Fear Not, For I Am With You Always

"This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" - Psalm 118:24

From Fear Not Promise Book by Max Lucado

"This is the day" includes every day. Divorce days, final-exam days, surgery days, tax days. Sending-your-firstborn-off-to-college days.

God made this day, ordained this hard hour, designed the details of this wrenching moment. He isn’t on holiday. He still holds the conductor’s baton, sits in the cockpit, and occupies the universe’s only throne. Each day emerges from God’s drawing room. Including this one.

Why should Christians imitate Christ?

A few months ago, I started reading Charles H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening daily devotional and if I could sum up the book in one word I would say, "encouragement."

Reading the devotions is a great way to help me make sure I stay focused on the Lord both day and night. If I'm faithful to my effort, I read the devotions for the day as the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do at night.

It has been one of the most encouraging books I have ever read. Rather than trying to par down today's morning devotion and give my two cents, I've cut and paste the entire devotion. It's just too good to mess with!

Here is this morning's verse and devotion by Charles H. Spurgeon:

"So to walk even as He walked." — 1 John 2:6

HY should Christians imitate Christ? They should do it for their own sakes. If they desire to be in a healthy state of soul—if they would escape the sickness of sin, and enjoy the vigour of growing grace, let Jesus be their model. For their own happiness' sake, if they would drink wine on the lees, well refined; if they would enjoy holy and happy communion with Jesus; if they would be lifted up above the cares and troubles of this world, let them walk even as He walked. There is nothing which can so assist you to walk towards heaven with good speed, as wearing the image of Jesus on your heart to rule all its motions.

It is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are enabled to walk with Jesus in His very footsteps, that you are most happy, and most known to be the sons of God. Peter afar off is both unsafe and uneasy. Next, for religion's sake, strive to be like Jesus. Ah! poor religion, thou hast been sorely shot at by cruel foes, but thou hast not been wounded one-half so dangerously by thy foes as by thy friends. Who made those wounds in the fair hand of Godliness? The professor who used the dagger of hypocrisy. The man who with pretences, enters the fold, being nought but a wolf in sheep's clothing, worries the flock more than the lion outside. There is no weapon half so deadly as a Judas-kiss. Inconsistent professors injure the gospel more than the sneering critic or the infidel. But, especially for Christ's own sake, imitate His example. Christian, lovest thou thy Saviour?

Is His name precious to thee? Is His cause dear to thee? Wouldst thou see the kingdoms of the world become His? Is it thy desire that He should be glorified? Art thou longing that souls should be won to Him? If so, imitate Jesus; be an "epistle of Christ, known and read of all men."

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Surviving the Unemployment Storm

Many of us are looking for work now. The layoff numbers are staggering. These are tough times. Who knows how long the storm of unemployment will last?

Lately, a thought keeps popping up in my head, and that is to place a priority on seeking God's kingdom first and all else will fall into place. The thought is similar to what Matthew 6:33 reads: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

It's easy to put a priority on making that cup of coffee first, and sitting at the computer first, perusing job openings...first. However, I can't escape the fact that putting God first, praying first, reading the Bible first, just might help pave the way. Doing so has helped me before and will do so again.

It may take forcing myself to remember. It may be like forcing myself to exercise. I've been told that we should exercise our "spiritual muscle." That loving and following God isn't always easy. But, today I want to put God first. Today, I read the devotional by Blackaby below first. Let us commit to putting God first!

This from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God Day by Day:

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. -- John 8:32

God’s truth never restricts you; it always sets you free! Are you discouraged? Is there a sense of in a particular area of your life? A lack of victory over a certain sin? A harmful addiction? It is possible that you do not yet understand a truth about God that can release you.

If you feel powerless to meet the challenges before you, take encouragement from the promise of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If you are defeated by circumstance, hold on to the truth of Romans 8:28 that God can work your most difficult situation into His good. If you are enslaved to a particular sin, work the truth of 1 John 1:9 into your life, which promises that if you confess your sin, God is faithful to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. All of these truths await the Holy Spirit’s implementation into your life.

It is one thing to know about the truth. It is yet another thing to experience the truth of God being worked out in your life. God’s truth will have no effect upon you unless you accept it and believe it. Perhaps you have already read and heard accounts of God working mightily in the lives of others. But have you allowed God to implement those truths into your life? What truth about God would you like to be experiencing in your life? Ask Him to implement that truth into your life today.

