What's In Your Heart?

I read a recent comment from a friend on Facebook that got me thinking. She mentioned that she had been doing some really in depth cleaning and she didn't realize how much unseen dirt was there simply because it lay hidden. Isn't that the truth? How many times have you discovered where all the dust bunnies hide, when you decide it's time to move to a new home. We do our best to vacuum all the places that are visible but what lies hidden many times gets skipped over, not because we don't want it clean but simply out of neglect of the things that are not seen.

True of our homes, even truer of our lives. So many times we allow things to creep into our lives and we excuse them because they are unseen. We know the big stuff that's wrong, that would be visible if we participated in, so we steer clear of those things. But it's the little things in the hidden corners of our lives that cause us to not be clean before God. Oh - don't get me wrong. No one knows of our issues. No one is aware that we've got some cobwebs in the corner. No one knows of the dust bunnies that are reproducing rapidly under our bed and because they don't we go through life with a false sense of righteousness - a righteousness that we portray on the outside but is only skin deep. If we are ever going to be truly righteous - we've got to open the windows of our heart, let the light in and expose all the hidden places to the truth of God's word.

You see we have no problem condemning murder and adultery, fornication and drug use, lying and stealing, perversion and lust. But just as condemned in God's Word are things like pride, gossip, judgment, and condemnation. We have private sins that we allow ourselves because they're not readily visible to the outside world. . . and yet we are open books before our great God who knows and sees all.

I love Jesus' Sermon on the Mount - and one of my favorite passages states "Judge not, lest you be judged. Condemn not, lest you be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given back to you, press down, shaken together . . ." Anyone who's ever been to a church service where an offering was taken has probably heard the second half of that passage. Imagine with great gusto and an evangelistic persuasion as Bro. Offering Taker says "GIVE and IT'LL BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU - PRESSED DOWN SHAKEN TOGETHER RUNNING OVER SHALL MEN HEAP UNTO YOUR BOSOMS - FOR WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU GIVE IT OUT IT WILL BE RETURNED UNTO YOU! -- GLORY TO GOD, HALLELUJAH, AMEN!" Now don't get me wrong, I believe God's Word. But many times we forget the first half of that passage which reveals that if we judge, if we condemn, and if we harbor unforgiveness, the same measure that we use to mete that out, will be used to judge us, condemn us, and withhold forgiveness from us. I mention that scripture because many times we are quick to point out the flaws and sin in the lives of others but meanwhile we have major flaws in our own life, hidden away and just because they're under the bed, doesn't mean they aren't there.

I've been studying the life of David recently and the more I study the more I'm fascinated. I've known all of the stories all my life but I'm trying to look deeper to get an understanding of the true shepherd boy who became king. I marvel at his humility when in the midst of having his sin exposed, his murderous adulterous affair brought to light by God's prophet Nathan, he does not respond in self-righteous indignation but rather finds a place of repentance. And on his face before God in repentance, we hear the words, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. . ." So many times, we just need to learn to ask God to create within us a clean heart and to remove that heart that is dirty and filthy with all sorts of ungodly attitudes and actions, that although hidden still remain. Stop vacuuming around the obvious. Stop cleaning just that things that people can see but allow our hearts to be exposed to a God who lovingly and willingly will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So - what's in your heart today? Are there things there that you've been hiding from the world and trying to hide from God. If so - throw back the curtains, open up the windows and invite God to come and truly cleanse you - not just of the things that are seen but of the things that are hidden as well. Stop pointing out the faults of others and allow God to make you to be more like Him. In so doing, we will be cleansed ourselves and then better able to help our brother or sister when they are struggling - not from a self-righteous perch - but by going to where they are and in a spirit of love help to restore those that have fallen. I want my heart to be an authentic match to the heart of my Creator - today oh God - create in me a clean heart!

Love all of you - hope you're having a wonderful start to the week - let's learn to love others with the kind of love, shared with us by Jesus Christ Himself, unselfish, always forgiving, merciful and kind . . . God bless - until next time - RP

In Everything Give Thanks

Amazingly, 2009 is quickly coming to a close. If I'm completely honest, part of me is determined to stay up until 12:01 am on January 1, 2010 to make sure that 2009 actually leaves. Yeah - it's been that kind of year. But in the midst of all of the things that we've lived through that we'd never want to go through again, I felt the Lord today remind me of the words of the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica - ". . .in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV) Now I'm no English scholar (or Greek for that matter) but when Paul wrote "everything" I think he meant "everything". And to me, "everything" is a standard that is really tough to live up to.

I know - all my super-spiritual readers out there - you've lost all respect for me. But if I'm being completely honest, there have been moments over the last year that I have not felt thankful. I have not wanted to be thankful. In point of fact, I think there have been times that I've wondered how a thankful spirit was even possible. And yet - Paul says that in everything, give thanks. As a matter of fact, he says that thanksgiving is the will of God for our lives. So how, in the midst of situations that are painful and hurtful and at times unfair can we still find a way to fulfill the will of God and the command of the Apostle Paul - to be thankful in EVERYTHING? Well - I haven't got this completely licked yet but more and more I'm discovering the joy of living a life of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is not just a period in the month of November - thanksgiving is a lifestyle that we chose to live. And if it is indeed a lifestyle choice then their must be some things I can do to become more grateful, regardless of the circumstances that blow through my life. I want to live a life that fulfills the will of God and therefore I must be thankful in everything - so how do I do it?
I'm confident that there is probably a 5o point sermon out there that someone could recommend but I'm gonna share with you three things that I'm trying to do that is helping me to discover a life of thanks!

1) Trust in the Power of God's Word - Did you know that when the Bible says that ". . . all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. . ." (Romans 8:28 NKJV) it really means it? It doesn't say that everything in my life will be good - it just lets me know that everything will work together for my good. In other words, while in the midst of the storm, I can't see how my ship being tossed to and fro and being shoved of course can possibly be good. But if I trust in the one who controls the storm and the ship, my wind blown ship being forced into a different port actually puts me in the place where God intends for me to be. When God tells me from His word that I'm healed, I'm forgiven, I'm His child, I have a purpose, that He has a plan for me and that my eternity is secure in Him - I can bank on it because I can trust in His word. Regardless of what my circumstances may say at the moment - I can be thankful because I know that I can trust His word and it will not lie.

