Good and Perfect Gift

I have learned in the past four days that sickness is an excellent reminder of the blessings of good health.  I have by no means enjoyed the snotting, the coughing, the chest pain, the body aches, or the nights of little if any sleep.  I have especially not appreciated the missed work days and missing the class I am taking.  In these times I feel so useless and broken.  I wonder if I will wake up healed or if the sickness will become worse.  With my wife being pregnant, I do my best not to infect her though I want to hold her and feel comfort by having her close to me.  Needless to say, I do not like being sick.

The thing is though that in my sickness I am dependent upon healing and comfort from God.  Yes we have doctors, medicines, home remedies, and more to help our sickness heal but ultimately our health is in His hands.  This was never more true than last night when I could feel my heart beating out of my chest due to the cold medicine I took.  I had taken this medicine in the hopes that it would give me sleep not keep me awake most of the night wondering if I was going to die.

Now I do have to admit that at times I have hypochondriac tendencies and that in no way helps to comfort your mind as you lay in bed feeling your heart beat through your chest and in your arm.  I finally got up and called the pharmacist to see if what I was experiencing was normal or something that needed medical attention.  He assured me that my symptoms where normal from this drug and that it would stop as the medicine wore off.  Well three and a half hours later at around 2:30 in the morning I think I finally fell asleep only to be awoke at 7:30 for my first full day of work this week.

Last night I had no other option but to trust God with my life.  When we are healthy and life is good, work is going well, and the bills are getting paid, we have this false assurance that we are in control of our life.  It is amazing how a simple cold can remind us of the humbling reality that our lives are in God's hands and that we are fully dependent upon His grace to continue sustaining our lives.  Psalm 39:4-6 is sobering saying,
⁴ 


4 O Lord, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
⁵ 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
⁶ 6    Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
    man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!


James 4:14 says, "Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." 


I do not speak of these things to be morbid but to remind us of the wonderful blessing of life and health.  Each day we wake up is a blessing from God.  Each day is an opportunity to reach a life for the kingdom.  Each day is an opportunity to praise the one who has given you life.  Though I am still healing from the cold that started a few days ago, I have been reminded to appreciate the blessings in my life.  In James, it speaks of every good and perfect gift coming from God.  This evening the thought crossed my mind that even sickness could be considered a good and perfect gift if it directs your heart back to a love and dependance on the sovereignty of God.  Food for thought. 


Blessings,


Greg

Attacks of the Devil

I sometimes struggle with temptations in my dreams.  I have felt shame from the desires that are presented in my dreams though I have escaped the life they represent.  I thought it was an interesting point today when the speaker, during chapel at my job, talked about going to sleep and waking up being your most vulnerable time for attacks from the devil.  They went on to explain that this was so because it is the time that your mind is most passive.

First off, I have to say that I was comforted to know that I am not the only one who struggles with temptations within my dreams.  Second, I realized how much shame I would feel from these dreams though I do not many times have the control over my thought life during my dreams that I have when I am awake.  I realized today that temptation dreams have been used by the devil to raise my vulnerability to sin while I'm awake due to the shame and regret I feel from them.

The speaker went on to explain that the temptation dreams you experience when you fall asleep of are just waking up are not a sign of your underlying sinful heart but the vulnerability of your soul to attack at those times.  I have a choice to wake up and believe that I am the person I perceive myself to be in those dreams or I can choose to acknowledge that those dreams are attacks from the devil to try and weaken my daily walk in Christ.  During these moments, the devil is striking at a question many of us struggle with daily.  Am I good enough to have Jesus in me?  The answer is, no, but the beauty of this is that Jesus' purity washes over our sin for us.

When you are a follower of Jesus, it is important that you sift out the attacks of the devil on your heart and the truth of the Holy Spirit within you.  The devil wants you to believe that you have not changed through belief of Jesus Christ.  He wants to convince you that you will always succumb to temptations and that sinful thoughts you had before will always enslave you the rest of your life.  HE wants you to believe that the grace of Jesus is not enough to allow you to stand in heaven with Jesus.  These are lies!

Here are some truths from the Bible to help you be able to identify attacks from the devil and the works of the Holy Spirit in your life.  In the Galatians 5:22 and 23, it says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." Ephesians 6, which speaks about the armor of Christ speaks about the devils arrows in verse 6.  It tells about the importance of the shield of faith to protect you from these arrows.  Ephesians 1:13-14 says, " In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."  The final piece of evidence that clenches the rest is also found in Ephesians 2:8-9 saying, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."


