Joy in the Journey

 "In Your presence is fullness of joy..."  Psalm 16:11

 

Famous UCLA basketball coach John Wooden led one of the greatest dynasties in sports history, winning 10 NCAA Championships in 12 years. Toward the end of his life, he was asked what one day from his storied career he would choose to re-live if given the chance. His answer may surprise you.
Given his professional achievements, you’d think Coach Wooden would be eager to re-live one of his national championships, his selection into the Hall of Fame, or one of his teams’ greatest come-from-behind victories. Instead, he suggested he would conduct one more day of practice in the gym. Why? Because, he said, “each day of practice was, by far, the most fulfilling, exciting, and memorable thing I did as a coach. [That’s where I taught] those under my supervision how to achieve success as members of a team.”

Think of it: Here’s one of the sport’s most respected coaches who worked with some of basketball’s brightest stars, picking up numerous honors along the way. And, yet, if given one day to live over, he’d spend it in the shadows – running drills with his team in a largely empty gym.

In other words, he found joy in the journey.

Coach Wooden saw something we often miss. While it’s easy to believe that our deepest joy comes from the mountaintop experiences of our lives, it’s finding meaning and purpose in our day-to-day activities that brings true satisfaction. God yearns for us to take joy in the journey, to make even our seemingly mundane moments a recognition of His purposes.

From: Jim Daly’s blog, Daly Focus, at JimDalyBlog.com.

Crime Stopper

 When a sentence against a crime isn’t carried out quickly, people are encouraged to commit crimes. – Ecclesiastes 8:11

The topic of the rising crime rate is on the news every evening. But politicians and judges continue to struggle on how to reduce crime. While I know the problem of crime has multitudes of causes; I personally believe people are no longer afraid of the judicial system. Judges and courts have been negligent to sentence repeat offenders for serious crimes. Shawn Laval Smith who had a history of mental illness and a lengthy criminal record that stretched from coast to coast, was charged with the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old woman working in a LA furniture store. If convicted, it will be interesting to see his sentence.

People no longer respect (or fear) authority. Romans 13:1 Children are disruptive in school because authority has been removed. People no longer respect police because police have their hands tied in restraining crime. Criminals no longer fear our courts.

Of 339 inmates, roughly 10 percent of the death-row population, were under sentence of death for twenty years or more at the end of 2005 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005).

On October 3, 2018, seven law enforcement officers were shot, and five civilians were injured in Florence, South Carolina. Two of the officers were killed. Fredrick Hopkins was arrested and after three years is still awaiting trial. Who knows how long the trial will take? Then we will wait for the sentencing. And then we will wait years while he exhausts his appeals.

The Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees a defendant a speedy trail but what about a speedy trial for the victim's family?

Empty-Handed?

 

And when he [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” –Luke 5:4

Do you remember the story in the book of Luke when the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing? Seeing they were empty handed, Jesus told Simon Peter to throw the nets on the other side of the boat.

Now, you can hear the lack of excitement in Simon Peter’s response when he said, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” I can identify with Peter having fished all night and did not catch anything. And there is nothing more frustrating than someone giving a fisherman advice on how to catch fish! Especially from a carpenter (Jesus).

But still he threw the net out as Jesus told him to do. And a miracle happened! They caught so many fish that their two boats began to take on water!

So overwhelmed with what he saw, Simon Peter “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8).

You see, Simon Peter came to the end of himself, but Jesus was just beginning! In fact, Jesus gave him a new calling saying, “From now on you’ll be catching men.” 

Have you reached the end of yourself?  Has your toil left you empty-handed? Are you exhausted from working in your own strength? If so, then it’s time to fall at Jesus’ feet.

Yield to Jesus completely. Follow his direction. And he will restore you and prepare you to fulfill your calling in his kingdom.

