Smoked upon contact

Last week I purchased an electric fly swatter and wow is it effective… Mosquitos are literally smoked upon contact and the “pop” sound is so satisfying! With a rechargeable battery, ~3000 volts of bug-zapping power and a low cost of $11, this device is a must. I am often hoping that some fly or mosquito will enter our home just so I can have the pleasure of destroying it.

I envision God with all his power and the ability to zap anything at any time. Fortunately God is not like me. He is Holy and perfect. I am not. I would zap the bad guys, but then realize I’m a sinner therefore “a bad guy” and deserve to be zapped. God makes perfect choices with the use of his infinite power.

Glorious in power, majestic in holiness

The people of Israel faced an unimaginable situation as they were being chased by Pharaoh and his mighty army. God led them out of slavery but to them it appeared that they would be overtaken. They panicked with fear as it seemed death was imminent.

We all know the story. Through the mighty power of our undefeated God, the sea was parted, the Israelites walked to freedom, and the enemy was destroyed. Awe struck, the people worshipped and praised God in their hearts and through a Song of Deliverance (Exodus 15).

Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
    your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
    Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
    awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:6, 11)

The power that parted the sea is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, and is the same power that resurrects and saves us from our sin if we put our faith in Jesus Christ. His holiness sets him apart; in his perfection and infinite wisdom he knows what we need, when we need it. He is glorious in power and majestic in holiness.

Father God, seek my heart, cleanse me from unrighteousness. Forgive me for any lack of faith in you alone. You are with me in each Red Sea, in every trial. You are love. You go before us, you are with us and you will never leave us. I choose you Jesus. Amen.

Choices, walking in the light

When you awake in the middle of the night, what kind of thoughts do you have? Are they positive and uplifting? For me, there is often some intersection and processing of dreams, fear, and negativity. There is both literal and metaphorical darkness in the night, but in the morning it nearly always seems to disappear. Is this true for you?

Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5b NLT)

Do you recall the first recorded words spoken by our intentional, all-knowing God?

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)

He created the heavens and the earth and then turned on the lights. I presume this is the creation of the sun, the burning star with a mass 330,000 times greater than Earth and approximately 93 million miles from us. God spoke it, and it happened. What an awesome and powerful God we have… Forgive me Lord for underestimating you… You created the heavens and the earth, and everything that sustains us because you love us and you seek relationship with us. Thank you God.

Choices

Jesus tells us that he is the light of the world and that we must not talk in darkness. What did he mean by this?

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)

Some thoughts comparing walking in darkness to walking in the light:

Walking in darkness Walking in the light
Remaining in sin. Guilt, shame, fear of getting caught. Fleeing from sin brings us to the light but when we do sin: Repentance, forgiveness, cleansing.  This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 5)
Physical and/or emotional pain. While this may not be something we have brought upon ourselves, pain alters our perception. Living in pain without God brings darkness.

To whom do you cry out to?

Facing our pain (instead of trying to hide from it), walking through our pain. Trusting God. He is the great healer. There are many verses on his healing, here’s one: Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, (Exodus 23:25)
Fear. Nothing kills our joy like fear. Choosing fear places us in a cloud of darkness. Facing our fears. There are scary things out there but we have a God who is for us and above all things! The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)

We cannot control this world. We cannot control all of our circumstances. Our broken and sinful world brings darkness and things beyond our control but we are in control of our response. We have choices. We are given free will. We have a God who defeated the darkness and because of this we can walk in the light today and for eternity!

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

Key-Holder

Unemployment is a major topic in the news today instilling fear. Someone else holds the keys to our employment, and our fears directly correlate to situations beyond our control.

Several of my prior posts talked about the excitement and pleasure that came from interviewing people. Getting to know humans in various candid ways, building new relationships, applying filters, and praying over making the right choices. It is extremely rewarding to bring new team members into the family and work alongside them as they grow and thrive.

With the downturn in the economy, many leaders are faced with difficult decisions related to the teams that they hand-picked. The budget and math dictate: Some can stay, some must leave.

How does one choose the fate of another? Keep the new guy because he shows promise? Retain the wisdom of the more experienced team members? The one with the good attitude but lacks experience? The one who costs more than the rest (but is the best worker)? The one who is the sole income provider for his/her family?

The point is, these decisions can be clouded with subjectivity. One person is often the key-holder to the fate of another’s job.