So through these scriptures we can see that there will be attacks from the devil.  That our faith in the the Trinity will help shield us from those attacks.  That we have the Holy Spirit, who guarantees our inheritance, in us if we hear the gospel and believe in Jesus.  That we know that the works of the Holy Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  And finally, we see that we are not good enough but Jesus is and that our faith in Jesus truly is enough to receive all the rest.  So this helps us to know that anything that does not help us produce and develop the fruits of the Spirit in our lives is not the Holy Spirit but in fact an attack from the devil on our hearts.  


So next time you feel tempted, whether awake or in your dreams, use these truths to help focus you back on the Holy Spirit in your heart.  Also use these truth to renounce the attacks upon your soul and claim the strength of the spirit within you to protect you through your faith.  Jesus has already won against the devil so do not allow the devil to take any more victories from you but rather allow the Holy Spirit continue to help reign victorious through you.


Blessings,


Greg

Greenest Grass

It is amazing to me that there are times, at work, when I want to go home and rest and yet when I am at home I want to get out and work.  The grass always seems greener on the other side because it is a dream.  When I was a teenager I had many wonderful dreams about the girls I had a crush on and how perfect they were.  I also dreamed about the millions I was going to make and how successful my life was going to be.  It turned out that many of those girls were nowhere close to being as perfect as I dreamed them to be and that reality doesn't include the millions and tropical islands I had hoped for.  

There is definitely nothing wrong with dreams but if the dreams keep you from excelling in reality then they have become a problem.  Dreams do not include challenges or problems.  They only see what would happen in a perfect scenario.  Unfortunately life does not play by the perfect scenario rules.  Life requires overcoming challenge, working to achieve your goals, laboring to climb the ladder to where you want to be, and risking heart ache in order to become successful.  

As a Christian, we are called to stand strong for what we believe in.  We are to fight for truth by living for Jesus with all our heart.  We are to die to ourselves daily.  We are to weather the suffering, struggles, trials, and temptation through which we will develop character and hope (Romans 3-5).  We are to battle against the naysayers, not physically but spiritually, through love and prayer.  Life may seem greener on the other side but sometimes it takes truly opening your eyes and realizing that you haven't watered or worked the grass on your own side.  

Though we are saved by faith, our works show the evidence of faith in us (James 2:18).  We have to live a life worthy of the Savior we love.  We have to be willing to sacrifice our own will for His.  We have to be willing to go and do what he calls us to.  Through our obedience to Jesus, we will begin to see that the grass is only greener on God's side.  He is the cultivator of all life.  He is the one who knows the path that will bring most joy to your life.  He is also the one who knows what path will bring the most glory to His kingdom.  

Will you trust the Lord's direction for your life today?  His path may not be the easiest but it will always be the most fulfilling.  His path may not be the safest but it will be the one that leads to eternal rewards.  Though following Jesus you will always know you are loved and watched over.  The shepherd takes care of His sheep including the one who goes astray in the 100 (Matthew 18:12-14).  Don't long for what seems to be the greener side.  Choose Jesus who created the grass and trust that in Him your life will be brought to a joyous and satisfying completion.  

Blessings,

Greg

Justified Through Jesus Alone

I read a message today that mentioned the hope that this person would be good enough to get into heaven.  I have to say that my heart sank upon reading those words.  There isn't anything anyone can do to be good enough to go to heaven.  To be good enough, you would have to live a sinless life that is perfectly aligned in God's will.  The Bible makes it clear that it is impossible to do that.

I believe Romans 3:9-31 gives a clear explanation of what it takes to get to heaven and why Jesus is the only way.  I have decided to use The Message paraphrase for this post for easier reading but the link will take you to the ESV translation.  The Message helps to offer a modern day language perspective of this passage but I highly recommend you also read the ESV translation and take the time to understand what Paul is saying here.

There is a lot to this passage and this passage is incredibly important to understanding our need for Jesus.  I hope this passage helps to deepen your faith as you seek to walk closer with Jesus.  I pray these words will help clear up any misunderstanding about works and getting to heaven.  If you have other questions that come up from this passage, www.needhim.org is an excellent resource for you to be able to talk to ministers directly.




We're All in the Same Sinking Boat
^9-20So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it: 

   There's nobody living right, not even one, 
      nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. 
   They've all taken the wrong turn; 
      they've all wandered down blind alleys. 
   No one's living right; 
      I can't find a single one. 
   Their throats are gaping graves, 
      their tongues slick as mudslides. 
   Every word they speak is tinged with poison. 
      They open their mouths and pollute the air. 
   They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, 
      litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, 
   Don't know the first thing about living with others. 
      They never give God the time of day.
This makes it clear, doesn't it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin.

