More Pasta Please

It seems God presence is on me in this season. For I find him even at the restaurant. This Sunday I had the pleasure of having lunch with my wife at the Olive Garden. I have just recently broken a twenty one day fast and in the process my stomach has shrunk I can consume less than I did before. This to my advantage as I wish to keep the weight I lost off. Any how, since I eat less than I did before and because the Olive Garden is not the most economical place to have lunch, my wife and I decided to share a meal. Since we were only purchasing one meal we went all out. In addition to the bread they bring out we ordered an appetizer and a salad and pasta. It was a good ole fashioned three course Italian meal.

Well of course it was Sunday and the lines where long. So I was hungry when I left church at noon, I was famished by the time two o’clock rolled around and we were finally getting a table. As soon as we sat down we ordered our food. Within minutes they had brought out a huge bowl of salad and our appetizer. I attacked the food. I began to devour the breadsticks, inhale the salad, and demolished the appetizer. After about ten to fifteen minutes had passed and my feeding frenzy had subsided the pasta finally arrived. The pasta was my wife’s choice and it was delicious. While I can not properly spell the name, the dish had the most amazing chicken, shrimp and beacon. It went down smoothly with a creamy cheesy sauce. MMMM! However to my dismay after just a few bites I was full. I could barely eat another bite. The most delicious part of the meal and I couldn’t eat it, I had wasted my appetite on appetizers, bread and salad. The cheap stuff, the stuff that almost tastes the same at home. I was devastated. I complained to my wife, she laughed and happily consumed her portion and mine. “You should have waited” she said with a smile and a laugh as she took another forkful of pasta and I looked at her enviously. As I watched my wife I laughed and realized I should have waited. It occurred to me that my lunch and life where much the same. We have such a hunger for life too often we waste our time, energy and effort on the cheap stuff, the stuff that doesn’t matter and when its time for the good stuff its to late, we have already spent what we have and others enjoy our portion. These last few weeks our pastor has encouraged us to a life of discipline. I want to encourage you to the same. It is true that in a disciplined life there is much sacrifice, however what is sacrificed is the appetizer, the salad and the breadsticks. You may not always be full however when the time is right there will be plenty of room for the Pasta. Don’t be like me be like my wife, wait for the pasta. Live the adventure.

While You Were Sleeping

I love my son. Its amazing the things that parents do for their children. Raising a child is true hard work, it is rewarding but none the less hard. Its only my been my first month so I am sure the true challenges lie ahead, however these past few weeks have not been with out their difficulty. My son is such a whiner ( he takes after dad). No matter how tired that boy is he refuses to fall asleep until he is in the exact position and location that he wants to be. My wife and I are quickly discovering that the position he prefers is in my arms or hers, if he wakes in the middle of the night and discovers that he is not in his parent's arms he will scream until he finds himself there. So in the wee hours of this morning I found my self walking around the house rocking my son back to sleep. I seemed to walk around for about 30 minutes before he dozed off, I rocked him a few minutes longer just to make sure he went into a deep sleep and would not be easily aroused. In this time of additional rocking I had revelation. When Elishah awakes he would have no idea how much work went into keeping him asleep. As he slumbered he had no idea his dad was still awake, walking him around. Furthermore for many years Elishah will comprehend the efforts that go into raising him. In fact most psychologist tell us that children have no idea that world does not revolve around them until they are about 8 it takes a few years for them to fully realize it. Even as a teenager Elishah will not fully appreciate his mom's and I's efforts. I did not realize my parent's hard work until my twenties and think that I may only be truly comprehending it now as I take on those responsibilities myself.

So what is the point? The point is that God loves us like we love our children, we are his sons and daughters. If he loves me like I love Elishah then much insight can be taken from the fact that Gods relationship with me is similar to my relationship with my son. This being the case if while Elishah is un-aware, while he is sleeping I am still awake laboring to ensure his comfort, safety and well-being than while I remain unaware God is still laboring ensuring my comfort, safety and well being. It fills me with awe and gratitude. What happens behind my back to ensure my destiny, what things are taking place to ensure that I complete the adventure? I do not know the answer and assume that this side of heaven there is much I will not know, however I find comfort and security in knowing that though I am unaware God is laboring for me. Thank you God! Live the Adventure.

