felt he spoke to you to step out in faith.  Today most of us want a "sure thing" whether it is an investment in the stock exchange, a raise at our work, a great relationship with someone, or anything else that comes to mind.  But the reality is that there is no "sure thing".  so what do you do when you feel like the Lord is giving you a vision? 

Many of us park the vision in the back of our mind and just prod along doing what we feel is safe.  So there is no faith involved and you continue doing what you have already done. 

It was when I lived in Ocala, FL that the Lord gave me a vision one night and I felt like I had to follow that vision.  Our church had grown so rapidly that we were running out of temporary locations.  There was a Kash and Carry in town that had been vacant for several years and it was ideal.  The Food Lion real estate manager for the property noted that Kash and Carry still had the lease for another ten years but would sub-lease it for what they pay.  Now this was way beyond  what we could afford.  There was literately no place else for us to go as a church. 

Then on one Tuesday night, I felt God say that I needed to got to Salisbury, NC and make an appeal in person.  "Why me Lord?  I am just a lay person in the church."  None the less I remember trying to find every reason in my thoughts why I was not the person to go.

Wednesday morning came with little sleep and I knew I had to go.  First I called Food Lion Corporate for an appointment but could not get through to her office.  I called the pastor and told my then girlfriend what had taken place.  The pastor gave me a pictorial history book and Lynnette and the pastor prayed over meat 6:00 p.m.  just before Wednesday night service.  As I drove all night, about midnight I felt like I needed to pull off the interstate and get an ice cream.  I was off the highway for about five minutes but on getting back on the highway, I noticed the traffic was stopping.  A wreck had occurred just one mile ahead of me and the timing would have had me in about that position if I had not stopped. 

At nine a.m. the next morning I was in the lobby at Food Lion and asked for the person I had left the message.  The receptionist asked if I had an appointment and noted that I had not but would wait all day if necessary to see this lady.  Before I could sit down, they called me to met her on the fifth floor.  Our meeting was divine as I was talking to another believer and we soon became friends.

In order for this to not drag on, I will tell you we were told no by her boss but the Lord led me to write a letter to the CEO of Food Lion explaining our situation and need for the building.  Just before Christmas, I got a phone call from the lady at Food Lion.  Her conversation went something like this:  "Merry Christmas Gary.  I got a phone call from the CEO this morning and he personally approved you you having that building for the cost of insurance and upkeep."  (A side note is that the CEO retired twenty days later)

If the Lord puts a vision on your heart, NEVER make excuses, or take no for an answer.  It is the Lord's vision on your heart and you must follow it to the end.  Bathing your vision in prayer with those prayer warriors and seeking wisdom only helps your faith become stronger and to witness how the Lord is REALLY in charge. 

Is He using you for see a vision come to reality?  Trust me, you will have giant leaps of faith when you  look at God working in people's lives.

Noticing The Little Things

Well last week was an adventure as I traveled five states in our effort to sell product from our company.  It should have been a normal week as I left the house about 4:00 a.m. on my way to Little Rock, AR for a meeting. 

About 9:30 a.m. traveling towards Memphis, the dreaded “check gauges” light came on and the voltage meter went to zero.  I called Lynnette for the closest parts store to see where the closest parts store might be.  If the truck is not charging, eventually the vehicle dies alongside the road.  Friends had been praying for my journey as I began praying harder for the Lord to get me somewhere to get the problem fixed.  With the help of my wonderful bride at home, I pulled into the town of Brownsville, TN and found a parts store. 

I turned off the truck and they came out to check the battery and alternator.  When I started it up it was fine with no light and everything was charging.  We left the truck running for a couple of minutes with the testing gauges attached and it did it again.  The “check gauges“ light came on and the man said the voltage regulator was going bad.  As would have it that store did not have the part, so they called their competitor and found an alternator.  I thanked the man at both parts stores and asked for his help to locate a mechanic.  They called around and found a man who was really busy but said to bring the truck to him.  He quickly changed out the alternator and charged me very little for his time.   

Praising God, I was on my way.  I kept the first meeting and it went excitingly well.  Then off to Wal-Mart Corporate.  

Traveling the highway I noticed dark clouds behind me and getting darker with a lot of lightening.  As I checked into the hotel in Bentonville, AR the skies opened and it began to rain.  And did it rain!  The next morning I was told that it rained 6 inches in four hours and was flooding all the roads.  Once again the meeting went well and we are to return within the next few weeks to close the deal.

Now off to Oklahoma City.  Upon arriving, I noticed the clouds in the west starting to build and get black.  Upon arrival at Hobby Lobby the receptionist told me that they were sending everyone home because they were under a tornado warning.  After a brief meeting I headed out to Dallas.  

Once again the dark clouds were moving in and just south of Oklahoma City I could see on my right that tornados were forming (the ones that hit Canadian, Oklahoma).  I missed being in the middle of them by 30 minutes.  With the storms in my rear view mirror, I stopped in Denton, Texas for the evening.  

Within fifteen minutes of my arrival the warning sirens went off and naturally several of the guests went outside to watch.  To our right we saw the tornado form (the one in the picture above).   Minutes later we saw another one forming on our left, which hit about 8 miles south of our location.

