“Space… the final frontier.”

And why that suddenly came to mind I have no idea. Too many old reruns of watching Star Trek as a kid I guess, “Captain Kirk, you’re needed immediately on the bridge,” and I’m sure I could think of other one liners if I gave myself a few more minutes, “Okay, beam me up Scotty.” Hilarious when you think about it, especially the outfits, but still, despite all the bad acting, Star Trek really was kind of a fun show. It was all about the adventure and exploring and, being the setting space, they never really ran out of new places to visit inhabited by all kinds of strange creatures.

But why all this talk about Star Trek you ask? Like I said, I sat down to write and for some reason that was the first thing that popped into my head. Actually, as of late I’ve had “space” on the brain. Not “spaced out” mind you, but literally “outer space” and just yesterday was reminded of how really, really BIG it is and I think we tend to forget this, living here on this little planet we call Earth, which really is a big place in and of itself, but what I mean is, I think it’s easy for us to get swept up in just our day to day activities; “what will I wear today? How am I gonna pay the bills? What should I make for dinner?” and who knows what else we need to add to the day’s never ending “to-do” list. Honestly, sometimes it’s exhausting, and sometimes, at the end of the day, we just need to let out a big sigh of relief when the sun finally does set. Hmm, where am I going with all of this?

The verse that comes to mind is this and I think it was Paul who said it, “for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) And I urge you to read it again, “for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” And I wonder… how many of us really think like that? If we’re honest, probably less than one percent of our day is thought like this and instead looks more like, “got to do the laundry, go grocery shopping, work, how will I get the kids to and from…” you name it. And again, that list can go on and on.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) Be still? You’ve got to be kidding? Space. Hmm, take a moment and think about it. How can I go about making my life more about living for Christ unless… I can take a moment and think about it? Unless, I can take a moment and contemplate… my minuteness, impermanence, compared to Him who is infinite? Huh, and yet still, “what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4) Amazing. When I take a moment and really think about it I realize, that to have the mindset Paul is speaking of in Philippians 1:21 is to live in the temporal. “Set your mind on things above, not on things of the Earth.” (Colossians 3:2) Because even as Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Space. And why is that the topic? Because, when you really think about it, when you have a moment, look out into the night sky and go, ” wow, God, you really created something HUGE here.” But why?

“As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) Hmm, and I get to thinking. I think of all the people, those doubters who would say, “why would I want to go to heaven anyway? I mean, what could we possibly do there for all of eternity?” Hmm. Looking out into the “heavens” I can think of lots of things filled with all kinds of possibilities. First and foremost, getting to hang out in the presence of one incredibly amazing God, and secondly, having all of eternity to explore His vast and seemingly never ending creation. Sounds like fun, does it not?

Look here digg.com/d1ofQT if you want to see what I’m talking about.

When All Else Fails

It’s funny, sometimes I come to the keyboard and I think, “I just need to write something,” but what? I have no idea. Than a title pops into my head and I think to myself “I’ll write about that!” When All Else Fails.

Have you ever felt like that? You’ve gotten to a place where everything, and I mean everything has fallen away, or literally, it’s as though someone’s pulled the rug out from beneath you and what have you got left to hang onto? Well, what do you? What do you have left to hang onto?

I know for all of us, there will be times in our lives that we feel we have nothing left to hang onto. There is no one there to catch our fall or perhaps no one cares or even knows. No one notices when we hit the floor. No one that is except for one. There is one who knows, one who notices when it seems everything and everyone else has deserted us. And His name? His name is Jesus.

Does it feel as though you’re hanging by a precipice? Well if so, Jesus is there. “Take my hand,” He says. We look up, perhaps clinging to one scraggly branch, “take my hand,” He says again. “Can we trust Him?” we wonder. “Should we?” Perhaps some of us might even be blaming Him for the current state we’ve found ourselves in and then again we hear Him, “you can trust me.” He says, “take my hand. Take my hand.”

How many of us really take His hand? “Take my hand,” He says. Imagine it. The God of the Universe longs to help you. The God of the Universe knows when you have nothing left to hang onto, “take my hand” He says. “Take My hand.” And what if you do? What if you finally realize, “there is no one who will love me more. There is no one who can fix this. No one else who could possibly get me through this.” And what if you do? What if you throw everything at His feet and finally, forsaking all those little things you thought might save you, instead you say, “God, save me! Save me!” And so what if you do?

Looking up you see God’s hand outstretched to you and letting go of the very last thing you thought might save you you place your hand in His. “I won’t let go,” He says and pulling you up He sets you back on your feet and though still a mess and irregardless, “I love you,” He says, “I always have.”

If you’re hanging by a precipice take His hand, and He who died for all mankind, He alone will save you.

For if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-13).

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10).

Take Me Back!

“All that glitters is not gold.” And as I sit here and think of the parallels of Pinocchio and the Prodigal Son I can’t help but think how many of God’s children have been or are being led astray? How many to the slaughter because the enemy has so cleverly disguised the World to look so much greener on the other side? If only we could see. To be constantly reminded by a conscious the size of a cricket yelling, “Jiminy!”.

Yes, how truly child like we are and yet how many of us are even aware that we do indeed have an enemy? The Fox who’s always waiting, looking for an opportunity. Who baits the hook, who knows our weaknesses yet packages it to make it look so appealing. “Just one bite,” he says and if we do fall prey he laughs now holding the key like Stromboli.

And once in a cage do we then cry out and turn to God? And if so and by God’s grace He sets us free – once again here comes the enemy. Looking for the seed that falls and does not take root. Once again here comes the enemy – flashing hook. “The world is a party!” he says but his only goal is slavery, laughing as he longs to make an ass out of those who stray with wayward hearts.

And if by God’s grace we should escape do we then learn the lesson? Now bearing the scars the world has inflicted on us will we then change? All the while we’ve been gone our Heavenly Father looking, searching for us, longing for our return. He yells into the night, “Pinocchio! Pinocchio!” When with tail between our legs so humbly we should find Him in the darkest place. For God has searched the depths of our sin, Monstro, and it’s here He waits.

For with God nothing is hidden and yet if we, the backslidden should find Him once again into His arms we would fall, His kiss upon our wooden necks and then we would cry, “Father, Take me back! Take me back!” and God in all of His infinite Love would say, “oh why, why did you ever leave Me in the first place?”

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekial 36: 26-27).

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91)

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:31-36).

But The Greatest of These is Love

If you have never had the opportunity to hear Corrie ten Boom speak then now is your chance! I remember seeing a television broadcast of her once and thinking, “wow, now there is someone who has a testimony of just how deep, how wide, how far, and how high is the love of Christ!” Someone who’s really been through it, who’s seen some of the worst atrocities in the last century, yet not only lived to tell about it but lived to tell about how Christ’s love always wins out.

When and if you have the time just click this link www.archive.org/details/SchoolOfPrayer-TheGreatestOfTheseIsLove-ByCorrieTenBoom-Sermon to hear one of her sermons; “The Greatest of These is Love.”

It’s about an hour long so make sure you can set aside the time to listen but I promise you won’t be disappointed. Whenever I have had the opportunity to hear Corrie ten Boom speak or have read any of her writings I have always been blessed. She is full of insight and wisdom and I especially liked her flashlight analogy in this sermon.

Be blessed! For the greatest of these truly is… love!