Stories and other stuff

I was blessed to bring a message on Sunday to a little country church near my home. Something in John 5 had really convicted me about Christmas and what we, as Christians are looking forward to. Sometimes, I think this time of year, we're looking forward to looking back. We demonstrate that in a lot of ways by the traditions we keep, and I wondered if maybe we keep them too tightly. I had finished up the sermon on Saturday night and I was feeling pretty good about life. My Utes still had a chance at the PAC12 championship game (they're in!) and I felt good about the message. I was deliviering a pot of soup to some sick friends and was driving down the Cape Arago Highway here when I got convicted about traditions: What about candy canes, Dale? Ouch! I have this "thing" about candy canes. Red and white ones are not good enough. I need red, white, and green Kencraft candy canes (before them, they were called Ike's candy canes). But they don't make the...

I'm old, but back in the day, we used to use the expression "what he said" to indicate agreement with someone else. I know it's still used today, but not as frequently as it used to be. Last night at our Bible study we were discussing a portion of the Gospel of John and it's an exchange between Thomas and the Ressurected Christ in a room. This from the Gospel of John, chapter 20:24-29 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and...

We all have things we struggle with, things we wish we wouldn't have done, etc... I've been thinking a lot the last few days about how we move on from them. Or how sometimes we don't. I wonder why, sometimes, that God in His sovereignty chooses things to take from us instantly and how for others we need to keep working (and working, and working, and working) at getting past whatever that thing is. I need God. I know that sometimes by the things I deal with on a day-to-day basis. I can't get through a day without realizing that without God, I'd likely still be stuck in the same bad choices I made without Him. The new tool I have for dealing with those things which has helped me, is just the two simple words of the title of today's post: "No, thanks," I'm unwilling to pay the cost of disobeying God. I know God honors obedience and I have seen some pretty unique ways that God has showed up in my life. It's amazing to see God move. It...

When God speaks, I think it wise to listen. There's been a lot of this going on in my life this week; almost like some 911 emergency instructions to me to be wise. It started Sunday when I saw or heard Isaiah 43:1-2 4 times in four different ways. Two of them were Facebook memories from literally exactly 7 years ago that day. Today, it was about two things. The first is fearing the Lord. And I don't mean that reverent awe. I'm talking about straight up fear. I have a healthy fear of the Lord because I have seen Him do things that have frightened me. I think it's OK to be frightened by the awesome power of a God who can, and does orechestrate circrcumstances to suit His perfect will. The Bible is full of verses telling us that God's purposes always prevail. God does speak through His word and today those words seemed to be aimed at a place where I was at. And I was listening.

We were talking last night in my small group that because Jesus was resurrected from the dead and then ascended into heaven afterward, that through that and our belief on Him, we were granted the right to become children of God. I've been seeing that a lot this week and it was also a subject of conversation at our Bible study on Wednesday. John opens his gospel account of Jesus with that thought. I am an adopted son of the Most High God, one of the multitude of His children; a wild olive branch grafted into the Vine. As such, I know who I am in Christ, not just saved, but an adopted child into His own family. I was thinking about that today as my mind wandered a bit into preparing to not do something stupid. I have to sometimes prepare for that because there are paths that sometimes open up to us, but aren't for us to take. My friend put it this way: Sometimes the donkey doesn't move because she can see the angel blocking the path when we can't. Other times...

I love that God restores things. Several years ago I used to lead a Bible study at the local rescue mission with a friend. It was something I really came to enjoy doing each week. I used to have to get there on only four hours' sleep, but I rarely missed a Wednesday morning. That came to an end as things at the mission changed. There were several studies going on, and as time went on, it seemed that we were just confusing people because we were just doing our own thing. I'd expressed my concern to my fellow leader of our Wedensday study a couple of months before it was decided that one person would teach all five days of the week. Other opportunities came from that study though, and it led to me being able to speak at a chapel service once a month until COVID. Sortly after that, I wound up moving to Oregon. As things happen in God's time and in His way, I would make some new connections where I live now and the opportunity arose to lead a Bible study at our local r...

I was praying for someone the other day when I came to understand some things about prayers we pray. Sometimes, I think w can be praying for someone for the thing we want, when it might just be the plan for someone's life to have to go through hard things. That thought came as I was praying for somone who is going through a lot right now. I mean, a LOT. And that's sad. And again, maybe it's not. That thougt also came to me after someone else shared a thought they had about the same person. Maybe, just maybe, the stuff is the thing that the person needs right now so they'll lean on Jesus. I can relate to that. I made a very bad choice several years ago and while I still live with the consequnces of it for now, those consquences....the hard things I had to go through have made me who I am today. God kind of let me know that my act of disobedience didn't catch Him by surprise and He had plans for it. It was my choice to make the wrong decision. The consequ...