Restoration

Why do I need to forgive others?  Why do I need others to forgive me?

     Have you ever been in a situation where you did not forgive someone because you don't think they were sorry about what they had done?  I remember as a child when I was being taught to apologize for something I had done and the person said "Say it like you mean it" or "you don't sound sorry!"  That made sense to me.  There should be a statement the one person was at fault and the other person recognizes the error and regret of the other and gives forgiveness.  I wish it was always so black and white.
     If you really analyze that situation, it appears that the person who has made the error and asks for forgiveness is giving up their ability to claim that they were right.  The person who forgives is giving up their right to hold the upper ground as the "injured party."  As far as pride goes, both people are giving something up.  Why would both parties give up?   What would happen if they didn't?

     Couldn't the person who made the error refuse to admit it?  Haven't we all seen these situations?  Family members refuse to talk to each other for years in an attempt to avoid having to admit someone was not perfect.  They protect their pride at the expense of their families.

     Couldn't the person who was hurt refuse to believe that the other one truly was sorry?  Couldn't they hold out for confirmation that the other person's has been racked by guilt and suffering because of their choices?  How many marriages were lost because of a need to be "right" and make sure the other person felt as bad about the situation as they did?

Forgiveness is not about determining blame.  Forgiveness is not about winning and losing.

I think the beauty of forgiveness is that both people restored their relationship.  Forgiveness is all about restoring a relationship.  It is about placing ourselves in a place where we give up something for the benefit of another person.  We call that LOVE.

Why does God allow us to go through these type of battles?  It is a demonstration of our relationship with Him.  God so loved the world that He gave his only son.... He was not doing it because he had to do it.  He did it to offer forgiveness, he did it to show love and a desire to restore a relationship that was broken when mankind made a choice that disrupted our relationship with Him.  He forgives and we must be willing to accept that we are not perfect and made a wrong decision.

God even offered forgiveness by sending His son before we admitted our blame.  "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Restore your relationship with God by asking Him to forgive you for not following His commandments.  Accept the gift of forgiveness.  He has promised He will forgive if you ask.  Restore that relationship.




   

Who are you talking to?

     This week, millions are celebrating Thanksgiving.  There is even a concerted effort to be upset with businesses that are open on Thanksgiving Day.  The reason given is that workers should spend Thanksgiving with their families.  I've even heard people say, "because that is what Thanksgiving is all about."
     Like many other celebration days, Thanksgiving is losing its true emphasis as our culture is pushed to eliminate any Christian meaning from it.  The word "holiday" comes from "Holy Day" and were days set aside for remembrance of God in our busy lives.
     I am thankful for my family.  It is one of the most important things in my life.  We have always spent Thanksgiving gathering as a large family with food and reuniting with relatives and everything.  It is wonderful. But, that is not the purpose of the day.  I have seen on facebook that people are spending the month listing things that they are thankful for each day.  I think that is a great idea, however, once again, the things we are thankful for is a secondary focus.
     When we say "Thank You," we usually don't say it to an empty room.  It is a phrase that is meant to be said TO someone.  When someone says, "I am thankful," I wonder to whom are they thankful.  I have heard people who publicly denounce a belief in any higher power say that they are thankful.  Who is receiving this gratitude?  I guess they are really saying,  "I am glad."  "I am glad I have a family, I am glad I have a home, I am glad I have a wonderful spouse."  If that is what they are saying that is fine, but please say that.
     Being thankful means you realize that someone has done something for you and that you appreciate what has been done.  When I say I am thankful, I am saying that I believe that the God of the universe has seen fit to bless me with a great family, a home and a wonderful spouse." I am saying "Thank you" to God.  There have been times that I have said "Thank you" to God for a struggle I went through with Him because I came out changed on the other side of it.  When the pilgrims established a day of Thanksgiving, they were thanking God for bringing them to a new world an for keeping them from starvation and death.  They knew who was in control of their lives because they had trusted their lives to Him.
     On this week of Thanksgiving, lets emphasize that we are not just glad, but actually give thanks TO God and give thanks FOR his blessings.  It is a true Holy Day of remembrance that we owe him everything and want to acknowledge that we understand that he has given us this life.
Happy Thanksgiving Day,

   

True Wisdom

James 3:13-18

¹³ Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and ^[a]selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, ^[b]natural, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and^[c]selfish ambition exist, ^[d]there is disorder and every evil thing. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, ^[e]reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits,unwavering, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the ^[f]seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace ^[g]by those who make peace.

