Remember y2k? All of that stuff about how the world was going to stop turning?

It was New year’s Eve and I was standing in line in Winco. It was very early in the morning. There was a middle aged couple in front of me. They had three carts. One was full of charcoal, the next was full of bottled water and the third was loaded with canned food. I remember thinking how silly it all looked, but I had to admit in the back of my mind was a strong sense of wonder at what the new century held for all of us.

Well that was ten years ago now and today we seem to have all but forgotten the hysteria surrounding New Year’s Eve in 1999. The world still turns, the grass and the weeds still grow and God is still in control. He had a plan for this past decade and He has a plan for the next one and the one after that as well.

That couple in line at Winco was obviously counting on living through whatever the new year was going to throw at them and I am just as much counting on living in 2010. I’m not much for your typical new year’s resolutions, but I am a planner so here’s my plan;

I plan to spend some time each day letting God tell me who He is, how He operates and who I am in His eyes. I further plan to spend the rest of my life seeking God’s plan for my life and when I go to bed at night I plan on resting well, trusting in the knowledge that God is perfectly capable of making the world go around while I get some sleep. He did a great job with the last ten years, I plan to trust Him with the next ten also. Happy New Year! Sleep well!

Jeremiah 51:15 (MSG)

By his power he made earth. His wisdom gave shape to the world. He crafted the cosmos.

I looked up the word “goodness” while preparing for the Thanksgiving Eve message. On dictionary dot com I found a secondary definition for goodness listed as: the beneficial or nutritious part. This was especially helpful as I was considering the fact that God is the source of all goodness.

When I think about what I’m made of, I mean really made of, it doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the physical me. I’m much more than I appear to be at first glance and so are you. We require more than physical nutrition. We are spiritual beings with spiritual needs. Our spiritual appetites crave the nutrition only a sovereign God can provide. Our need cannot be met by any mortal person, place or thing.

Take some time today to consider the new life God has breathed into you, His goodness. And, if you haven’t allowed that to happen yet, take some time to just consider God.  Consider the fact He loves you in spite of your past, your present, even your future choices. Think about how he accepts you, not because of your goodness, but His. Then accept Him.

James 1:18 (NLT)
In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.

“All I really need, is good love” is how the old song by “The Rascals” goes. While the lyrics may somewhat simplify the needs of a human being, the fact is love IS what we really need. Love makes us feel complete, significant and wanted.

Do you ever notice how companionship doesn’t seem to be important when we are making a big purchase, striving to win a competition or maybe trying to get that promotion at work? However as soon as any of these are accomplished (or not accomplished) we immediately seek out someone to share the experience with don’t we?

Loving others when they are succeeding and when they are failing meets a basic human need. When was the last time you sought out someone to celebrate with or someone to comfort and encourage?

My very first ministry experience came as a result of a project I was involved with through Big Heart Ministries at NorthPointe. When we were done I heard this comment; “once again we reached out to encourage somebody else and WE we are the ones who were blessed”. I have never forgotten that.

Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

The word service means many things to many people. There are service industries, military service, voluntary service, etc. These are noun versions of the word unless you are directly involved in one of these activities. When the word “service” becomes personal it becomes an action word, a verb.

There is also a modern day term we use; “self-service”. But, what about service solely for the sake of others? is that a noun (impersonal) or a verb (personal) in your life? Is it something you see happening around you or is it something you do?

When we choose to serve others we take something personal, such as our time, talent or treasure we and give it away. As a result both recipient and giver are blessed. This is a lifestyle to strive for. This is where joy is found, in service as a verb.

Here is a basic principle of the recovery process; We come to a point when we can see where we have been self serving and are able to see the damage it has done in our relationships. We then choose to reverse this by getting the focus off of ourself and onto others. We get into service as a verb.

My sponsor taught me how to think about joy with this little acronym. J = Jesus first, O = others next, Y = yourself last. Jesus taught me how to experience joy by commanding me to love Him first and foremost, and then to love others as I love myself.

My heartfelt thanks to all military veterans and their families today and everyday. God bless you.

“His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end.”

No, not Obama’s, Jesus’. There are times when it feels like His government is shrinking rather than expanding though, doesn’t it? That’s because we have a tendency to focus on the negative. It’s part of our humanness. This is why “Murphy’s Law” can be quoted by as many folks as can recite the “Golden Rule”.

Looking for the peace and hope in any given situation requires that we not only look for the best in ourselves, it also means we have to look for good in others rather than blame them. This includes God.

Take a little inventory today. In what area has God blessed you? Where is his government expanding in your life? Need a hint…where do you experience peace, real peace?

Isaiah 9:7 (NLT)

His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!