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"Experiencing God Day-By-Day" is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling "Experiencing God" book and Bible study. Find insight and grace in this 365-day devotional focused on the divine presence in each life and around us.

If you stop to think about it...

I hope you either already have a copy of Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas or plan on getting one soon. Remember, I'm asking you to join a "blogger's book study," if you will, right here, starting this coming Tuesday (Dec. 9).

I read the opening chapter last night and found it to be not only to the point, but fun!

Also, I wanted to share the back cover of the book with you here:

If you stop to think abouit it, it is astounding that the simple, unasuming birth of a peasant baby boy more than two thousand years ago in the Middle East can today cause traffic jams every December in places like New York City, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro.

The night Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a small group of poor shepherds were quietly tending their flocks of sheep in a nearby field, looking up at the stars. Nothing seemed any different from a thousand other nights. But what was about to happen would transform not only their lives, but billions of other lives as well. The world would never be the same again.

Then the back cover also includes this:

Regardless of your religious background, you need to know how the three purposes of Christmas solve your three greatest needs.

Understanding and receiving God's Christmas gifts to you will transform your life...forever!

See you back here next week for the beginning of a study on The Purpose of Christmas!
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WEEK ONE: Why Celebrate Christmas?

Heaven is a Lot Closer Now

After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. — Mark 16:12

Hope you were able to catch the Harvest event this past weekend. I felt that Greg Laurie gave some remarkably powerful messages. Laurie had lost his son, Christopher, only days before the evangelical outreach. His "Heaven is a lot closer now" statement will reverberate for a long time.

This from Greg Laurie's Daily Devotion:

WALKING WITH JESUS

I think it's interesting to note those to whom Jesus chose to appear after His resurrection. We don't read about Him appearing to Caiaphas or Caesar.

Now if it had been me, the first person I would have appeared to would have been Pilate: "Yo, Pilate! Remember me? Can't keep a good man down, can you?" Or I would have appeared to Caiaphas, the high priest who, for the most part, orchestrated the crucifixion.

But it is interesting how Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and joined them on their journey. We don't know who they were, and they are not mentioned again in the Bible.

The Bible tells us that Jesus appeared in another form to them as they went into the country. In other words, He was going incognito. They didn't know that it was Jesus.

The last sight they had of the Lord was His beaten and bloodied body. Surely they wanted to get that image out of their minds.

There they were, walking along, and Jesus was walking with them. It's a reminder to us that at all times, even when we don't realize it, Jesus is walking with us.

Isaiah 43:2 promises, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

Maybe when you are in church, you feel close to God. But wherever you go, you can know that Jesus is with you there too. When you are going through hard times, even when you cannot feel Him, Jesus is there.
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Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Fellowship Church in Riverside and founder of the Harvest Crusades, recently released Lost Boy: My Story. Anyone interested in not only how Laurie came to be one of the most prolific evangelicals of our time, but a peak at how Calvary Chapel founder Chuck Smith's preaching affected many during the "Jesus movement," will want to read this book.
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Do You Have a Safety Net?

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. - 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

This from Rick Warren's book, Purpose Driven Life:

We Need Each Other: To Wait and Weep With

As a pastor, I see situations daily that nobody should ever have to go through alone. Nobody should ever have to wait in the hospital while a loved one is in life-or-death surgery. No woman should ever have to wait alone for the lab report on a problem pregnancy. Nobody should ever have to wait for news from a battlefield alone. Nobody should ever have to stand at the edge of an open grave alone. Nobody should ever have to spend the first night alone when their spouse has just walked out.

Life’s tough times and tragedies are inevitable – each of us will face them. But we don’t need to go through them alone. We need God’s safety net to help hold us up through these difficult times.

What is God’s safety net? It is a group of other believers – a handful of people who are really committed to you. We call this kind of group a community. Here’s God’s plan for community: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26 NIV). Community is God’s answer to despair.

Romans 12:15 expresses a similar idea: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (NIV).

The first part of that verse is easy. When something good happens to someone, it’s often easy to join in on the party.

But when someone is having a tough time, it can seem more difficult. But, really, it’s simple. When you’re going through a crisis, you don’t want advice; you just want somebody to be there – to sit with you, hold your hand, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you.

As Paul tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). Encouraging someone else doesn’t always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence – waiting and weeping with a friend.

