Consider this

 Work and rest are not opposites.   

 We have been told, "Forgive and forget", but I don't think we do that very well.... or maybe even not at all. Instead, more often than not, I think we do something else and call it forgiving. Fortunately, God has been trying to teach us about forgiveness for a long time, so we have lots of resources. This week, we will see what real forgiveness looks like, what it requires of us and why it it so important.  

 Troubles come.... but you do not have to fall apart.    

 For more than a thousand years, people had been waiting for the Messiah who would teach them about God and save them. Therefore, when Jesus started his first sermon, the anticipation was high. However, Jesus' first words were not exactly what the people expected. Find out what he said and why those words are still important today.

                  Have you ever been on a blind date?   If you have, then you know how awkward it is when you know a little bit about someone, but not enough to really know anything about them.                 I think that is how most people are with God.   They know a little bit about him.   For example, they could talk about his love, grace, and forgiveness, but they do not know a lot of the details about who he is and what he is like.   In Psalm 18, David fills in some of the gaps for us.                 This psalm, like many others, celebrates the fact that God rescued David from his enemies.   What makes this one different, though, is that it tells us how God rescued him and why.                 I have always assumed that God rescues me the way I rescue others: reluctantly!   In other words, he will do it, but he is not over

                 The twenty-third Psalm begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”.   David is peaceful and content. He goes on to say that, because God is guiding him, he is not afraid of his enemies or even of death itself.   The last line of the psalm says, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (verse 6).   David’s vision of a future home with God made him experience his earthly home differently.                 Abraham is one of the heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11.   Here is what the writer says about him, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. …. He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (verses 8-10).   Abraham left his home, his family, and his eart

                  Timothy had one job.   He was to stay in the city of Ephesus so that he could teach and help organize the church there.                 Timothy also had one big problem.   He had no leverage.   He could not make people listen to him or do anything.   The church, after all, is essentially a volunteer organization.   Additionally, Timothy was young, so it was easy to ignore him.                   Do you know that feeling?   You want to help and direct people to the answers they need, yet you have no way of making them listen or do what is best.                   In cases like this, we often resort to the wrong methods.   For example, we try to guilt people into doing what we think they ought to do.   Maybe we get angry and try to bully them into the response we want.   Sometimes when people do not listen, we try

 (This is the second in a series of articles I was asked to write for our local paper.  This one deals with how to help those who are hurting over the holiday season). ___________                 For those dealing with grief, depression, or other forms of loss, Christmastime can be intensely painful and lonely.   How can you help when you know that someone is going through a difficult time?                   First, acknowledge the circumstance.   Pretending that nothing has changed or that there has not been significant trauma in that person’s life only isolates them even more.   Many years ago, a lady said to me, “The hardest thing about losing my husband is the fact that no one talks about him anymore.   It is as if he, and our life together, never existed”.    Even when it is difficult, truth is always our friend.   By acknowledging the situation, we show that we are

 The issue is not that we lack blessings. The issue is seeing them.  

Editor's Note:  This is not one of my regular articles.  Rather, it is one that I was asked to write for our local newspaper's holiday special.  For what it is worth....  _______                 It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so the song says.                   In reality, though, for many people, the Christmas season is stress-filled.   There is a lot of pressure to get to all the events, to buy just the right gifts, and to make memories that last a lifetime.   Even when families get along, spending time together can be difficult and it can be easy to miss the joy of the season.   With that in mind, here are a few simple tips to help your holidays run more smoothly.                 First, lower your expectations.   Do not buy into the notion that every Christmas must be the best Christmas ever.   If you decide that your family gathering must resemble a Hallmark movie, you will be disappointed.   Rather, determine to be happy with whatever happens.   Be flexib

 Worship (both public and private) serves several purposes. It centres our thoughts on God and his desires. It provides encouragement through fellowship with God and one another. Worship also provides one other benefit. Rediscover what it is and why it is so important.  

 You cannot control every circumstance, but you can always control how you respond.  