2) Trust in the Power of God's Hand - When life seems to be going wrong all around you and everything that you once counted on has gone topsy-turvy - you can still trust and know that God has the power to move on your behalf. Imagine you are in Babylon and you are one of 3 young Jewish boys who have somehow found themselves in a position of power in the administration of King Nebuchadnezzar. Everything is going great until the king makes a golden image and he expects everybody to bow down to it -- only you know there is no other god except Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - the great God of Israel. So you don't bow. And you discover that the king won't give in either and therefore you are destined to received the prescribed punishment, a very hot furnace of fire designed to burn everything within it's path. You are bound with ropes and the fire is stoked up seven times hotter than it was before due to the kings wrath - a fire so hot that it killed the soldiers who were given the responsibility of putting you in. It's a pretty bad situation. It certainly does not seem fair. It certainly seems that life has suddenly taken a pretty drastic turn for the worse. But I love your attitude in this story . . . We know that our God is able to deliver us - but even if He does not we will still not bow and we will still remain faithful to our God. And so, amazingly and without a consideration of failure, God shows up in the midst of the fire and the only thing that burned were the things that were binding you up. Sometimes in those moments when we think our circumstances can't get worse, those are the times that God is up to His best work - so in the midst of all that, if we can remain thankful and faithful - He will not only show up but those things that are restricting us will be destroyed as He brings us through the fire once more.

3) Trust in the Power of God's Heart - When you consider that Jesus loved you so much, He moved heaven and earth to purchase you from the clutches of sin - when you consider that He would rather leave His eternal home than live there without you - when you consider that there is nothing that can ever separate us from that love, we can truly trust in the power of His heart toward us. Even at those moments when we can't even imagine how God's hand is in the midst of our situation, we can forever trust that His heart is toward us. As a good parent loves his or her children, imagine how much more our Creator loves us. The very same God who created mankind and then died to reconcile mankind to Himself and from sin can't help but be in love with His creation. Oh how He loves us! And because of that love, I can without hesitation say that I am thankful.

The Apostle Paul also wrote - that in whatever state he was in, he had learned to be content. Knowing that God is in control regardless of my current circumstances certainly causes me to discover a level of thankfulness that I never thought possible. This Thanksgiving - don't just celebrate a day off to eat turkey and watch football. Instead commit to a lifestyle of Thanksgiving - by trusting in God's Word, His Heart and His Hand and know that we've all got so much to be thankful for. Good stuff - Absolutely! Bad Stuff - you better believe it. In everything give thanks - for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you!

Until next time - GIVE THANKS! Love all of you! -- RP

Consider The Eagles

During Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He gives some amazing illustrations as to His ability to provide for you and I, when he says, "Consider the lillies of the field. . ." and "Consider the birds of the air. . ." And so this morning, I awoke considering one of those birds indeed. And not that I'm Jesus, although I'm striving to be like Him, I'd like to share with you some thoughts and I'd like to begin similar to the way Jesus did. . . Consider the Eagles!

Eagles have always fascinated me. They are amazing birds. Their abilities to soar higher than others can, see things that others can't, move faster through the air than others . . . truly the eagle is really peerless when it comes to all other birds. But I also know that their tremendous strength is not automatic, it doesn't just happen. They are not just born with these amazing abilities - they are birthed in the midst of struggle. If the life of the eagle proves anything is that strength is truly born in the midst of struggle.

Before they are ever born, the struggle begins. As with all birds, the eagle gains necessary strength by being forced to fight their way through the shell of an egg. If it intends to live, if it intends to survive it must fight through the resistence created by what to you and I may seem fragile, but to that infant fledgling eaglet, it seems like a mountain in it's path. I've been told, that if the mother bird were to simply remove the shell for the baby bird, the strength that is needed to survive would not be gained and ultimately the eaglet would either die or be severely handicapped. How many times have we begged God to remove our struggle, our dilemna from our life when God knows that we are gaining necessary strength. Others may look at us and think that our stuggle seems trivial but to us it is monumental. So while others may lessen our struggle, it's our struggle and it is designed to give us the necessary strength to help us be prepared for the flight to come.

As the eagle grows and he matures, there comes a time when the necessary strength has been gained and Momma Eagle knows that if her eaglet is going to survive, be able to eat on its own, be able to provide for itself, be able to function as it was intended, she must make life uncomfortable. She will begin to tear apart the once comfortable nest made for young babies. The things that she placed in there to make it soft and comfortable, she now rips out and she allows the barbs and the sticks and the rough patches come through to make the now maturing eagle extremely uncomfortable. It will begin to desire to move outside of it's comfort zone and begin to climb and move around looking for a place that will provide the comforts that it once enjoyed. Many times, we get so comfortable. We're happy with our place in God what we're doing and where we are and meanwhile, God wants us to move to new places in Him. And if we're unwilling to go on our own, He has to begin to make us uncomfortable. Like the momma eagle, He begins to tear apart our nest because He knows, that if we will get out of our comfort zone, there will be new places that we can achieve in Him.

Finally, there comes a time when the eagles wings have fully developed. His feathers are full and complete and it's time to fly. The mother eagle knows that there would be nothing worse than having a full grown, mature, powerful bird who was created to soar above storms and to rise about winds who never learned to fly. Having made the nest uncomfortable she now forces her offspring out of the nest. It may seem cruel, but under her watchful eye she kicks him out. She may even drop him from high distances all in an effort to force him to use those powerful wings. It is only when forced to learn, sometimes even the hard way, that the eagle begins to realize the fulfillment of what it's capable of. Sometimes, God does the same thing. He knows what we are capable of. He knows what He created us to accomplish. And sometimes, even thought it's uncomfortable for us and it may even seem cruel, but God pushes us to places where those things that we count on are removed and we are forced to test those fully developed wings and finally begin to soar.

So when Isaiah says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings like eagles. . ." Mounting up is never an easy process. It requires us to struggle through some things. It requires us to get out of places of comfort. It may even require God to push us out over the edge. But if we will continue forward toward growth and maturity, in the midst of the worst storms of our life, we will be able to "mount up", rise above our adversity. We will discover that the thing that we thought had come to destroy us, is actually the force that is pushing us even higher than we've ever been before.

So . . . Consider the eagles . . . there are more lessons to learn but today just remember that growth is a process and whereever you are on the maturity time line, be aware that the struggles of today provide the necessary strength of tomorrow. And eventually, you must come to the realization that you were created to soar. It's time to stop hanging on the ground with the chickens and the turkeys - you were created for more - you were created for more. It's time to soar!

God bless - thankful to be amongst eagles! Let's rise to the heights that God intended! Until next time -- RP

Artistic Explosion

Today, as I look out the windows in our home, I am absolutely amazed at the brilliant and diverse colors that God has painted across the Virginia landscape. Having lived in Virginia all my life, I think sometimes I've taken for granted just how amazing God's artistry is and certainly how breathtakingly colorful He can be at this time of the year. If you've never seen a Virginia landscape in the autumn, you owe it to yourself to take a ride through Shenandoah National Park during October. It is truly a sight that will make anyone stop and in awe remember how truly amazing our great God is.