Half Empty or Half Full

Is the glass half empty or half full. The answer is based on your perception, how do you view the glass as half empty or half full. Luke 11:33 states the eyes are the lamps of the soul, if the eyes are good then the whole body is full of light like wise if the eyes are bad then the body is full of darkness." If you eyes perceive the world as being dark then your world is dark if your eyes perceive the world as light then your world is light. If your glass is half empty you are constantly focused on what lacks in life, if your glass is half full your focus is always on what you have in abundance.

Let me share with you briefly. This last year has been the most miserable in my whole life. I have never felt so low and so hopeless nor have I ever felt it for such long periods of time. Why? Situationaly life has not been good, there are many things that did not go right, however situationaly I have been through worse. I can give you several examples of years where my circumstances have been far worse. In case you didn't know I have been to war, real war, with fighting and bullets and bombs. Their were nights without sleep, weeks without showers, days were food was short, I was separated from those I loved and devoid of any creature comforts. Can you imagine how disgusting it feels to spend your day in temperatures averaging 130 degrees Fahrenheit only to go to bed with out a shower on a warm cot, to make matters worse your night would be plagued with tiny insects making a buffet of your flesh. I am not kidding these are what many of my days were like yet in all this situational lack I remember having high spirits and good times. As far as circumstances are concerned last year did not even come close yet I was miserable. How is this possible? Some where along my adventure my eyes went bad, I stopped seeing how full my world was and started seeing it as "half empty".

I tell my youth every time we meet the "Christ came that they may have life and have to the full" I say life is an adventure. True life to the full can only come with good eyes. We must constantly check how we are viewing life, are we seeing it as half empty or half full. Live the adventure.

20/15 Vision

Ever heard of 20/15 Vision? It is one step above 20/20 vision, it means what you should be able to see only at 15 you can see at 20/20. As a young child I took create pride in always being able to achieve 20/15 on my eye exam.

Lets go to another person with excellent vision. Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Mary was not married and impregnated by the holy spirit. This puts Mary in a difficult situation. Good Jewish women did not have sex before they were married, to not be a virgin and not be married would at the least make you a reject and the scum of the earth in Jewish society, at worst it would have got you executed. So Mary a godly woman is now walking around pregnant and un-married. She suffers the stares and the mumbling as she walks by, she suffers being ostracized from her friends, she suffers the doubt and mistrust from her parents. She is treated as a sinner although she is a saint. Yet in Luke chapter 1 verse 49 she says "The Mighty One has done great things for me." So wait a minute you live your whole life godly trying to please the lord, and in doing his will you end up being the recipient of everyone's scorn and all he leaves you with is the "I got impregnated by the holy spirit" story and your saying the lord has done great things for you.

It gets better as Mary comes into term Rome decides to take a census, so she is forced to travel on a camel across the desert as a pregnant woman. My wife is pregnant and in term pregnancy she is not comfortable on our bed I can not imagine that Mary was comfortable on a Camel. If things could not become any worse she goes into labor while the only hotel for the night is booked. She is forced to give birth in a stable, not a warm bed, not a hospital bed, not in comfortable birthing center but in a stable. As I have been educated in birthing process I have seen how nasty birth can be, its bloody full of fluid and she is doing this in a stable. It stinks, its cold, there may be animal manure around on the floor is full of hay which is absorbing every bodily fluid that comes out of her, the hay sticks to her as she is trying to move about. It would be a bloody sticky mess. Then to make matters even better her newborn, whom she knows is the son of God is placed in a manager, a feeding trough for animals. I can tell you that as we become term my wife has cleaned, sanitized and decorated every environment that our child will touch, and Mary had to place her son in a manager. At the end of the night after Mary is visited by a few Shepherds the bible says that Mary "treasured up all these things."

I have to admit that at this point I might have been angry, I might have been bitter, I am carrying the son of God and this is the best that I can get a stinky stable and a manager, yet Mary treasured all these things. Why do you think that is? I think its because Mary had 20/15 vision. She could see farther from where she was then most. She realized that all these things were just minor inconveniences, they were war stories of an incredible adventure. She knew her destination was to be the mother of our savior. Ever taken a family vacation, I am talking about the ones taken in the car, you know the one's where its like 34 hours and you have four of you and all your luggage all stuffed in into a small sedan. Your knees ache, you are tired and groggy but you can't sleep, your going insane from boredom and you little sister is driving you crazy. Yeah that kind. They are miserable and tiring yet we do them again and again, why, because journeys are always difficult but destinations are always awesome. That's what Mary had in mind she realized that her journey was on the way to an awesome destination.