God Has Set Things Right

 ^21-24But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

 ^25-26God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

 ^27-28So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counter-claims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we've learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.

 ^29-30And where does that leave our proud Jewish claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled. God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews. How could it be otherwise since there is only one God? God sets right all who welcome his action and enter into it, both those who follow our religious system and those who have never heard of our religion.

 ³¹But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don't we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.

Blessings,

Greg

The Mighty Macs

We watched a wonderful movie tonight called The Mighty Macs.  It is a movie about a small failing Catholic women's college, now called Immaculata University, in the '70's that went on to win the first women's college national basketball championship in 1973, led by coach Kathy Rush.  When Kathy Rush first came in, the college basketball team was solely intended as an physical outlet to keep women chaste.  This obviously didn't make for much winning but coach Rush had a different plan for the team.

She wanted to win and she wanted the girls to believe they could win.  Through the guidance of Coach Rush and a nun at the school the girls learned to work as a team and believe in themselves.  They learned that their coach believed in them and they also learned to be passionate about something.  Many of the women in that championship team went on to be successful in not just basketball but life.

There is a moment towards the end of the movie where coach Rush is giving a pep talk before the championship game.  You recited 1 Corinthians 9:24 to the girls as motivation for them to fight for victory. As I told you, they went on to win the game, which was a great feat considering they had lost to the very same team by 42 points weeks prior.


 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, 

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Fighting for the truth of the gospel and the truth of the Bible is not politically correct these days.  We are told by the world that we are to be tolerant of all religions as truth.  We are told that it is arrogant to believe that Christianity could be the only truth and way to heaven.  Many churches today have unfortunately succumb to these lies from the world.

Tonight, I encourage you to fight the good fight and run the race.  The crown you will receive for enduring in truth to the end is as Paul say, "a crown that will last forever."  Do not let the world silence the truth of the gospel.  Do not let the world keep you from living a bold life for Christ.  Do not let the world discourage you from running the race.  Find strength in Jesus and trust the truth of His words saying, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me." John 14:6.

Blessings,

Greg

Will You Endure?

Matthew 24:3-14 says, 

³ As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of yourcoming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

 ⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away^[a] and betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹² And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³  But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

I don't know about you but this passage gives me chills.  As I watch and read the news daily, I can see our world becoming more and more like what Jesus describes here.  I don't know if I will see the coming of Jesus.  I don't know if I will experience any of the suffering mentioned here either.  What I do know is that this passage is clear that a close and real relationship with Jesus is necessary to endure to the end.

Where is your heart tonight?  Do you have a love and relationship with Jesus that could take you through times like prophesied in this passage?  If not, I hope you will spend time to know Jesus and truly fall in love with Him tonight.

Blessings,

Greg

Not Just Another Ordinary Day

Everyday I come home for lunch and the first thing that I do is let my dog, Leah, out to use the restroom.  The thing is that she doesn't just use the time to go to the restroom, she also uses it to enjoy the great outdoors.  The older my dog gets the more sentimental she seems to get about her time outside.  I typically have plenty of time to make my lunch, watch the news, and relax while she is out there.

During her time outside, she walks the full perimeter of the yard sniffing intently as she does.  She makes sure to stop at each corner of our back yard and gaze past our invisible property line to the activity of the neighbors around us.  If there happens to be snow outside, my dog takes particular delight in rooting around in the snow and smelling the new smells that only seem to exist in the snow.  If it is a sunny warm day, Leah will sit and drink it the beauty of the day.  My dog truly knows how to maximize her time outside.  She knows how to appreciate the moment and milk it for all it is worth.  I can tell when she returns back inside that she is happy.

In the world we live in today, especially our western culture, we tend to pass over so many opportunities to enjoy the moment.  Our lives are filled with errands, shows, devices, jobs, family, church, and a thousand more things.  We are just to busy to stop and appreciate the beauty around us.

Have you ever been in such a rush that you completely missed the joy of a sunrise in your pursuit of your destination?  Do you ever take the time to truly drink in the beauty of a sky filled with beautiful pillowy clouds gently floating by.  Have you ever just stopped to drink in the warmth of the sun, enjoyed the patter of the rain, or watched the amazing transformation caused by a snow shower.

