“In an impressive show of power, God created science. On an even deeper level, He DESIGNED the science that He created. How exhilarating to be not only fascinated by the science, but also captivated by the DESIGNER who stands behind it all.

But know this: this same God is uncontrollable. When you come to know Him, it will only be on HIS terms. To know Him is to trust Him; to trust Him is to rest in Him. He will give you the rest you seek, but only after He has shaken the foundations of your life.

What kind of power do we so blithely invoke? He spoke the universe into existence. Nothingness obeys His voice. He controls time, space, matter, and light. He monitors the position of every elementary particle. He is sufficient unto Himself. He does not need anybody or anything to
accomplish His purposes. He answers to no one. He obeys on His own counsel. He works on thousands of levels all at the same time. His scientific sophistication is unfathomable. He created the laws of physics and appears to be a ‘pure mathematician.’ He intelligence is so superior, according to Einstein, that in comparison ‘all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an insignificant reflection.’

Look up the word OMNIPOTENT. Either He is or He isn’t. And if He is, we had better prepare ourselves to accept the consequences. ‘It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church,’ concludes Dallas

Willard. ‘We should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should leash us to our pews.’

Let the record show: God’s power is impressive. It should not be underestimated. The deficiency comes not from a lack of God’s power but rather a lack of our own faith. Busyness is sometimes what happens when we forget who God is.

Reflect on the word omnipotent. If God has infinite power, what implications does that have for your life? Do you suppose He would share some of His power with you if it were in your best interest? But perhaps, you think, He doesn’t know that I need it? Reflect on the word
omniscient. Either He is or He isn’t. He knows what you need even before you do, But perhaps, you think, He doesn’t care. Reflect on the word compassionate. Either He is or He isn’t. If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-caring, you don’t need to run your life by yourself any longer. What is keeping you from trusting Him with your family, your finances, and your future?”

Timely words in light of the storms in the South.

from the pen on Dr. Richard Swenson — A MINUTE OF MARGIN — RESTORING BALANCE TO BUSY LIVES, published by NavPress.

The Christian life is not about living it on your own. It is only through Christ that we can live the Christian life. One of the blessings of the Christian life is that we are a part of God’s forever family, not just in the future, but now! There is no such thing as a lone ranger Christian.

Chuck Swindoll says, “that if you are going to dig a foxhole, build it big enough for two!” We’re in this thing together — and God’s Word is filled with how we are to live with each other. Let me list a few for your consideration and further study:

Be like-minded towards one other — Romans 15:5
Esteem one another — Romans 14:5
Pray for one another — James 5:16
Exhort one another — Hebrews 3:13
Prefer one another — 1 Timothy 5:21
Edify one another — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Comfort one another — 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Love one another — 1 Thessalonians 4:9
Admonish one another — Colossians 3:16
Forgive one another — Colossians 3:13
Submit to one another — Ephesians 5:21
Speak the truth to one another — Colossians 3:9

We really do need each other. Good words as we prepare our hearts for worshipping with EACH OTHER tomorrow.

Having a younger child at home and two parrots help me gain perspective on imitation. It is one thing for Zach to imitate things he sees Mom and Dad do and say, but it is even scarier to think that two parrots can pick up our words.

Paul wrote these words to the church in Ephesus: “Follow God’s example (Be imitators) in everything you do just as much as a loved child imitates his father. Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take
away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him. Let there be no sex sin, impurity or greed among you. Let no one be able to accuse you of any such things. Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes — these are not for you. Instead, remind
each other of Gods goodness and be thankful” (Ephesians 5:1-4)

Wow — powerful words. Our Amazon parrot has picked up lots of sounds and words — your kids, wife, and co-workers pick up your words – – who are you imitating? Charles Swindoll says, “that we ought to so live our lives that we wouldn’t be afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.” Good reminder for today and always.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God. 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. The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things. Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Rejoice in
the Lord always! Again I will say, rejoice!” (Isaiah 61:10, Psalm 34:1-3; Psalm 84:11-12; Psalm 103:1; James 5:13; Ephesians 5:18-20; Colossians 3:16; Phil. 4:4)

“REJOICE, REJOICE, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
NONE OTHER IS SO LOVING,
SO GOOD AND KIND!

He lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me, and talks with me
along life’s narrow way.
He lives! He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I KNOW HE LIVES?
HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART!

Good reminder for today. Are you rejoicing today?

Did you ever find yourself in a situation where you felt overwhelmed? I am in on those places at the moment. Our summer season is winding down and we are getting ready to head into a very busy month of our anniversary banquets and ministry events. I am facing a stretch of 8 days without a day off in sight. There is stuff to do around the house after neglecting it because of the intensity of the summer season. Preparation for a Board meeting. Messages to be prepared for upcoming speaking engagements. People that need to see me. Phone calls that must be returned. Quite honestly, I have woken up the past several nights simply overwhelmed.

This morning in my quiet time, my spirit was once again refreshed from the WORD! I love the way GOD knows WHAT we need to hear WHEN we need to hear it. Here is one of the verses from today: “From the end of the earth I will cry out to You, when my heart is OVERWHELMED; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2). It was a refreshing reminder that in the midst of the crazies of life — I have the privilege of crying out to the ONE who understands WHAT I am experiencing. Usually when I am overwhelmed, I end up complaining and grumbling. I may even get short and snippy with my wife, son, or co-workers. But David reminds me that when I am overwhelmed, when the world feels like it is crashing in all around me, when life sees life a merry-go-round and I want to jump off — do this: CRY OUT TO THE ONE WHO IS HIGHER THAN I!

I am reminded of an old hymn, I MUST TELL JESUS . . .
I must tell Jesus all of my sorrow.
I cannot bear all these burdens alone.
In my distress He kindly will help me.
He ever loves and cares for His own.

(Chorus)

I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus.
I cannot bear all these burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus.
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Thank You, Lord that YOU understand when I am overwhelmed! Thank you that YOU desire me to cry out to You! Lead me today to the ROCK that is higher than I!

One of the things that I have struggled with most of my Christian life, is consistency in my PERSONAL prayer life. It has become easier for me to pray with others, both face to face and even over the phone. However, my own PRIVATE prayer life has been a struggle. I purpose to get alone to pray, and yet when I do, my mind starts to wander all over the place, and the next thing I know, I am bogged down with a project or on to something else.

In my quiet time this morning, Oswald Chambers addresses the battle so precisely as he writes: “Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order,
and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming the problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.

Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from ‘the secret place’ — He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in the ‘secret place,’ it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else. Enter into ‘the secret place,’ and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything! Unless we learn to open the door of our lives completely and let God in from our first waking moment of each new day, we will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if we will swing the door our our lives fully open and ‘pray to our Father who is in the secret place,’ every public thing in our lives will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.” Check out Matthew 6:6 “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you
openly.”

Good words that I needed to hear today. Good words for you to ponder and apply.

I do a lot of reading in the field of leadership and customer service and today’s view of the work world runs congruently with what is happening in our society — it’s all about ME! For many people, work is something that you do to just put food on the table, help to pay your bills, and hopefully to provide for the future.

Years ago, I spent three summers working at Sandy Cove as a bus boy/waiter, and under the leadership of several godly leaders, I began to learn the value of hard work and a godly work ethic. Dr. George Palmer, the founder of Sandy Cove, grew up at Girard College in Philadelphia, which as I remember was an orphanage for boys. He was taught the value of a work ethic, and his experiences there helped to shape how he would build his ministry in the future.

Dr. Palmer taught young people that there was a connection between how our work would bring honor to the glory of God. Our work was a reflection on our relationship with the Lord. What I did on the job was significant because it was a reflection on my walk with the Lord.

Years later, I attended Bill Gothard’s BASIC YOUTH CONFLICTS seminar and learned that one of the ways that I glorify God is to do my very best on the job so that it makes my employer look good, which ultimately brings glory to God. That concept is not one that I read in 90% of the leadership books as the goal today is to make ME look good.