Do you have a safety net – a group of fellow Christians you know you can count on in life’s toughest times? If not, go out today and begin building those friendships. The hard times in life are inevitable, and only a fool would go into them unprepared.
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.

Until Love is Stirred

Interestingly enough, about a half hour ago, my girlfriend and I decided to start a relationship fast. It's not a decision that just sprouted up, but we were not sure of the timing up until now. We are doing it to make sure we are in God's will. We've been dating for awhile now and it seems like its close to decision time...that time to decide whether marriage is the next step.

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Volume 2:

GOD IS ENOUGH

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you...My soul will be satisfied with the richest of foods. - Psalm 63:3, 5 NIV

When it comes to love: Be careful.

Before you walk down the aisle, take a good long look around. Make sure this is God’s intended place for you. And, if you suspect it isn’t, get out. Don’t force what is wrong to be right...Be careful.

And, until love is stirred, let God’s love be enough for you. There are seasons when God allows us to feel the frailty of human love so we’ll appreciate the strength of his love. Didn’t he do this with David? Saul turned on him. Michal, his wife, betrayed him. Jonathan and Samuel were David’s friends, but they couldn’t follow him into the wilderness. Betrayal and circumstances left David alone. Alone with God. And, as David discovered, God was enough. David wrote these words in the desert: "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you...My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods."

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God loves you. Personally. Powerfully. Passionately. Others have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. He loves you with an unfailing love. And His love--if you will let it--can fill you and leave you with a love worth giving. Best-selling author Max Lucado has successfully pricked the hearts and minds of readers for decades. Now, he boldly says that before we can pass love on, we must receive it ourselves--from God. Pointing out that we must "love one another," Lucado issues an impassioned plea to accept God's love in order to truly, unselfishly, wholeheartedly love another. God wants us to drink deeply of His love, soak it up, and marvel at its depth. A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God's Love is available at Amazon.

Lucado: The Intersection of Love

Though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. - 2 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Volume 2:

The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don’t you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope. The symbols of other faiths are more upbeat: the six-pointed star of David, the crescent moon of Islam, a lotus blossom for Buddhism. Yet a cross for Christianity? An instrument of execution?...

Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal—the other vertical. One reaches out—like God’s love. The other reaches up—as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

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Reading a Max Lucado book is as comfortable as having coffee and conversation with a close friend. He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart is signature Lucado: warm, conversational storytelling blended with scripture, humor, and vulnerability. Lucado invites us to understand the symbols surrounding Christ's crucifixion and celebrate the significance of the promises they offer. From the sign in different languages tacked to the cross ("I will speak to you in your language") to the burial clothing ("I can turn your tragedy into triumph"), he speaks of each symbol as a "gift of grace" that reveals God's love for mankind... - Amazon

Who Will You Serve?

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:15

This from Henry Blackaby's Day by Day:

Serving God was not Joshua’s only option. He could have adopted the religious beliefs and practices of his family heritage in the pagan land of Egypt. He could have accepted the idolatrous religion of his neighbors in the region where he now lived. These options probably looked like easier choices than worshiping God. But Joshua had witnessed God’s faithfulness (Josh. 23:14). He was convinced that his Lord was the only true God and that serving Him would bring victory and blessing. Joshua decided to serve God alone. He was determined to teach his entire household to honor his Lord as well. He had trusted God for victory on the battlefield, and he knew that God could also give him spiritual victory in his home.

You, too, must decide whom you will serve. An assortment of popular religions clamors for your allegiance. If you come from a Christian heritage, you may choose to embrace the faith of your parents and grandparents. If you did not grow up in a Christian home, you can decide, as Joshua did, to reject your heritage of unbelief and begin a generation that serves the Lord.

If you set your mind wholeheartedly on serving God, your example will bring a tremendous blessing to your family. If you place your confidence in God, those around you will witness your faith, and they may decide to trust Him too. Choose, as Joshua did, to serve God unashamedly with all your heart, and then watch to see how God blesses your family.

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"Experiencing God Day-By-Day" is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling "Experiencing God" book and Bible study. Find insight and grace in this 365-day devotional focused on the divine presence in each life and around us.

Looking to Travel Light

When I first truly accepted Jesus Christ as my saviour, I remember that I felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. It was instantaneous...right after I had said a sinner's prayer. It was not only an emotional feeling, I physically felt lighter.