What does it take to be a wise teacher?

“let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”  The word wisdom carries a certain reverence.  You don’t hear people say phrases like “fiercely wise” or use the term, “aggressive wisdom.”  You hear “wise old owl”, not “wise like a grizzly bear.”

Wisdom has reputation of being gentle.

Verses 14-16 tell us that if you have bitterness and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t be arrogant and lie against the truth. 

Have you ever know someone who has an arrogance problem?  They are often described as someone who is full of themselves or that they think they know more than everyone else.  

           

Why do people describe them that way?  It is not so much the incredible value they place on themselves, but the fact that these people do not take into careful consideration the lives of others...they do not take into careful consideration the value of others.

“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” --verse 16

            ---  

Why do jealousy and selfish ambition cause so much trouble?  Because they put self first. --  that is Satan’s number one open door –

       The lies began in Genesis--- “God told you not to eat the fruit because he doesn’t want you to be all-knowing like he is.” – “I deserve better than that” – “I’ve done more than that person” -          

When you put  yourself first, you are putting others behind you.  You can’t serve someone who is standing behind you --- you must put them in front of you.

        Any area of life that contains jealousy and selfish ambition is filled with trouble.  The world teaches “stand up for yourself”’ “believe in yourself’” you must have a lot of “self esteem.”  The bible teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves.”    Bring them alongside you and teach them, “

James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [e]reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

This approach is caring, gentle, based in love, not in correction only. Not in argument, not in selfishness.

I love verse 18……
18 And the [f]seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace [g]by those who make peace.”

For righteousness to grow, it must be planted and cared for in an environment of peace by peaceful teachers.

Proverbs 12:18
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Righteous wisdom from above controls a foolish tongue, and gently reaches out in love and care to teach others about Jesus.

Why follow Jesus?

     I never really went through a rebellious stage in my teens.  I had a strong family who focused on what was right and my parents were fair about what they allowed me to do.  If something came up that they disapproved of, I deferred to their authority as my parents.  It released me of any responsibility for what might happen if I made bad choices against their judgement.   The reason that was a good idea was that my parents judgement was very closely related to what the Bible teaches.  They themselves deferred to the authority of God and the things they had been taught about what was right and wrong in His eyes.  So in a way, we were all under God's authority. As an adult, those decisions fell to my own judgement and for the most part, I determined to use similar judgement to what I had been taught.  It has served me well, but I know there are those who have not had this type of upbringing.  

     As a Christian I have made a decision defer to the authority of Jesus.   This brings the question of why a person living today should follow the commands of Jesus, who walked on earth two thousand years ago.  The reason is based on a few things that I know about who Jesus is.  By knowing who He is, I know by what authority He commands me and other followers.  Here is what I know.

     Jesus is the son of God.  He is part of God along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The Trinity-three in one.  This means that He is God.   The things he taught as "God in the Flesh" are the words of God.  Therefore, I follow them.  It would be foolish not to.  The God of the universe, the creator of everything, who always has been and always will be, the all-knowing, all-powerful, author of existence itself.  How can I begin to think that I know a better way to live than His way.   His name is "I AM."  His very existence explains everything else.  It has taken me over 40 years to even begin to understand the smallest part of God's existence and even in that minuscule amount, I am dumbfounded and overwhelmed at His greatness.  He has authority over all, because He is the author of all.

     We are often wrapped up in the drama and details of our surrounding, that we neglect to step back and realize that in chasing our own goals, we are chasing our own tails.  True fulfillment will come in fulfilling our part of the master design that the author of true reality has set in place.  And so, by His authority, I will strive to find out who I am by continuing to try to know Him.

     

It's Time

     Over the past few years and more recently this past week, I have been around families as they have made arrangements for the end of someone's life. There are things that are done far in advance relating to financial areas and deciding who will care for remaining children. There are wills, living wills, trusts, and legal transfers as well as dispersal of family heirlooms. So many things can be planned for and prepared for so that when that unknown time comes, we are ready to move toward the life to come.
      Each time I am faced with this occurrence, I am always anxious to hear about the spiritual preparations that were made for the next life. It is the only question that really matters. Rust and decay will eventually consume everything else except our soul. How do we plan for the time our body no longer can remain joined with us? It is the ageless question? What happens next, Where will I go?
      I believe that God exists. I trust that God exists. Because I trust that God exists, I act upon things in this world according to how I believe God wants me to act. My best way to know what that action is is that I read God's word, The Bible, and follow the guidance of God The Holy Spirit in my life. I spend every day drawing closer and closer to understanding and following God by the teachings of Jesus as well. Here is what I believe must be done to be prepared.