True of the autumn leaves and the Virginia landscape, even moreso in the lives of His most amazing handiwork - you and I. As I've taken some time over the last few weeks to reflect on my own life, I've discovered that the old poem is true. During those moments in my life when I can observe only one set of footprints on the sandy shore, while the toughest moments in my life, it was truly the hands of God who were upholding me and carrying me through them. His amazing handiwork is truly evident in every corner of my life.

From the moment I was born, His artistic brushstrokes have been at work in an effort to produce His masterpiece in my life. The parents that I have, the childhood I grew up experiencing, the pastors & youth pastors who prayed over me and cared for me, those moments and experiences around altars in His presence, my baseball coaches, acceptances and rejections, successes and failures, friends made in my High School years that remain to this day, college experiences, meeting my future wife, our first date, our wedding two years later, seeing our two amazing children be born, experiencing 15 years of a wonderful marriage together, discovering the older I get, the wiser my parents are, God showing Himself to be ever faithful . . . brushstrokes. Ministry opportunities, moments of accomplishment, times I'm thankful for - even some moments that I'd rather not relive. Beautiful, colorful, amazing brushstrokes.

But no masterpiece is complete without those dark undertones that add depth and create perception. Lost jobs, hurt feelings, lost relationships, broken dreams, failed ideas. . . wounds, hurts, moments that I scratched my head and wondered what God was even up to - thinking that maybe He'd walked away from the canvas and decided to discard the artistic piece He'd begun. Dark places where at times confusion and frustration were the feelings of the day and questions reigned foremost in my mind. While I wandered in disillusionment and wondered what God's plan was, He never wavered. God's plan for the canvas was fixed in His mind and the dark colors were simply being added to provide depth of character and allow the bright colors to have more significance.

In the 3rd verse of Job 28, Job declares, "He setteth an end to darkness. . ." During those moments when it feels dark - there seems to be nothing else to look at. It seems to be at every turn, on every corner of our lives. But I take comfort in knowing that in the midst of Job's darkest days, He could say, "God sets an end to the darkness. . ." At some point the dark hues have been applied and the pigments are attached to the canvas and the depth of character has occurred and God's dark color application has come to an end. . .

What are you facing right now? Do you feel as if there are some dark places that you are in right now? Do you wonder if it will ever end? Well - it's all a part of God's handiwork. His masterpiece for your life is just being worked on. Brushstroke after brushstroke - color after color - a true artistic explosion where God is creating some of His most amazing work in your life. You may not realize it right now but it's simply because your standing too close to the artwork. Take a step back and look at the masterpiece as a whole, realize that God's may not be finished yet - allow the Master Artist to continue to apply brushstroke after brushstroke - submit yourself to the Master - and allow Him to complete the Good work that He began in you.

Loving God - appreciating His handiwork - enjoying His artistic explosion - and thankful to share with all of you again. Until next time - allow God to apply all of His colors onto the canvas of your life and watch His Masterpiece begin to come to life! - RP

Connected - Can You Hear Me Now?

A little over a week ago, I moved from a suburban area just outside the city of Richmond, Virginia to Stafford, Virginia which is a booming area just south of the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. I thought that I was moving into an area that would have been near the pinnacle of technological advancement and would certainly have no problem remaining connected to the outside world. After all, I had gotten pretty technologically savvy – I received my email and my internet from a wireless router that was connected to a cable modem from which I received phone calls, faxes and access to the web. On the web I was connected to people through email, Facebook and through this blog. I also have a Blackberry from which I can receive mobile phone calls, my email and Facebook updates throughout my day. Then I arrived at my new home in Stafford, Virginia. It’s a beautiful place with wonderful scenery. I can sit in my office and watch deer come through my yard. I can see, even now, two rabbits chasing each other just outside my window. The squirrels are darting back and forth enjoying all that God’s great planet has to offer. But apparently, no matter how picturesque my little piece of Stafford County, Virginia is, there are many who do not come here. Comcast does not come here. Verizon will come but they will only bring their old vehicles. No Fios. No DSL. Just good old land line dial up if you want it. Did I also mention that if I want to connect with someone through mobile means, ie a CELL PHONE – I have to stand on one foot with my elbow cocked at an unnatural angle and hold it there and only then if I leave the house and stand on the front porch. After a week and a half I feel DISCONNECTED. Yesterday at church someone asked if ‘everything was ok.’ They told me that I seemed “down”. And the truth was I felt “down” – I felt depressed and then it dawned on my – I felt DISCONNECTED.

Over the last few months I had really been connecting to a lot of folks and after a week and a half I started to really miss those opportunities to touch base, to get involved in the lives of those that I care about. And unfortunately, no matter how many trips to Panera Bread I make – I always feel like somebody is looking at me going, “Just leave and give up that table. Besides you’ve got the plug that I want.”

I think that as humans we have a natural inclination to be connected with other people. We have a need for it and unfortunately when it does not exist, we feel isolated, alone, and depressed. I was praying this morning and I thought how terrible it must be to live life disconnected. I always laugh at people who say they want to get away and leave their cell phone and their email and their internet behind and just not be bothered. It sounds like a great idea, until they actually have to do it and then they are constantly wondering what’s going on back at home. We need to be connected.

Depression is in our world at an all time high. Anti-depressants are the most prescribed medications on the market today. I am afraid that much of this stems from people choosing to lock themselves into their homes, perched in front of their televisions, camped in front of their computers and not connecting effectively to other people. Churches spend millions of dollars, going to thousands of conferences, reading hundreds of books put out by numerous authors and seminar speakers all in an effort to do one thing – connect people to one another. Churches have tried small groups – they’ve tried large groups – they’ve tried picnics – they’ve tried family activities. We try to force people to connect because we know that it will help them. But for the most part a forced connection is like shoving a round peg in a square hole. It very well may fit but it’s not a natural connection and the fit is never as good as it could be. So then – how do we get people to connect?

I don’t have a solution – but I do have a suggestion. We are created in the image of our Creator. Our Creator loves being connected with His Creation. If then, we are like HIM, doesn’t it stand to reason that we too will want to be connected to other members of His Creation. So in my line of thinking – to get truly be connected to others – I must first be connected to God. If we can somehow get ourselves connected to God, we will naturally connect to others that are around us. We will be drawn to others like a moth to a flame. I wonder how many people are mired down, living lives at a level less than God wanted for them, struggling with depression and frustration when at the end of the day, they just need to connect with God and watch God renew their mind and their heart and give them a passion about connecting with others.

