How Are You?

How are you? How you doing? How you feeling? How's it going? How many times a day are you asked questions like these in some form?  How many times a day do you ask one of these or a similar question to others? What's your typical response?  What is theirs?  Currently, my usual responses are great and wonderful, very good, really good, just great.  I hear blessed, grateful, blessed and highly favored, excited, alright, okay, not so good, have been better, tired, sick and tired, little frustrated, kinda down, little disappointed, seen better days, supernaturally, doing good, real well,  kind of scared, a little bit worried, not feeling so good, et.al. 

I can imagine that you respond, as I do, to one of these questions several times a day, whether in person or over the phone.  Consider the declaration that you're making.  Since the tongue has power of life and death (see Proverbs 18:21), to which do your daily, repetitive responses speak?   You're only saying two or three words, do they really have that much impact?  Can/will they really make a difference in your life?  How important is this small talk in the greater scheme of life and living?  

Are your responses positive or negative confessions?  I would encourage you to make the choice to change all negative confessions to positive ones. Even when the facts don't line up, speak positively, speak the truth.  Your words are self-fulfilling prophecies.  Change your words, change your life.  Start with those daily, repetitive responses.

 

Falling Short

During a recent fasting experience, I made a commitment to God to increase my prayer time. One strategy was to set the alarm on the phone for a middle of the day time, go into the prayer chapel (at church where I work) and pray for at least 15 minutes. The first 2-3 days went as planned. In the days ahead, I missed appointments more than I kept them. I started to forget to set the alarm. Recognizing that I was falling short, I asked God for forgiveness and got back on track. How I wish that was the end of the story. No, again I got back off track. All I wanted to do was to keep a prayer appointment in the middle of the day. I experienced feelings of frustration ... disappointment ... anger with myself ... questions of why ... thoughts of how will I explain my shortcomings to my fast partners whom I was teaching and encouraging, and what will they think of me. 

 

Reminding my fast partners that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (see Romans 8:1) served as a reminder to me. Slowly, I began to realize that God never once reminded me that I had fallen short or that I had missed the mark. He never expressed frustration with me, not once did He indicate disappointment with me. He never beat me over the head or led me to be anxious and fretful. God the Holy Spirit was in me and with me as my Encourager, my Strength, my Helper, my Peace. God was right there all along, honoring and blessing my areas of faithfulness, willingness and obedience. 

Question to you -- how do you respond when you realize that you're falling short? More important question -- how does God respond when you fall short?
 

 


 

 

Excuses

I ended 2015 and began the new year of 2016 with a strong sense of being more consistent in writing and posting these blogs; e.g., weekly postings without fail.  I expected to return to that place of excitement, enthusiasm, commitment and follow through when I started the blogs in August, 2012. I have now missed weeks one and 2, now into week three.  I will start, no more excuses.

Have you made new year's resolutions, commitments, plans and have already missed the mark as I have?  What are your thoughts about that?  How are you feeling about where you are?  Would you consider your responses excuses?  Probably yes! Are they good excuses ...  weak, poor, couldn't help it, had no choice, couldn't do any better, real reasons?

If Jesus were replying to me, what would He say? And of course, he answered by reminding me of the parable of the Great Banquet (see Luke 14:15-24) where different ones had been invited and were told  to come.  They all began to make excuses, to beg off.  Not one would enjoy the banquet, the blessing, the opportunity.  Surely there would be another opportunity.  Could the lost time be made up? What do you think?

For me -- God, I've started even though later than planned.  I fell short, I missed the mark, forgive me. I want to be faithful. I want to follow through with my plans, and resolutions, and commitments. Help me, enable me, empower me.  Thank you, Father!!!

Be Joyful

 

Do you serve God with your head or do you serve God with your heart?  In the Old Testament book of wisdom, the Proverbs, are found commands like these -- keep my commands in your heart ... write them [love and faithfulness] on the tablet of your heart ... trust in the Lord with all your heart ... above all else, guard your heart (see Proverbs 3:1-6, 4:20-23).

Even more pronounced during this season of celebrating the birth of Jesus, many are experiencing broken hearts, physical sickness, depression, stress, unhealthy emotions, mental illness, hustle and bustle, hurry up, loneliness, grief, sadness, unhappiness, bitterness, regret, lack, poverty, hurry up and wait, conflict, loss, confusion, fear, and the list goes on.   Through it all, make the choice to be even more determined to serve God with your heart.