Romans 10:9--If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved

What does it mean to "believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead?" It means that you make decisions based on your understanding of what Jesus desires for you to do. You put yourself below Jesus. You are willing to give up your own plan to fulfill the plan God has for your life. Even if you are not successful in doing all of the right things, you have made a commitment to do it at the expense of your own goals. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified.

What does it mean to declare with your mouth "Jesus is Lord?" --- It means that you are willing to identify yourself as someone who has made Jesus the ruler of your life. You are willing to give up your own identity and become a "follower of Jesus." When someone asks why you are acting this way, you explain to them that it is not your own plan that you are following, but the plan of Jesus. It is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

As you commit to living this life, you begin to see God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit use you to reflect God's word in the world. Your faith grows as you experience God on a deeper and deeper and more visible level in your life.The Bible explains how to be saved in many places and using many similar explanations. The plan is simple, but takes a definite decision. When you are ready to decide to put this plan into effect in your life, pray and tell him that you want to declare "Jesus is Lord." Then trust Him as you live your life seeking to understand and enact His plan for your life. At that point, it is not you that lives, but Jesus living through you.

When the day comes and you are separated from your body, you will be immediately in the presence of the Lord because you are already a part of Him.

Be ready. Live Life.

Freedom, Religion and Life

     My family has just returned from a long and enjoyable vacation.  We traveled for 9 days to our nation's capitol.  I have always wanted to see the monuments that have been created to commemorate the lives and ideas that helped found what I consider to be the greatest country every known.  In the months leading up to this trip, there has been more and more news about the current representatives who are leading this country who seem to be unaware of the ideals upon which our country began.  We began an effort to let people live by their own choices....liberty.   Of course we have to come together to combat evil and selfish intentions for the protection of that liberty, but to the greatest extent possible, people should be able to live in a way that they choose.
     The founding fathers' greatest achievement was a constitution that took into account the basic nature of mankind toward selfishness and greed and set protections to keep most of that from finding its way into the government.  They did not trust that one person could decide what another person should do and then force them to do it.  They learned that lesson from their lives under the British monarchy of the time.  The operating  procedures they put into place were there to help in certain areas where common problems arose in a free society.  They did not decide to create a constitution where everything that people should do is spelled out for them, nor did they want to cause people to give up their own convictions.  One lifestyle does not fit all.  There are a few things, however that we must not eliminate,  certain "inalienable" rights....life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They understood that God gave us certain standards that we should live by and that people could operate in a huge number of ways within that framework.
     Knowing that religion is a personal matter and that it also affects the working together of a group, they made special considerations for it as a "problem area."  Congress should not force anyone to participate in a religion.  (Religion is a personal decision.)  Congress should not hinder people from practicing their religion. (By hindering religious practice, you are actually forcing an opposite religious practice.)  Religion is on its own and is an area where a wide and patient consideration for others is to be given.
     There do arrive in our country's history times when we must address inconsistencies in the way our liberty and our interactions with others conflict.  It arose over the question of slavery.  It has arisen over the question of abortion.  It will continue to come up as our country continues to work out the details of what is right and wrong.  It seems that the question of slavery today is clearly understood.  It is wrong to take away someone else's liberty.  It is an inalienable right from God.   I also believe it is wrong to take away someone's life.  It is an inalienable right from God.  In the 1860's some people said there is nothing wrong with slavery because those in slavery were not really people.  We know today that that is incorrect.  Today, some people say that there is nothing wrong with abortion because those being aborted are not really people.  Don't we know that that is also incorrect?   In the 1860's some people said that freeing slaves would be taking away the rights of slaveholders.   Today some people say that outlawing abortion would be taking away the rights of pregnant women.   Did slaveholders actually have the right to take ownership of someone else's life?  Do pregnant women actually have the right to take ownership of another life?  What will it take before we face this issue in a logical and moral way?   It's time to not be hypocritical to our agreed-upon way of life.  I don't think we see slavery today as a "religious" issue.   I don't think we have to only see abortion that way either.  This is a matter of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  These are the truths that we hold to be self-evident.  It is time to once again restore freedom by restoring life.