Connecting with God is more than just showing up at church and sitting through the preaching. I hate to say it but it’s more than shouting and jumping and leaping in expressions of praise. Connecting with God is what happens in your life when nobody’s watching and nobody’s listening. Is your life truly connected to him? The last few weeks, I’ve felt like I was a Verizon Wireless commercial in reverse. “Can you hear me now?” “No!” “How about now?” “No!” -- “Hold on, I’m running to the front porch!” But then I thought that in the midst of that time of disconnection – how many times has God said – “Rodney, can you hear me now? – I’m trying to connect with you. I’ve got some stuff I want to talk to you about. Are you listening? If you will just stay connected to me, then you’ll be connected to my body – other believers – and then you’ll connect to my mission, my plan for your life.”

I think the mission statement for the church should be – “Connecting people: To Jesus Christ, To Others, and To Their God-given Mission.” What a difference our lives would make if we’d just do it in that order. Get & Stay connected to God – Get & Stay connected to each other – and Get Connected to the thing that God equipped you to do and use to touch the lives of those around you. Connection is so important and you don’t realize it until you don’t have it . . . so take it from me – STAY CONNECTED!!!

Until next time – or at least the next time I can get connected J --- RP

Finding My Place

Have you ever spent hours and hours putting together all of the pieces to a really large puzzle and just as you are finally finishing you realize that. . . there's a piece missing? How frustrating . . . aggravating. . . disappointing . . . agonizing. That feeling that you get when you realize that all the time, energy, effort - it was all in vain because the picture that you were trying to complete can not be finished. The work that you were trying to do cannot be done because one piece was out of place. And isn't it true, that if there is a single piece missing - we don't notice the picture. We don't notice the WHOLE - instead we notice the HOLE. One missing piece makes a huge difference.

True in puzzles - even truer in the kingdom of God. God has placed within each of us abilities and gifts and amazing talents that were designed to be utilized within the kingdom. But many times for various reasons there are HOLES within the fabric of the kingdom of God. Maybe it's because we don't know what our gifting and our talents are. Maybe it's because we don't see what we bring to the table as needed or wanted. Maybe it's because we've never been asked or maybe it's because we don't see ourselves as worthy of a piece of the puzzle. For others, it's because we see ourselves as too busy or too fearful or too unprepared. Whatever the case is, there are Christians throughout the kingdom of God who are living lives that are unproductive and unfulfilled because they've yet to discover their place, their spot on the puzzle.

Paul described the kingdom as a body. Christ is the head but we are individual members of the body fitly joined together so that every joint, every bone, every muscle, every organ is needed and supplies for the needs of all the others. Therefore, when we see ourselves as part of the body, we understand that our function is necessary and needed whether it is small or great. Because the elbow can't say to the bicep muscle, I have no need of you. The femur bone can't say to the big toe, I have no need of you. The nose can't say to the ear - your function is not important. Nor can the mouth say to the hand - of what purpose do you serve? We are one body joined together for HIS purpose and we desperately need every part. Oh, we can survive without certain members of the body. . . you can live with some missing parts. BUT the body will never be what it could be until every piece is in its proper place.

The key to finding your place in the kingdom is to first recognize and realize that YOU are a vital and important piece of the puzzle. Without you, God's kingdom would be less that it could be with you serving in it. There is no small role nor large role - only opportunities to make Jesus look great. When we serve in the kingdom, we do so by utilizing those things that God has placed in our life. And so - you are an important piece of the kingdom. Determining your place is not always simple. Sometimes we're not quite sure how to be most effective in the kingdom. To truly determine your place, you just have to get started. Sometimes when you're putting together a puzzle, some pieces get tried in numerous places. You twist it and turn it and attempt to position in various places. Sometimes it's just a little bit off. Sometimes it may even fit but the pattern doesn't fit that section of the puzzle. Sometimes it doesn't fit at all and you move on to the next spot. But eventually, if you're willing to try, you discover the tailor-made spot for the puzzle piece that is in your hand.

There's a man in the book of Acts - his name is John Mark. When Paul left on one of his early missionary journeys, Barnabas and John Mark were traveling together with the great Apostle. At some point on the journey, there arose a disagreement between Paul and John Mark. Apparently John Mark was homesick and really wanted to return to Jerusalem and Paul great angry and frustrated with him. So Barnabas took John Mark and Paul found a man by the name of Silas and they parted ways. Years go by - Barnabas and John Mark, with anointing on their life had discovered all sorts of areas of ministry for them to thrive in. And well, Paul & Silas had some wild stories to tell themselves. All had discovered their place in the kingdom although the original places they tried didn't quite seem to fit. Late in life, the Apostle Paul sends a letter and in his letter, he says, "Tell John Mark to come to me because I have need of him." The man that the Apostle Paul had sent away in shame - suddenly was in need. Sometimes, we don't understand why things happen the way they do. Sometimes we don't understand why hurts come into our life or experiences happen that don't make any sense. Maybe you tried to accomplish a ministry - you tried to serve in the kingdom and it just didn't work out the way you thought it would. Recognize that, just like John Mark, your ministry is of value - your place is needed. It just may be that the experience that you are having to go through right now, is designed to place things in your character that will make you better able to serve and to a blessing in the future.

Why do we have hurts? Why does pain come? Why does bad things happen to us? Sometimes we wonder, if we are supposed to be a part of the body of Christ, why do we have to face struggle. There's no easy answer to that question. But I do know, that struggle always bring strength and your ability to touch the lives of others is improved by your opportunity to share your experiences. God never wastes a hurt. If it happened to you, you can rest assure that at some point, you will have a chance to assist in the healing process of someone else who in the future will go through the pain you experience today --- if you're willing to find your place and get right in the middle of it.

If God has called you and brought you into His Kingdom - He intends to utilize those things that He has placed in your life. Spiritual Gifts, Abilities, Personality Traits, Experiences, the things that you love to do - they are all placed in your life by GOD - and He will utilize them to minister and to touch the lives of others - if you're willing to find your place.

The most unfulfilled Christian is an unserving Christian. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure it's possible to be an "unserving Christian". To be like Christ means to serve - and I want to find the fulfillment of serving in the body of Christ. Find your place in the puzzle - get plugged in and discover the joy of serving and living your life in such a manner that you impact all those around you. What is it God is asking you to do? What is it that you would do for the kingdom of God if you knew that you couldn't fail? Today - begin looking for those opportunities to plug your piece into the puzzle. . . Find your place and get right in the middle of it - and discover the joy that only Jesus can bring.

