Through the Storm

Into every life a little rain must fall.  Every one faces storms.  Even Winnie the Pooh had a blustery day.  Stuff happens to all of us.  Just.  Unjust.  Really doesn't matter which end of the spectrum you fall on, rain will fall on you.  Most of the time, as Christians, we pray for God to deliver us from the storm.  We sit on the bow of the ship of life and we wait for Jesus to step from the hull where He has obviously fallen asleep and scream with His divine vocal chords, "PEACE BE STILL."  And then our storm will turn and retreat from whence it came.  Isn't that what most of us expect?  But the truth falls somewhere short.

I only find a few times in scripture where Jesus delivered people from the storm.  Rarely do I find him saying, "Wind stop blowing, Lightning stop striking, Thunder be quiet, Rain - that's enough out of you as well."  More often than not, I find a Jesus who says, "I'll never leave you nor forsake you. . . I'm forever faithful . . . My grace is sufficient for you."  David - unfortunately I can't calm this storm.  Your child is sick and will die . . . but I'll be with you through the storm.  Jonah - this storm is bad and unfortunately you are going to be swallowed by a big fish - but I'll be with you in it's belly.  Paul - yes - the storm you are in is really bad and unfortuately this ship is going to fall apart.  BUT if you will hold on to a piece of wood, I'll be with you and deliver the whole crew.  Most of the time, we just have to go through the storm.

The Bible describes the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, as a Comforter.  If we never have to go through anything, why would we need a Comforter.  The Greek word for the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete" and it literally means "one who comes alongside to help."  I need His help more often than not, and I'm thankful that He is an abiding faithful friend who never turns His back. 

I would love it if He bailed out out of every storm.  I would love to see Him step up and say "Peace Be Still" everytime I faced something that was bigger than me.  But instead, I find that He gently reminds me that He is with me and that His grace will help me to make it through.  The Apostle Paul begged on numerous occasions that God would remove from him "a thorn in the flesh".  Whatever that thorn was, God's answer was "My grace is sufficient."  And then I really like what He tells Paul next, "for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  I have lots of weaknesses and so I've come to the conclusion that His grace is enough and He's got a lot off opportunity to perfect His strength in my life.

Until next time - thanks for continuing to read.  I love all of you - always remember that He may not pull you out but He will see you through!  -- RP

You Belong. . .

To belong. . . isn't that what we all really want? We want to know where we fit. We want to know what our place is. We want to be accepted and loved for who we are - no strings attached, no questions asked. We want to belong. Countless millions all over our world join groups, become members of organizations, join in activities and attempt to make friends all in an effort to BELONG. We want to belong. This morning I woke up with a thought and it has stewed around in my brain all day. Everyone of us want to belong - particularly we want to belong, to be a part of a family.

At birth, I was adopted into the Pavie family. My parents were told they could not have children and so in early 1971 they began making plans to adopt a child and in July, I was born and left the hospital as a Pavie. I've never met my biological parents, don't even know who they are, but I'm thankful that I belong in the Pavie Family. I was welcomed in and loved and cared for and that's where I belong. Two years later, my wonderful parents adopted a second boy, also at birth and three months later what doctors was impossible happened. My Mom became pregnant with her third son. Notice I said her third son. While it was her first biologically, we never knew any different because we were Pavie's - that's where we belonged. Adopted or born. . . it didn't matter - we were a part of the family.

When we come to know Jesus Christ - the same thing occurs. We were born into a family - a family of sin. We're a member there and that's who we are. But then a father steps on the scene. He loves us with an amazing love. His love is so perfect and so unconditional. Romans 5:8 tells us that ". . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." I thought today - before I was ever born, while technically I still was attached to another family, my Mom & Dad began to make preparations for me to be their son. They prepared a room. They bought baby clothes. They bought a crib. They bought diapers and bottles and all the things that they knew that I would need. They paid doctor's bills and lawyer's bills all in an effort so that I would belong to them. Jesus Christ came and while we were still attached to that other family - that sinful lifestyle - that old way of living - He died for us. He paid the necessary price to purchase us from that sinful lifestyle. He made the necessary preparations so that if we wanted, we could become a part of His family.

At some point, my Mom and Dad had to sign documentation to let all know that I had been granted the right of adoption, so that I was no longer a member of my biological family, but now I was a member of the Pavie family. That I had been endued and empowered as a member of the Pavie family and that bond went beyond the blood that flowed in my veins. Their love was not contingent upon my pedigree or my birth. Their love was a choice that they made. They choose to allow me to belong.

Romans 8:15 says, ". . . you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba Father'." I love that verse. It's for me indicative of my physical life, but more importantly my spiritual life. You see, because of my background, my pedigree, my lifestyle choices, I really did not belong in the family of God. . . and neither did you. His family is pure and holy and righteous -- all the things that I am not. BUT He grants me an adoption. He says, "I love you, even though you don't deserve it. I love you even though I don't have to. I love you even though you don't live up to my standards. I love you even though you are not my blood relation. And because I love you, I'm adopting you into the family of God. I'm granting all rights and privileges of an heir in my family. You are My own. And because you are, you have the right to cry out to me as My child - like you would your Daddy - and as a child would climb upon the lap of His father - you are welcome in My family."

I realized one day that my Mom & Dad did not have to love me. They had no biological, paternal or maternal obligation to me. They were not required by some sense of loyalty or patronage to show love toward me. They simply chose to love me, to care for me and to make me their own. They did for me what someone else could not. They chose to allow me to belong. . . and Jesus did as well. He chose to love us when we had done nothing to deserve it. He loved us, not because He had to but because He wanted to. Oh, how thankful I am to BELONG to the body of Christ!