                  When I heard that pop star, Adele, was broadcasting a concert, I recorded it because I thought my girls might like it.   What I did not expect was that this event would impact me in such a profound way.                 While Adele has a powerful voice, it was not her singing that struck me.   Rather, it was the interview she gave between the songs.                   Instead of bragging about her success, Adele said things like, “I realized that I had everything, but I was not happy!”   She went on to talk about feeling insecure, lonely, sad, and isolated.   Her career could not have been better, but her life was a mess.                 With a new album coming out, Adele had to make a choice.   She could keep pretending and put out a bunch of songs that did not mean much, or she could be honest and sing about how she

 Being fake is hard. Being real is scary. Real is better. Here is why.....  

 Thanksgiving Day should not only be in October (Canada) or November (US), it should be every day!  

God provides for and sustains his church. Everything happens is because of his action, his word, his Spirit and his Son. However, we are allowed to be involved in the process. In fact, there is one part that only we can do. We can do THIS!  

 Difficult times may indicate that you are on the wrong path. On the other hand, maybe you are just growing!  

                As Mark Gubin sat on the roof of his art studio watching low-flying airplanes pass over and land at Milwaukee’s Mitchell international airport, he thought about painting a sign to welcome travellers to Milwaukee.   Then he had an even better idea.                 He grabbed a paint roller and in six-foot-tall white letters he wrote, “Welcome to Cleveland!”                 The sign on the roof did not bother the pilots.   They had radar, GPS, and ground communication that assured them that they were landing in Milwaukee as planned.   However, for more than forty years, Gubin’s misleading sign has caused a great deal of trouble for the flight attendants.   Routinely, people still look out the window, see the message on the roof and then panic thinking that they somehow got on the wrong flight.                 The differenc

 When you lose your directions, you end up in the wrong place. I think we have lost one of our most important spiritual directions and we have suffered the consequences of that for a long time. We have missed a pattern that we must see and recover. That process starts here.  

 In a world that is screaming about the right to make choices, why not choose this? It will change your day and the days of those around you.

 Most people know a little bit about God. For example, they could tell you about his love or his grace. That is good! However, until we really get to know him, our relationship will be missing something. In Psalm 18, David gives us two details about God that are both surprising and helpful!  

 While we cannot eliminate every issue that causes us concern, we can learn how to keep ourselves from creating even more problems.  

                Every year, approximately 4 million people visit Old Faithful, a geyser in Yellowstone National Park.   The geyser gets its name from its consistency.   Park rangers can estimate the timing of the next eruption within ten minutes one way or the other.                   While many people appreciate the show of seeing 32 000 liters of water spraying 60 meters in the air, the most important part of Old Faithful is the unseen part.   The unique configuration of the underground tunnels combined with the right amount of heat and water is what causes the outward display to be so beautiful and consistent.                   Similarly, for Christians, it is the unseen part of us that is the most important.   Anyone can put on a show, but it is who we are at our core that makes the real difference.   As Pete Scazzero likes to say, “What

 One belief that brings everything else into view.  

 When we are feeling weary and burdened, it is tempting to just quit and run away. Jesus makes us a better offer.  

 In times of confusion and uncertainty, it is good to remember how we got to where we are now.  

 Seeing the blessings in your own backyard.  

                Moses had a problem.   After leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he ended up in the wilderness with a huge group of people who did not care much about God.   In fact, they decided to create an idol and worship it instead.   Things were going from bad to worse very quickly.                 Moses knew that there was only one solution.   He approached God and insisted that “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15).   He was unwilling to move a muscle if God was not close by and leading the way.   The only hope he had was to stay near to God.                 Fifteen hundred years later, we meet a woman who has a medical condition that has left her ceremonially unclean for twelve years.   She was required to isolate herself and, therefore, she was cut off from her communit

 Remembering who we are and why that matters!  

 Most of the time, you see what you choose to see.  

If everyone started here, our world would be a better place.  

 Five things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  

 The detour might be the path!  

