Chicken or the egg?

It only took me 40 years to reach my conclusion to an age old question…What came first, the chicken or the egg? I do a lot of thinking in the shower. There’s something about closing myself off from all the distractions around me while hot water runs over my ever growing body that causes me to think. It was in the shower that the question entered my mind and the answer finally came. The answer has been right under my nose for thirty years but I just now put 2+2 together.

The chicken came first! I know, I know all of you theological types are like, duh, but for the non-theological minded you’ll find the answer in the Bible. You know, that dusty old book that usually only gets opened on Sunday mornings…

Genesis 1:21 – “So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living
and moving thing with which water teems, according to their kinds, and every
winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

Well with that question settled I can move on to the next age old chicken riddle…why did the chicken cross the road? I know what you are thinking…too much time on his hands and too little to think about…but sometimes I just need to be distracted!

The cool thing is that the Bible can be a source to many other more serious questions of today. I’d like to challenge you to begin discovering some answers for yourself. Pick up your Bible and read it once a day…even just a verse a day if that’s all you have time for. See for yourself that the Bible is relevant to solve whatever problem you are facing right now!

Reminders

At the end of Samuels leadership of Israel God anoints Saul to be King. Samuel has an opportunity to address ALL the people and gives them an opportunity to speak out against any unkind thing, any sinful thing, any evil thing he did to any of them. And then he says the following:

1 Samuel 12:24 “But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him
faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”

Have you ever seen the movie “The Waterboy”? In that movie the main character uses “tackling fuel” to accomplish his goals – tackling the opposing football players. He has to “consider” the bad things done against him. We need to remind ourselves of the great things God has done for each of us. Perhaps you’ve been healed from an addictive behavior; disconnected from old friends who took another path in life that led to prison, an addiction, death; healed from an illness; loved when you felt unworthy; or found hope when you felt lost by despair. And then there is the matter of your salvation; an eternity in heaven. When we “consider what great things he has done” it is our “tackling fuel”. Remind yourself of the great things he has done for you to spur you on to fear Him and serve Him faithfully in EVERYTHING you do!

Operation Christmas Child

Yesterday I took three young ladies, two fourteen years old and one fifteen year old, to work at Operation Christmas Child. We worked approximately five hours and we worked hard but we had a great time doing it. They called us volunteers but I like to think we were more like servants. We were there to serve Samaritan Purse by inspecting boxes. We were there to serve the children the boxes were being sent to in India by insuring only safe and appropriate items were being sent as a gift to them. We were there to serve each other by helping each other and by encouraging one another to press on. Finally we were there to serve our King as He uses each of those boxes to bring joy to a child living in poverty.

This was my first time to serve (volunteer) at Operation Christmas Child. My wife had planned to take the young ladies but I decided I wanted to instead. I’m glad I did…it was truly a blessing. I was not only able to serve in so many ways but I was able to witness the sacrificial serving hearts of the three young ladies I escorted to work there. These young ladies gave up their Saturday night to be servants (volunteers). At their age, Saturday nights are for parties, friends, hanging out, having fun and just being teen age kids. But instead of doing those things they worked, unpaid, for five hours without complaining and with joy in their hearts. And they did it because Christ is their King.

Lord willing, I will definitely serve at Operation Christmas Child again next year. I hope you’ll join me. http://samaritanspurse.org/OCC.asp?MPGID=1

Guiding Our Steps

Quiet time. If you are like me you know the importance of being disciplined and spending time quiet before the Lord. If you are like me you aren’t disciplined enough to habitually make the time in a hectic day to do it. If you are like me the times you do it the Holy Spirit really speaks to you. Today was one of those days. I read I Samuel 7, 8 and 9. In chapter 9 verses 6, 15 & 16 the Holy Spirit revealed to me a truth I’ve always known but He really brought it home in a practical way. God orchestrates the lives of people for His purposes – not ours. In these verses I saw God’s hand bring several different things together all for His purpose. Let’s review.

1. Lost donkey
2. Saul’s father sends him and a servant to search for the donkey.
3. The direction Saul travels in search of the lost donkey ultimately leads to Samuel.
4. The people of a town request Samuel to come to their town and make a sacrifice.
5. Saul’s servant remembers that Samuel has a gift of prophecy and suggests that they can go and ask him where the donkey could be located.
6. God already revealed to Samuel that Saul was coming to see him.
7. Saul and Samuel meet.

Surely God ordains our every step! There is no where I go that God hasn’t ordained even if I believe that I’ve chosen my own direction. The truth is He is in control of my final destination…not me…I’m happy to be along for the journey!

If you are like me this is an exhilarating truth…I’m not in control. I’ve tried to be all my life. No more. Wow…freeing isn’t it?

Blogging...who would of thunk it?

Welcome to my first blog. This is a place where you will read my thoughts, some deep and most shallow. I'm doing this mostly to feel young like all my buddies that are hip to this blog phenomenon. Hopefully something I say will make you laugh or muse deeply toward your purpose in life. Enjoy!