And so - having been twice adopted - I feel especially loved and blessed today. I have a wonderful MOM & DAD who CHOSE to love me and I have an even more WONDERFUL GOD who died for me to show His love when I deserved nothing -- and He did the same for you! Oh how He loves you and me! Love all of you - thanks again for reading - It's great to know that we BELONG to such a wonderful family - the family of GOD!

Passion

Passion - it's used to describe everything. Passionate Romance - Passionate Desire - Passionate Hunger - even in some states there are laws that give leniency in sentencing for murder that is committed in the heat of passion. Passion drives us. Passion moves us. It motivates us to take action. As the children of God, we ought to be striving to be the most bright, most hot, most passionate people on planet Earth for the cause of Christ. God would rather have 1 man, utterly abandoned to passion for Him than 1000 great speakers or great leaders who are not sold out to His cause. The men who left their mark on the word are those who expanded God's kingdom and God's influence through their passionate pursuit of excellence in the kingdom of God.

What are you passionate about? What are you hungry for? What is the thing that you have an intense desire for? What is the thing that drives your to sacrifice? Passion to me is the fuel that ignites the fire of meaningfulness in my life. It is the force that drives my soul. It is the reason that I exist - the reason that I live. Passion should drive your life . . . it should drive you every day. What drives you? What moves you? What is it that gives your life purpose?

Passion has always been the difference between good and great. Today many will join and watch Peyton Manning and Drew Brees lead their teams into the Super Bowl. The reason these two gentleman are successful quarterbacks is more than their athletic ability, rather it is their passionate pursuit of preparation and execution and excellence. Ferdinand Foch, commander of the Allied Forces in World War II made the following statement: "The most powerful weapon on planet Earth is the human soul when it catches on fire." Stronger than any bomb, stronger than any tank - give me one man or woman who's driven, who's soul has caught a burning passion - and I'll show you a force that can't be stopped. D.L. Moody when asked why people showed up in parks and in out of the way places to hear him preach, he simply said, "I set myself on fire and people show up to watch me burn." Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision which has fed hungry children around the world since 1950 said, "My heart will be broken for the things that break the heart of God." What is it that motivates you to act? What is it that will force you to move beyond your comfort zone and respond to what needs to be done with passion and desire?

When I study the life of Christ, I hear the words of Jesus saying things like: "I seek not my own but the will of Him that sent me." "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." A complete loss of self, He must increase, I must decrease. Jesus was driven by such a passion to fulfill His purpose, an earthly kingdom couldn't dissuade Him. His disciples couldn't deter Him. Other's plans couldn't turn Him around. He was passionately pursuing His ONE purpose, to redeem mankind by dying for their sin. When the disciples heard Him pray, He prayed with such passion. His passion drove Him to touch lepers, to heal blinded eyes, to stop funerals, and to raise paralytics. His passion was always causing Him to love those who needed loving, healing those who were hurting and ultimately reconciling those who were separated from Him by sin.

I want to passionately pursue the things that God has put in my life to accomplish. God's purpose for me is bigger than I can dream for myself and so I must passionately pursue to accomplish His greatest dreams for me.

I'm sorry if this is long today - but one last thing I'd like to share with you. I have carried this in my Bible for nearly 15 years. It is a statement from a missionary who had lost his entire family in a foreign land for trying to impact that world for the cause of Christ. It is simply called "My Commitment as a Christian." It states:

"I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me -- My banner will be clear!"

What is the source of your passion? Find it, get in the middle of it, and use it to drive you to accomplish great things for God. It's time to make an impact for His kingdom - let's pursue the things of God with reckless abandon and burning passion. Until next time - God Bless - love you all! -- RP

I'm A Worshipper, No Matter The Weather

Today, I sit in my living room, looking out the window as we yet another snow storm has blown into the area - this one predicted to bring record amounts of snow to our area. Amazingly, in my lifetime I don't remember so much snow over a two month period in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I'm sure there is some weather historian out there who can prove me wrong but certainly if there has been, I don't remember it. Watching the snow pour down, the inches beginning to pile up, and coming to the realization that we will not be able to have services again this week at our church, I began to think how thankful I am that my ability to worship Jesus Christ is not contingent upon the weather.

Many people are worshippers only when they attend a church service, but when I came to know Jesus Christ, I made a lifestyle decision to be a worshipper - regardless of where I am or what day of the week it is. Coming to that decision, it gives me great joy because I experience the presence of God, not just on Sunday, but whenever I give verbalization to the decision of my heart - by extending praise and worship to the one whom I've decided to live my life for. Thus my worship is not hemmed in by a building, by a church service, and certainly not by the weather. I can choose to worship the creator of the universe, regardless of my circumstances.

One of my favorite songs that we sing at our church is called "Blessed Be Your Name." The bridge of the song refers to the words of Job when it says, "You give and take away, You give and take away - Still my heart will choose to say, Blessed be Your Name." I love this part of the song because I truly believe that my worship of Jesus is not contingent upon my circumstances but rather on my decision to LOVE HIM, regardless of the weather in my life. Another song that I love is by Clint Brown, the chorus of which says, "Lord, I praise you. Lord, I glorify your name. Lord, I praise you. Lord, I glorify your name. And if the sun says I won't rise and dark clouds fill my skies - Lord, just know that I will always give you praise. And if troubles on the way, I will always say, no matter, come what may, I'll always give you praise." I truly want that to be the cry of my heart. No matter what comes into my life - I will worship Jesus Christ FOR He alone is worthy of my honor, my praise, my thanksgiving and my devotion.

So don't let the weather get you down. Don't allow the conditions that surround us to influence how we worship the God who lives within us. Choose to be a worshipper, no matter the weather!
Until next time - I'm so thankful for all of you who read - God bless and love you all!