Fear Yahweh and Serve Him, 1 Samuel 12

Who can deliver me from my enemies? Yahweh, the sovereign Lord!

Does anyone or anything love me like Yahweh? NO!

Then why does my heart desire cheap, useless, base, corrupt things as satisfaction? Why do I sit down and waste an hour in front of the TV? I say to relax, to drain off the days rubbish piled up on my shoulders. But, why don't I sit and listen to glorious music that lifts my soul to heaven? Why don't I read a refreshing word from an amazing saint? Why do I engage in frivolous talk with other people, as if talking about the weather and what hollywood icon just died could make any eternal dfference? Why do I not instead speak of Jesus Christ, His pleasure over us, His displeasure over sin, His glorious work in my life and the life of others?

No one can rescue me from my sin saturated soul, like Jesus.

No one can give me peace and rest, like Jesus. No one can raise me above my adversities and heart-breaks, like Jesus.

Fear Yahweh and Serve Him, 1 Samuel 12

Do I Miss God daily?

Israel's stubborn hearts are seen all the way back to Egypt when the people would grumble at Moses for their predicament. Israel never did seem to remain consistent in their love and obedience of their Saving God. How is it they saw the hand of God time after time and still they would grumble and rebel. Makes me wonder how obvious God is in my life and i don't see Him at work. Did only the Old Testament writers inspired by the Spirit of God see God at work? Did all the rest not see Him? Were they really that blinded? Did they not remember their grandparents telling them about the Exodus or the Jordan splitting or the walls of Jericho falling down? And yet they continually disobeyed God?

How bad off am I? Do I refuse to acknowledge God and His benevolence over me everyday for lack of spiritual clarity?

Am I missing God in my wife's embrace, in the warm sun on my face? Am I mistaking the joy of being a parent because I have to discipline my children?

Scripture reveals to me this awesome and ridiculously dangerous God. When I begin trying to find Him in my daily choices I idolize Him as self-help. How dare I reduce this untrappable God into my human viewpoint.

I have the privilege of living in the days of "The Book." People had to seek out the seer to discern the will of God, yet I can open this book and see Yahweh working and interacting with His people. I can read the apostle's words as they clarify how I am to worship, serve, and love others.

So, am I missing God daily? Yes, when I fail to open the Holy Book of Scripture and read.

May we all have such a deep longing for God that we begin to ingest the Word as if it were a fabulous steak dinner.

Fasting is Hard

Even though I have preached two sermons on the topic, to do it is so hard. I can do a 24 hour fast, but man, I eat everything in site at hour 24:01. I'm thinking that to fast for longer I may have to go into it slow, eat less food, than no food, than eat more food, and than back to normal.

I did it for a 24 hour period and all hell broke loose. I am confident that the enemy has been extra active because I have taken my prayers more seriously. The attacks have come mostly in my mind, stuff that really hurts, or really frightens me. Those attacks are causing me to get more serious about fasting. My plan is to do a 24 hour fast every week. Check with me later and see if I am keeping up with that! The flesh is so strong.

The attacks have also caused me to pray for intentionally. I find myself turning my thought more to prayer rather than just allowing them to be thoughts that go no where.

How is your fasting going?

Memorial Day

My church family helped Tricia and I host a block party at our home on Memorial Day.

It was awonderful time. We had probably 6 or 7 homes from our street represented at the party.

Thanks to my Baptist brethren we were able to have a bounce house, snowcone, and popcorn machines for fun. We had a ton of kids, probably 25 -30. It was really cool.

What was really neat, was how our church family jumped in and really did a great job of serving and talking to my neigbors.

We had a little memorial ceremony with our local Marine Corps League presenting the colors. It was pretty cool!

This gives me grand ideas of hoping to reach our neighbors for Jesus.

Making Your Voice Heard on High

Remember in the movie "The Goonies" when Sloth discovered his echo in the cave. He thought it was great to yell his name and hear it echo off the walls further away. I love that movie.

Anyway, in Isaiah 58, the Lord speaking through Isaiah announces the sin of his fasting people. Although they fast, they do not do it in such a way as to be heard by God.

The Lord tells them that their fast is done with a sinful motive and so their voice is not heard on high. I love that imagery. I can imagine my desperate prayer in a time of fasting echoing off the halls of heaven. An echo calling for God to do a greater work in my life. An echo crying to God to save the lost around me. An echo screaming for my Rescuer to come and restore me after my dreadful sin.

Fasting is a deep desire on our part to tell God how serious we are to hear from Him.

Fast this week and listen for your echo and watch for your Redeemer riding in on His thunderous clouds to save you!!!

What is a church to do when church leaders are bowing to the winds of culture?


The Episcopal Church USA has lost its focus by turning its resources to hunger, primary education, and AIDS instead of the proclomation of the gospel.


The Presbyterian Church USA has successfully negotiated changing their constitution to allow homosexuals to serve as ministers in their churches. This may sound good, but to know that the vote was lost by one is rather disheartening. The majority won, but only by one vote. This means close to half of their denomination was supportive of homosexuals serving. Did I miss something?

The Pope, who visited Jordan recently, has expressed his "deep respect" to the Muslim community. Sadly, the Pope and Catholic doctrine says that anyone holding a beleif in the monotheistic Creator of Abraham is welcome into the Kingdom of God. (For more check albertmohler.com "R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Should Christians "Respect" Other Religions?")

Your church, my church, any church needs to ask "Who is God?" "Who is Jesus?" and "What do we beleive?" Is the church to be influencing culture through reform or through the gospel.

I believe Jesus said it best, "Upon this rock my church will stand and gates of Hades will not overpower it."

First, it is His church.

Second, Hell cannot stop it.

Hell cannot stop it, but the culture can sure dictate some local congregations direction and focus.

Lord, forgive us for defacing your Body, your Bride.

Have mercy on us.