The bible says that with out vision people perish, that's because if you don't know where you're going than the focus is no longer the destination but the journey and journeys are miserable. If the journey is what your focus is than your life will be miserable and with out hope, will become angery and bitter and quit. You will make your destination what ever road side stop offers you some marginal comfort but you'll never be satisfied. Who wants to live their life at a gas station, lives are lived at destinations. With this in mind I encourage all of you to have a destination in mind. Prepare a vision statement for your life. I know for a fact that's what I am going to do. I am going to spend a greater part of the rest of this year creating some solid vision statements for my life, so that I have destination in mind, so that I can have 20/ 15 vision, so I can see farther the most and maybe just maybe I will be able to achieve more than most. Live the adventure.

Scared Stiff

Can I be very honest with everyone? Today I am scared; I am quite literally shaking in my boots. Its one thing to say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" it is another thing entirely to actually have to do it. I am scared because today I come up against something that I can not do in my own strength. I lack the skill, I lack the experience, I lack the wisdom, none the less it is mine to do and no one else can do it. I really wish God would just take this away from me. I wish that I would wake up one morning and it would all be over. But it won't. The bible says we are "Co-heirs" with Christ, that means we get to co-inherit heaven with him, it also means we get to co-heir in his battles with him. It means some times God doesn't rescue us, sometimes he helps us fight our way out.

Let me take you the first chapter in Joshua. Moses has Just died. Joshua is now in charge of leading Gods people into the promised land. It is not as easy as it sounds, it is not a short walk across the Jordan and then over the hill into a beautiful and fruitful valley. It was a very long walk across treacherous terrain filled with hostile peoples, some in fortified cities, with armies greater than his own. Now Joshua had been in skirmish or two in his life but this was all out war, not to mention he was leading the Israelites. For those not familiar with the story the Israelites complained and wanted to quit several times before they finally got to the promised land, they were not what you would consider a hardened soldiers. So Joshua has just been put in charge of a nation and its destiny which by the way involves a massive war that will be fought by a bunch of potential quitters. Do you think he was scared!?

The lord speaks to Joshua just before they enter the promised land. He says two things I want to note. One "Be Strong and courageous" (he says that twice) and "Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go". So do you think he was scared? I do, I don't think God says things like that to people who aren't scared.

So what is the morale of the story? The morale is Joshua won and the people inherited the land. Despite his fears he won, despite what he lacked he won. Maybe your like me this morning maybe you are faced with an obstacle in which you in your own strength can not overcome. As is the case with me and with Joshua that obstacle, that battle is not going to go away, you are going to have to face it. In that situation the words that were spoken to Joshua are also spoken to you and me. Be strong and courageous do not be terrified, do not be discourage for the lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Remember Joshua won, after many scary long battles Joshua won and so will you. Live the Adventure.

Why Not Me!? Why Not Now!?

If we go the first chapter in Luke we find the story of the parents of John the Baptist. His parents are Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was priest and the bible says that both Zechariah and Elizabeth were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lords commandments and regulations blamelessly. The bible continues to say "but they had no children because Elizabeth was barren and they where both well along in years."

Now I put these two statements together here for a reason. Israel at the time a theology known as the "Retribution Principal" the principal was quite simple, it stated: That God blesses the righteous and curses the wicked therefore those who lived blessed lives are obviously righteous and those who do not lived blessed lives must be wicked. In other words your suffering was your fault you brought it on your self due to your own sin.

How horrible it must have been for Zechariah and Elizabeth. They not only had no children they also had to deal with the fact that they were looked down upon by friends and neighbors who believed in the retribution principal. Elizabeth dealt with the women taking behind her back; Zachariah had to deal with all of his priest buddies trying to figure out what his secret sin was. Think of their Sabbath services, they are sitting in the pew as rabbi teaches on how God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. Not only would people look down their nose at them while affirming their own righteousness they must have been asking themselves the question "why me?" They must have been frustrated to say the least, to say the worst they may have had moments of anger and bitterness towards God.

