“Divine Assignments!”

There is something about human nature that makes us all think that everyone we know should like us; we want everyone to see our worth and find value in our words, thoughts, and talents. We soon come to see however that no matter how much we may want this or attempt to get everyone to value us, this is just not how life plays out in our everyday world. Some people for whatever reason just don’t like us, or find us to be a problem; others just don’t care about us much one way or another. However to a select few, we are a gift, a prize, someone who adds value and worth to their life.

I have come to see recently that not everyone sees our value because our purpose and our calling is not to them. Those to whom we are called will see our value, those to whom we are not called, will not. The honeybee buzzing around your yard is an annoyance to your dog, but to the flowers in your garden, he is a gift. Those to whom you are called will be blessed by you, they will enjoy visiting and being with you, they will receive something of value form you, they will be better for having spent time with you, or doing business with you. You will make a positive difference in the lives of those to whom you are assigned.

I use to feel guilty because as a youth leader there were some kids I just didn’t care for much, and other kids that I loved deeply and my heart just yearned to help and somehow make a positive difference in there lives. I was functioning under a belief that I should love and treat all people the same, but that is ridiculous. While Christ does teach me to love everyone, I am certainly not called to love or treat the woman down the street the same as I love and treat my wife. Nor is my wife called to cook breakfast for the neighbors’ husband. I now believe that those, to whom our hearts are drawn, are part of our divine assignment. The special love and bond we have for them was placed there by God himself. They are the ones to whom we are called, the ones that we are appointed to bless.

We all certainly need to work on areas of spiritual immaturity within us, for things like having a negative spirit or being full of pride will certainly effect how people relate to us and how much influence we will have in their lives. However for us to spend too much of our time trying to make someone like us, who doesn’t appreciate our value and gifts can be a major waste of our time and anointing. For even Jesus counseled his disciples before sending them out by saying, “whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.” (Matt.10:14) So when someone doesn’t like you or see your value, don’t worry about it, just shake it off, and refocus your concentration toward those to whom you were sent. When you are walking in your assignment, your giftings will find their greatest effectiveness, and your seed will produce the greatest harvest. “But other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matt.13:8

God made you for a specific purpose, and he chose you for that purpose before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4 / Jer. 1:5) The things and people you love most, and to which your heart is drawn, are clues to who and what your calling and assignment is. Your passion, your anger, the enemies you are willing to fight, the people you are willing to fight for, are all clues to your assignment. When you find the environment you are meant to be in, your genius will emerge. In the chicken yard the eagle is just another bird, and in fact may lag behind the crowd, but put him in the sky above the mountains and his magnificence and grace will be displayed for all to see. You will find fulfillment and purpose when you are walking in your divine assignment. So don’t waste your gifts buzzing around the dogs ears when there is a meadow full of flowers just over the hill longing to be touched and blessed by you.

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Jer. 29:11 AMP

“Pardoned”

The above cartoon would probably be more humorous to me if it weren’t so true. I spent many years of my life (after being born again) burdened down with the guilt and shame of sin that had already been pardoned by the blood of Jesus. I had been set free but lived as a captive in a constant state of unrest, trying to live up to the requirements of Gods law. A law that if we are going to live by them, contains not only the ten commandments but were added to by Jesus who said that hate is murder and lust is adultery. A law that judges not only our actions but also the “thoughts and intent of the heart.” (Heb 4:12) As difficult as living without lying, cursing or coveting is, how could anyone possibly live holy under a law that judges by our thought life as well. For the moment we repent from one foul thought, another unholy thought may surface. I was taught that when any such sin occurred in my life I had fallen from grace. Because of this improper understanding of grace, I must have been resaved several hundred times per year. Living with this kind theology makes one very sin conscious, which leaves you with three choices,

1. Repent constantly (which leaves little time to enjoy any of Gods goodness.)

2. Rationalize and categorize sin (try to convince oneself that what you do is not sin)

3. Live under constant guilt, condemnation, and fear of hell.

I lived doing a combination of all three of these things. You would think being very sin conscious would keep you living as good and holy as possible, but the reason that isn’t necessarily so, is that if one sin is going to send me to hell anyway, then committing five, ten, or one hundred doesn’t make much difference. Jesus didn’t die just to have us continue to live in fear with the weight of sin and hell precariously hanging over our heads like a 10-ton block dangling from an old frayed rope.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Gal 5:1