The feeling lasted for quite some time, not as dramatically as that day, but I was "on a cloud" like they say. Ten years later, I still feel "lighter," but the burdens of life are starting to weigh me down. Fortunately, I have Jesus to look to and give those burdens to Him. However, I can sense a need to really take a time out for God, not for wordly pursuits.

As I look for a vision for my life, I realize I need to get closer to Him...my first love. The one who makes my burdens light.

Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. - 1 Peter 5:7

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Volume 2:

God has a great race for you to run. Under his care you will go where you’ve never been and serve in ways you’ve never dreamed. But you have to drop some stuff. How can you share grace if you are full of guilt? How can you offer comfort if you are disheartened? How can you lift someone else’s load if your arms of full with your own?

For the sake of those you love, travel light.

For the sake of the God you serve, travel light.

For the sake of your own joy, travel light.

There are certain weights in life you simply cannot carry. Your Lord is asking you to set them down and trust him.

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From award-winning author Max Lucado comes Traveling Light, refreshing words wrapped around the biblical passages of the 23rd Psalm to reenergize weary spiritual travelers. In his inimitable, pastoral voice that both soothes and exhorts, Lucado gently unpacks the verses of the psalm while helping readers lay down the burdens of doubt, anxiety, perfectionism, and fear. - Amazon.com

Eyes Wide Open

The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. - John 5:19-20

This from Henry Blackaby's Day by Day:

Jesus, realizing that His role was that of a servant, never sought to initiate activity for the Father (Matt. 20:28). The servant never sets the agenda—the master does. The servant must be so alert to what the master is doing that whenever the master begins to move in a direction the servant quickly joins him. Even the Son of God did not assume He knew the best thing to do in a situation. Instead, He looked to see the Father’s activity and then joined Him. Jesus knew His Father so well that He was keenly sensitive to divine activity around Him, immediately recognizing His Father at work.

It is possible for us to be so busy trying to bring God into our activity that we don’t even notice Him at work around us. He seeks to redirect our attention so that we might join Him, but we tend to be self-centered, evaluating everything by how it affects us. We must learn to view events around us from God’s perspective. Then we will see our world very differently. When God brings someone across our path, we will look to see if God is convicting that person of his need for salvation. Perhaps God is comforting someone in her sorrow. God might be encouraging your friend as she faces a challenge. We will then adjust our lives to join God as He works in that person’s life. We ought to live each day with tremendous anticipation as we look to see where God is working around us. As our eyes are opened to His activity, we will marvel at His great works.

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Gold Medallion Award winner "Experiencing God Day-By-Day" is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling Experiencing God book and Bible study. Find insight and grace in this 365-day devotional focused on the divine presence in each life. This book will help you see what God has instore for you while sustaining the essential habit of turning to God on a daily basis.

Words of Strength

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me! It's just a childhood chant, but although we can put up a good front about hurtful words not hurting, the truth is they can be damaging at any age.

More importantly, it's the "good" words that hold the true power.

My question is this...why waste time on discouraging words, knowing how powerful encouraging words can be?

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Volume 2:

WORDS OF STRENGTH

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. - Ephesians 4:29

Before you speak, ask: Will what I’m about to say help others become stronger?

You have the ability, with your words, to make a person stronger. Your words are to their soul what a vitamin is to their body. If you had food and saw someone starving, would you not share it? If you had water and saw someone dying of thirst, would you not give it? Of course you would. Then won’t you do the same for their hearts? Your words are food and water!

Do not withhold encouragement from the discouraged.

Do not keep affirmation from the beaten down!

Speak words that make people stronger. Believe in them as God has believed in you.

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Find Max Lucado books at Amazon.com!

Questions Before Getting Engaged

Okay, you've done the dating thing, but now it's time for some tough decisions. Is the one you've been in la-la land with for awhile now the one?

Maybe it's time to take it to the next level. Or maybe it's time to at least explore the next level. That's what I did as I stood in front of a book shelf at Barnes and Noble shortly after meeting my girlfriend, wondering whether I should buy "101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged."

I started placing the book back on the shelf when something inside me said, "Noooo, this one you buy." Thankfully, I listened and the book has been a blessing to my girlfriend and I. We are getting near the end of the book and its helped us on our journey. Decision time is coming soon and I already know we did the right thing by taking our time and working with this book together.

