This quote from E. Stanley Jones about faith and worry had to be shared.
“I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil”.
Faith is the soil and substance of our belief. Without it, it is impossible to do anything that pleases God. Faith means we can and will do it. We take the leap and move from yesterday into tomorrow. Faith means we go beyond the surface, beyond the chaos, beyond our fears into the glory of God. Faith shines brightest in those dark moments when all our human efforts have failed.
Remember today, that faith is your native land. Pack your bags and leave the land of Fear-False Evidence Appearing Real, and go home to Faith.
Junior Seau, former NFL great found dead in his home of a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound. He is the eighth member of the 1994 Chargers team, which reached the Super Bowl, to die before age 45. He leaves a mother, children, and former players, coaches, fans and league officials in shock. Questions about the enormous physical toll the game takes on players, as well as how much the league does to assist former players, once their active playing days are behind them will once again be raised. As words of sympathy roll in from all over the league, these questions while valid did not come close to an answer to this tragedy.
We can all speculate on what we believe was the real reason for his decision to take his life, but we will never know. Or do we know? As tragic as this situation is, and my heart goes out to his mother, family, and most of all his children who will spend much of their lives negatively impacted by their father’s decision.
We all must be alert to those around us who are suffering inside, and who appear like Junior to be strong,invincible, and yet feel like there is no hope, no reason to go on when one season of life is over.
What we sometimes fail to realize is, there is always another plan-a better plan waiting for us. God’s divine plan is always better. It is filled with love, joy, peace and hope. And there is always hope. Not hope in what this world offers, but hope in our strong tower, in our mighty fortress, in our refuge, our Strength, our salvation and in our God. A God who said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” So when we come to the end of our journey, the fork in the road, God will be there leading and guiding all the way.So let us resolve to do more to share the message of hope for all those caught in the tangled of web of despair.
Let’s do it for the Junior Seaus’ of the world, their families, and others like him.
Over the weekend, we witnessed the power of a spirit yielded to God. One of the new converts was dancing for the first time, and she was terrified. To further complicate the situation, one of the dancers was not with us. So here we were, out-of-town, and it was her first time. So they had to learn, within two hours new steps. Fear had gripped them. Tears backstage. Before the music started, the director told the audience shared they had to learn new parts in less than two hours, and asked for our prayers. The music started, and when it came time for her part, she step boldly into the power that was within her. The audience leaped to their feet. It was a triumph. We all witnessed and felt it. We became part of the Power. And that is how it should be. We should alway step, leap, jump, walk forward, and pass our fears into the sacred place of power and appointment.
Remember being on the playground for the first time. We wanted to try everything. There is no fear. The monkey bars, teeter-totter, jungle gym, swings…whatever there was we wanted to go there and try it. And when we felt the point of mastery…we were free, and felt “I can do it all.” That is the transforming power of God. There is no fear in God. There is liberty from bondage, from the shackles, the chains, the sin that so easily besets us. He gave us power, love and a sound mind. We feel capable, ready to use whatever talents, skills, abilities with the world to His glory. His power opens us up to our rightful place in the kingdom, where we experience what it is like to be children of the King. It is joyous. It is glorious the shining brightness of His love and power.
Good morning God. I awoke with you on my mind and in my heart-quietly and softly. Although, I sensed the pull of my “things to do list”, the urgency to dive in and get going on all those tasks and assignments was tugging, and shouting at me to come and give them attention. But an old hymn came to mind, and as moved from urgency to submission, I turned my focus to You, and the song “Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus” floated ever so softly into the clouded corners of my spirit. The words of calm, peace and trust resonated with my soul, and I looked away from tasks to YOU. It is so sweet to trust in You, and take your promises to be true. All is well with my soul and spirit because You have said it, and so it will be.
Yesterday, I spoke with one of your servants who was allowing things to to blind him to the truth of your word. I urged him to return to you. You are creator God, who shaped and molded us from the dust and clay. And only you can handle all that is before us.
I read in Jeremiah 18:2-4 [b] “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands;so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.” You shaped and are continuing to shape me despite my impurities, my sins, my mistakes. You are shaping in a way that is best for me, and for others. R.C. Sproul once said, “The Spirit brings order out of chaos and beauty out of ugliness. He [the Holy Spirit] can transform a sin-blistered man into a paragon of virtue. The Spirit changes people. The Author of life is also the Transformer of life.” You’ve taken all the tests, challenges, trials of my life in your Master Potter’s hands and remade me. The process has at times, I admit been truly painful, but I’m resting in you, and in your word.
Lord, thank you for reminding me of the sweetness of you, and the peace that passes all understanding when I rest in you. Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,
Mr. Colson’s life was transformed from power to passion. He went from serving self to serving others, and because of it the silence of the hurting was broken.
He used everything God gave him to further the message of truth, compassion, and salvation to this generation.
My prayers are went his family, friends, and the organizations he founded and supported.
Well done, thy good and faithful servant. Enter into thy rest.
Last night I watched a classic movie based on a story by Damon Runyon called A Pocketful of Miracles. In the story an old bag lady, a hustler brilliantly played by Bette Davis, learns her daughter, whom she hasn’t seen in years is coming to America. The problem is the old lady’s daughter believes her mother is a member of high society. Through a series of “miracles” her life and the lives of those who comes to her rescue are transformed.
Didn’t Christ do this? His gift opened the door so we to experience the miraculous. To enjoy a life filled with wonder, joy, abundance. But there is a problem. Catherine Marshall described it this way, “It would be wrong to have a “poverty complex,” for to think ourselves paupers is to deny either the King’s riches or to deny our being His children.” But isn’t this exactly what we are doing? We are either living below the miracle, or deny miracle exist. Our Jesus came so we could become partners, and hand out pocketful of miracles.
What I saw and experienced during those hours was the realization that as human beings we have conditioned ourselves to stay stuck in our pain, our regret, our mistakes, our stuff because we can use it as an excuse for not living with purpose and promise. Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. But we don’t want abundant life. We would rather stay in the pain, or in our mess than seeking God and discovering the purpose for which we were created.
There are millions of hurting people seeking an answer to the question, why am I here? Our search for the answer begins not with things, people, stuff; but with God. Beloved, discover how to live your life with purpose by discovering God.
Loving God with Excellence 
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