I thank God daily that He revealed to me the truth of his grace, that salvation is a free gift that I don’t have to earn to receive, or earn to keep. That Jesus paid for my sin debt and died my death so I can be free from sin and live unto Him. “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 6:11 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

I ask the question earlier how can we possibly live up to God’s standard of perfection in both thought and deed? The answer is that we can’t; but how blessed we are that the law’s requirements were fulfilled in Jesus. The purpose of the law was never to make us righteous, but only to expose our sin and drive us to Christ. “I had not known sin but by the law.” Rom.7:7 “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” Gal 3:24 “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God…by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:19-20 Just as a mirror can never clean the dirt from our face, only reveal it; the law can never make or keep us righteous and holy, only expose our sinful condition. God’s standards of perfection are beyond my reach, but praise His Holy Name, He is the “Perfect One” on whom my sin was laid. No longer do I have to stay in the prison of guilt and shame for by the blood of Jesus my debt has been paid and I have been pardoned and set free! Halleluiah!

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

“Pain, Our Pathway To Life!”

I have never wanted too much out of life. I have never had lofty dreams or extravagant expectations. I just want the basic good things in life, moderate provision, healthy body, and to be surrounded by family and friends. I just want life’s problems to leave me alone so I can live a happy little life void of pain, sorrow and all other such annoying distractions. Like most people I suppose, when life throws some unfortunate circumstance at me that threatens to upset my happy little world, I pray that God will quickly come and correct the situation, so I can just go on about my “happy little business.” However if God doesn’t show up to answer my prayers in a timely manner or to my expectations I sometimes get a little upset or disillusioned. Why does God allow this pain to come into my life and disrupt my happy little world? After all doesn’t the Word says that He loves me and that He will answer when I call upon His name? I’m doing my best to serve Him and am trusting in Jesus shed blood and in His grace? So what’s the deal?

The thing is, God has shown me that this is such an unbelievably arrogant way to think and live, and the horrendous thing about this mind set is that I am treating God as if He were “my” assistant. As if it were His job to make sure I live the happy little life I so desire. A life filled with my will being done on earth rather than God’s. How did I come to think God should make sure I live the happy little life I want? Why do I spend so much of my time seeking life and fulfillment in all the “gifts” that God provides instead of seeking life in God Himself?

The book of Job tells of a time when Satan appeared before God and God begins to brag to Satan about his servant Job. To which Satan replies, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?” (Job1:9-10) Even Satan sees and understands that there is physical benefits to serving God, and that God delights in pouring His love and favor upon those who love and fear Him. But while it’s true that those who trust in God do reap the benefits of God’s favor and protective hedge, to treat God as if He were my assistant, who’s purpose is to fulfill my desires, or keep me happy according to my will is certainly blasphemous. I was created to be God’s assistant in building His kingdom, created with the purpose and privilege of allowing Him to use me to fulfill His desire and to do His will, not the other way around.

In his book Walking with God, John Eldredge makes this revealing statement, “We see God as a means to an end rather than the end itself. God as the assistant to our life verses God AS our life.” “Jesus AS my life!” O how my soul leaps at the prospect of it. It sounds so simple, I certainly mentally assent to that concept, and I so want Jesus as my life! I certainly want and seek for Him to be my only desire, my only source of joy, my only source of life. Certainly now and then in times of worship I do get short glimpses of that reality. But in the day to day, and minute by minute existence that I live in, I find myself constantly being drawn back into seeking for life (fulfillment & satisfaction) in the “gifts” rather than in the “Giver.” Seeking for life among the things I see rather than in Jesus who created those things. I do this even though I know that seeking for life among these fleeting and decaying pleasures of the earth realm will in the end, always leave me disappointed and empty.