The meetings went well the next day and I headed toward Memphis on my journey back.  Passing through Little Rock I once again saw the clouds forming for a major storm.  As I came towards Forest City, AR it began to hail.  Now I had been in hail stores for the previous two days, so I figured that I needed to get ahead of the storm.    A Fed-Ex tractor trailer passed me and so I got right behind the truck and soon we came out of the storm.  In my rear view mirror, I saw a funnel moving over the highway I just had passed.

When I got to Memphis and headed to my room, the electric went off just as I was getting into the elevator.   Then sirens went off again and sure enough another tornado was bearing down on Memphis.  

Upon seeing the devastation from each place I had been, I prayed thanksgiving for the Lord watching over this trip.  He literally kept me one step ahead of danger.   In reflection, people had only prayed for safe journeys and success in my meetings.  Yet it was the little things that proved that the Lord was truly watching over me.   

The delay with the truck repair was frustrating, but I could have been in an accident if I had been headstrong and moved on, the timing of being just in front of storms gives me blog thoughts for the future and how the Lord is REALLY watching out for each of us.  

The moral to this adventure is to never take for granted the power of prayer warriors and to know that the Lord takes care of the little things.  Are you ready to let Him take care of the little things today?

Inserting Wisdom Into Your Marriage

King Solomon is remembered throughout the world today for his wisdom, as is noted in 1st Kings 4:29.  Solomon had many wives and a harem (allowed by the culture at that time). Yet it seemed that the Lord separated one relationship, found in the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon), to demonstrate His design in life for a man and a woman, so they can find fulfillment within a relationship.

            Solomon was known for his wisdom not only in politics, and leadership, but also as the writer of proverbs and songs.  So the Song of Songs should be considered as Godly wisdom with the perfect application for relationships today.

When reading the Song of Songs you’ll quickly see that the book is about the relationship of one woman, the Shulamite and Solomon. The book moves from the inception of romance through marriage (Chapter 1, 2, & 3).  Then follows the consummation of the two physically (Chapter 4), and some difficulties experienced within the marriage (Chapter 5 & 6 ).  Later, the book demonstrates their moving  toward growth and the deepening of their lives (Chapter 7 & 8).

Marriage is discussed forty-four times in the Bible, but the wisdom of how God desires a  marriage is fully contained in Solomon’s writings.  The problem you may have after looking at the entire history of Solomon is that he did not follow through in doing everything he knew was right in the sight of God.

In Solomn's  later years, he allowed power, money, success, and other relationships to turn him away from God and impact his most precious marriage relationship.  So ask yourself, “Are you today following that same path?”

Can you recall the events of dating and falling in love with  your spouse?  Even though you may not refer to your spouse’s beauty as fawns, cedar, pomegranates, and other endearing nature terms, you may recall words in songs like, “lips as sweet as honey”, “eyes as blue as the sky”, or “sunshine of my life”.  These words or thoughts from cards and songs applied to how you felt about your loved one. 

Just as Solomon loved this woman so much and yet allowed problems to enter the relationship, are you finding a struggle in your relationship due to issues of power, money, success, or unhealthy friendships? 

The phrase, “Just a Little Bit More Freedom” should never replace the three stranded cord of marriage.  God, you and your wife or husband have to remain strong and United  in order for that phrase not to overtake you.  Now is the time to place your spouse above those things that the world says are so important. 

Take some quiet time to read the Song of Solomon.  In doing that you will see God’s plan for marriage fulfilled in two people.   A study of the book can reveal what strength you can draw upon through your marriage.  The New American Standard Bible gives you one of the best translations for reading.  You can find it on www.bible.com

You may rediscover REAL love that is currently strained or just getting by. 

The Bottom Line

Micah 5:12-15        The Lord said,  “I will cut off your witchcraft; your carved images and sacred pillars will be destroyed.  You shall no longer worship the work of your hands;  I will pluck your wooden images from your midst and destroy your cities.  I will execute vengeance with anger and fury on the nations that have not heeded.”

                Today as we often ponder events in our society you ask yourself  "Is the Lord is speaking to us or are we being deceived."  Recently as I was surfing the television channels, I came upon a show where this man finds strangers in the audience and then crosses over to where the dead are and relays information back to the living person.  After three minutes of this I was ready to move on to another channel. There are times when the excitement of the unknown will draw us towards all the things spoken of in Micah  5:12-15.

            Blair Witch Project, Jason X and so many other movies today fill our time with demons, witchcraft, demons from other worlds, and the supernatural.  If you watch some of these over a period of time, we all become desensitized to what the Lord says is wrong.          

Each day I struggle with being drawn into some deceptions.  On April 22nd  we had Earth Day.  While reading articles on what Earth Day meant, I discovered it was much more that just planting a tree or cleaning the banks of a river.  The people involved in the projects believe that we are to give an offering to “Mother Earth”.  This deity of sun, moon, water and earth are to be given the respect of a god.  Yet, like Paul looking at all the Greek statues, told them about the statue to the “Unknown God”.  As for me, I sometime feel helpless to speak so boldly about the “Unknown God” these Earth people miss.Do you have any ideas to tell them about the Creator of the Universe who designed this earth for each of us?          

The bottom line is that we should draw closer to the Lord in our daily walk.  Look more at Him rather than what the world is accepting as normal behavior.  Based upon the scripture do not become involved in those things that pull us away from the Lord.          

You will find that God’s word will never be mocked or should never be ignored.  Each day we need to turn our eyes from things on earth and turn to looking at Him.  The end result will be the fulfillment of Micah 5.