Happy 19th Birthday, Jacob!

Proverbs 28:26

"Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who WALK IN WISDOM are kept safe."

Nineteen years ago, Marty and I were at the fair in Monroe, LA, on a Sunday afternoon.  She was nine months pregnant, but our daughter Francie really wanted to go to the fair.  And whether she will admit it or not, Marty was really craving one of those hot, cinnamon, sugar-coated elephant ears!  After we walked around for an hour or so, we sat down to eat one or two or three of those elephant ears.  Marty looked at me after a few minutes and said, "I think it is time to go."  To make a long story short, Jacob was born just a few hours later.  

Jacob, we love you so much!  You are a blessing from God to our family.  It has been such a joy to watch you grow up into the fine young man you are today.  We pray for you every day.  Our prayer is that you will always WALK IN WISDOM, as it says in Proverbs 28:26.  Keep your heart pointed toward God.  Keep your eyes on Him.  Ask Him for wisdom, and He will give it to you.  Use that wisdom to glorify Him.  He will direct your paths and give you success.  Again, we love you and wish you a very happy birthday today!!!

Everlasting Love and Unfailing Kindness

I thank God for the years I was able to teach English to high school students.  I love literature and writing.  My favorite part of teaching English to high school students was teaching grammar.  I loved teaching parts of speech and all of the other elements of writing.  ADJECTIVES.  Adjectives are description words.  We use them everyday.  I love adjectives in the Bible, as well.  In Jeremiah 31:3, we find two very important and very awesome adjectives: EVERLASTING and UNFAILING.  God's love for us is EVERLASTING.  God's kindness toward us is UNFAILING. Let that sink in for just a moment.  No one can love us like God does.  No one can show us kindness like God does.  Life is going to come at you today.  For some it will be extremely difficult; for others it will be just another day.  For some it will an easy and relaxing day, but for others, not so much.  No matter what life throws at you today, remember the truth of God's Word.  It can and will set you free.  He loves you with an EVERLASTING love.  He draws you to Himself with UNFAILING kindness.

Thank You, Father, for Your great love for me.  Thank You for drawing me to Yourself with kindness.  I know that your love is EVERLASTING.  I know that your kindness is UNFAILING.  Nothing that happens in my life today can or will change these great truths.  You are a good, good Father.  I am thankful.  Amen.

Pray and Don't Give Up!

 I remember eighteen years ago walking into my classroom.  My students were walking in, as well, and an announcement came across the intercom.  We were told that planes were flown into the World
Trade Center building in NYC.  I immediately turned on my television, and we saw the devastation that was taking place.  A short time later we saw more attacks across our country.  I remember praying with my students.  I didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening.  I still don't understand.  I had trouble with my words, but God was with us.  I was blessed with many students who were believers and trusted God...even in and especially in the darkness.  I can tell you that even though we were scared and confused, we worshiped in that tiny classroom.  God was with us.

Today I am sitting in my office, and I am recalling all of those feelings and all of those thoughts.  I am looking at pictures and watching videos of 9/11.  I'm sitting in my office, and I am praying for all of those families that have been impacted by the devastation that day.  Many people died that day.  Many people were seriously injured that day.  Today I am praying just as I did eighteen years ago.  I don't understand why, and I am having trouble with my words.  However, I turn to the Scriptures.  In Luke 18:1, the Bible says, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP."  The parable that follows is about a widow who was seeking justice.  The judge did not fear God, and he did not care what people thought.  However, the widow was persistent.  She did not give up.  She couldn't understand or see anything good taking place, but she kept on.

We may not understand what is going on, and we may not see anything good taking place, especially in the darkness.  However, we pray.  We pray knowing that God loves us and God hears us.  We pray knowing that God has not abandoned us or forsaken us.  We pray with the knowledge God gives us in His Word, not in our own fickle feelings.  Jesus says in the parable in Luke 18:7-8, "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?  Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"  Father, thank You for Your love and faithfulness.  Thank You for listening to our prayers.  Thank You for Your justice that you administer for Your children.  I pray that You will find me faithful in praying and not giving up.  And Father, I do pray for those who are hurting today, those who are grieving today over the tragic events that happened eighteen years ago.  I pray that You would speak to their hearts.  I pray that You would lighten the dark places, and I pray that Your love and grace and mercy would overwhelm them today.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

