Happy Thanksgiving

Truly being thankful is almost always about perspective. If we compare ourselves with others less fortunate, our perspective puts us in a different frame of mind.

Sure, I may see shortfalls in my life. I may want more. I may be ill. I may be having serious struggles in a relationship. I may be in the middle of a divorce. I may hate my job. We all have issues... all of us. Some more intense than others - but we definitely have them.

BUT... some have lost loved ones today. Some are in the hospital seeing their friends or family breathing their last breaths. Some live in under-privileged countries where food is scarce. Millions are drinking water that we wouldn't let sit in our toilets, let alone our back yards... and they're dying every day. Worse yet, they're continuing to live in misery. Millions upon millions are starving to death, literally.

No need to go on... you get the picture, don't you? Yes, you may have a lot of struggles. Legitimate issues in your life. But Thanksgiving is a great time to put those hardships in perspective. Focus on what you have. Focus on the blessings right in front of your face. For those of us who live in the United States of America - we have a HUGE bundle of blessing in that fact alone. Let alone that many of you are Christians and have a sealed eternity with our Heavenly Father. Man - that alone puts me in a great frame of mind.

Happy thanksgiving all. It's all about focus and perspective. Give it a try.

Freedom Compels Us to Reach Out... The X Factor Devotional - Day Twenty Five - February 12, 2010

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17

Several years ago in the unlikely town of Fulton, Missouri, the town fathers directed huge chunks of concrete to be hauled onto the local college campus.  They knew there would be no better backdrop for a historic speech to be given in their little city.

As chunks of concrete go, they weren’t particularly attractive.  In fact, they were pitted, scarred by blows, and smeared with graffiti.  But to those who saw them, carefully situated behind a podium on the broad green campus lawn, they were beautiful.

The speech was by Mikail Gorbachev, former leader of the former Soviet Union, in commemoration of another speech given decades before in that same place by Sir Winston Churchill.  In that earlier speech — on the same campus, behind the same podium — Churchill coined the phrase “Iron Curtain” to describe the conditions in Eastern Europe.

Half a century later, an ex-Soviet strongman stood at the microphone to talk about freedom... against a backdrop of large chunks from a fallen Berlin Wall, the actual remnants of that once-daunted “Iron Curtain.”  What a visual of freedom.

Freedom.  Such a wonderful word.  Here in the U.S., we are blessed with a measure of freedom that is remarkable in the annals of modern history.  Yet this social freedom pales in comparison with the spiritual freedom we know and experience in Jesus Christ.  In Him, we have been liberated eternally. 

And, because of the freedom He has given us, we are motivated to commit wholeheartedly and unreservedly to Him.

As we seek God in this spiritual journey, we ensure the message of freedom in Jesus Christ continues to go forth from this place.  It is because we are free we must do everything possible to spread the message of freedom to our community and beyond.

Prayer Focus: What are some practical ways you can share the joy and reality of your freedom with others?  To go deeper in our walks, we must not forget the tens of thousands of lives within driving distance of our church that need that freedom in Jesus too.  It’s because we’re free we can go and reach out to our community and invite them into a walk with Christ as well!

What is one practical way you can reach out to someone today… right now?  For real!  They need the freedom you have!  What will you do?  Send an email?  Make a call?  Write a letter?  Pay a visit?  Do something today to reach OUT!

Faith in Futile Circumstances... The X Factor Devotional - Day Twenty One - February 8, 2010

"’Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.”
Mark 11:22

George Mueller hadn’t faced a situation quite like it.  Before him were 120 orphans, expectantly seated at long dinner tables.  But something at this mealtime tested the mettle of Mueller’s heart.  On the dinner plates at that table was...nothing but water.  Eager faces looked toward him, as if to say, “What’s for dinner?”  But he didn’t know; the cupboard was bare and the icebox was empty.  There was no milk, and no money to buy food or drink.

What was George to do?  It didn’t take long for him to decide.  He would do what he had done every other mealtime.  He would instruct the children to bow their heads and join him in thanking God for the meal they were about to eat.  He would praise God for the faithfulness of His provision.  And so he did.  Mueller prayed simply, directly, and with a heart filled with faith.

When the “amen” was pronounced, the plates were still empty.  But as the eyes of those 120 youngsters turned again to the head table, a knock sounded at the door.  One of the boys was sent to answer.  A moment later, he called out, “Mr. Mueller, it’s the vegetable man!  He’s got a lot of stuff for us!”  “Coincidentally,” there were many vegetables that would spoil if he didn’t do something with them.  While the vegetables were being unloaded, another person came to the door — the butcher!  He had run out of ice at the end of a hot day and faced the prospect of awful, rotting meat.  Could the orphanage use it?  No sooner had he spoken the words than another amazing “coincidence” occurred.  The milkman’s wagon pulled up, overloaded with milk and dairy products and needing desperately to do something with them!

Needless to say, it was quite a banquet that night.  And it was the finest lesson in faith those orphans ever received.  Would the same thing have happened had Mueller not prayed, believing God for His provision and thanking him ahead of time for it?  We don’t know, but we do know Jesus said we have not because we ask not.  And we know His will for us is to walk by faith, not by sight.

Prayer Focus: God is calling each attender of Impact to answer a vital question:  “Do you have the faith to trust God for His provision?”  No matter what the circumstances are?  No mater how gloom your reality may seem?  Do you trust God to provide?  Talk to Him about that right now.  Spend at least 10 minutes (minimum) and share your heart about your faith in His provision.  Oh yeah… and be honest!

Black Friday Can Turn Red

I hope that all of you would consider the possible downside to all the great sales coming out on "Black Friday." Yes, there are some tremendous buys. Yes, Christmas is around the corner and many of you have waited all year for this day.

However, although common sense should alleviate this statement altogether, Black Friday often puts well-meaning people into the "RED" in their general ledgers. By that I am talking about charging money on your credit cards that you might not have in your bank accounts.

We all know how easy it is to 'charge it.' Many of us have done that in the past. Let's make this 'holiday' season the best one yet. Spend what you can afford. Nothing more... maybe a little less! It will make for a peaceful January when all the bills come due.

Seriously, as a pastor, January typically brings some of the worst offerings of the year. I find that a bit odd since most people get their year end bonuses and raises either at Christmas or in January. So it would seem that January offerings would be some of the best. Somehow, they are not. My guess... Black Friday puts too many people in the "RED!"

Shop responsibly kids :)! Are you planning to make any concessions this year for your Christmas gift shopping?