 Do not miss out on something good because you did not put in the effort.    

                  During our worship time, we used to sing action songs with the kids.   One of the most popular songs said, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands”.   I often wondered, “How many of the people here today are clapping their hands because they are supposed to and not because they are happy?”                 Worship services often seem to be set up for those who are happy.   We sing happy songs.   We read scriptures that promise great blessings.   Someone teaches about how God cared for his people in the past.   We smile and shake hands and say, “I am fine” when we are asked how we are doing.                 What happens when you are not happy?   What happens when the smile on your face is more fake than real?   Is there a place for sadness in our worship?   King David would say, “Absolutely!”                 In Psal

 A couple of reminders to help us receive what God is able to give.  

 Remembering what you have is always valuable.  

 A different look at the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10)  

 No matter how discouraged, confused, or defeated you feel, this one answer will help. It has many times before.  

 You can take all sorts of leadership classes and try a thousand techniques, but you will never really influence someone unless you do this first.  

 The title of this lesson is a little clunky, but the truth is contains is indispensable! We will be in turmoil until we learn this one lesson.  

                   Bertha Benz was losing patience with her husband Karl.   He had built his first horseless carriage in December of 1885, but, although all their money was tied up in the car, Karl refused to offer it for sale.   Instead, he tinkered with various components trying to improve his design.   By August of 1888, Bertha decided that she had waited long enough.                 Without telling Karl, she and her two sons went out to the garage, started the car, and proceeded to drive it from their home in Mannheim, Germany to her parent’s house in Pforzheim, 106 kilometres away.   This marked the first time that any car had gone more than a few miles from home and Bertha made sure that everyone heard about what she had done.   The successful journey was reported in major newspapers all over Europe and orders for cars came pouring

 You don't need to feel happy all the time to come to worship. In Psalm 6, David shows us how to approach God even when things are less than perfect.  

 If we understood (and practiced) this one truth, we would avoid untold pain and trouble.  

 Even the best relationships have rocky moments. Here is one thought that will help keep those rocky moments to a minimum  

 Why Paul's favourite story ought to be ours as well.  

 When we choose a better approach, we receive a better response.  

 Redirect your thinking and your feelings will follow.  

 Never underestimate your need for a break. Everyone needs time to breath and to refocus.  

 Being passive and going along with everything seems nice, but it is a recipe for disaster. You must choose!  

 Don't assume that others know how you feel!  

      Many small towns have billboards that brag about people who grew up there and then went on to bigger things.   For example, Kelvington, Saskatchewan has a series of giant hockey cards at the edge of town to let people know that six of their hometown boys made it to the NHL.   Other places have signs dedicated to entertainers, politicians, journalists, and others who made an impact on the world.   We like to brag about those who did something big.                 It is easy, then, for us to bring that same mindset to church and set up spiritual billboards that brag about certain preachers, teachers, authors, or others who have done something notable.   However, while it is good to honour one another, we make a huge mistake when we imply that God wants everyone to do something spectacular or unusual.   In fact, Jesus was not very impressed by, nor attracted to

 Everything changes when you get out of the way!  

 Most of the time, this one decision will determine whether your day is good or bad.  

 God is able to fulfill his promises. Could it be that he is just waiting for this one last piece of the puzzle?  

 Having the truth is essential. The way we present the truth is important too.  

 You can be unhappy. You can choose to let little things bug you.... or you can use this day for something good!  

 Deal with issues quickly. It is easier to prevent trouble than it is to fix it!  

                  I did not feel tired.   I was busy.   There was a lot going on, but I thought I was fine.   Then, last week, Sara and I rented a cabin by a lake, and I spent most of the first two days doing nothing.   As soon as I stopped doing a bunch of stuff, I realized how worn out I was feeling.                 Many people live this way.   They fill every moment with activity and run from one event or task to the next.     Oddly, that pace can be maintained as long as you do not slow down.   If you keep piling things on your “to do” list, then you never really realize how tired you are becoming.                   There are other signs though.   As people begin to wear out, the first thing to go is their attitude.   We become easily irritated.   Little things cause us to lose our temper.   We have no patience with anyone, even those we

 Three pieces of advice to help you serve well and enjoy it more.  