You just may have to stay tuned for the final result!

I highly recommend this book. Several of my friends have gotten a copy and are glad they did.

More than half of all couples who become engaged this year will never make it to the altar. Why? Leading experts believe it's because couples fail to really get to know their potential mate before getting engaged. Relationship expert and noted couples counselor Norman Wright steers potential brides and grooms through a series of soul-searching questions to discern if they've really met "the One."

Couples will be much more confident about whether or not to pursue marriage after completing these in-depth and personal questions. Norm also addresses the delicate subject of calling off the wedding if readers discover that a potential mate isn't actually meant to be a life partner. - Amazon.com

Calling Down Fire...or Not So Much?

A lot of Christians seem to be ready to "call down fire" when it comes to the morality of their neighbors, friends, relatives...and even this country. However, from what perspective are they coming from...their own or God's?

Something, that has resonated with me now for a few years is a message I heard from Pastor Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, at a men's conference.

"It's time for Christians to be known for what they are for, not for what they are against," Warren said.

This is my prayer today...rather than rail against something out of our own will, let's support someone or something truly in need. Let someone say, "Those Christians are about love!"

This from Henry Blackaby's Day by Day:

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? - Luke 9:54

James and John were called the “Sons of Thunder.” When they discovered a Samaritan village that would not receive Jesus, they were fully prepared to call down fire to consume the entire community! Perhaps they felt that through such a show of power, their gospel message might be enhanced. The two brothers were willing to sacrifice the lives of the villagers in order to further the cause of the gospel. Jesus rebuked them.

Later, the apostles heard that Samaria had responded to the gospel (Acts 8:14). Who was commissioned to go and help them receive the Holy Spirit but Peter and John! God’s purpose had not been to destroy those people but to save them. God chose not to rain down fire on the village, but to shower it with His Holy Spirit. What must have gone through John’s mind as he saw those same people, whom he had been ready to destroy, now rejoicing in their salvation? How grateful he must have been that Jesus had prevented him from carrying out his plans!

What an enormous contrast between man’s thinking and God’s! Man’s thinking would have resulted in the destruction of an entire village. God’s plan brought salvation to it. People will benefit far more from what God wants to give them than from your best plans. Have you been shortchanging the people around you by merely giving them your plans instead of God’s?

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Gold Medallion Award winner "Experiencing God Day-By-Day" is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling Experiencing God book and Bible study. Find insight and grace in this 365-day devotional focused on the divine presence in each life. This book will help you see what God has instore for you while sustaining the essential habit of turning to God on a daily basis.

The Case for a Creator and Science

I didn't think about God much until I realized that whatever I was doing for 38 years wasn't working. So, discussions about who created the universe or the "Big Bang Theory" or evolution were quite limited for me.

I'll never forget one of the first scientific alignments with the Bible I witnessed after becoming a Christian 9 years ago. I was no longer skeptical of the power of Christ, he was changing my life dramatically...that was proof enough of His existence. Still, He is so gracious by giving us these assuring treats every so often.

A film I saw about archeologists discovering the path of Moses and where, more than likely, the parting of the Red Sea took place was just such a treat.

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. - Exodus 14:21

There it was in so many ways! An opening to the sea between mountains, an elevated underwater "land bridge" or bar from one side to the other, and coral encrusted figures in the shape of chariot wheels.

Yes, God, thank you! Thank you for lifting me out of the ooze and onto the right path! As someone young in my faith, this was exciting stuff!

Now, a movie by Ben Stein about intelligent design is about to open at theaters and I'm looking forward to that smile that comes deep inside myself whenever I know God is patting me on the back or giving me a hug...once again, I'll be reminded about that path...the one that leads to Jesus.

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Ben Stein's Expelled: No Intelligenece Allowed is scheduled to open April 18th. I want to recommend some reading material along the same lines. Author Lee Strobel gave me that "God hug" when I heard him speak. As a former atheist and journalist, I knew Strobel wasn't fooling around when it came to facts about God. He is probably best known for his book, The Case for Christ

Knowing that the topic of our and the planet's origin will be around for awhile, maybe it's time we take a closer look with the help of Strobel's The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God.

