Isaiah 41:10 NLT – Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.  Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.”  When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing.  Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.  That’s the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful, flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life’s work can be truly beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.  Remember, God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.  And He’ll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

Isaiah 38:15-17 NLT – But what could I say? For he himself had sent this sickness. Now I will walk humbly throughout my years because of this anguish I have felt. Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You have restored my health and have allowed me to live! Yes, it was good for me to suffer this anguish, for you have rescued me from death and have forgiven all my sins.

One of the most difficult experiences for me was when I had to give the first spanking to my daughter.  We had just moved from sunny California to the cold and damp climate of the Northwest.  The fireplace was an immediate attraction to our oldest daughter crawling around on the living room floor.  She was drawn to the brightness and the warmth of the flames.  At first I would just pick her up and move her to the other room.  It progressed to adding a firm “No” when picking her up.  Eventually I had to swat her hand to get the message across.  The look on her face just about tore me up as she looked up to me with those beautiful eyes as if to say, “How could you do that?”  Discipline is never easy – whether it be for your children or whether you are receiving it from God.  In Isaiah, the story is told of King Hezekiah who went through a certain sickness in his life.  As hard as it was to go through this trial – Hezekiah states that it caused him to walk humbly for the rest of his life and it rescued him from death (probably spiritually).  Perhaps you are going through some sort of trial in your life right now.  You might feel as if everyone has abandoned you and you might feel that God doesn’t love you.  The fact is – He has not left you and loves you very much.  He knows what is best for you and what will help you grow as a Christian.  The disciplines that we receive are all part of His plan to make us be the men and women that God wants us to be!

1 Peter 1:22 NIV – {Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

My first pastorate enabled me to put into practice the many lessons that I had been learning throughout my lifetime.  It is one thing to sit and watch lessons being learned by others – it is quite another to have to work them out in your own life.  As I began the journey of pastoring I soon learned that a church can be filled with all sorts of people from different places in life.  Some we’re easy to love and others, well let’s just say… they made loving very difficult.  Interestingly enough, those that we’re difficult to love have often become my dearest friends as we have had to work through our “issues” and put into the scriptural practice of loving one another.  The admonition in this scripture is that we would “love one another deeply, from the heart.”  This cannot be done in our own strength – it can only be done with the power and help of Jesus Christ who will help us to love others in a deep way.  Two nights ago, I was sitting with 6 men of whom I have made my life very accountable to.  Together, with these men, we make the decisions about the church finances.  While the meeting was going on – a thought came across my heart – “I deeply love and care for each of these men as they have made such an impression on my life.”  I am sure that they feel the same way about me also.  Over the years I have learned the importance of loving others “deeply.”  I have learned about trusting (even when others have proven untrustworthy).  I am still growing of my understanding of a lot of things but I am sure of one thing – I must get this loving thing right because it is the very heart of God.

James 5:16 NLT –  …The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

A young family in our church has a little daughter who has been praying every night for her daddy to be able to work a day shift instead of a night shift.  She has done this night after night for a couple of years.  Last week she looked up at her mom and said, “Mom, why do we keep asking God about this?  He never answers our prayer.”  The mom gently told her that God does hear our prayers and that God, in His timing, would eventually answer their prayers.  So… they prayed again that their daddy would be able to work on the day shift.  Well – God did answer her little prayers last week as her dad was able to get the job she had been praying for.  She looked up at her mom and said, “Wow, God does answer our prayers.”  She will forever remember this moment in her life.  It is easy to forget this simple principle but it is so important to our day by day life.  God wants each of us to come to Him on a daily basis with all our needs – trusting Him to do what needs to be done.  He loves us and wants to hear our voice coming to Him and telling Him how much we love Him.  He wants us to come like a child simply asking Him to take care of us and our daily needs.  Don’t neglect prayer in your life.  It is your daily lifeline.  It is the source of power in your life.  It produces wonderful results.

2 Chronicles 31:21 – Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.

Go into any bookstore and you will find shelves of self help books and books teaching you how to be successful. Many of these books are fine unto themselves and many offer some wise advice but if you really want advice on being successful – then open up God’s Word. Its advice is timely and its principles are proven. Within its pages are many passages that give insight and wisdom to living and walking on this earth and how to be successful. Hezekiah’s life is an example. To read about his life is to be amazed at the enormous success that he had as king in Israel. Cities we’re built, aqueducts we’re constructed, fortresses we’re established. The Bible even states “that there was much joy in the city” because of the type of king that Hezekiah was. Yes… Hezekiah was very successful but his success didn’t come from his own ingenuity or his own personality – it came from God. It came because Hezekiah sought the Lord “wholeheartedly.” He wasn’t a “Sunday Christian” but was living a life fully unto God. If you want to make your life count for God and want to be successful on this earth then look at Hezekiah’s life – he followed God with his whole heart.. He made God his first priority. He took Him to the office and he brought Him home to his family. He didn’t just talk about his walk with God but he lived it out in daily life and therein lies his success.

Psalms 46:10 NKJV – {10} Be still, and know that I [am] God.

As a young boy (over 50 years ago) I was a rather ambitious child.  I got into everything and was more than a handful for my parents.  Left to my own – I would wander off in my own little world causing my parents to go into panic mode.  Back then – they didn’t have these nice child harnesses that I see parents with small children have.  My mom made her own by buying a dog leash and just hooked it to the belt loop on my pants.  One morning my mom came into the kitchen and found me sitting on the refrigerator (I had somehow managed to get out of my crib and somehow found a way to get my little body all the way to the top.)  I carried that energy into my youth and then into my adult years.  I was always going and going – doing and doing.  This went on until I finally hit a wall and had to stop.  I was done physically, spiritually and mentally.  I knew nothing about Sabbaths, sabbatical’s or just resting.  I was forced into a place where I had to retool myself and learn how to live God’s way and not mine.  I had to learn the meaning of “being still” and “resting.”  Perhaps that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do but it has been one of the most important.  I actually like the place where it has brought me – especially in my spiritual walk with God.  I enjoy just “being still” before Him and allowing Him to speak to my soul.  I enjoy not having to go everywhere and do everything.  It has been an adjustment for me but it has been the thing that has revived and saved my life.  I am excited about life again and I am excited about what God has in store for me.