Ever felt like these Guys. Maybe you don't have people taking behind your back but maybe you suffer, maybe you suffer despite the fact that you live righteously, maybe suffer though you keep the commandments and regulations with out blame. Maybe you sit in your pew frustrated. Maybe as you hear the preacher talking about the promises of God and how they are available to those who believe you sit there and ask your self "why me" why am I not getting the blessing?!

It can not be emphasized enough that the kingdom of God is more like an army than a family. Let me explain that a little. In a family if children are good and they follow the rules they are more likely to get better gifts and more privileges from mom and dad. It must also be said that in families that rewards can come at fairly regular and predictable intervals. These times might be in holidays, birthdays or right after report cards. In the army soldiers who are good are asked to go through more difficult training and to go on the more difficult missions, in essence the better you get the more difficult and more dangerous your life can become. Also in the army there are no regular intervals; periods of rest, relaxation and reward are based on the needs of the army. Some soldiers (especially the good ones) must go on long difficult missions

Such is the case with Elizabeth and Zachariah, the bible says they where off in years. They had suffered the results of being barren for a number of years. Their mission was difficult; however they gave birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. There timing of reward was based on the needs of the Lord's army, if John where born to early or to late he would have been of little impact. Also if John had not been born in such a miraculous way it may have diminished evidence of God's hand in his birth.

So if this is you. If you are following the Lords commandments with out blame and yet continue to suffer than take heart. The reality is John the Baptist's parents where highly favored among the lord, they were some of his best soldiers that's why he chose them for such a difficult mission. Such is the case with you. Your are one of his best soldiers. God appreciates what you are doing. Live the adventure.

Does Size Really Matter

Does size really matter? I am referring to size the of your obstacles, or the size of your problem. Does it really matter. I was reading about the Israelites the other day they where in captivity. They were slaves in Egypt and they have been for the last 400 years. God sent Moses to them to tell them that he was going to free them from Egypt and send them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds good right, sounds good to me I will take milk and honey over captivity.

So I am going to make a long story short the Israelites got to the promised land....Well they almost got there. You see they were about a two weeks journey from the promised land and God tells Moses to send some spies into the land to see who lives their how strong they where, and to see what the land was like and if it had a good crop.

So Moses selects 12 men, 1 from each tribe and he sends them out. What they find there is awesome. The grapes where so big that to carry one cluster they had to carry it on a pole between two men. 1 Cluster between 2 men that is crazy. The land was everything God said it would. Oh yeah there was one little catch, the sons of Anak where there.

Sons of who? The sons of Anak, to keep it short the sons of Anak where a race of Giants. Goliath was a son of Anak. Goliath was 10 1/2 feet tall, it gives you guys an idea of how big they where. So these guys where huge. I must ask again does size matter? To the Israelites it did they went back to the camp and said and I quote "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit." Then came the but. Here is another quote ".
But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there." Then they said "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." They began to chicken out. Why? The sons of Anak were to big. Does size matter.

To the Israelites it did. In fact the whined and cried and moan until God got so sick of them he sentenced them to wander the desert for 40 years. In fact that generation that whined and cried none of them entered the promised land God told them he would not allow them to enter until "everyone of you lies dead in the desert."

Here is the moral of the story God calls every single one of us to something awesome. Just like the Israelites, we all have a promised land to enter. Also just like the Israelites there will be sons of Anak which stand in your way. They will be big huge problems, things you don't think you can beat. However size doesn't matter. We must remember God called them to promised, it was their destiny to live their and rule over it. We must also remember our destiny's are our God ordained mission. we used to have saying in the army "mission first" that was your first priority the mission. God is looking for warriors people to go and expand his kingdom, people that want the promised land, and people that are willing to fight for it. That particular generation of Israel didn't so they got to hang out in the desert. It wasn't all bad they were provided for and they were safe, very little war takes place while they are in the desert however there is not a more mediocre existence than wondering the desert. If you want the best of God, the promised land you have to be willing to stand up against your own individual sons of Anak. God can get you through it, with him you will succeed but you have to be willing to fight to step out on faith and Live The Adventure.