This from Amazon.com:

Are Christianity and science incompatible? If there is a God, is he only an impersonal starter force? An introductory high school biology class first propelled Lee Strobel toward a life of atheism. God and science, he reasoned, were mutually exclusive. When the former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune converted to Christianity, he decided to investigate the science he had once accepted as truth. Did science point toward or away from God? As Strobel interviews a variety of scientists on everything from debunking evolutionary icons to the implications of the Big Bang to the existence of the human soul, he builds his case: scientific evidence points toward Intelligent Design.

Although the discussion often veers into the academic, Strobel works hard to make it accessible to those without scientific training. Throughout the book, he salts interview transcript information with interesting personal stories of his own spiritual and scientific quest for knowledge, as well as sometimes over-detailed descriptions of the actual interviews (right down to the type of beverages consumed). Each chapter contains suggestions for further reading on particular issues of science and faith.

Strobel concludes that, when correctly interpreted, science and biblical teaching support each other. He quotes physicist Paul Davies, "...science offers a surer path to God than religion." Open-minded readers will find that this book, and its questions for reflection and group study, invites conversation and investigation.

The Case for a Creator is available at Amazon.com.

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Alexander is a writer in the online spiritual battlefield. You can also find him at The Scrooge Report.

Right Where You Are

The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. — 1 Kings 17:6

It's easy to be discouraged. You don't make enough money. You're not happy with where you work or live. Or your health or that of a loved one is not good. This world can really get us down. However, there is hope.

We just need to reach for it and find it in the one that will meet us right where we are at.

This from Today's Devotion with Greg Laurie:

When the Bible says that ravens brought Elijah food, it doesn't mean they took his order, flew through the local fast food restaurant, and then delivered his meal. Ravens are scavengers. They would've brought little bits of meat and bread to Elijah. What's more, the water in the brook from which he drank probably would have been dirty and somewhat polluted. It was not an easy situation.

How easily Elijah could have said, "Well, Lord, I don't really want to be in this crummy little place. I kind of like being in front of people. I like the limelight." But the Lord was preparing Elijah for something beyond his wildest dreams. Not long after this, Elijah would be standing on Mt. Carmel in that great showdown with the false prophets (see 1 Kings 18:20–39).

Sometimes, we don't like where God has put us. We say, "Lord, I don't like this situation. I don't like where I am. I want to do something great for You. I want to make a difference in my world." Maybe the Lord wants you to be effective right where you are. Maybe He wants you to take advantage of the opportunities in front of you and be faithful in the little things. Who knows what God has in store for you?

If God has you by some muddy little brook, so to speak, just hang in there. Be faithful, do what He has already told you, and wait on Him and His timing. God will do something wonderful for you or with you. Just be available and open to do what He would have you to do.
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Books by Greg Laurie can be found at Amazon.com.

Love the Overlooked

Put on the apron of humility, to serve one another. - I Peter 5:5 TEV

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Volume 2:

Servanthood requires no unique skill or seminary degree. Regardless of your strengths, training, or church tenure, you can...love the overlooked.

Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the thick glasses, outdated clothing, and a sad face. You’ve seen him. He’s Jesus.

Jesus works in your office. Pregnant again, she shows up to work late and tired. No one knows the father. According to water-cooler rumors, even she doesn’t know the father. You’ve seen her. She’s Jesus.

When you talk to the lonely student, befriend the weary mom, you love Jesus. He dressed in the garb of the overlooked and ignored. “Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40 MSG)

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Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times—1999 for "Just Like Jesus," 1997 for "In the Grip of Grace" and 1995 for "When God Whispers Your Name."

Max Lucado is a fixture on the national bestseller lists – a Max Lucado title has appeared on the CBA hardcover bestseller list every month for the past dozen years. He has appeared on the Publishers Weekly, USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. He has won eight ECPA Gold Medallion awards. - MaxLucado.com

Go to Max Lucado's Book Selection at Amazon to order now!

Prayer is Not Rubbing Bottle For a Genie

I want a home on the Big Island of Hawaii, a beach home in Southern California, and a mountain home in Colorado. Oh, and also an RV loaded to the max. Please, Lord, I pray these things for you to bless me with...Amen!

Isn't that how we often pray? "Rubbing" on God as if He was a genie, instead of praying for His will.

Praying is an important part of our life with Christ. Let's pray in earnest, knowing we truly are connected to Him. Let's pray with a desire to get closer to Him.

