Happy 20th Birthday, Jacob!!!

"My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." - Proverbs 4:20-23

Jacob, it has been a joy watching you grow up over these past twenty years!  We can remember the day your were born very well.  We were at the fair in Monroe on September 24th because your mom was craving an elephant ear - haha!  She got her a big and cinnamon sweet elephant ear, and just a few hours later we were at the hospital welcoming you into our world.  We are very proud of the young man you have become, and we are looking forward to all that God has planned for you in the future!  Continue walking with God and obeying His commands, and as Solomon told his son, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  We love you and wish you a Happy 20th Birthday!   

Will I Whine or Will I Worship?

One of my favorites passages in the book of Acts is found in Chapter 16.  Paul and Silas traveled from town to town, strengthening the churches in the faith with the gospel of Jesus.  When they made it to Philippi, a major city in Macedonia and in Roman control, they encountered a female slave who had an evil spirit in her.  She was a fortune teller and made money for her owners this way,  She began following Paul and Silas and causing unwanted attention and trouble for them.  Acts 16:18 says, "She kept this up for many days.  Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, 'In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!'  At that moment the spirit left her."  Of course, the female slave's owners were furious because they would no longer make money from her fortune telling.  The owners dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities and blamed the men for causing an uproar in their city.  Acts 16:22-24 says, "The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

From the world's point of view, this would qualify as a bad, bad day.  We have to remember that Paul and Silas were both Jews and Romans.  Not only was this a bad day, but this was an unfair day.  It was against the law to beat a Roman citizen without a fair trial.  From the world's point of view, Paul and Silas had every right to whine, to complain, or to fight.  However, what happens next is amazing!

Acts 16:25-26 says, "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose."  You might think it was God's will for them to be freed at that moment, that it was God's will for them to leave by the cloak of night.  However, Acts 16:27-28 says, "The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul shouted, 'Don't harm yourself!  We are all here!'"  What we find in this passage of Scripture is that Paul and Silas did not ESCAPE the moment; they EMBRACED the moment!  Paul and Silas did not WHINE for themselves; they WORSHIPED the Lord!  They were part of a ground-shaking and life-changing experience!  As a result of their worship, the jailer and his entire household believed in God.  And at daylight, the magistrates ordered the jailer to release them.  However, Paul and Silas asked the magistrates to come and give them an escort.  And when the magistrates found out that both of these men were, in fact, Roman citizens, they moved quickly and in fear.  

How many times do we WHINE when things don't go our way or when we are treated unfairly?  How many times do we draw attention to ourselves and our pitiful state?  What we see in this passage is that we have a choice: we can WHINE for ourselves or we can WORSHIP the Lord.  We can try to ESCAPE the moment or we can EMBRACE the moment.  When we focus on the Lord and we worship Him, it shows others that we trust God's purposes and God's timing.  And when we focus on God and lead others to focus on God, He will move in powerful ways!  It could be a ground-shaking, life-changing experience...not just for you, but for others who need to know the Lord.  My prayer is that I will WORSHIP rather than WHINE.  My prayer is that I will EMBRACE the tough moments in life rather than try to ESCAPE them.  And may it all be for the glory of God!

For I Am Your God!

In the Old Testament, God formed and chose Israel.  In Isaiah 41:8-10, God says the powerful words: "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.  I said, 'You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'"  When I read the Old Testament and learn about the Israelites, I learn that time and time again they rebelled against God.  Time and time again they tested the love and the patience of God by turning to sin, especially the sin of idolatry.  However, I also see that time and time again through loving discipline, God reminded his children Israel that He formed them and called them.  He reminded them over and over again that they are His children.  Nothing Israel did on their own earned or deserved this position with God.  As a matter of fact, it wasn't Israel pursuing God; it was God pursuing Israel.  God's love for His people is amazing, as well as His grace and mercy for them!  And as I continue to read God's Word and move into the New Testament, I see that God's love for His people doesn't end with Israel.  He wants all people to come to a knowledge of Him and to come to repentance and to salvation.

The apostle Peter says 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  The apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, "This is good, and pleased God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."  This is good news for you and for me!  Jesus tells me in John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last - and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."  Again, like the Israelites, I have not earned nor do I deserve the love of God in my life.  I have not earned nor do I deserve God's grace and mercy.  God made Himself known to me through the power of His Holy Spirit and the power of His Word.  I repented of my sin and put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  In that moment of repentance and belief, I became a child of God.  The words He spoke to Israel in Isaiah 41:8-10, became words that I, too, hear and cling to today!  God says to me as His child, "Do not fear, for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, for I am your God."  God says to me as His child, "I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand."  This is the amazing love of God!  This is the amazing mercy of God!  This is the amazing grace of God!  And I am a recipient of God's love through Jesus Christ alone!  I thank God for Jesus, who lived for me and died for me and rose from the grave for me, so that I might be forgiven of my sin and set free to live a sacrificial life for God, for God's glory!  There is nothing in this life - no circumstance, nothing - that can change who I am in Jesus.  There is nothing in this life - trial, tribulation, or torment - that can change God's promises to me and for me as His child.  He is with me.  He is for me.  I am His child.  He is my God.  I rest in the truth of God's Word.  I rest in the promises of God.  He is faithful!