I'm not bullet proof!

            As my Father has needed my attention and presence during his health issues I have had some seasonal allergies going on. You know cough, congestion, and runny eyes so I have been “Claritin clear” (not really) every day to keep the symptoms at bay. It never eliminates the source just makes it easier to power through. After all my Dad is counting on me and needs me. A good thing right? The previous weeks have been long days and hectic days driving the bus, doing the preacher thing and going to the hospital daily or doctors keeping up with information etc. A busy season of life to say the least and made a bit more difficult by allergy symptoms. Monday evening it caught up with me.

            I went to coughing and once again saw stars coughing so hard. That is miserable. So off to the Doctor on Tuesday I went. O2 sats down, congestion in my lungs followed by a breathing treatment, shot in the hip and 5 prescriptions I was on my way. Hyped up on steroids for the rest of the afternoon but it was worth it. I had been doing the right thing honoring my Father and Mother by caring for them and trying to be a good employee to the school board and a good shepherd to my sheep. God things, good things but done the right way?

           God is so timely yet living outside of time, Wednesday morning I was reminded of Peter and walking on the water. Jesus comes to the disciples in the midst of a storm and they are afraid. Peter calls to Jesus

 28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.” 29 “Come!” He (Jesus) said. Matthew 14:28-29 HCSB.

            Peter gets out of the boat. No one else did. God has called him and it doesn’t matter if anyone else goes with him. God has called. It’s a God thing. He walks on the water as if on a shelf made of rock. God has called and here he goes. He is doing the right thing surely he is bullet proof. God has him doing this right? “If God is for us who is against us?” (Romans 8:31) It could lead you to think you are bullet proof.

            When we are young or at least think we are young we can recover from anything if it even happens. Put on pads or armor and we can do anything. If I get hit it won’t hurt we think. Add to that the spiritual armor we are promised and we are bullet proof. Right? Armor can give us a false sense of security. One that we can go anywhere and beat anything or withstand any opposition. Make it a God task and we assume… God’s tasks are best when done God’s ways. It’s an easy trap to fall into being blinded by the armor so that we fail to consider the method as well. As the story goes Peter lost sight of Jesus and began to see his surroundings. That’s when he sank. That’s when Jesus reached out and grabbed him. Wet, sputtering and embarrassed Peter gets back into the boat with the others. That’s perhaps the first time that the disciples worshipped Jesus when they got back to the boat.
            God task does not make you bullet proof. In fact it may make you more vulnerable to attack and wounds. However it does make you safe! No, I’m NOT bullet proof. I brought my inhaler today just in case. How we go about God’s tasks IS important. Don’t fail in the basic disciplines of prayer, scripture and meditation. Those keep us doing God’s tasks God’s ways.   

In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G

Authority, we hate it!

               I have a young man on the bus. He struggles with following directions. For a time his mantra was he had rights. Whatever the instruction was that violated his rights. Children have few rights until they are adults. That did not matter. Recently his objection to instructions was, “You are not my Dad.” He was speaking to me. That is true. I am not his Dad. I did bite my tongue before I said if I were, we would not be having this discussion. I reminded him that I was responsible for him while he was on the bus and therefore had authority and responsibility over and for him. He did not like that either.

Truth is we don’t like authority. We don’t like being told what to do. Adam and Eve come to mind. We see it as an enemy to our individuality and yet there are always those in authority over us for something. Sometimes those in authority have no title or position. Consider how a 4 year old can hold a family hostage by their behavior or when someone else’s mother uses three names. I’ve seen grown men stop and shudder.

                It’s not different in our home. We wrestle with authority on a daily basis. It is in our DNA I guess. Maybe it’s our understanding of authority and it’s definition. In the first part of the year as I was in the car going to Statesboro on a daily basis I heard one program where the interviewee spoke of the word submit found in Ephesians 5

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, ²³ for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24 HCSB

The word in Greek hypotasso̅ translated “submit” means to place or arrange under. Consider with me if it was raining and I offer you a spot under my open umbrella. To come under my umbrella you would submit to my offer of coverage and protection from the rain. That is when we freely and willingly “submit” to the authority of the umbrella. You know we then stand closer and go where they want to all to keep from getting wet. We really hate authority and the idea of submitting to anything or anyone. This idea of submitting to a husband will make many women bristle and say “you are not my Dad.” For husbands to submit their desires to the needs and wants of their wives and families provokes a baulk and a shout, “you are not my Dad.” Children talk back, “you are not my Dad.” At the end of the day we are rebelling to the authority of God and those he places in authority over us in our lives. It really is us yelling at God, “YOU ARE NOT MY DAD.” Ouch!

Let’s consider some benefits of submitting to God’s authority. His authority provides security, service and serenity Security because well…He is God. If God is for us who can be against us? Service in that under His umbrella we have the opportunity to be all that He has made us to be. Service is a blessing of unequaled value. Thirdly Serenity, if you are under His umbrella the “monkey is on His back” so to say. He is in charge. Oops there it is “in charge.” The ultimate question of who is in charge. Who has authority over you? The daily question is, “Will I submit to my Dad’s authority by coming under His umbrella?” Paul goes on, “Submit to one another in fear of Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 HCSB.

In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G

Tired? Who isn't?

            Monday morning I was beat. I was dragging. A friend called and asked the obligatory “how are you?” My answer was tired, sick and sick and tired. All three were true then and now. My allergies have been the worst ever this spring. The children on the bus have already finished school yet the calendar says we have 5 ½ more days (as of Friday morning). None of that helps when you are sick, tired and sick and tired. These last three weeks of going to the hospital every day or nearly every day, checking on medical conditions, pastoring and being chief cook and bottle washer at home while Barbara is caring for my Mom have been exhausting. I do believe my fatigue is a sign of age wearing on me. I believe the other contributor is the non-ordinary nature of the schedule.