Your Bucket List

In 2007, the movie Bucket List, made its debut. The premise of the movie was two men wrote out all the things they wanted to accomplish in their lives before they "kicked the bucket." (Died) 

Maybe you have created your own list. There is nothing wrong with creating such a list as a matter of fact,  I think it is commendable. But as I look over my own list, I saw something that disturbed me. None of the things on my list had to do with others. My list was comprised of things I wanted to purchase, places I wanted to go, and things I wanted to achieve.

There was nothing on my list about helping others to achieve their dreams and their ambitions. Philippians 2:3 says "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." 

Forbes magazine says, "The fastest way to achieve success is to first help others succeed." I think that is why I liked the movie so much. The rich man ( Jack Nicholson) enjoyed helping his poor friend (Morgan Freeman), achieve the things on his bucket list.

I wonder how many of us are helping others achieve their dreams and goals.

Wrestling vs Resting in Prayer

 

For some time I have been wanting to write a blog on prayer. There are two reasons I have been hesitate in writing. One, the topic of prayer is so large. Volumes of books have been written on the subject, therefore I haven't known where to begin. And secondly, I am not an expert on the subject. I feel inadequate to give advise to others but after 50+ years of being a Christ-follower, I have learned some things about prayer even if it is from my mistakes.

This blog cannot deal in depth with such but allow me to briefly share some of the things I've learned:

1. Many struggle with the time they spend in prayer. As a young Christ-follower, many preachers tried to brow beat me into thinking I had to pray at least an hour a day. They quote Matthew 26:40-41 But in the context, Jesus said to stay alert with Him, not pray for the entire hour. You are not more spiritual by the length of your prayer. Mathew 6:7 says “for they (hypocrites) think they will be heard because of their many words.”

    That being said, most of us don't have trouble praying too much, (I don't think you can actually pray     too much) our problem is praying too little or being inconsistent. True prayer is not having a little        talk with Jesus. Better pray 5 minutes consistently and then add to your time as your become more        proficient. 

    2. Many struggle with the purpose of prayer. The true purpose of prayer is to enter into God's presence not to force God into answering your request. I discovered a passage of Scripture that has changed the way I pray. 1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us— whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Prayer is finding God's will and then praying His will to be done. You have the assurance if you pray this way it will be answered. Matthew 6:33 Luke 22:42

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, make a commitment that you will consistently pray every day.

Teaching Racism

 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children,..." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Today Critical Race Theory [CRT] is a topic that is causing an uprising in our culture. For those for who may not be aware, CRT is “a cross-disciplinary intellectual and social movement of civil-rights scholars and activists who seek to examine the intersection of race and law in the United States and to challenge mainstream American liberal approaches to racial justice.” Wikipedia

The point of contention is should CRT be taught in our schools? As a Christ-follower, I strongly believe that the education of our children is NOT the responsibility of the educational system but the parents. Parents have a right to say what their children should be taught. Racism is taught through many avenues: Parents, peers, schools, movies, etc. That being the case, it is imperative that parents teach their children that racism is wrong and not biblical. Jesus personally demonstrated He came to overcome racism John 4.

The Bible clearly teaches the equality of ALL races. Galatians 3:28 Ephesians 2:14 Jesus Christ is not the Savior of the white race but the Savior of all mankind. Educating our children is NOT the responsibility of the educational system but the parents. Parents have a right to say what their children should be taught. Racism is taught through many avenues: Parents, peers, schools, movies, etc. That being the case, it is imperative that parents teach their children that racism is wrong and not biblical. Jesus personally demonstrated He came to overcome racism John 4. The Bible clearly teaches the equality of ALL races. Galatians 3:28 Ephesians 2:14 Jesus Christ is not the Savior of the white race but the Savior of all mankind.

Teaching our children Biblical truth does not make is spiritual crackpots. Living God’s Word does not require that we tack Scripture placards all over our walls and speak in a “holy” tone of voice. But it does mean that we teach our children how to apply God’s Word to appropriate situations.

Violence

 

This year, many Americans have experienced significantly higher levels of violence both personally and within their communities. Gun violence and gun crime, in particular, have risen drastically, with over 19,000 people killed in shootings and firearm-related incidents in 2020.

