God's Will First! - July 17, 2009

Good Friday morning! In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul gives us a list of things that love is not, or that love doesn't do. Does someone coming into the room when you are busy irritate you? That is not love. Are you envious of a neighbor or a person at work? No love there. From our reactions to people we can tell that our love probably needs some work. Jesus walked the earth with perfect love and rose again to bring His love to our hearts. However, we were born into the world and the inclination of the flesh fights against that love growing in us. Bear in mind that once you and I have given our lives to Christ, we are no longer responsible for the end result. Paul tells us in Philippians that God will complete His work in us. If the progress of you Christian growth doesn't seem fast enough, look to see what ways you might be standing in the way preventing progress. We tend to cling to some areas of our former lives: alcoholics may have to fight the inclination to drink for years, overindulgers (probably not a dictionary word) in food might have to work on that for some time, and sexual lusts may dog us for decades. We will find strength and healing for these things and many others in the Holy Spirit.

If nothing occurs to you, then relax and be patient, God works in His own perfect time. Paul was told that God's strength became perfect in his own weakness. God may have something to show you and others in the very weaknesses of the flesh that we cry out to Him to heal. One thing we do know; one promise that we can seize now, is that when we are called home to Christ, he will heal us completely.
Patience through our earthly suffering is difficult. We read the stories of Jesus healing in a moment and we want that same healing. However, the point we often miss is that Jesus did God's will. As you can tell from any news source this morning, God's will is not complete on this earth just yet.

Enjoy a wonderful weekend in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Just the Right Prayer - July 16, 2009

Good Thursday morning! Winter wheat harvest is underway for 2009; I see some fields cut and others still a bit on the green side. This is the time of the year that I am reminded that I am not the only one praying about weather. While someone in a city or town nearby might be praying for rain for their lawn or garden, many wheat farmers are praying for a dry spell to get their wheat cut and stored for the year. Our prayers often concern ourselves and what we know about our loved ones. But, do we know what is best for even ourselves?

The most important part of prayer may be confession, but what may be even more important is: Thy will be done. We think we know so much in prayer; heal this person, give that person some money, this organization needs this, that group needs that... but do we ever stop to just say "not my will, but thine be done, Lord"? Praise God that Jesus sent a Counselor and Comforter to give us a hand with our prayer life. Not only does the Holy Spirit remind us to pray for others too, but the Spirit makes intercession for us before the throne of God! The Spirit turns our prayers into a sweet incense before the Father. We don't have to worry about whether we are being heard or even if we are praying in just the right way. We have a friend in the Spirit who will make sure that every prayer is offered to God in the right way and at the right time. Cheer up! Your prayers are not going out into the void, but are presented in the best way by our Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God.

Whoo, what a cool morning! Kinda reminds me of that first month with a 'ber' on the end of it.

Bucky

Learning Love - July 15, 2009

Good morning! If you didn't watch the baseball All-Star game last night then... join me in not worrying about it; I didn't watch it either. How 'bout a noisy cat? I have one right here in front of the screen that can be rented for a bit. You get a double helping of devotionals this morning. I liked both of them, and you get an extra blessing. If you enjoy the devotionals included, you might give a donation to Love Worth Finding or the Hour of Power ministries; you can find their websites easily enough. I often give a shout out to our friends down the road at Maranatha Camp too. They are in session now and could use our financial support during these tough times. Some of us went there as campers, others shipped the kids off for a break during the summer. You can decide for yourself who got the most relief from the break, you or the kids. :-)

One thing you learn from separation is... how much you love having some time to yourself! No, that isn't what we are to learn from the absence of a loved one. Perhaps a day or a week isn't enough time to learn love through the pain of separation, but in time we do learn how much we love each other when we are apart. This is not to say that we should make a habit of sending our loved ones away for a time. The world will take care of that soon enough if we haven't experienced enough suffering already. Jesus loves us just as we were when he found us, and he loves us now in our new Christ-centered lives. We strive to love each other as he loves us. Is our love perfect as His is? Probably not, even a long term marriage will have its moments of disagreement. We grow, we learn, and we will come to love each other as Christ loves us now.

God loves you and so do I!

Bucky

Growing in Faith - July 14, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! The summer is swooping on by. I'm sure there are kids somewhere looking at a calendar going "Let's see school starts in... aaagh!" I had a thought about faith last night. Jesus told us to have faith like a child. Is there a difference between the faith of a child and our faith as adults?

A story occurred to me regarding the recent fireworks season. This year has been quite wet in these parts, but usually this is not so. Suppose a child on a farm wanted to light some firecrackers, but the family had fields full of ripe, dry wheat ready for the harvest. The child had purchased some firecrackers during the brief sales period in town, but he was not allowed to set them off until after the harvest. After the family prays to God to protect their harvest and livelihood for the coming year, the child might see no problem with setting off his firecrackers because God has their fields protected. A child's faith might put any of our own to shame in such a case.