Isaiah 30:18 NLT – {18} But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.

A few years ago my wife and I made a trip to Colorado to be with some friends in the month of December. Although the weather was cooler in Southern California it was very cold in Colorado – 12 degrees when we landed. Our plan was to get a hotel that night and meet up with our friends the next day. We picked up our luggage and made our way outside to stand under the sign that said Hotel Pickup. (Do you remember that I said it was 12 degrees out?) What should have been a couple of minutes wait turned into 45 minutes as the bus we needed never came around. I think it might have been one of the longest waits of my life. When we finally got to the hotel – we we’re completely frozen which was a good reminder for me why I enjoy living in Southern California. Waiting is not one of my strengths in life as I mostly am impatient for things to happen quickly. It is one of the areas my wife and I are opposite in as she has great patience for most things in life – including me which is a real miracle! I confess – I don’t understand the timetable that God has in life – especially when it comes to me and my own journey upon this earth. Waiting has always been hard for me and it is something that I’ve been forced to learn about over my 56 years of living on this earth. My wife has always called me “A Joseph” as he was one who had to endure a lot in life and had to wait for a long time to receive God’s promises that we’re given to him as a young boy. But God did come through for Joseph – perhaps not in the way or in the timing that he thought but He did come through and God has come through for me. Isaiah encourages us to wait for God who is waiting for us to come to Him in our need and to let Him know that we are ready for Him to show us His love and compassion. He reminds us also of the faithfulness of God and the blessing that are coming our way for waiting for Him. I know that I have no arrived and have a long way to go in life but I continue to learn about God and His ways by my learning to wait upon Him. I am often reminded that God is more concerned with our character then our comfort. Waiting then is a way for me to develop more character in my life. I guess… waiting isn’t so bad as it will bring about God’s best in walk and journey with Him.

Isaiah 25:4 NLT – {4} But to the poor, O LORD, you are a refuge from the storm. To the needy in distress, you are a shelter from the rain and the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall,

Have you ever got caught in a deluge of a rain?  I know that I have many times in my lifetime.  It’s when you are trying to get from one place to another and there is no shelter to cover and protect you.  I’ve had that happen on the golf course a number of times and I’ve had it happen as I’m trying to get out of my car – dressed in my nicest clothes going to church or some function.  The whole idea is that we start running for the nearest shelter because we don’t want to get wetter then we really are.  Rarely does someone just stand in the storm – it’s not a place where you want to be if you want to stay dry.  Storms always dishevel us and toss us around.  They change my appearance and the leave a mess in its wake.  In the same way – when the storms of life come our way – we try to get away from them as fast as we can.  They can have some devastating effects.  The Lord is our traveling shelter in the storm.  It’s like that commercial we see on TV where the umbrella goes where ever the people are.  God is like that in that we  will never be too far from his protective blessing.  His covering over us is against any attacks the enemy might bring our way – financial, spiritual, physical, or… and the list could go on and on.  Over the years I’ve had to run to the shelter over and over.  I’ve tested its ability to protect me and it’s the real deal!  God is a refuge and God is our shelter.  Praise the Lord!

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT – {1} Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. {2} We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven.

As a young boy I used to play on the mountain that was right at our doorstep.  My brother and I explored every niche and cranny and spent countless hours in those hills.  There was also a road that traversed up the mountain that cars would once in awhile travel on.   In the spring time the local track team would use the road as a training ground for building up their muscles and endurance.  What was interesting was the fact that each of the runners would tie weights to their ankles to strengthen their legs and help to give them more endurance.  They would do this for days on end until it was time for them to actually run in their track meets against other schools.  Their training would allow them to run faster and longer and win many of the matches.  In the same way – we are strip down every thing that is holding us back from moving forward with God – especially those sins that hinder our upward relationship with God.  It is only then that we can run the race before us.  Life is a lot like a race that will need endurance to win.  It’s not how fast we come out of the gates but how we endure on a day by day basis.  Depending on ourselves will only bring us to defeat but when we depend on Christ – He will see us to the end.  So run your race with God at your side.  Don’t forget the lessons you’ve learned along the way.  Keep your eyes on Christ and don’t stop until you pass that finish line!

Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT – {23} Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. {24} Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. {25} And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know “what to do” while you we’re waiting to do the next thing?  I know that I have.  It’s during these times that my mind gets distracted and I end up sometimes doing the things that I shouldn’t be doing.  Paul gives us some instruction about what to do in the meantime while we are waiting for the coming of the Lord.  First, he tells us to not waver – to hold on tightly to God knowing that He is going to keep His promises.  This indicates to me that it is possible to let go and that the enemy is going to throw his whole arsenal at us to get us to “let go.”  We must walk in faith and we must hold on tightly to the promises of God.  Secondly, we must find was to encourage one another to love and do good deeds.  It’s not just doing those deeds myself but I must encourage others to do so also.  How can I provoke you to show your love to others?  If I am leading in regards to serving it will encourage others to serve also.  Lastly,  Paul encourages us to not neglect our coming together as some people do.  In other words – its important to be in church and to hang with other people.  This encourages not only yourself but those around you.  Don’t neglect this!  In other words – it is something that can slip from our list of priorities.  So… in the meantime we must occupy ourselves until He comes lest we find ourselves in places where we should not be and doing things that are not right.