I personally don’t believe that God brings disease, death, or other such trials upon us just to teach us things, but the Word does teach that He uses them to our advantage. “All things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) God has been revealing to me that I have been wasting my pain. What I mean is this, if I truly want to live with Jesus AS my life, I need to begin to embrace the pains and troubles of life. For pain can be my tutor on my path to wholeness. Pain and trials will expose to me the lie that life can be found in “things” and “pleasures.” Pain is also the very things that God will use to uncover my sin, my brokenness, and my fears, that only Jesus’ love and grace can heal. The very thing I avoid the most and ask God to quickly take away, can be my biggest ally. The very thing that feels as though it is killing me, is the very thing God desires to use to bring me life. That is if I will allow it to. A trial is an opportunity for God to perfect me, and an opportunity for me to see God work. It is an opportunity for Jesus to become my life, for I will not find healing until I discover (or admit) what is broken or missing within me.

“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 Amp. Jesus AS my Life! That is what the Word promises, but life doesn’t come without cost. After all in order to bring us life, it cost Jesus his life. Our healing came at the price of His scourging and beating. “and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5) So don’t waste your pain! It is far too valuable. In the hands of Jesus it will set you free.

So watch out pain, you will no longer bring us death, for we will pay attention to what you reveal in us and allow Jesus to use you to be our pathway to life and freedom.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18

“Preparing For The End Of All Things”

The Bible tells us that as Christ’s return grows closer and closer the times in which we live will become more and more tumultuous. As we look at the news each day we could certainly come to the conclusion that the “end of all things is at hand.” (1 Peter 4:7) Sinful indulgences are out of control, world wide financial collapse seems eminent, war and terror are a constant threat, and natural disasters seem to be growing in scale and frequency. The Bible has much to say about how we are to prepare ourselves spiritually for Jesus return, but not much is said about how we are to survive this ordeal physically except to put God first and have faith that He will provide. “Therefore do not worry, and be anxious saying, What are we going to eat? Or what are we going to drink? Or, what are we going to have to wear? For the gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” (Matt. 6:31-33) Amp.

Are there things we are to do in the natural man to prepare for the troubling days before Jesus returns? In 1Peter 4:7-11 Amp, Peter warns us “The end of all things is at hand” but what does he tell us to do to prepare? Move to the mountains, buy gold, stockpile food? No, he simply states, “Above all things, have intense and unfailing love for one another.” Peter just gets done delivering the shocking news that the world is soon coming to an end and yet his foremost instruction to us is to love! He goes on to say “Practice hospitality to one another” and to “do it ungrudgingly….as each of you has received a gift, employ it for one another.”

As contrary as it is to our natural way of thinking, God's plan for us to survive the hard times to come isn’t to hoard or turn to self preservation as our natural mind would tell us, but to learn to put aside covetousness and the lust of the flesh and become givers, using our “gifts” to take care of one another's needs. This demonstration of supernatural love will be an undeniable witness to an unbelieving world that God “Is” and that He living and moving within His people. As we talked about in my last post, we may “never have what we need” but we “always have what someone else needs” and God has given it to us to be used for His Glory.

“..Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You? And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least of these my brethren, you did it for Me.” (Matt. 25:37-40)

“I Never Have What I Need”

When was the last time you were in the middle of a problem or a project and in frustration you said to yourself, “I never have what I need.” Have you ever thought about the fact that you really “Never” have what you need. I am not being negative or pessimistic here, it is just a simple fact. Seriously, there is never a time in your life when you have what you need. Why is that? It is because if you had what you needed you would no longer be in need of it, thus you never have what you need because what you have you are never in need of.

Secondly, have you ever thought about the fact that you “always” have what someone else needs, and that someone else “always” has what you need! This principle is what makes business and commerce work. I have what you need and you have what I need thus we make a trade.

