Walking without a Map (2)

(Guess what I found in the "Draft" folder. I had intended to post it last week.) I have not posted any thoughts for some time from the book I was reading on living life during times of trial.

• Walk in the Spirit
• Daily yield control of your emotions and of your heart to the power of God's Holy Spirit.
• You cannot control events, but you can control responses.

• Wait on God and hope in Him
• His grace is sufficient

• Try your ways
• Try = test, evaluate
• There are reasons that God allows trials
• The anger and judgment of God upon sin
• The natural consequences of sin
• Spiritual warfare or sifting
• Uniquely for His glory
• The chastening of a loving Father
• Trials should be periods of refining

• Be strong and work
• Keep God first and He will keep you
• Do what (little) you can with what (little) you have to glorify God and serve Him. He will make up the difference.
• His strength is made perfect in weakness.

When we face trials, we must try to see what God wants us to learn and to do in the trial and as a result of the trial. 

Walking through the Winter

Some thoughts to consider:

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

• Just looking at the last statement in the verse, we can know that our God will do what is right. Even in the midst of challenging times, God will do right.
• My life may not always follow the path that I expect, but God will always do right.
• God is definitely trustworthy.
• We may not know what is down the road ir around the corner, but God does. With that foreknowledge, He will always do the right thing.
• God is governed by Biblical principle, not by emotion.

Genesis 24:27
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

• Again, looking at just one part of the verse -- "I being in the way, the LORD led me." When we put ourselves in the place to be used, God will indeed guide and direct.
• Often we pray and ask for "guidance and direction." The fact is that God does through the Spirit guide and direct, but we do not always follow His leading.
• I want to place myself in a place where I can be used of God in whatever way He chooses.
• God is worthy of our worship and praise.
• He has not abandoned us, not even in the midst of challenging times.
• I can trust God's leading, even when I do not understand what He is seeking to accomplish.

As we read the Scriptures, it is important that we allow God to give us direction and even encouragement. He is truly a great and wonderful God.

Walking Together for 28 Years

My, how time flies. Of course, birds fly, planes fly, and flies fly. But I digress. Time indeed flies. Just a few days ago (somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,250 days) I saw the most beautiful girl in the world at summer camp. Four and a half years later she became my wife. Now, twenty-eight years since then we celebrate another anniversary. I popped into that bastion of modern American commercialism (Walmart) to pick up some roses and some Hostess DingDongs for the love of my life. I was getting home from work about the time she was preparing to leave for work, so I put the goodies on the table and collapsed into bed in the spare room. Twenty-eight years. My, how time flies.

God has richly blessed me over these years, as we have been on this incredible journey together. We have from WI to FL, TX to PA. Now we wait on God to show what He wants us to do and we do so with confidence that God is in complete control. Many of our family and friends face greater challenges, but none have a greater life partner. Bec has been such a huge blessing from God. The roses will fade and the DingDongs are nasty chocolate, but the roses and snack cakes are simple gestures to show how much I appreciate the one that God has allowed me to spend my life with. Thanks Bec. I love you a ton!

Walking along an Familiar Path

In Genesis 8:1, I find an interesting phrase: "And God remembered Noah..." I find it interesting because God never forgot Noah. He knew where Noah was, what Noah was doing, when Noah would land, and why Noah was in the ark to begin with. God knew every detail about Noah. God did not remember Noah as we understand the concept of remembering; He once again interacted with Noah. Our God delights in being engaged in the lives of His children, but that engagement is to be a two-way street. God wants to engage with us, but He wants us to interact with Him through prayer, reading of the Word, and the practical application of the principles found within His Word.

And now, as we consider our personal situations, how is our relationship with God? Are we engaged with God? Are we in a place where we need God to "remember" us? Are we recognizing the work of God in our lives and practicing the word of God? Do we ever wonder if God cares? Indeed He does!

"And God remembered Noah." I wonder if Noah was concerned whether or not God remembered him. There may be times in the daily struggles of life that we wonder where God has gone, but the truth is that He has not gone anywhere. In Noah's case, God was there all of the time. In our case, He is there all of the time. And God remembered each of us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is there all of the time to watch over us and meet our needs. He loves us and cares for us and wants to see us accomplish His will. He did not lose us; He did not forget about us. God was there, is there, and will always be there. The "familiar path" is that place where we find ourselves -- going through life one day at a time. Remember, God is there with us.

Walking on Christmas Day

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

On that day so long ago, the Savior came to this earth. In so many ways, it was just like any other birth on any other day. Yet, in so many other ways, it was unlike any other birth. On that day, the very son of God was born of a virgin that He might live and then die in the place of sinful man to offer us forgiveness of sin, sin that he took on Himself. What a wonderful, priceless gift that was given to mankind. As we go throughout the activities of the day, may we put all things in their proper place and revere our Savior above all. He truly is worthy of all worship and praise.

Then let us reflect on a few of the gifts He has granted unto us. He has given us...

• Fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

• Spiritual gifts: Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

• Godly qualities: forgiveness, humility, courage, integrity, generosity, etc. 

• Faith, family, friends

• James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

There are surely other gifts that we have been given, but these help us to see the wealth of treasures we have been given. The world would be an incredibly miserable place without the wonderful blessings we have received from our God.

Merry Christmas to all. May you have a wonderful day as you reflect on our great and wonderful God and His son Jesus Christ.

Walking While the Mind Wanders

One of the tools I use regularly for devotional time is a daily guide from Dr. Charles Stanley. It is always interesting and often thought-provoking. Here is a recent devotional that I found to be a great blessing.
Interesting devotional

In my Google+ feed (yes, there are people who actually use Google+), I received this from Rose Publications -- they do Bible study pamphlets and booklets. Being father of a toddler, this hit home. I chuckled greatly and thought, "I can relate." Perhaps my two older kids could try this as well.
Great comic

I spend 6-8 hours a days loading trailers for FedEx Ground. This sounds much like my life (job description). Disclaimer, the lead character does not work in my area. My area usually loads these tandem trailers. The worst part for me is the "belly." FedEx trailers actually utilize the lower area between the wheels. To load that area means jump down, climb out numerous times in a night.
Job Description

Walking along Where Led

Here are some ponderings from the mind of a midnight shift package-handler. Most of the good thoughts come in the midst of a rush of boxes, usually between midnight and 2AM.

1. How should we respond when we are not treated kindly?

1 Peter 2:19-25

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

2. How do we know what the next step should be?
Abraham followed after God though he did not know where that would lead. What he did know is that God is trustworthy.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

3. How much of the future does God reveal as we follow Him?

The Israelites followed the pillars of fire and cloud -- day by day. When He moved, they moved; when He stayed, they stayed.

Exodus 13:21

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

As we go though life, it is filled with uncertainty, even when we think we have it all figured out. One "bad" day, be it a doctor's visit, news from family or friends, or an incident on the roads could radically change the course of life. When these things happen, our recourse should be where we have always been, in the arms of our Heavenly Father. He knows when we are mistreated and He desires to lead us in the way that we should go. Often we pray that God would lead and direct, as if He has not been doing that up to this time. The issue is not the leading, it is the following. We need to pray that He would help us to follow His leading and directing. Romans 8:28 declares that He will work things to His glory, even when we do not understand the "whys" of what we are going through. He knows what is good, truly good. We only think that we know what is good, and that only from our perspective. He is the one that knows the beginning from that end and can be trusted with our lives, every step of the way. Trust and obey, quite simple yet incredibly difficult.