Monthly Archives: February 2018

I saw Orion last night from 30,000 feet!

Seemingly just outside my window, The Great Hunter stalked majestically through the night sky. His sword by his side and club in his hand, he continued his eternal quest for prey.

Orion has always been one of my constellations. It is an easily recognizable constant in the southern sky and I always look for it first when I look at the stars. To see it from a different perspective as I flew over California was exciting.

As I considered this beautiful constellation and the other stars in their courses, I was reminded of David’s words in Psalm 8:3-4:

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?”

I was overwhelmed by the realization that the same God who set Orion and the Pleiades in the night sky directs my steps. Whether I am on a plane at 30,000 feet or walking the streets of Wenatchee, He leads me day-by-day, moment-by-moment. I am never out of His sight, never separated from His love. And neither, my friend, are you.

He has loves you with an everlasting love and holds you always in His hand. As surely as He guides the stars, He guides your life.

So don’t be afraid, do not despair, for “He who made the Pleiades and Orion…the Lord is His name!

How many of us, when the phone rings, ignore it? No, we drop everything and scramble to get to it before the answering machine picks up.

How about when someone knocks at the door? Do you just go about your business, ignoring the annoying sound, wishing whoever it is would just go away? No, you rush to the door and open it wide, eager to see who has come to visit.

Or what about when your computer announces, “You’ve got mail!”? Most of us can’t resist clicking that mouse to see who’s reaching out to us today.

If we get this excited about answering the phone, opening the door, or clicking on email, why is it we so often ignore the soft knock of the Savior on the door of our hearts? Why do we leave Him standing in the cold, while we surf the net or watch the tube?

Think about it! More often than not the phone call we’ve so eagerly answered is someone trying to sell us something; the email is just another cat video from Cousin Bob; and the knock at the door is that annoying neighbor who’s always borrowing a cup of sugar.

But when Jesus knocks He’s not trying to sell something. He wants to give you peace like you’ve never known (John 14:27).

When you answer His call He’ll “…show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jer. 33:3).

When you open His Word He’ll feed you the Bread of Life, so you’ll never be hungry again (John 6:35).

This morning Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart once again. He’s calling out your name. Haven’t you ignored Him long enough?

Open the door – Let Him in!

As you’re walking down the street can you tell who the Christians are?

It should be easy. All you should have to do is look for the people with smiles on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes.

Christians should stand out from the crowd. They should be the happiest people on earth!

Why? Why not? I mean, really, think about it. In a world full of heartache and despair, where so many stumble through life with no clear direction, no hope, Christians have the Good News:

• They know Jesus died for them and paid the price for their sins. (John 3:16)
• They know God is always with them and never leaves them nor forsakes them. (Hebrews 13:5).
• They know God has great plans for them, “plans for good and not for evil.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Most importantly, Christians know that no matter how bad things are right now there is a better day coming soon. This is not all there is, because God has promised, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37 NIV.

Soon Jesus will come to take His children home. “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16-17 NIV).

With all this good news it’s no wonder David declared in Psalm 144:15 “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” We have hope and nothing the world can throw at us can take that hope away. No wonder we’re the happiest people on earth!

God bless and have a wonderful day!

Do you ever wish life gave “do-overs”? I know I do.

Somedays I can’t seem to get anything right.

• Old sins raise their ugly heads at the most unexpected times, catching me off guard.
• I can’t seem to say the right thing and I end up hurting the ones I love.
• I’m so crabby and irritable.
• People ask if I got up on the wrong side of the bed, but the truth is I shouldn’t have gotten out of bed at all.

Unfortunately, there are no “do-overs.” What’s done is done. I can’t take back that angry word, that hasty remark. I can’t go back and “un-sin” my sins.

There is good news, however. God doesn’t give “do-overs”, but He does give new starts.

Paul tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV.

God is in the business of second chances (and third and fourth and…). No matter how bad we’ve messed up in the past, if we will just come to Him and confess and repent He promises, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12 NIV

When we accept Jesus as our Savior we become “…a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5: 17 NKJV. All our mistakes in the past are just that – in the past. We get a clean slate. It’s up to us what we will write on it.

Are the mistakes of yesterday stealing the joy from today? It’s time to turn over a new page.

“Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13, 14 NIV

We can’t do anything about yesterday. There are no “do-overs”, but praise God today is a new start! Get out there and make the most of it!

We live in a beautiful mountain valley in the Cascade foothills. I love this place, but there are days, especially in winter, when I wish I had the faith to say to the mountains around us “Move from here to there.” (Matthew 17:20)

The dark days of winter are made even darker by the mountains blocking the sun. There are days when the sun doesn’t hit our house till about 9 AM and sets by 4 PM. Add in a little fog you begin to question if the sun will ever shine again.

Life can be like that sometimes. Problems surround us, blocking our view of the Son. Life can seem dark, dreary, cold, like our valley on a winter morning.

It is in times like these, the days we walk through life’s darkest valleys, when the words of Psalm 23:4 mean so much. It says there, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil for [God is] with me.”

But how is God with me?

He is there in the touch of a friend’s hand, a smile from a stranger, a kind word or a comforting hug. He is there when you and I care for each other.