I believe God has designed the body of Christ (His church) to live by this same principle. We see it demonstrated in the early church, “And all who believed were united and together they had everything in common. They sold their possessions and distributed the price among all according as any had need.” Acts 2:44-45 Amp. We are to use what we have to bless others, and they are to use what they have to bless us. Though our money is certainly included, it is not just material things the Lord would have us share. It might be giving wisdom to a struggling couple on how to have a sustainable marriage. It might be giving encouraging words to someone going through a difficult season. It could be giving of our time or labor doing things for someone who isn’t able to do for themselves. It might be sharing friendship with someone who’s alone or sharing Jesus with someone who does not yet know Him. When we share what we have to meet someone else’s need, we bless, encourage and build them up, thus fulfilling the only law true believers live under, the law of love. “Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2

Science teaches us that within every ecosystem on the planet all living being are dependent upon other living beings within their environment for survival. God has designed us in the same manner. You always have what someone else needs, so look into your hands, look into your heart, look into your soul, what do you have that you will allow God to use to meet someone else’s need? And as for you, you may never have what you need, but cry out to Jesus for He always has what you need and is waiting to pour His favor upon you!

“Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matt. 22:37-39

“Resolving to Change”

As the new year rolls around each year, we tend to stop and reflect upon all that has transpired in the past year. Then we look ahead and consider all that we would like to see different in the future. We feel bad about our past failures, sometimes even burdened down with guilt over them. So we resolve to change and do better in the new year. We make resolutions to lose weight, pay off the credit cards, get more organized or spend more time with family and friends. We are determined to stop drinking or smoking and swear that we are going to control our anger and treat those around us with more courtesy and respect. But despite all the tears we shed over our past behavior, despite all the resolutions we make, and despite all the new leaves we try to turn over, more often than not there is very little actual change that occurs in our lives.

For us to actuate true change what we really need is a good dose of “repentance.” I know it sounds like I’m getting all “religious” on you, but hold on a minute, for quite the opposite is true. My religious upbringing lead me to believe that repentance was about crying, moaning, and beating myself up over my faults and failures. While that may possibly happen as part of the repentance process, much remorse over our past failure can occur and yet not have one ounce of actual repentance take place. Just being sorry about something is not repentance and does not necessarily lead to change.

So if repentance isn’t about remorse, than what is true repentance? Repentance simply is “the changing of the mind, the changing of how we think“. True repentance happens in the mind, and not in the emotions. Wanting to change, knowing we need to change, or feeling remorse over our behavior will never bring us lasting change regardless of how many resolutions we may make. True change will only come when we repent-- that is change the way we now think, to a new way of thinking.

I use to be confused by the verse in scripture that says, “.. the Goodness of God leads us to repentance.” Romans 12:4 If repentance is being sorry for something, how could God’s goodness lead one to remorse? I now have come to understand repentance as the changing of the mind, thus truly seeing God's goodness, love, and grace will leads us to change the way we think about Him. In all situations, when our thinking is changed then our actions will be changed; when our actions are changed then our lives will be changed. Repentance works the same whether we are talking about spiritual things or physical things. We are changed spiritually when our minds are renewed from our way of thinking to God's way of thinking. Likewise, in the physical, the way we handle money will only truly change when our mind is renewed to desire freedom from debt more than we desire a new HD TV or whatever. If I think differently about food, it will change the way I eat. If I think differently about my wife and family, it will change the way I treat them. If I think differently about God, it will change how I interact with Him.

“And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Romans 12:2

So if you are thinking of a New Year's resolution this year, pray and seek God for the “renewing of your mind." With a new way of thinking new actions will just naturally follow.

“Where Is He”

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2

The wise men from the east are the first recorded God chasers found in the new testament. They would have been called pagans and there customs considered abominable under Mosaic law. The word Magi as they are called in some versions of the Bible suggests that they may have been magicians, or sorcerers. How they got their revelation of the coming of a Messiah King is certainly speculative, but God will always reward hungry searchers. Regardless, the Magi came from a great distance, at great personal cost, seeking the newly born Messiah King. They had gifts in their hands and worship in their hearts. After a long and taxing journey they took their eyes off the star that had guided them thus far, and decided instead to seek man's wisdom. They stumble into Jerusalem, the city of the kings, asking, “Where is He?”

They were not the first, and they certainly weren‘t the last people to ask this important question. The prophecy that foretold that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea was given approximately 700 years before the time of Jesus birth. For all those years the faithful had been watching and waiting and asking this same question, “Where is He?”