The roots of violence tend to be complex. And often, they cannot be attributed to a single factor, such as associates, entertainment, or social environment. But I believe that stronger gun control, hiring more police, and instituting stricter laws will not completely solve the problem because the problem is a spiritual problem. I know that sounds simplistic, but Jesus said the root of violence lies within the heart of men. Jesus Christ, who had profound insight into the human heart, stated: “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thought come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly." Mark 7:21-22 (Emphasis added)

We have removed God from our schools, government, and society and we are reaping the results. Our entertainment industry promotes violence and immorality and as a result, our culture follows suit. Young people want to emulate celebrities that portray violence as an acceptable way to deal with their problems.

Although we are born with certain wrong inclinations, violent behavior is usually learned. Romans 3:23 But the same is true of being peaceable. Romans 12:18 Consider the following points of learning how to be peaceable:

1. 1. “Do not become envious of the man of violence.” Proverbs 3.31

2. 2. Choose your associates wisely Proverbs 16:29 Proverbs 13:20

3. 3. Trust God to deal with the wicked Romans 12:17-19

I am not naive enough to believe that violence can be totally eradicated but I believe that violence can removed from an individual and a family through a relationship with Jesus Christ. And thereby communities can be changed.

Affirmation

 

“and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:17

The above verse is in the context of Jesus Christ's baptism by St. John. The interesting fact is Jesus had not begun His earthly ministry yet. He had not yet healed anyone. Nor has He performed His first miracle. He had not preached any sermon. God, the Father reassured His Son that His pleasure was not tied to performance.

The Gospels is far more about what God wants to do in and through us than what we do for Him. He chose us as sons and daughters not because of our resume but because He longed to have a relationship with us. Our actions never cause His affection to change.

We often affirm people based on their actions or acknowledgments. There is nothing wrong with praising your child when they make a 3-pointer or make the honor roll. But they need to know when he fails, you are still proud of them. Their value is not based on their performance.

Find ways to affirm your family, co-workers, and friends for who they are as what they do. Drop a note in your child's lunch box telling them why you love hanging out with them. Send an email to a coworker telling how much you value their friendship.

Be like your heavenly Father and affirm someone today for who they are.

UncomMEN Influence

 

You maybe old enough to remember buying milk in a cardboard container. Often those containers would have a picture of a missing child. Today we see posters of missing children on telephone poles or see an Amber alert on the Interstate. You may see on the news that an Alzheimer senior is missing.

But the largest group of missing people is hardly mentioned: Our Dads! Our culture is feeling the tremendous weight of dad's presence. Today 24 million kids will grow up without the influence of their biological father. The result?

• Kids are five times more likely to live in poverty

• They represent 85% of children with behavioral problems

• They have a much higher chance of drug use, repeating grades, suicide and imprisonment

• They have a much higher chance of an addiction to pornography

God hard-wired us in our DNA with a craving for a dad. Solomon wrote, “the glory of children is their fathers.” Proverbs 17:6 The word 'glory' means weight or heaviness. Dads carry weight – influence. They shoulder influence of good or ill.

One day someone will ask your adult kids, “In a few words, describe your dad?” What words do you want them to say? Remember YOUR influence will carry on to your grandchildren!

ONE Resolution

If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25  TLB

At this time of the year, most people make a list of New Year's resolutions. If their goal is to lose weight, they enjoy a final dessert. If their goal is to stop buying on credit, they make one final purchase using their plastic. And if their goal is to begin having a morning devotional time, they sleep in one last day.

But research shows that most New Year's resolutions are not kept in spite of our best intentions. I speak from personal experience. May I suggest a better way approach the New Year would be to have ONE goal: to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 The construction of the original text means to continue being filled not just a one-time act. A Spirit-filled life is one that is to be lived out daily. That means you daily listen for His guidance and approach life in His strength every day,   Luke 4:1 Galatians 5:25.

After a year of walking in the Spirit; much more will change than made a human resolution. Begin the New Year with the objective to live a Spirit-filled life and see what you will accomplish in and through your life in the coming year.