Count Your Blessings

Stop Counting The Days!  More people than I care to count have been telling us almost daily that it’s so may days until Halloween and tagged on the end of that statistic is how many days until Christmas. We already know its coming. It’s like a countdown but instead of counting down from 10 they start at 106 days until the event. Almost like the countdown to the two royal weddings the world witnessed.

I guess lots of people are like that. Not me. We had a countdown recently. Nothing earth shattering but it was still a count down. We knew it was coming but we didn’t get too focused until it was almost on top of us.

Two things about counting down the days; first we miss all the joy of going through each day that leads up to the event. The song I think of most in times like this is; “One Day At A Time”, sweet Jesus, is all I’m asking of you. A long time ago I read that we should live in one way as if it’s our last and plan as if we are going to live forever. Or something like that.

In Ecclesiastes we are told there; “There is a time for everything & a season for every activity under heaven.” Do you get that? That is the second thing. Each day has some amazing events to go through and even better, many situations that show us the power of God in everyday life. If I was so focused on Halloween, I would have missed the opportunity to hold Isaac a couple of weeks ago for the first time. And when he looked back, it was the first time we had seen each other.

Not only should we joy in each and every day, we should also not focus on one event two months from now but count our many blessings, see what God has done, and we find all of them each and every day.

Something to think about

Rob

The Easy Way Out Is Not The Easy Way.

It’s easier to stop doing what you are trying to do and do nothing. We all can relate to giving up. Sometimes we are tired and sometimes we just don’t think what we are doing is what we should be doing. Can you remember when your parents brought a bike home for you? You jumped on it and tried and tried to ride it. After all that effort, it just wasn’t working. So, you ran in the house crying believing you will never ride a bike for the rest of your life.

It was at that moment, mom, dad or both showed up in your room - just to talk. Sitting on the bed, they asked how you were feeling and you told them! Really told them about trying and failing and just so discouraged you never wanted to see that bike again. “Take it back! I don’t want it”. You see, the bike, like many other items can be a reminder of your inability get something done. Or so you think.

Mom & dad let you know they believed in you. They knew you could learn to ride and ride well. They offered to help you, no matter how long it took. They walked beside you and ran beside you and when the moment finally arrived, they let go of the seat and you were riding all on your own. YES!

There is a similar experience in what Christ does with us. Many times I have sat in a pastor’s office and said to myself, “I’m done!” Most other ministers get there as well. We question ourselves; we question what we are doing and how we are doing it. We even think the reason people don’t come to church anymore is our fault. Then we ask ourselves if we can even survive. Most adults have gone through times like this. Those parents of the child who gave up, they lived through their own times of giving up. We were there at one time or another but we got back on the seat and tried again and again.

Interestingly enough God talks to us about something like this when we read in 2 Corinthians 12:9; ’But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  

Sometimes, we need to lean on Him. Because, “I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me.” is absolutely true.

Something to think about.

Rob

Going Home

Have you ever planned to go somewhere and decided at the last minute you didn’t want to go?  Me to. And now that you mention it, it is happening more often the older I get. You get an invitation to a party and you say yes and then that day, you back out. What’s with that?

I used to say yes all the time and then show up early and help with the preparations. Now I stay home and help with the dishes. Maybe it has something to do with where it is and who it’s with. Sometimes your heart is not in it due to people, places and things. Of course those are the three things I told people that I hated in life.

In the ministry I have heard it all. And those three things are mentioned from people who formerly attended church regularly. The one difference is, people start to distance themselves but taking the odd Sunday off. Over time, you take more time off than you attending and before you know it, you don’t attend anymore. Here is one thing I say to people, “If you would feel embarrassed to invite someone to join you at church, then find somewhere where you like to go and want to invite family or friends.”

The bible tells us to fellowship with each other. That means, when we get together we share in all that church involves and means to the beauty of life. Have you ever wondering why churches are dying? It’s not due to loss of faith, but the loss of a place of worship that you can call ‘home’. I love to invite people to our home & also to our church. How about you?

Something to think about

Rob

Let There Be Light

Last Friday, on a trip to the lumber yard I happened upon a sale on LED lights. Holding back, one package should do for our home. It got me thinking about what had been conveyed on the computer a year or so ago.

They have discovered that the world is becoming a very bright place since the invention and development of LED lights. They have even taken satellite images of before and after LED. The difference is amazing. Do a web search and see what I’m talking about. All of this light affects all of us. You really have to get out of town at night to see the stars and the wonder of God in the night sky. The lamplight outside my bedroom window was changed to LED a year ago and I'm still wondering if I should be wearing one of those night time masks or just move out of town.

This, because of the series we are going through here at the church about 'finding the disciple in us', got me to think about us. Jesus said at one point that He 'is the light of the world'. Then later He referred to us as the light of the world. Which at another point begs us to ask, is the church of Jesus Christ getting bright or fading? This is what I know, the world getting to be a brighter place due to LED development. This makes us, as a church, dare to ask the question, are we developed and done the same to bring the light of Jesus?

This is not just a church thing, it’s a personal think. Here is Jesus again: “Let your light so shine before the world around you that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven”.

Something to think about.

Rob

Life Changed May Be Your Own

Each one of us can change someone’s life. I have watched videos that have encouraged young people to connect with other kids who sit by themselves at lunch. They never talk to anyone. And other stories where a child shares their lunch. I heard stories given by a person whose life has been changed by good deeds. These stories are all around us. At the same time, there are individuals in our world, the people around us, who we see each day who could still use a kind word or action.

Just the other day I had opportunity to watch another video that showed another way to lift someone up. It chronicled a man going out of his way to help some homeless individuals. He didn’t just throw them a few dollars and walk on by.  Oh by the way, remember, it’s not just the homeless that can use a hand. Here’s the thing, you will see these individuals walking through life with their heads down, shuffling along through life with not a friend in sight.

Back to the video. He did something very important. So important it not only change the life of the persons he was helping but changed his own life. He did so by asking the same question Jesus asked of the blind man.   We read in Matthew 20:32 “What do you want me to do for you?” Simple, right? In the video he asked the homeless people, “What do you need?”  Then he went out and bought the items and had Amazon deliver the parcel. At other times he went and dropped them off himself.

There were socks, underwear, shoes, mitts, hats, coats, the list goes on and on.  This act of following Christ’s example is only one way of changing people’s lives. Find other ways; find your way and people you see with their head down due to the pressures of living in the world we live in. Find a new way of asking; "What do you want me to do for you?" Now, go change someone’s life and change your own at the same time.

Something to think about.

Rob