This from Greg Laurie's daily devotion:

THE PERIL OF PRAYERLESSNESS

If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. - James 1:5

The Bible's first recorded prayer of Jacob's is found in Genesis 32:9–16. Up to this point, seven chapters of Genesis have been devoted to Jacob's life, with no mention of prayer on his part.

It makes me wonder if Jacob had ever prayed up to this point. It is possible, but the Bible doesn't specifically mention it. It may have been Jacob's very lack of prayer and lack of dependence on God that made him feel as though he had to manipulate his circumstances.

It was commendable that Jacob was reaching out to God, and there are even some good things about his prayer. He acknowledged the God of Abraham and Isaac as the true God. He confessed his own unworthiness. He brought his petition to the Lord.

But it would have been better if he had said, "Lord, what should I do now?" Instead, he prayed and made his plans. In other words, he decided what he was going to do and then asked God to bless it.

Is that not like us? We make our plan and then ask God to bless it. But that is not really praying about a matter. Instead, we should pray along the lines of, "Lord, give me wisdom from your Word and from godly people who will guide me scripturally. Help me do the right thing."

But Jacob did not do that. He wanted what was right, but he went about it in the wrong way.

God helps those who can't help themselves. This is what Jacob needed to realize. Let's learn to seek out God's will rather than bypass it.

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Books by Greg Laurie can be found at Amazon.com.

Love That Always Protects

The celebration of Easter Sunday has come and gone. I feel like I need to fast for a week after all the food I ate yesterday...but, the joy I felt throughout the day is something I want to linger for a long time.

Let us be strong in Him, not forget Him from moment to moment...and remember His love is unmatchable.

This from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, Vol. 2:

A CLOAK OF LOVE

Love...always protects. - I Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

When Paul said, “Love always protects,” he might have been thinking of a coat. One scholar thinks he was. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament is known for its word study, not its poetry. But the scholar sounds poetic as he explains the meaning of protect as used in I Corinthians 13:7. The word conveys, he says, “the idea of covering with a cloak of love.”

Remember receiving one? You were nervous about the test, but the teacher stayed late to help you. You were far from home and afraid, but your mother phoned to comfort you. You were innocent and accused, so your friend stood to defend you. Covered with tender-hearted care. Covered with protection. Covered with a cloak of love.

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If 9/11 are the numbers of terror and despair, then 3:16 are the numbers of hope. Best-selling author Max Lucado leads readers through a word-by-word study of John 3:16, the passage that he calls the "Hope Diamond" of Scripture. (Amazon.com)

Get 3:16: The Numbers of Hope now!

Lucado: 'Six Hours One Friday'

Today, I really need to live in the power of the cross. My lower back hurts, I need to accomplish about 20 things before tomorrow, and I feel a bit overwhelmed. But, what does that mean to "live in the power of the cross"?

Around the world today, many people are celebrating Good Friday. After reading an excerpt from Max Lucado's Six Hours One Friday: Living in the Power of the Cross this morning, I realize that there is so much more than marking this day with a celebration. I feel that I need to pause and reflect on the day in which Jesus spent His last hours on the cross. You may feel the same way, too.

What an amazing thing to think about...we are forgiven and loved by a Savior who died for us...and as Lucado continues in his book...and an empty tomb proclaims that death does not have the final word.

Wow! Can I hear an amen?

Happy Easter everyone!

--Alexander
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This from Max Lucado's Six Hours One Friday:

THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead…This is the Good News I preach. - 2 Timothy 2:8

In a letter written within earshot of the sharpening blade that would sever his head, Paul urged Timothy to remember. You can almost picture the old warrior smiling as he wrote the words. "Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead…This is the Good News I preach." ...

When times get hard, remember Jesus. When people don’t listen, remember Jesus. When tears come, remember Jesus.

When disappointment is your bed partner, remember Jesus. Remember holiness in tandem with humanity. Remember the sick who were healed with callused hands. Remember the dead called from the grace with a Galilean accent. Remember the eyes of God that wept human tears.

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Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times—1999 for "Just Like Jesus," 1997 for "In the Grip of Grace" and 1995 for "When God Whispers Your Name."

Max Lucado is a fixture on the national bestseller lists – a Max Lucado title has appeared on the CBA hardcover bestseller list every month for the past dozen years. He has appeared on the Publishers Weekly, USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. He has won eight ECPA Gold Medallion awards. - MaxLucado.com

Go to Max Lucado's Book Selection at Amazon to order now!