What about our spiritual fate? Is there a quota for Heaven and Hades? A budget? How do we know if we are “good enough”?

Unlike our Earthly subjectivity, the Heavenly, God-authored and perfect plan is not subjective or measured by how someone feels about us. Even better, it is not measured by how bad (or good) of a person we are. Our worst sins, our worst days, our deepest darkest secrets do not matter – that is, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ.

Someday we will all fall at his feet as he alone has the keys. We need not fear because even though he died a physical death, he arose alive and remains alive forever.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)

Losing a job or our fortunes is one thing, losing your life eternally is another. Faith in the economy, careers, our abilities, our plans ultimately results in futility. If you know Jesus today, know him better. If you don’t know him or are indifferent, please do not let another day go by before you kneel before him eternally. He loves you and he is seeking you right now. You are not reading this post accidentally. I pray that God opens your heart right now in this moment to see the truth, the only truth that matters. Which door have you been knocking on and which door will your key open?

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-11‬ ‭NLT)

The God of our ancestors

Think of the goods or brands that were introduced to you at an early age that bring good memories and/or influence your decisions today. Along with this, think of the people whom you associate with these brands and reasons why. Some examples for me:

  • Cashews, Michigan football, Titleist and Windex are all products/brands I associate with my dad. Ok, Windex might seem strange but he is a big proponent of clean windows and passed that appreciation on to me.
  • Rare beef, Yum Yums cookies (they were like Girl Scout “Samoas”), Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough, and Kitchenaid remind me of my mom. Definitely a food theme here but we were (and are) a fun food family! My mom inspired my love for culinary creativity, going beyond recipes and enjoying the process as well as the result.
  • Vernors soda, Orange Fanta, and anything Pepperidge Farm remind me of my grandparents.

Those are some of the products, brands, or memories of my ancestors.

Going Deeper

Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. (Deuteronomy 26:7)

Who is the God of your ancestors? What are the spiritual traditions or values of your family or dear friends from growing up? Whether Protestant, Jewish, Catholic, Hindu, Atheist or Agnostic, we’ve all been in shaped or influenced in some capacity.

For our family, my mom has been our spiritual rock. Her faith in God has been firm for as long as I can remember. You’ve probably not seen her baptizing anyone or speaking in front of big crowds, but if you’ve met her, you know without a doubt that she loves the Lord and her faith is pure. She’s a one on one or small group prayer warrior, always making the most of every opportunity.

From my mom’s witness she has influenced my father, my sisters, me, and countless other people. This influence has become exponential as my siblings and I have Christian spouses and are doing our best to raise our children with Christ at the center of our home as well as to witness the name of Jesus to others. Prayerfully I write to you today (thank you for reading) with the hope that the words on this page provide some enrichment to your spiritual journey pointing to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The Israelites knew the “God of their ancestors” as the stories, values and traditions of the one true living God had been passed on from generation to generation. While they (and us still today) sinned and turned away from God, He was (and is) still God.

Notice in the aforementioned verse that they trusted to cry out to him, and he was as faithful then as as he is now to hear and see our misery, toil and oppression. And he is not just one who sees and hears, we learn in the next verse that he acts:

So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. (Deuteronomy 26:7)

Father God, we cry out to you today. Thank you for being a God who sees, listens and acts. You know our pain, you know our hearts, you know our weaknesses, you know our sins. Forgive us, have mercy on us. Rescue us. Bring us out of our metaphorical Egypt. Open our hearts and minds to see you in not just our struggles but in our joy. Thank you for this day, thank you for your word in the Bible, thank you for peace that comes as we slow down and take shelter. Thank you for being our true shelter. You are the God of our ancestors, may we put you in your rightful place today and every day. In the name of your son Jesus. Amen.

Helper of the fatherless

Life during lockdown has brought an increased level of interaction within most households. Here for example, the boys have been playing a lot of ping pong. Through friendly and sometimes fierce brotherly competition several disputes have arisen which I’ve been called to judge since “I’m dad”. Unfortunately most of the disputes have had only two witnesses; the players themselves. In a dispute, each person believes truth is on his side and the other person should be brought to justice.

As each states his case I stare into their eyes and based on many years of life experience, I’ve developed the super-human ability to not listen to a word someone is saying. While often seen as a weakness (and it usually is), this skill can really come in handy to help me concentrate, take a deep breath, and formulate a response to de-escalate the situation in an attempt to wisely lead them.