Love all of you - pray for Davina and I - we will be moving over the next few weeks and we are so excited to soon be on location with our wonderful church family at Church on the Move. We are endeavoring with all that we have to find our place and hopefully help others find their place as well in the kingdom of God. Until next time - even if it's through trial and error - look for ways to serve in the kingdom and to impact our world! -- God bless - RP

Amazing Love

Today, I've just had on my mind how truly amazing the love of God is to all of us. I've been replaying this wonderful Chris Tomlin song over and over, some of the lyrics of which are:

"Amazing love, How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love,I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You, In all I do, I honor You.

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again."

Truly what amazing love we've all experienced from Jesus Christ. The 8th chapter of Romans, Paul shows us just how amazing the love of Christ is as he begins to show the inability of anything to separate you & I from the Love of God. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Nothing that you and I go through, struggle with, allow to even at times over take us, none of those things have the ability to separate us from this amazing love of Jesus Christ.

You know - there are not a whole lot of people that I'd willingly lay down my life for. If you'd be honest, you would say the same thing. As a matter of fact the Bible, in the 5th chapter of Romans says, "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The Love of God is so rich and pure and unassuming and undeserving and unconditional in that WE who were bound in sin, locked in misery, chained in calamity and hell-bent on destruction were still recipients of such great love.

Many I believe struggle with the idea of the Love of God. Because many feel as if they don't deserve God's love, therefore they have a tough time accepting the fact that God loves them. In part, this faulty concept is due to the fact that we believe God loves in the same manner that we love. As humans, our love is a performance based love. If you do those things that I like and if you perform well, then I will love you. BUT if you don't comply to my wishes OR you act in a manner that is in anyway contrary to my desires for you, than I will withhold my love. Isn't that really how we as humans love? BUT not God - while we were still sinners, God's love was demonstrated to us by His willingness to die in our place. God's love is pure. You can't do enough to earn it. You can't perform well enough to deserve it. It's already been extended when you were at your lowest point - dead in your trespasses. And so if extended then, how can I accomplish enough to earn what has already been given.

Many have suffered at times through the love of family that was conditional. Dare I say, many have been presented love from a church that was conditional. If you do these list of rules or this list of accomplishments, then you will feel love from the Pastor and the saints of this congregation. What a shame, that so many in Christianity have been forced to live in captivity in an effort to perform in such a manner as to acquire love. We were made to love and to be loved. If there is anything that we can learn simply by observing the generation of teenagers that is alive and well today, is that people will do just about anything to earn acceptance and love --- even those things that make no sense whatsoever. What a shame it is when those in power and authority within the church, utilize those same methods to dispense and withhold love and acceptance in the kingdom of God.

At the end of the day, God's love is unconditional. It is never wavering. He can't love you anymore than He already does. Regardless of your mistakes and regardless of what others think, the love of Christ has been shared with all who are willing to be loved by Him. His death at Calvary was the most amazing act of love ever known - and it cannot be earned because it's already been given, it cannot be acquired by certain actions, because it was offered while we were certainly unworthy of it. So today - accept the Love of Christ. Not based on the works that you've accomplished - not based on the approval of man - but simply because you are His creation, you are His child and there is nobody He wants to share His love with more than You.

One last thought - it is a statement that has gotten me through some of the darkest days of my life, when I questioned everything I'd ever done and wondered if God's plan for me had been scrapped because of what others thought and what others were saying. "I am not who others say I am. I am who God says I am. In Christ, I am forgiven. In Christ, I am secure. And In Christ, I am free." Today, you can be free - because if Jesus says, "You're Free", you are truly Free. And His love will never be able to be separated from the object of His affection - namely YOU!

Until next time - May God bless you as you explore the depths of HIS AMAZING LOVE - Be all that Christ wants you to be and never be defined by the box that others would shove you into - Dream Big - Roam Free - and Love others the way He loves you!!!! ---- RP

I Will Bless The Lord at All Times

David writes in Psalm 34 "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. . ." In order for David to have written such a verse, he must have been having a whale of a day. He must have had life by the tail and everything must have been going his way. He must have just killed Goliath, been married to the king's daughter, and heard all the ladies in town singing about his military prowess as being even greater than that of King Saul. He must have been having a great day. Because surely, if he had been having a day like many of us have had at one time or another, there is no way possible he could have written, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. . ." RIGHT? Actually - WRONG!

David, what are you doing? I'm pretending as if I've gone mad. What? Why would you do such a thing? I mean you're frothing at the mouth and beating your head against a wall and talking to yourself. You are the next king of Israel - and you're appearing before King Achish, the monarch at Gath. Why would you do such a thing? (Time for Evangelist Creativity - or story-telling if you like) Well, David must have said - Let me tell you a story. You see, I was sent to deliver some cheese and some bread to my brothers who were serving in the kings army. When I got there - I discovered that the army was afraid and the king was terrified and nobody was standing up for the name of our great God. So I did - I killed a giant of a man named Goliath. I cut his head off and I killed his brothers too. My celebrity status as a military giant gave me credibility with the people and power with the king -- BUT they meant nothing to God - He already knew my name and knew that the King's time was short. It wasn't long until the King who had applauded me was now trying to kill me. And after barely escaping the edge of his javelin throw for the umpteenth time, I figured it'd be safer on the road -- until at which time God chose to call me back home. So we've been living in caves, out in the middle of fields, whereever we could find cover and shelter. We've been hunted, sought for, chased, and surely would have died were it not for the protecting hand of our great God. One day we were so hungry, that we stopped by the temple and the priest gave me bread from the table inside the holy place and allowed my men to have food. Realizing we were in trouble, I led my men quickly to this town called Gath. But King Achish wants to kill me because he sees me as a threat - so rather than die at his hand and my destiny be squashed - I think it might be necessary for me to act like I have rabies - so I think that's what I'll do. And so even though it's been pretty lousy of late - I remember a time not so long ago when I killed a bear and I killed a lion. I remember a time not so long ago when the prophet Samuel came to my house and poured oil on my head and told my Daddy that I was going to be the next king of Israel. It may seem like a pipe dream considering all we've been through but I remember. Although, things are rough right now, I've never seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed beggin for bread so, while you may think I've lost my mind - and King Achish is going to send me away rather than kill me because he thinks that there is something wrong with me - forgive me, but I think I need to write a song. . .

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears." (Now go read the rest of Psalm 34 for your self - it's a cool song when you know the background.)

So is it possible to, as David says, bless the Lord at all times? Can His praise CONTINUALLY be in our mouth? In good times? In bad times? In glad times? In sad times? In good weather? In the midst of the storm? When life has treated you great? When all hell has broken loose in your home? Can we say, as Job said, standing in the face of all the evil that had befallen him on his fateful day, "The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away, Naked I came into this world and Naked I'm gonna go -- Blessed be the name of the Lord." Can you say as David did - "I will bless the LORD at all times. . ."