My Heart Posture

The word "posture" refers to "position and/or condition" of a body or body part.  It also refers to a "mental or spiritual attitude."  Posture is probably something we don't think about very often as Christ followers, especially in the church.  However, it is something we should think about every day as Christ followers, especially in the church.  One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in Mark 3:13-15.  Verse 13 says, "Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he WANTED, and they came to him."  Let that verse sink in for just a moment.  It doesn't say, "those he NEEDED."  It says, "those he WANTED."  I don't know where you are mentally or spiritually right now in your life, but the truth of God's Word should encourage you today.  Jesus WANTS you!  That truth should impact your posture.  Mark 3:14-15 goes on to say, "He appointed twelve that they might BE WITH HIM and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons."  Once again, let these verses sink in for just a moment.  The order is so important, especially for me.  I have service on my mind and my heart all the time.  I realize the importance of service as a Christ follower.  Jesus said in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  For the Christ follower, especially in church, service is important.  However, if I am not careful, then my service can become my god.  I can actually start to believe that my service earns me more of God's grace, more of God's pleasure, more of God's love.  My service can actually become about my performance before God and before man rather than an overflow of God's love in me and through me.  In Mark 3, Jesus makes it clear that He WANTS me.  Jesus makes it clear that He wants me to BE WITH HIM.  That is a truth that I need to hold on to and a truth that I need to remember and practice daily!  Yes, Mark 3 goes on to say that Jesus will give me the ability to preach and the authority to drive out demons, but it is only after I have spent time with Him.  My heart posture should be impacted by what I know not just what I feel. My heart posture before the Lord should be reflected by the way I live my life.

In Luke 10:38-43, we encounter two sisters, Martha and Mary.  Verse 38 tells us that "Martha opened her home to him (Jesus)."  Martha loved Jesus.  Martha welcomed Jesus.  Verse 39 tells us that "Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said."  Mary loved Jesus, too.  Mary welcomed Jesus, as well.  It is verse 40 that reveals the problem.  Verse 40 says, "But Martha was DISTRACTED by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!"  What we see in this passage is that Martha was DISTRACTED by her service for the Lord that she missed the most important thing: BEING WITH HIM.  The posture of her heart made all the difference in this circumstance.  At first she questioned Jesus: "Don't you care?"  But then, she commanded Jesus: "Tell her to help me!"  Martha's service for the Lord actually became her god.  Her performance now dictated the posture of her heart.  Jesus gently rebuked her.  In verses 41 and 42 we read, "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."  What I have found more times than not in my life, I am worried and upset about my service and my performance for the Lord.  It impacts my heart posture.  I find myself questioning the Lord, and yes, even sometimes commanding the Lord.  Father, forgive me!  I am a sinner!  I have allowed my service and my performance for You become a god in my life.  My heart posture is not right.  Help me, Father!

In the gospel of John, we see how the heart posture makes a difference.  The first truth we see in John 11:5 is that "Jesus LOVED Martha and her sister and Lazarus."  Jesus didn't play favorites here.  He loved the sisters and their brother the same.  Let's look at how Martha's heart posture in John 11.  Lazarus is dead (John 11:14).  Martha and Mary are grieving.  John 11:20-23 says, "When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.  'Lord,' Martha said to Jesus, 'if you had been here, my brother would have not died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'  Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.'"  This is Martha's reaction and response to the circumstances.  There was no lack of love, and there was no lack of knowledge...but notice Martha's posture and how Jesus responds to her.  Now look at John 11:32-35, which says, "When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, SHE FELL AT HIS FEET and said, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.'  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  'Where have you laid him?' he asked.  'Come and see, Lord,' they replied.  Jesus wept.  This is Mary's reaction and response to the circumstances.  Notice that she said the same exact words to Jesus that Martha said, but her heart posture was different.  It made a difference in Mary's life.  Oh Father, forgive me when my heart posture is not right.  Father, help me to have the heart posture of Mary.  Help me to fall at the feet of Jesus in every circumstance of my life.  Help me to sit at the feet of Jesus first...before I say and do anything else, no matter the circumstances.  I see now that my heart posture makes all the difference in the way I approach Jesus.  Help my heart posture, Father.  I desperately need You!  Amen.

If you are reading these words today that God has given me, I want you to know that God LOVES you!  God WANTS you!  I want you to stay in this truth today, and I pray that this truth will impact your heart posture.  I pray that you will first just BE WITH HIM, and then know that He will equip and enable you to go out and preach the gospel and empower you with authority to drive out demons.  These truths from God's Word should humble you, yes; but, these truths from God's Word should encourage you, as well.  Don't let service and performance become your gods; let service and performance be the overflow of God LOVING you and WANTING you, and then the posture of your heart can and will be lived out loud as a glory and honor to Him!