However, the father of this faithful child knows that while placing our faith in God it is also not our place to test him by setting off firecrackers near the dry fields of wheat. Which one is right, the child or his father? Both of them are right. As adults we know that we are not to test God by doing foolish or risky things. As a child, we knew then that God was someone we could put absolute trust in. As adults the Holy Spirit teaches us to have that child-like faith; as children grow, the same Holy Spirit teaches them to be aware of responsibility. Yes, we do at times yearn to be back in the simpler life of our childhood, but that isn't possible in this life. We can only grow forward as the Holy Spirit works God's wonderful will in our lives.

Enjoy the wonder of God as you grow today,
Bucky

A New Monday! - July 13, 2009

Good Monday morning, and I do mean that! I see that LWF seeks to cheer up your Monday by bringing a message about trials. Monday does seem to be an appropriate day to talk trials and testing of our faith. Each Monday we get up and look at going to work, and how much we enjoy or hate what we must do to earn a living. Mondays can set the tone for a week of work. How do we view Garfield's favorite day, Monday the 13th? Aaaaiii! It's too much I'm going back to bed.

Paul didn't write in verses and chapters, but it seems that someone would have us take a different look at the number 13. Romans 13 contains Paul's words about submitting to government authority, how love fulfills the law, and a promise that the day is near. Not so bad, eh? First Corinthians 13 is of course that short chapter on love. If we shouldn't fear the number 13, then what about a Monday? In my reading, I see that the average work week dropped from 66 hours to 55 during America's Victorian period from 1876 to 1915. By now we know that the work week eventually dropped to 40 hours per week with some European countries averaging much less. However, with this recession thing going on, I see that those with hourly jobs would like to work 40 hours each week, with overtime a distant memory, and those who have salaried jobs yearn to get back to the 40 hour week as employers now demand more work hours to make up for their own firings. Who has an answer to all this?

Jesus is the answer. The country has 'enjoyed' many cycles of depression and recession before this one. Just as God tests an individual's faith, so He also tests the faith of a nation. This nation was probably overdue for testing as we have had it pretty good for a while. Like ancient Israel, we could see that much of the nation moved away from God during the good times. It's time to remember who sent the Pilgrims to these shores, who brought the country out of the Great Depression, and who saw us through a couple of world wars. We need to return to God! Want to find joy in your work? Look to Jesus. Want to find joy in your lack of employment? Look to Jesus! If our Lord has a different job or path for you to take, He will let you know. I can tell you that after nine months out of a regular, salaried job that I don't look at Mondays the same way most people do. Monday is now an opportunity to write my first devotional of the week, to get back into my novels, to read and study more, and to enjoy life in Christ!

May God bless you with new knowledge of Him on this day!

Bucky

Mandatory! - July 9, 2009

Good Thursday morning! Wow, what a change in the morning temperature from yesterday! Are the cool breezes of autumn starting already? Probably not, but we have enjoyed a mild summer so far this year. Sorry to tell you, but we have passed below 15 hours of sunlight and it's downhill from here. Heh, I'm full of useless news today. The new school here in Sidney looks to be coming along nicely and the government will apparently mandate health coverage for all. Did I read that correctly? We have gone from government sponsored health care to mandatory health care? Yes, that seems to be the way the health coverage bills will be written in Congress. If this bill becomes law will a person become an outlaw for refusing to carry health insurance that he or she cannot afford? Sounds like a tax to me. What will happen when these mandates start coming down from the world government we expect at any time?

While we are strengthened daily to trust in God, we also hear more and more of "trust me" coming from the world. "Trust me, legalizing pot will solve our budget shortfall." "Trust me, the government will take care of you." We may not realize it yet, but with a government mandated health care system, prevention is the key. Look out for the government mandated work-out programs coming soon to a fitness center near you! I hope you don't work at a candy company, you might be outlawed under the new government health care program. I know: it isn't mandatory health care, but only insurance coverage. It is now... but it's always a slippery slope until you find yourself at the bottom of the slide.

Political devotional brought to you on this fine morning by UR2Fat, the government company that cares about your health!

God bless! :-)

Bucky

Go with the Lord! - July 8, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! Hmm, I can't type the devotional and skritch the cat at the same time, not enough hands and not nearly enough coordination. I'll have to let the cat take care of himself for a while; he has way more coordination between his four limbs than I do. Speaking of straining to reach two things at once; are you straining to go your own way while trying to obey God at the same time? We often create stress in our lives by straining against the yoke of Christ. You want to buy a new truck, the Lord says wait; I want to move to another town, the Lord says stay put; you want to go to Hollywood and take up acting, the Lord says quit acting like you don't hear me... and on it goes. We still feel the old urge to be our own master, even after giving up command of our ship to the Lord!

How do we manage to live this way? We cannot live this way. The Lord has been around since the beginning of time, or perhaps even before that. He sees all the way to the end of what we can see and feel. Whose plan do you think will be realized? The Lord has steered countless strong personalities to His way including, David, Samson, Abraham, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Constantine, Augustine, and many more. Who do you think has the strength to stay the course? Who knows which way the course goes? Yes, we still feel the urge to turn the wheel when the Lord gives the heading as straight on. We have no idea which way the harbor is and yet we want to steer the ship! Yergh! How did we get this way? Trusting in God is only the start of this journey, the harder part is to obey God.

Trust and Obey, there is no other way!

Bucky