It is in life’s darkest valleys we need each other most. It is through you and me God reveals Himself to others. As we reflect His love to those around us, we light their way through the dark.

Today, don’t give into the gloom. Reflect the Son! Let God’s love reflect off you and brighten someone’s day. Show those you meet they need “fear no evil”, for God is with them. Even in the darkest valley, He is there, in the touch of someone who cares.

Lord, Fill Me Up!

Each of us has a love cup, hidden within our soul.

For some their cup is empty, for others over-full.

All around us there are people who need their love cups filled.

Life has knocked them over and their cups have spilled.

Their hearts are now quite empty, their spirits parched and dry.

They long for us to see them, to hear their plaintive cry.

These are our sisters and brothers. It’s up to us to fill them up,

to show them they are not alone and with Christ’s love fill up their cup.

If we do not do this, if we don’t listen to their cry.

then hate will take the place of love and their hope within will die.

So, take your cup to Jesus. Cry out, “Lord, fill me up!

Give me more love than I need, that I may fill another’s cup.”

If we do this every morning, what a difference we will see.

Love will flow like water, to meet each other’s need.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you…” 2 Peter 3:9 NIV

Don’t you hate it when you get behind a slow driver when you’re in a hurry?

You’ve got places to go, people to see, things to do, but the old guy in the car up ahead apparently has all the time in the world!

When this happens it drives me crazy! I’m tempted to forget about the double yellow line and go for it, hoping there’s not a car coming or a cop just around the corner.

Sometimes I think God is like that slow driver, holding me back.

God seems to have a different sense of time then I do. I know “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years…” (1 Peter 3:8), but come on, Lord, I ain’t got a thousand years. Sometimes I feel like passing Him up so I can get on with my life. The words “Wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:14) have got to be the hardest command in Scripture!

The problem is my vision is limited. I can’t see around the corner, but God can. If I go rushing ahead, ignoring the “No Passing” signs, there’s a good chance I’m going to make a wreck of my life.

God does everything in His own good time and for our best. He promises that “…that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31.

Remember, “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.” 2 Peter 3:9.

If God is going to slow for you right now, be patient. He knows what He’s doing. Put your trust in Him, relax and enjoy the journey. Let Him take the wheel and He will get you safely home – in His time.

The Bible says, “Love never fails”, but let’s face it, it does. Husbands cheat. Wives stray. Relationships die. Children pull away. Human love can be fickle and temporary. It’s a fact of life.

That’s why Valentine’s Day, a yearly celebration of love, is for too many the loneliest day of the year, a reminder of love gone wrong, of promises unfulfilled, and hopes discarded.

But there is one kind of love which never fails – God’s love! He declares in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love…’ and in Psalm 103:17, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him…”

Human love may fail, but God’s love never does, “For as high as the heavens are above earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:11. He has proven His love by giving His Son, Jesus, to die, so that “…whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

“‘God is love’ is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green — all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire to make His children happy.” Steps to Christ, p. 10

This morning, open your eyes to God’s love. The evidence is all around you. No matter what blows life has dealt you, no matter how often human love has failed you in the past; God’s love will never fail. Put your trust in Him. Give Him your life and discover for the first time what unfailing love is all about!

God bless and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Decisions, decisions, decisions!

With so many choices out there how can anyone know what is the right way to go?

Thankfully you do not have to depend on your own wisdom, because you have a Heavenly Father, “who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

If you will “accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, [you] will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before [your] feet.” Help in Daily Living, p. 21

As you face decisions today, whether great or small, remember God cares about the smallest details of your life. Put your trust in Him, determine to serve Him with all your heart, and He will show you the way.

God bless and have a great day!

“I hate Donald Trump!”

“Hillary’s a liar!”

“Republicans are evil!”

“Democrats are traitors!”

Rhetoric like this spews from our television sets and is tweeted over the Internet every day. Even in lunch rooms at work, the halls of our schools, and from the podiums of our churches, hate-filled speech seems to have become our native voice.

We live in a house divided, a land where even the words, “One Nation Under God” are a trigger for debate. Republicans hate Hillary! Democrats hate Trump! Blacks hate whites and whites hate blacks! Christians hate Muslims and Muslims hate Jews!

This is not the way it was meant to be! We are supposed to be the “United” States, but instead we have become a nation torn apart.

If only we would take Jesus’ advice to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”, what a different land this would be! Imagine how things would change if:

• Instead of bipartisan bickering, our politicians did some bipartisan praying.
• Police agreed that black lives mattered and blacks accepted that blue lives did too.
• Instead of throwing rocks at each other, we sat down together and passed the potatoes.

If we’d all learn to pray for those we disagree with I think we’d find a lot more to agree on.

“Pie-in-the-sky” thinking? Maybe so, but it’s what Jesus told us to do, so I think it’s worth a try. It has to start somewhere, so why not with you and with I?

Loving our enemies and praying for those who despitefully use us is not natural for us, but God calls us to a higher standard.

We can shout and scream at each other all we want, but it’s not going to change a thing. But if we love like Jesus loves and pray like Jesus prayed, change will happen, even if it’s just in our own hearts.

Give it a try today! Choose to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” After all, aren’t we all children of our Father in heaven? It’s high time we started acting like we were!