There is so much life around us that we completely over look each day.  So many blessings the Lord has given to us that we are to busy to receive.  I hope tonight you would take the time to drink in the vastness of the stars above.  Tomorrow morning, take the time to watch the cotton candy colors dance across the sky as the sun rises to give us a new day.  As you take the time to enjoy these things, remember your Creator who gives us the awesome moments daily.  "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." Revelation 4:11

Blessings,

Greg

Easy Yet Extreme Changes

Original room

Beautiful floor hiding underneath

There goes the border

I've never painted a ceiling

Ceiling done.  Now onto the walls and so much more ;)

Whats in a change?  This week change has been prevalent on my mind.  I have constant change at work as I get to do a whole plethora of new tasks and adventures daily.  My wife is growing our boy in her belly and I am seeing the wonderful changes involved with pregnancy.  This weekend my wife and I decided, on a whim, to do an extreme makeover on our bedroom.  Also, my life and walk with Christ is constantly changing and growing daily.


With change, sometimes we experience heartbreak.  Other times, we experience inexpressible joy and peace.  You never know what you are going to get with change.  Most of the time you will not know the outcome of change until you, well, change.  Some people are mortified of any type of change, while other people can't imagine a life without change.  Isn't interesting how wonderfully different each of us is.


The main reason that change has been on my heart in the past few days is our extreme makeover of the bedroom.  First off, I have never attempted such an ambitious project.  Second, I did not expect I would be doing so much work this weekend!  Third, I am anxious with anticipation to see the finished product of our labor.  Our extreme makeover has involved ripping up the carpet to expose exquisite wood flooring underneath, mopping said floor, preparing the room for painting, picking the colors, and executing a well orchestrated color palette involving both the walls and ceiling.


I have to say that this adventure has involved many new challenges and yet it has been exciting.  It is so amazing that such simple changes as removing the carpet and applying a new coat of paint can transform a plain room into a restful retreat.  As Christians, we too can make significant changes in our life with small changes in our heart.  Following Jesus wholeheartedly is both the easiest and most significant change we can make in our life.  Though the world tries to convince you that following Jesus is a difficult choice, it truly is as easy as allowing Him to enter your heart.  See the truth is that Jesus does the change in you.  You only have to let Him in.


In the Bible it says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."  When we open the door to our hearts and allow Jesus to come in He begins to transform our lives.  Matthew 11:27-30 says, "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Through such a simple change, Jesus will come in, forgive your sin, teach you his ways, and give you rest for your soul in Him.  If you have never accepted Jesus as you Savior, I hope today would be the day.  


I am always here to pray for you.  I would love to answer any questions you have.  I would be glad to share more scriptures about who Jesus is and how He can change your life.  For those who already know Him as Savior, I hope you will continue to check the door of your heart to make sure you have not closed any part of it to Jesus today.  Remember walking in Jesus will result in constant change and growth.  You wouldn't want to miss out on the extreme makeover He is doing in your heart.


Blessings,


Greg  

Lies of the Devil

One day last summer my best friend and I, while sitting in the cafeteria of the IUPUI campus, wrote this list of what we believe to be the biggest lies from the devil men are deceived by.

1) That we don't have an escape from temptation and sin.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)
2) That we don't have to fight to stay pure and keep from sinning.  (Ephesians 6:12 )
3) That we should not have to endure trials to build character and mature.  (James 1:12)
4) That we are only hurting ourselves when we fall prey to sin.  (Courageous Website offers great resources addressing this lie)
5) That being free from sin as a Christian is easy.  (1 Corinthians 9:24)
6) That if we aren't instantly sinless, we are a failure or without Jesus. (Justification and Sanctification)
7) That pornography doesn't hurt anyone and is not wrong. (Philippians 4:8, Matthew 5:28, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Whenever I struggle in my daily walk, I look back at these lies to center myself in the truth of Jesus.  I would love to hear input from each of you on what you think of these lies.  If you agree with them or disagree.  Also I would love to know if you have other lies from the devil you have identified to help strengthen your walk and keep you aligned in the narrow way of Jesus.

I think of Pilgrims progress as an example of the importance of identifying and avoiding the Devil's and world's lies.  Whenever Christian took his eyes off of the road he was to travel, usually it was because he was lured off the road by a deception.  Many times the consequences of being led astray had high costs for Christian and his travelers.  I leave you with Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, 
   for everything you do flows from it."