Solomon wrote “observe people who are good at their work — skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a back seat to anyone (Proverbs 22:29 — The Message) Paul wrote: “You slaves must always obey your earthly masters, not only trying to please them when they are watching you but all the time; obey them willingly because of YOUR love for the Lord and because you want to please HIM. Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord, and not merely for your masters, remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your portion of all he owns. HE IS THE ONE YOU ARE REALLY WORKING FOR. And if you don’t do your best for him, he will pay you in a way that you won’t like — for he has no special favorites who can get away with shirking (Colossians 3:22-25 Living Bible).

How is your work ethic? How would THE master employer rate you today? Good words to think about as we begin a new week.

“Lord, I am convinced that You want me (and all Your disciples) to be as carefree as possible. The life of discipleship is a life of gradual disencumbering, whereas the life of the worldly minded is one of gradual encumbering. The true disciple does what Paul’s captain did — unloads the cargo. But the earthly minded keeps adding cargo as long as he lives.

The self-centered life naturally multiplies its cares because it multiplies its desires. One pleasure must give way to two, and one piece of worldly goods must eventually produce many. The result of all that self-gratification is not the peace of mind but increased anxiety. Jesus called that anxiety ‘the cares of this world’ (Matthew 13:22). Cares are produced by desires, and desires are born in the naturally selfish heart of man.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I must strike at the heart of worldliness. It does not lie in things, but in the DESIRE for things. I must crucify my desires; I must direct them. Only desires that are manifestly displeasing to God must be crucified, but all other desires must be purified by the washing process of prayer (Mark 11:24).

Desires that have been purified lead to holy carefreeness. When God answers my desires, He does so without adding sorrow (Proverbs 10:22); but when I seek my own self-gratification, I sow seeds of bitterness. The world is full of boredom because those are the fruits of a self-centered existence. When I find my gratification in self-denial for Christ’s sake, I find myself marvelously stimulated with the excitement of an eternal adventure. Self-denial is practical immortality to be realized now and to be enjoyed forever! I seek first the kingdom of
heaven and all its right ways, all things will be mine (Matthew 6:33).

‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you’ (I Peter 5:6-7).

from DAILY WITH THE KING by W. Glyn Evans Moody Press

“O God of love, I approach you with encouragements derived from your character, for I am not left to feel after you in the darkness of my nature, nor to worship you as the unknown God.
I cannot find our your perfections, but I know you are good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy. You have displayed your wisdom, power, and goodness in all your works, and have revealed your will in the Scripture of truth. You have caused it to be preserved, translated, published, multiplied, so that all men may possess it and find you in it.

Here I see your greatness and your grace, your pity and your rectitude, your mercy and your truth. your being and men’s hearts. Through it you have magnified your name, and favored mankind with the gospel. Have mercy on me, for I have ungratefully received your benefits,
little improved my privileges, made light of spiritual things, disregarded your messages, contended with examples of the good, rebukes of conscience, admonitions of friends, leadings of providence. I deserve that your kingdom be taken away from me. Lord, I confess my sin with feeling, lamentation, a broken heart, a contrite spirit, self-abhorrence, self-condemnation, self-despair. Give me relief by Jesus my hope, faith in his name of Savior, forgiveness by his blood,
strength in his presence, holiness by his Spirit: And let me love you with all my heart.”

from THE VALLEY OF VISION — Banner of Truth — Prayers of the Puritans

From the pen of Oswald Chambers — My Utmost for His Highest

“The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personality qualities, desires, interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But ever time He meets you
at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, ‘If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions . . .
‘

‘Sell all that you have . . . ‘ (Luke 18:23) In other words, rid yourself before God of EVERYTHING that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought — the the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus
wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult — it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the
harsh words of Jesus Christ.I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am a nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become
discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus — not love for Jesus Himself.”

Interesting words for your consideration today from one of the great devotional authors.