Easter Time

As a Pastor I love this time of year. Its springtime! Flowers blooming, birds chirping, trees and flowers budding everything coming to life. The tomb of winter is behind us and now life is bursting fourth again, we are excited for the change, and ready to live again! Just as it was in the time Jesus was crucified, it seemed as though winter had set in, and life had stopped!

It felt as it does for us today, that winter would be there to stay, when would it be spring again, when would they hear and feel life alive? I am sure, as we do, they bundled up and hoped for the best and this bad weather would soon be gone! But Just as they felt winter would not pass, something changed, something happened in the early morning hours on the third day, spring came!

Though they were not quite prepared, spring came, on that early morning walk to the tomb, feeling winter would not pass, life would burst forth! Their lives would not be the same, it was spring, it just came, without warning the weather had changed their hopes and uncertainties would be answered! He is risen just as he said go tell His disciples that Jesus has raised in the spring time, He was alive!

That was the angel’s message of warmth to the women that cool early morning! The death grip of winter had passed, springtime had arrived, life began to abound! They no longer felt the grip of winters grasp, they were warmed with the knowledge it was passed and spring was here! What does Easter mean to you?

Is it just another day to dress up and buy flowers and candy, or hunt eggs with the Easter bunny? 

Jesus died for you and on the third day He rose from the dead, He defeated death and the grave for you! All this He did so you would not have to be trapped in the winter of your life, He offers you spring!

From death of sins winter grip, to life set free to live and hear springs cry, you are alive, He has risen as He said! He paid the price for your sin that you could spring forth and live, you can be unshackled from the grip of sin. 

As spring brings life to everything around us, Jesus brought life to us by His death on the cross and more importantly His defeat of the grave and springing forth from the tomb alive.

Spring is here as well as Easter time. What does it mean for you? There is more to it than just a changing of the weather! It is a life transforming time, as Christians we celebrate a Risen Savoir. 

If your life seems trapped in winters grip, turn to the one who created the springtime and be made alive! Burst forth with singing as the birds of the air, the flowers and the trees as you celebrate new life! 

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." NKJV

A calling to wait!

I remember when I felt the call to Pastor, I went to my Pastor and told him. He suggested to me what to do next, pray! I did just that and God opened some wonderful doors for me, which took me through, fire, pain and tears. All so worth the journey! Pastoring is not all about the glitz, popularity, and self. It is about Shepherding, nurturing, discipling!

My Pastor must have thought I was a tick, I was hungry all the time wanting as much time with Him as I could get! He never had to chase me down as I was in his back pocket, LOL!!! Looking back I would have slowed down a bit more, but would not have changed my path, God had a plan! Though I have had my hills and valleys, the most important thing I have learned, never go by how I feel!!

Pray more rush less, wait more be still! I have learned where I am right now is where God has me, and I am content! What a journey it has been and I learn everyday, more and more! If you truly put it all in God's hands you will never be disappointed or despondent!  On the contrary, God will open the doors of heaven and you will be completely in His will!

Do it any differently and you will never be happy, only always searching! Paul said I have finished the race, most people never do because they want to jump right to the finish line. They miss what God has for them because they jump ahead never wanting, or allowing God to complete the work He has begun in them. So my suggestion to you, if you feel you have God's calling in your life, for any ministry.

Wait on Him. Be in prayer. Watch the hand of God just move in your life and enjoy the thrill of the ride He has prepared personally for you! Sometimes it it not the call to move as much as it is the call to wait!

Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God
Phil. 4:6, Be anxious for nothing

Never amount to anything?

There were many times in my life, when I was told I would never amount to anything! Though I lived down to those comments for a long time, I am living proof they were wrong! No I am not the CEO of a top company, or even a little company. But I am a dad, a grandfather, a husband, an uncle, a son in-law! I Pastor the most wonderful fellowship.

I cannot think of a more successful life! Never amount to anything? Only if you give in, give up, and only see what people see! If we measure success as the world deems success, we will be disappointed. If you are breathing you are a success, you have the opportunity to do something. We may fail, that does not make us failures, that just means back to the drawing board!

Always remember, where there is breath there is hope. Where there is a will there is a way. People can say what they like, but always try and remember, their words are probably more of a reflection of themselves than you! Their short comings should never be yours! If you never remember anything else let me encourage you with these words, folks are entitled to their opinion, but that does not make it so!

God formed you and made you unique to you not to anyone else. If you are struggling with God, that is another matter. Maybe it is time to find Him, or return to Him? You will never know success until you come to the One who wants nothing but success for you. If everyone deemed success on the thoughts of others, where would we be today?

You will find that truly successful people take very little credit for themselves. Others around them get the credit, and almost always you will hear God getting most of it. I said it that way because no one is perfect. We don't always put God first on our list as we ought, but we can never forget to give Him the glory for all we have! So when someone says you will never amount to anything, remember this, you already have!

Psalm 139:13-14, "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. NIV

Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." NIV

"If you are not making mistakes, than you are not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes." John Wooden

Beat or aggravatingly upbeat?

There are people out there who do not care for people like myself who seem to always be upbeat! Well I am not always upbeat, sometimes I am beat, I just don't surrender to the beat part! My life has had obstacles, yet it has not been as bad as some around me. Those are the folks I watch, those are the folks I set my eyes on, who seem to always praise God even through the storms that come their way!