....but now I'm Found

     With the coming of the winter thaw, I have begun a new way to get out and get a little exercise as well as feed my curiosity about history.  I got a metal detector about a year ago and am finally using it to find things.  Most of my use has been in my own yard and nearby, but I have enjoyed seeing what lies just under our feet.  To see some of my adventures, follow the link at the bottom of the page and watch a couple of videos of the fun I have been having.
     People have asked me what the fun is in walking around and digging up broken and forgotten relics of the past.  I can't say that I have always had a good answer, but I know that I get excited whenever I find something interesting.  I guess it has to do with the knowledge that at one time, each item was created for a purpose in someone's life and I begin to ask myself what happened.  Did it just outlive its usefulness and was discarded?  Was it lost and never used for its intended purpose?  Did someone drop it and look for it and did they grieve over not being able to find it?
     I also wonder about the people and the life they lived in a previous era.  What would it mean to them to lose a dime?  Probably a lot more than it does today.  Whose picture was once in the broken locket I found?
Did a soldier lose this stirrup on his way back to the family farm after a battle and decide to hurry on without picking it up?  What small child lost the toy cap gun decades ago and was it something that they had treasured as a Christmas present?   Why were three spent bullet cartridges from three different caliber guns found stuck together by a blob of engine grease around the year 1900?  What in the world could have been going on?
     I guess my curious nature has taken over.   Lately, I have found a lot of coins from different time periods. I have been hoping to find very old coins, but other than a 1918 wheat penny, I have found coins newer than 1965.  They are the kind that are still used today.  I have been cleaning them up a little and plan to save them up to buy an even better metal detector in the future.
     It has made me think.  Those coins began with a certain value attached to them.  They were probably used to purchase things that helped individuals and families have a better life.  They had a purpose and a worth.  At some point in time, they were lost and taken out of circulation.  Time began to bury them and soon no one even knew that they existed any more.  Their ability to fulfill their purpose was gone.  They still had the same value and could be used again, but were separated from a useful life by inches of dirt.  They needed help.  They needed someone to come along and detect them, dig them up, clean them off and restore them to their place of purpose.
     Jesus has done that for so many people.  There are people who have begun with a purpose and value and over time have found themselves lost and buried.  They have found themselves separated from the purpose they were created for and stuck in the mud and doomed to the darkness of the earth.  Jesus came and they reached out to Him.  He dragged them out of the darkness and restored them to their original purpose again. He removed the effects of years of degradation and put them back into circulation again.  He redeemed them from the darkness.  That is the reason I named my youtube channel "redeeming316."  I wanted to remind people that Jesus is the only one who can redeem your soul and restore you to his purpose.
     John 3:16--- For God so loved the world, that he gave him only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

Redeeming316 Videos
  http://www.youtube.com/user/redeeming316

The Battle Plan

I have had an extremely busy time these past few weeks.  There have been a lot of opportunities to minister to people on personal levels as well as a lot of church-wide activities.  My wife has been out of town for an extended stay and the house, meals, errands, etc have been a little more intense without her help.  I have also noticed a lot of people I know are going through times of illness, family loss, and more.  This is a perfect recipe for stress and misunderstanding to flourish among the many relationships I have.  Satan does not rest.   I have been so thankful that God has been merciful to teach me in these situations.
     Ephesians 6:10-20 is a reminder to put on the armor of God.  As we have been studying it over that past 6 weeks, I wanted to share the things God has taught me or reminded me of from this passage.

1.  Be strong in God's power, don't rely on my own.
2.  Be prepared for the devil and his schemes
3.  Every battle is a battle of Good vs. Evil.  It's takes place on a spiritual level and affects our physical lives.
4.  By putting into action the things God teaches, we will be ready to stand up in any battle.
5.  Seek to understand the truth of God, his power, his nature, and his promises.
6.  Make decisions based on your understanding of this truth and on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
7.  Take steps to exercise your belief that God is God.  Don't just know it.  Act upon it.
8.  Be confident in the outcome of those steps you have taken.  God keeps his promises.
9.  Because you have been saved, you are a threat to the devil.  Beware of his efforts to distract you.
10.  Know God's word and use it to defeat the attacks of evil.  Actually quoting the words of God is a
       powerful weapon against the devil.  Jesus did it when tempted in the wilderness.

11.  Pray even when you don't know what to pray.  God will lead you in what to say and do as long as
you constantly seek his will.

Put on this spiritual armor so that you are prepared for day to day life in the physical realm.  Continue to train for battle each day by learning and living for the Lord.  The outcome is already determined.  God's Kingdom will reign forever and ever.  Suit up for battle and accomplish his purpose for your life.