How, you may be thinking?  Be joyful.  Rejoice in the Lord always.   Sing joyfully to the Lord, e.g., "joy to the world, the Lord is come."  Joyfully, show random acts of kindness to others.  Speak joyfully to all who you encounter.  Rejoice always.  Smile joyously.  Remember the fruit of the spirit, "love, joy, peace ... ."  Allow Jesus to restore to you the joy of His salvation.  From the depths of your heart, will you be joyful?

 

What Can I Give Him

 

"What can I give Him poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I'd give Him a lamb. 

If I were a wise man, I'd do my part.

But what can I give Him? I'll give Him my heart."

How can I give Him my heart, you may be thinking? I'm glad you asked. If you have first accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then give Him your heart in worship. Next question may be -- so what is worship? Worship is adoration, bowing before God in reverence, showing respect and honor, worshipping in spirit and in truth. Much can be learned about worship through the Christmas story (see Luke 1). During her visit with the older woman Elizabeth who was pregnant with John, the virgin Mary bowed and worshiped in song as she carried the Holy Child. Due to his unbelief, the older priest Zechariah who was married to Elizabeth was unable to speak until after their child, John, was born. At that time, he too worshiped through a song of prophecy. 

Jewish rabbis of old have said that "study of the Word is the highest form of worship." Old Testament Scripture reminds us to honor the Lord with our wealth, with our firstfruits. The wise (scholarly) men, who knew the prophecies and studied astronomy, traveled a great distance to worship the baby Jesus and give Him their best gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Beginning with this season of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, will you give Him your heart through increased worship -- adoration, reverence, honor, giving, study of the Word?

Prepare Him Room

Joy to the world! the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;

let ev’ry heart prepare Him room . . .

(from the familiar Christmas carol, Joy to the World).

In this season of Christmas, who is your heart preparing room for? Some recent headlines featured in The Birmingham News -- "Another Day, another shooting and no solutions; Boy, 12, shot on Birmingham playground by 13 year old after jokes exchanged; 2 women die in early morning Calhoun County fire; 'I live on Facebook,' says Alabama man who threatened to 'blow up' high school; Man shot by woman on Thanksgiving Day now identified; 3 men indicted in Montgomery sex trafficking ring; Gadsden couple reports armed robbery, $3,200 taken."

Given all the darkness in the world, in our families and personal lives, can you agree that we need to prepare room for The Light of the World. Who is that, you may be thinking? Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Tonight, go into a dark room with an unlit candle and matches, or with a flashlight or penlight, or with your cell phone darkened.  Quietly, begin to think about the dark places in your life this Christmas --  i.e., your disappointments, hurts, fears, frustrations, lack, sickness, disease, loneliness, unemployment, etc.  Turn on the light and see the changes in the room. What can you now see that you couldn't see in the dark?  Begin to consider how The Light of the World can come in and turn your places of darkness to light.  Write down your thoughts, dreams, aspirations, and promises of God.  Not only are you experiencing The Light of the World, but now recognize the Prince of Peace resting, abiding, and ready to take rule in your heart.

In your heart during this Christmas season, prepare Him room today and in the days ahead!!!

 

Prayer Explosion for Our Schools

Recognizing the power of prayer, we should pray without ceasing, we should pray and not faint, and PUSH -- Pray Until Something Happens.  The week of November 2-8 has been designated as a time of prayer for our schools; i.e., for all the school workers, the students, and their parents.  Our three part challenge to all is to 1) pray this prayer at least three times, 2) share it with at least one other person, and 3) invite at least one person to attend the Prayer Explosion for Our Schools service at 9:31 on Sunday, November 8th at The Guiding Light Church in Birmingham.

PRAY -- Father God, touch the hearts of all who are in our schools.  Raise up a generation of men, women, and children who seek your face, and are filled with peace, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  Our schools are transformed, not only as we pray and stand, but also as we speak, act on and fight for the truth of Your Word.  Thank you for an increasing measure of love and unity throughout our schools.  Lord, here I am, empower and use me for your service.  In the name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

SCRIPTURE -- "When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.  Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction.”