I have watched those around me, even young folks who have suffered tragedy, yet have not given up, they fight, they reach out to God their healer for help and strength. One such young man I would like to mention is Mike Rooney. He was in a motorcycle accident that put him in a wheelchair. A young man, in his early 20's, who could of given up and caved in yet with his faith in God, and a very loving family, he has done amazing things.

I remember my sister Robin, who I share very little about, at 18 dove in a swimming pool and broke her neck, her remaining years would be lived out as a quadriplegic. During that time she came to know Jesus Christ as Savior. Folks would tell me after a visit how their lives where changed, how, though they came to encourage and a left with more encouragement than they came with.

One Sunday morning as I was getting ready to preach, my heart was overwhelmed by a special guest and his mom and dad. Sometimes God just knows what you need to inspire you at a time you need it most. When I saw this young man being pushed through the door, a smile from ear to ear, if I had any doubts, if I was a little down, that smile of victory put me right back in touch.

With who you ask? God, Mike's unwillingness to give up reminded me that day, we have a God that can get us through anything if we just trust and hold on. Now I am sure Mike has his down times, and memories of youthful things he may not be as able to do. Yet he fights, his mom Michelle and dad Michael fight and pray. His sisters Kara and Erin fight and pray.

I watched this family come together and give God the glory, not for him to walk necessarily, but just grateful Mike is with them. Though there were times of trial, they reached out knowing and trusting that God would answer their prayers, and He did. Through traches, learning to eat again, to many other challenges, though beat at times Mike and his family were never beaten.

I do not even remember them asking for big miracles, but everyone they would receive, they gave God the glory. So you see, when you are feeling beaten, when you feel that life is unfair, you can give into the beat down and be defeated, or think of those around you going through so much more and find a reason to be aggravatingly upbeat.

Psalm 116:1-2 "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice, and my pleas for mercy. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live.

Frustrated with ministry?

If ministry is a frustration, you may need to evaluate who you are in ministry for, God or you? Remember Jesus had a pretty busy schedule also, the only time He was frustrated was with people who had priority problems! So reevaluate who you are doing things for, stop take a breathe, turn it all back to God, because He wants you too. Get free, get the victory back and serve Him because you have joined Him where He is. If you do it right you will not be overwhelmed you will be over blessed!

When we lose sight of what God's plan is, we usually lose sight of our direction and lose focus on our relationship with God. We tend to feel that if we are doing it for God we must be doing what we should. That is not always so. Just because we are doing a lot does not mean God is always in what we are doing. The Pharisees thought they were doing a lot for God, but in essence it was all about them! (Matthew 23)

Working hard for God and getting frustrated with God at the same time does not make sense does it? Well it is not to late to stop and truly ask God, if what you are doing for Him is genuine. Are we doing it because we see Him working, or are we doing it because we think it is our soul responsibility to do it all? The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few Jesus said. ( Matthew 9:37)

If we are frustrated, than maybe what we need to be doing more of is discipling others to come along with us. We may have a calling on our life, but it is never a calling to do it all! Are we praying and asking God for direction, or are we controlled by feelings? What we need to see is, we can do a whole lot of things half halfheartedly, or one thing successfully? What do you think God thinks here?

Get out of the way, let God have His way, and see if you don't see your way, a little better today!

1 Peter 5:6, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. (NKJV)

Psalm 51:17, "My sacrifice, Oh God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." (NIV)

A wonderful son, probably not.

You know something? People are always telling me what a wonderful son I am to care for my mom. Well without a wonderful God and being blessed with a wonderful wife who loves my mom as much, I would probably fall a little short of wonderful! Though I would care for her anyway, it sure makes it a double blessing to have the relationships I do! 

We have a support system from our church family, our children, our neighbors, my wife's family jumps in when we need them. To be wonderful, whatever that truly means, you have to have some amazing people in your life also. And an amazing God who transformed my life for just moment as this! Wonderful no, a son always! The scripture tells us we are supposed to take care of family. 

1 Timothy 5:8, "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 

So you see I am not trying to be wonderful here, just faithful, not anything special, just a son who wants his mother to have the best care! Just a son and a believer who wants to be an encouragement to anyone going through the same as my wife and I. I know there are different circumstances in life, and not all situations are the same, but family is family and they still deserve the best we have to offer.

I am always reminded of what Jesus did for me at Calvary, He gave his very best for my very worst! He gave His life so I could live! He took my place so I would have the place I do now! He restored my life, healed my marriage, set me free so I could serve. So I do, with His help, the help of my precious wife Karen, and so many other wonderful people He has put in our lives. 

So when people around me call me wonderful I have to tell them, probably not, I am just doing what I am supposed to do. Wonderful? No just being a son!

Be encouraged please!

Those families struggling with Alzheimer's, as hard as it may seem, and though there is little understanding still, just be you always, because they cannot be them! They may have forgotten, but you shouldn't. Is it hard? Yes. Is it hurtful? Yes. But never, ever forget, they are still mom, dad, uncle, aunt, and human beings. Yes they need help, yes they may even have to go to a care facility, but they are still who they are, no less!

They just don't remember and it is hard for them also, trying to figure it all out, looking at you, knowing you belong in their life, just not where! They try, they do, they just cannot help what has happened to them, and that is no punishment toward you, or them! One thing you can never, ever forget though, is you! Take a break, get some rest, find a support system, and what ever you do, do not be or feel embarrassed.

You are not alone, and there is nothing to be ashamed of! Hang in there and just be you for them, you never know when that one moment will come, that they will remember just a little, and how blessed you will be because you were there!