          Monday I tried my hardest to get back to an ordinary schedule as much as possible. But try as I might it just did not happen. Tuesday morning I woke up still tired, sick and sick and tired again. As I set at the table for a few minutes before my morning bus route I was reading from a new devotional book by James Merritt 52 Weeks with Jesus. The more I read the more my spirit was lifted. There was no new revelation, no idea that shook my soul, no rebuke that brought me to my knees although to my knees would have been up from the floor as I felt. No, the uplift was the reality that was beyond my life at the moment, beyond my feelings at the time, beyond the sphere of my known existence, the reality the God is near and present.

          Knowing that prompted me to Matthew 11 from the paraphrase The Message.

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep Company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

          I highlighted the key to rest. Jesus words, “Come to me.” After that phrase everything else depends upon him even “unforced rhythms of grace” I love those words. Tired comes from at least in me, forced rhythms. Me trying to do things my way from my strength and ability. Do you have some familiarity with that? Now, don’t lie! Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry or out of control. At Easter this year I saw in the arrest, trial and crucifixion the only one who was calm was…well…Jesus. How does that happen? How does he stay within the unforced rhythms of grace while we kill him? He is counting on his Father. He is confident in his Father. He is conformed to his Father.

          That’s where rest comes from. When I die to myself once again and live in the groove/vibe of unforced rhythms of grace. A group of players have moments when the song comes together and they make music. The music just flows and each ebb and eddy are recognized and reveled in within the context of the song. It doesn’t happen every time but folks who play together share that with some regularity. I call that a groove. It is a sweet place to be. It is fleeting but delightful. How about getting your “groove” with Jesus? He invites you to “play” with him, learn from him, watch him and join him in Kingdom life. That is rest! 


In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G

What another obstacle?

              Over the past two to almost three weeks I have been traveling almost daily to Memorial. I have tried several routes. I-16 is very quick if there is no construction or an accident. I cringe almost every time when I commit to I-16. It leads you to a false security of decision as I roll east at 70mph around Bloomingdale. I think good choice and then I see the brake lights blazing their red warning onto my retinas. Then the dream ends and I creep along at 5mph with all of the other folks. It takes a while until I know that construction is the obstruction. It has made me think about obstacles in lives and how we deal with them.

Road Blocks come in all kinds of shapes and textures. They can be physical boulders and blockages or intellectual knowledge and information. They might be emotional responses to critics or our own feelings. The obstacle could be our interpretation of what God is saying or what evil is trying to do to us. Regardless of what the obstacle is the question is, “How will we respond?” Sure we can fuss and fume about the obstruction and why do they have to do it now? We can complain about others. We can stew in the knowledge that we made a choice that isn’t going as we planned starting the monologue in our heads of how stupid, dumb, weak we are etc. etc. etc. Never a good plan. We may hear the voice of our loved one telling us to go a different way and so now we have to decide to tell them they were right or not. That one can be very difficult! What are we going to do in the face of this and the increasing obstacles to our way? Paul writing to the Roman church:

² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. ¹² Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Romans 12:2,12 HCSB

⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 HCSB

Yep, the thing to do is pray. Our thinking needs to be revised and refocused to see God’s purpose and plan in the obstacle of our lives. There is not obstacle that God has not allowed to block us. It is for our good and His glory. However our thinking has to be changed to recognize His plan. As we pray for everything leaving it in God’s hands he will make a way in truth for life and light. Our greatest obstacle is the one we see in the mirror.

You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. James 4:2-3 HCSB

²⁴ Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24 HCSB

We need to learn to pray about everything and for everything. This week when you face an obstacle what will you do? Try praying, waiting and trusting God to make a way. I’m trying that while is sit and creep along I-16. Maybe I-516 next time?

In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G

It Takes Heart!

We don’t much think about our heart until there is something wrong. Kind of like plumbing, you never think about it until there is a leak or it backs up. This past week my Dad was feeling bad and I thought it might be his heart. Turns out it was something else serious but not critical. Heart issues are critical. Jesus said ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 HCSB. In another way we don’t often think about guarding our heart. Yet it is so critical to our walk of faith. We must guard this new heart Christ has given us. But the question is how? Following are a couple of thoughts how to go about that.

Think Promisingly

⁸ Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 HCSB

I walk while the beagle smells everything in the dark each morning. Those can be dark times in my mind as well. It is crazy how dark thoughts and feelings well up so easily and have to be repelled sternly. It requires me to be proactive in my thinking and outlook. Remind yourself whose you are!  

Meditate Purposely

⁴⁵ A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. Luke 6:45 HCSB

Consider carefully what you put into your heart. It WILL come out. Consider God’s blessings and goodness to you through all of your life. What do you watch, listen to and who do you surround yourself with? Ask are they positive influences or negative? Do they build you up in God’s direction or some other direction? 

Speak Positively

No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 HCSB             To others, To yourself

Now we think of foul language as the seven words George Carlin spoke of so long ago. Yet there is a foul language we speak to ourselves every minute of every day. The one that says we are not smart, strong, pretty, tough, capable you know. The voice that keeps on and on and on in our head that sounds like us. We need to replace that monologue with positive words to ourselves and to others.

I want you to know it is so critical to life and living abundantly that God promises ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 HCSB It’s that important to each one of us. It is critical to our living. Let us guard our hearts as they are transformed into the heart of God.

In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G