Blessings,

Greg

Rising Star

Today was a wonderful day!  I led chapel at my job this week and had a wonderful time playing praise and worship for them.  I love nothing more than singing to my Savior while leading worship for others.  There is such a blessing in being able to use a gift God has given me to bless other souls.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to play and the ability that God has given me to play.

On this Valentines Day, I was so grateful to be able to express my love for both my Savior and my wife.  I can't believe my wife and I have been married for seven years.  I truly can't imagine spending my life with anyone else.  God has blessed me immeasurably through the love and support of my wife.  In speaking of my wife, I would like to tell you about a new blog she started this week, which I think is wonderful.  The name of her new blog is called Seeking the Secret.

I hope you will check it out and tell your friends about it also.  My wife's writing ability far exceeds my own and I am so proud that she is using her writing gift in this new blog.  I have been humbled by the reception of my own blog and know the Lord will bless my wife's blog too.  I am so thankful for the support of each of you.

Blessings,

Greg

Heart Fences

Do you ever find that you have put up fences between you and Jesus?  Each time a fence, wall, or barrier is built between you and Jesus, you block Him from being able to shine His light fully into your heart.  Just as you see the unmelted snow in the picture I took this morning, so also we all tend to have sin in our heart we have blocked Jesus from being able to cleanse and renew.

God is fully able to access and cleanse all areas of your heart with or without your permission (Psalm 139) but He seeks a "Humble and contrite heart" before He will enter.  Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."  These are Jesus' words to us.  The barriers that keep us from God are not His but our own.  He wants to come in and transform your heart to purity and salvation in Him.  He wants give you your best life in Him.  By best life, I mean the life that most honors Him and his kingdom.  As you begin to know Him more, you will realize that this truly is your best life over the millions of dollars and no care in the world desires that many hope for to solve all their worldly problems.    


The strong holds and fences that we have placed in our hearts, oftentimes, are there because we believe that our life is better with them than without them.  We believe that if God had control of this area or that area of our heart that we would not have as fulfilling a life.  We hold on to so many things that are of man because we struggle to believe that the ways of God in those areas could bring us more joy.  


Take the time tonight, to examine your heart and identify the areas of your heart you have closed to God.  Humble yourself by admitting to God why you are afraid to allow Him to take these areas.  Then finally, take a leap of faith by removing those barriers and allowing God to show you that the Joy He brings is greater than any joy you have ever experienced from the world.  Our God is so wonderful and completely sufficient for us.  Our fullest joy and peace is found solely in His leadership of our lives. (Psalm 145)  But don't take my word for it, find out for yourself by giving God a chance to show you His love and desire for you.  


Blessings,


Greg

Knowing God. Truly!

In the last few days, I have truly struggled with what to write on my blog.  I have felt a very real tension between whether to keep going on or whether to just discontinue this blog and chalk it up to wonderful therapy and a worthwhile ministry for a time.  I have had so much going on in my life with a hectic schedule with work, school, teaching, resting, chores, church,  baby stuff, and so much more.  I feel tired and disconnected when I get home and I honestly don't want to do anything but sit on the couch and get lost in a tv show till it is time to go to bed to face another day.

All of this busyness, has truly drained me spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  The ironic part is that that my sleep quality, or lack there of, is directly tied to me level of exhaustion.  The more exhausted I am the worse I sleep.  This cycle does not exactly bode well for relaxing, healing, or strength for a new day.

I have taken up a new routine recently that involves a long soak in a bath before I go to bed.  The reason I began this routine is because I had hoped the hot bath would calm down my strained muscles and improve my sleep quality.  Since I have began this routine, I have also taken up another routine with it.  Each night I soak, I read something that helps me learn more about who God is.  Right now I am chewing on the amazing words of J I Packer in Knowing God.

Tonight I read about the immutability of God.  God never changes. (Ps 102:26-27)  God has no need for change because He is perfect.  He is exactly the same today as He was at the creation of the universe. (Hebrew 13:8)  Have you ever truly mulled over that truth?  God was not formed.  God did not grow up.  God does not grow old, feeble, or unstable. (Jas 1:17)  God is not dead!

In Knowing God, all of these truths come together to explain the need and validity of reading and understanding the Bible.  Many of us have picked up the Bible, read it for a while, and struggled with the fact that there seems to be no connection between the world of biblical times and today.  Many of us have questioned how a time that seemed so much different can speak to us where we are and in the life we live.  I have struggled with this at times and I have even longed for those simpler times, technologically speaking, in the Bible.