There are few people who have ever lived any amount of time on this earth, be they atheist or the most religious among us, who have not ask this question from time to time. The atheist will look at all the hunger, disease, and natural disaster happening throughout the world, and use it as an excuse to say, “If He does exist, Where is He?” The faith-filled believer who has been waiting, praying, and believing for God to deliver a loved one from cancer will also ask, “Where is He?” Others will say, “my house is about to be repossessed,” or “my spouse has just died and I feel so alone, Where is He?” There are a myriad of situations, but the question remains the same “Where is He?”

Why does it often seem that God is so slow to show up on the scene of our despair? Why is it seeming so hard to find Him? While a 700 year wait is not something we can physically or mentally accept, the fact remains that no matter how long it may take, or hard the process, God always fulfills his promises. He comes, however, according to His time and His purposes, not according to ours. “..while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son…” Luke 2:6-7 “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made of the law.” Gal. 4:4 God is not moved simply by our need. If he was, we would never have one. For as sinful mortal men, we are always in desperate need.

I wish I could say I had the answer to your particular question of “Where is He?” But the simple truth is, I can’t. I will however try to give you a few bits of encouragement to keep you on your quest to find Him.

There are times when there is nothing we can do but wait and earnestly pray for the day to be hastened when God's promises to us will be fulfilled. We see this in the stories of Simeon and Anna found in Luke 2:21-38. The scripture says Simeon “was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.” Because his heart was so passionately bent on seeing the messiah, God had revealed to him “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” And so he did. Likewise Anna a widow for 84 years was so determined not to miss her chance at her God encounter, that she did not even leave the temple “but served God with fasting and prayer night and day.” These two may have asked for many years, “Where is He?” But their passionate persistence paid off, for they both got to experience what Moses longed for, to see the face of God.

There are other times we must do more than just wait. We must be moved to actively seek Him with all that is within us or our opportunity will pass us by. Once they reached Jerusalem after traveling for so long and so far and still not finding the Messiah King, the wise men may have began to doubt the truth of the revelation that they had received, prompting them to ask, “Where is He?” But the simple fact remains, that had they stayed in Babylon, simply waiting and praying, rather than being moved to pursue Him, they would never have encountered him. But because of their persistence, these so called pagans also got to see the face of God, worship at his side, and present to Him their gifts.

So, where is this Savior King? Where is this promised Deliverer? He is as close as the end of a whispered prayer. But our usual self centered casual prayers may not move Him to our side as quickly as we desire. Just as a casual request from your child to come to them, may not move you from your easy chair, but upon hearing a crash, followed by a bloodcurdling scream, you will move from your place of rest to your child’s side at the speed of light, taking the door off the hinges in the process, likewise our cries of brokenness and desperation for Him moves Gods heart quickly toward us. If we, like Anna, were determined to seek the Lord night and day for as long as it took, lest we miss our encounter with Him, we, like her, would surely see His face.

“If from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you (truly) seek Him with all your heart (and mind) and soul and life.” Duet. 4:29 Amp

“… the Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him (inquire for and of Him, craving Him as your soul’s first necessity), He will be found by you;…” 2 Chron. 15:2 Amp

“No Room in the Inn”