If you'd like to hear an excellent summary and challenge, listen to Dr. Tony Evans here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulswQICDAk0

Pink Horns, Angel wings, blue skin and swords

     I had an adventure this weekend that took me to experience people and places I would never have imagined.  I attended the NakaKon Anime Convention in Overland Park, KS.  Anime is in its strictest terms, Japanese animated stories watched on DVD and online in some cases, but becoming more popular around the world and on TV in the US.  This convention expanded to include any animated character and stories, Manga-(drawn stories in books, not movies) and a hint of super-hero and sci-fi thrown in.  Sessions included discussions about the technology involved as well as the personalities (voice actors) involved in creating anime, but also much discussion surrounding the stories and plots of the endless number of anime series. The most visable feature was the fact that about 99% of the attendees dressed as fanciful characters in the stories.  I spent hour after hour with people with wings, horns, mechanical weapons, colored contacts in their eyes, cat ears and pointed ears, rainbow wigs and people dressed to represent countries of origin.  They acted out their characters as well and many spent hours just taking pictures of each other.  It was something I would never have imagined was going on until went to see it for myself.
     My overall goal before going was to "check out" this area of entertainment that my daughters have expressed and interest in.  My first impression of the people was very positive and even now, my overall impression is not a negative one at all.  We waited in a registration line with hundreds of people and other than a few (very few) foul language concerns, they were very friendly and pleasant.  (I have had more concerns with the behavior of people at ball games and concerts by far.)  Throughout the week they approached each other with respect and kind words, supporting each other's interest in the stories they loved.
     As a minister and father of two daughters that were there, I was ready to pounce on any danger or dark forces rearing their heads.  The more I observed, I became overcome with the sense that this group of people were not horrible, or seeking demonic things, they were for the most part a perfect picture of the un-churched world.   There were certainly Christians there, but it was a very non-religious, accepting of others, being as non-normative as you wanted to be type of society.  Because of this, it is also a group that was not at all aggressive to someone who appeared to express a "gay lifestyle." (I did not see that much at all, but a few discussions arose within the panel discussions of the conference.)  I did see some hand holding, but not that much and the event had a fairly conservative dress code and rules for conduct.  All in all, it was to me a picture of what I had possibly been ignoring about our world culture.
     I have been surrounding myself with those who pretty much follow my traditions and have ignored the totally non-religious culture that is taking over.
    Many panel discussions centered on the genre of Manga, written pictorial stories that continue for many books in a series.  The attendees know every minute detail about stories that spanned 30 volumes and were still going.
     My thoughts immediately turned to the idea of how to present the gospel to such a world.  God must have seen the same thing.   He found people living a life totally unaware of the fact that every action they took was leading them toward a false reality.  They were caught up in a thousand details of a culture that had nothing to do with their actual existence.
      This conference was a perfect metaphor for what is happening to the people in the world.  They are each their own unique character, but some are trapped in the story of their lives. They are ignorant of anything that does not advance their own personal story.  They know their fellow characters, but do not realize that they are part of a greater reality.  They are trapped in the book.  More importantly, they are unaware of the Author.  They seem unaware that at some point the book of their life will be closed and they will be face to face with the greater existence outside of their own little story.
     What did God do?  He stepped into the book.  The author himself became part of the story.  He told them about the world outside the life they were living where He had already written the final chapters of every story.  And that it led to a living, breathing reality that they had only hoped for.   He left for them a written guide as well as a spiritual guide to take them through the story of life.  A way to escape the book and find true reality.  But it is their decision to follow.  They could either stick with the world of the book, or follow the Author and be a part of the eternal sequel known as TRUTH and ETERNAL LIFE.
     We need to step into the lives of the people who are unaware of their situation.  We need to share the truth of the reality of the Author of Life.  We need to be a part of people leaving "their" story and becoming a part of His-story.

Nightingale

Common Nightingales are named so because they frequently sing at night as well as during the day. The name has been used for well over 1,000 years, being highly recognizable even in its Anglo-Saxon form – 'nightingale'. It means 'night songstress'. Early writers assumed the female sang when it is in fact the male. The song is loud, with an impressive range of whistles, trills and gurgles. Its song is particularly noticeable at night because few other birds are singing. This is why its name includes "night" in several languages. Singing at dawn, during the hour before sunrise,nightingales sing even more loudly in urban or near-urban environments, in order to overcome the background noise. The most characteristic feature of the song is a loud whistling crescendo.