Today’s attribute of God is “helper of the fatherless“. Regardless of our relationship with our father here on Earth, no matter how great any dad is or how hard we try, there is God the Father who has gone to unimaginable lengths to reach us.

I think about how much I love my boys, then how my father loves me, leading me to think of the love God has for all of us. He loved us so much that he gave up his own son so that we may have eternal life. This is one of the most difficult scenarios to comprehend!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Today we observe “Good Friday”, the day that Jesus Christ was put on trial and found innocent, but sentenced to death, brutally tortured within an inch of his life, mocked and nailed to a cross, then left to die.

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

Father God, we cannot repay you for what you have done for us. Thank you for loving us, for being the perfect father we can come to with all of our struggles and problems as well as our hopes and joys. Thank you Jesus for your perfect life, for trusting The Father’s plan, for giving it all for us, for your suffering, for your body given and your blood spilled because of our sins. We put you on that cross. Forgive us for our lack of understanding, for our many sins, for our selfishness in putting other “lowercase g” gods before you. Have mercy on us. Thank you for saving us. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This Sunday we will celebrate the defeat of death as a result of the resurrection of Jesus. Come join 15,000+ people online, all are welcome! eastview.church/live

Cry out!

Imagine people crying for distress as they suffer harshly under something beyond their control.

No, I’m not talking about Coronavirus, I’m talking about the people of Israel as they suffered in slavery. They cried out to God, and he saw and heard them.

Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. (Exodus 3:7)

Not only did he see and hear them, he responded.

So I have come down to rescue them (Exodus 3:8a)

As God instructed Moses on what to do as part of the rescue, Moses asked God what his name is. This interaction is the first time in the Bible where God communicates his own name, “I AM”.

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

Are you suffering? Worried? Having panic attacks?

Are we as a planet yet crying out to God yet or are we still trying to fix this all on our own? What are we waiting for?

Cry out in this moment to God and acknowledge him for who he is. Let us not make him into something that we want him to be or what the world might say about God. He’s not sort of this or sort of that. He is who he is, and Jesus is his son.

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am! (John 8:58)

Here are some recent posts from other authors on this site that further articulate who he is. Take the opportunity to read them if you haven’t already: God of Heaven and Earth, God of gods, God over all kingdoms, God of all comfort, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God Most High, Glory, Giver.

We have all that we need.

Family, old friends and new, current and former work colleagues have been contacting our family for weeks, and in recent days the inquiries have greatly increased. The tiniest gestures have been a huge blessing to all of us, even just a quick text, so thanks to you all. Some of the recent FAQs:

  • Are you ok?
  • Are the boys ok?
  • How is Amy doing?
  • When is your next family dance video?
  • What is it like living in Italy right now?
  • Why is one location worse off than another?
  • When will everything go back to normal?

We respond with truth and as optimistically as possible. We are and will be ok because no matter what, we know the end of this story. We have all that we need, and what we need isn’t shown in the cover photo.

People, beloved, not numbers

When we look at the numbers of Covid-19 new cases and new deaths on a daily basis we must remember each “number” is a human being. Someone’s friend, beloved, a husband or wife, a grandmother or grandfather, a person who once laughed and brought joy to others, children of God. Many people are dying alone, in fear, human lives snuffed out by a wave of destruction.

Will you join me in praying for those who are sick, alone and afraid? For those who have lost loved ones and the mourning is being done in isolation. For those at the greatest risk, including the homeless. For our leaders to have wisdom. For truth to be known and shared.

The greater pandemic and a cure

Today there’s a greater pandemic that much of the world doesn’t know about. Its way worse than Coronavirus. God’s word says that if you get it, and by the way, everyone eventually gets it, then death is guaranteed. And the sickness is called sin, and it, unlike the Coronavirus is literally killing everything in this world. It is destroying homes, destroying lives, destroying hope, the future. (Mike Baker, Eastview Christian Church, 15-Mar-2020)

The only cure for the sin virus, and our only hope, all we need, is the blood of Jesus. I confess to putting too much of my hope in the things of this world: Money, things, fun, power, success, and even health. All of these things are temporary and none of them can save us, no matter how much we have. No amount of money can buy our eternity. It has already been bought and paid for, but we must choose. Run from God or run to him by putting our faith in Jesus.

