Speak UP!!!

As I grow older in ministry, I am noticing a trend that quite honestly, disturbs me. Just recently as I met with a young middle aged man, I was reminded again of this tragic nation wide dilemma. I was reminded of it when he said during counseling, "I never heard that" as I shared a simple spiritual truth and later, "I wished someone had told me." After years of struggles and heartaches as he shared his life story, I had the privilege of telling him the great truths of our Great and Mighty God.

Today's treasure is found in Psalm 78, verses 1-4...read them with me (this time in the NLT)

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past- stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about HIS power and HIS mighty wonders...

Far too many times we in America are not following through on these simple instructions with our children. We are expecting some "church" program to replace God's prescribed method of passing the good news along to the next generation. While I am thankful for those many ministries and I have served in many of them throughout the years, there is NO substitute for mom's and dad's, grandma's and grandpa's spreading God's truths to their children.

We have multitudes of excuses ranging anywhere from I don't have enough education to I'm too busy. Each of these pose their own special revelation of our hearts condition. One justifies our lack of obedience to our own seeming shortcomings.....thus negating any possibility of God showing Himself strong through us (and denying Philippians 4:13). The other reveals a failed priority system that will ultimately lead to massive struggles in not only our own lives but also our children as they grow up to also be TOO BUSY for God.

No matter what excuse we offer, we ultimately find that the children always suffer. Unwise, ungodly, non-Biblical decisions, lead to emotional, spiritual, physical and even financial scarring that they will carry to their graves. I have spent my life time pointing children and adults back to the God of the Bible.

Today more than ever people are looking for the relevant, purposeful, tangible of life. That is only found in and through the person of Jesus Christ. Churches and parents are groping and trying gimmick after gimmick to meet these demands. All of which may provide entertainment for a season but have no lasting result. Yet, it is really not complex, just complete.

Our Creator IS relevant. For those who have fallen prey to the deception that there is NO creator, God help you. Name anything you own, that did NOT have a creator. There is ONE and HE is IT!!!! Open your eyes and Look around!!! (Sorry, got off on a rabbit trail, it's hunting season and I got the fever)..... Back to our topic, HE IS RELEVANT!!! HE has designed us with an incredible purpose. Life, abundant life, life with no regrets is HIS plan.

Far too many spend their lives in sadness, struggle, searching for fulfillment every where except from the One who can give it. Parents, it is our privilege to first know it personally, ourselves. We cannot pass along what we do not know ourselves. Once we own it then we have the joy of passing it along!!!

My life has been one of celebrating first the goodness of God's grace in my life personally and now to see my children (and Grandchildren :) discover the God of this world and the Bible as their own. To see them set their hope anew upon GOD (vs. 7). That they too might know HIM as Father and as God! The mighty, miracle working, nothing is impossible God who loved them and sent HIS Son to die for them God... Much like the writer of 3 John (you haven't been there in a long time have you) in verse 4 where he says

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children
are following the truth!!!

So parents......speak up....don't hide HIS truths, tell your children how great HE is.....

You'll be glad you did, and they will too!!!
Blessings
Bruce

Thirsty???

Today's treasure is found in Psalms 42....

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God... Ps 42.2

As we read today's scriptures, I honestly don't believe we can fully grasp the meaning of it. Most of us have never known what it means to be thirsty. Now I don't mean just thirsty from our point of view here in the USA. I mean, we have been deprived of precious water and the bodily hydration it brings to the point of the physical changes and challenges it brings.

I have experienced this on a personal level with the sickness that has been in our family over the past few years. It is amazing what happens in our bodies when they begin to dehydrate (thirst). Our body kicks itself into survival mode.

This is noted by several key changes that happen.

1) Our internal organs begin to suffer, stress and fatigue when we go for prolonged periods without enough H2O.

2) Our system begins to pull liquids from places it normally discharges as waste.

3) If the dehydration continues, then we can even find ourselves mentally incoherent.

Let's apply this to us spiritually. When we go long seasons without God, don't we do much the same thing???!!! We begin to suffer. We begin to stress and even fatigue!! The highway of life is littered with stress filled lives and homes. Fatigue fills our land today in such great measure that it is causing physical problems, emotional struggles and even many simply giving up!!!

How about the fact that we seek to find our satisfaction from places that will not sustain us nor bring us what we need the most! We try relationship after relationship, job after job, situation after situation when the real issue is we need HIM!

Even when we go prolonged periods without God and our vital union with Him , do we not also, not think rightly? Do we not also make unwise and even foolish decisions without our God at our side????!!! Today more than at any time in ministry I have observed that christians all over are making unwise, non biblical decisions. Then when the law of sowing and reaping kicks in they say....why did this happen to me???!!!

I guess for all of us children of God.....we need to ask ourselves one question....are we thirsty??? For HIM???? Do we long for HIM and our relationship with HIM more than any other thing, person or place??? Is it our moment by moment thought to look to HIM, love HIM and long for time with our great God? It is my struggle, how about you???

I believe the Psalmist understood in far greater measure than many today that he needed God. He needed HIM far more than perhaps he had ever fully understood. The only thing he could relate it to was how badly at times he longed for a cold drink from a mountain spring. That I can relate to!

Do you? Long for HIM? Not for something that has no power to do anything but lead us to failure. But for the LIVING GOD!

O God, make us thirsty. Make us thirsty for YOU!!!

You'll be glad He did!
Blessings
Bruce