 Progress (in any area of life) begins when we stop working against ourselves.  

 Satan may not be able to take you down in one big mess. That is good! However, he has an even more dangerous weapon to use again us.  

                  I talk to a lot of people each week and I have noticed a trend: Bad news seems to be ten times more common than good news.                   Now, if you think about it, that is not true.   In fact, most people are blessed beyond measure.   However, we tend to notice and talk about the aspects of our lives that we dislike rather than focusing on what is good and right. We need to change this pattern.                   Too often, we worry, fret, and wring our hands about what might go wrong, and then when it all works out, we barely notice.   Instead, we often ignore the good outcome and move on to worrying about the next thing on our list.   That is a hard way to live.                 It is worth remembering that, in the Old Testament, God prescribed twelve different feasts and celebrations for his people.   Some, such as the Sabbath, occurred every week.   Others were once a year and one was celebrated every fifty years, but the point was the same:   At presc

 A problem that God's people have had for a long time. We must see it so we can fix it.  

 In a time when people seemed to be upset and offended by everything, you can make a difference by making one small choice.  

 Our goal should be to make guided decisions, not just good ones.  

 These days, it is not popular to talk about fearing God. We prefer to talk about other aspects of our relationship with him. However, when we lose this concept we also lose something vitally important!  

 Anger abounds these days. You will navigate it better if you remember this one principle.  

 Lots of people will tell you what you ought to do with your life and what success looks like.... here is what Jesus had to say  

                  One of the most exciting times in my life was when I started taking Driver’s Education classes.   I loved being in the driver’s seat!                 One of the most uncomfortable times in my life was when my girls started taking Driver’s Education classes.   It was not that they were bad drivers, I just did not like being in the passenger’s seat.                 That is true in most areas of my life.   I like to be in control.   I like to know what is happening and what is coming next.                   However, scripture reminds me that I am not supposed to be the one in charge.   Lived properly, my life should be seen from the passenger’s seat.   God is in control of all things, including my circumstances, and I need to learn to trust and allow him to lead; but that is difficult!

Plan for tomorrow, but don't forget to live today!  

 Envy is one of the most destructive emotions. We will not be happy until we learn to deal with it.  

 Words can build or destroy. Use them wisely.  

Our default is to think about ourselves. Here is a nudge to do something better.  

                When a travel show visited London, England, the host said, “I have always wanted to visit London because all of my favourite stories are based here.   Stories like Mary Poppins and A Christmas Carol.   When you get here it feels strangely familiar.   You feel comfortable and at home because this is where our stories are”.                   What stories do we tell?   What do we focus on?   What makes us feel safe, comfortable, and at home?                 More importantly, what stories did Jesus tell?   Here is one of his favourite themes: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you

 Sadly, most of us are drawn to negative stories. We like to discuss what is wrong, or how others failed. However, just because I know something about someone does not mean I have to share it. The test should be "Is it kind?" or "Is it helpful?", not "Is it true?"  

 You only go around once.... better use it wisely!  

 We are defined and directed by the stories we tell. What are you talking about?  

 You get to choose what is most important in your life. This reminder will help you make good choices.  

 One quick and simple thing you can start doing right now to make your days better!    

                  The prayers found in the New Testament contain some of the most precious reminders in scripture.   Take 2 Corinthians 13:14 for example: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”.                 Paul begins by focusing on the grace that is found in Christ.   Sometimes, churches shy away from talking about grace because they worry that if it is too prominent then people will not take discipleship seriously.   There is a concern that people will, “Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving” (Romans 6:1).                   While that danger does exist, we face an even greater problem if we try to alter the message and that is that we have nothing else to offer.   Grace is our message!   The grace of Christ is the only entry point into the blessings of God (John