We all have them in our lives, don’t we? Difficult people! I find it interesting that a person who may be difficult for me to understand or relate to can be somebody else’s best friend. What does that say about me? What does it say about them?

This past week at church we have been hearing about how important our words are and how speaking the truth in love can make a difference in in the life of someone we care about. The fact we care about them is what should drive us. I recently heard there is no reason to confront a person who you don’t want to be close to, but how do we determine whether or not we not a relationship with someone if we are unwilling to get close to them?

The average person lives about 70 years. Knowing someone for a few weeks or a few hours doesn’t give us sufficient time to get to know who they really are, or for them to get to know us. The overwhelming majority of folks we come across in a lifetime are only with us for a very short part of their lives. We should do our best to get to know them while we can. Who knows, maybe we are the person they need to hear some truth from. We have to have credibility in their life first though, and in order to do that they are going to need to know we care about them. Otherwise we are wasting our breath, their time and a real opportunity for growth.

And don’t forget, it’s also possible that difficult people could have some truth for us. Just the fact they are difficult for us holds a little truth, doesn’t it?

Imagine yourself living under an earthly kingship. This may be difficult for those of us who are used to seeing life through a democratic lens so lets just stick with basics. The first basic is, earthly kings rule and their subjects are ruled over. In most cases the king decides who gets what, who does what, who decides what, etc. Loyalty to the throne is not an option, it is an edict.

Jesus Christ is not an earthly king. His kingdom is, as we like to say, not of this world. Living life under His kingship is a choice He freely gives us. Yes, He determined when, where and to whom we were to be born, but after that He leaves a sometimes overwhelming percentage of choices in life up to us.

Keep one thing in mind while making choices, Jesus knows the future and we don’t. He knows choosing our own path can be burdensome. He promises to lighten our burden and He leads by example. He offers us the wisdom and power to succeed.

Wouldn’t it be nice to live under a kingship where the King not only wants the best for you, but is also willing to help you attain it? He is Savior to the entire world, but is He your King?

Matthew 11:29-30 (NLT)
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

A few years ago I was sitting in the parking lot praying before heading in to work when it dawned on me; I was saying goodbye to God, leaving Him in my car while I went in to do my job. This was a major turning point in my spiritual journey. Why would I feel the need to that? How could I ask God for His guidance in one breath and then say “so long for now” in the next?

I’m glad that it really didn’t bother me much at the time. That made it easier for me to quickly turn that moment into a learning experience. I knew in my mind Jesus wanted to be involved in my ordinary, every day moments, but that knowledge had now attached itself to my heart. I didn’t want to leave Him in the car! I wanted Him to be with me, close by.

So, if you are reading this and you have the opportunity, please share with me what “an ordinary day with Jesus” might look like in your life.  I know for me it means sharing every moment with Him, the good and the bad, the difficult and the easy, the times when I really need Him and the times when I simply want to be near Him. Like, well, now for example.

Are there areas of your life where He has less access than others?

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

What about that “no regrets” thing? I have to say, my favorite phrase in this past weekend’s message was the one about the pain of discipline weighing pounds, but the pain of regret weighing tons.

Knowing God forgives us and hoping He will are two entirely different things, wouldn’t you agree? I don’t know about you, but I would rather know now as opposed to  taking my chances later. I would always rather come clean with God about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing than hope for the best while I try to rationalize my behavior. I’m sure my best job of rationalizing or making excuses will fall short in the long run.

Proverbs 18:17 says… Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight. (NLT)

When I meet God face to face I want the record to already have been set straight. The only way that is going to happen is if I consistently put my life into the light His standards, His wisdom, His mercy and His Grace. I must live honestly before Him. He may require me to bear a small amount of discipline (training), but I believe He wants to spare me a lifetime of regret.

There is something that goes on inside of us when we are waiting to be comforted. There is an unsettled stillness. We might seem to be “stuck in limbo” as we try to figure out where our help comes from.

I have four kids, three of whom are grown and another who is nearly there herself. When I think back to some of the tougher lessons they have had to learn I realize there were times when I may have seemed insensitive to their discomfort over being stretched to grow in knowledge and character. I know I certainly felt that way about my dad at times.

The fact is though, I wasn’t being insensitive I was simply allowing them to work their way through something which would eventually make them better people. I believe God (our heavenly Father) does this too. He loves us enough to wait as we learn, even if we are uncomfortable while doing so. It is up to remind ourselves He sees a bigger picture than we do and our being comfortable may not fit into it at the moment. That doesn’t mean God lacks compassion, it means He loves us enough to wait while we learn and our help and comfort are just around the corner.

Psalms 40:1-5 (NIV)
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.