Fulfilled, rested, renewed, comforted

Will you also join me today in reading Psalm 23 out loud? Yes, out loud, I dare and even beg you. Something supernatural, even indescribable happens when we read the scriptures out loud. Are you feeling lost, stressed, worried, hopeless, and tired of all of this? Cry out, He is listening and ready for you.

Psalm 23 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

This uplifting five minute video was another recent blessing and source of comfort. Check it out! Psalm 23 – A Meditation

Friend of sinners

Italy is a few days into a nationwide lockdown. Retail businesses except those providing essential services like grocery stores and pharmacies are closed. Examples include schools, sporting events, restaurants, gyms, theaters, cafes, museums, libraries and even funerals are cancelled. The streets are quiet and where there are typically thousands of tourists all day every day, no one is around.

Humans are social creatures and the lockdown is precisely meant to restrict physical social interaction and isolate people so as to limit the spread of disease.

As a result, most people remain at home with little physical interaction with the outside world. No parties, no lunch out with friends, no “quick meet for a coffee”, and no chance to randomly bump into a friendly known face and have some good laughs and a hug. I’m an introvert but I’m already really missing being with friends and work colleagues.

Many of us are feeling lonely and in need of a friend. Some more than others.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (Matthew 9:10-12)

Jesus recognized the importance of relationships and human interaction. He showed his own humanity by spending time with people, listening, teaching and breaking bread. His followers were seekers of truth, people with no hope, those who were sick, lost, or lonely. His followers were once defined by their sin, but now redeemed, saved and filled with hope.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:19)

Jesus was criticized and accused for spending time with sinners, but his actions were just one more way he turned the model upside down. Through reflection and soul-searching in these troubled times I am reminded that I am a sinner in need of a friend, but not just any friend. What I need isn’t a nice meal out, I need a nice meal in, with Jesus. I need to repent, to forgive others, to be still, to obey, to receive wisdom, to love and to be loved. I need Jesus today and every day as friend, savior and God.

Faithful and True

Think about the top news stories going on today domestically and abroad. What emotions do these stories bring to you? Confident? Uplifted? Full of hope? Joyful? Peaceful? Loved? If you do, please call me right away, I want to hear about it!

On the contrary, I imagine time spent following news stories gives us a glimpse into what Hell might feel like. Hopelessness, pain, despair, separation, destruction, and mourning. I believe we often feel these emotions because we are putting our faith and trust in the wrong things, and because the father of lies is behind a tremendous amount of manipulation.

The only person to put our faith and trust in is the only one who is faithful and true, and that is none other than Jesus Christ:

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. (Rev 3:14)

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. (Rev 19:11)

Jesus is the ultimate in faithful because of what he did: He remained faithful to his calling in living sinless, and then surrendered his body to be crucified. He is the ultimate in “true” because he defeated death through the resurrection. He did these things for us, this is the Good News!

What if for just one day the world skipped the headlines and got the Good News and truth from the Bible? Stories of love, redemption, joy, miracles, forgiveness and promises of hope for a wonderful future all all right at our fingertips. The choice is ours, do not be deceived: Faith in a broken world full of lies, or faith and hope in the one who is faithful and true.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?(Romans 8:31)

Defender

Rumors, gossip, unmet expectations, failures, rage, threats, crime, violence, theft, loss, stress, fear, pain.

Each of those words relates to various events in my life this week. There were some dark days and nights to say the least. At my weakest point of bewilderment, there was God, comforting me and keeping his promises. From all of these troubles, alone I have no defense and could easily be swallowed up by the pain and darkness, but then there is God…

He is our defender.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
    is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalm 68:5 NIV)

It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. (Isaiah 19:20)

In this life we are assured of physical and emotional harm, and no matter our own strength, we cannot defend ourselves alone.

As situations this week declined, my faith grew stronger because I trusted God had it all in control. We likely won’t find the items stolen from us nor will everyone know the whole truth in some of the twisted stories, but no one will take away the peace that came through prayer.

When we prayed as a family we claimed victory in God’s name, even before the earthly battle was over. God, we know you are in this, we know you love us, we know you are above all things and we claim victory in your name alone. Jesus already won through his death, burial and resurrection, so no matter the current or future battle, we can claim victory today and every day. Amen.