This is a part of the definition of nightingale from a wikipedia entry. There are several things in it that are interesting. Not many birds sing at night. I am sure the other birds in the woods think He's a little strange, but he sings anyway. We usually associate singing birds with the start of a happy new day. But this bird sings an hour before sunrise as well. What does he know that the other birds don't? Does he have a more complete faith that a new day is coming, so much so that he sings before it even arrives? Does he sing because he is afraid of the dark or does he sing in order to show that he does not fear the darkness and has faith in the coming dawn?

The description also says that he sings louder to overcome the noise of the city in urban areas. It seems he wants to share his song of faith in the coming day and believes it is the most important thing we need to hear, so he is trying to make sure we hear it. He makes a distinctive whistling crescendo to praise the coming day.

I may have personified this bird a little too much in that paragraph, but I have seen people who do just that. When they are going through darkness, maybe even a darkness that does not demonstrate that dawn could be on the way, they use that opportunity to remind us that there is a dawn. A new day. A promise that is faithfully fulfilled. Their faith is in the new dawn no matter their own circumstances. Sometimes the dawn comes and the bird is given a new chance to sing in the valley where it has lived it's life with family and friends. Sometimes the dawn comes and the bird awakes to an amazing new valley beyond his wildest dreams. Either way, the nightingale has reason to sing. It does not fear the darkness, but has a hope in the promise that a new day awaits.

I believe that God has designed us to face the darkness. When we dedicate ourselves to live our lives for Him, he gives us the promise of a new dawn. So, whatever the extent of your dark valley, give your life to be lived for Jesus. It is only then that you will be guided through the darkness to the promise of a new dawn in spite of your earthly circumstances. It is then that you can sing in the darkness. It is then that you can know that the dawn will come and God will prevail.

This song, written by Art n Von from the Christian Songwriters Network has not been released to a national audience, but I have loved it for several years. It has often brought me to tears and as I am again praying for people facing darkness, it speaks to me.

Read the words below, but you must also listen to it. It is beautiful. Follow the link and click on "Nightigale."

Listen to song "Nightingale"

Author: words: D.Rempel Y.Bach Music Y.Bach A. Elswick
Nightingale

Verse one
This is your valley
Of deep night
It seems it's empty
Of hope and light.
This is your season
To stumble there
Between your sorrow
And your despair.

Chorus
Yet you sing,
Oh, nightingale,
That dawn will come,
God will prevail.
Your strength is gone
Your vision fails,
Yet you sing,
Dear nightingale.

Verse two
This is your witness –
Your faithful voice,
Rising in worship
Above the noise
This is your music,
Your song of praise
piercing the darkness
With Hope and faith.

Bridge:
You sing as tears fall from your face
Steeped in pain, bathed in grace
Sing like there is no tomorrow,
Sing You Sing Through your sorrow

Disciple

Recently, several friends of mine have undertaken a challenge to share with someone a walk through a book called Multiply by Francis Chan.  It is not just a book, it is a project designed to encourage people to talk and walk their spiritual life together, learning from the Bible and each other's life experience.  Although we already do that through our church fellowship, this is a one-to-one mentorship where we can talk about specific areas of life and growth as a Christian.  I have begun to realize that there are already many people around me who God has placed there to teach me while I teach them.  These include my children, friends, former students, kids from camp, etc.  I would encourage Christians to try to place more emphasis on this aspect of our lives.  God created us to interact with each other.  In today's world, however, we are kept so busy that this interaction is no longer a normal occurrence.

     I have a set time on Saturday mornings that I reserve to talk to my brothers in Christ.  We do not normally do a Bible study or anything like that, nor do we always talk about silly stuff. (We do some of both however)  But mostly we talk about our spiritual lives as it relates to our roles as fathers, husbands, friends, and Christians.  God speaks to me through these guys.

     I have learned that I also have to schedule a time to talk to people that I want to have an impact on.  Thursday nights at 6:45 I meet with a friend who is walking through this book with me.  Saturday at 8:30ish I can usually expect a call from a former camp student who wants guidance about living life as a young Christian in a tough situation.  Although I can speak to these people through casual meetings, it is unlikely in today's world if we really want to make an impact in a certain direction.

Jesus wanted to impact a group of people for a period of time.  He told them to spend time with him.  He told them to "Follow Me."  Let's walk through life together for a short time.  You will get to see how the Father in Heaven wants us to live in the details of earthly life.  We can get the same impact by walking with others and learning from them.

We are called to be a disciple and to be disciple makers.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20

www.multiplymovement.com