It's easy to bless and to praise God in the midst of a sunshiney day. But boy, when the wind starts to blow, the thunder rolls, the lightning strikes, the rain beats all around us, it certainly is much tougher to stand and say - Blessed be the name of the Lord. I met a new friend a little over a month ago. We were looking for a new home and he was the agent showing one to us. As we met, we began to talk and share things, we discovered that we had something in common. We both are absolutely crazy about Jesus Christ. I am confident that I met my new friend, Chad, by divine appointment. For you see 15 minutes before we met, he had received a phone call from his wife who was letting him know that she had just been diagnosed with cancer. After he showed me the house, we exchanged information and he sent me an email. He told me that he could feel the presence of the Lord around my family and God had told him to have me pray. He shared with me his families dilemna and His confidence that God was able. A month later, we've continued to pray and believe God for His very best in the life of Chad and Terry. We've asked God to heal Terry and we believe that He is going to do something amazing there. Today, I received an email and to be honest in my flesh I wanted to be down. The doctor has set up a chemo and radiation plan and it doesn't seem at this point that God has done what we asked. But as I read the report and I read his wife's response, my whole attitude changed. Chad and Terry, in faith, said, we don't understand but we know that it will work together for the good and that if nothing else good had come from this, there were some people who had started coming to church to be with Terry during this ordeal. They chose to Bless God no matter what. They chose to take on the spirit of David - and have praise continually in their mouth. You see, they've come to the conclusion that whether he answers with a "YAY" or a "NAY" - He is still God and His name is worthy to be praised.

And so - I will bless the LORD at ALL TIMES - His praise shall CONTINUALLY be in my mouth. Am I in a storm? Yep! Has everything worked out the way I thought it would or should? Nope! But regardless of how things are - I'm gonna bless the LORD. God is good - God is great - God is worthy - God is love - God gives me hope - God protects my family - God is ABLE - God knows my end from my beginning - He knows the plans He has for me - He knew what I would face today LONG BEFORE I got to this place and He who began a good work in me WILL see it through to the day of it's completion.

Are you facing a battle right now? It's ok to admit it. But in the midst of the battle, why don't you take a moment and give credit to the one who gives you strength to fight on? Why don't you take a moment and honor the one who clothed you in spiritual armor so that you could withstand the fight of the enemy? Why don't you, right now, offer thanksgiving and praise to the one who gives you the ability to stand when everything around is sinking sand? Why don't you just take a moment and give some worship to the one who is worthy of all? In case you're confused - His name is Jesus - there is none like Him. He can build a highway in the dessert, walk on top of crashing waves, ride on the wind, breath life into those things that are dead - and today He is able to do more in your situation in a moment than you could do by investing a lifetime. Why not take David at his word - and say - "I will bless the LORD at all times."

Love all of you - thanks for continuing to read with me on this journey - God bless - Until next time - RP

God's Perfect Design

About 9 years ago Davina & I sat down with a realtor for a new subdivision in our area and picked out a set of plans. We had several different floor plans to choose from. Each set had their own pros and cons. Finally we settled on one but to make it perfect for us, we requested some changes to the plans which they were willing to make. Add a bay window here, delete a door way there, a closet here, a storage area there and finally our design was perfect. Or we thought it was perfect 9 years ago when they began construction. But after 8 1/2 years of residence in our perfect design, we've discovered a lot of things that if we had opportunity to do it all over again, we'd do it differently. Nothing major - but my wife would have preferred a pantry, maybe an island in the kitchen, bigger bathrooms, a walk-in closet. If I'd had it do again, I would have spent the extra money to build the garage instead of just trying to get by with what we had. Like I said, nothing major, just the realization that what we thought was once a perfect design, over time has become, shall we say, flawed, imperfect, less than what we thought it was going to be.

It's not that we are easily dissatisfied or even hard-to-please - it's just that we have the same issue as all the rest of humanity. Because we are flawed, we are incapable of creating perfection. We are incapable of discovering on our own a perfect pattern. But God never makes mistakes. His pattern is flawless. His plans are incapable of error. He creates a perfect design. Unlike us, He has the advantage of seeing how it is all going to turn out. And so He knows that we'll need a closet here or a larger bathroom there or a large front porch or a patio out back. According to scripture, He knows what we have need of before we even ask and so when He lays out the pattern for us, He builds what is necessary for us into our life, EVEN when we don't know why it's been drawn on the pattern in that particular spot.

God has always been into patterns. Patterns are important and they are found throughout the Bible. In Genesis, God used a pattern to create the universe. He set in the sky a sun that controlled the day and a moon that controlled the night. These two large objects still remain in the sky operating according to the same pattern that God designed in the very beginning. It is a perfect pattern that controls seasons, weather, sunrises, sunsets, wave patterns, animal migrations, etc. God set a pattern in order and it is fool proof - everyday the sun rises, the sun sets, the earth rotates on its axis creating a perfect 24 hour day.

When God got fed up with His creation, He gave Noah a pattern - a perfect pattern to navigate the stormy waters and save not only his family but an entire zoo of animals. When Israel found themselves trapped in Egypt, God gave a pattern to Moses that became known as Passover. He was exact in His instructions as to the preparation of the Passover meal, how it was to be prepared and eaten and how the blood was to be applied. If the pattern was followed exactly, deliverance would come to those households that obeyed. It was a perfect pattern for deliverance. After delivering an entire nation out of the clutches of an Egyptian Pharaoh, he gave Moses a pattern for a tabernacle in the wilderness. This pattern for the tabernacle in the wilderness was a flawless design that went from a physical pattern in the Old Testament to a spiritual pattern in the New Testament, ultimately providing for our salvation and access to the very presence and power of Jesus Christ. 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ came and fulfilled the exact pattern of the passover lamb. His death, burial and resurrection, becomes an exact pattern which when we follow, through repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and the infilling of His Spirit, gives us access to the amazing gift of salvation. God operates in patterns.

If patterns are this important to God, doesn't it stand to reason that God has a pattern for the lives of every individual in His kingdom. I am convinced that Jesus drew up a blue print for my life and for your life and the life that He is constructing is a flawless design. His design is perfect - it has everything that I will ever need built into the plan. He knows every trial I'll face. He knows every obstacle I'll need to clear. He knows every mountain I'll need to climb. He knows every river and every valley I'll need to cross. He is very much aware of every struggle and every pain that will come into my life, long before I ever had to face it. And because He did, He compensated for EVERY hurdle with a part of the design. Those items that you thought must have been flaws, must have been mistakes, are simply God's way of preparing us for those things that we'll face later in life. He has prepared for every thing that we will face - He included it in HIS design.

