What's The Deal?

Commercials for the Super Bowl are 100,000 per second, 3 million dollars for a 30-second commercial, yet this week a bill was introduced in the Senate to cap Wall Street salaries to the 400,000 the United States President makes. Former New York mayor Rudy Gulliani says that it's perfectly in order for CEO's to use bailout money for bonuses, while the Senate screamed bloody murder when the Automakers coming from the same city arrived in private planes. Is something wrong with this picture?

New Blog Direction

It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting in my office getting ready for our morning service, classes are taking place, ministry is being done, and I am believing God for new things in our lives. I've also decided that I want to take my blog in a new direction, rather than just posting randomly, or just sharing some useless tidbit of stupid information, I want to discuss thoughts, leadership principles and spiritual concepts...ok, I'll still throw in a couple studpid thoughts here and there.

Perhaps it's the new journey I'm on and the new place I'm living, but I am convinced that if we will create the proper structure and environment that awesome things can take place in the Body of Christ. This is a different time in our world, people are struggling, unsure of their financial future, but we are a part of the Kingdom of God, a government whose increase will not fail, whose leader knows exactly where we're going and we will overcome!

God make us bold as lions, willing to roar in faith, make us compassionate, listening with our hearts and not our ears, harmless as doves, wise as serpents, and help us to lead others into the victorious Kingdom life!

In A Perfect World

In a perfect world the weather would always be 78 degrees with a slight breeze that never messes up your hair. In a perfect world you would always get a strike when bowling, especially when playing Wii. In a perfect world our children would never get sick, our families would never split, our finances would always be sufficient, and our prayers would always be answered exactly the way we prayed them...in a perfect world. In a perfect world political decisions would make everyone happy, the president would be everyone's choice, and Washington would be the answer to the world's issues...in a perfect world. In a perfect world churches would be full every time the doors are opened, the music would be just right, and every service all the sinners would be saved, every body would be healed, every need would be met, and things would be just right...in a perfect world!

But our world isn't perfect...is it? Our flesh fails, finances fall, bodies hurt, marriages struggle, our children get sick, and life is often difficult and unkind. There are moments when we struggle and wonder if God even knows where we live and if He listens and why He doesn't seem to be answering and beyond that, why does He answer the way that He does and why doesn't He answer sooner. In the Book of John there's a story of Lazarus who was sick, his sisters sent for Jesus, but Jesus delayed His arrival saying that this sickness was not unto death but for the glory of God. When He arrived Lazarus had died, his sisters were distrought, and their response was that if Jesus had been there earlier their brother would not have died...sound familiar?

The response of Jesus amazes me, He didn't argue with them, didn't go into some deep theological discourse with them, He simply walked to the front of the grave and called for Lazarus to come forth from the grave.

That's the power of the imperfect world with a perfect Christ, He doesn't get worked up, doesn't allow our failures or frailties to upset Him, He simply steps into the center of the situation and speaks what needs to be heard. He speaks to the situation, never allowing the situation to overwhelm Him, nor does He allow Satan to sidestep Him...he knows what is in the heart of men, is aware of the schemes of the evil one, and is able to discern what needs to be done and He does it!

So while our world isn't perfect, our Savior is and He is working on our behalf, perfecting us and our lives, bringing us into His perfect plan...pretty cool isn't it?

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Transitions

This morning I was reading CNN.COM and took special notice of some pictures of President-Elect Obama's children preparing for their first day of school. In the first few pictures they appear to be an average, everyday family, backpacks and smiles, last minutes words of advice and hugs...then it all changes, you see the little one peering out the window of a limo as a motorcade takes her to school, her mother, the school principal, and the secret service detail surrounding her as they enter the building, and you think, life has certainly changed for this family. In our home we have been transitioning for several weeks, in the past week we have finally moved my wife and daughters from Florida to West Virginia, and now my children are awaiting their first day of school...transition is tough! I think that transition is useful and necessary, that it is the vehicle that moves us from what is and was into what can and will be, from the past into the present and into the future. Transition is hard, in a pregnancy it's the moment that decides if life will begin or end, will you deliver or will you die, there is pain in the choice to deliver and live, it's painful, but rewarding if you can endure the process! This week we begin a journey for the next 21 days into seeking the Lord for the new year, each day for 21 days we will read one chapter in the Gospel of John, I look forward to John 1:12 which says, "As many that received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God!" It's that process thing, transition, movement, and productivity. It's understanding that if we're going to go somewhere we've got to go somewhere! In His time...we'll get there!

The Lord's Sense of Humor

I went to the post office today to pick up a package, an order I had place for our youngest daughter arrived while I was in Florida and there was some postage due so I had to go pick it up. This is my first trip to this Post Office so I arrive only to find a long line and what appears to be one window open...so far I'm not impressed. The line progresses on and I realize there are three windows open, it just seems like one it's moving so slow, one lady leaves and one seems unfriendly...guess who I get? Now, I only owe 2.58 and have the money in my hand, I sign the paper, she goes to get my stuff, hands me the package and says, "I'm not worried about that, don't worry about it!" I left saying to the Lord and myself, a small blessing and a huge lesson, sometimes in our patience and our ability to look beyond the exterior there are great blessings to be found!