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David., he went there to register with Mary , who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:4-7
Why was it that Jesus had to be born in a manger inside of a smelly old barn? Was it that there were no rooms in the inn? No, the inn had plenty of rooms, the problem was that all the rooms were already filled. Although the inn owner had lots of capacity to accommodate the birth of the baby Jesus, He had filled his inn with less important people and had no place left to entertain the King of all creation. He was so preoccupied with making a living and accommodating his lesser guests that he failed to recognize the life changing opportunity that was before him.
Before we get too judgmental of the inn owner, we must take a look at ourselves. How much room have we made in our own lives to accommodate Jesus? As Christians we talk about seeking God and wanting God to fill us, but how much room have we actually made for Him to do so? We spend our time and energy entertaining ourselves with all the lesser lovers that this world has to give. Counterfeits, like money, pleasure, and recognition seem to promise satisfaction but leave us with little inner peace and, even worse, leave us no room to entertain the Prince of Peace himself, Jesus Christ.
In order to have room for Jesus in our lives we must empty our “inn” of our lesser guests. There was nothing wrong with the other guests in the inn on that first Christmas eve, but when they were occupying the room where Jesus was meant to be, they should have been asked to leave. Likewise, there may be nothing wrong or sinful about many of the things we spend our time, money and energy doing, but if they are occupying the space where Jesus belongs, they also need to go.
The Bible tells a story of a woman who was in desperate need. Her husband had died and the creditors were coming to take her sons as slaves as payment for her debt. In her desperation she cries to the prophet of God for help. In response, the prophet asks her what she has in her house. She replies that she has nothing except a little bit of oil. The prophet then tells her to go and barrow as many empty pots as she can find and then pour the little bit of oil she has left into the empty pots that she has collected. Once the woman collects a sizable amount of empty pots, she does as the prophet tells her and begins pouring her little bit of oil into the large empty pots she has gathered. Vessel after vessel is filled to capacity until there are no more empty vessels left, at which time the oil from the widows small pots stops flowing. She sells the oil to pay her debt, saving her sons from slavery, and then they live on the remainder of the money received. (2 Kings 4:1-7)
What does this story have to do with having "no room in our inn" for Jesus? Well we discover in this story that the amount of emptiness that the widow woman collected, determined the amount of oil that she was able to receive. If she would have collected even more empty pots, she would have been able to received even more oil to satisfy her need. Likewise, the more empty we are, the more room we have for Jesus in our lives. The more full we are with other things, the less capacity we will have for Him. If we are to truly pursue Jesus, it is not enough just to say we are seeking Him, yet like the inn keeper make no room for Him. This emptiness is what Jesus was talking about when He said in Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven” Those who are "poor in spirit" recognize their empty condition without God and know that only Jesus can satisfy the void in them. If we desire a life that is filled with meaning and purpose beyond the ordinary, then we must learn to empty ourselves and like the "wise men" from the east, become hungry and passionate about "seeking Him.” Our emptiness creates the environment needed for a life changing, problem solving encounter with the King of Glory, just as the widow woman had. Being too busy and preoccupied, the inn keeper made no room for Jesus to be born in his inn. And because he made no room for Jesus, he missed his opportunity for a life changing moment with "Emmanuel" the God with us. He missed his opportunity to worship with the other seekers who came that night to bow before the new born King. What about you, have you made room in your "inn" for Jesus this Christmas? It's not too late.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” Matt 5:6

“The birth of a blog”

I first began to write “The Watchman Chronicles” newsletter back in June of '02. Each issue had 4 to 6 short blog type articles on topics ranging from what the Lord was teaching me to political issues like abortion or the silencing of Christian free speech. I would print them off and mail or hand them out to family and friends. I wrote five issues of “The Watchman Chronicles” newsletter before unintentionally stopping. Then in late ‘07, I felt the Lord nudging me to begin writing “The Watchman Chronicles” once again. This time I changed the format a bit and began to e-mail them out. Recently my daughter approached me about putting “The Watchman Chronicles” on a blog sight. I was a bit reluctant at first, for my writing and English skills have a lot of room for improvement. Besides, do I really have anything to say that is worthy of the whole world's interest? After much thought and prayer, I came to the conclusion that, no, “I” don’t have anything to say that is worthy of the world's attention. However, I believe the Lord has some things He wants to say through me. So I surrender my apprehension to the Spirits leading, believing that God wants to use “The Watchman Chronicles” to lead you into a closer relationship with Himself. I confess that my opinion is a total waste of your time, but whatever the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit may have to say to you are unfailing and of eternal value. My only desire and purpose for “The Watchman Chronicles” is to point you to Jesus, and to stir your spirit to seek Him. You don’t need any more religion, and we don’t need any more church in the manner that most of us are used to. In fact, unfortunately, church often obscures our view of God. As Tommy Tenney says in his book The God Chasers, “People don’t want doctrine, they don’t want tracts, and they don’t want feeble arguments, they just want Him.” I am in pursuit of Him, come along if you care to join me.