So today - are you facing things? Probably. Are you going through some stuff? More than likely. It's not because God has made a mistake. It's not because God's plan is flawed. It's not because His pattern is imperfect. It's simply that He's seen a little farther down the road than you have. What feels like pain right now is just a design on the blue print that is going to give you victory tomorrow. What feels like a hurdle today, is simply a spot on the plan that calls for some extra reinforcement for the JOY that you will need tomorrow. After all he promised that the weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Or as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17, ". . . For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a for more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. . ." So don't judge God's plan now - know that His design is flawless and therefore this affliction is just for a moment - it's actually working for us, giving us an exceeding and eternal treasure. It's only a little while before we see the completed project. We can't see it right now - because as Paul described it, it's look like looking through a darkened piece of glass - but eventually we'll look our Designer in the face and when we see HIM our perfect design will be complete. And we'll understand it all - better by and by.

Keep your chin up - the plan is perfect - the design is flawless and the life God is building in you will be perfected in HIS timing. Until next time, keep working God's pattern in your life and let Him get glory out of you - God bless - Love you all - RP

Trust - Even When It Doesn't Make Sense

Yesterday, my daughter Abigail and I were driving on the western side of Caroline County, Virginia. Along a rural country road, we travelled between what felt like mile after mile of corn fields. Beautiful corn stalks, blowing in the breeze, field after field after field. I pointed out the window and said - "Abigail, look at all that corn." Her reply, "Did somebody have to bend over and plant all of that?" I said, "No, baby, they have all kinds of great machinery now that make it easier for the farmer to be able to plant his fields." She then said - "But how does he water it all." My response, "Baby - farming is really an act of faith. He plows the ground and then he plants the seed - but he has to trust God for the rain."

It's awesome the things that we can learn by just observing the day to day events in our lives. Farmers are amazing to me. They invest in a field that promises them nothing. They believe in a product that lies dormant beneath the ground. They prepare for a harvest that they can not guarantee. They faithfully go out and work fields, even when the return is unknown. They do everything that they can to insure that they will have sufficient in the end. And yet, their are variables that they cannot control. No amount of work on their part can insure sufficient rain, sufficient sunshine, lack of storm damage or destruction by flood. They really don't know about the fluctuating changes that could occur. No - they just do their part and they have to trust God for the rest.

How many times have I screamed at the heavens - "God this just doesn't make any sense. What are you trying to do? What is your plan?" You probably have to. I mean, we plowed the field. We planted the seed. We seemed to do everything right. We followed the Farmer's Almanac. We planted at the right time. We've done all we know to do - and now Lord - where's the rain. Where's the growth. I don't seen any green sprouts bursting through the surface out in my field. Did I misplant? Did I do something wrong? Am I not the farmer I thought I was?

Of late, in midst of all my questions, I've been hearing a voice coming back to me. It's sweet and gentle - not harsh or rude. I haven't gotten the "How dare you question me?" routine that sometimes I've probably deserved. Instead, I've heard the words of an old Sunday School lesson which are really the words of Jesus from His Sermon on the Mount. "Consider the lilies of the field - they don't labor - they don't make clothing and yet have you ever seen anything arrayed as beautifully as them. Consider the birds of the air - they don't sow - they don't reap - they don't have a barn or a bank account and yet God feeds them. Aren't you more to God than birds and lilies."

Trust is such a tough lesson to learn. In our modern world, we're taught that if we are going to make it - if we are going to survive, it is going to be based on our own abilities, our own merit. I am not an advocate of the welfare system. We have too many who are constantly waiting and believing that someone should bail them out and God should be their sugar-daddy in the sky. We have too many preachers preaching a prosperity gospel that is no more biblical than pigs are aeronautical engineers. BUT - Jesus did tell us that we should not be so consumed with day-to-day concerns that we miss the big picture. Don't get so caught up in what you will eat, what you will drink, what will you wear, where will you live because He knows what you have need up before you even ask.

And so today, I'd like to propose a modern day parable. Consider the corn farmer - he plows his field - he insures that the land is prepared with necessary fertilizers and nutrients. He goes to the grain supply house and he purchases sufficient seed to plant his field. He sends out the tractor, pulling the seed spreader and he drives in the late spring sun throughout his field spreading the seed. He has done his part. There's really nothing else that He can do. He returns his equipment to the barn and he simply is forced to trust. Will the rain come? I trust God. Will too much rain come? I trust God. Will the sun shine enough or will there be a drought? I don't know but I trust God. Would if a tornado destroys my field? I don't know but I trust God. Does farming make sense? I don't know but people are counting on the grain that I provide. Somewhere someone is preparing a pot to boil the ears of corn that I will produce. Somewhere someone is pulling out the butter and the black pepper and the salt and their about to get that greasy corn on the cob face that looks gross but tastes so good. And so I'm not sure if it makes sense or not - but I trust God - even when it doesn't make sense.

Some of you as you read this are going through things that just don't make sense. I wish I could tell you all the answers that you're seeking because the truth is, I need some too. But since I don't have the answers, I am left to return to the one who knows the end from the beginning, the one in whom all truth originates and in whom there is no shadow of turning. In Christ I place my trust - and in Him today you can lean and trust even when it makes no sense to do so!

Love all of you - hope you have a great weekend - until next time - I TRUST GOD! --- RP

Strength Through Struggle

Have you ever noticed those guys at the gym? You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones who all seem to gather together in a corner of the gym. They have muscles on top of their muscles and they push each other to do one more rep, one more set, a few more pounds. They push their bodies to tremendous levels , through tremendous resistance, not necessarily because they enjoy it but because of the strength that is gained through the struggle. True of a weight lifters struggle -- even more true in life.

For many, the thought of struggle, the thought of pain is something that we shun. Who wants to go through trouble? Who invites pain? I've yet to meet anyone who walks out their front door in the morning, takes a stand on the front porch, looks out into the world and says, "Come on world, give me your worst. I'm looking forward to gaining strength because of the resistance that I am going to face. I'm looking forward to the struggle. Bring it on!" No - we'd rather be pampered, catered to, and treated with kit gloves in the lap of luxury rather than have to face the struggle. And yet many of us are living lives in a horrible state of weakness, not because God is not strong and not because we're incapable of strength. Rather we are weak because we resist God's allowance of us to go through the struggles in life that are not sent to kill us but to strengthen us. Strength is always gained through struggle.

It is the struggles of labor that gives us the great miracle of child birth. It is the struggles of cracking and breaking through the outer shell of the egg that causes the baby bird to have enough strength to survive. It is the effort of the crushing of the grapes that produces the wine. It is the crushing of the olives that gives us the chef's best friend, olive oil. It is the pressure of the earth that turns coal to diamonds. It is the struggle to remove the grain of sand from the mouth of the oyster that creates the pearl. It is the struggle that brings strength.