Though there is so much that is different between the Bible time and now, God is exactly the same between the two of them.  The Bible is our way to understand God personally. (Exodus 3:14)  He has shown us Himself through His divine word. (Ps 33:11)  He has shown us what He expects, what He desires, and how very much He loves us.  We can take all of His promises to the bank.  We can trust that the truths that were spoken about Him then are still true for us today. (Ps 119:89, 151-152)  Finally and most importantly, we can know that through what He, Jesus Christ, did for us then we can have complete peace and assurance of what He fulfills in us when we put our full faith and truth in Him today! (John 3:16-17)

Through this new routine, God has given me exactly what I need to find true rest and strength in Him for each day.  He is reviving me, not through the bath, but through His Word and filling the core of my being with Himself.  He is showing me who He is and revealing the truth of the Bible to me in a new, simple, and tangible way.   All I desire is to know God fully and completely.  I want to live and breath Him throughout every facet of my life.  I want to fully die to self and allow Him to live through me daily.

So I will continue to write this blog and be faithful to what the Lord has set on my heart.  I now understand that this blog is both for my healing and the healing of others.  I also understand that, through the example of the Bible, I am to continue where the Lord has me and remain faithful in that task.   Please pray for me as I seek to walk closer with Him and have the strength and courage to continue writing each day.  I pray that you to will discover a new way to connect with God through prayer and I hope you will also develop a new passion and hunger to know God as He is and has always been in His Word.

Blessings,

Greg

Things I Learned From a Trailer

Today, I learned how to load, secure, and drive with a tractor on a trailer.  I use a trailer all the time doing landscaping projects at my job but most of the time I am pulling it around with our tractor.  My trailer adventure today involved me pulling more weight than I ever had before and came with new challenges and lessons.

I had to rent a larger trailer for our tractor because the trailer we have at work is to small.  When I brought the trailer back to my job, I set it up so I could drive the tractor on it.  I decided to put my seatbelt on in this instance because I did not want to take any chance that the tractor would flip or fall off.  Driving the tractor up was simple enough but I was not sure how far forward to drive the tractor to create the proper balance for driving.  I drove the tractor forward until I saw the back of our vehicle even out and load a little and then stopped.

After chaining the tractor up, I got in the vehicle and began my trip to the mechanic.  It did not take me very long to realize that I had not balanced the tractor properly.  As I drove down the road, every little bump made the vehicle sway back and forth and and bounce up and down.  I had only made it a couple miles down the road when I was feeling a slight bit of motion sickness from the swaying and had to pull over to try and remedy the situation.

Luckily, when I pulled into the gas station, I saw a truck that looked like it had pulled quite a bit of heavy equipment.  I quickly parked, got out of the vehicle, and walked over to the truck to ask for help.  I asked the stranger if he had towed a tractor before and he answered that he had.  I asked him if he could help me and show me what I had done wrong in loading our tractor.  I explained to him how the vehicle was bouncing and swaying and he told me that I had not pulled the tractor far enough up on the trailer.

He helped me get the tractor position correctly and I have to say that the rest of my hour long trip was smooth and without motion sickness ;) .  It was still interesting dealing with the added weight, both in acceleration and braking.  I also had to be very careful to keep the trailer wheels in the lines and make sure that I made my turns wide to accommodate the large trailer behind me.  All in all, I am so grateful for the help of a stranger and that I made the trip to the mechanic and back safely.

God spoke to me in a few ways through this trip.  First, He showed me the value of asking for help.  There are many times in life when I have tried to do things on my own without seeking God's help and failed.  Through humbling myself and admitting that I can't do it on my own, I allow myself to be molded and taught by Jesus.  Second, If I had not paid attention to the trailer while I was driving, I would've surely hurt the tractor, myself, and/or others.  Through this, I learned how important it is to pay attention in life.  You never know when the Holy Spirit may be leading you to reach out, talk to someone, or teaching you a biblical truth through the situation you are in.  Lastly, I was acutely aware of how often my life is in God's hands.  Any number of things could've happened on my trip today.  I believe God was at work by steading my hands on the steering wheel, protecting my tires from blowing as I drove, directing the many semis in their lanes, providing a stranger to instruct me on proper trailering, and helping me to find the mechanic and navigate home without issue.

God is constantly moving and working in our lives.  Each day is an opportunity to see Him work in your life.  I leave you tonight with some verses that I hope will give you peace in knowing that God is in control of your life daily.  Ephesians 3:20, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."  Matthew 10:29, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."  Proverbs 16:9, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."


Blessings,


Greg