Babe Ruth is considered to be one of the greatest baseball hitters of all time. Most fail to realize that he is also one of the most prolific strike out producers to have ever played the game. Most think of Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of our generation, if not of all time. Certainly he was a prolific scorer and when you consider his championships and his scoring titles and his ability to play defense, the word great seems to fit. No one ever complains about how many shots he missed. Until John Elway won his first Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers in January of 1998, he was considered just good enough to win games but not good enough to win the big one. As a matter of fact, he had lost 3 Super Bowls. As with every great athlete, it is not their victories that define them but rather their response to their failure. The main difference between the good and the great is the desire to get up and keep going despite their failure. Those that keep going, accepting the struggle and gaining the strength.

Why must we struggle? Why couldn't God just give us all the strength we need? Why must we go through tough times to become what God wants us to be? The Bible describes Job as a man who was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Job seems to be a man who spiritually had it all together. Until one day God decides to allow the life of Job to face some amazing struggle. And yes, it got pretty tough. His struggle was something that no one would ever want to have to go through. And yet, because he endured the struggle and lived through the shame of perceived failure - the Bible says that the latter days of Job were more blessed than the beginning. Strength birthed in struggle.

So why does God allow us to face adversity? Paul gives us, in my opinion, the greatest explanation as to His purpose for our struggles, our hurt. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." God allows our struggle and then when He comforts us, it is not because He feels sorry for us. He comforts us because He knows the strength that we gain through the struggle gives us the ability to now comfort others in the same way that Christ has comforted us. Know that when you are facing horrible struggles that seem completely out of control, it is not designed to kill you but rather God intends to use those moments of hurt to allow you to be able to bring peace and comfort to someone else who's also going through a time of hurt that is about to overwhelm them.

I talked to a friend this morning. She and her husband went through a horrible event in their life. Their entire home was destroyed by fire and they lost everything - their furniture, their pictures, their clothing, their memories, everything. When it happened, they went through a horrible period of depression and frustration, couldn't understand why they were facing such a horrible event. A few years later, they received a call from a friend who's neighbor had just lost a home by fire. As the ashes were still smoldering, fire department was still on the scene, my friend showed up and walked up to this lady and said, "I once lost my home in a fire. . .". In that moment, she realized the joy of knowing that her hurt could now be a help to someone else. She realized that God's comfort to her was now being shown to someone else. Her struggle had birthed a strength in her that God was now using.

So why do we face struggle? So why do we go through pain and even failure? God is using them to give us strength and out of our weakness He is made even stronger in our lives. Jesus never wastes a hurt, He never waste our pain. He gives us the strength to overcome and we can then be a blessing to someone else. I pray God's best in your life - Love each of you - In the midst of your struggle, you are gaining strength - and the strength you gain will help you overcome every obstacle that you face. And having overcome, begin to look for opportunities because God will bring someone to your path who needs the comfort you received from God.

Until next time - God bless - RP

Through The Fire

One of my favorite groups of male singers has never cut an album. As a group their not really known outside of their local church. Collectively, Buddy Thompson, Eddie Wilber and Matt Evans were only known as the Men's Trio. Though they didn't sing as a group often, when they did, the harmonies were in my opinion of a similar quality to any Southern Gospel trio or quartet in the music industry today. One of my favorite songs that they ever sang was written by a man named Gerald Crabb and it is called "Through The Fire." While I know that it has been recorded by many and was made famous by the authors children, particularly Jason Crabb, it was the Men's Trio of Life Church where I first heard the song, the words of which have ministered to me over and over again. Allow me to share:

So many times I've questioned certain circumstances
Or things I could not understand
Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision
And my frustration gets so out of hand
Its then I am reminded I've never been forsaken
I've never had to stand the test alone
As I look at all the victories
The spirit rises up in me
And its through the fire my weakness is made strong

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
And the hill would not be hard to climb
He never offered our victories without fighting
But He said help would always come in time
Just remember when your standing in the valley of decision
And the adversary says give in
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
And He will take you through the fire again

I know within myself that I would surely perish
But if I trust the hand of God, He'll shield the flames again.
You know in our world today, there are plenty of preachers misleading new babes in Christ by convincing them that if they will give their life to Christ all their problems will instantly and magically go away. If they praise hard enough, if they have enough faith, they can live life on easy street and have no worries, no problems ever again. Well - I'm all for faith and I love to praise Jesus, but the truth is that when we propagate that type of message we give people false hope and we set them up to believe that somehow they aren't living for God correctly because "life" happens to them. As this song says, and anyone whose lived the Christian life knows, Jesus never promised that the cross would not get heavy OR that the hill would not be hard to climb. He never offered our victories without fighting . . . He simply promised that he'd never leave us nor forsake us. In the midst of our trials, He gave us a comfort in knowing that whatever we face, He will be by our side.
The title of the song is "Through The Fire". There's something powerful about the word "THROUGH". That word gives me an assurance. Jesus doesn't bring us to the fire. He doesn't leave us in the fire. He doesn't show up after we make it out of the fire. He promises to bring us THROUGH the fire. Think about a great story from the book of Daniel. There are 3 Jewish boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Rack, Shack, & Benny if you are a fan of Veggietales), who received as a punishment, for their unwillingness to bow to a large statue, a trip into a large furnace of fire. God shows Himself strong in the midst of the fire and brings these three fellows THROUGH the fire.
David wrote in the 23rd Psalm, "Yeah though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. . ." He doesn't take us into the place of our greatest trials, our worst fears and sometimes our biggest failures and leave us. Nope - that's not my God. No - instead He reassures us that in those times when life has taken us and shown us its worst that He is an ever present help in our times of trouble. He is there to take us THROUGH.
Andre Crouch sang a song called "Through it All". Maybe you've heard it - "Through it all - Through it all - I've learned to trust in Jesus - I've learned to trust in God - Through it all - Through it all - I've learned to depend upon His word." We all will face struggles and we will all go through "life" but the fire that we have to go through has a purpose. It cleanses us, it refines us, it purifies us, it teaches us to trust in Jesus. Through it all - through the fire - through the valley of the shadow of death - Jesus is with us and will never leave us or forsake us.
I pray today that you, no matter how hot the fire may seem right now, that you would realize and discover the ever-abiding presence of our wonderful Savior - who's with you in the fire, not to show that He's fireproof but rather to prove to you that His love will not allow Him to ever leave you - even in those moments when the fire is the hottest. You can depend on Him to carry you THROUGH.
Love you all - until next time, realize that together, with Jesus - we will make it THROUGH! -- RP